The Reading / Listening - Prime Minister - Level 2

A 34-year-old woman will be the youngest prime minister in the world. Her name is Sanna Marin. She celebrated her 34th birthday last week. She became the head of the Finnish Social Democrats Party in an election last Sunday. She got 32 of the 61 votes to become leader. Ms Marin was the minister of transport and communications. She is taking over as Finland's prime minister after her former boss, the ex-prime minister, announced last week that he was quitting. Marin will be the youngest prime minister in Finland's history.

Sanna Marin is very excited at the idea of leading her country. She said: "There's a lot of work to be done. First, we'll have to call a meeting...and review the...joint government program which glues the coalition together." She added that one of her first jobs is to increase the popularity of her party, saying: "We have a lot of work ahead to rebuild trust." Marin will lead a coalition government. All four leaders in the coalition are also women. Marin is a new kind of leader. She shares photos of her private, social and political life on her Instagram page.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Prime Minister - Level 0 Prime Minister - Level 1   or  Prime Minister - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/17078-social-democrats-selects-marin-as-its-candidate-to-succeed-rinne.html
  • https://www.rt.com/news/475359-finland-youngest-prime-minister/
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-finland-government-pm/finlands-social-democrats-name-marin-to-be-youngest-ever-prime-minister-idUSKBN1YC0JO


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. She celebrated
  2. in an election
  3. She got 32 of the 61
  4. minister of transport and
  5. She is taking over as Finland's
  6. her former
  7. announced last week that he
  8. the youngest prime minister
  1. prime minister
  2. boss
  3. in Finland's history
  4. votes
  5. was quitting
  6. last Sunday
  7. communications
  8. her 34th birthday

Paragraph 2

  1. excited at the idea of
  2. glues the coalition
  3. increase the popularity
  4. rebuild
  5. All four leaders
  6. She shares
  7. her private, social and
  8. on her Instagram
  1. photos
  2. trust
  3. page
  4. together
  5. political life
  6. leading her country
  7. in the coalition
  8. of her party

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A 34-year-old woman will (1) ___________________ prime minister in the world. Her name is Sanna Marin. (2) ___________________ 34th birthday last week. She became (3) ___________________ the Finnish Social Democrats Party in an election last Sunday. She got 32 of the 61 votes (4) ___________________. Ms Marin was the minister of transport and communications. She is taking over as Finland's prime minister after (5) ___________________, the ex-prime minister, announced last week that (6) ___________________. Marin will be the youngest prime minister in Finland's history.

Sanna Marin is very excited at the (7) ___________________ her country. She said: "There's a lot of work to be done. First, we'll have to call a (8) ___________________ the...joint government program which glues the coalition together." She added that one of her first jobs is to (9) ___________________ of her party, saying: "We have a lot of work ahead (10) ___________________." Marin will lead a coalition government. All four leaders in the coalition are also women. Marin is a new (11) ___________________. She shares photos of her private, (12) ___________________ life on her Instagram page.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

A34-year-oldwomanwillbetheyoungestprimeministerintheworld.He
rnameisSannaMarin.Shecelebratedher34thbirthdaylastweek.Sheb
ecametheheadoftheFinnishSocialDemocratsPartyinanelectionlastS
unday.Shegot32ofthe61votestobecomeleader.MsMarinwasthemini
steroftransportandcommunications.SheistakingoverasFinland'spri
meministerafterherformerboss,theex-primeminister,announcedla
stweekthathewasquitting.MarinwillbetheyoungestprimeministerinF
inland'shistory.SannaMarinisveryexcitedattheideaofleadinghercou
ntry.Shesaid:"There'salotofworktobedone.First,we'llhavetocallame
eting...andreviewthe...jointgovernmentprogramwhichgluesthecoal
itiontogether."Sheaddedthatoneofherfirstjobsistoincreasethepopul
arityofherparty,saying:"Wehavealotofworkaheadtorebuildtrust."M
arinwillleadacoalitiongovernment.Allfourleadersinthecoalitionareal
sowomen.Marinisanewkindofleader.Shesharesphotosofherprivate,
socialandpoliticallifeonherInstagrampage.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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