The Reading / Listening - Bougainville - Level 4

A possible new member may be added to the global family of nations. Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has voted for independence. A referendum was held on the island. Over 181,000 people cast their vote and nearly 98 per cent of them voted in favour of independence. It was a non-binding referendum, which means the PNG government does not have to make it law. However, PNG should act on the result.

Bougainville is the largest of the PNG chain of islands. It is part of the Solomon Islands and used to be called the Republic of North Solomons. Bougainvilleans started a fight for independence in the 1960s. Bougainville became part of PNG in 1976. This started the decade-long Bougainville Civil War, in which 20,000 people lost their lives. The Prime Minister of PNG said his government was committed to respecting the poll's result.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Bougainville - Level 5 or  Bougainville - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-11/bougainville-independence-referendum-result/11787434
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50739203
  • https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/bougainville-votes-overwhelmingly-for-independence-from-png-20191211-p53iw6.html


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. added to the global
  2. A referendum was held
  3. Over 181,000 people cast
  4. voted in favour
  5. It was a non-binding
  6. the PNG government does
  7. make it
  8. PNG should act
  1. of independence
  2. referendum
  3. on the result
  4. on the island
  5. law
  6. their vote
  7. family of nations
  8. not have to

Paragraph 2

  1. the largest of the PNG
  2. It is part of
  3. Bougainvilleans started a fight
  4. Bougainville became part
  5. the decade-long Bougainville
  6. 20,000 people lost
  7. his government was
  8. respecting the poll's
  1. committed
  2. of PNG in 1976
  3. result
  4. the Solomon Islands
  5. their lives
  6. chain of islands
  7. Civil War
  8. for independence

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ___________________ may be added to the global family of nations. Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG) (2) ___________________ independence. A referendum (3) ___________________ the island. Over 181,000 people cast their (4) ___________________ 98 per cent of them voted in favour of independence. It (5) ___________________ referendum, which means the PNG government does not have to make it law. However, PNG should act (6) ___________________.

Bougainville is the largest of the PNG (7) ___________________. It is part of the Solomon Islands and used (8) ___________________ the Republic of North Solomons. Bougainvilleans (9) ___________________ for independence in the 1960s. Bougainville (10) ___________________ PNG in 1976. This started (11) ___________________ Bougainville Civil War, in which 20,000 people lost their lives. The Prime Minister of PNG said his government (12) ___________________ respecting the poll's result.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Apossiblenewmembermaybeaddedtotheglobalfamilyofnations.Bou
gainvilleinPapuaNewGuinea(PNG)hasvotedforindependence.Arefer
endumwasheldontheisland.Over181,000peoplecasttheirvoteandne
arly98percentofthemvotedinfavourofindependence.Itwasanon-bin
dingreferendum,whichmeansthePNGgovernmentdoesnothavetoma
keitlaw.However,PNGshouldactontheresult.Bougainvilleisthelarges
tofthePNGchainofislands.ItispartoftheSolomonIslandsandusedtobe
calledtheRepublicofNorthSolomons.Bougainvilleansstartedafightfor
independenceinthe1960s.BougainvillebecamepartofPNGin1976.Thi
sstartedthedecade-longBougainvilleCivilWar,inwhich20,000peoplel
osttheirlives.ThePrimeMinisterofPNGsaidhisgovernmentwascommi
ttedtorespectingthepoll'sresult.

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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