The Reading / Listening - George Floyd - Level 4

The killing of George Floyd in the USA has shocked the world. Mr Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes. Days of rioting and clashes with police followed. Protests have spread across America. Mr Floyd's killing led the African Union Commission to take the unusual step of attacking what it called "murder" and the "continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens".

A news agency wrote: "It is rare for U.S. embassies abroad to weigh in on domestic U.S. issues. But in this case, the embassies were compelled to respond after...African leaders reacted to Floyd's death with anger." One ambassador wrote: "I am profoundly troubled by the tragic death....The Justice Department is conducting a full criminal investigation as a top priority. Security forces around the world should be held accountable. No one is above the law."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    George Floyd - Level 5 or  George Floyd - Level 6

Sources
  • https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/unusual-move-us-embassies-africa-speak-floyd-70967080
  • https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2020-05-29-african-union-condemns-george-floyds-killing-in-the-us/
  • https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/29/africa-countries-condemn-george-floyd-minneapolis-killing-diplomatic-fallout-racial-injustice-police-violence/


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. shocked the
  2. a handcuffed
  3. a police officer knelt
  4. Days of rioting
  5. Protests have spread
  6. take the unusual
  7. attacking what it
  8. discriminatory practices against
  1. and clashes
  2. black citizens
  3. world
  4. across America
  5. called "murder"
  6. black man
  7. step
  8. on his neck

Paragraph 2

  1. weigh in
  2. embassies were compelled
  3. leaders reacted to Floyd's
  4. I am profoundly troubled by
  5. conducting a full criminal
  6. Security
  7. be held
  8. No one is above
  1. forces
  2. the tragic death
  3. accountable
  4. investigation
  5. the law
  6. death with anger
  7. on domestic U.S. issues
  8. to respond

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The killing of George Floyd in the USA has (1) ___________________. Mr Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after a police (2) ___________________ his neck for over eight minutes. Days of (3) ___________________ with police followed. Protests (4) ___________________ America. Mr Floyd's killing led the African Union Commission to take (5) ___________________ of attacking what it called "murder" and the "continuing discriminatory practices (6) ___________________".

A news agency wrote: "It is rare for U.S. embassies (7) ___________________ in on domestic U.S. issues. But in this case, the embassies were (8) ___________________ after...African leaders reacted to Floyd's (9) ___________________." One ambassador wrote: "I am profoundly troubled by (10) ___________________....The Justice Department is conducting a full criminal investigation as (11) ___________________. Security forces around the world should be held accountable. No one is (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThekillingofGeorgeFloydintheUSAhasshockedtheworld.MrFloyd,aha
ndcuffedblackman,diedafterapoliceofficerkneltonhisneckforovereig
htminutes.Daysofriotingandclasheswithpolicefollowed.Protestshav
espreadacrossAmerica.MrFloyd'skillingledtheAfricanUnionCommiss
iontotaketheunusualstepofattackingwhatitcalled"murder"andthe"c
ontinuingdiscriminatorypracticesagainstblackcitizens".Anewsagenc
ywrote:"ItisrareforU.S.embassiesabroadtoweighinondomesticU.S.i
ssues.Butinthiscase,theembassieswerecompelledtorespondafter...
AfricanleadersreactedtoFloyd'sdeathwithanger."Oneambassadorwr
ote:"Iamprofoundlytroubledbythetragicdeath....TheJusticeDepart
mentisconductingafullcriminalinvestigationasatoppriority.Securityf
orcesaroundtheworldshouldbeheldaccountable.Nooneisabovethela
w."

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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