The Reading / Listening - Black Lives Matter - Level 1

Black Lives Matter protests have spread after the death of George Floyd. Protestors marched in cities worldwide. They held "Black Lives Matter" signs. They wore T-shirts with slogans like "I can't breathe" and "Silence is violence". Canada's Prime Minister joined an anti-racism demonstration. He took the knee with thousands of other people. Similar protests have taken place in Australia, Mexico, Korea, Norway and many other countries in support of equality.

Protestors explained why they joined the marches. A teacher said: "I have come down in support of black people who have been ill-treated for many, many, many, many, years. It is time for change." An IT specialist said: "We are all human beings. There should be fairness for all of us." She added that all lives matter. Another marcher said we needed to talk about race, "if we want to finally create a kind of society where black bodies are treated equally".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Black Lives Matter - Level 0 Black Lives Matter - Level 2   or  Black Lives Matter - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-protests-global/your-pain-is-my-pain-global-anti-racism-protests-rage-idUSKBN23C289
  • https://www.dw.com/en/germany-thousands-attend-anti-racism-protests-honoring-george-floyd/a-53700909
  • https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200607_05/


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. Black Lives Matter protests
  2. Protestors marched in cities
  3. They wore T-shirts
  4. joined an anti-racism
  5. He took the
  6. with thousands
  7. Similar protests have
  8. in support
  1. knee
  2. with slogans
  3. of equality
  4. worldwide
  5. taken place
  6. demonstration
  7. have spread
  8. of other people

Paragraph 2

  1. Protestors explained why they
  2. in support
  3. who have been ill-
  4. It is time
  5. We are all human
  6. There should be fairness
  7. She added that all
  8. treated
  1. equally
  2. for change
  3. for all of us
  4. of black people
  5. joined the marches
  6. lives matter
  7. treated
  8. beings

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Black Lives Matter protests (1) ___________________ the death of George Floyd. Protestors (2) ___________________ worldwide. They held "Black Lives Matter" signs. They wore T-shirts with slogans like "(3) ___________________" and "Silence is violence". Canada's Prime Minister joined (4) ___________________ demonstration. He (5) ___________________ with thousands of other people. Similar protests have taken place in Australia, Mexico, Korea, Norway and many other countries (6) ___________________ equality.

Protestors explained why they (7) ___________________. A teacher said: "I have come (8) ___________________ of black people who have been ill-treated for many, many, many, many, years. It is (9) ___________________." An IT specialist said: "We are all human beings. There should (10) ___________________ all of us." She added that (11) ___________________. Another marcher said we needed to talk about race, "if we want to finally create a kind of society where black bodies (12) ___________________".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

BlackLivesMatterprotestshavespreadafterthedeathofGeorgeFloyd.P
rotestorsmarchedincitiesworldwide.Theyheld"BlackLivesMatter"sig
ns.TheyworeT-shirtswithsloganslike"Ican'tbreathe"and"Silenceisv
iolence".Canada'sPrimeMinisterjoinedananti-racismdemonstration
.Hetookthekneewiththousandsofotherpeople.Similarprotestshavet
akenplaceinAustralia,Mexico,Korea,Norwayandmanyothercountrie
sinsupportofequality.Protestorsexplainedwhytheyjoinedthemarche
s.Ateachersaid:"Ihavecomedowninsupportofblackpeoplewhohaveb
eenill-treatedformany,many,many,many,years.Itistimeforchange
."AnITspecialistsaid:"Weareallhumanbeings.Thereshouldbefairnes
sforallofus."Sheaddedthatalllivesmatter.Anothermarchersaidwene
ededtotalkaboutrace,"ifwewanttofinallycreateakindofsocietywhere
blackbodiesaretreatedequally".

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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