The Reading / Listening - Afghanistan - Level 3

The Taliban have captured an Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city of Zaranj, capital of the southern Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are now in control. Nimroz is on the border with Iran. The police there were unable to fight because there were too few government soldiers to help. A Taliban official said it was an important day for the group. He said the victory would increase the morale of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the beginning. Other provinces will fall into our hands very soon." There is currently heavy fighting in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may fall before the Taliban fight for the nation's capital Kabul.

The Taliban are fighting to take control of Afghanistan for the first time since 2001. This is when US-led forces defeated them after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other western powers have spent 20 years trying to train an Afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never gave up their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are currently pulling their forces out of Afghanistan. They are ending their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's special envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phase". She warned that the country was heading for "catastrophe".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Afghanistan - Level 0,  Afghanistan - Level 1   or  Afghanistan - Level 2

Sources
  • https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/08/06/asia/afghanistan-taliban-zaranj-nimroz-intl/index.html
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58119886
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/6/taliban-capture-afghan-provincial-capital-zaranj-nimruz


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. AFGHANISTAN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Afghanistan. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       capital city / province / control / border / government / soldiers / important / soon /
       the first time / 2001 / train / army / police / western powers / war / catastrophe
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. UNITED NATIONS: Students A strongly believe United Nations soldiers should try to keep the peace in Afghanistan. Students B strongly believe this would not work. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ROLES: What are the roles of these organizations / countries in Afghanistan? What is their future? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Their Role

Their Future

The Taliban

 

 

The U.N.

 

 

The USA

 

 

The Afghan Government

 

 

Russia

 

 

China

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. FIGHT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fight". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. HELP: Rank these with your partner. Put the countries that need help the most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Afghanistan
  • Syria
  • South Sudan
  • Somalia
  • Lebanon
  • Ukraine
  • Myanmar
  • Yemen

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. captured a. Country.
      2. forces b. A person who works and speaks for a company, organization or country.
      3. official c. Confidence, mental energy and enthusiasm.
      4. border d. Took by force.
      5. morale e. Now; at this moment.
      6. currently f. Groups of soldiers, police, sailors, etc.
      7. nation g. The line between two areas or two countries.

    Paragraph 2

      8. defeated h. A messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission.
      9. power i. Causing great harm or damage.
      10. peaceful j. A disaster.
      11. envoy k. A country, especially one that has international influence and military strength.
      12. destructive l. A period or stage in a series of events or a process of change or development.
      13. phase m. Calm.
      14. catastrophe n. Won a victory over someone or something.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The Taliban are in control its first provincial capital since 2001.     T / F
  2. The province the Taliban took borders Iran.     T / F
  3. The Taliban said the taking of Zaranj was not so important.     T / F
  4. The Taliban said it would take other provinces soon.     T / F
  5. The Taliban were beaten by US-led forces in 2001.     T / F
  6. The Taliban gave up their fight for a decade.     T / F
  7. The UK is currently pulling its forces out of Afghanistan.     T / F
  8. A U.N. envoy said things would now be more peaceful in Afghanistan.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. captured
  2. province
  3. important
  4. morale
  5. currently
  6. defeated
  7. powers
  8. ending
  9. envoy
  10. catastrophe
  1. presently
  2. confidence
  3. disaster
  4. conquered
  5. countries
  6. ambassador
  7. region
  8. beat
  9. finishing
  10. momentous

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. captured an Afghan provincial capital
  2. Taliban forces are now
  3. too few government
  4. victory would increase the morale
  5. There is currently heavy
  6. The Taliban are fighting to take
  7. pulling their
  8. They are ending their time
  9. entered a new, deadlier, and more
  10. the country was heading
  1. control of Afghanistan
  2. of his fighters
  3. forces out
  4. soldiers to help
  5. for catastrophe
  6. city for the first time
  7. in the country
  8. fighting in the cities
  9. in control
  10. destructive phase

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
morale
border
fight
captured
southern
group
hands
few

The Taliban have (1) _____________________ an Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city of Zaranj, capital of the (2) _____________________ Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are now in control. Nimroz is on the (3) _____________________ with Iran. The police there were unable to fight because there were too (4) _____________________ government soldiers to help. A Taliban official said it was an important day for the (5) _____________________. He said the victory would increase the (6) _____________________ of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the beginning. Other provinces will fall into our (7) _____________________ very soon." There is currently heavy fighting in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may fall before the Taliban (8) _____________________ for the nation's capital Kabul.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
train
envoy
defeated
currently
control
catastrophe
gave
ending

The Taliban are fighting to take (9) _____________________ of Afghanistan for the first time since 2001. This is when US-led forces (10) _____________________ them after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other western powers have spent 20 years trying to (11) _____________________ an Afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never (12) _____________________ up their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are (13) _____________________ pulling their forces out of Afghanistan. They are (14) _____________________ their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's special (15) _____________________ for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phase". She warned that the country was heading for "(16) _____________________".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The Taliban have captured an Afghan provincial capital city for the first ______
     a.  time stints 2001
     b.  time stance 2001
     c.  time sins 2001
     d.  time since 2001
2)  Police in the city of Zaranj, capital of the ______
     a.  southerly Nimroz province
     b.  south urn Nimroz province
     c.  southerner Nimroz province
     d.  southern Nimroz province
3)  The police there were unable to fight because there were ______ soldiers
     a.  too flew government
     b.  two flew government
     c.  tooth you government
     d.  too few government
4)  He said the victory would increase the ______ fighters
     a.  moral of his
     b.  morale of his
     c.  more all of his
     d.  moral off his
5)  Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may ______ Taliban
     a.  fall beef or the
     b.  fall be four the
     c.  fall before the
     d.  fall befall the

6)  This is when US-led forces defeated them ______
     a.  after them attacks
     b.  after then attacks
     c.  after the attacks
     d.  after they attacks
7)  The USA and other western powers have spent 20 years ______
     a.  trying to train
     b.  train to trying
     c.  trained to train
     d.  try inter train
8)  the Taliban never gave up their fight to take ______
     a.  the country back
     b.  the country backs
     c.  the country backed
     d.  the country backer
9)  The USA and the UK are currently pulling ______
     a.  their forces out
     b.  their force is out
     c.  their for sis out
     d.  their four CIS out
10)  She warned that the country was ______
     a.  head din for catastrophe
     b.  heady for catastrophe
     c.  head ding for catastrophe
     d.  heading for catastrophe

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Taliban (1) ____________________ Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city of Zaranj, capital of the southern Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are (2) ____________________. Nimroz is on the border with Iran. The police there were unable to fight because there (3) ____________________ government soldiers to help. A Taliban official said it was an important day for the group. He said the victory would (4) ____________________ of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the beginning. Other provinces will fall into our hands very soon." There is currently (5) ____________________ the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may fall before the Taliban fight for (6) ____________________ Kabul.

The Taliban are fighting (7) ____________________ of Afghanistan for the first time since 2001. This is when US-led (8) ____________________ after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other (9) ____________________ spent 20 years trying to train an Afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never gave up their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are currently pulling their (10) ____________________ Afghanistan. They are ending their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's (11) ____________________ Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phase". She warned that the country was (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. When was the last time the Taliban controlled a provincial capital?
  2. What country does the province of Nimroz border?
  3. What kind of day did a Taliban official say it was?
  4. What did an official say would fall into Taliban hands?
  5. How many cities does the article mention where there is heavy fighting?
  6. Who does the article say defeated the Taliban in 2001?
  7. How long did western powers train the Afghan army?
  8. What are the USA and UK currently doing to their forces?
  9. What is the role of Deborah Lyons in the United Nations?
  10. What did Deborah Lyons say Afghanistan was heading for?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  When was the last time the Taliban controlled a provincial capital?
a) 2002
b) 2001
c) 2011
d) 2010
2)  What country does the province of Nimroz border?
a) China
b) Turkey
c) Iran
d) Tajikistan
3)  What kind of day did a Taliban official say it was?
a) sad
b) tough
c) OK
d) important
4)  What did an official say would fall into Taliban hands?
a) the people
b) more provinces
c) Kabul
d) the whole country

5)  How many cities does the article mention where there is heavy fighting?
a) 4
b) 3
c) 2
d) 1

6)  Who does the article say defeated the Taliban in 2001?
a) US-led forces
b) UM forces
c) Russian forces
d) the Afghan army
7)  How long did western powers train the Afghan army?
a) 12 years
b) 15 years
c) 18 years
d) 20 years
8)  What are the USA and UK currently doing to their forces?
a) increasing them
b) training them
c) pulling them out
d) protecting them
9)  What is the role of Deborah Lyons in the United Nations?
a) assistant secretary-general
b) conflict advisor
c) lead secretary
d) special envoy

10)  What did Deborah Lyons say Afghanistan was heading for?
a) an uncertain future
b) catastrophe
c) dark times
d) economic difficulties

Role play

Role  A – Afghanistan
You think Afghanistan is the country most in need of help. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their countries aren't as high on the list. Also, tell the others which is the least deserving of these (and why): Somalia, Lebanon or Myanmar.

Role  B – Somalia
You think Somalia is the country most in need of help. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their countries aren't as high on the list. Also, tell the others which is the least deserving of these (and why): Afghanistan, Lebanon or Myanmar.

Role  C – Lebanon
You think Lebanon is the country most in need of help. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their countries aren't as high on the list. Also, tell the others which is the least deserving of these (and why): Somalia, Afghanistan or Myanmar.

Role  D – Myanmar
You think Myanmar is the country most in need of help. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their countries aren't as high on the list. Also, tell the others which is the least deserving of these (and why): Somalia, Lebanon or Afghanistan.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'nation'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'capital'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • capture
    • control
    • unable
    • morale
    • just
    • before
    • take
    • defeated
    • spent
    • pulling
    • envoy
    • warned

    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 - Afghanistan

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Afghanistan'?
    3. What do you know about Afghanistan?
    4. What do you know about the Taliban?
    5. What are the Taliban fighting for?
    6. What do you think the Afghan people think of the Taliban?
    7. Would you like to visit Afghanistan?
    8. Why isn't the Afghan army defeating the Taliban?
    9. What would life in Afghanistan be like if the Taliban take over?
    10. What advice do you have for the Afghan people?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'capital'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about the attacks on the World Trade Centre?
    5. What did the western powers achieve in Afghanistan?
    6. What do you think of the US and UK pulling out of Afghanistan?
    7. Do you think the Taliban will take full control of Afghanistan?
    8. What will Afghanistan be like in ten years?
    9. What would 'catastrophe' look like in Afghanistan?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a Taliban leader?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The Taliban have (1) ____ an Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city of Zaranj, capital (2) ____ the southern Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are now in control. Nimroz is on the border (3) ____ Iran. The police there were unable to fight because there were too (4) ____ government soldiers to help. A Taliban official said it was an important day for the group. He said the victory would increase the (5) ____ of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the beginning. Other provinces will fall into our (6) ____ very soon." There is currently heavy fighting in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may fall before the Taliban fight for the nation's capital Kabul.

    The Taliban are fighting to (7) ____ control of Afghanistan for the first time since 2001. This is when US-led forces defeated them after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other western (8) ____ have spent 20 years trying to train an Afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never gave (9) ____ their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are currently pulling their (10) ____ out of Afghanistan. They are ending their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's (11) ____ envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phase". She warned that the country was (12) ____ for "catastrophe".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     corrupted     (b)     raptured     (c)     ruptured     (d)     captured    
    2. (a)     by     (b)     on     (c)     off     (d)     of    
    3. (a)     at     (b)     with     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    4. (a)     small     (b)     little     (c)     few     (d)     enough    
    5. (a)     heavy     (b)     fierce     (c)     morale     (d)     gun    
    6. (a)     hands     (b)     stomachs     (c)     ears     (d)     feet    
    7. (a)     do     (b)     take     (c)     real     (d)     save    
    8. (a)     powers     (b)     strengths     (c)     energies     (d)     muscles    
    9. (a)     on     (b)     up     (c)     in     (d)     out    
    10. (a)     excels     (b)     ejects     (c)     forces     (d)     stations    
    11. (a)     species     (b)     specially     (c)     special     (d)     specs    
    12. (a)     legging     (b)     stomaching     (c)     backing     (d)     heading

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. capital of the outernhs Nimroz province
    2. Taliban forces are now in rntcolo
    3. Nimroz is on the derrbo with Iran
    4. increase the rmaeol of his fighters
    5. Other penvsicor will fall into our hands
    6. There is tuerlrync heavy fighting

    Paragraph 2

    1. US-led forces fteeaedd them
    2. other nestewr powers
    3. keep the country faeupelc
    4. The UN's special yenov for Afghanistan
    5. a new, deadlier, and more riuetvedtsc phase
    6. the country was heading for oacsathrpte

    Put the text back together

    (...)  out of Afghanistan. They are ending their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's special
    (...)  hands very soon." There is currently heavy fighting in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat
    (...)  up their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are currently pulling their forces
    (...)  and Kandahar. They may fall before the Taliban fight for the nation's capital Kabul.
    (...)  help. A Taliban official said it was an important day for the group. He said the victory would increase the morale
    (...)  defeated them after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other western powers have spent
    (...)  of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the beginning. Other provinces will fall into our
    (  1  ) The Taliban have captured an Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city
    (...)  of Zaranj, capital of the southern Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are now in control. Nimroz is on the
    (...)  border with Iran. The police there were unable to fight because there were too few government soldiers to
    (...)  20 years trying to train an Afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never gave
    (...) The Taliban are fighting to take control of Afghanistan for the first time since 2001. This is when US-led forces
    (...)  destructive phase". She warned that the country was heading for "catastrophe".
    (...)  envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Taliban   have   provincial   an   Afghan   captured   city   .   The
    2. Iran   .   Nimroz   is   border   with   the   on
    3. were   to   few   government   There   help   .   soldiers   too
    4. fighters   .   his   increase   would   the   morale   of   Victory
    5. the   fight   for   Taliban   capital   .   will   The   nation's
    6. to   The   are   fighting   Taliban   control   .   take
    7. never   Taliban   fight   .   The   up   gave   their
    8. their   are   They   time   the   country   .   ending   in
    9. phase   .   The   a   entered   war   deadlier   new,   had
    10. was   country   warned   the   She   catastrophe   .   for   heading

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The Taliban have ruptured / captured an Afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001. Police in the city of Zaranj, capital of / off the southern Nimroz province, said Taliban forces are now on / in control. Nimroz is on the border with Iran. The police there were unable / inability to fight because there were too few government soldiers to help. A Taliban official said it was an important daily / day for the group. He said the victory would increase the moral / morale of his fighters in other provinces. He added: "This is just the begin / beginning. Other provinces will fall into our hands / feet very soon." There is currently heavy / heavily fighting in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kanduz, Herat and Kandahar. They may fall then / before the Taliban fight for the nation's capital Kabul.

    The Taliban are fighting to take / give control of Afghanistan for the first time / times since 2001. This is when US-led forces defeated / defeat them after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The USA and other western powers have spent / spending 20 years trying to train an Afghan army and police officers to give / keep the country peaceful. However, the Taliban never gave up their fight to take the country back. The USA and the UK are currency / currently pulling their forces out of Afghanistan. They are ending their time in the country after 20 years. The UN's special convoy / envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said the wart / war there had entered "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phrase / phase". She warned that the country was heading for / from "catastrophe".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_  T_l_b_n  h_v_  c_pt_r_d  _n  _fgh_n  pr_v_nc__l  c_p_t_l  c_ty  f_r  th_  f_rst  t_m_  s_nc_  2001.  P_l_c_  _n  th_  c_ty  _f  Z_r_nj,  c_p_t_l  _f  th_  s__th_rn  N_mr_z  pr_v_nc_,  s__d  T_l_b_n  f_rc_s  _r_  n_w  _n  c_ntr_l.  N_mr_z  _s  _n  th_  b_rd_r  w_th  _r_n.  Th_  p_l_c_  th_r_  w_r_  _n_bl_  t_  f_ght  b_c__s_  th_r_  w_r_  t__  f_w  g_v_rnm_nt  s_ld__rs  t_  h_lp.  _  T_l_b_n  _ff_c__l  s__d  _t  w_s  _n  _mp_rt_nt  d_y  f_r  th_  gr__p.  H_  s__d  th_  v_ct_ry  w__ld  _ncr__s_  th_  m_r_l_  _f  h_s  f_ght_rs  _n  _th_r  pr_v_nc_s.  H_  _dd_d:  "Th_s  _s  j_st  th_  b_g_nn_ng.  _th_r  pr_v_nc_s  w_ll  f_ll  _nt_  __r  h_nds  v_ry  s__n."  Th_r_  _s  c_rr_ntly  h__vy  f_ght_ng  _n  th_  c_t__s  _f  L_shk_r  G_h,  K_nd_z,  H_r_t  _nd  K_nd_h_r.  Th_y  m_y  f_ll  b_f_r_  th_  T_l_b_n  f_ght  f_r  th_  n_t__n's  c_p_t_l  K_b_l.

    Th_  T_l_b_n  _r_  f_ght_ng  t_  t_k_  c_ntr_l  _f  _fgh_n_st_n  f_r  th_  f_rst  t_m_  s_nc_  2001.  Th_s  _s  wh_n  _S-l_d  f_rc_s  d_f__t_d  th_m  _ft_r  th_  _tt_cks  _n  th_  W_rld  Tr_d_  C_nt_r  _n  N_w  Y_rk.  Th_  _S_  _nd  _th_r  w_st_rn  p_w_rs  h_v_  sp_nt  20  y__rs  try_ng  t_  tr__n  _n  _fgh_n  _rmy  _nd  p_l_c_  _ff_c_rs  t_  k__p  th_  c__ntry  p__c_f_l.  H_w_v_r,  th_  T_l_b_n  n_v_r  g_v_  _p  th__r  f_ght  t_  t_k_  th_  c__ntry  b_ck.  Th_  _S_  _nd  th_  _K  _r_  c_rr_ntly  p_ll_ng  th__r  f_rc_s  __t  _f  _fgh_n_st_n.  Th_y  _r_  _nd_ng  th__r  t_m_  _n  th_  c__ntry  _ft_r  20  y__rs.  Th_  _N's  sp_c__l  _nv_y  f_r  _fgh_n_st_n,  D_b_r_h  Ly_ns,  s__d  th_  w_r  th_r_  h_d  _nt_r_d  "_  n_w,  d__dl__r,  _nd  m_r_  d_str_ct_v_  ph_s_".  Sh_  w_rn_d  th_t  th_  c__ntry  w_s  h__d_ng  f_r  "c_t_str_ph_".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the taliban have captured an afghan provincial capital city for the first time since 2001 police in the city of zaranj capital of the southern nimroz province said taliban forces are now in control nimroz is on the border with iran the police there were unable to fight because there were too few government soldiers to help a taliban official said it was an important day for the group he said the victory would increase the morale of his fighters in other provinces he added this is just the beginning other provinces will fall into our hands very soon there is currently heavy fighting in the cities of lashkar gah kanduz herat and kandahar they may fall before the taliban fight for the nations capital kabul

    the taliban are fighting to take control of afghanistan for the first time since 2001 this is when usled forces defeated them after the attacks on the world trade center in new york the usa and other western powers have spent 20 years trying to train an afghan army and police officers to keep the country peaceful however the taliban never gave up their fight to take the country back the usa and the uk are currently pulling their forces out of afghanistan they are ending their time in the country after 20 years the uns special envoy for afghanistan deborah lyons said the war there had entered a new deadlier and more destructive phase she warned that the country was heading for catastrophe

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheTalibanhavecapturedanAfghanprovincialcapitalcityforthefirstti
    mesince2001.PoliceinthecityofZaranj,capitalofthesouthernNimrozp
    rovince,saidTalibanforcesarenowincontrol.Nimrozisontheborderwit
    hIran.Thepolicetherewereunabletofightbecausethereweretoofewgo
    vernmentsoldierstohelp.ATalibanofficialsaiditwasanimportantdayfo
    rthegroup.Hesaidthevictorywouldincreasethemoraleofhisfightersin
    otherprovinces.Headded:"Thisisjustthebeginning.Otherprovincesw
    illfallintoourhandsverysoon."Thereiscurrentlyheavyfightingintheciti
    esofLashkarGah,Kanduz,HeratandKandahar.Theymayfallbeforethe
    Talibanfightforthenation'scapitalKabul.TheTalibanarefightingtotake
    controlofAfghanistanforthefirsttimesince2001.ThisiswhenUS-ledfo
    rcesdefeatedthemaftertheattacksontheWorldTradeCenterinNewYor
    k.TheUSAandotherwesternpowershavespent20yearstryingtotraina
    nAfghanarmyandpoliceofficerstokeepthecountrypeaceful.However,
    theTalibannevergaveuptheirfighttotakethecountryback.TheUSAan
    dtheUKarecurrentlypullingtheirforcesoutofAfghanistan.Theyareend
    ingtheirtimeinthecountryafter20years.TheUN'sspecialenvoyforAfgh
    anistan,DeborahLyons,saidthewartherehadentered"anew,deadlier,
    andmoredestructivephase".Shewarnedthatthecountrywasheadingf
    or"catastrophe".

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    The United Nations should send soldiers to Afghanistan to keep the peace. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. AFGHANISTAN: Make a poster about Afghanistan. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. U.N.: Write a magazine article about sending troops to Afghanistan to keep the peace. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on Afghanistan. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas for Afghanistan's future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You