The Reading / Listening - Ukraine Crisis - Level 2

Germany has closed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was made to transport gas from Russia to Europe. This is because of Russia's actions in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin recognised two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent countries. He said the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics were separate nations. Germany's leader said: "In light of the most recent developments, we must reassess the situation." He warned that Europe faced "difficult hours," and that, "almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War, we might see a new war in…Europe".

Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline under the Baltic Sea. Closing it is one of the sanctions that Western nations have made against Russia. The U.K. announced the first of its sanctions after Mr Putin said troops could enter eastern Ukraine. The U.K. will freeze the assets of Russian banks and billionaires. Some have been given travel bans. U.S. President Joe Biden said he would announce sanctions soon. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister said Russia was not planning to invade Ukraine. He told reporters: "If there is a threat, then we will provide assistance."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Ukraine Crisis - Level 0 Ukraine Crisis - Level 1   or  Ukraine Crisis - Level 3

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/22/business/nord-stream-2-germany-russia/index.html
  • https://www.rt.com/russia/550244-recognize-sovereignty-dpr-lpr-end/
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60480734


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. transport gas
  2. This is because
  3. Putin recognised two regions
  4. independent
  5. In light of the most
  6. Europe faced difficult
  7. after the end of the Second
  8. we might see a new
  1. countries
  2. World War
  3. of Russia's actions
  4. war in Europe
  5. hours
  6. in eastern Ukraine
  7. recent developments
  8. from Russia to Europe

Paragraph 2

  1. a pipeline
  2. announced the first of its
  3. freeze the assets
  4. Some have been
  5. he would announce sanctions
  6. Russia was not planning to
  7. If there is a
  8. we will provide
  1. invade Ukraine
  2. of Russian banks
  3. assistance
  4. under the Baltic Sea
  5. threat
  6. given travel bans
  7. soon
  8. sanctions

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Germany (1) ___________________ Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was made to (2) ___________________ Russia to Europe. This is because of Russia's actions in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin recognised (3) ___________________ eastern Ukraine as independent countries. He said the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (4) ___________________. Germany's leader said: "In light of the most recent developments, we must reassess the situation." He warned that Europe (5) ___________________ and that, "almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War, we might see a (6) ___________________ Europe".

Nord Stream 2 is (7) ___________________ the Baltic Sea. Closing it is one (8) ___________________ that Western nations have made against Russia. The U.K. announced the first of its sanctions after Mr Putin said (9) ___________________ eastern Ukraine. The U.K. will freeze the assets of Russian banks and billionaires. Some have been (10) ___________________. U.S. President Joe Biden said he would announce sanctions soon. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister said Russia was not (11) ___________________ Ukraine. He told reporters: "If there (12) ___________________, then we will provide assistance."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

GermanyhasclosedtheNordStream2pipelinethatwasmadetotranspo
rtgasfromRussiatoEurope.ThisisbecauseofRussia'sactionsinUkraine
.PresidentVladimirPutinrecognisedtworegionsineasternUkraineasin
dependentcountries.HesaidtheDonetskandLuganskPeople'sRepubli
cswereseparatenations.Germany'sleadersaid:"Inlightofthemostrec
entdevelopments,wemustreassessthesituation."HewarnedthatEuro
pefaced"difficulthours,"andthat,"almost80yearsaftertheendoftheS
econdWorldWar,wemightseeanewwarin...Europe".NordStream2isa
pipelineundertheBalticSea.ClosingitisoneofthesanctionsthatWester
nnationshavemadeagainstRussia.TheU.K.announcedthefirstofitssa
nctionsafterMrPutinsaidtroopscouldentereasternUkraine.TheU.K.wi
llfreezetheassetsofRussianbanksandbillionaires.Somehavebeengiv
entravelbans.U.S.PresidentJoeBidensaidhewouldannouncesanction
ssoon.Russia'sDeputyForeignMinistersaidRussiawasnotplanningtoi
nvadeUkraine.Hetoldreporters:"Ifthereisathreat,thenwewillprovide
assistance."

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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