The Reading / Listening - Police Officers - Level 5

A top footballer has had a lucky escape thanks to the heroism of an off-duty police officer. Brazilian player Emerson Royal, 23, was outside a nightclub in the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo. He was taking photos with the police officer when a man with a gun accosted him. The would-be assailant demanded his watch and other belongings. Fortunately for Royal, the police officer sprang into action and chased the thief. The two got involved in a 29-shot gunfight. Mr Royal escaped unharmed, but was shaken by the attack. The police officer was shot in the back. He is now recovering in hospital.

Mr Royal plays for the London club Tottenham. He is eternally grateful to the officer. He said: "God sends angels to Earth.…This human being…risked his own life to save mine." Royal's father described the event as a "horror scene". He said he would not wish it on anyone. He added: "It all happened in a flash and the adrenaline was running." High-profile footballers have become a target for criminals recently. The website "Insider" reported there have been more than 20 assaults on and robberies of soccer stars and their families in Europe's top leagues since 2019.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Police Officers - Level 4 or  Police Officers - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-61685720
  • https://www.marca.com/en/football/tottenham/2022/06/03/629a4d5de2704e1f058b45c7.html
  • https://www.insider.com/elite-soccer-stars-robbed-burgled-alarming-rate-experts-fear-deaths-2021-12


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. an off-
  2. a man with a gun
  3. The would-
  4. the police officer sprang into
  5. The two got involved in a
  6. shaken
  7. The police officer was
  8. He is now
  1. by the attack
  2. be assailant
  3. recovering
  4. 29-shot gunfight
  5. accosted him
  6. shot in the back
  7. duty police officer
  8. action

Paragraph 2

  1. He is eternally
  2. God sends
  3. risked his own
  4. described the event as a
  5. It all happened in
  6. the adrenaline
  7. 20 assaults on and robberies
  8. in Europe's top
  1. horror scene
  2. of soccer stars
  3. leagues since 2019
  4. life
  5. was running
  6. grateful
  7. angels to Earth
  8. a flash

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A top footballer has had (1) ___________________ thanks to the heroism of (2) ___________________ police officer. Brazilian player Emerson Royal, 23, was outside a nightclub in the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo. He was taking photos with the police officer when a man with a (3) ___________________. The would-be assailant demanded his watch and other belongings. Fortunately for Royal, the police officer (4) ___________________ and chased the thief. The two got involved in a 29-shot gunfight. Mr Royal escaped unharmed, but (5) ___________________ the attack. The police officer was shot in the back. He is (6) ___________________ hospital.

Mr Royal plays for the London club Tottenham. He (7) ___________________ to the officer. He said: "God sends angels to Earth....This (8) ___________________ his own life to save mine." Royal's father described the event as a "horror scene". He said he would not (9) ___________________ anyone. He added: "It all happened (10) ___________________ and the adrenaline was running." High-profile footballers have become a (11) ___________________ recently. The website "Insider" reported there have been more than 20 (12) ___________________ robberies of soccer stars and their families in Europe's top leagues since 2019.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Atopfootballerhashadaluckyescapethankstotheheroismofanoff-dut
ypoliceofficer.BrazilianplayerEmersonRoyal,23,wasoutsideanightcl
ubintheBraziliancityofSaoPaolo.Hewastakingphotoswiththepoliceof
ficerwhenamanwithagunaccostedhim.Thewould-beassailantdema
ndedhiswatchandotherbelongings.FortunatelyforRoyal,thepoliceoff
icersprangintoactionandchasedthethief.Thetwogotinvolvedina29-
shotgunfight.MrRoyalescapedunharmed,butwasshakenbytheattack
.Thepoliceofficerwasshotintheback.Heisnowrecoveringinhospital.M
rRoyalplaysfortheLondonclubTottenham.Heiseternallygratefultothe
officer.Hesaid:"GodsendsangelstoEarth....Thishumanbeing...riske
dhisownlifetosavemine."Royal'sfatherdescribedtheeventasa"horror
scene".Hesaidhewouldnotwishitonanyone.Headded:"Itallhappened
inaflashandtheadrenalinewasrunning."High-profilefootballershav
ebecomeatargetforcriminalsrecently.Thewebsite"Insider"reportedt
herehavebeenmorethan20assaultsonandrobberiesofsoccerstarsan
dtheirfamiliesinEurope'stopleaguessince2019.

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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