Breaking News English Lesson: Grain Deal

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Ukraine and Russia sign deal to resume grain exports (25th July, 2022)

The Reading / Listening - Grain Deal - Level 6

Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow much-needed exports of grain to resume from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resumption should ease a world shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in Africa and India at risk of hunger. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted in a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are currently waiting for export at ports. The deal to allow exports should ease the pressure on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal at a ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to broker the agreement.

The sides took two months to reach the deal, after intensive negotiations. It is set to last for 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian provocation could put the deal in jeopardy. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being penned. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export of more products. He said: "I'm not talking about beginning only the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to prevent the world's most vulnerable from sliding into deeper food insecurity and malnutrition."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Grain Deal - Level 4 or Grain Deal - Level 5

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62268070
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2351992/ukraine-and-russia-sign-landmark-grain-deal
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/22/middleeast/grain-shortage-mideast-africa-mime-intl-cmd/index.html

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. GRAIN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about grain. 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?
Ukraine / Russia / deal / grain / shortage / risk / food prices / exports / ceremony /
negotiations / provocation / jeopardy / port / products / agricultural / malnutrition
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SELF-SUFFICIENCY: Students A strongly believe all countries need to be self-sufficient in food; Students B strongly believe that's impossible. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SHORTAGES: What would life be like if there were shortages of the following things? How could we cope with these shortages? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What Would Life Be Like?	How We Could Cope
Wheat
Gasoline
Chocolate
Paper
Plastic
Water

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. MALNUTRITION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "malnutrition". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. WORLD PROBLEMS: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

War
Food shortages
Climate change
Nuclear proliferation
Cyber crime
Water shortages
Viruses
Erosion of democracy

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	deal	a.	An instance of moving armies into a country or region to take it over.
2.	resumption	b.	An agreement entered into by two or more people, businesses or countries.
3.	ease	c.	Make something unpleasant or intense less serious or severe.
4.	invasion	d.	A formal public occasion that celebrates a particular event.
5.	infrastructure	e.	Arrange or negotiate an agreement or deal.
6.	ceremony	f.	The action of beginning something again after a pause or interruption.
7.	broker	g.	The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) a city or country has.

Paragraph 2

8.	negotiations	h.	Signed.
9.	provocation	i.	A lack of proper food that causes one to lose too much weight.
10.	jeopardy	j.	Exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed.
11.	penned	k.	Danger of loss, harm, or failure.
12.	facilitate	l.	Make an action or process easy or easier.
13.	vulnerable	m.	Discussions aimed at reaching an agreement.
14.	malnutrition	n.	Action or speech that makes someone angry, especially on purpose.

Before reading / listening

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

The deal will end hunger in Africa and India. T / F
Wheat sitting in Ukrainian ports has increased food prices worldwide. T / F
Ukraine's Defense Minister signed the deal for Ukraine. T / F
Wheat should now be able to leave from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. T / F
The deal is set to continue for about four months. T / F
The port of Odesa was attacked within 24 hours of the deal. T / F
The deal could mean Russia also exporting wheat. T / F
The USA wants controls to limit the amount of exports. T / F

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

deal
resume
rise
ease
broker
negotiations
last
jeopardy
sliding
malnutrition

arrange
relieve
talks
danger
hike
slipping
recommence
hunger
continue
pact

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

a deal to allow much-needed exports
ease a world
exports should ease
Kubrakov signed the deal at a
President Erdogan helped to
after intensive
It is set to last
within 24 hours
agricultural products
sliding into deeper food insecurity

the pressure on food prices
ceremony in Istanbul
and malnutrition
for 120 days
of grain to resume
of the deal being penned
shortage of wheat
and fertiliser
broker the agreement
negotiations

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

risk
currently
much
broker
rise
ceremony
ease
pressure

Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow (1) _____________________ -needed exports of grain to resume from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resumption should (2) _____________________ a world shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in Africa and India at (3) _____________________ of hunger. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted in a global (4) _____________________ in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are (5) _____________________ waiting for export at ports. The deal to allow exports should ease the (6) _____________________ on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal at a (7) _____________________ in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to (8) _____________________ the agreement.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

penned
malnutrition
intensive
jeopardy
agricultural
provocation
products
prevent

The sides took two months to reach the deal, after (9) _____________________ negotiations. It is set to last for 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian (10) _____________________ could put the deal in (11) _____________________. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being (12) _____________________. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export of more (13) _____________________. He said: "I'm not talking about beginning only the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of (14) _____________________ products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to (15) _____________________ the world's most vulnerable from sliding into deeper food insecurity and (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow much-needed exports of ______
     a. grain to legume
     b. grain to resume
     c. grain to re-zoom
     d. grain tour zoom
2) The resumption should ease a world ______
     a. short tick of wheat
     b. short age of wheat
     c. shortage of wheat
     d. shore stage of wheat
3) a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain ______
     a. are currently wait in
     b. are currently weigh tin
     c. are currently way tin
     d. are currently waiting
4) The deal to allow exports should ______
     a. ease the pressure
     b. tease the pressure
     c. easel the pressure
     d. diesel the pressure
5) a ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to ______
     a. broker a agreement
     b. broker the agreement
     c. broken the agreement
     d. bloke the agreement

6) The sides took two months to reach the deal, ______
     a. after inter sieve negotiations
     b. after intense sieve negotiations
     c. after intensive negotiations
     d. after intense save negotiations
7) warned that any Russian provocation could put the ______
     a. deal on jeopardy
     b. dealing jeopardy
     c. deal inject purge
     d. deal in jeopardy
8) attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the ______
     a. deal being panned
     b. deal being penned
     c. deal being pinned
     d. deal being punned
9) Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might ______
     a. facilitate the eggs port
     b. facilitate the egg sport
     c. facilitate the export
     d. facilitate the ex port
10) prevent the world's most vulnerable from sliding into ______
     a. deeper food in secure city
     b. deeper food since security
     c. deeper food insecure ratty
     d. deeper food insecurity

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Ukraine and Russia have (1) ____________________ to allow much-needed exports of grain to resume from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resumption should (2) ____________________ shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in Africa and India at (3) ____________________. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted in a (4) ____________________ food prices. Millions of tons of grain are currently waiting for export at ports. The deal to allow exports should (5) ____________________ on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal at a ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to (6) ____________________.

The sides took two months to reach the deal, (7) ____________________. It is set to last for 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian provocation could put the (8) ____________________. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the (9) ____________________. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export of more products. He said: "I'm not talking about beginning only the export (10) ____________________ from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to prevent the (11) ____________________ from sliding into (12) ____________________ and malnutrition."

Comprehension questions

Where are the ports that Ukraine's grain can now leave from?
What should the deal ease?
How much grain is waiting for export?
Who is Sergei Shoigu?
Who helped to broker the deal?
How long did the deal take to negotiate?
What did Ukraine say could jeopardise the deal?
What port was attacked in the day following the signing of the deal?
What does Russia want to export besides agricultural products?
Who did the US say could slide into deeper food insecurity?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where are the ports that Ukraine's grain can now leave from?
a) the Mediterranean
b) on the Baltic Coast
c) on the Black Sea
d) the Ural Sea
2) What should the deal ease?
a) a world shortage of wheat
b) international relations
c) gasoline prices
d) fighting
3) How much grain is waiting for export?
a) 6,800,000 tons
b) hundreds of thousands of tons
c) billions of tons
d) millions of tons
4) Who is Sergei Shoigu?
a) Russia's Agriculture Minister
b) Russia's Defence Minister
c) Russia's Security Minister
d) Russia's Finance Minister
5) Who helped to broker the deal?
a) US President Joe Biden
b) Oleksandr Kubrakov
c) Turkey's President Erdogan
d) France's President Macron

6) How long did the deal take to negotiate?
a) twelve weeks
b) eight weeks
c) ten weeks
d) six weeks
7) What did Ukraine say could jeopardise the deal?
a) global warming
b) the weather
c) food prices
d) Russian provocation
8) What port was attacked in the day following the signing of the deal?
a) Izmail
b) Odesa
c) Kiliya
d) Kerch
9) What does Russia want to export besides agricultural products?
a) fertilisers
b) gas
c) weapons
d) potatoes
10) Who did the US say could slide into deeper food insecurity?
a) people in Europe
b) the Global South
c) the world
d) the world's most vulnerable

Role play

Role A – War
You think war is the biggest problem. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as worrying. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): food shortages, viruses or nuclear proliferation.

Role B – Food Shortages
You think food shortages is the biggest problem. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as worrying. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): war, viruses or nuclear proliferation.

Role C – Viruses
You think viruses is the biggest problem. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as worrying. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): food shortages, war or nuclear proliferation.

Role D – Nuclear Proliferation
You think nuclear proliferation is the biggest problem. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as worrying. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): food shortages, viruses or war.

After reading / listening

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

'grain'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'deal'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

signed

shortage

global

risk

tons

ceremony

months

warned

tested

facilitate

talking

deeper

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 - Grain Deal

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'grain'?
What do you know about the Ukraine War?
How has the Ukraine War affected you?
What do you think of this deal?
How can the Ukraine War be ended?
Should more countries become more self-sufficient in food?
How can the world alleviate food shortages?
What more can be done to get grain out of Ukraine?
What could people eat instead of wheat?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'deal'?
What do you think about what you read?
Why did it take so long to reach an agreement?
How long do you think the deal will actually last?
Should Russian exports of grain also be allowed?
Why are there so many people suffering from malnutrition?
What would you do if your food sources were insecure?
What three adjectives best describe this story?
What questions would you like to ask the negotiators?

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)

Ukraine and Russia have (1) ____ a deal to allow much-needed exports of grain to resume from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The (2) ____ should ease a world shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in Africa and India at (3) ____ of hunger. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted in a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are (4) ____ waiting for export at ports. The deal to allow exports should (5) ____ the pressure on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal at a ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to (6) ____ the agreement.

The sides took two months to (7) ____ the deal, after intensive negotiations. It is set to last for 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian provocation could put the deal (8) ____ jeopardy. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being (9) ____. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might (10) ____ the export of more products. He said: "I'm not talking about beginning only the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to (11) ____ the world's most vulnerable from (12) ____ into deeper food insecurity and malnutrition."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) signed (b) singed (c) singled (d) signal
(a) resumption (b) reduction (c) redaction (d) consumption
(a) risk (b) risqué (c) riskiness (d) risky
(a) currently (b) currency (c) currants (d) currents
(a) tease (b) ease (c) appease (d) please
(a) poker (b) joker (c) broken (d) broker
(a) breach (b) retch (c) reach (d) broach
(a) of (b) at (c) on (d) in
(a) penned (b) pined (c) opined (d) pinned
(a) felicitate (b) facilitate (c) vacillate (d) facility
(a) prevaricate (b) prevent (c) prove (d) approve
(a) sledding (b) siding (c) sliding (d) sidling

Spelling

Paragraph 1

exports of grain to eremsu
Russia's ionisavn of Ukraine
exports should saee the pressure
Ukraine's rtusIrrefautnc Minister
signed the deal at a cnryoeem
helped to broker the etaeegrmn

Paragraph 2

after inventsei negotiations
Russian prtaooncoiv
put the deal in rjpaeody
ietitflaac the export of more products
the world's most ulebravnle
food insecurity and outmtalnrnii

Put the text back together

(...) and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal at a ceremony in
(...) for 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian provocation could put the deal in jeopardy. This has already been
(...) tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being
(...) ports. The deal to allow exports should ease the pressure on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu
(...) in a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are currently waiting for export at
(...) needed, "to prevent the world's most vulnerable from sliding into deeper food insecurity and malnutrition."
(...) Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to broker the agreement.
(...) from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resumption should ease a world shortage of wheat that has left
(...) The sides took two months to reach the deal, after intensive negotiations. It is set to last
(...) the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were
(...) millions of people in Africa and India at risk of hunger. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted
( 1 ) Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow much-needed exports of grain to resume
(...) talking about beginning only the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, but also
(...) penned. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export of more products. He said: "I'm not

Put the words in the right order

allow much-needed A of to grain . deal exports
Tons grain export . waiting are currently for of
should Exports food on ease the pressure prices .
in Istanbul . deal at Signed ceremony a the
President to broker Erdogan agreement . Turkey's helped the
sides The to deal . the reach took months
provocation Any could put jeopardy . the deal in
deal The products . export of facilitate the might
The agricultural ports . export products Russian from of
needed . The were US grain exports more said

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Ukraine and Russia have signed a dealing / deal to allow much-needed exports of grain to resume from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resume / resumption should tease / ease a world shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in Africa and India at risk / risky of hunger. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also resulted on / in a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are currently waiting for export of / at ports. The deal to allow / allowance exports should ease the pressure on food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov singed / signed the deal at a ceremonial / ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to broken / broker the agreement.

The sides took two months to breach / reach the deal, after intensive negotiations. It is set to last / lastly for 120 days. Ukraine has waned / warned that any Russian provocation could get / put the deal in jeopardy. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being penned / panned. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might illustrate / facilitate the export of more products. He said: "I'm not talking about beginning only the export of agricultural / agriculturally products from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to present / prevent the world's most onerous / vulnerable from sliding into deeper food insecurity and malnourished / malnutrition."

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

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

_kr__n_ _nd R_ss__ h_v_ s_gn_d _ d__l t_ _ll_w m_ch-n__d_d _xp_rts _f gr__n t_ r_s_m_ fr_m _kr__n_'s Bl_ck S__ p_rts. Th_ r_s_mpt__n sh__ld __s_ _ w_rld sh_rt_g_ _f wh__t th_t h_s l_ft m_ll__ns _f p__pl_ _n _fr_c_ _nd _nd__ _t r_sk _f h_ng_r. R_ss__'s _nv_s__n _f _kr__n_ h_s _ls_ r_s_lt_d _n _ gl_b_l r_s_ _n f__d pr_c_s. M_ll__ns _f t_ns _f gr__n _r_ c_rr_ntly w__t_ng f_r _xp_rt _t p_rts. Th_ d__l t_ _ll_w _xp_rts sh__ld __s_ th_ pr_ss_r_ _n f__d pr_c_s. R_ss__'s D_f_nc_ M_n_st_r S_rg__ Sh__g_ _nd _kr__n_'s _nfr_str_ct_r_ M_n_st_r _l_ks_ndr K_br_k_v s_gn_d th_ d__l _t _ c_r_m_ny _n _st_nb_l. T_rk_y's Pr_s_d_nt _rd_g_n h_lp_d t_ br_k_r th_ _gr__m_nt.

Th_ s_d_s t__k tw_ m_nths t_ r__ch th_ d__l, _ft_r _nt_ns_v_ n_g_t__t__ns. _t _s s_t t_ l_st f_r 120 d_ys. _kr__n_ h_s w_rn_d th_t _ny R_ss__n pr_v_c_t__n c__ld p_t th_ d__l _n j__p_rdy. Th_s h_s _lr__dy b__n t_st_d _ft_r R_ss__n f_rc_s _tt_ck_d th_ Bl_ck S__ p_rt _f _d_ss_ w_th_n 24 h__rs _f th_ d__l b__ng p_nn_d. Mr Sh__g_ t_ld r_p_rt_rs th_t th_ d__l m_ght f_c_l_t_t_ th_ _xp_rt _f m_r_ pr_d_cts. H_ s__d: "_'m n_t t_lk_ng _b__t b_g_nn_ng _nly th_ _xp_rt _f _gr_c_lt_r_l pr_d_cts fr_m _kr__n__n p_rts, b_t _ls_ th_ _xp_rt _f _gr_c_lt_r_l pr_d_cts _nd f_rt_l_s_r fr_m R_ss__n p_rts." Th_ _S s__d m_r_ _xp_rts w_r_ n__d_d, "t_ pr_v_nt th_ w_rld's m_st v_ln_r_bl_ fr_m sl_d_ng _nt_ d__p_r f__d _ns_c_r_ty _nd m_ln_tr_t__n."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

ukraine and russia have signed a deal to allow muchneeded exports of grain to resume from ukraines black sea ports the resumption should ease a world shortage of wheat that has left millions of people in africa and india at risk of hunger russias invasion of ukraine has also resulted in a global rise in food prices millions of tons of grain are currently waiting for export at ports the deal to allow exports should ease the pressure on food prices russias defence minister sergei shoigu and ukraines infrastructure minister oleksandr kubrakov signed the deal at a ceremony in istanbul turkeys president erdogan helped to broker the agreement

the sides took two months to reach the deal after intensive negotiations it is set to last for 120 days ukraine has warned that any russian provocation could put the deal in jeopardy this has already been tested after russian forces attacked the black sea port of Odesa within 24 hours of the deal being penned mr shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export of more products he said im not talking about beginning only the export of agricultural products from ukrainian ports but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser from russian ports the us said more exports were needed to prevent the worlds most vulnerable from sliding into deeper food insecurity and malnutrition

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

UkraineandRussiahavesignedadealtoallowmuch-neededexportsofg
raintoresumefromUkraine'sBlackSeaports.Theresumptionshouldea
seaworldshortageofwheatthathasleftmillionsofpeopleinAfricaandIn
diaatriskofhunger.Russia'sinvasionofUkrainehasalsoresultedinaglo
balriseinfoodprices.Millionsoftonsofgrainarecurrentlywaitingforexp
ortatports.Thedealtoallowexportsshouldeasethepressureonfoodpri
ces.Russia'sDefenceMinisterSergeiShoiguandUkraine'sInfrastructu
reMinisterOleksandrKubrakovsignedthedealataceremonyinIstanbul
.Turkey'sPresidentErdoganhelpedtobrokertheagreement.Thesidest
ooktwomonthstoreachthedeal,afterintensivenegotiations.Itissettol
astfor120days.UkrainehaswarnedthatanyRussianprovocationcould
putthedealinjeopardy.ThishasalreadybeentestedafterRussianforces
attackedtheBlackSeaportofOdesawithin24hoursofthedealbeingpe
nned.MrShoigutoldreportersthatthedealmightfacilitatetheexportof
moreproducts.Hesaid:"I'mnottalkingaboutbeginningonlytheexport
ofagriculturalproductsfromUkrainianports,butalsotheexportofagric
ulturalproductsandfertiliserfromRussianports."TheUSsaidmoreexp
ortswereneeded,"topreventtheworld'smostvulnerablefromslidingin
todeeperfoodinsecurityandmalnutrition."

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

More countries should aim to be self-sufficient regarding food. 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. GRAIN: Make a poster about grain. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. SELF SUFFICIENCY: Write a magazine article about asking more countries to be self-sufficient regarding food. 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 food shortages. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can reduce shortages. 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

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Answers

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

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