The Reading / Listening - Mahathir Mohamad - Level 4

Age is just a number. Malaysia's ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 97, is proving this. He is rolling back the years and running for office again. He has been the country's leader twice before. The first time was for 22 years, between 1981 and 2003. He did not tell journalists whether or not he wants the top job again. He said: "We have not decided who will be prime minister because the prime minister candidate is only relevant if we win."

Mahathir Mohamad became a member of parliament in 1964. He is thought of as being a visionary for greatly improving his country's economy throughout the 1980s. His run for parliament is his 11th election campaign. Many have their doubts about his chances of success because of his recent ill health. He has had several heart attacks and had quadruple bypass surgery. He left hospital last month after contracting Covid-19.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Mahathir Mohamad - Level 5 or  Mahathir Mohamad - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3195595/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-97-contest-election-save-country-umno
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/12/asia/malaysia-mahathir-mohamad-runs-parliament-intl-hnk/index.html
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63218662


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. Age is
  2. He is rolling
  3. running for
  4. He has been the country's leader
  5. The first time
  6. He did not tell
  7. he wants the top
  8. the prime minister
  1. job again
  2. twice before
  3. was for 22 years
  4. back the years
  5. candidate
  6. office
  7. journalists
  8. just a number

Paragraph 2

  1. a member
  2. He is thought of as
  3. his 11th election
  4. his chances of
  5. because of his recent ill
  6. He has had several
  7. quadruple bypass
  8. He left hospital
  1. health
  2. last month
  3. being a visionary
  4. of parliament
  5. surgery
  6. success
  7. campaign
  8. heart attacks

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Age (1) ___________________ number. Malaysia's ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 97, is proving this. (2) ___________________ back the years and running (3) ___________________. He has been the country's leader twice before. The (4) ___________________ for 22 years, between 1981 and 2003. He did not tell journalists (5) ___________________ he wants the top job again. He said: "We have not decided who will be prime minister because the prime minister candidate is (6) ___________________ we win."

Mahathir Mohamad became (7) ___________________ parliament in 1964. He is thought of as being (8) ___________________ greatly improving his country's economy throughout the 1980s. His (9) ___________________ is his 11th election campaign. Many have their (10) ___________________ chances of success because of his recent ill health. He has had several heart attacks and (11) ___________________ surgery. He left hospital (12) ___________________ contracting Covid-19.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Ageisjustanumber.Malaysia'sex-leaderMahathirMohamad,97,ispr
ovingthis.Heisrollingbacktheyearsandrunningforofficeagain.Hehas
beenthecountry'sleadertwicebefore.Thefirsttimewasfor22years,bet
ween1981and2003.Hedidnottelljournalistswhetherornothewantsth
etopjobagain.Hesaid:"Wehavenotdecidedwhowillbeprimeministerb
ecausetheprimeministercandidateisonlyrelevantifwewin."Mahathir
Mohamadbecameamemberofparliamentin1964.Heisthoughtofasbei
ngavisionaryforgreatlyimprovinghiscountry'seconomythroughoutt
he1980s.Hisrunforparliamentishis11thelectioncampaign.Manyhave
theirdoubtsabouthischancesofsuccessbecauseofhisrecentillhealth.
Hehashadseveralheartattacksandhadquadruplebypasssurgery.Hel
efthospitallastmonthaftercontractingCovid-19.

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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