The Reading / Listening - Iran-Israel - Level 6

The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic missile attacks. This latest crisis in the Middle East comes after Israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes against Iran on Friday. It destroyed Iranian military targets and missile launchers. It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus senior military figures and nine nuclear scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to "thwart the Islamic regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threat". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was "in breach of its [nuclear] non-proliferation obligations".

Iran's capital city Tehran was bombed for the first time since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of initiating a war. He said: "Our response will not be half-hearted". Iran said Israel would pay a "heavy price" for its attacks. However, the Israeli military reported Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were either intercepted or fell short. Netanyahu has spoken directly to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom. The regime does not know what will hit it. It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Iran-Israel - Level 4  or  Iran-Israel - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-iran-launch-more-barrages-israel-aims-wipe-out-tehrans-nuclear-program-2025-06-13/
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/13/hundreds-of-missiles-launched-at-israel-as-iran-vows-retaliation
  • https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-launches-barrages-of-ballistic-missiles-at-israel-hits-buildings-in-countrys-center/


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. ISRAEL AND IRAN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Israel and Iran. 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?
       conflict / Israel / Iran / crisis / missiles / military / scientist / non-proliferation / threat
       capital city / war / response / a heavy price / freedom / regime / opportunity / voices
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DISARMAMENT: Students A strongly believe all nuclear-armed countries should disarm; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CONFLICTS: What do you know about these conflicts? What do you want to know? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Want to Know

Israel-Iran

 

 

Ukraine

 

 

Gaza

 

 

Myanmar

 

 

Sudan

 

 

Congo

 

 
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. MISSILE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "missile". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. PEACE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best person/party who can bring Middle East peace at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
  • President Donald Trump
  • President Xi Jinping
  • The United Nations
  • The Arab League
  • The European Union
  • The Crisis Group

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. conflict a. A government, especially one that is strict or not fair.
      2. escalating b. Like a missile or weapon that flies through the air.
      3. ballistic c. Getting worse or becoming more serious.
      4. thwart d. Stopping the spread of nuclear weapons.
      5. regime e. A fight or a serious problem between people or countries.
      6. in breach of f. Stop someone from doing something.
      7. non-proliferation g. Not following a rule or law.

    Paragraph 2

      8. accused h. Stopped something or someone before it reached the end.
      9. initiated i. A good time or chance to do something.
      10. half-hearted j. Making a way open and safe for someone to go.
      11. intercepted k. Starting something or making something begin.
      12. clearing the path l. Say "no" or fight back against something bad.
      13. opportunity m. Said that someone did something wrong or illegal.
      14. stand up n. Not done with much effort or interest.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says the attacks between Iran and Israel are lessening.     T / F
  2. The article says Israel destroyed most of Iran's missile launchers.     T / F
  3. Israeli airstrikes killed many nuclear scientists.     T / F
  4. The IAEA said Iran had not followed its nuclear non-proliferation duties.   T / F
  5. Iran's capital hasn't been bombed since the Iran-Iraq War.     T / F
  6. Iran fired more than 100 missiles at Israel on Friday.     T / F
  7. Most of the missiles Iran launched failed to hit their target.     T / F
  8. Israel's leader asked the Iranian people to stand up.     T / F

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

  1. conflict
  2. crisis
  3. thwart
  4. regime
  5. obligations
  6. accused
  7. initiating
  8. intercepted
  9. freedom
  10. opportunity
  1. starting
  2. government
  3. blamed
  4. stopped
  5. emergency
  6. chance
  7. war
  8. liberty
  9. derail
  10. duties

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

  1. The conflict between Israel and Iran
  2. military targets and missile
  3. senior military
  4. thwart the Islamic regime's nuclear and
  5. in breach of its nuclear non-
  6. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel
  7. most of these were either intercepted
  8. We are clearing the path for you
  9. The regime does not know
  10. stand up and let
  1. ballistic missile threat
  2. to achieve your freedom
  3. proliferation obligations
  4. what will hit it
  5. figures
  6. your voices be heard
  7. is escalating
  8. or fell short
  9. launchers
  10. of initiating a war

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
threat
targets
obligations
escalating
breach
military
launched
thwart

The conflict between Israel and Iran is (1) _________________________________ as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic missile attacks. This latest crisis in the Middle East comes after Israel (2) _________________________________ its biggest ever airstrikes against Iran on Friday. It destroyed Iranian military (3) _________________________________ and missile launchers. It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus senior (4) _________________________________ figures and nine nuclear scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to " (5) _________________________________ the Islamic regime's nuclear and ballistic missile (6) _________________________________". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was "in (7) _________________________________ of its [nuclear] non-proliferation (8) _________________________________".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
hearted
voices
initiating
intercepted
weaker
bombed
heavy
regime

Iran's capital city Tehran was (9) _________________________________ for the first time since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of (10) _________________________________ a war. He said: "Our response will not be half-(11) _________________________________". Iran said Israel would pay a "(12) _________________________________ price" for its attacks. However, the Israeli military reported Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were either (13) _________________________________ or fell short. Netanyahu has spoken directly to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom. The (14) _________________________________ does not know what will hit it. It has never been (15) _________________________________. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your (16) _________________________________ be heard."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The conflict between Israel and ______
     a.  Iran is escalation
     b.  Iran is escalate in
     c.  Iran is escalate tin
     d.  Iran is escalating
2)  It destroyed Iranian military targets ______
     a.  and missile launchers
     b.  and fissile launchers
     c.  end missile launchers
     d.  and missiles launchers
3)  It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus ______
     a.  senior military figure
     b.  senior military figures
     c.  senior military figurines
     d.  senior military figurative
4)  thwart the Islamic regime's nuclear and ______
     a.  ballistic missile threads
     b.  ballistic missile threatened
     c.  ballistic missile threat
     d.  ballistic missile thread
5)  Iran was in breach of its nuclear ______
     a.  not-proliferation obligations
     b.  now-proliferation obligations
     c.  no-proliferation obligations
     d.  non-proliferation obligations

6)  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of ______
     a.  initiating aware
     b.  initiate aware
     c.  initiating a war
     d.  initiating a warred
7)  Iran said Israel would pay ______
     a.  a heavy price
     b.  a heavily price
     c.  a heaving price
     d.  a heavies price
8)  It said most of these were either intercepted ______
     a.  or fall shorten
     b.  or fallen short
     c.  or fell short
     d.  or fell shorten
9)  We are clearing the path for you to ______
     a.  achieve yours freedom
     b.  achieve your freedom
     c.  achieved your freedom
     d.  achieve you're freedom
10)  This is your opportunity to stand up and let your ______
     a.  voices be listened
     b.  voices be herd
     c.  voices be hoard
     d.  voices be heard

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) _______________________________________________ Israel and Iran is escalating as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic missile attacks. This (2) _______________________________________________ the Middle East comes after Israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes against Iran on Friday. It destroyed Iranian military targets (3) _______________________________________________. It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus (4) _______________________________________________ and nine nuclear scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to "thwart the Islamic (5) _______________________________________________ ballistic missile threat". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was "in (6) _______________________________________________ [nuclear] non-proliferation obligations".

Iran's capital city Tehran was bombed for the (7) _______________________________________________ the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of (8) _______________________________________________. He said: "Our response will not be half-hearted". Iran said Israel would (9) _______________________________________________ price for its attacks. However, the Israeli military reported Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were either (10) _______________________________________________ short. Netanyahu has spoken directly to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing the path for you to (11) _______________________________________________. The regime does not know what will hit it. It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your (12) _______________________________________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say Iran and Israel are exchanging?
  2. What did Israel's airstrikes destroy besides military targets?
  3. How many nuclear scientists died in the airstrikes?
  4. Who said he wanted to thwart Iran's ballistic missile threat?
  5. What was Iran accused or being in breach of?
  6. When was the last time Tehran was bombed prior to Friday's attack?
  7. What did Iran say Israel would have to pay for the attacks?
  8. What happened to the missiles Iran fired at Israel?
  9. What did Benjamin Netanyahu say Israel is clearing a path for?
  10. What did Benjamin Netanyahu tell the Iranian people to do?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say Iran and Israel are exchanging?
a) prisoners of war
b) diplomats
c) waves of ballistic missile attacks
d) ideas to bring about peace
2) What did Israel's airstrikes destroy besides military targets?
a) missile launchers
b) nuclear power plants
c) underground bunkers
d) a small town
3) How many nuclear scientists died in the airstrikes?
a) 10
b) 9
c) 8
d) 7
4) Who said he wanted to thwart Iran's ballistic missile threat?
a) China's president Li Jinping
b) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
c) Donald Trump
d) Benjamin Netanyahu
5) What was Iran accused or being in breach of?
a) a contract
b) international law
c) nuclear non-proliferation obligations
d) a peace treaty

6) When was the last time Tehran was bombed prior to Friday's attack?
a) the 1990s
b) the 1980s
c) the 1970s
d) the 1960s
7) What did Iran say Israel would have to pay for the attacks??
a) a lot
b) a billion dollars
c) the Iranian government
d) a heavy price
8) What happened to the missiles Iran fired at Israel?
a) They were all shot down.
b) They were intercepted or fell short.
c) They hit their targets.
d) They malfunctioned.
9) What did Benjamin Netanyahu say Israel is clearing a path for?
a) peace
b) freedom for the Iranian people
c) economic redevelopment
d) trees
10) What did Benjamin Netanyahu tell the Iranian people to do?
a) Stand up and let their voices be heard.
b) Sit down in the streets.
c) Go on strike.
d) Leave their country.

Role play

Role  A – Benjamin Netanyahu
You think Benjamin Netanyahu is best equipped to bring peace to the Middle East. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their people. Also, tell the others which is the least able of these (and why): Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Donald Trump, or President Xi Jinping.

Role  B – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
You think Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is best equipped to bring peace to the Middle East. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their people. Also, tell the others which is the least able of these (and why): Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, or President Xi Jinping.

Role  C – President Donald Trump
You think President Donald Trump is best equipped to bring peace to the Middle East. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their people. Also, tell the others which is the least able of these (and why): Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Benjamin Netanyahu or President Xi Jinping.

Role  D – President Xi Jinping
You think President Xi Jinping is best equipped to bring peace to the Middle East. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their people. Also, tell the others which is the least able of these (and why): Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Donald Trump, or Benjamin Netanyahu.

After reading / listening

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

'Israel'

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

    • and 'Iran'.

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

    • • 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:

    • conflict
    • latest
    • biggest
    • head
    • thwart
    • breach
    • capital
    • time
    • response
    • short
    • path
    • stand

    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 - Iran-Israel

    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 'Iran'?
    3. What do you think of the latest crisis?
    4. What pictures have you seen of the conflict?
    5. Why are relations between the two countries so bad?
    6. What other countries could be drawn into this crisis?
    7. How bad could this conflict become?
    8. What do you think of countries having nuclear weapons?
    9. What do you know about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?
    10. What advice do you have for the leaders of Iran and Israel?

    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 'Israel'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How serious do you think this conflict is?
    5. What has your country's leader said about this conflict?
    6. Where do you see this conflict going?
    7. How can this crisis be resolved?
    8. Why did Benjamin Netanyahu address the Iranian people?
    9. What do you know about Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the leaders of Iran and Israel?

    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 conflict between Israel and Iran is (1) ____ as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic missile attacks. This latest (2) ____ in the Middle East comes after Israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes against Iran on Friday. It destroyed Iranian military targets and missile (3) ____. It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus (4) ____ military figures and nine nuclear scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to "(5) ____ the Islamic regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threat". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was "in (6) ____ of its [nuclear] non-proliferation obligations".

    Iran's capital city Tehran was bombed (7) ____ the first time since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of (8) ____ a war. He said: "Our response will not be half-(9) ____". Iran said Israel would pay a "heavy price" for its attacks. However, the Israeli military reported Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were (10) ____ intercepted or fell short. Netanyahu has spoken directly to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing the (11) ____ for you to achieve your freedom. The regime does not know what will hit it. It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     entering     (b)     elevating     (c)     rising     (d)     escalating    
    2. (a)     crises     (b)     cries     (c)     critics     (d)     crisis    
    3. (a)     starters     (b)     launchers     (c)     triggers     (d)     fires    
    4. (a)     seniority     (b)     seniors     (c)     senior     (d)     senses    
    5. (a)     thwart     (b)     wart     (c)     worth     (d)     threat    
    6. (a)     breach     (b)     broach     (c)     beach     (d)     batch    
    7. (a)     in     (b)     by     (c)     on     (d)     for    
    8. (a)     initiating     (b)     initialling     (c)     infiltrating     (d)     inhaling    
    9. (a)     brained     (b)     hearted     (c)     faced     (d)     handed    
    10. (a)     neither     (b)     ether     (c)     either     (d)     ever    
    11. (a)     lane     (b)     alley     (c)     path     (d)     trail    
    12. (a)     listened     (b)     heard     (c)     caught     (d)     perceived

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. waves of ilslatbic missile attacks
    2. Iranian iylitram targets
    3. nine nuclear tistnsseci
    4. thwart the Islamic igreme
    5. Iran was in bcarhe
    6. its nuclear non-proliferation otibansogli

    Paragraph 2

    1. Ayatollah Khamenei has csdcuea Israel
    2. itgnniiita a war
    3. Our eessonrp will not be half-hearted
    4. these were either deeetrpnict or fell short
    5. clearing the path for you to iecveha your freedom
    6. your pinrutyopot to stand up

    Put the text back together

    (    )     against Iran on Saturday. It destroyed Iranian military targets and missile launchers. It also killed the head
    (    )     been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard."
    (    )     Energy Agency said Iran was "in breach of its [nuclear] non-proliferation obligations".
    (    )     in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of initiating a war. He said: "Our response
    (    )     Iran's capital city Tehran was bombed for the first time since the Iran-Iraq War
    (    )     military reported Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were either intercepted or fell
    (    )     missile attacks. This latest crisis in the Middle East comes after Israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes
    (    )     of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus senior military figures and nine nuclear
    (    )     path for you to achieve your freedom. The regime does not know what will hit it. It has never
    (    )     regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threat". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic
    (    )     scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to "thwart the Islamic
    (    )     short. Netanyahu has spoken directly to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing the
    (  1  )   The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic
    (    )     will not be half-hearted". Iran said Israel would pay a "heavy price" for its attacks. However, the Israeli

    Put the words in the right order

    1. The   nations   missile   two   exchange   of   waves   ballistic   .
    2. It   ever   airstrikes   launched   against   Iran   its   biggest   .
    3. It   destroyed   missile   Iranian   military   and   launchers   targets   .
    4. His   the   to   was   operation   thwart   country's   regime   .
    5. Iran   obligations   its   in   non-proliferation   of   breach   was   .
    6. Khamenei   of   accused   a   initiating   has   Israel   war   .
    7. It   intercepted   said   of   most   these   were   .
    8. Clearing   you   freedom   path   achieve   the   to   for   .
    9. The   regime   hit   doesn't   it   what   know   will   .
    10. This   to   stand   opportunity   up   your   is   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The conflict between Israel and Iran is elevating / escalating as the two nations exchange waves / tides of ballistic missile attacks. This latest crises / crisis in the Middle East comes post / after Israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes against Iran on Friday. It destroyed Iranian military targets and fissile / missile launchers. It also killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, plus / add senior military figures and nine nuclear scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's operation was to "thwart / dwarf the Islamic regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threaten / threat". Israel's military actions came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was "in breach / broach of its [nuclear] non-proliferation obliges / obligations".

    Iran's capital city Tehran was aplomb / bombed for the first time since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iran's Supreme / Supremely Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has recused / accused Israel of initiating a war. He said: "Our response will not be half-hearted". Iran said Israel would serve / pay a "heavy price" for its attacks. However, the Israeli military reported Iran fired less / fewer than 100 missiles. It said most of these were either receptive / intercepted or fell short. Netanyahu has spoken directly / direct to the Iranian people. He told them: "We are clearing / cleaning the path for you to achieve your freedom. The regime does not know what will hit it. It has never been weaken / weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be listened / heard."

    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)

    Th_  c_nfl_ct  b_tw__n  _sr__l  _nd  _r_n  _s  _sc_l_t_ng  _s  th_  tw_  n_t__ns  _xch_ng_  w_v_s  _f  b_ll_st_c  m_ss_l_  _tt_cks.  Th_s  l_t_st  cr_s_s  _n  th_  M_ddl_  __st  c_m_s  _ft_r  _sr__l  l__nch_d  _ts  b_gg_st  _v_r  __rstr_k_s  _g__nst  _r_n  _n  Fr_d_y.  _t  d_str_y_d  _r_n__n  m_l_t_ry  t_rg_ts  _nd  m_ss_l_  l__nch_rs.  _t  _ls_  k_ll_d  th_  h__d  _f  _r_n's  _sl_m_c  R_v_l_t__n_ry  G__rds,  pl_s  s_n__r  m_l_t_ry  f_g_r_s  _nd  n_n_  n_cl__r  sc__nt_sts.  _sr__l_  Pr_m_  M_n_st_r  B_nj_m_n  N_t_ny_h_  s__d  h_s  c__ntry's  _p_r_t__n  w_s  t_  "thw_rt  th_  _sl_m_c  r_g_m_'s  n_cl__r  _nd  b_ll_st_c  m_ss_l_  thr__t".  _sr__l's  m_l_t_ry  _ct__ns  c_m_  _  d_y  _ft_r  th_  _nt_rn_t__n_l  _t_m_c  _n_rgy  _g_ncy  s__d  _r_n  w_s  "_n  br__ch  _f  _ts  [n_cl__r]  n_n-pr_l_f_r_t__n  _bl_g_t__ns".

    _r_n's  c_p_t_l  c_ty  T_hr_n  w_s  b_mb_d  f_r  th_  f_rst  t_m_  s_nc_  th_  _r_n-_r_q  W_r  _n  th_  1980s.  _r_n's  S_pr_m_  L__d_r  _y_t_ll_h  _l_  Kh_m_n__  h_s  _cc_s_d  _sr__l  _f  _n_t__t_ng  _  w_r.  H_  s__d:  "__r  r_sp_ns_  w_ll  n_t  b_  h_lf-h__rt_d".  _r_n  s__d  _sr__l  w__ld  p_y  _  "h__vy  pr_c_"  f_r  _ts  _tt_cks.  H_w_v_r,  th_  _sr__l_  m_l_t_ry  r_p_rt_d  _r_n  f_r_d  f_w_r  th_n  100  m_ss_l_s.  _t  s__d  m_st  _f  th_s_  w_r_  __th_r  _nt_rc_pt_d  _r  f_ll  sh_rt.  N_t_ny_h_  h_s  sp_k_n  d_r_ctly  t_  th_  _r_n__n  p__pl_.  H_  t_ld  th_m:  "W_  _r_  cl__r_ng  th_  p_th  f_r  y__  t_  _ch__v_  y__r  fr__d_m.  Th_  r_g_m_  d__s  n_t  kn_w  wh_t  w_ll  h_t  _t.  _t  h_s  n_v_r  b__n  w__k_r.  Th_s  _s  y__r  _pp_rt_n_ty  t_  st_nd  _p  _nd  l_t  y__r  v__c_s  b_  h__rd."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the conflict between israel and iran is escalating as the two nations exchange waves of ballistic missile attacks this latest crisis in the middle east comes after israel launched its biggest ever airstrikes against iran on friday it destroyed iranian military targets and missile launchers it also killed the head of irans islamic revolutionary guards plus senior military figures and nine nuclear scientists israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said his countrys operation was to thwart the islamic regimes nuclear and ballistic missile threat israels military actions came a day after the international atomic energy agency said iran was in breach of its nuclear nonproliferation obligations

    irans capital city tehran was bombed for the first time since the iraniraq war in the 1980s irans supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei has accused israel of initiating a war he said our response will not be halfhearted iran said israel would pay a heavy price for its attacks however the israeli military reported iran fired fewer than 100 missiles it said most of these were either intercepted or fell short netanyahu has spoken directly to the iranian people he told them we are clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom the regime does not know what will hit it it has never been weaker this is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheconflictbetweenIsraelandIranisescalatingasthetwonationsexch
    angewavesofballisticmissileattacks.ThislatestcrisisintheMiddleEast
    comesafterIsraellauncheditsbiggesteverairstrikesagainstIranonFri
    day.ItdestroyedIranianmilitarytargetsandmissilelaunchers.Italsokil
    ledtheheadofIran'sIslamicRevolutionaryGuards,plusseniormilitaryfi
    guresandninenuclearscientists.IsraeliPrimeMinisterBenjaminNetan
    yahusaidhiscountry'soperationwasto"thwarttheIslamicregime'snuc
    learandballisticmissilethreat".Israel'smilitaryactionscameadayafter
    theInternationalAtomicEnergyAgencysaidIranwas"inbreachofits[nu
    clear]non-proliferationobligations".Iran'scapitalcityTehranwasbom
    bedforthefirsttimesincetheIran-IraqWarinthe1980s.Iran'sSuprem
    eLeaderAyatollahAliKhameneihasaccusedIsraelofinitiatingawar.He
    said:"Ourresponsewillnotbehalf-hearted".IransaidIsraelwouldpa
    ya"heavyprice"foritsattacks.However,theIsraelimilitaryreportedIra
    nfiredfewerthan100missiles.Itsaidmostofthesewereeitherintercept
    edorfellshort.NetanyahuhasspokendirectlytotheIranianpeople.Heto
    ldthem:"Weareclearingthepathforyoutoachieveyourfreedom.There
    gimedoesnotknowwhatwillhitit.Ithasneverbeenweaker.Thisisyouro
    pportunitytostandupandletyourvoicesbeheard."

    Free writing

    Write about Israel-Iran for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    All nuclear-armed countries should destroy their nuclear weapons. Discuss.

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    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. ISRAEL AND IRAN: Make a poster about Israel and Iran. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. DISARMAMENT: Write a magazine article about all nuclear-armed countries destroying all their nuclear weapons. 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 Israel and Iran. Ask him/her three questions about the two countries. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to achieve peace between them. 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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