Contents: Objectives: Three news stories Vocabulary building activities Listening comprehension activities Transcripts Answer keys

Transcription

1 Objectives: Contents: To develop listening skills To increase vocabulary To increase knowledge of current events To provide an authentic learning resource Three news stories Vocabulary building activities Listening comprehension activities Transcripts Answer keys Edmonton September 26, 2016

2 News story #1 Trudeau criticizes racist posters [0:13] Setting the Scene Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the racist campaign which surfaced at the University of Alberta campus, Monday. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) (CBC File photo) The Sikh religion was developed in India. Many Sikh people have immigrated to Canada. The Sikh people wear a turban on their head for religious reasons, and therefore they are easily identified. People are allowed to freely practice their religion in Canada, whether that involves wearing a turban, or a cross around their neck. Pre-listening Questions What are some common religions around the world? What are some symbols of these religions? Are people allowed to freely practice their religion in your home country? Why or why not? Page 2 of 15

3 Vocabulary Matching To help you better understand the words in the news story, match the words with their definitions. Answers are in the appendix. Answer Vocabulary word Definition f criticism (n.) a) very large racist (adj.) b) peacefulness; a time without problems enormous (adj.) c) a large paper that is used to show something to others contributions (n.) d) to increase poster (n.) e) describes actions that are bad and sad shameful (adj.) f) words explaining why something is not good disturb (v.) g) describes the traditions and cultures of different races or nations harmony (n.) h) time, money and effort given to help something be successful ethnic (adj.) i) knowledge and understanding about one topic or area raise (v.) j) describes something that shows one race or culture is better than another awareness (n.) k) to create problems or to interrupt Extra definitions to help you understand the listening: turban a piece of cloth worn tightly around one s head Sikhs - members of an Indian religious group profanity bad words / swear words We encourage you to study these new words using this link: You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary whenever you have time. Page 3 of 15

4 Listening Activity [0:13] Answering True/False questions Read the following statements. While you listen to the story, decide whether the statements are true or false. Write your answer in the blanks. Answers are in the appendix. 1. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is criticizing racist posters put up at the University of Alberta. 2. The posters attacked turbans. 3. Trudeau said on TV, We re proud of the enormous contributions Sikhs make to this country every day. 4. The University of Alberta took down 12 posters around campus. 5. The poster showed a Sikh woman and profanity about turbans. 6. There are 2,500 members in the Indian Student Association. 7. One of those students says it was shameful that someone tried to disturb the harmony shared by students of different ethnic backgrounds. 8. Arundeep Singh Sandhu was angry when he saw the posters in the library. 9. Sandhu helped organize a meeting to raise awareness about what a turban is and its importance to Sikhs. Food for thought Why do you think people would create a racist poster? How can we work together to educate people about different ethnic groups and different religions? Page 4 of 15

5 News story #2 Army captain faces criminal charges [1:42] Setting the Scene Captain Malcolm Grace competes in the Mountain Man Challenge in Edmonton, September (Master Corporal Holly Cowan/Army News ) (CBC file photo) Canadians trust military personnel. The army is supposed to represent a force of safety and security. When a captain in the army is accused of a terrible crime, the public may feel insecure. In Canada, anyone who is accused of a crime is investigated. Rich people or people with high-ranking jobs are treated the same as everyone else under the law. Pre-listening Questions Would high-ranking officials in your country face the same criminal charges as other people, if they were accused of a crime? People want to trust the soldiers in the military to uphold the law. What other groups or professions do we expect to obey the law? Page 5 of 15

6 Vocabulary Sentence Completion Learning some of the new words you will hear in the listening will help you understand the news story. Use the vocabulary words below to complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix. captain (n.) face (v.) charges (n.) transfer (v.) assault (v.) accuse (v.) threaten (v.) shocking (adj.) a high-ranking officer in the military to have to deal with a situation a police statement saying someone broke the law to move or change locations to violently attack someone to say you think someone is guilty of a crime to say you will hurt someone surprising or unbelievable 1. We have an idiom in English, it s time to the music, which means it is time to deal with the results of your bad decision. 2. If you want to someone of committing a crime you need to go to the police station and file a report. 3. If the police find evidence for your accusation they will place on the person you filed the report about. 4. It is more common for people to be by someone they know, rather than a stranger. 5. If a person to hurt another person, this should be reported to the police, even if no action was taken. 6. A person who has worked in the Army for a long time might be a. 7. Some crimes are more than others, especially when they are committed by someone the public trusted. Extra definitions to help you understand the listening: strangle to try to kills someone by tightening something around their neck We encourage you to study these new words using this link: You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary whenever you have time. Page 6 of 15

7 Listening Activity [1:42] Multiple Choice Read the following questions. Then listen to the audio and choose the best answer to complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix. 1. A Canadian army now faces 22 criminal charges. 2. Malcolm Grace is a -year-old staff officer and planner. 3. Malcolm Grace was transferred to Edmonton the criminal charges were laid. 4. Grace is of assaulting and sexually assaulting a woman. 5. He is also accused of trying to strangle the woman times. 6. Grace may have also threatened to a male military captain. 7. Corporal Rogan calls the case fairly. a) captain b) capital a) 22 b) 45 a) before b) after a) accused b) guilty a) two b) three a) assault b) kill a) shocking b) sick Food for Thought If someone is being abused or assaulted, where can they go for help? If Malcolm Grace is found guilty, what punishment do you think he should get? Page 7 of 15

8 News story #3 Brangelina no more [2:47] Setting the Scene (CBC file photo) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are one of the most popular Hollywood couples. They became a couple in 2005 after meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. People around the world have watched this super-star couple as they had a family together and supported many charities around the world. The couple was named Brangelina in the media. Pre-listening Questions Who are some famous actors and actresses you like? Who are some famous people from your country you think people in Canada should know about? Are movie stars in your country followed by the media like stars in the United States? Page 8 of 15

9 Vocabulary Find the definition (Multiple Choice) Learning some of the new words you will hear in the listening will help you understand the news story. Read the sentences below and choose the best definition for the words in bold. Answers are in the appendix. 1. If you want the police to investigate a situation, you must file a complaint. a) to give a document to a court or another organization b) to organize in a cabinet 2. After being separated for many years, my parents got a divorce. a) a renewal of marriage promises b) a legal ending of a marriage 3. When someone goes to court, they should always take an attorney to help. a) lawyer b) police officer 4. If a couple is unable to have children they may want to adopt a child. a) to steal or take someone else s child b) to legally become a parent to someone else s child 5. Many organizations would like to find a famous person to be an ambassador for their cause. a) a person who officially represents and supports a group b) a person who will test or try a product and report about it 6. Famous people may be more outspoken because they have confidence and practice. a) expresses opinions directly and honestly b) expresses opinions outside in nature 7. Because there is a war in Syria, many refugees have left that country searching for safety. a) people in the army b) people running away from war Extra definitions to help you understand the listening: mastectomy the medical word for removing one or both breasts (often because a person has breast cancer. We encourage you to study these new words using this link: You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary whenever you have time. Page 9 of 15

10 Listening Activity [2:47] Short Answer First read the questions below. Then listen to the audio and answer the questions while you listen. Answers are in the appendix. 1. Who filed for the divorce? 2. What is one of the world s most famous romances? 3. What did Jolie s attorney say was the reason for the divorce? 4. How many children did Pitt and Jolie have together? 5. How many years have Pitt and Jolie been together? 6. When did they get married? 7. How many countries did they adopt children from? 8. For what organization is Jolie a goodwill ambassador? 9. Jolie has also been an outspoken voice for which of the following causes (check all that apply): a. Cambodia b. refugees c. Africa d. breast cancer e. treatment Food for thought Angelina Jolie used her fame to help draw attention to many different charities and causes around the world. Can you think of other famous people who have help support important causes or charities? Page 10 of 15

11 Transcripts of Weekly news stories SEPTBEMBER WEEKLY NEWS STORIES TIME Introduction Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Hi, this is Don Bell. You re listening to Learning English with CBC for the week of September 26 th. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is adding his voice to growing criticism of racist posters that were put up at the University of Alberta, attacking turban-wearing Sikhs. Trudeau wrote on Twitter, "We're proud of the enormous contributions Sikhs make to this country everyday." The university said it took down 12 of the posters found on the campus, including one at the university's main library. The posters showed a picture of a Sikh man, profanity about turbans and a statement calling on people from third-world cultures to leave Canada. Yadvinder Bhardwaj, of the 2,500-member Indian Student Association, says it is shameful that someone tried to disturb the harmony shared by students of different ethnic backgrounds. Arundeep Singh Sandhu says he felt angry when he heard about the racist posters. But instead of giving in to anger, the former student decided to help organize a meeting to raise awareness about what a turban is and its importance to Sikhs. A Canadian army captain, who once led a team of military trainers in Afghanistan, now faces 22 criminal charges at home. Malcolm Grace, a 45 year old staff officer and planner based at CFB Wainwright, was transferred to Edmonton after the criminal charges were laid. Grace is accused of assaulting and sexually assaulting a woman, who was not a member of the military. Grace is also accused of twice trying to strangle the woman and making death threats against her; assaulting the woman's children, who were teenagers at the time; and threatening to hurt or kill a male military captain. Corporal Denice Rogan, with the Wainwright RCMP, calls the case "fairly shocking." Brangelina is no more. Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, bringing an end to one of the world's most famous romances. An attorney for Jolie said the decision to divorce was made "for the health of the family." The couple has six children together: Pitt and Jolie have been together for 12 years, but they only married in The pair adopted children from Cambodia, Vietnam and Ethiopia. Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, has been an outspoken voice for refugees and various causes in Africa, as well as for breast cancer treatment after undergoing a double mastectomy. 0:00 0:13 1:42 2:47 Page 11 of 15

12 Answer keys News story 1 Trudeau criticizes racist posters Vocabulary Answer Vocabulary word Definition f criticism (n.) a) very large j racist (adj.) b) peacefulness; a time without problems a enormous (adj.) c) a large paper that is used to show something to others h contributions (n.) d) to increase c poster (n.) e) describes actions that are bad and sad e shameful (adj.) f) words explaining why something is not good k disturb (v.) g) describes the traditions and cultures of different races or nations b harmony (n.) h) time, money and effort given to help something be successful g ethnic (adj.) i) knowledge and understanding about one topic or area d raise (v.) j) describes something that shows one race or culture is better than another i awareness (n.) k) to create problems or to interrupt Listening 1. T Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is criticizing racist posters put up at the University of Alberta. 2. F The posters attacked turbans. 3. F Trudeau said on TV, We re proud of the enormous contributions Sikhs make to this country every day. 4. T The University of Alberta took down 12 posters around campus. 5. F _ The poster showed a Sikh woman and profanity about turbans. 6. T There are 2,500 members in the Indian Student Association. 7. T One of those students says it was shameful that someone tried to disturb the harmony shared by students of different ethnic backgrounds. 8. F Arundeep Singh Sandhu was angry when he saw the posters in the library. 9. T Sandhu helped organize a meeting to raise awareness about what a turban is and its importance to Sikhs. Page 12 of 15

13 News story 2 Army captain faces criminal charges Vocabulary 1. We have an idiom in English, it s time to _face the music, which means it is time to deal with the results of your bad decision. 2. If you want to _accuse someone of committing a crime you need to go to the police station and file a report. 3. If the police find evidence for your accusation they will place _charges on the person you filed the report about. 4. It is more common for people to be _abused by someone they know, rather than a stranger. 5. If a person _threatens to hurt another person, this should be reported to the police, even if no action was taken. 6. A person who has worked in the Army for a long time might be a _captain_. 7. Some crimes are more shocking than others, especially when they are committed by someone the public trusted. Listening 1. A Canadian army now faces 22 criminal charges. 2. Malcolm Grace is a year-old staff officer and planner. 3. Malcolm Grace was transferred to Edmonton the criminal charges were laid. 4. Grace is of assaulting and sexually assaulting a woman. 5. He is also accused of trying to strangle the woman times. 6. Grace may have also threatened to a male military captain. 7. Corporal Rogan calls the case fairly. a) captain b) capital a) 22 b) 45 a) before b) after a) accused b) guilty a) two b) three a) assault b) kill a) shocking b) sick Page 13 of 15

14 News story 3 Brangelina no more Vocabulary 1. If you want the police to investigate a situation you must file a complaint. a) to give a document to a court or another organization b) to organize in a cabinet 2. After being separated for many years, my parents got a divorce. a) a renewal of marriage promises b) a legal ending of a marriage 3. When someone goes to court, they should always take an attorney to help. a) lawyer b) police officer 4. If a couple is unable to have children they may want to adopt a child. a) to steal or take someone else s child b) to legally become a parent to someone else s child 5. Many organizations would like to find a famous person to be an ambassador for their cause. a) a person who officially represents and supports a group b) a person who will test or try a product and report about it 6. Famous people may be more outspoken because they have confidence and practice. a) expresses opinions directly and honestly b) expresses opinions outside in nature 7. Because there is a war in Syria, many refugees have left that country searching for safety. a) people in the army b) people running away from war Listening 1. Who filed for the divorce? Angelina Jolie 2. What is one of the world s most famous romances? Brangelina Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie 3. What did Jolie s attorney say was the reason for the divorce? for the health of the family 4. How many children did Pitt and Jolie have together? 6 5. How many years have Pitt and Jolie been together? 12 Page 14 of 15

15 6. When did they get married? How many countries did they adopt children from? 3 (Cambodia, Vietnam and Ethipia) 8. For what organization is Jolie a goodwill ambassador? United Nations 9. Jolie has also been an outspoken voice for which of the following causes (check all that apply): a. Cambodia b. refugees c. Africa d. breast cancer e. treatment Page 15 of 15