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Date: Jul 29, 2005
Level: Easier (Try the harder lesson.) Downloads: Word Doc | PDF Doc | Listening Audio: (1:49 - 214.2 KB - 16kbps)
THE ARTICLEThe IRA has taken a huge step forward for peace in Ireland. It formally announced it will lay down its guns and stop fighting against Britain. This ends thirty-five years of bloody violence within the U.K. For over three decades, the IRA bombed the British mainland and killed British soldiers in Northern Ireland. Tony Blair welcomed the bold move as an important moment in history. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said it presented a historic challenge and opportunity. A former IRA prisoner read the statement the world had been eagerly awaiting. It stated: “All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.” The statement also declared that the goal was still of a united Ireland and “to end British rule”. WARM-UPS1. HISTORY: In pairs / groups, talk about the big events that are part of your country’s history. What was the most important decision your country has taken? What recent decisions have been made? What would have happened to your country if these decisions had not been made? Who are the important decision makers (alive or dead) in your country’s history? 2. QUICK DEBATE: Students A think terrorist groups around the world will follow the IRA’s example. Students B think terror groups around the world will not follow the IRA’s example. Change partners often. 3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.
Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently. 4. VIOLENCE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “violence”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories. 5. MY STRUGGLES: Do you have to struggle to do things every day? Is it a struggle to get out of bed in the morning? Is it a struggle to do your homework / the housework. In pairs / groups, brainstorm the things you struggle with every day. Talk about each of these struggles. Do you also struggle with the things brainstormed? 6. BIG DECISIONS: Have you made many big decisions in your life? Talk about the decisions you have made regarding the following:
Change partners and compare what you talked about. BEFORE READING / LISTENING1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):
WHILE READING / LISTENINGWHICH WORD? Strike through the incorrect word from the pairs in bold. IRA ends its armed struggleThe IRA has taken a huge / tiny step forward for peace in Ireland. It formally announced it will lay down its guns and start / stop fighting against Britain. This ends thirty-five years of bloody / watery violence within the U.K. For over three decades / centuries, the IRA bombed the British mainland and killed British soldiers in Northern Ireland. Tony Blair welcomed the bald / bold move as an important moment in history / geography. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said it presented a historic challenge and opportunity. A former IRA prisoner read the statement / state the world had been eagerly awaiting. It stated: “All IRA units / nuts have been ordered to dump legs / arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful / violent means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever / whoever.” The statement also declared that the goal was still of a united Ireland and “to end British rule / ruler”. AFTER READING / LISTENING1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘lay’ and ‘down’.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
3. WHICH WORD? 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. STUDENT “BIG DECISONS” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about big decisions.
6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:
DISCUSSIONSTUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.
SPEAKINGDECISIONS: You have many big decisions do you have to make about your future. What do you have to think about before you make your decisions? Write these things in the table below. Ask your partner(s) for advice.
Change partners and explain what you discussed with your previous partner(s). Try to get more advice to help your previous partner. Return to your original partner and give them the new advice. LISTENINGListen and fill in the spaces. IRA ends its armed struggleThe IRA has taken a _____ _____ forward for peace in Ireland. It formally announced it will _____ down its guns and stop fighting against Britain. This ends thirty-five years of ________ violence within the U.K. For over three decades, the IRA bombed the British mainland and killed British ________ in Northern Ireland. Tony Blair welcomed the _____ move as an important moment in history. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said it presented a __________ challenge and opportunity. A ________ IRA prisoner read the statement the world had been ________ awaiting. It stated: “All IRA units have been ordered to ________ arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely __________ and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not __________ in any other activities whatsoever.” The statement also declared that the goal was still of a __________ Ireland and “to end British rule”. HOMEWORK1. 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 more information on Northern Ireland and the IRA. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. 3. ARMED STRUGGLE: Make a poster outlining another armed struggle around the world. Include information about the history, aims, armies, leaders and the future. Show your posters to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all describe similar struggles? 4. LETTER TO THE IRA: Write a letter to the head of the IRA. Tell him/her what you think of the recent announcement to end violence and lay down arms. Read your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all write about similar things? ANSWERSTRUE / FALSE:
SYNONYM MATCH:
PHRASE MATCH:
WHICH WORD? IRA ends its armed struggleThe IRA has taken a huge step forward for peace in Ireland. It formally announced it will lay down its guns and stop fighting against Britain. This ends thirty-five years of bloody violence within the U.K. For over three decades, the IRA bombed the British mainland and killed British soldiers in Northern Ireland. Tony Blair welcomed the bold move as an important moment in history. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said it presented a historic challenge and opportunity. A former IRA prisoner read the statement the world had been eagerly awaiting. It stated: “All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.” The statement also declared that the goal was still of a united Ireland and “to end British rule”. |
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