Turkey takes over biggest newspaper

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Turkish police used tear gas and rubber bullets against protestors outside a national newspaper. The demonstrators were protesting against the takeover of Turkey's best-selling newspaper, Zaman, by Turkey's government. Zaman once supported President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but then it became a big critic. Authorities say Zaman has links to a Muslim cleric, who the government says planned a coup to remove President Erdogan.

The takeover of Zaman has got Europe worried about Turkey joining the European Union. Germany's foreign affairs committee said, "the violent action against a critical newspaper" and "the fact that the government takes over the whole paper is a severe blow…against the freedom of press". Zaman's English newspaper said: "Our [final] headline is about us…and that should give an idea about the kind of democracy in the country. There's no rule of law left in Turkey."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://news.sky.com/story/1654121/paper-takeover-protesters-tear-gassed-in-turkey
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-zaman-newspaper-takeover-20160305-story.html
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/police-disperse-supporters-of-zaman-media-group.aspx?pageID=238&nid=96076

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	police used tear	a.	remove President Erdogan
2.	rubber	b.	newspaper
3.	a national	c.	critic
4.	The demonstrators were	d.	bullets
5.	Turkey's best-	e.	protesting
6.	it became a big	f.	gas
7.	links to a Muslim	g.	selling newspaper
8.	a coup to	h.	cleric

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	The takeover	a.	about us
2.	foreign	b.	in the country
3.	the government takes over the whole	c.	press
4.	a severe	d.	law left
5.	the freedom of	e.	affairs
6.	Our final headline is	f.	of Zaman
7.	the kind of democracy	g.	paper
8.	There's no rule of	h.	blow

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Turkish police (1) ___________________ and rubber bullets against protestors outside a (2) ___________________. The demonstrators were protesting against (3) ___________________ Turkey's best-selling newspaper, Zaman, by Turkey's government. Zaman once supported President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but (4) ___________________ a big critic. Authorities say Zaman (5) ___________________ Muslim cleric, who the government says planned (6) ___________________ President Erdogan.

(7) ___________________ Zaman has got Europe worried about Turkey joining the European Union. Germany's (8) ___________________ committee said, "the violent action (9) ___________________ newspaper" and "the fact that the government takes (10) ___________________ paper is a severe blow…against the freedom of press". Zaman's English newspaper said: "Our [final] headline (11) ___________________ that should give an idea about the kind of democracy in the country. There's (12) ___________________ in Turkey."

NEWSPAPERS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about newspapers 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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