The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Muhammad Ali, the world's greatest sporting hero, has died, aged 74. He was in hospital with breathing problems. His children flew to be with him at the end. People say Ali is the best boxer ever. He was the world heavyweight champion three times. His nickname is 'The Greatest'. People think he was the greatest because of what he did outside of boxing. He was a civil rights hero and opponent of the Vietnam War. He also worked for world peace for over 50 years.

Famous people have paid tribute to Ali. One said: "Ali transformed this country and impacted the world....His legacy will be part of our history for all time." The U.N. Secretary-General said Ali fought for a better world, "to lift up humanity". Martin Luther King's daughter said he was, "a champion in so many ways". Ali said: "I would like to be remembered as a man…who treated everyone right [and] tried to unite all humankind through faith and love."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/15939933/muhammad-ali-dies-74
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-16011175
  • http://abcnews.go.com/US/muhammad-ali-dies-greatest-boxer-dead-74/story?id=18391211


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the world's greatest sporting
  2. He was in
  3. breathing
  4. His children flew
  5. People say Ali is the best boxer
  6. He was the world heavyweight champion
  7. He was a civil
  8. He also worked for world
  1. to be with him
  2. three times
  3. peace
  4. hero
  5. rights hero
  6. hospital
  7. ever
  8. problems

Paragraph 2

  1. Famous people have paid
  2. Ali transformed
  3. His legacy will be part of our history
  4. The U.N. Secretary-
  5. Ali fought for a better
  6. he was a champion in so
  7. remembered as a man who treated
  8. unite all humankind through
  1. everyone right
  2. faith and love
  3. world
  4. this country
  5. for all time
  6. tribute to Ali
  7. General
  8. many ways

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Muhammad Ali, the world's (1) ___________________, has died, aged 74. He was in hospital with (2) ___________________. His children flew to be with (3) ___________________. People say Ali is the best boxer ever. He was the world heavyweight champion three times. (4) ___________________ 'The Greatest'. People think he was the greatest because of what he did outside of boxing. He was a (5) ___________________ and opponent of the Vietnam War. He also worked for (6) ___________________ over 50 years.

Famous people have (7) ___________________ Ali. One said: "Ali transformed this country and (8) __________________....His legacy will be (9) ___________________ for all time." The U.N. Secretary-General said Ali fought (10) ___________________, "to lift up humanity". Martin Luther King's daughter said he was, "a champion in (11) ___________________ ". Ali said: "I would like to be remembered as a man…who treated everyone right [and] tried to unite all humankind through (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

MuhammadAli,theworld'sgreatestsportinghero,hasdied,aged74.He
wasinhospitalwithbreathingproblems.Hischildrenflewtobewithhima
ttheend.PeoplesayAliisthebestboxerever.Hewastheworldheavywei
ghtchampionthreetimes.Hisnicknameis'TheGreatest'.Peoplethinkh
ewasthegreatestbecauseofwhathedidoutsideofboxing.Hewasacivilri
ghtsheroandopponentoftheVietnamWar.Healsoworkedforworldpea
ceforover50years.FamouspeoplehavepaidtributetoAli.Onesaid:"Alit
ransformedthiscountryandimpactedtheworld....Hislegacywillbepart
ofourhistoryforalltime."TheU.N.Secretary-GeneralsaidAlifoughtf
orabetterworld,"toliftuphumanity".MartinLutherKing'sdaughtersaid
hewas,"achampioninsomanyways".Alisaid:"Iwouldliketoberememb
eredasaman…whotreatedeveryoneright[and]triedtouniteallhuman
kindthroughfaithandlove."

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You