The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Last year was a record for refugee numbers. The United Nations (U.N.) said 65.3 million people were forced to leave their home or country, up by five million from 2014. The 2015 figure is 50 per cent higher than five years ago. One in every 113 people in the world is now a refugee. Twenty-four people are displaced every minute. Two-thirds of the forcibly displaced are refugees in their own country. It was World Refugee Day on June the 20th.

The biggest reason for the record number of refugees is war, especially in Syria, Afghanistan, Burundi and South Sudan. Over 98,000 asylum requests in 2015 were from unaccompanied children. This is the highest number ever. Ninety per cent of refugees are from poorer countries. Refugees have big problems at borders. These include fences in Europe, immigration laws, and hate. The U.N. said the answer is, "political action to stop conflicts".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.voanews.com/content/global-forced-displacements-reach-record-breaking-levels/3383451.html
  • http://www.reuters.com/article/us-refugees-un-idUSKCN0Z60BN
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/20/1-in-every-113-human-beings-right-now-is-forcibly-displaced-from-their-home/


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. Last year was a
  2. forced
  3. 50 per cent higher
  4. One in
  5. Twenty-four people are displaced
  6. Two-thirds of the
  7. refugees in their
  8. It was World Refugee Day
  1. every minute
  2. own country
  3. to leave their home
  4. record
  5. than five years ago
  6. on June the 20th
  7. forcibly displaced
  8. every 113 people

Paragraph 2

  1. The biggest reason
  2. Over 98,000
  3. This is the highest number
  4. Ninety per cent of refugees are
  5. Refugees have big problems at
  6. immigration
  7. the answer is political
  8. stop
  1. laws
  2. from poorer countries
  3. action
  4. conflicts
  5. ever
  6. for the record
  7. asylum requests
  8. borders

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Last year (1) ___________________ refugee numbers. The United Nations (U.N.) said 65.3 million people (2) ___________________ leave their home or country, up by five million from 2014. The 2015 figure is 50 per cent (3) ___________________ years ago. One in every 113 people in the world is (4) ___________________. Twenty-four people are displaced every minute. (5) ___________________ the forcibly displaced are refugees (6) ___________________ country. It was World Refugee Day on June the 20th.

The biggest (7) ___________________ record number of refugees is war, (8) ___________________ Syria, Afghanistan, Burundi and South Sudan. Over 98,000 (9) _________________ in 2015 were from unaccompanied children. This is the highest (10) ___________________. Ninety per cent of refugees are from poorer countries. Refugees have big (11) ___________________. These include fences in Europe, immigration laws, and hate. The U.N. said the answer is, "political action (12) ___________________ ".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Lastyearwasarecordforrefugeenumbers.TheUnitedNations(U.N.)sai
d65.3millionpeoplewereforcedtoleavetheirhomeorcountry,upbyfive
millionfrom2014.The2015figureis50percenthigherthanfiveyearsag
o.Oneinevery113peopleintheworldisnowarefugee.Twenty-fourp
eoplearedisplacedeveryminute.Two-thirdsoftheforciblydisplacedar
erefugeesintheirowncountry.ItwasWorldRefugeeDayonJunethe20t
h.Thebiggestreasonfortherecordnumberofrefugeesiswar,especiallyi
nSyria,Afghanistan,BurundiandSouthSudan.Over98,000asylumreq
uestsin2015werefromunaccompaniedchildren.Thisisthehighestnu
mberever.Ninetypercentofrefugeesarefrompoorercountries.Refuge
eshavebigproblemsatborders.TheseincludefencesinEurope,immigr
ationlaws,andhate.TheU.N.saidtheansweris,"politicalactiontostopc
onflicts".

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.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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