The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Britain has surprised the world by naming Boris Johnson as its new Foreign Secretary. Mr Johnson is a controversial figure. He led the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union and is now Britain's top diplomat. However, he has a record of being very undiplomatic. He called Hillary Clinton a "sadistic nurse in a mental hospital and compared Russia's Vladimir Putin to a Harry Potter creature. He also made racist comments about African countries.

A British newspaper said Mrs May, "had managed to unite the international community in bewilderment by her appointment of Boris Johnson". Journalists in Germany wondered whether British politics was really a comedy show. The Washington Post asked how Mr Johnson could become Britain’s top diplomat after offending much of the world. Mr Johnson ignored the comments. He said his job was to make Britain a "great global player".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 5 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/13/europe/boris-johnson-uk-foreign-secretary/
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/07/14/why-boris-johnson-became-britains-top-diplomat-despite-having-offended-much-of-the-world/
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/who-is-boris-johnson-uk-foreign-secretary-british-government-theresa-may-cabinet-a7135996.html


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. Britain has
  2. Mr Johnson is a controversial
  3. the campaign for Britain to leave
  4. Britain's top
  5. a record of being very
  6. a sadistic nurse in
  7. a Harry Potter
  8. He also made racist
  1. diplomat
  2. a mental hospital
  3. surprised the world
  4. comments
  5. figure
  6. creature
  7. undiplomatic
  8. the European Union

Paragraph 2

  1. unite the international
  2. her appointment
  3. Journalists in Germany
  4. British politics was really
  5. how Mr Johnson could become
  6. offending much
  7. Mr Johnson ignored
  8. make Britain a great
  1. Britain’s top diplomat
  2. the comments
  3. community
  4. global player
  5. of Boris Johnson
  6. a comedy show
  7. of the world
  8. wondered

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Britain has (1) ___________________ by naming Boris Johnson as its new Foreign Secretary. Mr Johnson is a (2) ___________________. He led the campaign for Britain (3) ___________________ European Union and is now Britain's top diplomat. However, he has (4) ___________________ very undiplomatic. He called Hillary Clinton a "(5) ___________________ a mental hospital and compared Russia's Vladimir Putin to a Harry Potter creature. He also made (6) ___________________ about African countries.

A British newspaper said Mrs May, "had (7) ___________________ the international community (8) ___________________ by her appointment of Boris Johnson". Journalists in Germany (9) ___________________ British politics was really (10) ___________________. The Washington Post asked how Mr Johnson could become Britain’s (11) ___________________ offending much of the world. Mr Johnson ignored. He said his job was to make Britain a "(12) ___________________ ".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

BritainhassurprisedtheworldbynamingBorisJohnsonasitsnewForeig
nSecretary.MrJohnsonisacontroversialfigure.Heledthecampaignfor
BritaintoleavetheEuropeanUnionandisnowBritain'stopdiplomat.Ho
wever,hehasarecordofbeingveryundiplomatic.HecalledHillaryClinto
na"sadisticnurseinamentalhospitalandcomparedRussia'sVladimirPu
tintoaHarryPottercreature.HealsomaderacistcommentsaboutAfrica
ncountries.ABritishnewspapersaidMrsMay,"hadmanagedtounitethe
internationalcommunityinbewildermentbyherappointmentofBorisJo
hnson".JournalistsinGermanywonderedwhetherBritishpoliticswasre
allyacomedyshow.TheWashingtonPostaskedhowMrJohnsoncouldbe
comeBritain’stopdiplomatafteroffendingmuchoftheworld.MrJohnso
nignored.HesaidhisjobwastomakeBritaina"greatglobalplayer".

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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