The Reading / Listening - Level 1

The Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte said his country will move away from the USA and work with China. Mr Duterte might also get closer to Russia. He said: "Maybe I will…talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, the Philippines and Russia." Duterte said he would end military and economic agreements with the USA. He told the USA: "Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So it is time to say goodbye."

Things could now change in Asia. China will be stronger and the USA will be weaker. The USA may have to leave its military bases in the Philippines. This would be a big problem for the USA. A US spokesman said it could change its whole approach to the region. The US and the Philippines were close partners for 65 years. The Russian newspaper 'Russia Today' wrote about the change. It said China has just turned an old rival into a friend.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/20/politics/rodrigo-duterte-us-interests-philippines/
  • http://www.manilatimes.net/duterte-announces-separation-us/292340/
  • https://www.rt.com/news/363465-duterte-china-goodbye-us/


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 Philippines
  2. his country will move
  3. work with
  4. Duterte might also get closer
  5. there are three of us
  6. end military and economic
  7. Your stay in my country was
  8. So it is time
  1. for your own benefit
  2. China
  3. to say goodbye
  4. agreements with the USA
  5. president
  6. against the world
  7. away from the USA
  8. to Russia

Paragraph 2

  1. Things could now
  2. China will be
  3. The USA may have
  4. military
  5. This would be a big problem
  6. it could change its whole
  7. close partners
  8. China has just turned an old
  1. to leave
  2. bases
  3. rival into a friend
  4. approach to the region
  5. change in Asia
  6. for 65 years
  7. stronger
  8. for the USA

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte (1) ___________________ will move away from the USA and work with China. Mr Duterte might (2) ___________________ to Russia. He said: "Maybe I will…talk to Putin (3) ___________________ there are three of us (4) ___________________ - China, the Philippines and Russia." Duterte said he would end military and (5) ___________________ with the USA. He told the USA: "Your stay in my country was for (6) ___________________. So it is time to say goodbye."

Things (7) ___________________ in Asia. China will be stronger and the USA (8) ___________________. The USA may have to leave its (9) ___________________ the Philippines. This would be a big problem for the USA. A US spokesman (10) ___________________ change its whole approach to the region. The US and the Philippines were (11) ___________________ 65 years. The Russian newspaper 'Russia Today' wrote about the change. It said China has just turned (12) ___________________ into a friend.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThePhilippinespresidentRodrigoDutertesaidhiscountrywillmoveawa
yfromtheUSAandworkwithChina.MrDutertemightalsogetclosertoRu
ssia.Hesaid:"MaybeIwill…talktoPutinandtellhimthattherearethreeof
usagainsttheworld-China,thePhilippinesandRussia."Dutertesaidh
ewouldendmilitaryandeconomicagreementswiththeUSA.Hetoldthe
USA:"Yourstayinmycountrywasforyourownbenefit.Soitistimetosay
goodbye."ThingscouldnowchangeinAsia.Chinawillbestrongerandth
eUSAwillbeweaker.TheUSAmayhavetoleaveitsmilitarybasesinthePh
ilippines.ThiswouldbeabigproblemfortheUSA.AUSspokesmansaiditc
ouldchangeitswholeapproachtotheregion.TheUSandthePhilippines
wereclosepartnersfor65years.TheRussiannewspaper'RussiaToday'
wroteaboutthechange.ItsaidChinahasjustturnedanoldrivalintoafrie
nd.

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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