Weekly newscast September 26 th, 2014

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Learning English with CBC Edmonton Weekly newscast September 26 th, 2014 Lessons prepared by Barbara Edmondson & Justine Light Objectives of the weekly newscast lesson - to develop listening skills

1 Learning English with CBC Edmonton Weekly newscast September 26 th, 2014 Lessons prepared by Barbara Edmondson & Justine Light Objectives of the weekly newscast lesson - to develop listening skills at the CLB 4 level - to increase vocabulary among learners - to increase knowledge of news stories - to provide a self- study tool, as well as, an ESL classroom resource english/ 1

2 News story #1 Edmonton Youth Join ISIS What is ISIS? Why are youth from around the world joining this organization? This story talks about a group trying to prevent more youth from joining ISIS. Before you listen to the first news story, complete this vocabulary activity. It will help you to understand the listening more easily. Choose the group of synonyms (words with similar meaning) that best match each of the vocabulary words. Answers are in the appendix. Answer Word from the story Related words 1) forces a) attacking battling 2) airstrikes b) police law officials 3) fighting c) activists fighters not in the army 4) militants d) troops army 5) prevent e) many 3 or more 6) several f) bombing air raid 7) authorities g) to stop from happening avoid Extra definitions to help you understand the reading: radicalization when people join extreme political or religious groups that are against the norm congress an association with members from different groups fighting to physically hit or beat; to be at war with; * to work hard to achieve something Now listen to the first news story from the audio file. Listening Activity: True/False Decide whether the statements below are true or false. Write your answer in the blanks. Answers are in the appendix. 1. U.S. has begun airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. 2. An organization in Edmonton wants to stop Somali youth from joining militants overseas. 3. Mahamad Accord says at least 6 young men from Alberta have joined ISIS. 4. The Somali community refuses to work with authorities. 5. Accord wrote to the premier asking for more government support to fight ISIS. 6. CBC has reported on several young men from Calgary who have joined ISIS. Discussion Question How can we stop young people from joining a terrorist organization? What support should we give youth here in Edmonton so they are not tempted to join a dangerous group? 2

3 News story #2 Indian Spacecraft Orbits Mars Where is Mars? Why would we want to send a spacecraft to Mars? This story discusses a major scientific achievement for India s space program. Before you listen to the second news story, complete this vocabulary activity. It will help you to understand the listening more easily. Match the words with their definitions. Answers are in the appendix. Answer Word Definition 1. orbit a) to be produced or raised in one s own country/city 2. exploration b) something accomplished after much work or effort 3. inspire c) to clap and shout with approval or excitement 4. homegrown d) to circle, or go around something (usually in space) 5. live e) a country still trying to develop more industry 6. cheer f) to motivate; to give someone a good idea 7. wildly g) skilled in trades (manual or mechanical work) 8. achievement h) the search for new places or things 9. developing i) on TV, radio or Internet in real time 10. technical j) excitedly; without control Extra definitions to help you understand the reading: Spacecraft a spaceship or rocket Now listen to the second news story from the audio file. Listening activity: Multiple Choice Choose the best answer to complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix. 1. putting a spacecraft into orbit around Mars on Wednesday. a) India showed the world by b) India celebrated 2. India wants to show the world it is ready for space a) grow a generation of scientists at home. exploration and to. b) inspire a generation of homegrown scientists. 3. The orbiting spacecraft was shown. 4. Scientists as the spacecraft began to orbit Mars. 5. India is a developing country with people, most of whom are poor. a) arriving on the red planet. b) live on Indian TV. a) cheered wildly b) reached the fourth planet from the sun a) 1.2 billion b) 1.2 million 6. India has a strong a) engineering and medical system that has produced millions of engineers and doctors. b) technical and scientific education system Discussion Question Do you think space exploration is important for mankind? Why? 3

4 News story #3 City of Champions Have you seen the signs on the roads coming into Edmonton? What do you think of the slogan City of Champions? This story is about one city councilor who wants to get rid of the signs. Before you listen to the third news story, complete this vocabulary activity. It will help you to understand the listening more easily. Use one of the vocabulary words below to complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix. councillor slogan dated adding cheesy pushing vandalized speed trap A member of council - the group that makes decisions for the city A phrase or saying that makes one think of a product or place old- fashioned Giving more information Describes something that lacks taste; looks or sounds cheap or fake Supporting, strongly suggesting To be destroyed or damaged by someone Police giving speeding tickets using radar or by catching drivers 1. Advertising companies use to help people remember products. 2. Many gas companies around Edmonton are citizens to change their natural gas provider and to sign a 3 year contract. 3. The city wants people to vote for a new sign for the city, he thinks the old sign needs to be replaced. 4. Someone has the bus stop shelter by breaking all the glass. 5. If you feel your clothes are you can donate them to a charity. 6. I thought that my grandma s home- made decoration was but I put it up in my house because she was so proud of her work. 7. I was so annoyed when I got a ticket in the mail from a last week. Now listen to the third news story from the audio file. Listening Activity: Short Answer Read and answer the questions below. Answers are in the appendix. 1. What does Michael Oshry want to get rid of? 2. What does Oshry say about the signs and slogan? 3. What does Oshry think new signs should say? 4. How were the signs vandalized last October? 5. When will the topic of new signs be discussed? Activity: In partners or groups create a new slogan for Edmonton. Be sure you are able to explain why your slogan is good for our city. Design a new sign with the slogan and share with your class. 4

5 Language Focus Prepositions Prepositions we use prepositions to show the relationship of an object to the rest of the sentence or to another object, place or person. Prepositions usually explain time, location, direction, source, or a logical relationship. Here are some common examples of prepositions and when to use them: Prepositions Prepositions of time of place on Days of the week on On top of something in Months, years in In a large space (city, park) A certain amount of time In an event (participating) at A certain time at location of action Night events (watching) after later than an event/time from movement away from a place where something originates for over a certain period of time around to circle something since from a time until now to movement towards The preposition of has many uses, and is often confusing for students. Use of to show reference Use of to show a connection or relation to something Use of to show possession or belonging Use of to show a number or an amount of something Prepositional phrases A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, gerund (a verb ending in ing that acts as a noun) or pronoun. The object of the prepositional phrase will usually have modifiers, which are also included in the prepositional phrase. Formation of the prepositional phrase: preposition + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause preposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause Look at the following examples from the second news story. Notice that the prepositional phrases add extra information. They do not contain the subject of the sentence. The sentence will still make sense if prepositional phrases are removed. India celebrated putting a spacecraft into orbit (around Mars) (on Wednesday) (preposition + noun) preposition + noun) Listen to the rest of the second story and try to hear the other prepositional phrases. Listen for the prepositions of, on, around, for, of. Answers are in the appendix 5

6 Transcripts of Weekly news stories Introduction Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 SEPTEMBER 26 TH WEEKLY NEWS STORIES Hi, this is Don Bell. You re listening to Learning English with CBC for September 26 th. As U.S. led forces began airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, an organization in Edmonton says it is fighting to stop young people in the city's Somali community from joining the militants fighting overseas. Mahamad Accord, the president of the Canadian Somali Congress of Western Canada, says at least six young men are missing from Edmonton and believed to have joined ISIS. Accord says the Somali community wants to work with authorities to prevent any more young people leaving. He has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking for more government support to fight radicalization. CBC has reported on several young men from Calgary who have joined ISIS. India celebrated putting a spacecraft into orbit around Mars on Wednesday, hoping the achievement will show the world it is ready for space exploration and to inspire a new generation of homegrown scientists. The event was shown live on Indian TV, and scientists cheered wildly as the spacecraft began to orbit around the red planet. Reaching the fourth planet from the sun is a major achievement for the developing country of 1.2 billion people, most of whom are poor. At the same time, India has a strong scientific and technical educational system that has produced millions of software programmers, engineers and doctors. Edmonton city councillor Michael Oshry (awshry) wants to get rid of the "City of Champions" slogan and the signs that you see coming into Edmonton. Oshry says the signs look dated and the slogan doesn't say anything about the city, adding it's cheesy. He's not pushing any new ideas or options, instead saying it should be up to Edmontonians to decide. Last October the signs were vandalized with the "city of champions" covered by slogans which included: "city of speed traps" and "road construction city" This topic will be discussed at the next council meeting in two weeks. TIME 0:00 0:10 1:13 2:15 6

7 Answer keys News story 1 Answer Word from the story Related words d 1) forces a) attacking battling f 2) airstrikes b) police law officials a 3) fighting c) activists fighters not in the army c 4) militants d) troops army g 5) prevent e) many 3 or more e 6) several f) bombing air raid b 7) authorities g) to stop from happening avoid Listening 1. T U.S. has begun airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. 2. T An organization in Edmonton wants to stop Somali youth from joining militants overseas. 3. F Mahamad Accord says at least 6 young men from Alberta have joined ISIS. 4. F The Somali community refuses to work with authorities. 5. F Accord wrote to the premier asking for more government support to fight ISIS. 6. T CBC has reported on several young men from Calgary who have joined ISIS. News story 2 Answer Word Definition d 1. Orbit a) to be produced or raised in one s own country/city h 2. exploration b) something accomplished after much work or effort f 3. inspire c) to clap and shout with approval or excitement a 4. homegrown d) to circle or go around something (usually in space) i 5. live e) a country still trying to develop more industry c 6. cheer f) to motivate; to give someone a good idea j 7. wildly g) skilled in trades (manual or mechanical work) b 8. achievement h) the search for new places or things 7

8 e 9. developing i) on tv, radio or internet in real time g 10. technical j) excitedly; without control Listening 1. putting a spacecraft into orbit around Mars on Wednesday. a) India showed the world by b) India celebrated 2. India wants to show the world it is ready for space a) grow a generation of scientists at home. exploration and to. 3. The orbiting spacecraft was shown. 4. Scientists as the spacecraft began to orbit Mars. 5. India is a developing country with people, most of whom are poor. b) inspire a generation of homegrown scientists. a) arriving on the red planet. b) live on Indian TV. a) cheered wildly b) reached the fourth planet from the sun a) 1.2 billion b) 1.2 million 6. India has a strong a) engineering and medical system that has produced millions of engineers and doctors. b) technical and scientific education system News story 3 1. Advertising companies use slogans to help people remember products. 2. Many gas companies around Edmonton are pushing citizens to change their natural gas provider and to sign a 3 year contract. 3. The city councillor wants people to vote for a new sign for the city, adding he thinks the old sign needs to be replaced. 4. Someone has vandalized the bus stop shelter by breaking all the glass. 5. If you feel your clothes are dated you can donate them to a charity. 6. I thought that my grandma s home- made decoration was cheesy but I put it up in my house because she was so proud of her work. 7. I was so annoyed when I got a ticket in the mail from a speed trap last week. Listening 1. What does Michael Oshry want to get rid of? The signs that you see coming into Edmonton 2. What does Oshry say about the signs and slogan? He says the signs are dated and the slogan is cheesy. 3. What does Oshry think new signs should say? He thinks Edmontonians should decide 4. How were the signs vandalized last October? The slogan was covered with new slogans like city of speed traps 8

9 5. When will the topic of new signs be discussed? At the next city council meeting in 2 weeks. Language Focus India celebrated putting a spacecraft into orbit around Mars on Wednesday, hoping the achievement will show the world it is ready for space exploration and to inspire a new generation of homegrown scientists. The event was shown live on Indian TV, and scientists cheered wildly as the spacecraft began to orbit around the red planet. Reaching the fourth planet from the sun is a major achievement for the developing country of 1.2 billion people, most of whom are poor. At the same time, India has a strong scientific and technical educational system that has produced millions of software programmers, engineers and doctors. 9

Weekly newscast March 1 st 2013

Learning English with CBC Calgary Weekly newscast March 1 st 2013 Lessons prepared by Justine Light & Barbara Edmondson Objectives of the weekly newscast lesson to develop listening skills at the CLB 4