The Reading / Listening - Level 0

Ships near Somalia play Britney Spears songs to keep Somali pirates away. The ships' security teams play loud pop music because the pirates hate Western culture and music. They thought the pirates would hate Britney songs most. They stop pirate attacks. Each security team chooses its own music for the pirates.

Loud music scares people. It was used for torture in Guantanamo Bay. Prisoners listened to loud music for many weeks non-stop. They could not sleep. One prisoner said it was worse than being beaten up. He said: "It makes you feel like you are going mad." A charity asked pop stars to stop prisons using music for torture.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 1,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.ibtimes.com/britney-spears-scares-somali-pirates-hit-songs-used-fend-thieves-1443454
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/britney-spears-music-blasted-out-2646660
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-worthington/a-history-of-music-tortur_b_151109.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 :-)



The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

ships near

a.

most

2.

keep Somali pirates

b.

attacks

3.

play loud

c.

culture and music

4.

Western

d.

away

5.

the pirates would hate Britney songs

e.

Somalia

6.

stop pirate

f.

own music

7.

security

g.

pop music

8.

chooses its

h.

team


MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Loud music scares

a.

weeks non-stop

2.

It was used

b.

going mad

3.

listened to loud music for many

c.

for torture

4.

They could not

d.

people

5.

worse than being

e.

stars

6.

It makes you feel like you are

f.

sleep

7.

pop

g.

torture

8.

stop prisons using music for

h.

beaten up

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ play Britney Spears (2) ___________________ Somali pirates away. The ships' security teams play loud pop music because (3) ___________________ Western (4) ___________________. They thought the pirates would hate Britney songs most. They (5) ___________________. Each security team chooses (6) ___________________ for the pirates.

Loud music scares people. It (7) ___________________ torture in Guantanamo Bay. Prisoners (8) ___________________ music for many weeks non-stop. They (9) ___________________. One prisoner said it was worse than (10) ___________________. He said: "It makes you feel like you (11) ___________________." A charity asked pop (12) ___________________ prisons using music for torture.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ShipsnearSomaliaplayBritneySpearssongstokeepSomalipiratesaw
ay.Theships'securityteamsplayloudpopmusicbecausethepiratesha
teWesterncultureandmusic.TheythoughtthepirateswouldhateBritn
eysongsmost.Theystoppirateattacks.Eachsecurityteamchoosesits
ownmusicforthepirates.Loudmusicscarespeople.Itwasusedfortort
ureinGuantanamoBay.Prisonerslistenedtoloudmusicformanyweek
snon-stop.Theycouldnotsleep.Oneprisonersaiditwasworsethanbe
ingbeatenup.Hesaid:"Itmakesyoufeellikeyouaregoingmad."Achari
tyaskedpopstarstostopprisonsusingmusicfortorture.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about loud music for 10 minutes. Read and talk about your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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