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N. Korea leader unhappy with weather forecasts (16th June, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is unhappy with the weather forecasts in his country. He was angry with the meteorological department for giving "incorrect" forecasts. It is very unusual for a North Korean leader to be negative about any part of the government. Mr Kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when he made the comments. He said the techniques used to predict the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern equipment. He told reporters it was important to protect people's lives, homes and factories. North Korea has many natural disasters and has many famines, so it is necessary to have accurate weather forecasts.

North Korean people regularly suffer from very bad food shortages. There are many droughts and floods, which means many people do not have enough food to eat. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was hit by one of the worst droughts in over 30 years. This has increased the chances of more food shortages. In the mid-1990s there was a very bad famine. Wikipedia says no one knows how many people died of starvation but says the number is between 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot of food aid from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get this help. However, a lot of this food does not reach the people who need it the most.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/12/kim-jong-weather-north-korea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_famine
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1530793/kim-jong-un-blasts-n-korea-weather-service-incorrect-forecasts

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. WEATHER: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about weather. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

unhappy / weather forecasts / unusual / negative / comments / modern equipment / regularly / droughts and floods / famine / food shortages / starvation / chances

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. PREDICT: Is it easy or difficult to predict these things? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Easy?	Why?
The weather
Football results
Lottery numbers
Your future
An election result
A baby's actions

4. ACCURATE: Students A strongly believe all weather forecasts will be 100% accurate in the future; Students B strongly believe this will never happen. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. WEATHER EVENTS: Rank these with your partner. Put the ones you like most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• rain

• snow

• wind

• rainbows

• 35-degree heat

• storms

• -5 degrees C

• mist and heavy fog

6. WEATHER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "weather". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	North Korea is trying to change the weather his country gets.	T / F
b.	N. Korean leaders rarely talk badly about government departments.	T / F
c.	Kim Jong-un told weather forecasters to update their equipment.	T / F
d.	The leader said accurate forecasts would save lives.	T / F
e.	It is very rare for North Koreans to have food shortages.	T / F
f.	A recent drought in N. Korea was among the worst in three decades.	T / F
g.	The exact number of dead in a famine in the 1990s was 3.5 million.	T / F
h.	Every country has stopped food aid to North Korea.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	unhappy	a.	often
2.	incorrect	b.	methods
3.	techniques	c.	badly affected
4.	predict	d.	displeased
5.	necessary	e.	get to
6.	regularly	f.	likelihood
7.	hit	g.	wrong
8.	chances	h.	help
9.	aid	i.	forecast
10.	reach	j.	needed

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	It is very	a.	weather stations
2.	visiting one of his country's	b.	who need it the most
3.	use more modern	c.	disasters
4.	natural	d.	floods
5.	have accurate	e.	unusual
6.	suffer from very bad food	f.	equipment
7.	droughts and	g.	died of starvation
8.	hit by one of the worst droughts	h.	shortages
9.	no one knows how many people	i.	weather forecasts
10.	reach the people	j.	in over 30 years

GAP FILL

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is (1) ____________ with the weather forecasts in his country. He was angry with the meteorological department for giving "(2) ____________" forecasts. It is very unusual for a North Korean leader to be (3)____________ about any part of the government. Mr Kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when he made the (4) ____________. He said the techniques used to (5) ____________ the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern (6) ____________. He told reporters it was important to protect people's lives, homes and (7) ____________. North Korea has many natural disasters and has many famines, so it is (8) ____________ to have accurate weather forecasts.

predict
necessary
negative
factories
unhappy
incorrect
equipment
comments

North Korean people regularly (9) ____________ from very bad food shortages. There are many droughts and (10) ____________, which means many people do not have enough food to eat. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was hit by one of the (11) ____________ droughts in over 30 years. This has increased the (12) ____________ of more food (13) ____________. In the mid-1990s there was a very bad famine. Wikipedia says no one knows how many people died of (14) ____________ but says the number is between 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot of food (15) ____________ from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get this help. However, a lot of this food does not (16) ____________ the people who need it the most.

aid
worst
shortages
reach
suffer
chances
floods
starvation

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	He was angry with the ______
	a. meteorological departments b. meteorological depart meant c. meteorological department d. meteorological departmental
2)	It is very unusual for a North Korean leader ______
	a. too be negative b. to be negatively c. too be negatively d. to be negative
3)	Mr Kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when he ______
	a. made the comments b. made the commence c. made all comments d. made all commence
4)	He told forecasters to use more ______
	a. modern equip meant b. mod and equipment c. modern equipment d. mod and equip meant
5)	North Korea has many natural disasters and ______
	a. has many famine b. have many famines c. has many famines d. have many famine
6)	North Korean people regularly suffer from very ______
	a. bad food shortage is b. bad food short ages c. bad food short age is d. bad food shortages
7)	North Korea was hit by one of the worst droughts ______
	a. in over 32 years b. in over 38 years c. in over 30 years d. in over 35 years
8)	Wikipedia says no one knows how many people ______
	a. dead of starvation b. died of starvation c. did of starvation d. dying of starvation
9)	North Korea needs a lot ______
	a. more food aid b. for food aid c. of food aid d. have food aid
10)	However, a lot of this food does not reach the people who ______
	a. need it a most b. need it almost c. need it the mostly d. need it the most

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is unhappy with the weather forecasts in his country. He (1) ___________________ meteorological department for giving "incorrect" forecasts. It (2) ___________________ a North Korean leader to be negative about any part of the government. Mr Kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when (3) ___________________. He said the techniques (4) ___________________ the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern equipment. He told reporters it was important (5) ___________________ lives, homes and factories. North Korea has many natural disasters and has many famines, so it is necessary to have (6) ___________________ forecasts.

North Korean people (7) ___________________ from very bad food shortages. There are many droughts and floods, which means many people do not have (8) ___________________. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was hit by one of (9) ___________________ in over 30 years. This has increased the chances of more food shortages. In the mid-1990s there was a (10) ___________________. Wikipedia says no one knows how many people died (11) ___________________ says the number is between 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot of food aid from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get this help. However, a lot of this food (12) ___________________ people who need it the most.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Which department was Kim Jung-un not so happy with?
2.	What is it unusual for the North Korean leader to be?
3.	Where did Kim Jung-un make the comments?
4.	What did Kim Jung-un tell weather forecasters to use?
5.	What is it necessary for N. Korea to have?
6.	What do North Koreans suffer from regularly?
7.	When was the really bad famine in North Korea?
8.	What is the minimum number of dead in the famine?
9.	What does North Korea get from other countries?
10.	What thing does not get to people who really need it?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Which department was Kim Jung-un not so happy with?	6.	What do North Koreans suffer from regularly?
	a) the meteorological department b) the storm department c) the food department d) the sales department		a) stress b) Internet bugs c) the flu d) food shortages
2.	What is it unusual for the North Korean leader to be?	7.	When was the really bad famine in North Korea?
	a) wrong b) angry c) negative d) unhappy		a) last year b) in the 1990s c) in the late 19th century d) 1932
3.	Where did Kim Jung-un make the comments?	8.	What is the minimum number of dead in the famine?
	a) in a palace b) at a weather station c) in his office d) on an airplane		a) 210,000 b) 220,000 c) 230,000 d) 240,000
4.	What did Kim Jung-un tell weather forecasters to use?	9.	What does North Korea get from other countries?
	a) maps and graphs b) their common sense c) water d) more modern equipment		a) the Internet b) coal c) food aid d) trouble
5.	What is it necessary for N. Korea to have?	10.	What thing does not get to people who really need it?
	a) accurate weather forecasts b) weather stations c) weather channels d) weather		a) support b) food c) medicine d) advice

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Rain

You think rain is the best weather to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are not so good about their types of weather. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): snow, sunshine or wind.

Role B – Snow

You think snow is the best weather to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are not so good about their types of weather. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): rain, sunshine or wind.

Role C – Sunshine

You think sunshine is the best weather to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are not so good about their types of weather. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): snow, rain or wind.

Role D – Wind

You think wind is the best weather to have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are not so good about their types of weather. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): snow, sunshine or rain.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'weather' and 'forecast'.

weather

forecast

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

incorrect
any
stations
modern
protect
necessary

suffer
enough
hit
chances
between
reach

WEATHER SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about weather 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WEATHER DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'weather'?
c)	How do you like the weather in your country?
d)	What do you think of weather forecasts?
e)	Have you been angry because a weather forecast was wrong?
f)	What's your favourite kind of weather?
g)	Is Kim Jong-un right to be unhappy with weather forecasters?
h)	How often do you look at or listen to weather forecasts?
i)	Do you think being a weather forecaster is a good job?
j)	What will the weather be like where you are in the next few days?

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Would better weather forecasts help stop drought and famine?
c)	What natural disasters does your country get?
d)	Are there ever shortages of anything in your country?
e)	How can we help people in famines?
f)	Why doesn't anyone know how many people died in North Korea's big famine?
g)	What's the hungriest you've ever been?
h)	Will there be a time when no one on Earth dies of hunger?
i)	Why doesn't all the food aid reach the people who need it?
j)	What questions would you like to ask a weather forecaster?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is unhappy with the weather forecasts in his country. He was (1) ____ with the meteorological department for giving "incorrect" forecasts. It is very unusual for a North Korean leader to (2) ____ negative about any part of the government. Mr Kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when he (3) ____ the comments. He said the techniques (4) ____ to predict the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern equipment. He told reporters it was important to protect people's (5) ____, homes and factories. North Korea has many natural disasters and has many famines, so it is (6) ____ to have accurate weather forecasts.

North Korean people regularly suffer (7) ____ very bad food shortages. There are many droughts and floods, which means many people do not have enough food to eat. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was (8) ____ by one of the worst droughts (9) ____ over 30 years. This has increased the chances of more food shortages. In the (10) ___-1990s there was a very bad famine. Wikipedia says no one knows how many people died of starvation but says the (11) ____ is between 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot of food aid from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get (12) ____ help. However, a lot of this food does not reach the people who need it the most.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	angrily	(b)	anger	(c)	angry	(d)	angers
2.	(a)	be	(b)	do	(c)	have	(d)	say
3.	(a)	made	(b)	did	(c)	talked	(d)	spoke
4.	(a)	used	(b)	useful	(c)	uses	(d)	useless
5.	(a)	lifetimes	(b)	lives	(c)	lively	(d)	livelihood
6.	(a)	needful	(b)	necessitate	(c)	necessarily	(d)	necessary
7.	(a)	for	(b)	of	(c)	from	(d)	if
8.	(a)	hitter	(b)	hits	(c)	hitting	(d)	hit
9.	(a)	in	(b)	on	(c)	as	(d)	with
10.	(a)	pre	(b)	mid	(c)	per	(d)	via
11.	(a)	real	(b)	number	(c)	sadness	(d)	dying
12.	(a)	them	(b)	of	(c)	this	(d)	so

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	giving rcoiectrn forecasts
2.	be nvtieeag about any part
3.	isecqhnetu used to predict the weather
4.	homes and itcrsofae
5.	natural tsaidsres
6.	uacacert weather forecasts
Paragraph 2
7.	people grlruleay suffer
8.	food rghotseas
9.	the worst dtrgsouh in over 30 years
10.	a very bad menifa
11.	people died of rntivaatso
12.	echra the people who need it

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	used to predict the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern
( )	of food aid from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get this
( )	North Korean people regularly suffer from very bad food shortages. There are many droughts
( 1 )	North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is unhappy with the weather forecasts in his country. He was
( )	disasters and has many famines, so it is necessary to have accurate weather forecasts.
( )	equipment. He told reporters it was important to protect people's lives, homes and factories. North Korea has many natural
( )	shortages. In the mid-1990s there was a very bad famine. Wikipedia says no one knows how many people
( )	and floods, which means many people do not have enough food to eat. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was
( )	hit by one of the worst droughts in over 30 years. This has increased the chances of more food
( )	died of starvation but says the number is between 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot
( )	for a North Korean leader to be negative about any part of the government. Mr Kim was
( )	help. However, a lot of this food does not reach the people who need it the most.
( )	visiting one of his country's weather stations when he made the comments. He said the techniques
( )	angry with the meteorological department for giving "incorrect" forecasts. It is very unusual

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	the angry He meteorological with was department.
2.	very a leader is for Korean It unusual North.
3.	the predict wrong to were used weather Techniques.
4.	was protect He it to lives reporters important people's told.
5.	to have It accurate is weather necessary forecasts.
6.	regularly bad People very from shortages suffer food.
7.	not food do enough eat people have to Many.
8.	30 over in droughts worst the of one by Hit years.
9.	died knows people starvation one many of No how.
10.	not people it does the need Food reach who.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is unhappy / unhappiness with the weather forecasts in his country. He was angrily / angry with the meteorological department from / for giving "incorrect" forecasts. It is very unusual for a North Korean leader to have / be negative about any part of the government. Mr Kim was visited / visiting one of his country's weather stations when he made / talked the comments. He said the techniques using / used to predict the weather were wrong. He told forecasters to use more modern equipment / equip. He told reporters it was important to protect people's lives, homes and factories / factory. North Korea has many natural disasters and has many famines, so / such it is necessary to have accurate weather forecasts.

North Korean people regularly / regular suffer from very bad / badly food shortages. There are many droughts and floods, which meanings / means many people do not have enough / most food to eat. In May, the country's newspapers said North Korea was hit by one of the worst droughts in over 30 years. This has increasing / increased the chances of more food shortages. In the mid-1990s there was a very bad farming / famine. Wikipedia says no one knows how many / much people died of starvation but says the number is between / middle 240,000 and 3,500,000. North Korea needs a lot of food aid from other countries. Many people would die if they did not get this assist / help. However, a lot of this food does not reach the people who need it the most / more.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

N_rth K_r__'s l__d_r K_m J_ng-_n _s _nh_ppy w_th th_ w__th_r f_r_c_sts _n h_s c__ntry. H_ w_s _ngry w_th th_ m_t__r_l_g_c_l d_p_rtm_nt f_r g_v_ng "_nc_rr_ct" f_r_c_sts. _t _s v_ry _n_s__l f_r _ N_rth K_r__n l__d_r t_ b_ n_g_t_v_ _b__t _ny p_rt _f th_ g_v_rnm_nt. Mr K_m w_s v_s_t_ng _n_ _f h_s c__ntry's w__th_r st_t__ns wh_n h_ m_d_ th_ c_mm_nts. H_ s__d th_ t_chn_q__s _s_d t_ pr_d_ct th_ w__th_r w_r_ wr_ng. H_ t_ld f_r_c_st_rs t_ _s_ m_r_ m_d_rn _q__pm_nt. H_ t_ld r_p_rt_rs _t w_s _mp_rt_nt t_ pr_t_ct p__pl_'s l_v_s, h_m_s _nd f_ct_r__s. N_rth K_r__ h_s m_ny n_t_r_l d_s_st_rs _nd h_s m_ny f_m_n_s, s_ _t _s n_c_ss_ry t_ h_v_ _cc_r_t_ w__th_r f_r_c_sts.

N_rth K_r__n p__pl_ r_g_l_rly s_ff_r fr_m v_ry b_d f__d sh_rt_g_s. Th_r_ _r_ m_ny dr__ghts _nd fl__ds, wh_ch m__ns m_ny p__pl_ d_ n_t h_v_ _n__gh f__d t_ __t. _n M_y, th_ c__ntry's n_wsp_p_rs s__d N_rth K_r__ w_s h_t by _n_ _f th_ w_rst dr__ghts _n _v_r 30 y__rs. Th_s h_s _ncr__s_d th_ ch_nc_s _f m_r_ f__d sh_rt_g_s. _n th_ m_d-1990s th_r_ w_s _ v_ry b_d f_m_n_. W_k_p_d__ s_ys n_ _n_ kn_ws h_w m_ny p__pl_ d__d _f st_rv_t__n b_t s_ys th_ n_mb_r _s b_tw__n 240,000 _nd 3,500,000. N_rth K_r__ n__ds _ l_t _f f__d __d fr_m _th_r c__ntr__s. M_ny p__pl_ w__ld d__ _f th_y d_d n_t g_t th_s h_lp. H_w_v_r, _ l_t _f th_s f__d d__s n_t r__ch th_ p__pl_ wh_ n__d _t th_ m_st.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

north korea's leader kim jong-un is unhappy with the weather forecasts in his country he was angry with the meteorological department for giving "incorrect" forecasts it is very unusual for a north korean leader to be negative about any part of the government mr kim was visiting one of his country's weather stations when he made the comments he said the techniques used to predict the weather were wrong he told forecasters to use more modern equipment he told reporters it was important to protect people's lives homes and factories north korea has many natural disasters and has many famines so it is necessary to have accurate weather forecasts

north korean people regularly suffer from very bad food shortages there are many droughts and floods which means many people do not have enough food to eat in may the country's newspapers said north korea was hit by one of the worst droughts in over 30 years this has increased the chances of more food shortages in the mid-1990s there was a very bad famine wikipedia says no one knows how many people died of starvation but says the number is between 240000 and 3500000 north korea needs a lot of food aid from other countries many people would die if they did not get this help however a lot of this food does not reach the people who need it the most

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

NorthKorea'sleaderKimJong-unisunhappywiththeweatherforec
astsinhiscountry.Hewasangrywiththemeteorologicaldepartment
forgiving"incorrect"forecasts.ItisveryunusualforaNorthKoreanle
adertobenegativeaboutanypartofthegovernment.MrKimwasvisit
ingoneofhiscountry'sweatherstationswhenhemadethecomment
s.Hesaidthetechniquesusedtopredicttheweatherwerewrong.Het
oldforecasterstousemoremodernequipment.Hetoldreportersitw
asimportanttoprotectpeople'slives,homesandfactories.NorthKor
eahasmanynaturaldisastersandhasmanyfamines,soitisnecessar
ytohaveaccurateweatherforecasts.NorthKoreanpeopleregularly
sufferfromverybadfoodshortages.Therearemanydroughtsandflo
ods,whichmeansmanypeopledonothaveenoughfoodtoeat.InMay
,thecountry'snewspaperssaidNorthKoreawashitbyoneofthewors
tdroughtsinover30years.Thishasincreasedthechancesofmorefoo
dshortages.Inthemid-1990stherewasaverybadfamine.Wikipe
diasaysnooneknowshowmanypeoplediedofstarvationbutsaysthe
numberisbetween240,000and3,500,000.NorthKoreaneedsaloto
ffoodaidfromothercountries.Manypeoplewoulddieiftheydidnotge
tthishelp.However,alotofthisfooddoesnotreachthepeoplewhonee
ditthemost.

FREE WRITING

Write about weather for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

What things can you do in hot weather and cold weather? Which is better? Why?

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about weather forecasts. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. WEATHER: Make a poster about weather forecasts. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. NATURAL DISASTERS: Write a magazine article about natural disasters. Include imaginary interviews with people who help people in disasters.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on weather. Ask him/her three questions about the weather. Give him/her three of your ideas on things to do in different weather conditions. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	unhappy	a.	displeased
2.	incorrect	b.	wrong
3.	techniques	c.	methods
4.	predict	d.	forecast
5.	necessary	e.	needed
6.	regularly	f.	often
7.	hit	g.	badly affected
8.	chances	h.	likelihood
9.	aid	i.	help
10.	reach	j.	get to

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	The meteorological department
2.	Negative
3.	At a weather station
4.	More modern equipment
5.	Accurate weather forecasts
6.	Food shortages
7.	In the 1990s
8.	240,000
9.	Food aid
10.	Food

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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N. Korea leader unhappy with weather forecasts (16th June, 2014)

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