Ex-Soviet leader warns of new Cold War

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The Berlin Wall fell 25 years ago. It represented the end of communism and the Cold War in Europe, and lowered the chances of nuclear conflict. Hope sprang up as the wall came down. Two-and-a-half decades later, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned the world is nearing a new Cold War. He said the West had not fulfilled promises made after 1989. He said: "The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some say that it has already begun."

The Berlin Wall existed between 1961 and 1990. It isolated West Berlin. Western powers controlled West Berlin; East Germany controlled the rest. The wall had many guard towers. Border guards shot or arrested anyone trying to cross to the west. The wall symbolised the "Iron Curtain" that separated Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc. In 1989, major political changes in the Eastern Bloc led to the Wall falling. Germany was reunited in October 1990.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/11/09/ukraine-crisis-gorbachev-idINKBN0IT02B20141109
http://en.ria.ru/world/20141108/195323771/Gorbachev-Worsening-in-Russian-German-Relations-Will-Bring-No.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall

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.	The Berlin Wall	a.	decades later
2.	It represented the end	b.	promises
3.	lowered the chances of	c.	of communism
4.	Hope sprang up as	d.	a new Cold War
5.	Two-and-a-half	e.	nuclear conflict
6.	the world is nearing	f.	fell 25 years ago
7.	the West had not fulfilled	g.	of a new Cold War
8.	on the brink	h.	the wall came down

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.	The Berlin Wall existed	a.	rest
2.	It isolated	b.	the "Iron Curtain"
3.	East Germany controlled the	c.	arrested anyone
4.	The wall had many	d.	changes
5.	Border guards shot or	e.	between 1961 and 1990
6.	The wall symbolised	f.	guard towers
7.	major political	g.	reunited
8.	Germany was	h.	West Berlin

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The Berlin Wall (1) ___________________. It represented the end of communism and the Cold War in Europe, and (2) ___________________ nuclear conflict. Hope (3) ___________________ wall came down. Two-and-a-half decades later, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned the (4) ___________________ new Cold War. He said the West had not fulfilled promises made after 1989. He said: "The world (5) ___________________ new Cold War. Some say that (6) ___________________."

The Berlin Wall (7) ___________________ and 1990. It isolated West Berlin. Western powers controlled West Berlin; East Germany (8) ___________________. The wall had many guard towers. Border guards shot or (9) ___________________ to cross to the west. The wall symbolised the "Iron Curtain" (10) ___________________ Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc. In 1989, (11) ___________________ in the Eastern Bloc led to the Wall falling. Germany (12) ___________________ October 1990.

THE COLD WAR SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the Cold War 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.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

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

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about the Cold War for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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