The Reading / Listening - Level 5

U.S. President Barack Obama has invited the Texas high school student who was arrested over a clock he made for school to the White House. Ahmed Mohamed, 14, was taken away in handcuffs after his teachers said he had brought a homemade bomb to school. After several hours, the police realised it was all a mistake. Within hours of his release, Ahmed's story went viral. The news was retweeted hundreds of thousands of times. President Obama tweeted: "We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great."

Ahmed's arrest has put the spotlight on the issue of Islamophobia and of how people treat Muslims. Ahmed said that because of his religion, kids at school called him a 'terrorist'. He said the police interrogation made him feel as though he was a criminal. He said: "I felt like I was a terrorist." To make things worse, his school suspended him for three days. On a more positive note, Twitter offered him a training contract and Google invited him to a science fair. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said: "The future belongs to people like Ahmed."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2015/09/18/US-Texas-student-Ahmed-clock-bomb.html
  • http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150917-fame-from-arrest-over-clock-puts-teen-in-viral-vortex.ece
  • http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/17/ahmed-mohamed-is-tired-excited-to-meet-obama-and-wants-his-clock-back


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.

arrested over a

a.

it was all a mistake

2.

taken away

b.

kids like you

3.

the police realised

c.

of his release

4.

Within hours

d.

America great

5.

Ahmed's story

e.

clock he made

6.

hundreds of

f.

in handcuffs

7.

We should inspire more

g.

went viral

8.

It's what makes

h.

thousands of times



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.

put the spotlight

a.

things worse

2.

how people treat

b.

interrogation

3.

police

c.

fair

4.

To make

d.

on the issue

5.

On a more

e.

to people like Ahmed

6.

offered him a training

f.

positive note

7.

invited him to a science

g.

Muslims

8.

The future belongs

h.

contract

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

U.S. President Barack Obama (1) ___________________ Texas high school student who was (2) ___________________ clock he made for school to the White House. Ahmed Mohamed, 14, was taken (3) ___________________ after his teachers said he had brought (4) ___________________ to school. After several hours, the police (5) ___________________ a mistake. Within hours of his release, Ahmed's story went viral. The news was retweeted hundreds of thousands of times. President Obama tweeted: "We should (6) ___________________ like you to like science. It's what makes America great."

Ahmed's arrest has put (7) ___________________ the issue of Islamophobia and of (8) ___________________ Muslims. Ahmed said that because of his religion, kids at school called him a 'terrorist'. He said the police interrogation made him (9) ___________________ he was a criminal. He said: "I felt like I was a terrorist." To (10) ___________________, his school suspended him for three days. On a (11) ___________________, Twitter offered him a training contract and Google invited him to a science fair. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said: "The (12) ___________________ people like Ahmed."

AHMED MOHAMED'S CLOCK SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Ahmed Mohamed's clock 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.

 

 

 

 

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 Ahmed Mohamed's clock for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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