Breaking News English

5-speed listening (Level 5)

Iran and Saudi Arabia in war of words

Slowest

Slower

Medium

Faster

Fastest

Try Level 4 | Level 6

MY e-BOOK

See a sample

This useful resource has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for …

warm-ups

pre-reading and listening

while-reading and listening

post-reading and listening

using headlines

working with words

moving from text to speech

role plays,

task-based activities

discussions and debates

and a whole lot more.

More Listening

20 Questions | Spelling | Dictation

READING:

There is a war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia after the execution of the Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. He was among 47 men put to death on terrorism charges. Saudi leaders said Mr al-Nimr had led anti-government protests in 2011-2012. He was previously convicted of disobedience and of carrying arms. Al-Nimr said he never carried weapons or called for violence, but had encouraged people to resist police bullets using "the roar of the word" instead. Iran's leaders said al-Nimr was killed for being a Shia Muslim. Saudi Arabia is a largely Sunni Muslim country.

There were protests against the execution in the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday. People attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy and set it on fire. Iran said Saudi Arabia would pay a "heavy price" for the execution, including the possible downfall of its government. Saudi Arabia said Iran had no right to create tensions on what was an internal Saudi matter. The foreign ministry said Mr al-Nimr was killed for breaking the law and not because he was a Shia Muslim. It said: "There is no difference between what a person does regardless of his ethnic origin or affiliation, or what he believes."