The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A 72-year-old woman in India has given birth. Daljinder Kaur was photographed last week proudly holding her healthy baby boy. She had tried to have a baby for decades. She was under pressure from her family. Most people would have accepted their fate that they would be childless, but Daljinder continued with her dream. She started going to a fertility clinic for IVF treatment in 2013. She became pregnant for the first time in her life last year.

Doctors initially did not want to treat Daljinder because of her age. One doctor said: "I first tried to avoid the case because she was very weak and frail, but her medical reports [showed] she was fit to conceive." His clinic had a good record with older women. He spoke to a cardiologist to get clearance for the treatment. Daljinder also had many tests. She told reporters: "I can live happily now. My life is complete." She is the oldest woman ever to give birth.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 5 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/couple-seventies-show-first-baby-7947292
  • http://www.medicaldaily.com/older-mothers-first-time-mom-vitro-fertilization-385569
  • http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/70-year-old-woman-gives-birth-to-her-first-child-thanks-to-ivf-treatment/1/665301.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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. given
  2. Kaur was photographed
  3. proudly holding her healthy
  4. She had tried to have a
  5. She was under
  6. going to a fertility clinic for IVF
  7. She became
  8. the first
  1. baby boy
  2. pregnant
  3. pressure
  4. time in her life
  5. birth
  6. baby for decades
  7. treatment
  8. last week

Paragraph 2

  1. Doctors initially did
  2. she was very weak
  3. she was fit to
  4. He spoke to a
  5. get clearance for
  6. I can live happily
  7. My life is
  8. She is the oldest woman
  1. now
  2. cardiologist
  3. complete
  4. and frail
  5. ever to give birth
  6. not want to treat her
  7. the treatment
  8. conceive

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A 72-year-old woman in India (1) ___________________. Daljinder Kaur was photographed last (2) ___________________ her healthy baby boy. She had tried to have a (3) ___________________. She was under pressure from her family. Most people would have accepted (4) ___________________ they would be childless, but Daljinder continued with her dream. She started going to (5) ___________________ for IVF treatment in 2013. She became pregnant for the (6) ___________________ life last year.

Doctors initially did (7) ___________________ Daljinder because of her age. One doctor said: "I first (8) ___________________ the case because she was very weak and frail, but (9) ___________________ [showed] she was fit to conceive." His clinic had (10) ___________________ with older women. He spoke to a cardiologist to (11) ___________________ the treatment. Daljinder also had many tests. She told reporters: "I can live happily now. My life is complete." She is the oldest woman (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

A72-year-oldwomaninIndiahasgivenbirth.DaljinderKaurwasphot
ographedlastweekproudlyholdingherhealthybabyboy.Shehadtriedt
ohaveababyfordecades.Shewasunderpressurefromherfamily.Most
peoplewouldhaveacceptedtheirfatethattheywouldbechildless,butD
aljindercontinuedwithherdream.Shestartedgoingtoafertilityclinicfor
IVFtreatmentin2013.Shebecamepregnantforthefirsttimeinherlifela
styear.DoctorsinitiallydidnotwanttotreatDaljinderbecauseofherage.
Onedoctorsaid:"Ifirsttriedtoavoidthecasebecauseshewasveryweak
andfrail,buthermedicalreports[showed]shewasfittoconceive."Hiscli
nichadagoodrecordwitholderwomen.Hespoketoacardiologisttogetcl
earanceforthetreatment.Daljinderalsohadmanytests.Shetoldreport
ers:"Icanlivehappilynow.Mylifeiscomplete."Sheistheoldestwomane
vertogivebirth.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about childbirth for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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