The Reading / Listening - Level 0

The Philippines will move away from the USA and work with China. It might also get closer to Russia. President Duterte said he would end military and economic deals with the USA. He told the USA: "Your stay in my country was for your own [good]. So it is time to say goodbye."

Things will now change in Asia. China will be stronger and the USA weaker. The USA navy may have to leave the Philippines. This would be a big problem for the USA. The US and the Philippines were good friends for 65 years. The Russian newspaper 'Russia Today' said China has just turned an old rival into a new friend.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 1,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/20/politics/rodrigo-duterte-us-interests-philippines/
  • http://www.manilatimes.net/duterte-announces-separation-us/292340/
  • https://www.rt.com/news/363465-duterte-china-goodbye-us/


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. The Philippines will move
  2. work with
  3. It might also get closer
  4. he would end military and
  5. He told
  6. Your stay
  7. for your own
  8. it is time to say
  1. the USA
  2. good
  3. economic deals
  4. to Russia
  5. in my country
  6. away from the USA
  7. goodbye
  8. China

Paragraph 2

  1. Things will now
  2. China will be
  3. The USA navy may have
  4. This would be a big problem
  5. good friends
  6. The Russian
  7. an
  8. a new
  1. for the USA
  2. to leave
  3. friend
  4. newspaper
  5. change in Asia
  6. for 65 years
  7. stronger
  8. old rival

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Philippines (1) ___________________ from the USA and work with China. It (2) ___________________ closer to Russia. President Duterte said he would (3) ___________________ and (4) ___________________ with the USA. He told the USA: "Your (5) ___________________ country was for your own [good]. So it is (6) ___________________ goodbye."

Things will (7) ___________________ Asia. China will be stronger and the USA weaker. The USA (8) ___________________ to leave the Philippines. This would be a (9) ___________________ for the USA. The US and the Philippines (10) ___________________ for 65 years. The Russian newspaper 'Russia Today' (11) ___________________ just turned an old (12) ___________________ new friend.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThePhilippineswillmoveawayfromtheUSAandworkwithChina.Itmigh
talsogetclosertoRussia.PresidentDutertesaidhewouldendmilitaryan
deconomicdealswiththeUSA.HetoldtheUSA:"Yourstayinmycountry
wasforyourown[good].Soitistimetosaygoodbye."Thingswillnowcha
ngeinAsia.ChinawillbestrongerandtheUSAweaker.TheUSAnavymay
havetoleavethePhilippines.ThiswouldbeabigproblemfortheUSA.The
USandthePhilippinesweregoodfriendsfor65years.TheRussiannewsp
aper'RussiaToday'saidChinahasjustturnedanoldrivalintoanewfriend
.

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 this topic 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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