Breaking News English Lesson on Turkey-Syria

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Turkey rejects calls for ceasefire in Syria (18th October, 2019)

The Reading / Listening - Turkey-Syria - Level 6

US President Donald Trump has asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's military actions in northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week following the USA pulling out a group of its troops in the area. Soon after the US withdrawal, Turkey launched attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create a buffer zone on its border that is free of Kurds. President Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for talks with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to stop the invasion, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence".

President Erdogan has vowed that Turkey would press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria despite calls from around the world to stop its incursion. He said: "We will never declare a ceasefire. The USA is pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international community missed its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into a maelstrom of instability. The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is trying to do." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is time for us to go home."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Turkey-Syria - Level 4 or Turkey-Syria - Level 5

Sources

https://news.sky.com/story/us-demands-syria-ceasefire-as-it-announces-sanctions-against-turkey-11835978
https://cyprus-mail.com/2019/10/16/trumps-light-sanctions-are-a-relief-for-bruised-turkish-lira/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/erdogan-trump-turkey-syria-ceasefire-sanctions-a9157621.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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. CEASEFIRES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about ceasefires. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
leader / military / actions / group / troops / buffer zone / ceasefire / talks / violence
vowed / offensive / incursion / operation / sanctions / international / instability / home
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. MILITARY ACTION: Students A strongly believe military action is wrong; Students B strongly believe it is OK. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. MAJOR PLAYERS: What can these countries do to help bring peace to Syria? Discuss this with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What They Can Do?	Would This Work?
Syria
USA
Turkey
Russia
European Union
United Nations

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. LEADER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "leader". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. RESOLUTION: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

A buffer zone
UN intervention
US intervention
Turkish-Kurd talks
US sanctions
International sanctions
The Syrian military
Russia

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	military	a.	A temporary suspension of fighting, typically one during which peace talks take place; a truce.
2.	troops	b.	Trying to reach an agreement or compromise by discussion with others.
3.	withdrawal	c.	Relating to or characteristic of soldiers or armed forces.
4.	buffer zone	d.	Soldiers or armed forces.
5.	ceasefire	e.	A neutral area serving to separate hostile forces or nations.
6.	invasion	f.	An instance of moving into and taking over a country or region with an armed force.
7.	negotiate	g.	The action of ceasing to participate in an activity; moving personnel out of an area.

Paragraph 2

8.	vowed	h.	All of something; whole.
9.	offensive	i.	The chance to do something.
10.	declare	j.	Measures taken by a nation to force another nation to conform to an international agreement or norms of conduct, typically in the form of restrictions on trade or on participation in sporting events.
11.	sanctions	k.	Promised.
12.	opportunity	l.	A situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.
13.	entire	m.	An attacking military campaign.
14.	maelstrom	n.	Formally announce the beginning of something.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

President Trump ordered Turkey to stop attacks in southern Syria. T / F
Turkey started attacking towns in Syria a month ago. T / F
Turkey wants to create a buffer zone on its border. T / F
President Trump wants Turkey to talk to the Kurds. T / F
President Erdogan has vowed to stop the fighting. T / F
President Erdogan is very worried about US sanctions. T / F
President Erdogan said world inaction created a maelstrom of instability. T / F
President Trump said the situation in Syria is a big problem for the USA. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

actions
attacking
withdrawal
buffer
negotiate
vowed
offensive
sanctions
maelstrom
support

back
cushion
promised
striking
assault
exploits
chaos
discuss terms
penalties
pullout

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

end his country's military
pulling out a group
create a buffer
implement an immediate
bring an end
Erdogan has vowed that Turkey
We will never
We are not worried about
a maelstrom
the world should support what

zone on its border
to the violence
Turkey is trying to do
would press ahead
actions
any sanctions
ceasefire
of instability
of its troops
declare a ceasefire

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

region
withdrawal
launched
negotiate
military
invasion
pulling
zone

US President Donald Trump has asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's (1) ____________ actions in northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week following the USA (2) ____________ out a group of its troops in the area. Soon after the US (3) ____________, Turkey (4) ____________ attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create a buffer (5) ____________ on its border that is free of Kurds. President Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the (6) ____________ and for talks with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to stop the (7) ____________, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to (8) ____________ with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

calls
missed
trying
vowed
time
goal
declare
entire

President Erdogan has (9) ____________ that Turkey would press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria despite (10) ____________ from around the world to stop its incursion. He said: "We will never (11) ____________ a ceasefire. The USA is pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing sanctions. Our (12) ____________ is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international community (13) ____________ its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an (14) ____________ region into a maelstrom of instability. The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is (15) ____________ to do." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is (16) ____________ for us to go home."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's ______
     a. militia actions
     b. militarize actions
     c. military actions
     d. mill a tree actions
2) Syria last week following the USA pulling out a group of its ______ area
     a. troop in the
     b. troops in the
     c. troop sin the
     d. true spin the
3) launched attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create ______
     a. a buffer zone
     b. a buffet zone
     c. a buff a-zone
     d. a puffer zone
4) The USA wants Turkey to stop ______
     a. the invasion
     b. the invades
     c. the inversion
     d. the invidious
5) negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end ______
     a. to the vile ants
     b. to the vial ants
     c. to the violent
     d. to the violence

6) President Erdogan has vowed that Turkey would press ahead ______
     a. with its defensive
     b. with its off pensive
     c. with its of pensive
     d. with its offensive
7) northern Syria despite calls from around the world to ______
     a. stop its incursion
     b. stop pits incursion
     c. stop pits inclusion
     d. stop its inclusion
8) Our goal is clear. We are not worried ______
     a. about any suctions
     b. about any actions
     c. about any thank shuns
     d. about any sanctions
9) prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into ______ instability
     a. a mail storm of
     b. a male storm of
     c. a maelstrom of
     d. a mail strum of
10) The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is ______
     a. try in to do
     b. trying to do
     c. trialing to do
     d. trailing to do

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

US President Donald Trump has asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's (1) ___________________ northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week following the USA pulling out a group (2) ___________________ in the area. Soon after the US withdrawal, Turkey launched attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create (3) ___________________ on its border that is free of Kurds. President Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the (4) ___________________ talks with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to (5) ___________________, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end (6) ___________________".

President Erdogan has vowed that Turkey (7) ___________________ with its offensive in northern Syria (8) ___________________ around the world to stop its incursion. He said: "We will never (9) ___________________. The USA is pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried (10) ___________________." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international community missed its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region (11) ___________________ of instability. The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is trying to do." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is (12) ___________________ to go home."

Comprehension questions

In what part of Syria is fighting taking place?
What did the article say the USA pulled out?
What does Turkey want to create on its border?
Who was sent to Turkey to talk to President Erdogan?
Who does the USA want Turkey to talk to?
Who vowed to press ahead with an offensive?
What did Turkey's president say he would never declare?
What did the USA impose on Turkey?
What did President Erdogan say the world put Syria into a maelstrom of?
What did President Trump say it was time to do?

Multiple choice quiz

1) In what part of Syria is fighting taking place?
a) northern Syria
b) central Syria
c) southern Syria
d) eastern Syria
2) What did the article say the USA pulled out?
a) guns
b) embassy staff
c) a group of troops
d) military bases
3) What does Turkey want to create on its border?
a) fortresses
b) parks and gardens
c) a demilitarized zone
d) a buffer zone
4) Who was sent to Turkey to talk to President Erdogan?
a) the US foreign secretary
b) US President Mike Pence
c) a Kurdish leader
d) the European Union chief

5) Who does the USA want Turkey to talk to?
a) Kurdish forces
b) Kurdish leaders
c) Kurdish people
d) President Trump

6) Who vowed to press ahead with an offensive?
a) the USA
b) Kurdish forces
c) Syria
d) President Erdogan
7) What did Turkey's president say he would never declare?
a) troop numbers
b) war
c) a ceasefire
d) a draw
8) What did the USA impose on Turkey?
a) a penalty
b) sanctions
c) terms and conditions
d) a fine
9) What did President Erdogan say the world put Syria into a maelstrom of?
a) uncertainty
b) chaos
c) instability
d) battles
10) What did President Trump say it was time to do?
a) make peace
b) for the US to go home
c) redraw borders
d) fight

Role play

Role A – A Buffer Zone
You think a buffer zone is the best thing to end this crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): UN intervention, US sanctions or Turkish-Kurd talks.

Role B – UN Intervention
You think UN intervention is the best thing to end this crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): a buffer zone, US sanctions or Turkish-Kurd talks.

Role C – US Sanctions
You think US sanctions is the best thing to end this crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): UN intervention, a buffer zone or Turkish-Kurd talks.

Role D – Turkish-Kurd Talks
You think Turkish-Kurd talks are the best thing to end this crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): UN intervention, US sanctions or a buffer zone.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'cease'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'fire'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

asked

following

group

free

talks

violence

vowed

never

goal

international

support

home

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 - Turkey rejects calls for ceasefire in Syria

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'ceasefire'?
What do you know about this latest crisis?
Why has Turkey gone into Syria?
What do you think of the USA pulling troops out?
How long do you think the military action will continue?
What do you know about the Kurds?
What three adjectives best describe this story?
What do you think the situation will be like in three months?
What advice do you have for President Erdogan?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'military'?
What do you think about what you read?
What does your country's leader think of this situation?
What do you know about relations between the USA and the Kurds?
How do you think this will end?
What effect will sanctions have on Turkey?
Is this situation the USA's problem?
Should the European Union support Turkey?
What questions would you like to ask President Erdogan?

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

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

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

US President Donald Trump has (1) ____ Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's military actions in northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week (2) ____ the USA pulling out a group of its troops in the area. Soon after the US withdrawal, Turkey launched attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create a (3) ____ zone on its border that is (4) ____ of Kurds. President Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for (5) ____ with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to stop the invasion, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate (6) ____ Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence".

President Erdogan has (7) ____ that Turkey would press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria despite calls from around the world to stop its (8) ____. He said: "We will never (9) ____ a ceasefire. The USA is pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international community (10) ____ its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into a maelstrom of (11) ____. The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is trying to (12) ____." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is time for us to go home."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) asked (b) suggested (c) admonish (d) scold
(a) follows (b) followed (c) following (d) follow
(a) butter (b) puffer (c) buffer (d) suffer
(a) frees (b) freely (c) freedom (d) free
(a) talkies (b) talking (c) talks (d) talk
(a) to (b) with (c) of (d) at
(a) bowed (b) vowed (c) wowed (d) cowed
(a) revision (b) incursion (c) submission (d) aversion
(a) subsume (b) emit (c) declare (d) except
(a) rode (b) parsed (c) aroused (d) missed
(a) stable (b) stability (c) unstable (d) instability
(a) redo (b) refer (c) achievement (d) do

Spelling

Paragraph 1

iytariml actions
create a brfeuf zone on its border
stop the nsinvaio
lenmeiptm an immediate ceasefire
begin to etgientao with Kurdish forces
bring an end to the eneviolc

Paragraph 2

press ahead with its fisneeofv
ladcere a ceasefire
The USA is risurpengs us
It is announcing tonsisacn
missed its ptootyirupn
into a ommretlas of instability

Put the text back together

(...) community missed its opportunity to prevent the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire
(...) on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create a buffer zone on its border that is free of Kurds. President Trump called
(...) region into a maelstrom of instability. The European Union and the world should support what Turkey is
(...) declare a ceasefire. The USA is pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing sanctions. Our goal is
(...) for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for talks with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence
(...) out a group of its troops in the area. Soon after the US withdrawal, Turkey launched attacks
(...) Syria despite calls from around the world to stop its incursion. He said: "We will never
( 1 ) US President Donald Trump has asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's military
(...) ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence".
(...) President Erdogan has vowed that Turkey would press ahead with its offensive in northern
(...) told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to stop the invasion, implement an immediate
(...) trying to do." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is time for us to go home."
(...) actions in northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week following the USA pulling
(...) clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international

Put the words in the right order

in End military Syria . actions northern country's his
Syria towns week . Started in northern attacking last
its of pulling group a out After troops .
buffer a on Create zone its border .
immediate for an Called the ceasefire in region .
with would offensive . ahead Turkey press its
stop . to world from the Despite calls around
USA operations . to pressuring is us The stop
its opportunity the prevent Missed Syrian to crisis .
an region Pulling maelstrom . entire into a

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

US President Donald Trump has asked Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his country's military / militaries actions in northern Syria. Turkey started attacking towns in northern Syria last week following / followed the USA pulling in / out a group of its troops in the area / arena. Soon after the US withdrawal / withdraw, Turkey launched attacks on Kurdish fighters. It wants to create a buffet / buffer zone on its border that is freedom / free of Kurds. President Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the region / regional and for talks with the Kurds. US Vice-President Mike Pence told President Erdogan: "The USA wants Turkey to stop the invade / invasion, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violent / violence".

President Erdogan has wowed / vowed that Turkey would press ahead / heading with its offensive in northern Syria despite calls from around the world to stop its incursion / inclusion. He said: "We will never declare a ceasefire. The USA is pressured / pressuring us to stop the operation. It is announcing suctions / sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions." He wrote in the Wall Street Journal that: "The international community / commune missed its opportunity to prevent / stopping the Syrian crisis from pulling an entire / entry region into a maelstrom of instability. The European Union and the world should supportive / support what Turkey is trying to do." President Trump said yesterday: "It is not our problem. It is time for us / them to go home."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

U S P r_s_d_n t D_n_l d T r_m p h_s _s k_d T_r k_y ' s l__ d_r R_c_p T_y y_p E r d_g_n t_ _n d h_s c__ n t r y ' s m_l_t_r y _c t__ n s _n n_r t h_r n S y r__ . T_r k_y s t_r t_d _t t_c k_n g t_w n s _n n_r t h_r n S y r__ l_s t w__ k f_l l_w_n g t h_ U S A p_l l_n g __ t _ g r__ p _f _t s t r__ p s _n t h_ _r__ . S__ n _f t_r t h_ U S w_t h d r_w_l , T_r k_y l__ n c h_d _t t_c k s _n K_r d_s h f_g h t_r s . I t w_n t s t_ c r__ t_ _ b_f f_r z_n_ _n _t s b_r d_r t h_t _s f r__ _f K_r d s . P r_s_d_n t T r_m p c_l l_d f_r _n _m m_d__ t_ c__ s_f_r_ _n t h_ r_g__ n _n d f_r t_l k s w_t h t h_ K_r d s . U S V_c_- P r_s_d_n t M_k_ P_n c_ t_l d P r_s_d_n t E r d_g_n : " T h_ U S A w_n t s T_r k_y t_ s t_p t h_ _n v_s__ n , _m p l_m_n t _n _m m_d__ t_ c__ s_f_r_ _n d t_ b_g_n t_ n_g_t__ t_ w_t h K_r d_s h f_r c_s _n S y r__ t_ b r_n g _n _n d t_ t h_ v__ l_n c_" .

P r_s_d_n t E r d_g_n h_s v_w_d t h_t T_r k_y w__ l d p r_s s _h__ d w_t h _t s _f f_n s_v_ _n n_r t h_r n S y r__ d_s p_t_ c_l l s f r_m _r__ n d t h_ w_r l d t_ s t_p _t s _n c_r s__ n . H_ s__ d : " W_ w_l l n_v_r d_c l_r_ _ c__ s_f_r_. T h_ U S A _s p r_s s_r_n g _s t_ s t_p t h_ _p_r_t__ n . I t _s _n n__ n c_n g s_n c t__ n s . O_r g__ l _s c l__ r . W_ _r_ n_t w_r r__ d _b__ t _n y s_n c t__ n s . " H_ w r_t_ _n t h_ W_l l S t r__ t J__ r n_l t h_t : " T h_ _n t_r n_t__ n_l c_m m_n_t y m_s s_d _t s _p p_r t_n_t y t_ p r_v_n t t h_ S y r__ n c r_s_s f r_m p_l l_n g _n _n t_r_ r_g__ n _n t_ _ m__ l s t r_m _f _n s t_b_l_t y . T h_ E_r_p__ n U n__ n _n d t h_ w_r l d s h__ l d s_p p_r t w h_t T_r k_y _s t r y_n g t_ d_. " P r_s_d_n t T r_m p s__ d y_s t_r d_y : " I t _s n_t __ r p r_b l_m . I t _s t_m_ f_r _s t_ g_ h_m_. "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

us president donald trump has asked turkeys leader recep tayyip erdogan to end his countrys military actions in northern syria turkey started attacking towns in northern syria last week following the usa pulling out a group of its troops in the area soon after the us withdrawal turkey launched attacks on kurdish fighters it wants to create a buffer zone on its border that is free of kurds president trump called for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for talks with the kurds us vicepresident mike pence told president erdogan the usa wants turkey to stop the invasion implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with kurdish forces in syria to bring an end to the violence

president erdogan has vowed that turkey would press ahead with its offensive in northern syria despite calls from around the world to stop its incursion he said we will never declare a ceasefire the usa is pressuring us to stop the operation it is announcing sanctions our goal is clear we are not worried about any sanctions he wrote in the wall street journal that the international community missed its opportunity to prevent the syrian crisis from pulling an entire region into a maelstrom of instability the european union and the world should support what turkey is trying to do president trump said yesterday it is not our problem it is time for us to go home

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

USPresidentDonaldTrumphasaskedTurkey'sleaderRecepTayyipErd
ogantoendhiscountry'smilitaryactionsinnorthernSyria.Turkeystarte
dattackingtownsinnorthernSyrialastweekfollowingtheUSApullingou
tagroupofitstroopsinthearea.SoonaftertheUSwithdrawal,Turkeylau
nchedattacksonKurdishfighters.Itwantstocreateabufferzoneonitsbo
rderthatisfreeofKurds.PresidentTrumpcalledforanimmediateceasefi
reintheregionandfortalkswiththeKurds.USVice-PresidentMikePenc
etoldPresidentErdogan:"TheUSAwantsTurkeytostoptheinvasion,im
plementanimmediateceasefireandtobegintonegotiatewithKurdishfo
rcesinSyriatobringanendtotheviolence".PresidentErdoganhasvowe
dthatTurkeywouldpressaheadwithitsoffensiveinnorthernSyriadespi
tecallsfromaroundtheworldtostopitsincursion.Hesaid:"Wewillnever
declareaceasefire.TheUSAispressuringustostoptheoperation.Itisan
nouncingsanctions.Ourgoalisclear.Wearenotworriedaboutanysancti
ons."HewroteintheWallStreetJournalthat:"Theinternationalcommu
nitymisseditsopportunitytopreventtheSyriancrisisfrompullinganent
ireregionintoamaelstromofinstability.TheEuropeanUnionandthewor
ldshouldsupportwhatTurkeyistryingtodo."PresidentTrumpsaidyeste
rday:"Itisnotourproblem.Itistimeforustogohome."

Free writing

Write about Turkey-Syria for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Turkey should agree to a ceasefire. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. CEASEFIRES: Make a poster about ceasefires. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. TURKEY: Write a magazine article about Turkey agreeing to a ceasefire. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on ceasefires. Ask him/her three questions about ceasefires. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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