Greta Thunberg is TIME's Person of the Year
Try easier levels of this lesson: Greta Thunberg - Level 0, Greta Thunberg - Level 1 or Greta Thunberg - Level 2.
Download the 27-page lesson | More mini-lessons
The reading
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been named TIME magazine's Person of the Year for 2019. The 16-year-old from Sweden beat New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Hong Kong democracy protestors to win the award. Ms Thunberg shot to fame in 2018 for raising people's awareness of the threat to the planet from climate change. She started a global movement when she decided to go on a climate strike outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018. Schoolchildren around the world then followed her example. She has since addressed the United Nations in New York and has met the Pope. After hearing about the award, she tweeted: "Wow, this is unbelievable! I will share this great honour."
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 :-)
Greta Thunberg is the youngest person ever to receive the award. TIME magazine wrote about why it gave the prize to Ms Thunberg. It said she has, "succeeded in creating a global attitudinal shift" in getting millions of people to join a "worldwide movement calling for urgent change". It added: "Greta has offered a moral call to those who are willing to act, and put shame on those who are not." Not everyone is happy with Ms Thunberg receiving the award. Donald Trump Jr said TIME was using a teenager "as a marketing gimmick". In contrast, Hillary Clinton tweeted: "I am grateful for all she's done to raise awareness of the climate crisis, and her willingness to tell hard, motivating truths."
Sources:
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/16-greta-thunberg-youngest-time-173215953.html
- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/greta-thunberg-time-s-2019-person-year-n1099396
- https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/12/11/donald-trump-jr-slams-time-for-choosing-greta-thunberg-as-person-of-the-year/23879064/
