The Reading / Listening - Nuclear Annihilation - Level 3

The world is experiencing troubling times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global cost of living crisis, a changing climate, and record heat waves. The United Nations has warned of an increasing danger – nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that one small mistake could lead to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "reaching new highs". He pointed to the Ukraine War, the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East as possible flashpoints. He said, "we have been extraordinarily lucky so far" to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a strategy. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict."

Guterres painted a picture of a world close to war. He said the danger level is at its highest since the Cold War. He warned that: "Humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation." Guterres was speaking at a conference for countries signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in 1968. He said the conference was "a chance to strengthen" the Treaty and "make it fit for the worrying world around us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the world…at a time when the risks of proliferation are growing."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Nuclear Annihilation - Level 0,  Nuclear Annihilation - Level 1   or  Nuclear Annihilation - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-62381425
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/02/world-one-miscalculation-away-from-nuclear-annihilation-un-chief-says
  • https://www.dw.com/en/guterres-warns-of-nuclear-annihilation-at-conference-over-nuclear-nonproliferation-treaty/a-62675732


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. NUCLEAR WEAPONS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about nuclear weapons. 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?
       troubling / pandemic / cost of living / crisis / heat wave / nuclear war / tensions / luck
       picture / humanity / misunderstanding / treaty / 1968 / weapons / guarantee / risks
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DISARM: Students A strongly believe all countries will disarm one day; Students B strongly believe this will never happen. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. TROUBLING TIMES: What troubles do these things bring? How have they affected you? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Troubles

How It Has Affected You

COVID-19

 

 

Cost of living crisis

 

 

Climate change

 

 

War

 

 

Pollution

 

 

Violence

 

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

  • Ukraine
  • Yemen
  • Afghanistan
  • Iran-Israel
  • US-China relations
  • Korean Peninsula
  • The Middle East
  • India-Pakistan

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. troubling a. A disease that is all over a whole country or the world.
      2. pandemic b. A long, thin piece of land almost surrounded by water.
      3. annihilation c. Things that can make relations bad between people or countries.
      4. tensions d. Total, 100% destruction.
      5. peninsula e. Causing worry and stress.
      6. conflict f. A plan of action designed to make an aim or goal successful.
      7. strategy g. War.

    Paragraph 2

      8. humanity h. Completely removing something.
      9. miscalculation i. All of the people on Earth.
      10. conference j. Be good enough for.
      11. strengthen k. A very fast increase in the number or amount of something.
      12. fit l. A big meeting of people that takes place over several days.
      13. eliminating m. Make stronger.
      14. proliferation n. The act of making a mistake.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says the world is experiencing timing troubles.     T / F
  2. The UN Secretary-General said a huge mistake could lead to war.     T / F
  3. The UN Secretary-General said the Middle East was a flashpoint.     T / F
  4. The UN said luck can shield us from global tensions.     T / F
  5. Antonio Guterres likes painting and sketching the world.     T / F
  6. Antonio Guterres said annihilation could come from one miscalculation.    T / F
  7. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty began in 1968.     T / F
  8. Antonio Guterres said the USA has 13,000 nuclear weapons.     T / F

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

  1. troubling
  2. global
  3. annihilation
  4. tensions
  5. conflict
  6. humanity
  7. miscalculation
  8. strengthen
  9. fit
  10. risks
  1. war
  2. frictions
  3. toughen up
  4. destruction
  5. difficult
  6. chances
  7. the human race
  8. suitable
  9. worldwide
  10. mistake

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

  1. The world is experiencing
  2. a global cost
  3. boiling
  4. geopolitical
  5. nuclear
  6. Guterres painted a picture of
  7. Guterres was speaking
  8. the only guarantee that they will
  9. 13,000 nuclear
  10. the risks of proliferation
  1. a world close to war
  2. tensions
  3. never be used
  4. of living crisis
  5. are growing
  6. conflict
  7. troubling times
  8. weapons
  9. over into nuclear conflict
  10. at a conference

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
new
far
mistake
over
troubling
climate
strategy
peninsula

The world is experiencing (1) _____________________ times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global cost of living crisis, a changing (2) _____________________, and record heat waves. The United Nations has warned of an increasing danger - nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that one small (3) _____________________ could lead to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "reaching (4) _____________________ highs". He pointed to the Ukraine War, the Korean (5) _____________________, and the Middle East as possible flashpoints. He said, "we have been extraordinarily lucky so (6) _____________________ " to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a (7) _____________________. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling (8) _____________________ into nuclear conflict."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
level
chance
picture
risks
up
guarantee
speaking
around

Guterres painted a (9) _____________________ of a world close to war. He said the danger (10) _____________________ is at its highest since the Cold War. He warned that: "Humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation." Guterres was (11) _____________________ at a conference for countries signed (12) _____________________ to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in 1968. He said the conference was "a (13) _____________________ to strengthen" the Treaty and "make it fit for the worrying world (14) _____________________ us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only (15) _____________________ that they will never be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the world...at a time when the (16) _____________________ of proliferation are growing."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) a global cost of living crisis, a changing climate, and ______
     a.  records heat waves
     b.  record heats waves
     c.  record heat wave
     d.  record heat waves
2)  Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "______"
     a.  reach in new highs
     b.  reaching new high
     c.  reaching new highs
     d.  reaching anew highs
3)  He pointed to the Ukraine War, ______...
     a.  a Korean pen isn't solar
     b.  the Korean pen insular
     c.  the Korean penning solar
     d.  the Korean peninsula
4)  He said, "we have been extraordinarily ______"
     a.  lucky so far
     b.  luckily sofa
     c.  lucky sofa
     d.  luck is so far
5)  Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over ______
     a.  unto nuclear conflict
     b.  onto nuclear conflict
     c.  into nuclear conflict
     d.  as to nuclear conflict

6)  Guterres painted a picture of a world ______
     a.  closed to war
     b.  close two war
     c.  close too war
     d.  close to war
7)  from nuclear annihilation. Guterres was speaking ______
     a.  at a con fence
     b.  at acorn fence
     c.  at a conifer ants
     d.  at a conference
8)  a chance to strengthen the Treaty and make it fit for ______
     a.  the worry in world
     b.  the worry world
     c.  the worrying world
     d.  the worry inner world
9)  Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will ______
     a.  never been used
     b.  never be use
     c.  never bee used
     d.  never be used
10)  at a time when the risks of ______
     a.  proliferation are growing
     b.  proliferation are grown
     c.  proliferation are grow in
     d.  proliferation are grow wing

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The world is experiencing troubling times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global (1) ____________________ crisis, a changing climate, and record heat waves. The United Nations has (2) ____________________ increasing danger - nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that (3) ____________________ could lead to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "(4) ____________________". He pointed to the Ukraine War, the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East as possible flashpoints. He said, "we have been extraordinarily (5) ____________________" to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a strategy. Nor is it (6) ___________________ geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict."

Guterres (7) ____________________ of a world close to war. He said the danger level is at its highest since the Cold War. He warned that: "Humanity (8) ____________________ misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation." Guterres was speaking (9) ____________________ for countries signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in 1968. He said the conference was "a (10) ____________________" the Treaty and "make it fit for the worrying world around us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is (11) ____________________ that they will never be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the world...at a time when (12) ____________________ proliferation are growing."

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of time does the article say the world is experiencing?
  2. What kind of mistake could lead to nuclear war?
  3. What flashpoints were mentioned besides Ukraine and Korea?
  4. What did Antonio Guterres say was not a strategy?
  5. What could geopolitical tensions boil over into?
  6. What did Antonio Guterres paint a picture of?
  7. When was the last time the world was in this much danger?
  8. When did the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty start?
  9. What is the only guarantee that nuclear weapons will never be used?
  10. How many nuclear weapons are there in the world?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of time does the article say the world is experiencing?
a) troubling times
b) many times
c) early times
d) time to change
2) What kind of mistake could lead to nuclear war?
a) a major mistake
b) a repeated mistake
c) a small mistake
d) a language mistake
3) What flashpoints were mentioned besides Ukraine and Korea?
a) Iran
b) the Middle East
c) Myanmar
d) Yemen
4) What did Antonio Guterres say was not a strategy?
a) chance
b) risk
c) war
d) luck
5)  What could geopolitical tensions boil over into?
a) nuclear conflict
b) a cooking pot
c) a melting pot
d) China

6) What did Antonio Guterres paint a picture of?
a) flowers
b) Armageddon
c) international tensions
d) a world close to war
7) When was the last time the world was in this much danger?
a) WWI
b) the Cold War
c) the Korean War
d) the Crimean War
8) When did the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty start?
a) 1986
b) 1966
c) 1988
d) 1968
9) What is the only guarantee that nuclear weapons will never be used?
a) a warranty
b) M.A.D.
c) eliminating nuclear weapons
d) there is no guarantee

10) How many nuclear weapons are there in the world?
a) just over 13,000
b) almost 13,000
c) exactly 13,000
d) around 13,000

Role play

Role  A – Ukraine
You think Ukraine is the world's biggest flashpoint. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their tensions aren't as dangerous. Also, tell the others which is the easiest of these to solve (and why): US-China relations, the Korean Peninsula or the Middle East.

Role  B – US-China Relations
You think US-China relations are the world's biggest flashpoint. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their tensions aren't as dangerous. Also, tell the others which is the easiest of these to solve (and why): Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula or the Middle East.

Role  C – Korean Peninsula
You think the Korean Peninsula is the world's biggest flashpoint. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their tensions aren't as dangerous. Also, tell the others which is the easiest of these to solve (and why): US-China relations, Ukraine or the Middle East.

Role  D – The Middle East
You think the Middle East is the world's biggest flashpoint. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their tensions aren't as dangerous. Also, tell the others which is the easiest of these to solve (and why): US-China relations, the Korean Peninsula or Ukraine.

After reading / listening

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

'nuclear'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'war'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • troubling
    • record
    • small
    • pointed
    • far
    • boiling
    • picture
    • highest
    • speaking
    • 1968
    • only
    • growing

    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 - Nuclear Annihilation

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'nuclear'?
    3. What are the most worrying problems in the world?
    4. How much time do you spend worrying about the world?
    5. How has the cost of living crisis affected you?
    6. How has the changing climate affected you?
    7. What do you think of the world being close to 'nuclear annihilation'?
    8. How and when will the Ukraine War end?
    9. How and when will the tensions in Korea end?
    10. What must happen to bring peace to the Middle East?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'war'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How close do you think the world is to war?
    5. What do you know about the Cold War?
    6. How do you think nuclear war could start?
    7. Why don't countries destroy all their nuclear weapons?
    8. Which country is the biggest danger to the world?
    9. What will the world look like in 50 years from now?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the UN?

    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)

    The world is experiencing (1) ____ times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global cost of living crisis, a changing climate, and (2) ____ heat waves. The United Nations has warned of an increasing danger - nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that (3) ____ small mistake could lead to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "reaching new (4) ____". He pointed to the Ukraine War, the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East as possible (5) ____. He said, "we have been extraordinarily lucky so far" to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a strategy. (6) ____ is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict."

    Guterres (7) ____ a picture of a world close to war. He said the danger level is at its highest since the Cold War. He warned that "Humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation (8) ____ from nuclear annihilation." Guterres was speaking at a conference for countries signed (9) ____ to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in 1968. He said the conference was "a chance to (10) ____" the Treaty and "make it fit for the worrying world around us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is the (11) ____ guarantee that they will never be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the world...at a time when the risks of proliferation (12) ____ growing."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     troubling     (b)     problems     (c)     difficulty     (d)     hardship    
    2. (a)     hot     (b)     warmish     (c)     record     (d)     broken    
    3. (a)     once     (b)     only     (c)     one     (d)     the    
    4. (a)     elevates     (b)     increase     (c)     ups     (d)     highs    
    5. (a)     flashpoints     (b)     flashlights     (c)     flashy     (d)     flash cards    
    6. (a)     Or     (b)     Nor     (c)     Not     (d)     Now    
    7. (a)     uploaded     (b)     auctioned     (c)     traced     (d)     painted    
    8. (a)     around     (b)     away     (c)     above     (d)     up    
    9. (a)     as     (b)     of     (c)     up     (d)     at    
    10. (a)     strength     (b)     strongly     (c)     stronger     (d)     strengthen    
    11. (a)     busily     (b)     certainly     (c)     surely     (d)     only    
    12. (a)     have     (b)     are     (c)     be     (d)     do

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. The world is perncixneieg troubling times
    2. a changing aimclet
    3. the Korean alnuespin
    4. Luck is not a gyrttsea
    5. geopolitical iosstnne
    6. boiling over into nuclear ocfclint

    Paragraph 2

    1. the danger elelv
    2. He warned that utamyhni is just one
    3. speaking at a cneceenfro
    4. a chance to rngetesthn the Treaty
    5. the only tagarneeu
    6. nuclear oepawsn

    Put the text back together

    (...)  speaking at a conference for countries signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in
    (...)  been extraordinarily lucky so far" to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a strategy. Nor
    (...)  around us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never
    (...)  1968. He said the conference was "a chance to strengthen" the Treaty and "make it fit for the worrying world
    (...)  is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict."
    (...)  to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "reaching new highs". He pointed
    (...)  Guterres painted a picture of a world close to war. He said the danger level is at its highest since
    (...)  to the Ukraine War, the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East as possible flashpoints. He said, "we have
    (...)  the Cold War. He warned that: "Humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation." Guterres was
    (...)  be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals
    (  1  ) The world is experiencing troubling times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global cost of living
    (...)  danger - nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that one small mistake could lead
    (...)  crisis, a changing climate, and record heat waves. The United Nations has warned of an increasing
    (...)  around the world...at a time when the risks of proliferation are growing."

    Put the words in the right order

    1. climate   heat   and   changing   A   waves   .   record
    2. could   small   One   nuclear   war   .   lead   to   mistake
    3. international   reaching   tensions   He   highs   .   warned   new   were
    4. extraordinarily   far   .   been   We   lucky   so   have
    5. tensions   boiling   nuclear   conflict   .   into   Geopolitical   over
    6. to   of   A   a   close   world   war   .   picture
    7. at   level   highest   is   danger   its   The   .
    8. guarantee   .   only   weapons   nuclear   Eliminating   is   the
    9. being   held   .   nuclear   13,000   are   Almost   now   weapons
    10. are   of   When   proliferation   the   risks   growing   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The world is experienced / experiencing troubling times. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, a global cost of living crises / crisis, a changing climate, and record / records heat waves. The United Nations has warned of an increasing dangerous / danger - nuclear annihilation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has waned / warned that one small mistake could lead / cause to a nuclear war. Mr Guterres warned that international tensions were "reaching new highs". He painted / pointed to the Ukraine War, the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East as possibility / possible flashpoints. He said, "we have been extraordinarily lucky so / such far" to have avoided nuclear conflict. He said: "Luck is not a strategy. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions cooking / boiling over into nuclear conflict."

    Guterres painted a picture of a world closed / close to war. He said the danger level is at its highest for / since the Cold War. He warned that: "Humanity is just one / once misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from / for nuclear annihilation." Guterres was speaking at a conference for countries signed up / down to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This started in 1968. He said the conference was "a change / chance to strengthen" the Treaty and "make it fit / bit for the worrying world around us". He added: "Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guaranteed / guarantee that they will never be used." He said: "Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in spurs / arsenals around the world...at a time when the risks of / to proliferation are growing."

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

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

    Th_  w_rld  _s  _xp_r__nc_ng  tr__bl_ng  t_m_s.  W_  h_v_  th_  C_V_D-19  p_nd_m_c,  _  gl_b_l  c_st  _f  l_v_ng  cr_s_s,  _  ch_ng_ng  cl_m_t_,  _nd  r_c_rd  h__t  w_v_s.  Th_  _n_t_d  N_t__ns  h_s  w_rn_d  _f  _n  _ncr__s_ng  d_ng_r  -  n_cl__r  _nn_h_l_t__n.  _N  S_cr_t_ry-G_n_r_l  _nt_n__  G_t_rr_s  h_s  w_rn_d  th_t  _n_  sm_ll  m_st_k_  c__ld  l__d  t_  _  n_cl__r  w_r.  Mr  G_t_rr_s  w_rn_d  th_t  _nt_rn_t__n_l  t_ns__ns  w_r_  "r__ch_ng  n_w  h_ghs".  H_  p__nt_d  t_  th_  _kr__n_  W_r,  th_  K_r__n  p_n_ns_l_,  _nd  th_  M_ddl_  __st  _s  p_ss_bl_  fl_shp__nts.  H_  s__d,  "w_  h_v_  b__n  _xtr__rd_n_r_ly  l_cky  s_  f_r"  t_  h_v_  _v__d_d  n_cl__r  c_nfl_ct.  H_  s__d:  "L_ck  _s  n_t  _  str_t_gy.  N_r  _s  _t  _  sh__ld  fr_m  g__p_l_t_c_l  t_ns__ns  b__l_ng  _v_r  _nt_  n_cl__r  c_nfl_ct."

    G_t_rr_s  p__nt_d  _  p_ct_r_  _f  _  w_rld  cl_s_  t_  w_r.  H_  s__d  th_  d_ng_r  l_v_l  _s  _t  _ts  h_gh_st  s_nc_  th_  C_ld  W_r.  H_  w_rn_d  th_t  "H_m_n_ty  _s  j_st  _n_  m_s_nd_rst_nd_ng,  _n_  m_sc_lc_l_t__n  _w_y  fr_m  n_cl__r  _nn_h_l_t__n."  G_t_rr_s  w_s  sp__k_ng  _t  _  c_nf_r_nc_  f_r  c__ntr__s  s_gn_d  _p  t_  th_  n_cl__r  N_n-Pr_l_f_r_t__n  Tr__ty.  Th_s  st_rt_d  _n  1968.  H_  s__d  th_  c_nf_r_nc_  w_s  "_  ch_nc_  t_  str_ngth_n"  th_  Tr__ty  _nd  "m_k_  _t  f_t  f_r  th_  w_rry_ng  w_rld  _r__nd  _s".  H_  _dd_d:  "_l_m_n_t_ng  n_cl__r  w__p_ns  _s  th_  _nly  g__r_nt__  th_t  th_y  w_ll  n_v_r  b_  _s_d."  H_  s__d:  "_lm_st  13,000  n_cl__r  w__p_ns  _r_  n_w  b__ng  h_ld  _n  _rs_n_ls  _r__nd  th_  w_rld..._t  _  t_m_  wh_n  th_  r_sks  _f  pr_l_f_r_t__n  _r_  gr_w_ng."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the world is experiencing troubling times we have the covid19 pandemic a global cost of living crisis a changing climate and record heat waves the united nations has warned of an increasing danger  nuclear annihilation un secretarygeneral antonio guterres has warned that one small mistake could lead to a nuclear war mr guterres warned that international tensions were reaching new highs he pointed to the ukraine war the korean peninsula and the middle east as possible flashpoints he said we have been extraordinarily lucky so far to have avoided nuclear conflict he said luck is not a strategy nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict

    guterres painted a picture of a world close to war he said the danger level is at its highest since the cold war he warned that humanity is just one misunderstanding one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation guterres was speaking at a conference for countries signed up to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty this started in 1968 he said the conference was a chance to strengthen the treaty and make it fit for the worrying world around us he added eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used he said almost 13000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the worldat a time when the risks of proliferation are growing

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Theworldisexperiencingtroublingtimes.WehavetheCOVID-19pand
    emic,aglobalcostoflivingcrisis,achangingclimate,andrecordheatwav
    es.TheUnitedNationshaswarnedofanincreasingdanger-nuclearan
    nihilation.UNSecretary-GeneralAntonioGuterreshaswarnedthaton
    esmallmistakecouldleadtoanuclearwar.MrGuterreswarnedthatinter
    nationaltensionswere"reachingnewhighs".HepointedtotheUkraine
    War,theKoreanpeninsula,andtheMiddleEastaspossibleflashpoints.H
    esaid,"wehavebeenextraordinarilyluckysofar"tohaveavoidednuclea
    rconflict.Hesaid:"Luckisnotastrategy.Norisitashieldfromgeopolitical
    tensionsboilingoverintonuclearconflict."Guterrespaintedapictureof
    aworldclosetowar.HesaidthedangerlevelisatitshighestsincetheCold
    War.Hewarnedthat:"Humanityisjustonemisunderstanding,onemisc
    alculationawayfromnuclearannihilation."Guterreswasspeakingatac
    onferenceforcountriessigneduptotheNuclearNon-ProliferationTrea
    ty.Thisstartedin1968.Hesaidtheconferencewas"achancetostrength
    en"theTreatyand"makeitfitfortheworryingworldaroundus".Headded
    :"Eliminatingnuclearweaponsistheonlyguaranteethattheywillnever
    beused."Hesaid:"Almost13,000nuclearweaponsarenowbeingheldin
    arsenalsaroundtheworld...atatimewhentherisksofproliferationaregr
    owing."

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Nuclear war is the biggest danger to the world today. Discuss.

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    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. NUCLEAR WEAPONS: Make a poster about nuclear weapons. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BAN: Write a magazine article about banning and destroying all nuclear weapons. 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 nuclear weapons. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to avoid nuclear war. 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

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    Answers

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

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