The Reading / Listening - Women, Life, Freedom - Level 6

Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining in momentum in Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the hands of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death ignited a whole series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have replicated Ms Amini's actions to openly send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many burnt their hair coverings and cut their hair in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallying cry of "women, life, freedom".

The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of pent-up fury at Iran's regime. Women are tired of being forced to cover their hair. It became obligatory in April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for violating this law range from financial penalties to imprisonment. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled the intensity of the protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the tip of the iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are engaging students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and grief and mourning."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Women, Life, Freedom - Level 4  or  Women, Life, Freedom - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/07/iran-protests-angry-trauma-uprising-struggle-freedom
  • https://abcnews.go.com/International/iranian-teenage-protesters-death-sparks-global-outcry-alleged/story
  • https://time.com/6220554/students-iran-protests/


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. FREEDOM: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about freedom. 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?
       protests / momentum / uprisings / martyr / hair / headscarf / message / in public /
       pent up / fury / financial penalties / imprisonment / authorities / freedom / life
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. TAKING TO THE STREETS: Students A strongly believe we should all take to the streets to get change; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. PROTESTS: What do you think of these forms of protests? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What You Think

Why

Marching in the streets

 

 

Petitions

 

 

Sit-ins

 

 

Withdrawing labour

 

 

Internet campaign

 

 

Public speeches

 

 
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. IRAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "Iran". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. DEMONSTRATIONS: Rank these with your partner. Put the things that would make you demonstrate in the streets at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Higher pay
  • Lower taxes
  • Freedom
  • Human rights
  • Equal rights
  • No war
  • Government corruption
  • Climate change

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. momentum a. An act of resistance or rebellion.
      2. uprising b. A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs.
      3. morality c. The energy and driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.
      4. martyr d. Copied.
      5. ignited e. Made an emotion or situation much stronger, or more powerful or dangerous.
      6. replicated f. The action or process of coming together to support a person or cause.
      7. rallying g. Principles about the difference between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour.

    Paragraph 2

      8. pent-up h. The expression of sorrow for someone's death.
      9. obligatory i. How strong or powerful something is.
      10. violating j. The small part we can see or understand of a much larger situation or problem that remains hidden.
      11. intensity k. Of emotions, energy, etc. unable to be expressed or released.
      12. the tip of the iceberg l. Required by a legal, moral, or other rule.
      13. grief m. Intense sadness, especially caused by someone's death.
      14. mourning n. Breaking or failing to comply with a rule, law or formal agreement.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says school boys and girls are protesting in the streets.     T / F
  2. The death of a teenager who removed her headscarf started the initial protests.   T / F
  3. Women have been removing headscarves in schools and on buses.     T / F
  4. Many women in Iran are cutting their hair in public.     T / F
  5. The uprisings in Iran are a recent thing.     T / F
  6. It has been law in Iran for over 30 years for women to cover their hair.  T / F
  7. Women in Iran can go to prison for not wearing a headscarf.     T / F
  8. A professor said students are finished with grieving and mourning.     T / F

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

  1. momentum
  2. instant
  3. series
  4. replicated
  5. cry
  6. uprising
  7. obligatory
  8. violating
  9. done
  10. grief
  1. compulsory
  2. copied
  3. finished
  4. immediate
  5. revolt
  6. energy
  7. breaching
  8. sorrow
  9. chain
  10. appeal

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

  1. gaining in
  2. Her death ignited a whole
  3. openly send
  4. burnt their hair coverings
  5. chanting their rallying
  6. the result of decades of
  7. It became obligatory in April 1983
  8. Punishments for violating
  9. the tip
  10. grief and
  1. pent-up fury
  2. mourning
  3. cry
  4. for them to do so
  5. series of demonstrations
  6. of the iceberg
  7. a message
  8. momentum
  9. this law
  10. and cut their hair

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
ignited
instant
cry
replicated
momentum
burnt
morality
openly

Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining in (1) _____________________ in Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the hands of Iran's (2) _____________________ police. She became an (3) _____________________ martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death (4) _____________________ a whole series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have (5) _____________________ Ms Amini's actions to (6) _____________________ send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many (7) _____________________ their hair coverings and cut their hair in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallying (8) _____________________ of "women, life, freedom".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
obligatory
tip
fuelled
done
pent-up
demand
range
hands

The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of (9) _____________________ fury at Iran's regime. Women are tired of being forced to cover their hair. It became (10) _____________________ in April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for violating this law (11) _____________________ from financial penalties to imprisonment. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further (12) _____________________ the intensity of the protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the (13) _____________________ of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the (14) _____________________ of the iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the (15) _____________________ is freedom. The current protests… are engaging students… who are ready to live life freely. They're (16) _____________________ with death and grief and mourning."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Protests by women, school girls and university students are ______
     a.  gaining on momentum
     b.  gaining in momentum
     c.  gaining non-momentum
     d.  gaining an momentum
2)  Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the hands of ______
     a.  Iran's morality police
     b.  Iran's moral light police
     c.  Iran's more rarity police
     d.  Iran's moral at tea police
3)  Her death ignited a whole ______
     a.  series of demonstrations
     b.  series off demonstrations
     c.  serious of demonstrations
     d.  services of demonstrations
4)  Many burnt their hair coverings and cut their ______
     a.  hairy in public
     b.  heir imp public
     c.  hair in public
     d.  hair in publics
5)  They have marched in the streets chanting ______
     a.  their rally in cry
     b.  their rally ink cry
     c.  their rallying cry
     d.  their rally ink rye

6)  The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades ______
     a.  off pent-up furry
     b.  of pent-up fury
     c.  of spent-up fairy
     d.  of pent-up fiery
7)  Punishments for violating this law range from financial ______
     a.  penalty stow imprisonment
     b.  penalties to imprisonment
     c.  penalty stew imprisonment
     d.  penalties to in prison meant
8)  the death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further ______
     a.  field the intensity
     b.  filed the intensity
     c.  felled the intensity
     d.  fuelled the intensity
9)  hair coverings were the tip of the iceberg. She said: "There's a ______
     a.  lot of compulsive
     b.  lot of convulsion
     c.  lot of compulsion
     d.  lot of compression
10)  students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with ______
     a.  death and grief
     b.  death and grave
     c.  death and brief
     d.  death and grieve

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining (1) ____________________ Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September (2) ____________________ of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death (3) ____________________ series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women (4) ____________________ Amini's actions to openly send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many (5) ____________________ coverings and cut their hair in public. They have marched in the streets (6) ____________________ cry of "women, life, freedom".

The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades (7) ____________________ at Iran's regime. Women are tired of being forced to cover their hair. It (8) ____________________ April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for violating this law range from financial (9) ____________________. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled the (10) ____________________ protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the tip (11) ____________________. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are engaging students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and (12) ____________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say protests are growing in?
  2. When did Mahsa Amini die?
  3. What did Mahsa Amini's death ignite throughout Iran?
  4. Who do protestors want to send a message to?
  5. What does the article say the chant "women, life, freedom" is?
  6. For how long have women in Iran felt pent-up anger?
  7. When did it become law for women in Iran to cover their hair?
  8. What can happen to women (besides fines) for not covering their hair?
  9. What did a professor say the hair covering issue was the tip of?
  10. What are students done with, besides death and grief?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What does the article say protests are growing in?
a) size
b) momentum
c) Tehran
d) importance
2)  When did Mahsa Amini die?
a) September the 15th
b) September the 18th
c) September the 14th
d) September the 16th
3) What did Mahsa Amini's death ignite throughout Iran?
a) a whole series of demonstrations
b) passions
c) flames
d) a series of explosions
4) Who do protestors want to send a message to?
a) the UN
b) the world
c) Iran's leaders
d) the USA
5) What does the article say the chant "women, life, freedom" is?
a) a slogan
b) a rallying cry
c) important
d) a request for change

6) For how long have women in Iran felt pent-up anger?
a) decades
b) centuries
c) millennia
d) years
7) When did it become law for women in Iran to cover their hair?
a) April 1988
b) August 1983
c) April 1983
d) August 1988
8) What can happen to women (besides fines) for not covering their hair?
a) imprisonment
b) community service
c) naming and shaming
d) hair cutting
9) What did a professor say the hair covering issue was the tip of?
a) the iceberg
b) the matter
c) someone's tongue
d) a pen
10) What are students done with, besides death and grief?
a) remonstrating
b) marching
c) demonstrating
d) mourning

Role play

Role  A – Freedom
You think freedom is the top thing to demonstrate in the streets for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): human rights, equality or climate change.

Role  B – Human Rights
You think human rights is the top thing to demonstrate in the streets for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): freedom, equality or climate change.

Role  C – Equality
You think equality is the top thing to demonstrate in the streets for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): human rights, freedom or climate change.

Role  D – Climate Change
You think climate change is the top thing to demonstrate in the streets for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): human rights, equality or freedom.

After reading / listening

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

'life'

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

    • and 'freedom'.

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

    • • 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:

    • momentum
    • instant
    • ignited
    • replicated
    • burnt
    • cry
    • latest
    • law
    • intensity
    • tip
    • demand
    • done

    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 - Women, Life, Freedom

    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 'life'?
    3. How important is freedom to you?
    4. What do you know about this story?
    5. What do you think of Mahsa Amini?
    6. What do you think of the thousands of women taking off hair coverings?
    7. Would you join the women and protest?
    8. Should women be forced to not wear hair coverings and veils?
    9. How dangerous is it to take part in these protests?
    10. What advice would you give the women and girls who are protesting?

    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 'freedom'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Are there freedoms that you do not have?
    5. What would make you protest in the streets?
    6. What can you do to help the protestors?
    7. Are we gaining or losing freedoms in our lives?
    8. What do you know about Iran's history?
    9. How will this story develop in the coming months?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Iran's leaders?

    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)

    Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining (1) ____ momentum in Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the (2) ____ of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death (3) ____ a whole series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have replicated Ms Amini's actions to (4) ____ send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many (5) ____ their hair coverings and cut their hair in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallying (6) ____ of "women, life, freedom".

    The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of pent-(7) ____ fury at Iran's regime. Women are tired of being forced to cover their hair. It became obligatory in April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for (8) ____ this law range from financial penalties to imprisonment. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled the (9) ____ of the protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the (10) ____ of the iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are (11) ____ students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and (12) ____ and mourning."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     of     (b)     in     (c)     at     (d)     on    
    2. (a)     knuckles     (b)     hands     (c)     palms     (d)     fingers    
    3. (a)     switched     (b)     jousted     (c)     quashed     (d)     ignited    
    4. (a)     opens     (b)     openly     (c)     opening     (d)     opened    
    5. (a)     singed     (b)     burnt     (c)     torched     (d)     heated    
    6. (a)     whisper     (b)     scream     (c)     cry     (d)     roar    
    7. (a)     down     (b)     in     (c)     up     (d)     out    
    8. (a)     castigating     (b)     doting     (c)     violating     (d)     splurging    
    9. (a)     intends     (b)     intensive     (c)     intense     (d)     intensity    
    10. (a)     tip     (b)     top     (c)     tap     (d)     tape    
    11. (a)     engaging     (b)     singling     (c)     marrying     (d)     divorcing    
    12. (a)     grieve     (b)     grave     (c)     grief     (d)     graft

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. gaining in tunmmemo
    2. Iran's lirotmay police
    3. She became an instant arymtr
    4. a whole series of soiadetnmortsn
    5. women have ectdarleip Ms Amini's actions
    6. chanting their yariglnl cry

    Paragraph 2

    1. It became gylrbitoao in April 1983
    2. Punishments for nvlgtioia this law
    3. the iintensty of the protests
    4. the tip of the ecrbgei
    5. There's a lot of liosoucnmp
    6. They're done with death and grief and onurnmig

    Put the text back together

    (...)  ignited a whole series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have replicated
    (...)  momentum in Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the hands
    (...)  of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death
    (...)  iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are engaging
    (...)  violating this law range from financial penalties to imprisonment. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled
    (...)  in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallying cry of "women, life, freedom".
    (...)  in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many burnt their hair coverings and cut their hair
    (...)  the intensity of the protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands
    (...)  The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of pent-up fury at Iran's regime. Women are tired of being
    (...)  of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the tip of the
    (...)  Ms Amini's actions to openly send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse
    (...)  forced to cover their hair. It became obligatory in April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for
    (  1  ) Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining in
    (...)  students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and grief and mourning."

    Put the words in the right order

    1. momentum   .   Protests   by   girls   school   are   in   gaining
    2. death   ignited   Her   whole   series   of   demonstrations   .   a
    3. women   actions   .   Thousands   of   Amini's   have   Ms   replicated
    4. They   en masse   off   in   headscarves   took   the   streets   .
    5. chanting   .   have   marched   the   They   streets   in
    6. decades   result   of   The   pent-up   of   fury   .
    7. Tired   cover   their   being   of   hair   .   forced   to
    8. obligatory   do   so   .   to   became   for   It   them
    9. the   were   coverings   tip   Hair   of   the   iceberg   .
    10. to   live   are   freely   .   who   Students   life   ready

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Protests by / on women, school girls and university students are gaining on / in momentum in Iran. The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of September at the fingers / hands of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyrdom / martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death ignited / denoted a whole series of demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have stipulated / replicated Ms Amini's actions to closely / openly send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many burnt / brunt their hair coverings and cut their hair / hairs in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallies / rallying cry of "women, life, freedom".

    The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of bent-up / pent-up fury at Iran's regime. Women are tried / tired of being forced to cover their hair. It became obligation / obligatory in April 1983 for them to do so. Punishments for / at violating this law range from financial penalties / fineries to imprisonment. The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled the intensity / capacity of the protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities. An Iranian professor said hair coverings were the top / tip of the iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of compulsion / compulsive in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are engaging / engaged students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and grief and morning / mourning."

    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)

    Pr_t_sts  by  w_m_n,  sch__l  g_rls  _nd  _n_v_rs_ty  st_d_nts  _r_  g__n_ng  _n  m_m_nt_m  _n  _r_n.  Th_  _pr_s_ngs  b_g_n  f_ll_w_ng  th_  d__th  _f  22-y__r-_ld  M_hs_  _m_n_  _n  th_  16th  _f  S_pt_mb_r  _t  th_  h_nds  _f  _r_n's  m_r_l_ty  p_l_c_.  Sh_  b_c_m_  _n  _nst_nt  m_rtyr  _ft_r  sh_  t__k  _ff  h_r  h__dsc_rf  _nd  sh_w_d  h_r  h__r  _n  p_bl_c.  H_r  d__th  _gn_t_d  _  wh_l_  s_r__s  _f  d_m_nstr_t__ns  thr__gh__t  _r_n.  H_ndr_ds  _f  th__s_nds  _f  w_m_n  h_v_  r_pl_c_t_d  Ms  _m_n_'s  _ct__ns  t_  _p_nly  s_nd  _  m_ss_g_  t_  _r_n's  l__d_rs.  Th_y  t__k  _ff  th__r  h__dsc_rv_s  _n  m_ss_  _n  th_  str__ts,  _n  b_s_s  _nd  _n  sch__ls.  M_ny  b_rnt  th__r  h__r  c_v_r_ngs  _nd  c_t  th__r  h__r  _n  p_bl_c.  Th_y  h_v_  m_rch_d  _n  th_  str__ts  ch_nt_ng  th__r  r_lly_ng  cry  _f  "w_m_n,  l_f_,  fr__d_m".

    Th_  l_t_st  _pr_s_ng  _n  _r_n  _s  th_  r_s_lt  _f  d_c_d_s  _f  p_nt-_p  f_ry  _t  _r_n's  r_g_m_.  W_m_n  _r_  t_r_d  _f  b__ng  f_rc_d  t_  c_v_r  th__r  h__r.  _t  b_c_m_  _bl_g_t_ry  _n  _pr_l  1983  f_r  th_m  t_  d_  s_.  P_n_shm_nts  f_r  v__l_t_ng  th_s  l_w  r_ng_  fr_m  f_n_nc__l  p_n_lt__s  t_  _mpr_s_nm_nt.  Th_  d__th  _f  16-y__r-_ld  N_k_  Sh_k_r_m_  l_st  w__k  h_s  f_rth_r  f__ll_d  th_  _nt_ns_ty  _f  th_  pr_t_sts.  H_ndr_ds  m_r_  h_v_  d__d  _n  th_  p_st  m_nth  _t  th_  h_nds  _f  th_  __th_r_t__s.  _n  _r_n__n  pr_f_ss_r  s__d  h__r  c_v_r_ngs  w_r_  th_  t_p  _f  th_  _c_b_rg.  Sh_  s__d:  "Th_r_'s  _  l_t  _f  c_mp_ls__n  _n  _r_n__n  c_lt_r_,  _nd  s_  th_  d_m_nd  _s  fr__d_m.  Th_  c_rr_nt  pr_t_sts…  _r_  _ng_g_ng  st_d_nts…  wh_  _r_  r__dy  t_  l_v_  l_f_  fr__ly.  Th_y'r_  d_n_  w_th  d__th  _nd  gr__f  _nd  m__rn_ng."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    protests by women school girls and university students are gaining in momentum in iran the uprisings began following the death of 22yearold mahsa amini on the 16th of september at the hands of irans morality police she became an instant martyr after she took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public he death ignited a whole series of demonstrations throughout iran hundreds of thousands of women have replicated ms aminis actions to openly send a message to irans leaders they took off their headscarves en masse in the streets on buses and in schools many burnt their hair coverings and cut their hair in public they have marched in the streets chanting their rallying cry of women life freedom

    the latest uprising in iran is the result of decades of pentup fury at irans regime women are tired of being forced to cover their hair it became obligatory in april 1983 for them to do so punishments for violating this law range from financial penalties to imprisonment the death of 16yearold nika shakarami last week has further fuelled the intensity of the protests hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities an iranian professor said hair coverings were the tip of the iceberg she said theres a lot of compulsion in iranian culture and so the demand is freedom the current protests are engaging students who are ready to live life freely Theyre done with death and grief and mourning"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Protestsbywomen,schoolgirlsanduniversitystudentsaregaininginmo
    mentuminIran.Theuprisingsbeganfollowingthedeathof22-year-old
    MahsaAminionthe16thofSeptemberatthehandsofIran'smoralitypoli
    ce.Shebecameaninstantmartyraftershetookoffherheadscarfandsho
    wedherhairinpublic.Herdeathignitedawholeseriesofdemonstrations
    throughoutIran.HundredsofthousandsofwomenhavereplicatedMsA
    mini'sactionstoopenlysendamessagetoIran'sleaders.Theytookoffth
    eirheadscarvesenmasseinthestreets,onbusesandinschools.Manybu
    rnttheirhaircoveringsandcuttheirhairinpublic.Theyhavemarchedint
    hestreetschantingtheirrallyingcryof"women,life,freedom".Thelates
    tuprisinginIranistheresultofdecadesofpent-upfuryatIran'sregime.W
    omenaretiredofbeingforcedtocovertheirhair.ItbecameobligatoryinA
    pril1983forthemtodoso.Punishmentsforviolatingthislawrangefromfi
    nancialpenaltiestoimprisonment.Thedeathof16-year-oldNikaShaka
    ramilastweekhasfurtherfuelledtheintensityoftheprotests.Hundreds
    morehavediedinthepastmonthatthehandsoftheauthorities.AnIrania
    nprofessorsaidhaircoveringswerethetipoftheiceberg.Shesaid:"Ther
    e'salotofcompulsioninIranianculture,andsothedemandisfreedom.T
    hecurrentprotests…areengagingstudents…whoarereadytolivelifefre
    ely.They'redonewithdeathandgriefandmourning."

    Free writing

    Write about women, life, freedom for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    One day, everyone will have freedom. 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. IRAN: Make a poster about Iran. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. FREEDOM: Write a magazine article about ending all contact with any country that limits the freedom if its people. 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 Iran. Ask him/her three questions about the country. Give him/her three of your thoughts on what will happen in the next year. 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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