Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 22 February 2011
Libyans Next to Seek Freedom
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- regime: a government, especially an authoritarian one
- ripple effect: the spreading and continuing results of some action
- optimism: a sense of hope; a positive outlook
- virus: an illness that gets passed easily from one person to the next
- opposition: the main political group that is on the opposite side of the political group in power
- stop at nothing: do anything to reach one’s goals
Comprehension Questions
- Which two countries recently had a successful political uprising?
- Why does the report mention Yemen’s president?
- Why is it so difficult to know how many people have been killed during the Libyan protests?
Discussion Question: Some sources suggest that pro-Gaddafi agencies have been bribing citizens by offering them free meat, fish, nuts, and other luxuries to join Gaddafi’s side. If this is true, do you think these tactics will be successful? Would they work in your country?
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Libyans Next to Seek Freedom
Weeks after Tunisians brought down their government, and days after Egypt’s government was overthrown, Libyans began organizing their own political protests in hopes of bringing down Colonel Gaddafi’s regime. This ripple effect, which has spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, has been empowered by the youth. Young people have a renewed sense of optimism that change is possible in countries like Libya where Gaddafi has been in power for 42 years. Yemen’s president, who is also facing anti-government protests, called the movement a “virus”. Due to media bans it has been difficult for journalists to report the extent of the violence in Libya, though some reports suggest hundreds of protesters have been killed by pro-Gaddafi forces. In parts of eastern Libya, where the opposition has largely taken control, citizens fear that Gaddafi’s forces will stop at nothing, including parachuting into the area to regain control.
- Tunisians and Egyptians recently brought down their governments.
- The report mentions Yemen’s president because he believes the movement is spreading to his country due to its close proximity to Tunisia and Egypt.
- It is difficult to know how many people have been killed during the Libyan protests because of the media ban.
Written by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
