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: 23 September 2014
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Scotland Votes Not To Separate
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- referendum: a vote concerning a single political question
- reject: to not accept something
- campaign: a series of events or activities to convince people of something, such as voting a certain way
- affairs: important issues (e.g., financial, health) concerning a certain person or group
- grievance: complaints or concerns often related to fairness
- reconciliation: the restoring of friendship
Comprehension Questions
- What was the referendum about?
- Which camp won, and what did it mean for Scotland?
- Why does the report mention Queen Elizabeth?
Discussion Questions:Â Do you believe that Scotland is better off remaining part of the UK, or do you think the YES camp should continue to seek independence?
show Answershide Answers
Scotland Votes Not To Separate
On Thursday, September 18, in a historic referendum, Scotland voted not to separate from the UK. Independence was rejected by 55% of voters. The NO campaign, also known as the “Better Together” campaign, celebrated that unity was chosen over division. After the results were announced, Prime Minister David Cameron noted that Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland would all receive more powers over their own affairs as promised. Queen Elizabeth and several politicians and community leaders throughout the UK have called on the people of Scotland to put aside their grievances and focus on reconciliation.
- The referendum was about Scotland separating from the UK.
- The NO camp won, meaning Scotland would not seek independence from the UK at this time.
- The report mentions Queen Elizabeth because she was one of the leaders who called for a reconciliation in Scotland following the referendum.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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