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: 19 October 2016
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN 🔈
Thailand Begins Year-Long Mourning for King
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- mourn: to express sadness
- reign: to rule as queen or king
- retailer: a business that sells something
- refrain: to not do something
- sombre: dull in tone or mood
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Thailand Begins Year-Long Mourning for King
Comprehension Questions
- Why is Thailand in a period of mourning?
- How did the Thai people feel towards their king?
- How are TV stations in Thailand affected by the mourning period?
Discussion Questions: Insulting the king is a serious crime in Thailand, and some foreign governments have issued warnings to tourists. Should tourists avoid the country during this mourning period, or is now an ideal time to visit and learn about the culture and country?
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Thailand Begins Year-Long Mourning for King
The people of Thailand began a year-long mourning period following the death of their beloved king last week. King Bhumibol was considered a father figure in Thailand where he reigned for 70 years. Clothing retailers are selling out of black clothing, the official colour of mourning. The government has also asked TV and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting entertainment programming in the first 30 days of the mourning period. Tourists are being asked to respect the Thai people by dressing in sombre clothing.
- Thailand is in a period of mourning because their beloved king died.
- The Thai people feel that the king was their father figure.
- TV stations in Thailand have been asked not to broadcast entertainment programming in the first 30 days of the mourning period.
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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