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: 06 September 2011
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
Bolivia Holds ‘Day Of The Pedestrian’
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- ban: to not allow
- pedestrian: a person who walks instead of taking a vehicle
- annually: once a year
- criticize: to express one’s disapproval of another person or thing
- environmentalist: a person who cares deeply about the protection of earth
Comprehension Questions
- What happened in Bolivia on September 4th?
- How many vehicles typically fill Bolivia’s city streets on Sundays?
- Why is Bolivia’s President facing criticism?
Discussion Question: One parent told reporters that Bolivia should hold a “vehicle-free” Sunday once a month in order for kids to have more room to play. Do you think that this would be a good idea? Why or why not? What about in your own town or city?
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Bolivia Holds ‘Day of the Pedestrian’
Cars and buses were banned from the streets of Bolivia on September 4th for the country’s first national “Day of the Pedestrian”. Street performers, artists, and pedestrians of all ages took the place of the 2 million vehicles that normally fill the city streets. The official name for the holiday is “The National Day of the Pedestrian in Protection of Mother Earth”. It will be held annually in Bolivia on the first Sunday of September to demonstrate Bolivia’s concern for the environment. Bolivia’s President, Evo Morales, is currently being criticized by environmentalists for plans to build a large highway through the Amazon rainforest.
- Cars and buses were banned from the city streets on September 4th in Bolivia.
- About 2 million vehicles typically fill the city streets in Bolivia on Sundays.
- Bolivia’s President is facing criticism because there are plans to build a large highway through the Amazon rainforest.
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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