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: 18 December 2012
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
26 Killed In Connecticut School Shooting
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- break into: to enter an area with force
- lockdown: confinement for the safety of people in a building
- vigil: a peaceful gathering of people during difficult times
- motive: a reason for committing a crime
Comprehension Questions
- Where did the shooting take place?
- What did teachers do to try to protect students?
- What did the American president promise to do?
Discussion Question: Rampages such as this often reignite the gun-law debate in the US. Could the horrific massacre of kindergarten children be the tipping point to stricter gun control?
show Answershide Answers
26 Killed In Connecticut School Shooting
A heavily armed man broke into an elementary school in Connecticut on Friday, killing 20 children and 6 adults, including the school principal. Sandy Hook school went into emergency lockdown as teachers hid their students in closets and bathrooms. The gunman, who had already killed his mother in their home, took his own life as law enforcement arrived on the scene. President Obama attended a vigil on Sunday and spent time with the victims’ families. He said he would use “whatever power” his office holds to prevent something like this from happening again. Investigators have not uncovered a motive.
- The shooting took place at an elementary school in Connecticut.
- Teachers locked their classrooms and hid students in closets and bathrooms.
- The American president promised to do whatever is in his power to prevent this type of crime from happening again.
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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