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: 04 December 2012
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
Prince William And Duchess Kate Are Expecting
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- admitted: accepted for patient service in a hospital or other medical facility
- acute: severe (often short-term)
- the throne: the head role in a monarchy
- succession: the order in which a person receives a title or responsibility
Comprehension Questions
- What does the word “expecting” mean in the headline?
- Why was Duchess Kate admitted to the hospital?
- Why will it be historic if Kate has a baby girl?
Discussion Question: Would you want to be born into a royal family? Why or why not?
show Answershide Answers
Prince William And Duchess Kate Are Expecting
Britain’s favourite royal couple, Prince William and Duchess Kate, are expecting a baby. The palace announcement was released on Monday after the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to a London hospital for acute morning sickness. The Royal Family has not released the official due date, but the pregnancy is believed to be in its early stages. Regardless of the baby’s gender, Kate’s child will be third in line for the throne after Charles and William. This is the result of a Commonwealth rule passed last year that gives royal daughters equal rights of succession.
- The word “expecting” is a short way of saying that the couple is going to have a baby. The woman is pregnant.
- Duchess Kate was admitted to the hospital due to severe morning sickness.
- It will be historic if Kate has a baby girl because there is a new rule in the Commonwealth giving girls equal rights of succession. In other words, if a girl is the oldest child, she will be ahead of a younger male sibling in line for the throne.
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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