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: 29 November 2011
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
US Pakistan Relations Worsen
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- allegedly: believed by many to be true, but not yet proven
- checkpoint: a place where security checks people going in or out
- troops: groups of soldiers
- tense: full of stress; not relaxed
- CIA agent: a person who works for America’s Central Intelligence Agency
Comprehension Questions
- Where did the airstrike take place?
- How did Pakistan react?
- What happened at the borders following Pakistan’s decision?
Discussion Question: Pakistan became a US ally following the September 11 attacks. Do you think the US and Pakistan need each other as allies, or do you think this incident will be the breaking point to end their current relations?
show Answershide Answers
US Pakistan Relations Worsen
At least 24 Pakistani soldiers were allegedly killed in a NATO airstrike this past Saturday. The airstrikes took place at a checkpoint that had been set up to prevent Taliban in Afghanistan from crossing the poorly marked border. Pakistan quickly closed both border crossings into Afghanistan and ordered a review of all military, political, and intelligence relations with the US. Troops in Afghanistan receive at least half of their supplies via these land routes. Supply trucks piled up at the blocked borders immediately following the closure. US-Pakistan relations were already tense following a double murder involving a CIA agent, and the raid to kill Osama bin Laden.
- The airstrike took place at a checkpoint near the Afghanistan border.
- Pakistan’s government shut down the border crossings into Afghanistan.
- Trucks with supplies for troops in Afghanistan began piling up at the blocked borders following Pakistan’s decision.
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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