photo Tara Benwell 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 April 2014

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Love Lock Ritual May End in Paris

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

  • petition: a form people sign to show their support or disapproval of something
  • honeymoon: a vacation newlyweds take after their wedding
  • weigh down: to make something too heavy
  • padlock: a metal, U-shaped detachable lock
  • eyesore: something that doesn’t look nice
  • take part: to participate

Love Lock Ritual May End in Paris

Over people have signed a petition to put an end to a custom that began in Paris in 2008. Many couples visit the city of love on their honeymoon or wedding anniversary. Lovers in Paris express their undying love for each other by attaching a padlock to the Ponts des Arts bridge and throwing the key into the River Seine below. Placing a “love lock” on the bridge is not currently in Paris, but City Hall is now asking tourists to refrain from taking part. The locks are beginning to weigh down the bridge, and many locals the bridge an eyesore. The love lock custom to other bridges around the world, including the Brooklyn Bridge in .

  1. What is Paris known as?
  2. What do lovers do on the Ponts de Arts bridge to symbolize their undying love for each other?
  3. Why does the report mention New York City?

Discussion Question: Do you think this ritual should be illegal? Why or why not? What rituals do you know of that are similar in your own city or country?

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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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