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: 24 March 2015
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN 🔈
Singapore Says Goodbye to Founding Father
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- founding father: the man who started something
- credit: to name a person as the maker or creator of something
- hub: a centre of action
- developed world: an area that is economically and technologically advanced
- pay respects: to show one’s appreciation and love for a deceased person
Comprehension Questions
- Who died this week?
- What major changed happened in Singapore during Mr Lee’s time in office?
- Why does the report mention English?
Discussion Questions: Do you think Mr Lee made the right decision by making English the first language for business operations in Singapore? Why, or why not?
show Answershide Answers
Singapore Says Goodbye to Founding Father
Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to as the founding father of modern Singapore, died on March 23 at the age of 91. Singapore’s first prime minister remained in office from 1959 until 1990. He is credited with revolutionizing Singapore and transforming the third world country into a financial hub. During his time in office, Mr Lee made English the working language and promoted multiculturalism. Despite Singapore’s economic success, Mr Lee was often criticized for his tough laws and unfair punishments. He restricted the press and allowed the gap between the rich and the poor to become one of the widest in the developed world. Mourners of all ages gathered around the hospital and presidential palace to pay respects. A state funeral will be held on March 29.
- Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, died this week.
- Singapore transformed from a third-world country into a financial hub.
- Mr Lee made English the working language in Singapore.
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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