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.

13 comments

• English Club Indonesia says:
  

  Trump canceled the trip after the Danish PM told him Greenland was not for sale. The Danish PM thinks that idea is absurd. The same idea was actually brought up by former US President Truman. Greenland is a strategic area for the USA to have, so then the USA can build their military station there. It might happen one day, or it might not.

• Editor says:
  

  @Prak
  Apart from “absurd: crazy; not realistic” shown in the Pre-Listening Vocabulary, other words could be farcical, ridiculous. The general idea with absurd is that it is so illogical that it makes you laugh 😀

• Editor says:
  

  @Jonathan Nieves
  Many thanks for your kind comments. Glad you find the stories useful for your students 🙂

• Jonathan Nieves says:
  

  I use these for my ninth grade ELLs, and they are fantastic. The upper level vocabulary is used in accessible manners that allow them to feel successful throughout each activity.

  On a side note, I also appreciate how the information is presented. These are truly just the stories and the facts, and no unnecessary political opinion or agenda is being pushed. Keep it up and many thanks!

• Prak says:
  

  Hi Tara

  Thanks for new . I do not understand word “absurd” . cloud you please suggest an alternative word for same meaning.

  Thanks
  Pra

• leann says:
  

  no

• Bijan says:
  

  Oh!
  Tara!

  First, I could understand the subject of the lesson without seeing the text very well.
  The lesson is very easy for me and you have spoken the words so clearly and so slowly.
  In addition, I could fill in the blanks all words except the word “real estate”.

  Second, I wish all leaders of countries were like the president that only tries doing the best for his people and his country.
  I think because of this subject that president Trump has been a businessman before, so he acts like the businessman for gaining the best profit for his country.
  When he became the president of the USA, some people said that he is a crazy, but now we see he is wiser than many leaders.

  I have heard that the Economic Growth of the USA has been increased in the years of that Donald Trump has become the president of the USA.

  I hope he tries for the peace in the world and will end the wars in the Middle East.

  Thank you so much and best wishes Teacher Tara,
  Bijan from the Persian Gulf

• Alberto says:
  

  Carlos, you can find all the podcastas here: https://www.englishclub.com/efl/category/listening-news/

• Gerardo Torres says:
  

  Well, I think Trump has a big problem, he doesn´t know how to be a politician, every time he goes to another country he did a lots of awkwards moments.

• Ana says:
  

  This practice help to improve my confidence and knowledge to me. Thank you !🙏🏻 Very helpful!

• David Martín says:
  

  Why did the US president cancel an upcoming trip to Denmark?
  Trump cancelled his upcoming trip to Denmark because Denmark doesn’t want to sell Greenland to the USA.

  How does Denmark’s prime minister feel about Trump’s interest in Greenland?
  Denmark’s prime minister feels the idea is absurd.

  Why does the report mention a former US president?
  Because in 1946 the US president Harry Truman already tried to buy Greenland.

  Why would Greenland be a strategic island for the US to own?
  Because it has a strategic military location and as melting ice opens up the resources become more accessible.

  Do you think it’s absurd, or do you think this deal might happen one day?
  In my view, the idea it’s not absurd because Alaska was sold to the US by Rusia, so it could happen one day, nonetheless as melting ice opens up and the resources become more accessible, Greenland is raising is value.

• ELDA ESTAÑOL SALINAS says:
  

  Thank you very much for the mails. They are very useful to me.
  Elda.

• Carlos Riveira C says:
  

  I have big problem with the listening, could you send me more example of this kind, or could you tell me where I can find it?
  Thanks.