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.

3 comments

• Michael Sullivan says:
  

  I’d like to try and help Bijan with his question. The right to bear arms, is a deeply held US right; however its beginnings go back to the Colonial era and I think it is a right that some people may be willing to give up, in order that we may have a safer place to live today. In recent history there was a study group, to examine the right to bear arms and its meaning for today. In the summer of 2015, there was violence in Ferguson, MO. Some of it was white policemen and young black men. Since then, it seems the country has been struggling with the issue. With opposing interest groups involved, this issue has proven to be a great challenge for the country.

• Bijan says:
  

  Hi Tara,

  First, thank you so much for this audio news report because it’s so easy for me and could understand it without seeing the text in the best way.

  But I’m surprised why could not I fill in the blanks the words “issued”, “threat”, “effect”!!!?

  In my opinion, they are easy words, then why don’t I hear them correctly?

  Second,

  WOW!
  “The NRA’s criticism received over 22,000 responses on Twitter”.

  It’s wonderful.

  Third, as I know and in accordance with the constitution of the United States, everybody has a right for carrying the weapon.

  I’m so sorry to hear the bad news about many innocent people who are killed by the law of the freedom to carry weapon.

  Fourth, I’m surprised too, why doesn’t the USA change its constitution?

  We all know that the US is an advanced country, but why are many innocent people killed by this bad law?

  I myself hear about these bad news on the Internet every day.

  I hope a lawyer from the US to answer my question:

  Why cannot the US change the constitution?
  What is the problem or challenge?

  Teacher Tara,

  Thank you so much for choosing different subjects because it helps the learners to learn many words in different subjects.

  Best wishes and have an excellent week in Nice Canada,
  Bijan from the Persian Gulf

• GLON says:
  

  American you have a foolish president vho is under the pressure of the NRA
  How many persons are killed each year not by mistakes but voluntary it’s awwful
  After these crimes you can’t ban the rifles on your country?
  You wear rifles to be in security?
  And it’s the oposite is happening
  Americans you must throw away all your guns for ever