Welcome to the CBC Newscast Lesson!

Transcription

1 Welcome to the CBC Newscast Lesson! The CBC EAL Newscast is a listening lesson for students who are learning English. The lessons are for students who are at Canadian Language Benchmarks 3 and 4 (high beginner / low intermediate). Each newscast has a lesson file and an audio file. The Lesson File You will need to print the lesson file first. Here s what you will find in each lesson. 1. A vocabulary match exercise for each story Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it easier for you to understand the story. 2. Questions on the main ideas or details of each story Can you listen to a news story and understand the main ideas? Are you hearing the most important details? Answer the questions and find out! 3. A transcript for the newscast If you are having difficulty understanding the story when you listen, you can use the transcript to help you. 4. Answers to the questions in the lesson The answers are at end of the lesson on page An internet link or other resource suggestion Some stories will have an internet link or suggest another resource you can use to find more information. (Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites) The Audio File Click on this file to hear three real world news stories read by a CBC news reader. The first is a Manitoba story. The second is a Canadian story. The third is an international story. All of the stories are in the same audio file There are new stories and lessons every Thursday. Now you are ready to begin. Read on!

2 Story 1: Province will help fund bedbug fight easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. d a program a) small insects that suck blood and are known for getting into mattresses and beds 2. to fund something b) an organization that puts any profit it makes back into its ongoing activities 3. bedbugs c) something used for carrying dirty or clean clothes/sheets 4. to exterminate d) a plan of action; a plan designed to achieve a specific objective 5. a non-profit organization e) something that goes around the outside of a mattress to protect it 6. to apply for f) to kill insects, bugs, rodents etc. in an effort to get rid of them 7. a rebate g) to provide money for something 8. traps h) part of an original payment for a service or product that is returned to you 9. a mattress cover i) pieces of equipment used to catch animals, insects or other things 10. a laundry bag j) to make a formal request for Step 2: Listen to the first story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas and key information. Listen as many times as you need to. Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Fill in the blank with the correct word from the box below. The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. A new program will help fund extermination in homes and other buildings. 2. People who pay to bedbugs will be able to for a. 3. Another program will help pay for, mattress covers and bags. 4. A with information on bedbugs has been set up. It will help Manitobans about bedbugs. website laundry program traps exterminate bedbug educate rebate apply 2

3 Story 2: Report says kids need to play outside more easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. h to focus on something a) a failing grade on a report card; a mark that indicates failure to achieve something 2. a time period b) exercise 3. during c) a specific length of time 4. an average d) to inspire someone to do something 5. physical activity e) while 6. an F f) a calculation of how many times something usually happens 7. to encourage someone g) leisure activities, for example, playing sports, walking, biking 8. recreational activities h) to pay special attention to something Step 2: Listen to the second story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas and key information. Listen as many times as you need to. Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Does option a) or option b) make the sentence correct? Underline or circle your answer. The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. A new report says Canadian children need to. 2. The report says children are not getting enough exercise. 3. On average, the report says students are getting. 4. The report gives children s after school activity levels. 5. Parents are being encouraged to. a) play outside more at school b) play outside more after school a) after 6 p.m. b) between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. a) forty minutes of physical activity during this time period b) fourteen minutes of physical activity during this time period a) a failing grade b) a passing grade a) get rid of their computers and TV s b) get their children outside and involved in recreational activities 3

4 Story 3: Royal wedding takes place in London easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. _c a Royal wedding a) someone you have known for many years 2. a long-time friend b) the official home of the Queen/King of England 3. a ceremony c) a wedding of a family member of the King or Queen 4. Westminster Abbey d) a formal activity or event like a wedding or an awards presentation 5. a live broadcast e) to gather along the side of the street to watch an event 6. to line the streets f) a social event for invited guests which takes place after a wedding 7. Buckingham Palace 8. a wedding reception g) a historic church in London, England h) to take part in an event or festivity; to attend a party in honour of a person or event 9. to celebrate i) a TV, radio or internet report about an event at the time it is happening Step 2: Listen to the third story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas and key information. Listen as many times as you need to. Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Which of the following statements about the story are true? Which are false? Underline or circle the correct answer. The first one is completed for you as an example. 1. The Royal Wedding took place in London, England. True False 2. Prince William and Kate Middleton met quite recently. True False 3. The ceremony was at Buckingham Palace. True False 4. Two billion people around the world watched the ceremony on TV. True False 5. A million people lined the streets of London to try to see the Prince and his new wife. True False 6. There were street parties throughout England. True False 4

5 Hi, this is Heather Wells. You re listening to Learning English with CBC newscast for the week of April 25 th. Here is our first news story. Province will help fund bedbug fight The Manitoba government is setting up a program to help fund bedbug extermination. Homeowners, apartment residents, landlords and non-profit groups will be able to apply for a rebate. The rebate will pay for part of the cost of exterminating bedbugs in homes and buildings. Another program will help prevent bedbugs from getting into people s homes. That program will help pay for traps, mattress covers, and special laundry bags. The provincial government has also set up a website with information on bedbugs. The government hopes to educate Manitobans so that people know how to prevent bedbugs and what to do if they see one. Moving on to Canadian news, Report says kids need to play outside more A new report says that Canadian children need to play outside more. The report focuses on the hours after school, from three p.m. to six p.m. Kids are more likely to sit in front of a TV or a computer than they are to play outside during that time period. During those hours, the average Canadian child only gets fourteen minutes of exercise. The report gives Canadian children s physical activity levels an F. The report says that parents should encourage their children to be more active in recreational activities and to play outside more often. And in international news, Royal wedding takes place in London Prince William has married his long-time girlfriend, Kate Middleton. The ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey in London, England. About two billion people around the world watched the live broadcast of the wedding. Almost two thousand people attended the actual wedding. A million people lined the streets to watch the Prince and his new wife on their way to Buckingham Palace for the wedding reception. Hundreds of street parties were held in England to celebrate the wedding. Answers for Story 1 Vocabulary: 1) d; 2) g; 3) a; 4) f; 5) b; 6) j; 7) h; 8) i; 9) e; 10) c Questions: 1) program, bedbug 2) exterminate, apply, rebate 3) traps, laundry 4) website, educate Answers for Story 2 Vocabulary: 1) h; 2) c; 3) e; 4) f; 5) b; 6) a 7) d; 8) g Questions: 1) b; 2) b; 3) b; 4) a; 5) b Answers for Story 3 Vocabulary: 1) c; 2) a: 3) d; 4) g; 5) i; 6) e; 7) b; 8) f; 9) h Questions: 1) T; 2) F; 3) F; 4) T; 5) T; 6) T 5