The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Kenya will soon have a new marriage law. Female politicians hate it because men can have as many wives as they want. They can marry other women without telling their wife. There was an argument between male and female politicians. Female lawmakers walked out. The law was going to make it illegal to have more than one wife. One male politician said the law was fair because divorced women now get 30 per cent of the house and money.

A lawmaker said the law follows Kenya's traditions. He said women who get married should know there will be other wives. A newspaper said this showed Kenya wasn't modern. It wrote: "This is a [backwards] move that is simply taking us back into the Dark Ages…We should be strengthening family." A female politician said the law was unfair because the second wife would take all the money. She said men were "afraid of women's tongues".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26681580
  • http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/Reject-law-that-will--discriminate-against-women-/-/440804/2253228/-/11p2k62z/-/index.html
  • http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/03/uproar-as-mps-pass-bill-promoting-polygamy/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Kenya will soon have a new

a.

out

2.

Female politicians

b.

many wives as they want

3.

men can have as

c.

argument

4.

without telling

d.

30 per cent of the house

5.

There was an

e.

marriage law

6.

Female lawmakers walked

f.

than one wife

7.

illegal to have more

g.

hate it

8.

divorced women now get

h.

their wife



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

A lawmaker said the law

a.

Kenya wasn't modern

2.

women who get

b.

was unfair

3.

A newspaper said this showed

c.

of women's tongues

4.

This is a

d.

the Dark Ages

5.

taking us back into

e.

follows Kenya's traditions

6.

A female politician said the law

f.

the money

7.

take all

g.

married should know

8.

men were afraid

h.

backwards move

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Kenya (1) ___________________ new marriage law. Female politicians hate it because men can (2) ___________________ as they want. They (3) ___________________ women without telling their wife. There (4) ___________________ between male and female politicians. Female lawmakers walked out. The law was going to make it illegal to have (5) ___________________. One male politician said the law was fair because divorced women now get 30 per cent (6) ___________________ money.

A lawmaker (7) ___________________ Kenya's traditions. He said women who get (8) ___________________ there will be other wives. A newspaper said this showed Kenya wasn't modern. It wrote: "This is a [backwards] (9) ___________________ taking us back into the Dark Ages…We (10) ___________________ family." A female politician said (11) ___________________ because the second wife would take all the money. She said men were "afraid (12) ___________________ ".

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Kenyawillsoonhaveanewmarriagelaw.Femalepoliticianshateitbe
causemencanhaveasmanywivesastheywant.Theycanmarryothe
rwomenwithouttellingtheirwife.Therewasanargumentbetweenm
aleandfemalepoliticians.Femalelawmakerswalkedout.Thelawwa
sgoingtomakeitillegaltohavemorethanonewife.Onemalepoliticia
nsaidthelawwasfairbecausedivorcedwomennowget30percentoft
hehouseandmoney.AlawmakersaidthelawfollowsKenya'straditio
ns.Hesaidwomenwhogetmarriedshouldknowtherewillbeotherwiv
es.AnewspapersaidthisshowedKenyawasn'tmodern.Itwrote:"Th
isisa[backwards]movethatissimplytakingusbackintotheDarkAge
s…Weshouldbestrengtheningfamily."Afemalepoliticiansaidthela
wwasunfairbecausethesecondwifewouldtakeallthemoney.Shesa
idmenwere"afraidofwomen'stongues".

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about marriage for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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