Russia says NATO is its biggest threat

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Russia's Vladimir Putin has said NATO is one of Russia's biggest dangers. NATO is a North American and European defence treaty that started in 1949. It created tensions between Russia and the West that started the Cold War. The rival Warsaw Pact began in 1955 and the Cold War got worse. Relations worsened last week when former Russian ally Ukraine tried to join NATO. Russia said NATO was using Ukraine as a "frontline of confrontation".

NATO said it was following international law over Ukraine and was not threatening Russia. It said it would look at how ready Ukraine is to join the alliance. It would do this in the same way as with any other country. A spokeswoman said: "This is an issue between NATO and the individual countries aspiring to membership." She added that Russia's actions in Ukraine broke international law and threatened European security.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-signs-new-military-doctrine-as-ukraine-moves-toward-nato/513917.html
http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/120496-russia-nato-biggest-threat-
http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-identifies-nato-us-as-major-threats/2574605.html

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.	NATO is one of Russia's	a.	worsened last week
2.	defence	b.	join NATO
3.	It created	c.	Warsaw Pact
4.	The rival	d.	of confrontation
5.	Relations	e.	treaty
6.	former Russian	f.	biggest dangers
7.	Ukraine tried to	g.	tensions
8.	a frontline	h.	ally Ukraine

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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	NATO said it was following	a.	to membership
2.	it would look at how	b.	the same way
3.	join the	c.	security
4.	It would do this in	d.	other country
5.	as with any	e.	international law
6.	individual countries aspiring	f.	ready Ukraine is
7.	Russia's actions	g.	alliance
8.	threatened European	h.	in Ukraine

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Russia's Vladimir Putin (1) ___________________ one of Russia's biggest dangers. NATO is a North American and European defence treaty that started in 1949. It (2) ___________________ Russia and the West that started the Cold War. The (3) ___________________ began in 1955 and the Cold War got worse. Relations (4) ___________________ when former Russian ally Ukraine (5) ___________________. Russia said NATO was using Ukraine as a "(6) ___________________".

NATO (7) ___________________ international law over Ukraine and was not threatening Russia. It said it would (8) ___________________ Ukraine is to join the alliance. It would (9) ___________________ way as with any other country. A spokeswoman said: "This (10) ___________________ NATO and the individual countries (11) ___________________." She added that Russia's actions in Ukraine broke international (12) ___________________ European security.

NATO SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about NATO in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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