The Reading / Listening - FBI Boss - Level 4

President Trump has fired the boss of the FBI, James Comey. It is the second time an FBI boss has been fired. At first, Mr Comey thought the news of his firing was a joke. He was talking to FBI agents in Los Angeles when he saw a TV news program reporting on the news. FBI staff confirmed that he had been fired. The White House delivered a letter to Mr Comey about his firing, but Comey was not in his office to receive it.

The sacking is now a big story in the USA. Many newspapers are saying Comey was fired because he was investigating President Trump's links to Russia. They say the White House is covering up a scandal. The White House denied this. It said Comey was sacked because of his inability to investigate Hillary Clinton's e-mails. They said he was unable to lead the FBI. President Trump said it was time for a "new beginning" at the FBI.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    FBI Boss - Level 5 or  FBI Boss - Level 6

Sources
  • http://news.sky.com/story/shocked-fbi-boss-james-comey-thought-his-firing-was-a-prank-10870875
  • http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/332662-comey-learned-he-was-fired-from-tv-reports
  • https://www.vox.com/2017/5/9/15602922/james-comey-fired-prank


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. It is the second
  2. an FBI boss
  3. Comey thought the news of his firing
  4. He was talking to FBI
  5. reporting
  6. FBI staff confirmed that he had
  7. The White House delivered a
  8. Comey was not in
  1. on the news
  2. time
  3. his office
  4. has been fired
  5. letter to Mr Comey
  6. agents
  7. firing was a joke
  8. been fired

Paragraph 2

  1. The sacking is now
  2. Many newspapers are saying Comey
  3. investigating President Trump's
  4. the White House is covering
  5. The White House denied
  6. Comey was sacked because
  7. They said he was unable to
  8. time for a new
  1. of his inability
  2. lead the FBI
  3. was fired
  4. beginning
  5. links to Russia
  6. a big story
  7. this
  8. up a scandal

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

President Trump has (1) ___________________ the FBI, James Comey. It is the (2) ___________________ FBI boss has been fired. At first, Mr Comey thought the (3) ___________________ firing was a joke. He was talking to FBI agents in Los Angeles when he saw a TV news program (4) ___________________ news. FBI staff confirmed that he had been fired. The White House (5) ___________________ to Mr Comey about his firing, but Comey was (6) ___________________ to receive it.

The (7) ___________________ big story in the USA. Many newspapers are saying Comey was fired (8) ___________________ investigating President Trump's links to Russia. They say the White House (9) ___________________ scandal. The White House denied this. It said Comey was sacked because of (10) ___________________ investigate Hillary Clinton's e-mails. They said he (11) ___________________ lead the FBI. President Trump said it was (12) ___________________ beginning" at the FBI.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

PresidentTrumphasfiredthebossoftheFBI,JamesComey.Itistheseco
ndtimeanFBIbosshasbeenfired.Atfirst,MrComeythoughtthenewsofh
isfiringwasajoke.HewastalkingtoFBIagentsinLosAngeleswhenhesa
waTVnewsprogramreportingonthenews.FBIstaffconfirmedthatheha
dbeenfired.TheWhiteHousedeliveredalettertoMrComeyabouthisfirin
g,butComeywasnotinhisofficetoreceiveit.Thesackingisnowabigstor
yintheUSA.ManynewspapersaresayingComeywasfiredbecausehew
asinvestigatingPresidentTrump'slinkstoRussia.TheysaytheWhiteHo
useiscoveringupascandal.TheWhiteHousedeniedthis.ItsaidComeyw
assackedbecauseofhisinabilitytoinvestigateHillaryClinton'se-mails
.TheysaidhewasunabletoleadtheFBI.PresidentTrumpsaiditwastimef
ora"newbeginning"attheFBI.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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