The Reading / Listening - Hypersonic Missiles - Level 0

The USA is worried about hypersonic missiles. These can travel 20 times the speed of sound. They are a security problem for the USA. It could not stop Russia or China using these missiles, so it needs its nuclear weapons. U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to talk about the arms race.

Russia tested a hypersonic missile this month. President Putin said Russia needs the weapons because "unlawful sanctions" hurt Russia's development. He said: "You have failed to contain Russia." Mr Putin says the missiles can "strike like a fireball". The poisoning of a Russian spy in England this month has made relations worse.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Hypersonic Missiles - Level 1,  Hypersonic Missiles - Level 2   or  Hypersonic Missiles - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/20/china-and-russia-aggressively-are-pursuing-hypersonic-weapons-general.html
  • https://www.livescience.com/62082-hypersonic-weapons-defense.html
  • http://thehill.com/policy/defense/380364-china-russia-eclipse-us-in-hypersonic-missiles-prompting-fears


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. The USA is
  2. 20 times the speed
  3. They are a security problem
  4. It could not
  5. Russia or China
  6. nuclear
  7. meet Russian President Vladimir Putin
  8. talk about the arms
  1. soon
  2. using these missiles
  3. of sound
  4. race
  5. weapons
  6. stop
  7. worried
  8. for the USA

Paragraph 2

  1. Russia tested a hypersonic missile
  2. Russia needs
  3. unlawful
  4. hurt Russia's
  5. You have failed to
  6. strike like a
  7. The poisoning of a
  8. made relations
  1. contain Russia
  2. sanctions
  3. worse
  4. the weapons
  5. Russian spy
  6. development
  7. this month
  8. fireball

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The USA (1) ___________________ hypersonic missiles. These can travel 20 times the (2) ___________________. They are a security problem for the USA. It (3) ___________________ Russia or China using these missiles, (4) ___________________ its nuclear weapons. U.S. President Donald Trump (5) ___________________ President Vladimir Putin soon to talk about (6) ___________________.

Russia tested a hypersonic (7) ___________________. President Putin said Russia (8) ___________________ because "unlawful sanctions" hurt Russia's development. He said: "(9) ___________________ to contain Russia." Mr Putin says the missiles can "strike (10) ___________________". The poisoning of (11) ___________________ in England this month has (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUSAisworriedabouthypersonicmissiles.Thesecantravel20timest
hespeedofsound.TheyareasecurityproblemfortheUSA.Itcouldnotsto
pRussiaorChinausingthesemissiles,soitneedsitsnuclearweapons.U.
S.PresidentDonaldTrumpwillmeetRussianPresidentVladimirPutinso
ontotalkaboutthearmsrace.Russiatestedahypersonicmissilethismo
nth.PresidentPutinsaidRussianeedstheweaponsbecause"unlawfulsa
nctions"hurtRussia'sdevelopment.Hesaid:"Youhavefailedtocontain
Russia."MrPutinsaysthemissilescan"strikelikeafireball".Thepoisonin
gofaRussianspyinEnglandthismonthhasmaderelationsworse.

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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