The Reading / Listening - the Burka - Level 0

The UK's ex-Foreign Minister made comments about women wearing the burka. He said women in burkas "look like letter boxes" and "look like a bank robber". He also said women who wore burkas "look absolutely ridiculous". Johnson said full-face veils should not be banned in the UK.



The UK's prime minister asked Johnson to apologize. She said some of the language Boris used offended people. A senior British politician asked Mr Johnson to resign. Other politicians said Johnson's comments were Islamophobic, racist and a hate crime. They say he knew his comments would offend Muslims.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    the Burka - Level 1,  the Burka - Level 2   or  the Burka - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45096519
  • https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/boris-johnson-burqa-wearers-look-like-bank-robbers-letter-boxes/news-story/
  • https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/boris-johnson-allies-say-he-won-t-apologise-for-islamophobic-burqa-comments-1.757866


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 UK's ex-
  2. comments about women
  3. women in
  4. look like letter
  5. look like a bank
  6. women who
  7. look absolutely
  8. full-face veils should
  1. not be banned
  2. boxes
  3. wore burkas
  4. wearing the burka
  5. ridiculous
  6. Foreign Minister
  7. robber
  8. burkas

Paragraph 2

  1. The UK's prime
  2. asked Johnson to
  3. the language
  4. offended
  5. A senior British
  6. a hate
  7. They say he
  8. his comments would
  1. Boris used
  2. knew
  3. politician
  4. offend Muslims
  5. minister
  6. people
  7. crime
  8. apologize

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) ___________________ Minister made comments about (2) ___________________ burka. He said women in burkas "look (3) ___________________ " and "look like a bank robber". (4) ___________________ women who wore burkas "look absolutely ridiculous". Johnson (5) ___________________ veils should not be (6) ___________________ UK.

The (7) ___________________ asked Johnson to apologize. She said (8) ___________________ language Boris used offended people. (9) ___________________ politician asked Mr Johnson to resign. (10) ___________________ Johnson's comments were Islamophobic, racist and (11) ___________________. They say he knew his comments (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUK'sex-ForeignMinistermadecommentsaboutwomenwearingt
heburka.Hesaidwomeninburkas"looklikeletterboxes"and"looklikea
bankrobber".Healsosaidwomenwhoworeburkas"lookabsolutelyridic
ulous".Johnsonsaidfull-faceveilsshouldnotbebannedintheUK.TheU
K'sprimeministeraskedJohnsontoapologize.Shesaidsomeofthelang
uageBorisusedoffendedpeople.AseniorBritishpoliticianaskedMrJohn
sontoresign.OtherpoliticianssaidJohnson'scommentswereIslamoph
obic,racistandahatecrime.Theysayheknewhiscommentswouldoffen
dMuslims.

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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