The Reading / Listening - Asylum Seeker - Level 4

The Saudi teenager who fled Saudi Arabia has been given asylum by Canada. Rahaf Mohammed, 18, arrived in Toronto on Saturday. She was greeted by Canada's Foreign Minister, who told reporters: "This is a very brave new Canadian. Rahaf wanted Canadians to see that she has arrived at her new home. She has had a very long and tiring journey. She is now going to her new home." Rahaf was all smiles and wearing a hoodie decorated with the word "Canada".

Rahaf said her family want to kill her. She was detained in Bangkok while trying to board a flight to Australia. She asked for help on Twitter and her story got worldwide attention. The United Nations gave her refugee status. Canada granting asylum to Rahaf could worsen relations between the two countries. Relations are already strained after Canada called for the release of a jailed human rights activist. Saudi stopped new trade with Canada.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Asylum Seeker - Level 5 or  Asylum Seeker - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-12/urgent-the-latest-saudi-woman-fleeing-family-arrives-in-canada
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-saudi/saudi-teen-who-fled-family-welcomed-as-brave-new-canadian-in-toronto-idUSKCN1P60IE
  • https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/freeland-welcomes-brave-new-canadian-as-saudi-teen-lands-in-toronto-1.4250934


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 Saudi teenager who
  2. given
  3. She was greeted by Canada's
  4. This is a very brave
  5. a very long and
  6. She is now going
  7. Rahaf was all
  8. wearing a
  1. smiles
  2. Foreign Minister
  3. hoodie
  4. tiring journey
  5. asylum
  6. new Canadian
  7. fled Saudi Arabia
  8. to her new home

Paragraph 2

  1. She was detained
  2. while trying to board
  3. her story got worldwide
  4. The United Nations gave her
  5. worsen relations
  6. Relations are already
  7. the release of a jailed human
  8. Saudi stopped new trade
  1. strained
  2. attention
  3. with Canada
  4. a flight
  5. rights activist
  6. in Bangkok
  7. between the two
  8. refugee status

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Saudi (1) ___________________ Saudi Arabia has been given asylum by Canada. Rahaf Mohammed, 18, (2) ___________________ on Saturday. She was greeted by Canada's Foreign Minister, (3) ___________________: "This is a very brave new Canadian. Rahaf wanted Canadians (4) ___________________ she has arrived at her new home. She has had a very long (5) ___________________. She is now going to her new home." Rahaf was all smiles and wearing a hoodie (6) ___________________ word "Canada".

Rahaf said her family want to kill her. She (7) ___________________ Bangkok while trying to (8) ___________________ to Australia. She asked for help on Twitter and her story (9) ___________________. The United Nations gave her refugee status. Canada (10) ___________________ Rahaf could worsen relations between the two countries. Relations are already strained after Canada called (11) ___________________ of a jailed human rights activist. Saudi stopped (12) ___________________ Canada.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheSauditeenagerwhofledSaudiArabiahasbeengivenasylumbyCana
da.RahafMohammed,18,arrivedinTorontoonSaturday.Shewasgreet
edbyCanada'sForeignMinister,whotoldreporters:"Thisisaverybrave
newCanadian.RahafwantedCanadianstoseethatshehasarrivedather
newhome.Shehashadaverylongandtiringjourney.Sheisnowgoingto
hernewhome."Rahafwasallsmilesandwearingahoodiedecoratedwith
theword"Canada".Rahafsaidherfamilywanttokillher.Shewasdetaine
dinBangkokwhiletryingtoboardaflighttoAustralia.Sheaskedforhelpo
nTwitterandherstorygotworldwideattention.TheUnitedNationsgave
herrefugeestatus.CanadagrantingasylumtoRahafcouldworsenrelati
onsbetweenthetwocountries.RelationsarealreadystrainedafterCana
dacalledforthereleaseofajailedhumanrightsactivist.Saudistoppedne
wtradewithCanada.

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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