The Reading / Listening - United Kingdom - Level 0

An ex-UK prime minister, Gordon Brown said the UK is in danger. He warned of economic disaster when the UK leaves the European Union, especially if the UK leaves without a deal. He said this is because many people in the UK want independence for their country. He said the UK is no longer a united kingdom.

The UK is four countries - the three nations of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. Most people in Scotland want to stay in the EU. There are now talks of Scottish independence. People are also talking about a possible reunited Ireland. Brown said: "Nationalism is now driving British politics."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    United Kingdom - Level 1,  United Kingdom - Level 2   or  United Kingdom - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49309113
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7345459/Growing-nationalism-pulling-UK-apart-sleepwalks-oblivion-Gordon-Brown-warns.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/10/gordon-brown-says-no-deal-brexit-would-be-calamity-for-united-kingdom


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. An ex-UK
  2. Gordon Brown said the UK
  3. He warned of economic
  4. when the UK
  5. the European
  6. leaves without
  7. people in the UK
  8. the UK is no longer
  1. is in danger
  2. want independence
  3. Union
  4. a united kingdom
  5. a deal
  6. prime minister
  7. leaves
  8. disaster

Paragraph 2

  1. The UK
  2. the three nations
  3. England, Scotland
  4. Most people in Scotland want to
  5. There are now talks of Scottish
  6. People are also
  7. a possible reunited
  8. Nationalism is now driving
  1. stay in the EU
  2. Ireland
  3. independence
  4. of Great Britain
  5. British politics
  6. and Wales
  7. is four countries
  8. talking

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An ex-UK prime minister, Gordon Brown (1) __________________ is in danger. He warned (2) ___________________ when the UK leaves the European Union, (3) ___________________ UK leaves without a deal. He (4) ___________________ because many people in the UK want independence (5) ___________________. He said the UK is (6) ___________________ united kingdom.

The UK (7) ___________________ - the three nations of Great Britain (England, (8) ___________________) and Northern Ireland. Most people in Scotland (9) ___________________ in the EU. There are (10) ___________________ Scottish independence. People are also talking (11) ___________________ reunited Ireland. Brown said: "Nationalism (12) ___________________ British politics."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anex-UKprimeminister,GordonBrownsaidtheUKisindanger.Hew
arnedofeconomicdisasterwhentheUKleavestheEuropeanUnion,espe
ciallyiftheUKleaveswithoutadeal.Hesaidthisisbecausemanypeoplein
theUKwantindependencefortheircountry.HesaidtheUKisnolongerau
nitedkingdom.TheUKisfourcountries-thethreenationsofGreatBritai
n(England,ScotlandandWales)andNorthernIreland.MostpeopleinSc
otlandwanttostayintheEU.TherearenowtalksofScottishindependenc
e.PeoplearealsotalkingaboutapossiblereunitedIreland.Brownsaid:"
NationalismisnowdrivingBritishpolitics."

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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