Breaking News English Lesson: Mining

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Mining CEO quits after destruction of ancient caves (16th September, 2020)

The Reading / Listening - Mining - Level 6

The CEO of one of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has resigned following the destruction of two sacred Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be a speedy exit. The CEO has until March to empty his desk and head for the door. He handed in his notice after the furor created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining for high-grade iron ore. The CEO acknowledged there was no doubt the company could have made "better decisions". The ancient caves are sacred to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is evidence to show they were used as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stone tools.

The blasts at the caves led to international condemnation and adversely affected Rio Tinto's reputation worldwide. The blasting took place against the wishes of the traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people. They accused the mining giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions, purely in a quest for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to occur ever again." The Rio Tinto chair offered an apology. He said: "What happened at Juukan was wrong and we are determined to ensure that the destruction of a heritage site of such exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto operation."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Mining - Level 4 or Mining - Level 5

Sources

https://news.sky.com/story/rio-tinto-ceo-steps-down-over-destruction-of-46-000-year-old-aboriginal-caves-12068732
https://www.mining-technology.com/news/rio-tinto-ceo/
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/investors-want-rio-tinto-to-reconnect-with-its-australian-identity-20200911-p55us1.html

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. MINING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about mining. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
CEO / mining / sacred / Aboriginal / speedy / exit / desk / furor / iron ore / tools /
blasts / reputation / wishes / owners / profits / heritage / cultural / archaeological
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HERITAGE: Students A strongly believe a country's heritage isn't so important; Students B strongly believe it is. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. DWELLINGS: What are the pros and cons of living in these kinds of dwellings? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Pros	Cons
Caves
Igloos
Tents
Caravans
Mountain huts
Tree house

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. SACRED: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "sacred". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. HERITAGE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Archaeological sites
Local dialects
Dances
Stories
Music
Forests
Art
Theatre

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	resigned	a.	An outbreak of public anger.
2.	destruction	b.	Regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group, or individual.
3.	sacred	c.	The action or process of causing so much damage to something that it no longer exists.
4.	notice	d.	A house, apartment, cave, hut or other place where people live.
5.	furor	e.	Voluntarily left a job or other position.
6.	demolition	f.	A formal declaration of one's intention to stop working in or quit a job.
7.	dwelling	g.	The action or process of being completely knocked down or destroyed.

Paragraph 2

8.	blast	h.	Done openly and unashamedly.
9.	condemnation	i.	A long search for something.
10.	adversely	j.	Pay no attention to; ignore.
11.	blatant	k.	The expression of very strong disapproval.
12.	disregard	l.	Unusually good; outstanding.
13.	quest	m.	An explosion or explosive firing, especially of a bomb or dynamite.
14.	exceptional	n.	In a way that prevents success or development; harmfully or unfavorably.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

Rio Tinto is the world's largest mining company. T / F
The CEO had to leave his post and his office last week. T / F
The company was mining for iron ore. T / F
The caves may have been inhabited in the Old Stone Age. T / F
The indigenous people did not grant permission to the mining company. T / F
The indigenous people said the mining company just wanted profits. T / F
The company is yet to make an apology for its actions. T / F
The company said it would never do such a thing again. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

resigned
sacred
furor
acknowledged
evidence
condemnation
blatant
determined
exceptional
significance

outstanding
accepted
proof
shameless
revered
intent on
quit
importance
uproar
criticism

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

the destruction of two sacred
empty his desk and head
The company was mining for
evidence to show they were used
when humans were developing
international
against the wishes
in a quest
the destruction
archaeological and

as dwellings
of a heritage site
stone tools
condemnation
Aboriginal sites
of the traditional owners
cultural significance
for the door
for greater profits
high-grade iron ore

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

furor
grade
tools
exit
head
evidence
sacred
doubt

The CEO of one of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has resigned following the destruction of two (1) _____________________ Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be a speedy (2) _____________________. The CEO has until March to empty his desk and (3) _____________________ for the door. He handed in his notice after the (4) _____________________ created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining for high-(5) _____________________ iron ore. The CEO acknowledged there was no (6) _____________________ the company could have made "better decisions". The ancient caves are sacred to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is (7) _____________________ to show they were used as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stone (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

apology
operation
reputation
ensure
blasts
blatant
quest
wishes

The (9) _____________________ at the caves led to international condemnation and adversely affected Rio Tinto's (10) _____________________ worldwide. The blasting took place against the (11) _____________________ of the traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people. They accused the mining giant of a (12) _____________________ disregard of their culture and traditions, purely in a (13) _____________________ for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to occur ever again." The Rio Tinto chair offered an (14) _____________________. He said: "What happened at Juukan was wrong and we are determined to (15) _____________________ that the destruction of a heritage site of such exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) However, it will not be a ______
     a. speedy exits
     b. speedy exited
     c. speedy egg sit
     d. speedy exit
2) He handed in his notice after ______
     a. the four created
     b. the furrier created
     c. the fairer created
     d. the furor created
3) The CEO acknowledged there was no doubt the company could have made "______"
     a. better decision
     b. better decisions
     c. better incisions
     d. better dis shuns
4) The ancient caves are sacred to Australia's indigenous ______
     a. Aboriginal community
     b. Aboriginal communes ties
     c. Aboriginal commune its
     d. Aboriginal communities
5) as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were ______
     a. develop in stone tools
     b. develop ping stone tools
     c. developing stone tools
     d. develop pine, stone tools

6) The blasts at the caves led to international condemnation ______
     a. and adversely affected
     b. and adversely reflected
     c. and adversely infected
     d. and adversely deflected
7) The blasting took place against the wishes of the traditional owners ______
     a. of the sight
     b. of the sate
     c. of the sigh
     d. of the site
8) the mining giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions, purely ______
     a. in a quest
     b. inner quest
     c. on a quest
     d. owner quest
9) The Rio Tinto chair ______
     a. proffered an apology
     b. coffered an apology
     c. covered an apology
     d. offered an apology
10) archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a ______
     a. Rio Tinto operative
     b. Rio Tinto opera shun
     c. Rio Tinto operating
     d. Rio Tinto operation

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The CEO of one of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has resigned following the destruction (1) ____________________ Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be (2) ____________________. The CEO has until March to empty his desk and head for the door. He handed (3) ____________________ after the furor created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining (4) ________________________ ore. The CEO acknowledged there was no doubt the company could have made "better decisions". The (5) ____________________ sacred to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is (6) ____________________ they were used as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stone tools.

The blasts at the caves led to international condemnation (7) ____________________ Rio Tinto's reputation worldwide. The blasting took place against the wishes of the (8) ____________________ the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people. They accused the mining giant of (9) ____________________ of their culture and traditions, purely in a quest for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of (10) ____________________ ever again." The Rio Tinto chair (11) ____________________. He said: "What happened at Juukan was wrong and we are determined to ensure that the destruction of (12) ____________________ of such exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto operation."

Comprehension questions

How many sacred sites were destroyed?
By when does the CEO have to leave the company?
How old were the caves that were destroyed?
What was the company mining?
What does evidence show the caves were used as?
What did the destruction of the caves do to the company's image?
What did the traditional owners accuse the company of wanting?
What did the owners say they would never allow again?
What did the chair of the company offer?
Where did the chair say such destruction would never occur again?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many sacred sites were destroyed?
a) four
b) one
c) two
d) three
2) By when does the CEO have to leave the company?
a) March
b) next week
c) the weekend
d) ASAP
3) How old were the caves that were destroyed?
a) 48,000 years old
b) 46,000 years old
c) 42,000 years old
d) 47,000 years old
4) What was the company mining?
a) coal
b) opals
c) gold
d) iron ore
5) What does evidence show the caves were used as?
a) art galleries
b) storehouses
c) dwellings
d) factories

6) What did the destruction of the caves do to the company's image?
a) destroyed it
b) badly affected it
c) enhanced it
d) not much
7) What did the traditional owners accuse the company of wanting?
a) workers
b) an apology
c) land
d) profits
8) What did the owners say they would never allow again?
a) caves
b) such destruction
c) mining
d) people to walk on their land
9) What did the chair of the company offer?
a) land
b) an apology
c) to rebuild the caves
d) money
10) Where did the chair say such destruction would never occur again?
a) at a Rio Tinto operation
b) in a cave
c) in Australia
d) anywhere in the world

Role play

Role A – Ancient Sites
You think ancient sites are the most important part of heritage to protect. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of protection of these (and why): dance, forests or local dialects.

Role B – Dance
You think dance is the most important part of heritage to protect. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of protection of these (and why): ancient sites, forests or local dialects.

Role C – Forests
You think forests are the most important part of heritage to protect. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of protection of these (and why): dance, ancient sites or local dialects.

Role D – Local Dialects
You think local dialects are the most important part of heritage to protect. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of protection of these (and why): dance, forests or ancient sites.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'mining'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'cave'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

resigned

exit

notice

notice

high

show

affected

wishes

giant

type

wrong

ensure

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 - Mining

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'mining'?
What do you know about mining?
Do mining companies care about the environment?
Do mining companies have the right to take things from the earth?
What do you know about Aboriginal cultures?
What do you think of the destruction of the caves?
How important are 46,000-year-old sacred sites?
What advice do you have for mining companies?
What was life like in the Old Stone Age?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'cave'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you think about mining?
Would you condemn the mining company?
What do we need mining companies for?
Should the wishes of the Aboriginal communities be respected?
Is it immoral to put profits over the destruction of ancient sites?
How confident are you the company will mine responsibly from now?
What questions would you like to ask mining company CEOs?

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

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

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The CEO of one of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has (1) ____ following the destruction of two sacred Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be a (2) ____ exit. The CEO has until March to empty his desk and (3) ____ for the door. He handed in his notice after the furor created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining for high-(4) ____ iron ore. The CEO acknowledged there was no doubt the company could have made "better decisions". The ancient caves are sacred (5) ____ Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is evidence to show they were used as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stone (6) ____.

The blasts at the caves led to international condemnation and (7) ____ affected Rio Tinto's reputation worldwide. The blasting took place (8) ____ the wishes of the traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people. They accused the mining giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions, purely in a (9) ____ for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to (10) ____ ever again." The Rio Tinto chair offered an apology. He said: "What happened at Juukan was wrong and we are determined to ensure that the destruction of a heritage site of (11) ____ exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) resigned (b) singed (c) signature (d) resolved
(a) pedant (b) secretariat (c) speedy (d) posted
(a) foot (b) back (c) head (d) arm
(a) point (b) mark (c) score (d) grade
(a) to (b) of (c) as (d) on
(a) kit (b) tools (c) gear (d) equipment
(a) reverses (b) assuages (c) concocts (d) adversely
(a) post (b) against (c) con (d) disadvantage
(a) inquest (b) conquest (c) quest (d) sequester
(a) incident (b) occur (c) event (d) prevalence
(a) whole (b) all (c) so (d) such
(a) surgery (b) operation (c) mission (d) supervision

Spelling

Paragraph 1

arcsed Aboriginal sites
He handed in his notice after the urfor created
the mioletidon of 46,000-year-old caves
The CEO kocewlndgaed that
niinegodus Aboriginal communities
There is vedinece to show they were

Paragraph 2

led to international dmcennatioon
vedresaly affected
a labntat disregard of their culture
allow this type of nestadvotai
a tearihge site
cultural snfangieccii

Put the text back together

(...) at Juukan was wrong and we are determined to ensure that the destruction of a heritage site of such
(...) The blasts at the caves led to international condemnation and adversely affected Rio Tinto's reputation
(...) worldwide. The blasting took place against the wishes of the traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama
(...) exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto operation."
(...) desk and head for the door. He handed in his notice after the furor created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old
(...) are sacred to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is evidence to show they were used
(...) and Pinikura people. They accused the mining giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions, purely in a
( 1 ) The CEO of one of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has resigned following the destruction of two
(...) quest for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to
(...) sacred Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be a speedy exit. The CEO has until March to empty his
(...) caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining for high-grade iron ore. The CEO acknowledged there was
(...) no doubt the company could have made "better decisions". The ancient caves
(...) occur ever again." The Rio Tinto chair offered an apology. He said: "What happened
(...) as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stone tools.

Put the words in the right order

The largest mining CEO company . of world's the
his Empty and the for head door . desk
furor . handed in his notice the after He
for The iron high-grade was company mining ore .
as they to were used Evidence show dwellings .
to led Blasts caves the international at condemnation .
traditional the wishes of the Against owners .
blatant disregard traditions . A and their culture of
greater quest in a profits . for Purely
heritage exceptional significance . cultural site A of such

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The CEO of one / only of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, has resigned following the destruction of two scared / sacred Aboriginal sites. However, it will not be a speedy / speed exit. The CEO has until March to empty his desk and face / head for the door. He handed up / in his notice after the furor / furry created by the demolition of 46,000-year-old caves in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. The company was mining for / to high-grade iron ore. The CEO acknowledged there was no debt / doubt the company could have made "better decisions". The ancient caves are sacred to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal communities. There is evidence / evidential to show they were used as dwellings as far back as the Old Stone Age, when humans were developing stoned / stone tools.

The blasted / blasts at the caves led to international condemnation and adversely affected Rio Tinto's reputation worldly / worldwide. The blasting took place against the wishes / covets of the traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people. They accused the mining gigantic / giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions, purely in a quest of / for greater profits. They said: "We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to occur ever against / again." The Rio Tinto chair offered / tendered an apology. He said: "What happened at Juukan was wrong and we are determined as / to ensure that the destruction of a heritage site of / at such exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a Rio Tinto surgery / operation."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

T h_ C E O _f _n_ _f t h_ w_r l d ' s l_r g_s t m_n_n g c_m p_n__ s , R__ T_n t_, h_s r_s_g n_d f_l l_w_n g t h_ d_s t r_c t__ n _f t w_ s_c r_d A b_r_g_n_l s_t_s . H_w_v_r , _t w_l l n_t b_ _ s p__ d y _x_t . T h_ C E O h_s _n t_l M_r c h t_ _m p t y h_s d_s k _n d h__ d f_r t h_ d__ r . H_ h_n d_d _n h_s n_t_c_ _f t_r t h_ f_r_r c r__ t_d b y t h_ d_m_l_t__ n _f 4 6 , 0 0 0 - y__ r -_l d c_v_s _n t h_ J__ k_n G_r g_ _n W_s t_r n A_s t r_l__ . T h_ c_m p_n y w_s m_n_n g f_r h_g h - g r_d_ _r_n _r_. T h_ C E O _c k n_w l_d g_d t h_r _ w_s n_ d__ b t t h_ c_m p_n y c__ l d h_v_ m_d_ " b_t t_r d_c_s__ n s " . T h_ _n c__ n t c_v_s _r_ s_c r_d t_ A_s t r_l__ ' s _n d_g_n__ s A b_r_g_n_l c_m m_n_t__ s . T h_r_ _s _v_d_n c_ t_ s h_w t h_y w_r_ _s_d _s d w_l l_n g s _s f_r b_c k _s t h_ O l d S t_n_ A g_, w h_n h_m_n s w_r_ d_v_l_p_n g s t_n_ t__ l s .

T h_ b l_s t s _t t h_ c_v_s l_d t_ _n t_r n_t__ n_l c_n d_m n_t__ n _n d _d v_r s_l y _f f_c t_d R__ T_n t_' s r_p_t_t__ n w_r l d w_d_. T h_ b l_s t_n g t__ k p l_c_ _g__ n s t t h_ w_s h_s _f t h_ t r_d_t__ n_l _w n_r s _f t h_ s_t_, t h_ P__ t_ K_n t_ K_r r_m_ _n d P_n_k_r_ p__ p l_. T h_y _c c_s_d t h_ m_n_n g g__ n t _f _ b l_t_n t d_s r_g_r d _f t h__ r c_l t_r_ _n d t r_d_t__ n s , p_r_l y _n _ q__ s t f_r g r__ t_r p r_f_t s . T h_y s__ d : " W_ c_n n_t _n d w_l l n_t _l l_w t h_s t y p_ _f d_v_s t_t__ n t_ _c c_r _v_r _g__ n . " T h_ R__ T_n t_ c h__ r _f f_r_d _n _p_l_g y . H_ s__ d : " W h_t h_p p_n_d _t J__ k_n w_s w r_n g _n d w_ _r_ d_t_r m_n_d t_ _n s_r_ t h_t t h_ d_s t r_c t__ n _f _ h_r_t_g_ s_t_ _f s_c h _x c_p t__ n_l _r c h___l_g_c_l _n d c_l t_r_l s_g n_f_c_n c_ n_v_r _c c_r s _g__ n _t _ R__ T_n t_ _p_r_t__ n . "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the ceo of one of the worlds largest mining companies rio tinto has resigned following the destruction of two sacred aboriginal sites however it will not be a speedy exit the ceo has until march to empty his desk and head for the door he handed in his notice after the furor created by the demolition of 46000yearold caves in the juukan gorge in western australia the company was mining for highgrade iron ore the ceo acknowledged there was no doubt the company could have made better decisions the ancient caves are sacred to australias indigenous aboriginal communities there is evidence to show they were used as dwellings as far back as the old stone age when humans were developing stone tools

the blasts at the caves led to international condemnation and adversely affected rio tintos reputation worldwide the blasting took place against the wishes of the traditional owners of the site the puutu kunti kurrama and pinikura people they accused the mining giant of a blatant disregard of their culture and traditions purely in a quest for greater profits they said we cannot and will not allow this type of devastation to occur ever again the rio tinto chair offered an apology he said what happened at juukan was wrong and we are determined to ensure that the destruction of a heritage site of such exceptional archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again at a rio tinto operation

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheCEOofoneoftheworld'slargestminingcompanies,RioTinto,hasres
ignedfollowingthedestructionoftwosacredAboriginalsites.However,i
twillnotbeaspeedyexit.TheCEOhasuntilMarchtoemptyhisdeskandhe
adforthedoor.Hehandedinhisnoticeafterthefurorcreatedbythedemol
itionof46,000-year-oldcavesintheJuukanGorgeinWesternAustralia
.Thecompanywasminingforhigh-gradeironore.TheCEOacknowledg
edtherewasnodoubtthecompanycouldhavemade"betterdecisions".
TheancientcavesaresacredtoAustralia'sindigenousAboriginalcomm
unities.Thereisevidencetoshowtheywereusedasdwellingsasfarback
astheOldStoneAge,whenhumansweredevelopingstonetools.Thebla
stsatthecavesledtointernationalcondemnationandadverselyaffecte
dRioTinto'sreputationworldwide.Theblastingtookplaceagainstthewi
shesofthetraditionalownersofthesite,thePuutuKuntiKurramaandPini
kurapeople.Theyaccusedthemininggiantofablatantdisregardoftheir
cultureandtraditions,purelyinaquestforgreaterprofits.Theysaid:"We
cannotandwillnotallowthistypeofdevastationtooccureveragain."The
RioTintochairofferedanapology.Hesaid:"WhathappenedatJuukanwa
swrongandwearedeterminedtoensurethatthedestructionofaheritag
esiteofsuchexceptionalarchaeologicalandculturalsignificancenevero
ccursagainataRioTintooperation."

Free writing

Write about mining for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Mining is a necessary evil. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MINING: Make a poster about mining. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. ANCIENT SITES: Write a magazine article about governments legally protecting all ancient sites. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on mining. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on mining. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson: Mining

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