The Reading / Listening - Refugee Response - Level 4

A popular British radio host has attacked his government's response to the refugee crisis. He called it "a disgrace". The UK has two visa schemes for refugees. It has received 79,800 visa applications from Ukrainians and has issued 40,900 visas. However, only 12,000 refugees have arrived. Poland has taken in nearly 3 million refugees, Germany 300,000, and Ireland over 20,000. The UK apologised for this "frustrating" situation.

The radio host did not hold back in his criticism. He called on the government to be fired. He said: "It's an absolute scandal.…This is beyond comprehension. How can this level of incompetence survive?" The host was angry about the 51-page online visa form that Ukrainians have to fill out. He also criticised the mountain of red tape. Over 200,000 Britons applied to accept a refugee into their home. Applications are rejected if a home has a garden pond.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Refugee Response - Level 5 or  Refugee Response - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/passionate-rant-homes-ukraine-scheme/
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10701511/DAILY-MAIL-COMMENT-Stop-ticking-boxes-Ukrainian-refugees-sanctuary.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/08/ukraine-refugees-uk-12000-arrived-visa-schemes


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A popular British radio
  2. his government's response
  3. He called it a
  4. The UK has two visa
  5. It has received 79,800
  6. only 12,000 refugees
  7. Poland has taken in nearly
  8. The UK apologised for this
  1. have arrived
  2. schemes
  3. "frustrating" situation
  4. to the refugee crisis
  5. disgrace
  6. 3 million refugees
  7. host
  8. visa applications

Paragraph 2

  1. The radio host did not hold
  2. He called on the government
  3. It's an absolute
  4. This is beyond
  5. this level
  6. the 51-page
  7. the mountain of red
  8. if a home has a garden
  1. of incompetence
  2. scandal
  3. tape
  4. pond
  5. comprehension
  6. back
  7. online visa form
  8. to be fired

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A popular British radio (1) ___________________ his government's response to the refugee crisis. He called (2) ___________________. The UK has two visa (3) ___________________. It has received 79,800 visa applications from Ukrainians (4) ___________________ 40,900 visas. However, only 12,000 refugees have arrived. Poland (5) ___________________ nearly 3 million refugees, Germany 300,000, and Ireland over 20,000. The UK apologised for (6) ___________________.

The radio host did not hold back (7) ___________________. He called on the government to be fired. He said: "It's (8) ___________________....This is beyond comprehension. How can this level of incompetence survive?" The (9) ___________________ about the 51-page online visa form that Ukrainians have (10) ___________________. He also criticised the mountain of red tape. Over 200,000 Britons (11) ___________________ a refugee into their home. Applications (12) ___________________ a home has a garden pond.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ApopularBritishradiohosthasattackedhisgovernment'sresponsetoth
erefugeecrisis.Hecalledit"adisgrace".TheUKhastwovisaschemesforr
efugees.Ithasreceived79,800visaapplicationsfromUkrainiansandha
sissued40,900visas.However,only12,000refugeeshavearrived.Pola
ndhastakeninnearly3millionrefugees,Germany300,000,andIreland
over20,000.TheUKapologisedforthis"frustrating"situation.Theradio
hostdidnotholdbackinhiscriticism.Hecalledonthegovernmenttobefir
ed.Hesaid:"It'sanabsolutescandal....Thisisbeyondcomprehension.
Howcanthislevelofincompetencesurvive?"Thehostwasangryaboutth
e51-pageonlinevisaformthatUkrainianshavetofillout.Healsocriticise
dthemountainofredtape.Over200,000Britonsappliedtoacceptarefug
eeintotheirhome.Applicationsarerejectedifahomehasagardenpond.

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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