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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Barack Obama
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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World Split Over Obama Nobel Prize (18th October, 2009)

The world is divided over Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many people think he deserved to get it. Many other people are shocked he got it. They say he hasn’t really achieved much in his short time in office. Even President Obama said he was surprised to win the prize. The Nobel committee honoured him because of his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy”. Another reason was his work to increase “cooperation between people”. Obama decided to donate the $1.4 million in prize money to charity.

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Barack Obama won the prize after serving just 265 days as President. His biggest effort has been in trying to reduce nuclear weapons. The world is now watching him carefully. People hope he will bring peace rather than simply talking about it. Previous prize winners wished Obama well. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “It’s an award that speaks to the promise of Obama’s message of hope.” Martti Ahtisaari said the award was a message to “push harder for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. Some reporters joked he won the prize for not being George W. Bush.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	The world is	a.	much
2	people think he deserved	b.	divided
3.	he hasn’t really achieved	c.	people
4.	efforts to strengthen international	d.	to get it
5.	cooperation between	e.	in prize money
6.	donate the $1.4 million	f.	diplomacy

Paragraph 2

1.	serving just 265	a.	bring peace
2	trying to reduce nuclear	b.	for a solution
3.	People hope he will	c.	of hope
4.	Obama’s message	d.	days as President
5.	push harder	e.	being George W. Bush
6.	he won the prize for not	f.	weapons

LISTENING GAP FILL

The world ____________________ Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many people think he ____________________. Many other people are ____________________ They say he hasn’t really achieved much in his short time in office. Even President Obama said he was surprised ____________________. The Nobel committee honoured him because of his “extraordinary ____________________ international diplomacy”. Another reason was his work to increase “cooperation between people”. Obama ____________________ the $1.4 million in prize money to charity.

Barack Obama won the prize ____________________ 265 days as President. His biggest effort has ____________________ reduce nuclear weapons. The world is now watching him carefully. People hope he will ____________________ than simply talking about it. Previous prize winners wished Obama well. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “It’s ____________________ to the promise of Obama’s message of hope.” Martti Ahtisaari said the award was a message to “____________________ solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. Some reporters joked he won the ____________________ George W. Bush.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The world is (1) ____ over Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many people think he deserved to get it. Many (2) ____ people are shocked he got it. They say he hasn’t really achieved (3) ____ in his short time in office. Even President Obama said he was surprised to win the prize. The Nobel committee honoured him because of his “extraordinary efforts to (4) ____ international diplomacy”. Another reason was his work to increase “cooperation between people”. Obama decided to donate the $1.4 million in prize money (5) ____ charity.

Barack Obama won the prize after (6) ____ just 265 days as President. His biggest effort has been in trying to reduce nuclear weapons. The world is now watching him (7) ____. People hope he will bring peace rather than simply talking about it. Previous prize winners wished Obama (8) ____. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “It’s an award that speaks to the promise of Obama’s message of hope.” Martti Ahtisaari said the award was a message to “(9) ____ harder for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. Some reporters joked he won the prize for not (10) ____ George W. Bush.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	multiplied	(b)	added	(c)	divided
2.	(a)	other	(b)	others	(c)	another
3.	(a)	many	(b)	much	(c)	most
4.	(a)	strengthen	(b)	strong	(c)	strength
5.	(a)	at	(b)	to	(c)	by
6.	(a)	serving	(b)	service	(c)	served
7.	(a)	carelessly	(b)	carefully	(c)	careful
8.	(a)	good	(b)	better	(c)	well
9.	(a)	pull	(b)	push	(c)	twist
10.	(a)	been	(b)	is	(c)	being

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	The world is vddidei
2.	he deesdevr to get it
3.	his short time in foefic
4.	he was isdursrpe to win
5.	extraordinary otrfesf
6.	oednta the $1.4 million
Paragraph 2
7.	neivrgs just 265 days
8.	reduce nuclear opawsen
9.	eprsviou prize winners
10.	Obama’s segasme of hope
11.	push harder for a uitolsno
12.	Some reporters ejkdo

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	reduce nuclear weapons. The world is now watching him carefully. People hope he will bring peace rather than
( )	“push harder for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. Some reporters joked he won the prize for not being George W. Bush.
( )	award that speaks to the promise of Obama’s message of hope.” Martti Ahtisaari said the award was a message to
( )	Barack Obama won the prize after serving just 265 days as President. His biggest effort has been in trying to
( )	The world is divided over Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many people think he deserved to get
( 1 )	work to increase “cooperation between people”. Obama decided to donate the $1.4 million in prize money to charity.
( )	in office. Even President Obama said he was surprised to win the prize. The Nobel committee honoured him
( )	it. Many other people are shocked he got it. They say he hasn’t really achieved much in his short time
( )	because of his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy”. Another reason was his
( )	simply talking about it. Previous prize winners wished Obama well. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “It’s an

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	people get think it he deserved Many to.
2.	much achieved really hasn’t he say They.
3.	was he said Obama win to surprised.
4.	work His cooperation increase to.
5.	Donate to in the charity prize $1.4 money million.
6.	the serving days won after 265 Obama prize just.
7.	weapons nuclear reduce to Trying.
8.	hope of message Obama’s of promise The.
9.	Israeli A - solution Palestinian to conflict the.
10.	George W. Bush being not for prize the won He.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about Barack Obama for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

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 more information about the Nobel Peace Prize. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Barack Obama. Include imaginary interviews with two people – one agrees that Obama deserved the prize, the other thinks he didn’t deserve it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. 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.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to President Barack Obama. Ask him three questions about his job. Give him three of your opinions on how he can make the world more peaceful. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Barack Obama (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)