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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Ivory Coast
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Ivory Coast Close to Genocide (30th December, 2010)

The Ivory Coast is facing another dangerous period in its history. Its ambassador to the UN Youssoufou Bamba has warned his nation is "on the brink of genocide". He told the BBC there has been a lot of unrest since the recent elections. President Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to step down after his election defeat. His rival Alassane Ouattara won the election and his supporters are angry that Mr Gbagbo has not accepted defeat. Mr Ouattara said: "To me the debate is over. Now you are talking about how and when Mr Gbagbo will leave office."

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There has been a lot of political unrest and human rights abuses since the election. Mr Bamba said 172 people were killed, "because they want to demonstrate, they want to speak out." The United Nations is fully behind Mr Ouattara. It may have to use some of its 9,500 peacekeeping soldiers to protect him. Mr Ouattara is being protected by UN forces in a hotel in the capital city. A supporter of Mr Gbagbo warned the UN: "They should prepare themselves…we are thinking about totally liberating our country…soon I will launch the final assault."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	The Ivory Coast is facing another	a.	to the UN
2	Its ambassador	b.	are angry
3.	there has been	c.	is over
4.	refusing to	d.	dangerous period
5.	his supporters	e.	a lot of unrest
6.	the debate	f.	step down

Paragraph 2

1.	a lot of political	a.	prepare themselves
2	human rights	b.	out
3.	speak	c.	assault
4.	9,500 peacekeeping	d.	unrest
5.	They should	e.	abuses
6.	launch the final	f.	soldiers

LISTENING GAP FILL

The Ivory Coast ________________________ period in its history. Its ambassador to the UN Youssoufou Bamba has warned his nation is "_________________ genocide". He told the BBC there has been ________________ since the recent elections. President Laurent Gbagbo is ________________ down after his election defeat. His rival Alassane Ouattara won the election and his supporters are angry that Mr Gbagbo has ________________. Mr Ouattara said: "To me the debate is over. Now you are talking ____________________ Mr Gbagbo will leave office."

There ________________ political unrest and human rights abuses since the election. Mr Bamba said 172 people were killed, "because they want to demonstrate, they ________________." The United Nations is fully behind Mr Ouattara. It may have to ________________ 9,500 peacekeeping ________________ him. Mr Ouattara is being protected by UN forces __________________ capital city. A supporter of Mr Gbagbo warned the UN: "They should prepare themselves…we are thinking about totally liberating our country…soon I will launch __________________."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The Ivory Coast is (1) ____ another dangerous period in its history. Its ambassador to the UN Youssoufou Bamba has warned his nation is "on the brink of (2) ____ ". He told the BBC there has been a lot of unrest (3) ____ the recent elections. President Laurent Gbagbo is refusing (4) ____ step down after his election defeat. His (5) ____ Alassane Ouattara won the election and his supporters are angry that Mr Gbagbo has not accepted defeat. Mr Ouattara said: "To me the debate is over. Now you are talking about (6) ____ and when Mr Gbagbo will leave office."

There has been a lot of political unrest and human rights (7) ____ since the election. Mr Bamba said 172 people were killed, "because they want to demonstrate, they want to speak (8) ____." The United Nations is fully behind Mr Ouattara. It may have to use (9) ____ of its 9,500 peacekeeping soldiers to protect him. Mr Ouattara is (10) ____ protected by UN forces in a hotel in the capital city. A supporter of Mr Gbagbo (11) ____ the UN: "They should prepare themselves…we are thinking about totally liberating our country…soon I will launch the (12) ____ assault."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	facing	(b)	faced	(c)	faces
2.	(a)	suicide	(b)	genocide	(c)	insecticide
3.	(a)	since	(b)	ago	(c)	while
4.	(a)	by	(b)	of	(c)	to
5.	(a)	rivaled	(b)	rivalry	(c)	rival
6.	(a)	how	(b)	who	(c)	which
7.	(a)	abused	(b)	abuses	(c)	abuser
8.	(a)	out	(b)	in	(c)	at
9.	(a)	any	(b)	some	(c)	whole
10.	(a)	be	(b)	was	(c)	being
11.	(a)	warning	(b)	warns	(c)	warned
12	(a)	finally	(b)	final	(c)	finals

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	dangerous irdope
2.	the brink of edgoncei
3.	a lot of ntsuer
4.	necert elections
5.	accepted edftae
6.	the tbaede is over
Paragraph 2
7.	human gtisrh abuses
8.	they want to speak out
9.	peacekeeping soldiers
10.	protected by UN forces
11.	They should prepare themselves
12.	launch the final assault

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	not accepted defeat. Mr Ouattara said: "To me the debate is over. Now you are talking about how
( )	election defeat. His rival Alassane Ouattara won the election and his supporters are angry that Mr Gbagbo has
( )	been a lot of unrest since the recent elections. President Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to step down after his
( )	UN Youssoufou Bamba has warned his nation is "on the brink of genocide". He told the BBC there has
( 1 )	There has been a lot of political unrest and human rights abuses since the
( )	and when Mr Gbagbo will leave office."
( )	soldiers to protect him. Mr Ouattara is being protected by UN forces in a hotel in the capital
( )	about totally liberating our country…soon I will launch the final assault."
( )	out." The United Nations is fully behind Mr Ouattara. It may have to use some of its 9,500 peacekeeping
( )	city. A supporter of Mr Gbagbo warned the UN: "They should prepare themselves…we are thinking
( )	The Ivory Coast is facing another dangerous period in its history. Its ambassador to the
( )	election. Mr Bamba said 172 people were killed, "because they want to demonstrate, they want to speak

WORD JUMBLE

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

1.	period is facing The another Ivory dangerous Coast.
2.	of is genocide on the His brink nation.
3.	unrest of lot a been has There.
4.	to down Gbagbo refusing step is.
5.	To the is me debate over.
6.	and rights unrest human abuses Political.
7.	Nations Ouattara is fully The behind United Mr.
8.	some 9 peacekeeping Use its 500 of , soldiers.
9.	Gbagbo A warned supporter the of UN Mr.
10.	launch will I Soon assault final the.

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 unrest 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. UNREST: Search the Internet and find more information about the unrest in Ivory Coast. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about unrest. Include imaginary interviews with people who have demonstrated in the streets. 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 Laurent Gbagbo. Ask him three questions about the unrest in his country. Give him three suggestions on what he should do to help the situation. 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 Ivory Coast (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)