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39 Dead in Nigeria Terror Attacks (25th December, 2011)

At least 39 churchgoers died in a number of terrorist attacks across Nigeria on Christmas Eve. Most of those killed were standing on the steps of a Catholic church near the capital Abuja. This bomb killed 35 and wounded 52. Another attack happened at a church in the city of Jos in central Nigeria. Emergency services could not cope with all the bodies. They did not have enough ambulances to take the injured to hospital. It was also difficult for rescue workers to get inside the church because of angry crowds blocking the entrance.

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The terror attacks were the work of a group called Boko Haram. It has been responsible for at least 491 killings this year, including the August 2011 suicide attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people died. Boko Haram is an Islamist organization. Its name means ‘Western education is forbidden’. The group is fighting to set up sharia law in Nigeria. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said the attacks were an attack on his country’s safety and freedom. He said: "Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1


1.

At least 39

a.

on the steps

2

a number of terrorist attacks

b.

churchgoers

3.

standing

c.

with all the bodies

4.

cope

d.

the entrance

5.

They did not have

e.

across Nigeria

6.

angry crowds blocking

f.

enough ambulances

Paragraph 2


1.

he work of a group

a.

least 491 killings

2

responsible for at

b.

and freedom

3.

the UN

c.

called Boko Haram

4.

Western education

d.

headquarters

5.

his country’s safety

e.

one

6.

stand as

f.

is forbidden


LISTENING GAP FILL


At least 39 churchgoers died ___________________ terrorist attacks across Nigeria on Christmas Eve. Most of those killed were ___________________ of a Catholic church near the capital Abuja. This bomb killed 35 ___________________. Another attack happened at a church in the city of Jos in central Nigeria. Emergency services could not cope with all the bodies. They did not have enough ambulances to ___________________ to hospital. It was also difficult ___________________ to get inside the church because of ___________________ the entrance.
The terror attacks ___________________ a group called Boko Haram. It has been responsible for at least 491 killings this year, including the August 2011 ___________________ the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people died. Boko Haram is an Islamist organization. ___________________ ‘Western ___________________’. The group is fighting to set up sharia law in Nigeria. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said the attacks were an attack on ___________________ and freedom. He said: "Nigerians must ___________________ condemn them."


MULTIPLE CHOICE


At least 39 churchgoers (1) ____ in a number of terrorist attacks across Nigeria on Christmas Eve. Most of those (2) ____ were standing on the steps of a Catholic church near the capital Abuja. This bomb killed 35 and (3) ____ 52. Another attack happened at a church in the city of Jos in (4) ____ Nigeria. Emergency services could not cope (5) ____ all the bodies. They did not have enough ambulances to take the injured to hospital. It was also difficult for rescue workers to get inside the church because of angry crowds (6) ____ the entrance.
The terror attacks were the (7) ____ of a group called Boko Haram. It has been responsible for at least 491 (8) ____ this year, including the August 2011 (9) ____ attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people died. Boko Haram is an Islamist organization. Its name means ‘Western education is (10) ____’. The group is fighting to set (11) ____ sharia law in Nigeria. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said the attacks were an attack on his country’s safety and freedom. He said: "Nigerians must stand as (12) ____ to condemn them."
Put the correct words from this table into the article.


1.

(a)

dead

(b)

death

(c)

died

2.

(a)

killing

(b)

killed

(c)

killer

3.

(a)

wounded

(b)

wound

(c)

wounds

4.

(a)

centre

(b)

centrally

(c)

central

5.

(a)

at

(b)

with

(c)

of

6.

(a)

blocked

(b)

blocks

(c)

blocking

7.

(a)

work

(b)

career

(c)

task

8.

(a)

killings

(b)

killing

(c)

kills

9.

(a)

pesticide

(b)

genocide

(c)

suicide

10.

(a)

forbid

(b)

forbidden

(c)

forbids

11.

(a)

up

(b)

in

(c)

on

12

(a)

two

(b)

one

(c)

all


SPELLING


Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.


Paragraph 1

1.

39 gheohcurcsr

2.

tindsgna on the steps

3.

emergency rsevesic

4.

take the juidern to hospital

5.

ucseer workers

6.

blocking the aetnncre

 

Paragraph 2

7.

rrtoer attacks

8.

491 sgklinil

9.

ciiudes attack

10.

Western education is nobifddre

11.

syeaft and freedom

12.

stand as one to cennomd them


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER


Number these lines in the correct order.


(    )

killed 35 and wounded 52. Another attack happened at a church in the city of Jos in central

(    )

Nigeria. Emergency services could not cope with all the bodies. They did not have enough ambulances to take

(    )

killed were standing on the steps of a Catholic church near the capital Abuja. This bomb

(    )

law in Nigeria. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said the attacks were an attack on his country’s

(    )

The terror attacks were the work of a group called Boko Haram. It has been responsible

1  )

At least 39 churchgoers died in a number of terrorist attacks across Nigeria on Christmas Eve. Most of those

(    )

means ‘Western education is forbidden’. The group is fighting to set up Sharia

(    )

safety and freedom. He said: "Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them."

(    )

the injured to hospital. It was also difficult for rescue workers to get

(    )

inside the church because of angry crowds blocking the entrance.

(    )

headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people died. Boko Haram is an Islamist organization. Its name

(    )

for at least 491 killings this year, including the August 2011 suicide attack on the UN


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT


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


1.

terrorist     of     number     A     Nigeria     across     attacks.    

2.

in     happened     church     city     attack     a     the     Another     at.    

3.

Emergency    bodies    not    services    all    cope    could     the    with.    

4.

ambulances     They     not     enough     did     have.    

5.

church     for     to     the     Difficult    workers    inside    rescue     get.    

6.

killings     has     for     491     It     responsible     least     been     at.    

7.

August     the     2011     UN     suicide     attack     The     on.    

8.

The     fighting     up     is     set     law     group     to     Sharia.    

9.

attacks     attack     country’s     The     an    his    were     on     safety.    

10.

as     one     Nigerians     to     must     condemn     stand     them.    


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 terror for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________


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. BOKO HARAM: Search the Internet and find more information about this group. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the terror attacks in Nigeria. Include an imaginary interview with a rescue worker. 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 a terror expert. Ask him/her three questions about terror. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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