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Taliban And Karzai In Peace Talks (30th January, 2012)

Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban will soon hold peace talks. The meetings between the Afghan government and the rebel group will take place in Saudi Arabia. Afghans hope their leaders can bring an end to the decade-long war that has ruined their country. If the talks go ahead, it will be a major breakthrough in relations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Until now, the Taliban has refused to recognize or talk to President Karzai’s government. The Taliban has not yet commented on the upcoming meeting.

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The Saudi Arabia talks are the second set of meetings planned with the Taliban. The group plans to meet with American negotiators in Qatar. The rebels are opening a special office in the capital, Doha, to help the discussions. The Doha talks between the Taliban and USA angered Mr Karzai because no one told him about them. He only found out after the dates were set. He is a little suspicious that talks between the Taliban and Americans will not be good for his government. He suspects America will tell him what to do to get a peace deal.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1

1.

hold

a.

long war

2

rebel

b.

place in Saudi Arabia

3.

take

c.

peace talks

4.

an end to the decade-

d.

yet commented

5.

a major breakthrough

e.

group

6.

The Taliban has not

f.

in relations

Paragraph 2

1.

the second

a.

about them

2

meet with American

b.

deal

3.

no one told him

c.

government

4.

He is a little

d.

negotiators

5.

good for his

e.

set of meetings

6.

get a peace

f.

suspicious


LISTENING GAP FILL


Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban will soon ________________. The meetings between the Afghan government and ________________ will take place in Saudi Arabia. Afghans hope their leaders can ________________ the decade-long war that has ruined their country. If the talks go ahead, it will be a ___________________ in relations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Until now, the Taliban ________________ recognize or talk to President Karzai’s government. The Taliban has not ________________ on the upcoming meeting.
The Saudi Arabia talks are ________________ of meetings planned with the Taliban. The group ________________ with American negotiators in Qatar. The rebels are opening a special office ________________, Doha, to help the discussions. The Doha talks between the Taliban and USA angered Mr Karzai because no ________________ about them. He only found out after the dates were set. He is a ________________ that talks between the Taliban and Americans will not be good for his government. He suspects America will tell him ________________ get a peace deal.


MULTIPLE CHOICE


Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban will soon (1) ____ peace talks. The meetings between the Afghan government and the rebel group will (2) ____ place in Saudi Arabia. Afghans (3) ____ their leaders can bring an end to the decade-long war that (4) ____ ruined their country. If the talks go ahead, it will be a (5) ____ breakthrough in relations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Until now, the Taliban has refused to recognize or talk to President Karzai’s government. The Taliban has not (6) ____ commented on the upcoming meeting.
The Saudi Arabia (7) ____ are the second set of meetings planned with the Taliban. The group plans to meet with American negotiators in Qatar. The rebels are (8) ____ a special office in the capital, Doha, to help the discussions. The Doha talks between the Taliban and USA (9) ____ Mr Karzai because no one (10) ____ him about them. He only found out after the dates were set. He is a (11) ____ suspicious that talks between the Taliban and Americans will not be good for his government. He suspects America will tell him what to do to get a peace (12) ____.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

bold

(b)

told

(c)

hold

2.

(a)

take

(b)

give

(c)

be

3.

(a)

hoping

(b)

hope

(c)

hoped

4.

(a)

having

(b)

has

(c)

have

5.

(a)

majority

(b)

majored

(c)

major

6.

(a)

yet

(b)

until

(c)

for

7.

(a)

talks

(b)

talk

(c)

talking

8.

(a)

opens

(b)

opening

(c)

opened

9.

(a)

angry

(b)

angers

(c)

angered

10.

(a)

spoke

(b)

told

(c)

shouted

11.

(a)

little

(b)

few

(c)

small

12

(a)

meal

(b)

seal

(c)

deal


SPELLING


Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.


Paragraph 1

1.

hold peace altks

2.

lrebe group

3.

the dadece-long war

4.

If the talks go aahed

5.

a jrmao breakthrough in relations

6.

the mnugcopi meeting

 

Paragraph 2

7.

second set of egmnsite

8.

opening a paeicls office

9.

help the unsdicoisss

10.

He only fudno out after

11.

He is a little souusispic

12.

He tspscseu America


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER


Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

plans to meet with American negotiators in Qatar. The rebels are opening a special

(    )

office in the capital, Doha, to help the discussions. The Doha talks between the Taliban and USA

(    )

talk to President Karzai’s government. The Taliban has not yet commented on the upcoming meeting.

(    )

good for his government. He suspects America will tell him what to do to get a peace deal.

(    )

The Saudi Arabia talks are the second set of meetings planned with the Taliban. The group

(    )

between the Afghan government and the rebel group will take place in Saudi Arabia. Afghans hope

(    )

their leaders can bring an end to the decade-long war that has ruined their country. If the talks go

1  )

Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban will soon hold peace talks. The meetings

(    )

angered Mr Karzai because no one told him about them. He only found out

(    )

after the dates were set. He is a little suspicious that talks between the Taliban and Americans will not be

(    )

government. Until now, the Taliban has refused to recognize or

(    )

ahead, it will be a major breakthrough in relations between the Taliban and the Afghan


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT


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

1.

The     talks     peace     hold     soon     will     Taliban.    

2.

-     end     decade     war     an     the     long     Bring     to.    

3.

a     major     It     breakthrough     will     in     be     relations.    

4.

talk     or     Recognize     government     Karzai’s     President     to.    

5.

Taliban     not     commented     The     has     yet.    

6.

of     planned     The     set     meetings     second.    

7.

plans     negotiators     to     meet     The     with     group     American.    

8.

capital     the     in     office     special     a     Opening.    

9.

one     him     them     No     told     about.    

10.

America     him     do     suspects     tell     to     He     will     what.    


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 Afghanistan 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. AFGHANISTAN: Search the Internet and find more information about Afghanistan. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Afghanistan. Include an imaginary interview with President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban. 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 an Afghanistan expert. Ask him/her three questions about Afghanistan. Give him/her three of your opinions on its future. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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