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Syrian Attack on Turkey Kills Five (4th October, 2012)

Syria increased regional tensions on Wednesday after a Syrian missile killed a mother and her four children in Turkey. The incident is the first time Turkey's citizens have been killed by Syria since the Syrian civil war began in March 2011. Turkey immediately hit back by firing shells into Syria. Turkey's foreign minister also asked NATO for help against Syria. NATO held an emergency meeting to show support for Ankara while telling Syria to follow international law. The organization also discussed other options.

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There are fears that the trouble in Syria could spread across its borders into neighbouring countries. Turkey is helping the rebel armies in Syria, while Iran is giving support to Syria's government. Hillary Clinton said it was "a very, very dangerous situation". She said "all responsible nations" must act to get Syria's government to end its fighting. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Turkey will never leave unanswered such [terrible acts] by the Syrian regime against our national security."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

Syria increased regional

a.

law

2

civil

b.

minister

3.

Turkey's foreign

c.

other options

4.

held an emergency

d.

tensions on Wednesday

5.

follow international

e.

war

6.

The organization also discussed

f.

meeting

 

Paragraph 2

1.

trouble in Syria could spread

a.

end its fighting

2

neighbouring

b.

armies in Syria

3.

Turkey is helping the rebel

c.

across its borders

4.

a very, very dangerous

d.

regime

5.

get Syria's government to

e.

situation

6.

such terrible acts by the Syrian

f.

countries


LISTENING GAP FILL

Syria increased (1) ___________________ Wednesday after a Syrian missile killed a mother and her four children in Turkey. The (2) ___________________ time Turkey's citizens have been killed by Syria since the Syrian (3) ___________________ March 2011. Turkey immediately (4) ___________________ shells into Syria. Turkey's foreign minister also asked NATO for help against Syria. NATO held (5) ___________________ to show support for Ankara while telling Syria to follow international law. The organization (6) ___________________ options.

There are fears that the trouble in Syria (7) _________________ its borders into neighbouring countries. Turkey is helping the rebel armies in Syria, while Iran (8) ___________________ Syria's government. Hillary Clinton said it was "a very, very dangerous situation". She said "(9) ___________________" must act to get Syria's government (10) ___________________. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Turkey will never (11) ___________________ [terrible acts] by the Syrian regime against (12) ___________________."


MULTIPLE CHOICE

Syria increased (1) ____ tensions on Wednesday after a Syrian missile killed a mother and her four children in Turkey. The (2) ____ is the first time Turkey's citizens have been killed by Syria (3) ____ the Syrian civil war began in March 2011. Turkey immediately (4) ____ back by firing shells into Syria. Turkey's foreign minister also asked NATO for help against Syria. NATO (5) ____ an emergency meeting to show support for Ankara while telling Syria to follow international law. The organization also discussed other (6) ____.

There are fears that the trouble in Syria could (7) ____ across its borders into neighbouring countries. Turkey is helping the rebel armies in Syria, while Iran is (8) ____ support to Syria's government. Hillary Clinton said it was "a very, very (9) ____ situation". She said "all responsible nations" must (10) ____ to get Syria's government to end its fighting. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Turkey will (11) ____ leave unanswered such [terrible acts] by the Syrian regime (12) ____ our national security."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

regions

(b)

region

(c)

regional

2.

(a)

incident

(b)

accident

(c)

moment

3.

(a)

for

(b)

since

(c)

from

4.

(a)

hit

(b)

slapped

(c)

crashed

5.

(a)

handled

(b)

handed

(c)

held

6.

(a)

opted

(b)

options

(c)

optics

7.

(a)

spread

(b)

spreads

(c)

spreading

8.

(a)

gives

(b)

given

(c)

giving

9.

(a)

dangerous

(b)

danger

(c)

dangers

10.

(a)

role

(b)

act

(c)

perform

11.

(a)

ever

(b)

even

(c)

never

12

(a)

for

(b)

against

(c)

back


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

regional snnieots

2.

viicl war

3.

hit back by rgiifn shells into Syria

4.

held an emergency eintegm

5.

ololfw international law

6.

discussed other nisopot

 

Paragraph 2

7.

the eblotur in Syria

8.

helping the rebel emrais

9.

a very, very dangerous aotnitusi

10.

get Syria's government to end its igngifht

11.

reertlib acts

12.

national siutyerc


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

situation". She said "all responsible nations" must act to get Syria's government to end its

(    )

back by firing shells into Syria. Turkey's foreign minister also asked NATO for

(    )

and her four children in Turkey. The incident is the first time Turkey's citizens have been killed

(    )

help against Syria. NATO held an emergency meeting to show support for Ankara while telling

(    )

by Syria since the Syrian civil war began in March 2011. Turkey immediately hit

(    )

countries. Turkey is helping the rebel armies in Syria, while Iran is giving

1  )

Syria increased regional tensions on Wednesday after a Syrian missile killed a mother

(    )

There are fears that the trouble in Syria could spread across its borders into neighbouring

(    )

support to Syria's government. Hillary Clinton said it was "a very, very dangerous

(    )

unanswered such [terrible acts] by the Syrian regime against our national security."

(    )

fighting. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Turkey will never leave

(    )

Syria to follow international law. The organization also discussed other options.


PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

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

1.

tensions     Wednesday     Syria     regional     on     increased.    

2.

a    mother    and    her    4    children    A    Syrian     missile     killed.    

3.

been     time     killed     Turkey's     citizens     The     have     first.    

4.

law     Telling     to     international     Syria     follow.    

5.

other     organization     discussed     options     The     also.    

6.

spread     borders     trouble    could    its    The    Syria     across     in.    

7.

Syria     the     rebel     Turkey     armies     is     in     helping.    

8.

said     She     act     must     nations     responsible     all.    

9.

government     Syria's     Get     fighting     its     end     to.    

10.

Such     regime     Syrian     the     by     acts     terrible.    


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 Syria 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. SYRIA: Search the Internet and find more information about what's happening in Syria. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Syria's attack on Turkey. Include an imaginary interview with people on both sides. 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 Syria expert. Ask him/her three questions about Syria. 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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