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READ
Helen Clark (born in 1950) is the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was in office between 1999 and 2008 and won three consecutive national elections. She is the second longest serving prime minister in NZ’s history. In 2008, she won the UN Environment Programme Champions of the Earth award for her plan to make NZ the world’s first carbon zero nation.
Clark grew up in a farming family and she developed a great love for the land. As a teenager, she became politically active. She protested against the Vietnam War and foreign military bases in New Zealand. She graduated from university with a Master’s degree in politics in 1974. Her research was based on politics in the countryside.
Clark won her first election in 1981. She rose up through the ranks and served in different posts as Minister of Housing, Conservation, Health, and finally as Deputy Prime Minister. She has significantly reformed her country’s welfare system. She introduced many popular measures, including raising the minimum wage six times and abolishing interest on student loans.
In 2008, Clark signed a landmark agreement that handed back land to the indigenous Maori population. She was a fierce opponent of the invasion of Iraq and criticized American actions. She has forged strong relations with China, whose president calls her an “old friend”. She believes that “it’s inevitable that NZ will become a republic” and “reflect the reality that NZ is a…21st century nation”.
241 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
consecutive
a.
demonstrated
2
serving
b.
country
3.
nation
c.
in a row
4.
love
d.
country
5.
protested
e.
passion
6.
countryside
f.
working
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
posts
g.
strong
8.
significantly
h.
mirror
9.
abolishing
i.
historic
10.
landmark
j.
positions
11
fierce
k
ending
12
reflect
l
considerably
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
She was in office
a.
against the Vietnam War
2
the world’s first carbon
b.
agreement
3.
she developed a great
c.
in politics
4.
She protested
d.
zero nation
5.
a Master’s degree
e.
through the ranks
6.
She rose up
f.
wage six times
7.
She has significantly reformed her
g.
between 1999 and 2008
8.
raising the minimum
h.
the invasion of Iraq
9.
Clark signed a landmark
i.
love for the land
10.
She was a fierce opponent of
j.
country’s welfare system
LISTENING GAP FILL
Helen Clark (born in 1950) is the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand. She ________________ between 1999 and 2008 and won three consecutive national elections. She ________________ longest serving prime minister in NZ’s history. In 2008, she won the UN Environment Programme Champions of the Earth ________________ to make NZ the world’s first ________________.
Clark ________________ farming family and she developed a great ________________. As a teenager, she became politically active. She protested against the Vietnam War and foreign ________________ New Zealand. She graduated from university with a Master’s degree in politics in 1974. Her research ________________ politics in the countryside.
Clark won her first election in 1981. She ________________ the ranks and served in different posts as Minister of Housing, Conservation, Health, and finally as Deputy Prime Minister. She has ________________ her country’s welfare system. She introduced many ________________, including raising the minimum wage six times and abolishing ________________ loans.
In 2008, Clark signed a _________________ that handed back land to the indigenous Maori population. She was ________________ the invasion of Iraq and criticized American actions. She has forged ________________ with China, whose president calls her an “old friend”. She believes that “it’s inevitable that NZ will become a republic” and “________________ that NZ is a…21st century nation”.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Helen Clark (born in 1950) is the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was on / in office between 1999 and 2008 and won three consecutive national / nation elections. She is the second / seconds longest serving prime minister in NZ’s history. In 2008, she won the UN Environment Programme Champions of the Earth award for her plan to make NZ the world’s first carbon nil / zero nation.
Clark grew up in a farming family and she developed a great / greet love for the land. As a teenager, she became politically / politics active. She protested / protected against the Vietnam War and foreign military bases in New Zealand. She graduated from university with a Master’s degree in politics in 1974. Her research was basis / based on politics in the countryside.
Clark won her first election in 1981. She raised / rose up through the ranks and served in / on different posts as Minister of Housing, Conservation, Health, and finally as Deputy Prime Minister. She was / has significantly reformed her country’s welfare system. She introduced many popular measures, including raising / lowering the minimum wage six times and abolishing interest on student loans.
In 2008, Clark signed a landmark agreement that handed / handing back land to the indigenous Maori population. She was a fiercely / fierce opponent of the invasion of Iraq and criticized American actions. She has forged strong relatives / relations with China, whose president calls her an “old friend”. She believes that “it’s inevitable that / so NZ will become a republic” and “reflect the reality that NZ is a…21st century nation”.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
She was in cieoff between 1999 and 2008
2.
won three ocisevuentc national elections
3.
the second longest engsivr prime minister
4.
the world’s first nbaroc zero nation
Paragraph 2
5.
Clark grew up in a nirfagm family
6.
politically cvaiet
7.
She protested ansagti the Vietnam War
8.
a Master’s degree in sctpiloi
Paragraph 3
9.
rose up rhugtho the ranks
10.
reformed her country’s welfare mtessy
11.
She introduced many apuorpl measures
12.
abolishing etirtnse on student loans
Paragraph 4
13.
Clark igdnes a landmark agreement
14.
a fierce opponent of the aosinnvi of Iraq
15.
She has forged strong lrntaeois with China
16.
reflect the teiarly that NZ is a…21st century nation
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
university with a Master’s degree in politics in 1974. Her research was based on politics in the countryside.
( )
the UN Environment Programme Champions of the Earth award for her plan to make NZ the world’s first carbon zero nation.
( )
Clark won her first election in 1981. She rose up through the ranks and served in different
( )
Clark grew up in a farming family and she developed a great love for the land. As a teenager, she became politically
( 1 )
Helen Clark (born in 1950) is the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was in office between 1999 and 2008 and won
( )
posts as Minister of Housing, Conservation, Health, and finally as Deputy Prime Minister. She has significantly
( )
In 2008, Clark signed a landmark agreement that handed back land to the
( )
and “reflect the reality that NZ is a…21st century nation”.
( )
indigenous Maori population. She was a fierce opponent of the invasion of Iraq and criticized American
( )
reformed her country’s welfare system. She introduced many popular measures, including raising the minimum
( )
active. She protested against the Vietnam War and foreign military bases in New Zealand. She graduated from
( )
three consecutive national elections. She is the second longest serving prime minister in NZ’s history. In 2008, she won
( )
actions. She has forged strong relations with China, whose president calls her
( )
an “old friend”. She believes that “it’s inevitable that NZ will become a republic”
( )
wage six times and abolishing interest on student loans.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
consecutive won national three elections
2.
in minister prime serving longest the second history NZ’s
3.
zero nation her plan to make NZ the world’s first carbon
4.
developed she land the for love great a
5.
protested She War Vietnam the against
6.
system country’s reformed welfare her
7.
times six wage minimum the raising
8.
population Maori indigenous the to land back handed
9.
She forged relations China has strong with
10.
a inevitable NZ become republic that will
DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Helen Clark?
2.
Would you like to meet Helen Clark?
3.
What would you like to know about Helen Clark and why?
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 Helen Clark. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. HELEN CLARK POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Helen Clark. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Helen Clark. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Helen Clark. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Helen Clark expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
consecutive
a.
in a row
2
serving
b.
working
3.
nation
c.
country
4.
love
d.
passion
5.
protested
e.
demonstrated
6.
countryside
f.
country
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
posts
g.
positions
8.
significantly
h.
considerably
9.
abolishing
i.
ending
10.
landmark
j.
historic
11
fierce
k
strong
12
reflect
l
mirror
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She was in office
a.
between 1999 and 2008
2
the world’s first carbon
b.
zero nation
3.
she developed a great
c.
love for the land
4.
She protested
d.
against the Vietnam War
5.
a Master’s degree
e.
in politics
6.
She rose up
f.
through the ranks
7.
She has significantly reformed her
g.
country’s welfare system
8.
raising the minimum
h.
wage six times
9.
Clark signed a landmark
i.
agreement
10.
She was a fierce opponent of
j.
the invasion of Iraq
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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