Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on King Jing-Il. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Kim Jong-il was born in 1941 in the Soviet Union. North Korea’s official biographies state his year of birth as 1942 and his birthplace as Korea. He was the leader of North Korea for over a decade. Since Kim was not actually the president, he never had to hold elections to keep power. He died from natural causes in December 2011.
North Koreans learn that a double rainbow over the mountains and a new star in the heavens announced Kim Jong-il’s birth. They are also taught that he was the world’s greatest and kindest ruler. They call him "Dear Leader". It is extremely dangerous for any North Korean to say anything negative about him. He was leader of the world’s fourth largest army.
He spent the first three years of his life in the Soviet Union and was known as Yuri. Official records say he was educated in Pyongyang. Foreign reports claim he went to school in China to escape the Korean War. He was involved in political activities throughout his schooling. At university he studied Marxism, philosophy and military science.
Kim left behind a daughter and three sons, but there is no official information about his marital history. His hobbies included collecting cars and watching movies. He had many luxury Mercedes and over 20,000 videos. His favorite films included the James Bond series. He also loved golf. North Korea’s government reports that Kim got up to four holes-in-one every time he played.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
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.
biographies
a.
really
2
state
b.
very
3.
actually
c.
say
4.
announced
d.
life stories
5.
extremely
e.
bad
6.
negative
f.
said
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
official
g.
get away
8.
escape
h.
marriage
9.
schooling
i.
approved
10.
marital
j.
adored
11
films
k
education
12
loved
l
movies
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
North Korea’s official
a.
Kim Jong-il’s birth
2
he never had to hold
b.
every time he played
3.
a new star in the heavens announced
c.
biographies
4.
It is extremely
d.
activities
5.
He was leader of the world’s
e.
elections to keep power
6.
He spent the first three years of
f.
history
7.
He was involved in political
g.
dangerous
8.
marital
h.
his life in the Soviet Union
9.
His hobbies included
i.
fourth largest army
10.
Kim got up to four holes-in-one
j.
collecting cars
LISTENING GAP FILL
Kim Jong-il was born in 1941 in the Soviet Union. North Korea’s ____________________ state his year of birth as 1942 and his birthplace as Korea. He was the leader of North Korea __________________. Since Kim was not actually the president, he __________________ elections to keep power. He died from ____________________ December 2011.
North Koreans learn that a double rainbow over the mountains and __________________ heavens announced Kim Jong-il’s birth. They are also __________________ world’s greatest and kindest ruler. They call him "Dear Leader". It is __________________ for any North Korean to say anything __________________. He was leader of the world’s fourth largest army.
He spent __________________ of his life in the Soviet Union and was known as Yuri. Official records say he was educated in Pyongyang. Foreign reports __________________ school in China to escape the Korean War. He was involved in political activities __________________ schooling. At university he studied Marxism, philosophy __________________.
Kim __________________ daughter and three sons, but there is no official information about his __________________. His hobbies included collecting cars and watching movies. He had many luxury Mercedes and over 20,000 videos. His favorite ___________________ James Bond series. He also loved golf. North Korea’s government reports that Kim got up to __________________ every time he played.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Kim Jong-il was birth / born in 1941 in the Soviet Union. North Korea’s official biographies state / states his year of birth as 1942 and his birthplace as Korea. He was the leader of North Korea for over a decade. Since Kim was not actual / actually the president, he never had to hold elections to keep power. He died from natural caused / causes in December 2011.
North Koreans learn that a double rainbow over the mountains and a new star on / in the heavens announced Kim Jong-il’s birth. They are also learned / taught that he was the world’s greatest and kindest ruler. They call him "Dear Leader". It is extremely dangerous / danger for any North Korean to say anything negative about him. He was leader of the world’s forth / fourth largest army.
He spent the first three years of his living / life in the Soviet Union and was known as Yuri. Official record / records say he was educated in Pyongyang. Foreign reports claim he went to school in China to / for escape the Korean War. He was involved in political activities throughout / inside out his schooling. At university he studied Marxism, philosophy and military science.
Kim left / right behind a daughter and three sons, but there is no office / official information about his marital history. His hobbies included collection / collecting cars and watching movies. He had many luxury Mercedes and over 20,000 videos. His favorite films included the James Bond series / serious. He also loved golf. North Korea’s government reports that Kim got up to four holes-in-one every time he played.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
facfiloi biographies, however, state his year of birth as 1942
2.
… and his rctiehlbpa as Korea
3.
leader of North Korea for over a aeddce
4.
he never had to hold seelcnoti to keep power
Paragraph 2
5.
a uolebd rainbow over the mountains
6.
a new star in the eaevshn
7.
the world’s greatest and nstdiek ruler
8.
dangerous for any North Korean to say anything evgenait
Paragraph 3
9.
… and was onwkn as Yuri
10.
he was tueeddca in Pyongyang
11.
He was odnvevil in political activities
12.
he studied Marxism, philosophy and military niceecs
Paragraph 4
13.
his aliartm history
14.
His hobbies ieunecld collecting cars
15.
He had many yulrxu Mercedes
16.
the James Bond eisres
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
He spent the first three years of his life in the Soviet Union and was known as Yuri. Official records
( )
included the James Bond series. He also loved golf. North Korea’s government
( )
keep power. He died from natural causes in December 2011.
( )
reports that Kim got up to four holes-in-one every time he played.
( )
North Koreans learn that a double rainbow over the mountains and a new star in the
( )
Kim left behind a daughter and three sons, but there is no official information about his marital history. His hobbies
( )
in political activities throughout his schooling. At university he studied Marxism, philosophy and military science.
( )
included collecting cars and watching movies. He had many luxury Mercedes and over 20,000 videos. His favorite films
( )
his year of birth as 1942 and his birthplace as Korea. He was the leader of North Korea for
( 1 )
Kim Jong-il was born in 1941 in the Soviet Union. North Korea’s official biographies, however, state
( )
heavens announced Kim Jong-il’s birth. They are also taught that he is the world’s greatest and kindest ruler. They call him "Dear Leader". It is extremely
( )
over a decade. Since Kim was not actually the president, he never had to hold elections to
( )
say he was educated in Pyongyang. Foreign reports claim he went to school in China to
( )
escape the Korean War. He was involved
( )
dangerous for any North Korean to say anything negative about him. He is leader of the world’s fourth largest army.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
official Korea’s North biographies
2.
the was He decade a over for Korea North of leader
3.
the over rainbow double a mountains
4.
is he ruler kindest and greatest world’s the
5.
anything him negative say about
6.
three of life first years his the
7.
China went Foreign to reports school claim in he
8.
involved his in schooling political He activities was throughout
9.
official history information there about is his no marital
10.
included films favorite His series Bond James the
KIM JONG-IL DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Kim Jong-il?
2.
Would you like to have met Kim Jong-il?
3.
What would you like to know about Kim Jong-il 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 Kim Jong-il. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. KIM JONG-IL POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Kim Jong-il. 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 Kim Jong-il. Include an imaginary interview with his supporters. Write about what he did every day and what he thought 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 a Kim Jong-il expert. Ask him/her three questions about him. Give him three suggestions on how he could have done things differently. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Kim Jong-il expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
biographies
a.
life stories
2
state
b.
say
3.
actually
c.
really
4.
announced
d.
said
5.
extremely
e.
very
6.
negative
f.
bad
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
official
g.
approved
8.
escape
h.
get away
9.
schooling
i.
education
10.
marital
j.
marriage
11
films
k
movies
12
loved
l
adored
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
North Korea’s official
a.
biographies
2
he never had to hold
b.
elections to keep power
3.
a new star in the heavens announced
c.
Kim Jong-il’s birth
4.
It is extremely
d.
dangerous
5.
He was leader of the world’s
e.
fourth largest army
6.
He spent the first three years of
f.
his life in the Soviet Union
7.
He was involved in political
g.
activities
8.
marital
h.
history
9.
His hobbies included
i.
collecting cars
10.
Kim got up to four holes-in-one
j.
every time he played
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE
Recommend the site on blogs,Twitter, Facebook, forums and other sites.
