Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Mahmoud Abbas. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Mahmoud Abbas was elected as President of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. He is a leading politician in the Fatah movement. He was also the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has spent much of his career negotiating with Israel to secure a Palestinian homeland. He is viewed by the West as a moderate who can help bring peace to the region.
Abbas was born in 1935 in Palestine. His family became refugees during the 1948 war with Israel and settled in Syria. He graduated from the University of Damascus and then went to study law in Egypt. He then moved to Moscow to do his Ph.D. In his thesis, he described the Nazi Holocaust as being nothing but a “fantastic lie”.
In the 1950s, Abbas was involved in underground Palestinian politics. He helped recruit for the Palestine Liberation Organization. He also co-founded Fatah in 1957. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he remained a key figure in Palestinian politics. His was a lone voice that argued for the recognition of Israel. He had secret meetings with Israeli groups from the 1970s.
At the 1993 peace accords with Israel, Abbas signed on behalf of the PLO. He was seen by Israel and the USA as someone they could work with. He won the 2005 presidential election and immediately called for an end to violence against Israel. He has worked tirelessly to bring about Palestinian statehood. He also said "There is absolutely no substitution for dialogue."
247 words
Flesch Kinkaid 10.2
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.
leading
a.
establish
2
secure
b.
displaced people
3.
region
c.
put down roots
4.
refugees
d.
amazing
5.
settled
e.
top
6.
fantastic
f.
area
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
underground
g.
replacement
8.
key
h.
treaty
9.
recognition
i.
enthusiastically
10.
accord
j.
undercover
11
tirelessly
k
acceptance
12
substitution
l
important
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
a leading politician
a.
Palestinian politics
2
negotiating
b.
a moderate
3.
viewed by the West as
c.
to violence
4.
settled
d.
figure
5.
nothing but a
e.
with Israel
6.
underground
f.
“fantastic lie”
7.
a key
g.
for dialogue
8.
argued for the recognition
h.
in the Fatah movement
9.
called for an end
i.
of Israel
10.
no substitution
j.
in Syria
LISTENING GAP FILL
Mahmoud Abbas _____________ President of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. He is a leading _____________ Fatah movement. He was also the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has spent _____________ career negotiating with Israel to secure a Palestinian homeland. He is viewed by the West as a moderate who can _____________ to the region.
Abbas was born in 1935 in Palestine. His family _____________ during the 1948 war with Israel _____________ Syria. He graduated from the University of Damascus and then went to study law in Egypt. He then moved to Moscow _________________. In his thesis, he described the Nazi Holocaust as being _____________ “fantastic lie”.
In the 1950s, Abbas _____________ underground Palestinian politics. He helped recruit for the Palestine Liberation Organization. ______________ Fatah in 1957. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he remained _____________ in Palestinian politics. His was _____________ that argued for the recognition of Israel. He had secret meetings with Israeli groups from the 1970s.
At the 1993 ________________ Israel, Abbas signed on behalf of the PLO. He _____________ Israel and the USA as someone they could work with. He won the 2005 presidential election and immediately called _____________ violence against Israel. He has worked tirelessly _____________ Palestinian statehood. He also said "There is absolutely no substitution for dialogue."
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Mahmoud Abbas was elected / election as President of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005. He is a leader / leading politician in the Fatah movement. He was also the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has spent much / many of his career negotiating with Israel to secure a Palestinian homeland. He is viewed / viewer by the West as a moderate who can help bring peace to the region.
Abbas was born / birth in 1935 in Palestine. His family became refugees / refuges during the 1948 war with Israel and settled in Syria. He graduated from the University of Damascus and then went to study lawyer / law in Egypt. He then moved to Moscow to do his Ph.D. In his thesis, he described the Nazi Holocaust as being something / nothing but a “fantastic lie”.
In the 1950s, Abbas was involved in overground / underground Palestinian politics. He helped recruit / recruited for the Palestine Liberation Organization. He also co-founded Fatah in 1957. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he remained a key / padlock figure in Palestinian politics. His was a lone / loner voice that argued for the recognition of Israel. He had secret meetings with Israeli groups from the 1970s.
At the 1993 peace record / accords with Israel, Abbas signed on half / behalf of the PLO. He was seen by Israel and the USA as someone they could work with. He won the 2005 presidential election and immediately called for an end to violent / violence against Israel. He has worked tirelessly to bring about Palestinian statehood. He also said "There is absolutely no substitution for monologue / dialogue."
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
He is a nagelid politician
2.
spent much of his aeercr negotiating with Israel
3.
reusec a Palestinian homeland
4.
bring peace to the niogre
Paragraph 2
5.
His family became seueegfr
6.
stedlte in Syria
7.
the Nazi Haslotuco
8.
a tacnsiaft lie
Paragraph 3
9.
oneildvv in underground Palestinian politics
10.
He helped rtcueri for the Palestine Liberation Organization
11.
he remained a key riugfe
12.
He had creste meetings
Paragraph 4
13.
1993 peace caodrc
14.
oeosmne they could work with
15.
He has worked yesitelsrl
16.
no substitution for iogaeudl
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Moscow to do his Ph.D. In his thesis, he described the Nazi Holocaust as being nothing but a “fantastic lie”.
( )
West as a moderate who can help bring peace to the region.
( )
statehood. He also said "There is absolutely no substitution for dialogue."
( )
end to violence against Israel. He has worked tirelessly to bring about Palestinian
( )
At the 1993 peace accords with Israel, Abbas signed on behalf of the PLO. He was seen by Israel and the
( )
the Palestine Liberation Organization. He also co-founded Fatah in 1957. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he remained a
( )
Israel. He had secret meetings with Israeli groups from the 1970s.
( )
politician in the Fatah movement. He was also the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has spent much
( )
of his career negotiating with Israel to secure a Palestinian homeland. He is viewed by the
( )
In the 1950s, Abbas was involved in underground Palestinian politics. He helped recruit for
( )
Abbas was born in 1935 in Palestine. His family became refugees during the 1948 war with Israel and settled
( )
USA as someone they could work with. He won the 2005 presidential election and immediately called for an
( 1 )
Mahmoud Abbas was elected as President of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005 He is a leading
( )
key figure in Palestinian politics. His was a lone voice that argued for the recognition of
( )
in Syria. He graduated from the University of Damascus and then went to study law in Egypt. He then moved to
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
leading movement politician He in is the a Fatah
2.
his of much spent has Abbas negotiating career
3.
the He West is as viewed a by moderate
4.
1948 the during refugees became family His war
5.
fantastic but lie a nothing
6.
underground politics was in Palestinian Abbas involved
7.
he politics Palestinian in figure key a remained
8.
secret with groups had meetings Israeli He
9.
immediately to called violence for against an Israel end
10.
no for There absolutely substitution dialogue is
MAHMOUD ABBAS DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Mahmoud Abbas?
2.
Would you like to meet Mahmoud Abbas?
3.
What would you like to know about Mahmoud Abbas 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 Mahmoud Abbas. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAHMOUD ABBAS POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Mahmoud Abbas. 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 Mahmoud Abbas. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he 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 Mahmoud Abbas. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Mahmoud Abbas expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
leading
a.
top
2
secure
b.
establish
3.
region
c.
area
4.
refugees
d.
displaced people
5.
settled
e.
put down roots
6.
fantastic
f.
amazing
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
underground
g.
undercover
8.
key
h.
important
9.
recognition
i.
acceptance
10.
accord
j.
treaty
11
tirelessly
k
enthusiastically
12
substitution
l
replacement
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
a leading politician
a.
in the Fatah movement
2
negotiating
b.
with Israel
3.
viewed by the West as
c.
a moderate
4.
settled
d.
in Syria
5.
nothing but a
e.
“fantastic lie”
6.
underground
f.
Palestinian politics
7.
a key
g.
figure
8.
argued for the recognition
h.
of Israel
9.
called for an end
i.
to violence
10.
no substitution
j.
for dialogue
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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