Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Martti Ahtisaari. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
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Peace Prize winner and former Finnish President. He also won the 2008 UNESCO Peace Prize. Ahtisaari has spent much of his career in the world’s danger zones trying to bring peace to people at war. Ahtisaari started his career as a school teacher, which he says was good training for his diplomatic career.
Ahtisaari was born in 1937 in Finland. When he was a child, his home region was taken over by the Soviet Union. He and his family had to move many times. He said this experience gave him sympathy for displaced people. He became a teacher in 1959 and a year later started his travels. He took up a position in Pakistan to start a physical education school.
Ahtisaari returned to Finland in 1963 and became interested in developing countries. In 1965, he joined Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He was sent to Namibia in 1989 as the UN Special Representative to bring peace to the country. He achieved this and became an honorary Namibian citizen. Ahtisaari returned to Finland and served as president between 1994-2000.
Ahtisaari said his greatest triumph was bringing peace to Namibia. He also played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process, the Aceh region of Indonesia, and Kosovo. More recently, he has mediated between different sides in Iraq. Ahtisaari is a strong believer that all countries can achieve peace. “Every conflict can be solved,” he said.
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.
former
a.
areas
2
zones
b.
occupied
3.
started
c.
started
4.
taken over
d.
began
5.
move
e.
ex-
6.
took up
f.
relocate
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
returned
g.
worked
8.
achieved
h.
dispute
9.
served
i.
went back
10.
triumph
j.
important
11
key
k
victory
12
conflict
l
did
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
Ahtisaari has spent much of his career
a.
move many times
2
bring peace
b.
for displaced people
3.
his family had to
c.
triumph
4.
this experience gave him sympathy
d.
countries
5.
He took
e.
in the world’s danger zones
6.
became interested in developing
f.
to people at war
7.
became an honorary Namibian
g.
role
8.
his greatest
h.
up a position in Pakistan
9.
He also played a key
i.
can be solved
10.
Every conflict
j.
citizen
LISTENING GAP FILL
Peace Prize winner and former Finnish President. ________________ 2008 UNESCO Peace Prize. Ahtisaari has ________________ career in the world’s danger zones trying to bring ________________ at war. Ahtisaari started his career as a school teacher, which he says was ________________ his diplomatic career.
Ahtisaari was born in 1937 in Finland. When he was a child, his home region ________________ by the Soviet Union. He and his family ________________ times. He said this experience ________________ for displaced people. He became a teacher in 1959 and a year later started his travels. He ________________ in Pakistan to start a physical education school.
Ahtisaari returned to Finland in 1963 and ________________ developing countries. In 1965, he joined Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He ________________ Namibia in 1989 as the UN Special Representative to bring peace to the country. ________________ and became an honorary Namibian citizen. Ahtisaari returned to Finland ________________ president between 1994-2000.
Ahtisaari said ________________ was bringing peace to Namibia. He also played a key role in the Northern Ireland ________________, the Aceh region of Indonesia, and Kosovo. More recently, he has mediated between ________________ Iraq. Ahtisaari is a strong believer that all countries can achieve peace. “Every ________________ solved,” he said.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Peace Prize winner and former / firmer Finnish President. He also won the 2008 UNESCO Peace Prize. Ahtisaari has spent many / much of his career in the world’s danger zones trying to bring peace to people by / at war. Ahtisaari started his career as a school teacher, which he says was good training for his diplomatic / diplomacy career.
Ahtisaari was born in 1937 in Finland. When he was / as a child, his home region was taken / taking over by the Soviet Union. He and his family had to move many times. He said this experience gave him sympathy / sympathetic for displaced people. He became a teacher in 1959 and a year later started his travels. He took down / up a position in Pakistan to start a physical education school.
Ahtisaari returned to Finland in 1963 and became interested on / in developing countries. In 1965, he joined Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He was sent / sending to Namibia in 1989 as the UN Special Representative to bring peace to the country. He achievement / achieved this and became an honorary Namibian citizen. Ahtisaari returned to Finland and served / service as president between 1994-2000.
Ahtisaari said his greatest triumphant / triumph was bringing peace to Namibia. He also played a key roll / role in the Northern Ireland peace process, the Aceh region of Indonesia, and Kosovo. More recently, he has mediated / meditated between different sides in Iraq. Ahtisaari is a strong believer that all countries can achieve peace. “Every conflict can be solution / solved,” he said.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
eorfmr Finnish President
2.
the world’s danger oensz
3.
bring epcea to people at war
4.
his diplomatic eeacrr
Paragraph 2
5.
his home igrnoe
6.
tmhspyya for displaced people
7.
a year later started his valerts
8.
ychslpia education
Paragraph 3
9.
iepledgvon countries
10.
he noejid Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs
11.
an honorary Namibian iizcnte
12.
dverse as president between 1994-2000
Paragraph 4
13.
his greatest hirmtup
14.
He also eylpad a key role
15.
he has mediated between different deiss in Iraq
16.
Every conflict can be evosld
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
achieve peace. “Every conflict can be solved,” he said.
( )
Ahtisaari returned to Finland in 1963 and became interested in developing countries. In 1965, he joined Finland’s
( )
Ahtisaari said his greatest triumph was bringing peace to Namibia. He also played a key
( )
Ahtisaari was born in 1937 in Finland. When he was a child, his home region was taken over by the
( )
between different sides in Iraq. Ahtisaari is a strong believer that all countries can
( )
for displaced people. He became a teacher in 1959 and a year
( )
later started his travels. He took up a position in Pakistan to start a physical education school.
( 1 )
Martti Ahtisaari is the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Finnish President. He also won the 2008 UNESCO Peace
( )
Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He was sent to Namibia in 1989 as the UN
( )
Prize. Ahtisaari has spent much of his career in the world’s danger zones trying to bring peace to people at
( )
role in the Northern Ireland peace process, the Aceh region of Indonesia, and Kosovo. More recently, he has mediated
( )
Soviet Union. He and his family had to move many times. He said this experience gave him sympathy
( )
Special Representative to bring peace to the country. He achieved
( )
this and became an honorary Namibian citizen. Ahtisaari returned to Finland and served as president between 1994-2000.
( )
war. Ahtisaari started his career as a school teacher, which he says was good training for his diplomatic career.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
Peace won also 2008 the Prize He UNESCO
2.
to trying peace bring to at people war
3.
family times his move to had many
4.
this gave people experience for him displaced sympathy
5.
a took in He Pakistan position up
6.
was to He Namibia in 1989 sent
7.
as returned Finland served and to president Ahtisaari
8.
triumph greatest was Namibia peace to his bringing
9.
has different mediated Iraq between in he sides
10.
can conflict Every solved be
DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Martti Ahtisaari?
2.
Would you like to meet Martti Ahtisaari?
3.
What would you like to know about Martti Ahtisaari 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 Martti Ahtisaari. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MARTTI AHTISAARI POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Martti Ahtisaari. 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 Martti Ahtisaari. 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 Martti Ahtisaari. 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 “Martti Ahtisaari expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
former
a.
ex-
2
zones
b.
areas
3.
started
c.
began
4.
taken over
d.
occupied
5.
move
e.
relocate
6.
took up
f.
started
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
returned
g.
went back
8.
achieved
h.
did
9.
served
i.
worked
10.
triumph
j.
victory
11
key
k
important
12
conflict
l
dispute
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
Ahtisaari has spent much of his career
a.
in the world’s danger zones
2
bring peace
b.
to people at war
3.
his family had to
c.
move many times
4.
this experience gave him sympathy
d.
for displaced people
5.
He took
e.
up a position in Pakistan
6.
became interested in developing
f.
countries
7.
became an honorary Namibian
g.
citizen
8.
his greatest
h.
triumph
9.
He also played a key
i.
role
10.
Every conflict
j.
can be solved
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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