Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Sonia Gandhi. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Sonia Gandhi was born in 1946 to Italian parents in a small village in northern Italy. She was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended a Catholic school. Her life changed in 1964 when she went to study English in England. It was there that she met and fell in love with Rajiv Gandhi, the future Prime Minister of India.
The couple were married in 1969. Sonia quickly got a taste of Indian politics when she moved in with her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, India’s Prime Minister. They decided to stay out of politics. Rajiv was an airline pilot and Sonia stayed at home to look after her family. This changed dramatically in 1984 when Indira was assassinated and Rajiv became Prime Minister.
Following her husband's assassination in 1991, she was under a lot of pressure to become leader of the ruling Congress Party. She refused many times over the next seven years. She hated politics and said she would rather her children be beggars than politicians. She finally joined the Congress Party and became its president within a record 62 days of joining.
She has been Congress President for ten consecutive years – another record. In 2004 she was asked to lead a 15-party coalition and be India’s Prime Minister. She refused and caused a political storm. She is still a member of parliament for Uttar Pradesh. She now speaks at international conferences and makes the yearly lists of the world’s most powerful or influential women.
246 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.
raised
a.
transformed
2
attended
b.
away from
3.
changed
c.
went to
4.
taste
d.
significantly
5.
out of
e.
idea
6.
dramatically
f.
brought up
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
assassination
g.
detested
8.
refused
h.
controversy
9.
hated
i.
said no
10.
lead
j.
murder
11
storm
k
gets on
12
makes
l
head
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
She was raised
a.
beggars than politicians
2
she met and fell
b.
out of politics
3.
Sonia quickly got a taste
c.
assassination in 1991
4.
They decided to stay
d.
as a Roman Catholic
5.
This changed
e.
political storm
6.
Following her husband's
f.
of Indian politics
7.
she would rather her children be
g.
ten consecutive years
8.
She has been Congress President for
h.
15-party coalition
9.
she was asked to lead a
i.
in love with Rajiv Gandhi
10.
She refused and caused a
j.
dramatically in 1984
LISTENING GAP FILL
Sonia Gandhi was born in 1946 _____________________ a small village in northern Italy. _____________________ Roman Catholic and attended a Catholic school. Her life changed in 1964 when she went to study English in England. It _____________________ and fell in love with Rajiv Gandhi, the future Prime Minister of India.
The couple were married in 1969. Sonia _____________________ Indian politics when _____________________ mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, India’s Prime Minister. They _____________________ politics. Rajiv was an airline pilot and Sonia stayed at home to look after her family. This _____________________ 1984 when Indira was assassinated and Rajiv became Prime Minister.
Following her husband's assassination in 1991, _____________________ pressure to become leader of the ruling Congress Party. She refused many _____________________ seven years. She hated politics and said she _____________________ be beggars than politicians. She finally joined the Congress Party and became its president _____________________ of joining.
She has been Congress President _____________________ – another record. In 2004 she was asked to lead a 15-party coalition and be India’s Prime Minister. She _____________________ political storm. She is still a member of parliament for Uttar Pradesh. She now speaks at international conferences and _____________________ the world’s most powerful or influential women.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics:
Sonia Gandhi was born in / on 1946 to Italian parents in a small village in northern Italy. She was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended / attention a Catholic school. Her life changing / changed in 1964 when she went to study English in England. It was there that she met and fell / fallen in love with Rajiv Gandhi, the future Prime Minister of India.
The couple were married in 1969. Sonia quickly got a sip / taste of Indian politics when she moved out / in with her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, India’s Prime Minister. They decided to stay out of politics. Rajiv was an airline pilot and Sonia stayed at home to look / care after her family. This changed dramatically in 1984 while / when Indira was assassinated and Rajiv became Prime Minister.
Following her husband's assassination in 1991, she was over / under a lot of pressure to become leader of the ruling Congress Party. She refused many times under / over the next seven years. She hated politics and said she would prefer / rather her children be beggars than politicians. She final / finally joined the Congress Party and became its president within a record 62 days of joining.
She has been Congress President for ten consecutive years – other / another record. In 2004 she was asked to leader / lead a 15-party coalition and be India’s Prime Minister. She refused and caused a political storm / thunder. She is still a member of parliament for Uttar Pradesh. She now speaks at international conferences and makes the yearly lists of the world’s most powerful or influence / influential women.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
a small vlilega in northern Italy
2.
atdtneed a Catholic school
3.
Her life cgdneah in 1964
4.
the urfetu Prime Minister of India
Paragraph 2
5.
Sonia quickly got a etsat of Indian politics
6.
They edicedd to stay out of politics
7.
Rajiv was an rnialei pilot
8.
This dengach dramatically in 1984
Paragraph 3
9.
she was under a lot of upeersrs
10.
She feeusdr many times
11.
she would htrrae her children be beggars than politicians
12.
She afnylli joined
Paragraph 4
13.
ten consecutive ysare
14.
lead a 15-rytap coalition
15.
She refused and caused a political mtsro
16.
the world’s most rfwuople or influential women
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, India’s Prime Minister. They decided to stay out of politics. Rajiv was an airline pilot and Sonia
( )
there that she met and fell in love with Rajiv Gandhi, the future Prime Minister of India.
( )
children be beggars than politicians. She finally joined the Congress Party and became its
( )
stayed at home to look after her family. This changed dramatically in 1984
( )
another record. In 2004 she was asked to lead a 15-party coalition and be India’s Prime Minister. She refused and caused a political
( 1 )
Sonia Gandhi was born in 1946 to Italian parents in a small village in northern Italy. She was
( )
She has been Congress President for ten consecutive years –
( )
raised as a Roman Catholic and attended a Catholic school. Her life changed in 1964 when she went to study English in England. It was
( )
storm. She is still a member of parliament for Uttar Pradesh. She now speaks at international conferences and makes
( )
the yearly lists of the world’s most powerful or influential women.
( )
ruling Congress Party. She refused many times over the next seven years. She hated politics and said she would rather her
( )
Following her husband's assassination in 1991, she was under a lot of pressure to become leader of the
( )
president within a record 62 days of joining.
( )
The couple were married in 1969. Sonia quickly got a taste of Indian politics when she moved in with
( )
when Indira was assassinated and Rajiv became Prime Minister.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
born parents in Sonia 1946 Gandhi to was Italian
2.
a Catholic was as Roman She raised
3.
met with and Rajiv fell Gandhi in she love
4.
quickly Sonia politics Indian of taste a got
5.
to Sonia look stayed after at her home family
6.
was lot to she a pressure leader under of become
7.
her politicians children she be would beggars rather than
8.
years President She for has ten been consecutive Congress
9.
a storm refused caused political She and
10.
a of She still member parliament is
SONIA GANDHI DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Sonia Gandhi?
2.
Would you like to meet Sonia Gandhi?
3.
What would you like to know about Sonia Gandhi 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 Sonia Gandhi. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. SONIA GANDHI POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Sonia Gandhi. 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 Sonia Gandhi. 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 Sonia Gandhi. 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 “Sonia Gandhi expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
raised
a.
brought up
2
attended
b.
went to
3.
changed
c.
transformed
4.
taste
d.
idea
5.
out of
e.
away from
6.
dramatically
f.
significantly
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
assassination
g.
murder
8.
refused
h.
said no
9.
hated
i.
detested
10.
lead
j.
head
11
storm
k
controversy
12
makes
l
gets on
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She was raised
a.
as a Roman Catholic
2
she met and fell
b.
in love with Rajiv Gandhi
3.
Sonia quickly got a taste
c.
of Indian politics
4.
They decided to stay
d.
out of politics
5.
This changed
e.
dramatically in 1984
6.
Following her husband's
f.
assassination in 1991
7.
she would rather her children be
g.
beggars than politicians
8.
She has been Congress President for
h.
ten consecutive years
9.
she was asked to lead a
i.
15-party coalition
10.
She refused and caused a
j.
political storm
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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