Welcome to the CBC Newscast Lesson!
The CBC EAL Newscast is a listening lesson for students who are learning English.
The lessons are for students who are at Canadian Language Benchmarks 3 and 4 (high
beginner / low intermediate). Each newscast has a lesson file and an audio file.
The Lesson File
You will need to print the lesson file first. Here’s what you will find in each lesson.
1. A vocabulary match exercise for each story
Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it easier for you to understand the
story.
2. Questions on the main ideas or details of each story
Can you listen to a news story and understand the main ideas? Are you hearing the
most important details? Answer the questions and find out!
3. A transcript for the newscast
If you are having difficulty understanding the story when you listen, you can use the
transcript to help you.
4. Answers to the questions in the lesson
The answers are at end of the lesson on page 5.
5. An internet link or other resource suggestion
Some stories will have an internet link or suggest another resource you can use to
find more information.
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites)
The Audio File
Click on this file to hear three real world news stories read by a CBC news reader. The
first is a Manitoba story. The second is a Canadian story. The third is an international
story. All of the stories are in the same audio file
There are new stories and lessons every Thursday.
Now you are ready to begin. Read on!
Story 1: Schools in Manitoba will use new report card system
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary
words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. _f a report card
Meaning
a range of numbers which go from the lowest
level to the highest level; e.g. the essay was
marked on a range of 1 to 4, with 4 being the
highest mark
a)
2. __ a public school
b)
to write clearly and simply; to use language
people can easily understand
3. __ to use plain language
c)
to start or begin
4. __ a mark (in school)
d)
e.g. art, math, history
5. __ a scale
e)
a number out of 100
6. __ a subject (in school)
f)
a written document that tells parents how
their children are doing in school
7. __ a percentage
g)
the number or letter used to rate the quality of
a student’s work
8. __ to take effect
h)
a school that is open/free for all children in
the community
Step 2: Listen to the first story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Which of the following statements about
the story are true? Which are false? Underline or circle the correct answer.
The first one is completed for you as an example.
1.
The report cards in Manitoba’s public schools are changing.
True False
2.
The new report cards will make it easier for parents to understand
how their children are doing in school.
True False
3.
The same marking system will be used for students from grade one True False
to grade twelve.
4.
Students in grades one to six will receive report cards showing
percentages.
True False
5.
The new system will begin in the fall of 2013.
True False
To find out more:
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/05/15/mb-new-report-cards.html
2
Story 2: Canadian doctors oppose refugee claimant health care cuts
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary
words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. _d to oppose
a)
Meaning
an individual who falsely claims he/she
needs refugee status
2. __ a refugee claimant
b)
eye examinations/glasses etc.
3. __ to be upset about
something
c)
to treat someone unfairly or cruelly due to
their religious or other beliefs
4. __ the federal government
d)
to be against something; to not support it
5. __ to be eligible for
something
e)
an individual who applies for refugee status
after coming to Canada
6. __ medications
f)
to be unhappy or worried about something
7. __ vision care
g)
drugs used to treat medical problems
8. __ a fraudulent refugee
claimant
h)
to meet the criteria; to qualify for something
9. __ to torture someone
i)
10. __ to persecute someone
j)
the government of Canada; the Harper
government
to deliberately hurt or punish someone
Step 2: Listen to the first story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Does option a) or option b) make the
sentence correct? Underline or circle your answer. The first one is completed
for you as an example.
1.
The plan to cut health care benefits for
refugee claimants has upset ______.
a) a group of doctors
b) a couple of doctors
2.
The federal government’s plan means
that refugee claimants will ______.
a) still receive free health care services
b) only receive free health care in an
emergency
3.
The federal government says cutting
health care benefits will _______.
a) help stop fraudulent refugee
claimants from coming to Canada
b) attract more refugees to Canada
4.
The doctors who oppose the cuts say
that refugee claimants __________.
a) will be able to pay for the health
care services they need
b) will not be able to pay for the health
care services they need
To find out more:
www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/05/11/doctors-refugee-sit-in.html
3
Story 3: Minority births higher than Caucasian births in the U.S.
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary words with
their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. _b a minority of
something
a)
Meaning
people who investigate or study a subject or
topic to try to find out information about it
2. __ to be Caucasian
b)
less than half of; a small group within a larger
group
3. __ a census
c)
groups with similar culture, traditions, ancestry
etc.
4. __ ethnic/racial groups
d)
the statistical characteristics of a population
e.g. how many people live in urban/rural areas,
the average number of children per family,
age, ethnicity or race etc.
5. __ researchers
e)
to have white or pale skin
6. __ demographics
f)
the official process of counting/finding out
information about a country’s population
Step 2: Listen to the third story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Fill in the blank with the correct word from the
box below. The first one is completed for you as an example.
1. Census information shows that more than ______ of the babies born in the United
States are ethnic or _______ minorities.
2. In 1990, only thirty-seven ________ of the ______ born were ethnic or racial
minorities.
3. __________ who _______ demographics believe that Caucasian people will
become the _________ in the United States.
4. They expect this change will happen in _____ to ______ years.
thirty
information
racial
researchers
forty
half
babies
minority
percent
study
To find out more:
www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/05/17/ethnic-births-surpass-whites-us.html
4
Hi, this is Heather Wells. You’re listening to Learning English with CBC newscast for the
week of May 14th.
Here is our first news story.
Schools in Manitoba will use new report card system
The Manitoba government announced that public schools in the province will use a new
report card system. The new report cards will use plain, easy to understand language
so that parents can better understand how their children are performing at school.
Students in Grades one to six will be marked using a scale of one to four for each
subject. Students in Grades seven to twelve will have marks in percentages. The new
report card system will take effect in the fall of 2013.
And in Canadian news,
Canadian doctors oppose refugee claimant health care cuts
A group of Canadian doctors are upset about the federal government’s plan to cut
health care for refugee claimants in Canada. In the past, the federal government has
covered the costs of health care for claimants who were not eligible for provincial
programs. As of June 2012, refugee claimants will only have access to free health care
in emergencies. The federal government says it isn’t fair that refugee claimants receive
health care benefits, like medications, dental care and vision care, that aren’t available
to all Canadians. The government also says the change will help stop fraudulent
refugee claimants who come to Canada to get free medical and dental care. The
doctors say most refugee claimants come to Canada to escape war, torture or
persecution. They say refugee claimants need medical services but do not have the
money to pay for them.
And in international news,
Minority births higher than Caucasian births in the U.S.
Census information shows that more than half of the babies born in the United States in
the past two years are ethnic or racial minorities. In 1990, only thirty-seven per cent of
babies born in the United States were ethnic or racial minorities. Researchers who
study demographics believe Caucasian people will become the minority in the United
States in thirty to forty years.
Answers for Story 1
Vocabulary:
Questions:
1) f; 2) h; 3) b; 4) g; 5) a; 6) d; 7) e; 8) c
1) T; 2) T; 3) F; 4) F; 5) T
Answers for Story 2
Vocabulary: 1) d; 2) e; 3) f; 4) i; 5) h; 6) g; 7) b; 8) a ; 9) j; 10) c
Questions:
1) a; 2) b; 3) a; 4) b
Answers for Story 3
Vocabulary: 1) b; 2) e; 3) f; 4) c; 5) a; 6) d
Questions:
1) information, half, racial 2) percent, babies 3) Researchers, study, minority
4) thirty, forty
5