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: Anti-gang programs to close in Winnipeg
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. c_ an anti-gang program
a)
Meaning
to shut down a program
2. __ to close a program
b)
to take part in
3. __ to be funded by
c)
a program that tries to prevent youth from
being involved in gangs and crime
4. __ the federal
government
e)
to have a relationship with something or
someone
5. __ to be connected to
f)
Canada’s national government which is
based in Ottawa
6. __ to get involved in
h)
to receive money for programs, events or
activities
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.
Four anti-gang programs will close in March.
True False
2.
The programs are funded by the provincial government.
True False
3.
The programs have been operating for two years.
True False
4.
About sixty four youth use each program.
True False
5.
One of the programs helps refugee youth stay out of gangs.
True False
6.
Another program helps teens who are connected to gangs find
jobs.
True False
7.
Program organizers fear that if the programs end, the youth will
become involved in gangs or crime.
True False
8.
Other levels of government have said they will help the programs
stay open.
True False
To find out more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2011/01/26/man-gangprograms-at-risk.html
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Story 2: Calgary Islamic school is only one of its kind
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
Meaning
1. f_ an Islamic school
a)
to form a queue; to wait with others
2. __ to be one of a kind
b)
the Holy Book and scripture of the Muslim faith
3. __ a private school
c)
to be liked by a lot of people
4. __ to be popular
d)
to officially put someone’s name on a list
5. __ the provincial
curriculum
e)
a school that selects the students who attend it
and where parents pay tuition fees
6. __ the Qur’an
f)
a school which includes Islamic studies as part
of its curriculum
7. __ to form a line up
g)
putting your child’s name on a list to attend a
specific school and waiting to see if space
becomes available
8. __ to register someone
h)
to be unique
9. __ to be on a school
waiting list
i)
the content of the courses taught in the
provincial education system
Step 2: Listen to the second 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. A private Islamic school is very _______ with the Muslim community in Calgary.
2. The school has classes for _______ from _______ to grade 10.
3. The school teaches the provincial __________ as well as classes of special interest
to the ________ community.
4. Parents ___________ to get their children on the __________.
students
curriculum
private
popular
Muslim
kindergarten
line up
waiting list
To find out more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2011/01/28/calgary-islamicschool-registration-lineup.html
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Story 3: Anti-government protests in Egypt continue
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_ an anti-government
protest
a)
Meaning
ways to communicate online, for example
email, Facebook and Twitter
2. __ to continue
b)
a protest opposing the government in power
3. __ protesters
c)
to keep doing something and not stop
4. __ to be in power
d)
to force leaders of government departments
out of their positions
5. __ to remove the cabinet
e)
to stop something from happening
6. __ government corruption
f)
to lead a government; to be in command
7. __ online social media tools
g)
when government officials use power for
their own benefit or gain
8. __ to spread a message
h)
people who take part in a public
demonstration to oppose something
9. __ to block something
i)
to make information known to more and
more people
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. 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 President of Egypt has been
in power ______.
a) for thirty years
b) for thirteen years
2.
The protesters want President
Hosni Mubarak to ______.
a) stay in power
b) leave office
3.
The President removed his
cabinet ________.
a) to try to stop the protests
b) so the government could focus on
unemployment
4.
People in Egypt are no longer
able to ___________.
a) spread their message online using
Facebook and Twitter
b) protest against the government
To find out more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/26/cairo-police-protest.html
There is a slide show and video footage of the protests on the CBC website.
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Hi, this is Heather Wells. You’re listening to Learning English with CBC newscast for the
week of January 24th.
Anti-gang programs to close in Winnipeg
Four anti-gang programs in Winnipeg will have to close in March. The four programs
are funded by the federal government and their funding runs out at the end of March.
The programs started in 2007. About sixty-five youths use the four programs. One
program helps young refugees stay out of gangs. Another program helps teens who are
connected to gangs find jobs. Some people are worried these teens will get involved in
crime when the programs end. The people who run the programs are asking the
provincial and city governments to help them stay open.
Calgary Islamic school is only one of its kind
A private Islamic school in Calgary is very popular among the city’s Muslim community.
The school is the only private Islamic school in the city. It has classes for students from
kindergarten to Grade 11. Besides the regular provincial curriculum, other classes in
Arabic language, Islamic studies, and the Qur’an are also taught. The school only has
room for twenty new students a year. Parents lined up outside the school last week to
try to register their children for classes. There is a long waiting list to get into the
school. About three hundred names are currently on the list.
Anti-government protests in Egypt continue
People in Egypt have been protesting against the Egyptian government. The protestors
do not want Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to be in power anymore. He has been
in power for thirty years. The President named a new vice president and removed the
cabinet. He hoped the protests would stop if he made changes to the government.
People have not stopped protesting. Many of the protestors are angry about issues
such as the economy, poverty, unemployment, and government corruption. Protestors
used online social media tools like Facebook and Twitter to spread their messages.
The government has blocked these websites to try to end the protests.
Answers for Story 1
Vocabulary: 1) c; 2) a; 3) h; 4) f; 5) e; 6) b
Questions:
1) T; 2) F; 3) F; 4) F; 5) T; 6) T; 7) T; 8) F
Answers for Story 2
Vocabulary: 1) f; 2) h; 3) e; 4) c; 5) i; 6) b; 7) a; 8) d; 9) g
Questions:
1) private; popular 2) students; kindergarten 3) curriculum; Muslim 4) line up;
waiting list
Answers for Story 3
Vocabulary: 1) b; 2) c; 3) h; 4) f; 5) d; 6) g; 7) a; 8) i; 9) e
Questions:
1) a; 2) b; 3) a; 4) a
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