Welcome to the CBC Newscast Lesson

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: Manitoba Premier says ‘door to Manitoba is wide open’

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. c_ the Premier a) to explain something simply and directly 2. __ Manitoba’s door is b) a plan to build something or do something wide open 3. __ a trade c) the elected leader of the provincial government delegation 4. __ the Lieutenant d) the Queen’s representative Governor 5. __ to make e) business and investment from other countries something clear is welcome in Manitoba 6. __ a project f) a group of people who promote the purchase, sale and exchange of products with other countries

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. A trade delegation______. a) came to Manitoba b) went to China

2. The delegation was led by a) the Premier and the Lieutenant Governor ______. b) the Premier and the Governor General

3. The Premier made it clear that a) China is open to investment from Manitoba ______. b) Manitoba is open to investment from China

4. The trip resulted in a project that a) fourteen Chinese families to Manitoba will bring ______. b) forty Chinese families to Manitoba

To find out more: http://stage.www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/mobile/Door- to-Manitoba-wide-open-to-China-premier-103294969.html

2 Story 2: Refugee experts question human smuggling plan

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. e_ a refugee a) to stop something from happening 2. __ an expert b) to stop someone from leaving 3. __ human smuggling c) to say something bad or negative about something or someone 4. __ to consider d) a meeting of a court or special committee 5. __ to prevent e) someone who is forced to leave their country something 6. __ a f) to think carefully about classification 7. __ to detain g) someone with special skills or knowledge in an someone area 8. __ a hearing h) a specific group or category 9. __ to be critical i) taking people to a country illegally

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. 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 Canadian government is considering a new plan to prevent True False human smuggling. 2. The government has already put in place a new classification for True False large groups of refugees. 3. The plan would detain all refugees to Canada for up to two weeks. True False 4. Refugee experts are pleased with the plan. True False 5. It is unclear whether the plan would stop human smuggling to True False Canada.

To find out more about this story:

3 http://news.sympatico.ca/canada/refugee_experts_question_effectiveness_legality_of_h uman_smuggling_plan/c6bd0abd and http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/09/08/refugee-migrant-boat.html

Story 3: Nigeria flooding displaces two million people

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 flooding a) to be forced to leave your home 2. __ to be displaced b) to get away from a place or situation; to leave a dangerous situation 3. __ unusual c) about; almost; nearly 4. __ to overfill d) the people or organization in charge 5. __ authorities e) a special wall built across a river to stop water from flowing 6. __ a dam f) when water overflows onto land 7. __ approximately g) uncommon 8. __ to escape h) to fill something too full

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. The rainfall in Northern Nigeria has been ______heavy. 2. Dams have been ______and ______. 3. The water has ______homes and farms in the ______. 4. ______two million people have lost their ______. 5. The people who have ______are being placed in schools and government buildings.

flooded overfilling villages unusually

approximately rainfall homes escaped breaking

4 To find out more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/09/24/nigeria-floods-dams.html

5 Hi, this is Heather Wells. You’re listening to Learning English with CBC newscast for the week of September 20th. Here is our first news story.

Manitoba Premier says ‘door to Manitoba is wide open’

A trade delegation from Manitoba returned home last week after a trip to China. The delegation was led by the Premier and the Lieutenant Governor and included representatives from different companies and organizations. The delegation met with Chinese government, business and education leaders. The Premier made it clear that Manitoba is open to immigration, investment and tourism from China. One result of the trip is an immigration project that will bring forty Chinese families to Manitoba.

Moving on to Canadian news,

Refugee experts question human smuggling plan

The Canadian government is considering a plan to prevent human smuggling from other countries to Canada. If the plan is approved, there would be a new classification for refugees who arrive in large groups. Large groups would be detained for up to two weeks instead of forty-eight hours before their first hearing in front of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Refugee experts are critical of the plan. They say it will not stop human smuggling to Canada.

And in international news,

Nigeria flooding displaces two million people

Unusually heavy rainfall in northern Nigeria has been overfilling and breaking dams. Nigerian authorities opened two large dams because they were almost overflowing. The water from the open dams flooded homes and farms in about five thousand villages. Approximately two million people have lost their homes. Officials have been placing them in schools and government buildings so they can escape the flood.

Answers for Story 1 Vocabulary: 1) c; 2) e; 3) f; 4) d; 5) a; 6) b Questions: 1) b; 2) a; 3) b; 4) b

Answers for Story 2 Vocabulary: 1) e; 2) g; 3) i; 4) f; 5) a; 6) h; 7) b; 8) d; 9) c Questions: 1) T; 2) F; 3) F; 4) F ; 5) T

Answers for Story 3 Vocabulary: 1) f; 2) a; 3) g; 4) h; 5) d; 6) e; 7) c; 8) b Questions: 1) rainfall; unusually 2) overfilling; breaking 3) flooded; villages 4) approximately; homes 5) escaped