Which do you think was the most important news story last week? Which story do you think is going to dominate the news this week? Here are some images from last week’s news. Can you guess what the stories were about?

Theresa May will today challenge public bodies to explain or c________________ sweeping inequalities between different ethnic groups in areas such as e________________, housing and criminal justice. She is launching the results of the government’s r_____________ disparities audit. Findings include that the u__________________ rate for black, Asian and minority ethnic people is nearly double that of white, British adults, and less than a third of white, British pupils on f_____________ school meals reach the expected standard by the age of 11, worse than any other e_____________ group. The prime minister will say that public bodies have nowhere to hide and must help ensure that race is never a b__________.

Listen to the headlines and match them to the pictures.

Before listening again, try to complete the first headline using the initial letters to help you. Then listen and check your ideas.

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BBC News listening

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b

The Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually harassing women over nearly three years, has been sacked by the board of the company he founded. The directors of The Weinstein Company said the decision had been made as a result of new accusations. Harvey Weinstein, who is 65, and his father Bob, have a track record in film, stretching back over the past 20 years.

Listen to the next headline and underline any mistakes in the transcript below. Then say what the correct words should be.

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New technology which uses fingerprints to determine a suspect’s gender, whether they’re ____ drugs or even what they’ve eaten could be used ____ court _________ months. Researchers ________ Sheffield Hallam University have been working with West Yorkshire

Before listening, complete the next headline with the appropriate prepositions. Then listen and check your ideas.

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Before listening, add vowels to the consonants in brackets to make words for the gaps. Then listen and check your ideas.

Universities have been told by the higher _______________ watchdog, the Quality Assurance Agency, to take tougher action against _______________ who cheat by buying essays from websites. The ________________ minister, Jo Johnson, says the trade in essays is _______________ and pernicious and undermines _______________ standards.

Before listening, rearrange the letters in brackets to make words for the gaps. Then listen and check your ideas.

Before listening, complete the final headline with the appropriate words. Then listen and check your ideas.

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BBC News listening

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Melania Trump has issued a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s first _________ (wf) after she joked that she was the first lady. In a television ____________________ (ntrvw) to promote her new book, Ivana Trump __________________ (sggstd) that as the first Trump wife she was first lady. A ______________________ (sttmnt) by Melania Trump’s spokeswoman put the comments down to attention-seeking and self-serving ________ (ns).

The Employment Tribunal is being asked to __________ (ulre) that tens of thousands of foster carers are workers and should have the same rights as other ________________(yeeemplos). The chair of the foster carers’ union, Sarah Anderson, who has provided homes for 25 children in the past decade, is bringing the _____________ (asce) against Hampshire County Council. She is arguing that her ___________________ (eemenagrt) with the local authority and the regulations she has to ______________ (peroate) under amount to a legal employment contract. She told us why she _______________ (ntewad) to be recognised as an employee. Does us wanting worker ____________ (stusta) mean we don’t care for our children? No, of course it doesn’t, we love, ______________ (turnure) and adore and hopefully make massive differences to little __________ (velis), but we do need some recognition and we need some more ________________ (idaholy), we need to be protected, we need to be able to go off ___________ (icsk).

Do you see the same inequalities in your country as in Britain?Do you think foster carers should have the same rights as other employees?Do you think the UK ivory ban should be total, or should there be some exemptions?

b

Police to test the technique called mass spectrometry. Neil Dennison _______ the region’s forensic service says the fact that fingerprints ____ ____ 30 years old can be analysed is very useful. This technique is going to potentially provide us with the opportunity to re-examine some ____ our older casework ____ a new light ____ so much as we are going to be able to apply this technique ____ material, and not just research the fingerprints, but actually establish something __________ the people that left the fingerprint ____ that time.

Listen to the main news story and note down the key points. Then summarise the story in your own words.

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intermediate+ (B1+)week of 16.10.17

student pages 2

Transcript

BBC News

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listening

Teacher’s notes 1

Theresa May will today challenge public bodies to explain or change sweeping inequalities between different ethnic groups in areas such as education, housing and criminal justice. She is launching the results of the government’s racial disparities audit. Findings include that the unemployment rate for black, Asian and minority ethnic people is nearly

double that of white, British adults, and less than a third of white, British pupils on free school meals reach the expected standard by the age of 11, worse than any other ethnic group. The prime minister will say that public bodies have nowhere to hide and must help ensure that race is never a barrier.

1

The Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually harassing women over nearly three decades, has been sacked by the board of the company he co-founded. The directors of The Weinstein Company said the decision had

been made as a result of new information. Harvey Weinstein, who is 65, and his brother Bob, have a track record in film, stretching back over the past 25 years.

2

New technology which uses fingerprints to determine a suspect’s gender, whether they’re on drugs or even what they’ve eaten could be used in court within months. Researchers from Sheffield Hallam University have been working with West Yorkshire Police to test the technique called mass spectrometry. Neil Dennison from the region’s forensic service says the fact that fingerprints up

to 30 years old can be analysed is very useful. This technique is going to potentially provide us with the opportunity to re-examine some of our older casework in a new light in so much as we are going to be able to apply this technique to material, and not just research the fingerprints, but actually establish something about the people that left the fingerprint at that time.

3

The Employment Tribunal is being asked to rule that tens of thousands of foster carers are workers and should have the same rights as other employees. The chair of the foster carers’ union, Sarah Anderson, who has provided homes for 25 children in the past decade, is bringing the case against Hampshire County Council. She is arguing that her agreement with the local authority and the regulations she has to operate under amount to a

legal employment contract. She told us why she wanted to be recognised as an employee. Does us wanting worker status mean we don’t care for our children? No, of course it doesn’t, we love, nurture and adore and hopefully make massive differences to little lives, but we do need some recognition and we need some more holiday, we need to be protected, we need to be able to go off sick.

4

Melania Trump has issued a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s first wife after she joked that she was the first lady. In a television interview to promote her new book, Ivana Trump suggested

that as the first Trump wife she was first lady. A statement by Melania Trump’s spokeswoman put the comments down to attention-seeking and self-serving noise.

5

Universities have been told by the higher education watchdog, the Quality Assurance Agency, to take tougher action against students who cheat by buying essays from websites. The universities

minister, Jo Johnson, says the trade in essays is unacceptable and pernicious and undermines academic standards.

6

The government has set out plans for a ban on the sale and export of almost all forms of ivory. The environment secretary Michael Gove has announced a three-month public consultation on the proposals. Matt McGrath reports. While the UK has long had a ban on ivory tusks, it’s become the world’s leading exporter of legal ivory carvings and antiques in recent years. Conservationists argue that these sales stimulate the demand for the product and are linked to increased elephant poaching across Africa. Previous Conservative Party promises to limit sales of ivory have never

gotten off the ground, but the new consultation starts immediately and a ban on sales and exports is likely to be in place by the New Year. While the government says the plans are driven by concerns about elephants, international embarrassment is also a factor. The UK is to host a major illegal-wildlife conference next year. Mr Gove says there will be some exemptions to the ban for musical instruments and items of artistic or cultural value, but wildlife groups worry that if these exemptions become loopholes they could hinder attempts to end the UK ivory trade once and for all.

S