Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Barack Obama. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Barack Obama is the 44 President of the United States of America. He is also the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He made history in 2008 when he won the U.S. presidential election. He is the first African American to be President. Obama's charisma, intelligence, and powerful speeches have made him extremely popular with many Americans. He has been very successful with his message for change.
Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to a black Kenyan father and white American mother. His parents divorced and his mother married an Indonesian man. Barack's family moved to Indonesia in 1967. He attended schools in Jakarta until he was ten years old, when he returned to Hawaii. Obama majored in political science and international relations at Columbia University in New York.
After four years in New York, Obama moved to Chicago. There, he worked as the director of a community project from 1985 to 1988. He entered Harvard Law School and became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama taught law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years. He became an Illinois Senator in 1996.
In 2004, Obama was elected as a U.S. Senator. He supported legislation on conservation, energy, immigration and honest leadership. Obama is currently battling with serious issues such as the economy. He beat Mitt Romney to win a second term in office, despite a poor economy and high unemployment. He thanked voters by promising to spend his second term honoring their support, saying: "There's a lot more work to do."
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.
United States of America
a.
very
2
charisma
b.
relocated
3.
extremely
c.
charm
4.
divorced
d.
went to
5.
moved
e.
the States
6.
attended
f.
separated
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
project
g.
lectured in
8.
entered
h.
time in office
9.
taught
i.
programme
10.
legislation
j.
presently
11
currently
k
enrolled in
12
term
l
laws
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
Barack Obama is the 44th President
a.
him extremely popular
2
He is also the winner of the
b.
with serious issues
3.
powerful speeches have made
c.
on conservation
4.
Barack’s family moved
d.
of the United States
5.
Obama majored in political science
e.
high unemployment
6.
he worked as the director
f.
2009 Nobel Peace Prize
7.
the first black president of the
g.
to Indonesia in 1967
8.
He supported legislation
h.
Harvard Law Review
9.
Obama is currently battling
i.
and international relations
10.
despite a poor economy and
j.
of a community project
LISTENING GAP FILL
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. ___________________ the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He made history in 2008 when he won the U.S. presidential election. He is the first African American to be President. Obama’s ___________________ powerful speeches ___________________ popular with many Americans. He has been very successful ___________________.
Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to a black Kenyan father and white American mother. ___________________ and his mother married an Indonesian man. Barack’s ________________ Indonesia in 1967. He ___________________ Jakarta until he was ten years old, when he returned to Hawaii. Obama ___________________ science and international relations at Columbia University in New York.
___________________ New York, Obama moved to Chicago. There, he worked as the director of ___________________ from 1985 to 1988. He entered Harvard Law School and became the first ___________________ the Harvard Law Review. Obama ___________________ University of Chicago Law School for twelve years. He became an Illinois Senator in 1996.
In 2004, Obama ___________________ Senator. He supported legislation on conservation, energy, immigration and honest leadership. Obama is ___________________ serious issues such as the economy. He beat Mitt Romney to win a ___________________, despite a poor economy and high unemployment. He thanked voters by promising to spend his second term ___________________, saying: "There's a lot more work to do."
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Barack Obama is the 44th President of / in the United States of America. He is also the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He made historian / history on November 4 when he won the presidential election. He is the first African American to be President. Obama’s charisma / charismatic, intelligence, and powerful speeches have made him extremely popular with many Americans. He has been very successful with his message for change / chance.
Obama was birth / born in Hawaii in 1961 to a black Kenyan father and white American mother. His parents divorce / divorced and his mother married an Indonesian man. Barack’s family moved to Indonesia in 1967. He attended schools in Jakarta until / then he was ten years old, when he returned to Hawaii. Obama majored in political science / scientists and international relations at Columbia University in New York.
After four years in New York, Obama moved to Chicago. Where, / There, he worked as the director of a community project from 1985 to 1988. He entered / entering Harvard Law School and became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama taught lawyer / law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years. He became an Illinois Senator at / in 1996.
In 2004, Obama was election / elected as a U.S. Senator. He supported legislation on conservation, energy, immigration and honest / honestly leadership. Obama is currently battled / battling with serious issues such as the economy. He beat / won Mitt Romney to win a second term in office, in spite / despite a poor economy and high unemployment. He thanked voters by promising to spend his second term honoring their support, saying: "There's a lot / loads more work to do."
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
the ersnedtPi of the United States
2.
presidential noeeltci
3.
Obama’s rsaamhci, intelligence, and powerful speeches
4.
his sseeamg for change
Paragraph 2
5.
His parents iddrvoec
6.
He enadettd schools in Jakarta
7.
he eretndur to Hawaii
8.
international iaentosrl
Paragraph 3
9.
drceitro of a community project
10.
He neteerd Harvard Law School
11.
Obama tgauht law
12.
ltewev years
Paragraph 4
13.
eeltdec as a U.S. Senator
14.
esnhot leadership
15.
battling with serious esuiss
16.
spend his second term honoring their opusrpt
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
he was ten years old, when he returned to Hawaii. Obama majored in political science and international relations at Columbia University in New York.
( )
promising to spend his second term honoring their support, saying: "There's a lot more work to do."
( )
mother married an Indonesian man. Barack's family moved to Indonesia in 1967. He attended schools in Jakarta until
( )
School for twelve years. He became an Illinois Senator in 1996.
( )
immigration and honest leadership. Obama is currently battling with serious issues such as the economy. He beat Mitt Romney to
( )
Prize. He made history in 2008 when he won the U.S. presidential election. He is the first African
( )
In 2004, Obama was elected as a U.S. Senator. He supported legislation on conservation, energy,
( )
win a second term in office, despite a poor economy and high unemployment. He thanked voters by
( )
popular with many Americans. He has been very successful with his message for change.
( )
American to be President. Obama's charisma, intelligence, and powerful speeches have made him extremely
( )
Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to a black Kenyan father and white American mother. His parents divorced and his
( )
black president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama taught law at the University of Chicago Law
( )
project from 1985 to 1988. He entered Harvard Law School and became the first
( 1 )
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. He is also the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace
( )
After four years in New York, Obama moved to Chicago. There, he worked as the director of a community
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
is States the President America of the Obama United of 44th
2.
also is He Prize Peace Nobel 2009 the of winner the.
3.
his with successful very been has He message
4.
family to in Barack’s moved Indonesia 1967
5.
Obama political majored science in
6.
as community the project director he of worked a
7.
He an Senator 1996 became Illinois in
8.
Senator was a as U.S. Obama elected
9.
legislation conservation on supported He
10.
a do more There's work lot . to
BARACK OBAMA DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Barack Obama?
2.
Would you like to meet Barack Obama?
3.
What would you like to know about Barack Obama 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 Barack Obama. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. BARACK OBAMA POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Barack Obama. 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 Barack Obama. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he 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 Barack Obama. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Barack Obama expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
United States of America
a.
the States
2
charisma
b.
charm
3.
extremely
c.
very
4.
divorced
d.
separated
5.
moved
e.
relocated
6.
attended
f.
went to
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
project
g.
programme
8.
entered
h.
enrolled in
9.
taught
i.
lectured in
10.
legislation
j.
laws
11
currently
k
presently
12
term
l
time in office
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
Barack Obama is the 44th President
a.
of the United States
2
He is also the winner of the
b.
2009 Nobel Peace Prize
3.
powerful speeches have made
c.
him extremely popular
4.
Barack’s family moved
d.
to Indonesia in 1967
5.
Obama majored in political science
e.
and international relations
6.
he worked as the director
f.
of a community project
7.
the first black president of the
g.
Harvard Law Review
8.
He supported legislation
h.
on conservation
9.
Obama is currently battling
i.
with serious issues
10.
despite a poor economy and
j.
high unemployment
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Look at the text on page 2.
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