News English Lessons
FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Michelle Obama
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Michelle Obama Now A Powerful Woman

Michelle Obama is now very important – and that’s official. For the very first time, she is on the Forbes magazine Top 100 list of the world’s most powerful women. This means Michelle and her husband Barack are probably the most powerful couple on the planet. Michelle is only number 40 on the list, but she should rise next year. The BBC said Michelle is on the list because the media love her. Number one is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She took the top spot for the fourth time.

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People who have power should do more to help others. They should use the world’s money to help poor and sick people. It’s interesting to think about whether powerful men or women are better for the world. Are female leaders kinder than male leaders? Michelle Obama looks like she will help change the world. Every time she is on television, she is with children. She always smiles. It’s nice to see powerful people smiling all the time. Maybe she will be America’s first lady president. Then she’ll be number one.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	that’s	a.	first time
2	For the very	b.	love her
3.	the most powerful couple	c.	the fourth time
4.	only number 40 on	d.	official
5.	the media	e.	on the planet
6.	She took the top spot for	f.	the list

Paragraph 2

1.	do more to	a.	lady president
2	help poor and	b.	for the world
3.	women are better	c.	sick people
4.	she will help change	d.	help others
5.	It’s nice to see powerful	e.	the world
6.	she will be America’s first	f.	people smiling

LISTENING GAP FILL

Michelle Obama is now very important – and _____________. For ________________, she is on the Forbes magazine Top 100 list of the world’s most powerful women. This means Michelle and her husband Barack are probably the most ________________ the planet. Michelle is only number 40 on the list, _____________ next year. The BBC said Michelle _____________ because the media love her. Number one is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She took _______________ the fourth time.

People who have power should do _______________ others. They should use the world’s money _______________ sick people. It’s interesting _______________ whether powerful men or women are better for the world. Are female _______________ male leaders? Michelle Obama looks like she will help change the world. Every time she is on television, she is with children. She always smiles. _______________ powerful people smiling all the time. Maybe she will be America’s first lady president. Then she’ll _______________.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Michelle Obama is now very (1) ____ – and that’s official. For the very first time, she is on the Forbes magazine Top 100 list of the world’s most powerful (2) ____. This means Michelle and her husband Barack are probably the most powerful couple (3) ____ the planet. Michelle is only number 40 on the list, but she should (4) ____ next year. The BBC said Michelle is on the list because the media love her. Number one is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She took the top spot for the (5) ____ time.

People who have power should do (6) ____ to help others. They should use the world’s money to help poor and sick people. It’s interesting to think about (7) ____ powerful men or women are better for the world. Are female leaders kinder than male leaders? Michelle Obama looks like she will help change the world. Every (8) ____ she is on television, she is with children. She always smiles. It’s nice to (9) ____ powerful people smiling (10) ____ the time. Maybe she will be America’s first lady president. Then she’ll be number one.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	importantly	(b)	importance	(c)	important
2.	(a)	women	(b)	woman	(c)	women’s
3.	(a)	in	(b)	at	(c)	on
4.	(a)	up	(b)	rise	(c)	increase
5.	(a)	fourth	(b)	four	(c)	forth
6.	(a)	more	(b)	many	(c)	any
7.	(a)	weather	(b)	whether	(c)	wherever
8.	(a)	times	(b)	timed	(c)	time
9.	(a)	see	(b)	look	(c)	gaze
10.	(a)	every	(b)	all	(c)	each

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Paragraph 2
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	contract with Deutsche Grammophon. She had become an opera superstar.
( )	and incredible voice. The magazine ‘Musical America’ said she is “a genuine superstar for the 21st century” and was named
( )	'Musician of the Year' for 2008. Netrebko also won the prestigious People's Artist of Russia prize in 2008.
( )	cleaner and doing odd jobs. She auditioned for the Kirov Opera and impressed
( )	conductor Valery Gergiev. He became her vocal mentor and guided her to her operatic stage
( )	San Francisco Opera. She built up a reputation for her creative and dynamic performances in Russian operatic
( )	debut in 1994. In 1993, she won the Glinka Vocal Competition in Moscow.
( 1 )	Netrebko was born in Russia in 1971. She studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, while working there as a floor
( )	Netrebko has sung at the great opera houses all around the world and has expanded her repertoire to include
( )	Singer of the Year in 2004. Netrebko is also frequently seen on the cover of

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about Michelle Obama for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 Michelle Obama. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Michelle Obama. Include imaginary interviews with her and her husband. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Michelle Obama. Ask her three questions about being Michelle Obama. Give her three of your opinions on how she can change the world. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Michelle Obama (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)