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28 Years Later, Algiers Metro Opens (3rd November, 2011)

North Africa’s second metro system opened on Monday in Algeria’s capital, Algiers. The ten-station, 6.5km line finally opened 28 years after work on it first began. The streets around the city’s post office were freshly painted and thousands of people were on the streets to celebrate. Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Work began on the subway in 1982. However, the civil war and a poor economy slowed its construction.

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The cost of a single ticket is 50 dinars ($0.67), which many Algiers residents say is too high. Transport Minister Amar Tou said the real fare is 84 dinars, but the government is making the tickets cheaper. The locals might be unhappy with the cost of traveling, but they are very happy with the trains, which will carry 300,000 passengers a day. Abdul Hamid, an office worker, said: “I can’t believe the metro is finally open. I’ve waited my whole life to use it.”

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

North Africa’s second

a.

ribbon

2

finally

b.

ceremony

3.

freshly

c.

opened

4.

cut the

d.

the subway in 1982

5.

the opening

e.

metro system

6.

Work began on

f.

painted

 

Paragraph 2

1.

civil

a.

is 84 dinars

2

a poor

b.

war

3.

The cost

c.

passengers a day

4.

the real fare

d.

economy

5.

carry 300,000

e.

my whole life

6.

I’ve waited

f.

of a single ticket


LISTENING GAP FILL

North Africa’s second metro _____________________ Monday in Algeria’s capital, Algiers. The ten-station, 6.5km line finally opened 28 years after _____________________. The streets around the city’s post office _____________________ and thousands of people _____________________ to celebrate. Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika cut the ribbon at the _____________________. Work began on the subway in 1982. However, the civil war and a poor _____________________ construction.

The cost _____________________ is 50 dinars ($0.67), which many Algiers _____________________ high. Transport Minister Amar Tou said the real fare is 84 dinars, but the government is making _____________________. The locals might be unhappy with the _____________________, but they are very happy with the trains, which will carry 300,000 _____________________. Abdul Hamid, an office worker, said: “I can’t believe the metro is finally open. I’ve _____________________ life to use it.”


MULTIPLE CHOICE

North Africa’s second metro system (1) ____ on Monday in Algeria’s capital, Algiers. The ten-station, 6.5km line (2) ____ opened 28 years after work on it first (3) ____. The streets around the city’s post office were freshly painted and thousands of people were on the (4) ____ to celebrate. Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (5) ____ the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Work began on the subway in 1982. However, the civil war and a poor economy (6) ____ its construction.

The cost of a (7) ____ ticket is 50 dinars ($0.67), which many Algiers residents say is too high. Transport Minister Amar Tou said the real (8) ____ is 84 dinars, but the government is (9) ____ the tickets cheaper. The locals might be unhappy (10) ____ the cost of traveling, but they are very happy with the trains, which will carry 300,000 passengers (11) ____  day. Abdul Hamid, an office worker, said: “I can’t believe the metro is finally open. I’ve waited my (12) ____ life to use it.”

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

opening

(b)

opened

(c)

opener

2.

(a)

finally

(b)

fatally

(c)

fishily

3.

(a)

begun

(b)

beginning

(c)

began

4.

(a)

rails

(b)

streets

(c)

rivers

5.

(a)

cut

(b)

slashed

(c)

sawed

6.

(a)

slowed

(b)

slowing

(c)

slower

7.

(a)

married

(b)

single

(c)

divorced

8.

(a)

fair

(b)

fear

(c)

fare

9.

(a)

made

(b)

making

(c)

makes

10.

(a)

with

(b)

of

(c)

by

11.

(a)

the

(b)

on

(c)

a

12

(a)

every

(b)

all

(c)

whole


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

metro mssyte

2.

Algeria’s icplata

3.

yelsrfh painted

4.

nshdustao of people

5.

on the streets to rcebtaeel

6.

the iegnpon ceremony

 

Paragraph 2

7.

viicl war

8.

a poor oneyocm

9.

The cost of a ilegns ticket

10.

making the tickets pehecar

11.

an ciofef worker

12.

I’ve waited my whelo life


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Work began on the subway in

(    )

people were on the streets to celebrate. Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika cut

(    )

1982. However, the civil war and a poor economy slowed its construction.

(    )

around the city’s post office were freshly painted and thousands of

(    )

the government is making the tickets cheaper. The locals might be unhappy

(    )

believe the metro is finally open. I’ve waited my whole life to use it.”

(    )

with the cost of traveling, but they are very happy with the trains, which will carry

(    )

-station, 6.5km line finally opened 28 years after work on it first began. The streets

(    )

300,000 passengers a day. Abdul Hamid, an office worker, said: “I can’t

(    )

say is too high. Transport Minister Amar Tou said the real fare is 84 dinars, but

(    )

The cost of a single ticket is 50 dinars ($0.67), which many Algiers residents

1  )

North Africa’s second metro system opened on Monday in Algeria’s capital, Algiers. The ten


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.

metro     system    North    opened    Africa’s    on    second     Monday.    

2.

office     post     city’s     the     around     streets     The.    

3.

people     the    celebrate    of    on    to    Thousands    were     streets.    

4.

the     cut     opening     the     ceremony     ribbon     at     Bouteflika.    

5.

the     on     began     Work     1982     in     subway.    

6.

A     economy     its     poor     slowed     construction.    

7.

government     The     cheaper     tickets     the     making     is.    

8.

the     of     with     cost     traveling     Unhappy.    

9.

day     a     passengers     300,000     Carry.    

10.

use     my     it     whole     life     I’ve     to     waited.    


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 the metro 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. THE METRO: Search the Internet and find more information about the Algiers metro. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the metro. Include an imaginary interview with the boss of the Metro and an Algiers resident. 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 an Algiers resident. Ask him/her three questions about the metro. Give him/her three of your opinions on metro systems. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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