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Apology For Wrong Kazakhstan National Anthem (26th March, 2012)

Kuwait has apologized to Kazakhstan for playing the wrong Kazakh national anthem at a sports tournament. Instead of hearing “My Kazakhstan” at the International Shooting Grand Prix, gold medalist Maria Dmitrienko heard the joke anthem from the movie “Borat”. The film and its spoof anthem angered most Kazakhs. It showed the country and its people as being very stupid. Tournament organizers said they downloaded the wrong anthem from the Internet by mistake.

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Officials said: “The Committee gave an official apology to the [Kazakhs at] the tournament, and the national anthem was replayed correctly. The Committee…expresses its utter regret for this unintentional mistake and reaffirms its great respect to its brothers and friends from the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The film offended Kazakhstan, who banned it from movie theatres. The Kazakh government also thought about taking legal action against “Borat” actor, producer and writer Sasha Baron Cohen.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1

1.

Kuwait has apologized

a.

organizers

2

sports

b.

by mistake

3.

gold

c.

to Kazakhstan

4.

The film and its spoof

d.

medalist

5.

Tournament

e.

tournament

6.

downloaded the wrong anthem …

f.

anthem

Paragraph 2

1.

gave an official

a.

replayed correctly

2

the national anthem was

b.

Kazakhstan

3.

utter

c.

mistake

4.

unintentional

d.

apology

5.

The film offended

e.

action

6.

taking legal

f.

regret


LISTENING GAP FILL


Kuwait has apologized to Kazakhstan for ___________________ Kazakh national anthem at a ___________________. Instead of hearing “My Kazakhstan” at the International Shooting Grand Prix, gold medalist Maria Dmitrienko ___________________ anthem from the movie “Borat”. The film and its ___________________ angered most Kazakhs. It showed the country and its people as ___________________. Tournament organizers said they _____________________ anthem from the Internet by mistake.
Officials said: “The Committee gave ___________________ to the [Kazakhs at] the tournament, and the national anthem was ___________________. The Committee…expresses its utter regret for this unintentional ___________________ its great respect to its brothers and friends from the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The ___________________ Kazakhstan, who ___________________ movie theatres. The Kazakh government also thought about taking ___________________ against “Borat” actor, producer and writer Sasha Baron Cohen.


MULTIPLE CHOICE


Kuwait has apologized to Kazakhstan for (1) ____ the wrong Kazakh national anthem at a sports tournament. (2) ____ of hearing “My Kazakhstan” at the International Shooting Grand Prix, gold (3) ____ Maria Dmitrienko heard the joke anthem from the movie “Borat”. The film and its spoof anthem (4) ____ most Kazakhs. It showed the country and its people as (5) ____ very stupid. Tournament organizers said they downloaded the wrong anthem from the Internet (6) ____ mistake.
Officials said: “The Committee gave an (7) ____ apology to the [Kazakhs at] the tournament, and the national anthem was replayed (8) ____. The Committee…expresses its utter regret for this unintentional mistake and reaffirms its (9) ____ respect to its brothers and friends from the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The film offended Kazakhstan, who (10) ____ it from movie theatres. The Kazakh government also thought about (11) ____ legal action (12) ____ “Borat” actor, producer and writer Sasha Baron Cohen.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

plays

(b)

player

(c)

playing

2.

(a)

Instead

(b)

However

(c)

Rather

3.

(a)

medallion

(b)

medalist

(c)

medals

4.

(a)

frustration

(b)

angered

(c)

furious

5.

(a)

doing

(b)

having

(c)

being

6.

(a)

on

(b)

by

(c)

as

7.

(a)

official

(b)

officer

(c)

office

8.

(a)

correction

(b)

correctly

(c)

correct

9.

(a)

great

(b)

grate

(c)

greet

10.

(a)

binned

(b)

bend

(c)

banned

11.

(a)

taking

(b)

being

(c)

writing

12

(a)

for

(b)

from

(c)

against


SPELLING


Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

gzodaolpie to Kazakhstan

2.

sports aeotntrnmu

3.

gold dtilmase

4.

opfso anthem

5.

aredegn most Kazakhs

6.

by tismkea

 

Paragraph 2

7.

gave an official glypoao

8.

replayed ycrercolt

9.

utter grrete

10.

great rsecept

11.

ndabne it from movie theatres

12.

actor, producer and rwtrie


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER


Number these lines in the correct order.

1  )

Kuwait has apologized to Kazakhstan for playing the wrong Kazakh national anthem at a sports

(    )

friends from the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The film offended Kazakhstan, who banned

(    )

medalist Maria Dmitrienko heard the joke anthem from the movie “Borat”. The film

(    )

Officials said: “The Committee gave an official apology to the [Kazakhs at] the

(    )

and its people as being very stupid. Tournament organizers said they downloaded

(    )

regret for this unintentional mistake and reaffirms its great respect to its brothers and

(    )

and its spoof anthem angered most Kazakhs. It showed the country

(    )

the wrong anthem from the Internet by mistake.

(    )

action against “Borat” actor, producer and writer Sasha Baron Cohen.

(    )

it from movie theatres. The Kazakh government also thought about taking legal

(    )

tournament. Instead of hearing “My Kazakhstan” at the International Shooting Grand Prix, gold

(    )

tournament, and the national anthem was replayed correctly. The Committee…expresses its utter


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT


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

1.

anthem     Playing     wrong     national     the     Kazakh.    

2.

Gold     anthem     joke     the     heard     Dmitrienko     medalist.    

3.

spoof     angered     Kazakhs     Its     anthem     most.    

4.

people     It     .     showed     the     country     and     its

5.

the     Downloaded     Internet     the     from     anthem     wrong.    

6.

Committee     an     apology     The     gave     official.    

7.

.     anthem     national     correctly     The     replayed     was

8.

this     for     regret     utter     Its     mistake     unintentional.    

9.

Kazakhstan     ,     The     who     film     banned     offended     it.    

10.

action     legal     taking     about     Thought.    


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 national anthems 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. NATIONAL ANTHEMS: Search the Internet and find more information about national anthems. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the wrong Kazakhstan national anthem being played. Include an imaginary interview with the gold medalist. 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 a national anthems expert. Ask him/her three questions about national anthems. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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