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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - 2012 Paralympics
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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2012 Paralympics Close in London (10th September, 2012)

The most successful Paralympic Games came to a close in London on Sunday night. The 80,000 spectators watched a three-hour closing ceremony that included top music acts. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish." His disabled son Ivan died in 2009, aged six. Mr Cameron said: "I think back to Ivan. As every parent does, you think about all the things they can't do; but at the Paralympics, they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do."

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The 2012 London Paralympics have been the biggest and best ever. It broke all previous records for the Games. More than 2.7 million people went to see the events and 4 billion people in over 100 countries watched it on television. It raised over $70 million in ticket sales. A total of 251 world records were broken over the 11 days. South Africa's gold-medal-winning sprinter Ocsar Pistorius said "for the first time really, [people] truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	came to	a.	spectators
2	80,000	b.	they are superhuman
3.	three-hour	c.	start to finish
4.	an absolute triumph from	d.	a close
5.	at the Paralympics,	e.	they can do
6.	all the things	f.	closing ceremony

Paragraph 2

1.	the biggest	a.	just inspirational
2	It broke all	b.	core sport
3.	It raised over $70 million	c.	sprinter
4.	gold-medal-winning	d.	and best ever
5.	Paralympic sport is not	e.	in ticket sales
6.	it's hard-	f.	previous records

LISTENING GAP FILL

The most successful Paralympic Games (1) _________________ in London on Sunday night. The (2) __________________ watched a three-hour closing (3) __________________ top music acts. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been (4) __________________ from start to finish." His disabled son Ivan died in 2009, aged six. Mr Cameron said: "I think back to Ivan. (5) __________________ does, you think about all the things they can't do; but at the Paralympics, they are superhuman, you see (6) _________________ they can do."

The 2012 London Paralympics have been the biggest and best ever. It (7) __________________ records for the Games. More than 2.7 million people (8) __________________ events and (9) __________________ in over 100 countries watched it on television. It raised over $70 million in ticket sales. A total of 251 world records were broken (10) __________________. South Africa's gold-(11) __________________ Ocsar Pistorius said "for the first time really, [people] truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's (12) __________________."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The most successful Paralympic Games (1) ____ to a close in London on Sunday night. The 80,000 spectators watched a three-(2) ____ closing ceremony that (3) ____ top music acts. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute (4) ____ from start to finish." His disabled son Ivan died in 2009, (5) ____ six. Mr Cameron said: "I think back to Ivan. As every parent (6) ____, you think about all the things they can't do; but at the Paralympics, they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do."

The 2012 London Paralympics have been the biggest and best ever. It broke (7) ____ previous records for the Games. More than 2.7 million people went to see the (8) ____ and four billion people in over 100 countries watched it on television. It (9) ____ over $70 million in ticket sales. A total of 251 world records were (10) ____ over the 11 days. South Africa's gold-medal-winning (11) ____ Ocsar Pistorius said "for the first time really, [people] (12) ____ believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	came	(b)	went	(c)	arrived
2.	(a)	hours	(b)	hourly	(c)	hour
3.	(a)	includes	(b)	included	(c)	including
4.	(a)	triumph	(b)	trumpet	(c)	trapping
5.	(a)	aged	(b)	aging	(c)	ages
6.	(a)	do	(b)	doing	(c)	does
7.	(a)	whole	(b)	all	(c)	every
8.	(a)	events	(b)	things	(c)	affairs
9.	(a)	heightened	(b)	increased	(c)	raised
10.	(a)	break	(b)	broken	(c)	breaking
11.	(a)	splinter	(b)	splendid	(c)	sprinter
12	(a)	true	(b)	truly	(c)	truth

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	The most sfuulseccs
2.	80,000 ctortasesp
3.	a three-hour closing mcnoeery
4.	an laoseubt triumph
5.	from start to fisihn
6.	they are napuusmehr
Paragraph 2
7.	the teggisb and best ever
8.	It broke all oisrpevu records
9.	four olnblii people
10.	It ideasr over $70 million
11.	gold-medal-iwnning sprinter
12.	people truly evbieel

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	The 2012 London Paralympics have been the biggest and best ever. It broke all previous
( )	night. The 80,000 spectators watched a three-hour closing ceremony that included top
( )	start to finish." His disabled son Ivan died in 2009, aged six. Mr Cameron said: "I think
( )	sales. A total of 251 world records were broken over the 11 days. South Africa's gold-
( )	records for the Games. More than 2.7 million people went to see the events and four billion
( )	at the Paralympics, they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do."
( )	people in over 100 countries watched it on television. It raised over $70 million in ticket
( )	believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport."
( )	music acts. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute triumph from
( 1 )	The most successful Paralympic Games came to a close in London on Sunday
( )	back to Ivan. As every parent does, you think about all the things they can't do; but
( )	medal-winning sprinter Ocsar Pistorius said "for the first time really, [people] truly

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.	a successful close Paralympics came The to most.
2.	ceremony three - Spectators hour watched closing a.
3.	an been it's think I triumph absolute.
4.	they about things do think the can't You all.
5.	they see can all do the things You.
6.	for It records previous Games all the broke.
7.	to million 2.7 see people More the went than events.
8.	on People 100 it over watched TV in countries.
9.	world A records total were of broken 251.
10.	sport not inspirational Paralympic is just.

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 Paralympics 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. PARALYMPICS: Search the Internet and find more information about the Paralympics. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the London Paralympic Games. Include an imaginary interview with some of the athletes. 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 Paralympics expert. Ask him/her three questions about the Paralympics. Give him/her three of your opinions on the Games. 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 - 2012 Paralympics (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)