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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Jenson Button
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Jenson Button in Lucky Escape (8th November, 2010)

2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button had a lucky escape before the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. He was the target of an armed gang. He was driving back to his hotel when attackers carrying machine guns tried to stop his car. His driver skillfully escaped by driving at speed through the streets of Sao Paolo. It seems gangs had a plan to attack the Formula One teams. They successfully managed to hold up mechanics from the Sauber team. They had to stop their car and hand over their money and valuables at gunpoint.

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Button was shocked after his experience. He said: "You hear about it happening over the years, but until you are actually involved you don't know how it feels." Button was extremely thankful to the driver of his bullet-proof car, saying: "Our driver was awesome; straight out of Hollywood…It was unbelievable…He was really cool." A spokesperson from Button’s team McLaren said the police driver used “avoidance techniques” to quickly force his way through the traffic and away from any danger." Button came fifth in the race the next day.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	Jenson Button had	a.	gang
2	the target of an armed	b.	and valuables
3.	attackers carrying	c.	speed
4.	driving at	d.	Formula One teams
5.	a plan to attack the	e.	a lucky escape
6.	hand over their money	f.	machine guns

Paragraph 2

1.	Button was shocked after	a.	it feels
2	over the	b.	proof car
3.	you don't know how	c.	years
4.	his bullet-	d.	in the race
5.	avoidance	e.	his experience
6.	Button came fifth	f.	techniques

LISTENING GAP FILL

2009 Formula One _____________________ Jenson Button had a lucky escape before the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. He _____________________ armed gang. He was driving back to his hotel when attackers carrying machine guns _____________________ car. His driver skillfully escaped by _____________________ through the streets of Sao Paolo. It seems gangs _____________________ the Formula One teams. They successfully managed to hold up mechanics from the Sauber team. They had to stop their car _____________________ money and valuables at gunpoint.

Button was _____________________ experience. He said: "You hear about it happening over the years, but _____________________ involved you don't know how it feels." Button was _____________________ to the driver of his bullet-proof car, saying: "Our driver was awesome; _____________________ Hollywood…It was unbelievable…He was really cool." A spokesperson from Button’s team McLaren said the police driver used “avoidance techniques” to quickly force _____________________ the traffic and away from any danger." Button _____________________ the next day.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button (1) ____ a lucky escape before the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. He was the target of an (2) ____ gang. He was driving back to his hotel when attackers (3) ____ machine guns tried to stop his car. His driver skillfully escaped (4) ____ driving at speed through the streets of Sao Paolo. It seems gangs had a plan to attack the Formula One teams. They (5) ____ managed to hold up mechanics from the Sauber team. They had to stop their car and (6) ____ over their money and valuables at gunpoint.

Button was (7) ____ after his experience. He said: "You hear about it happening over the years, but until you are actually involved you don't know how (8) ____ feels." Button was extremely thankful to the driver of his bullet-proof car, saying: "Our driver was awesome; straight (9) ____ of Hollywood…It was unbelievable…He was really cool." A spokesperson from Button’s team McLaren said the police driver (10) ____ “avoidance techniques” to quickly force his way (11) ____ the traffic and away from any danger." Button came (12) ____ in the race the next day.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	had	(b)	having	(c)	have
2.	(a)	arms	(b)	arm	(c)	armed
3.	(a)	lifting	(b)	carrying	(c)	pulling
4.	(a)	at	(b)	to	(c)	by
5.	(a)	success	(b)	succeed	(c)	successfully
6.	(a)	arm	(b)	hand	(c)	finger
7.	(a)	shocked	(b)	shocking	(c)	shocks
8.	(a)	them	(b)	it	(c)	him
9.	(a)	in	(b)	up	(c)	out
10.	(a)	useful	(b)	used	(c)	uses
11.	(a)	through	(b)	threw	(c)	though
12	(a)	fifth	(b)	five	(c)	fifths

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	world noichmpa
2.	the gtraet of an armed gang
3.	amhenci guns
4.	His driver skillfully dacepes
5.	tkacat the Formula One teams
6.	their money and lualasvbe
Paragraph 2
7.	Button was cdshkoe
8.	extremely tuhalknf
9.	bullet-oropf car
10.	through the ctiffar
11.	away from any engdar
12.	Button came fhtif

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	actually involved you don't know how it feels." Button was extremely thankful to the driver of his bullet-proof
( 1 )	2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button had a lucky escape before the Brazilian Grand Prix
( )	up mechanics from the Sauber team. They had to stop their car and hand over their money and valuables at gunpoint.
( )	at Interlagos. He was the target of an armed gang. He was driving back to his hotel when attackers carrying
( )	Button was shocked after his experience. He said: "You hear about it happening over the years, but until you are
( )	car, saying: "Our driver was awesome; straight out of Hollywood…It was unbelievable…He was really
( )	machine guns tried to stop his car. His driver skillfully escaped by driving at speed through the streets
( )	quickly force his way through the traffic and away from any danger." Button came fifth in the race the next day.
( )	of Sao Paolo. It seems gangs had a plan to attack the Formula One teams. They successfully managed to hold
( )	cool." A spokesperson from Button’s team McLaren said the police driver used “avoidance techniques” to

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.	Button had World a champion lucky Jenson escape.
2.	He an was armed the gang target of.
3.	tried his Attackers guns stop machine to car carrying.
4.	attack the A Formula plan One to teams.
5.	valuables over at their gunpoint money and Hand.
6.	his was after experience Button shocked.
7.	You know it don't how feels.
8.	driver proof of car his bullet The -.
9.	way his force Quickly traffic the through.
10.	fifth race day came the next Button in the.

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 Formula One 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. FORMULA ONE: Search the Internet and find more information about Formula One. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Jenson Button’s lucky escape. Include imaginary interviews with Jenson and his driver. 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 Jenson Button. Ask him three questions about Formula One. Give him three of your opinions on Formula One. 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 Jenson Button (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)