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Samoa to Skip December 30 (29th December, 2011)

The South Pacific island nation of Samoa will skip December the 30th this year. The island’s prime minister has decided to jump across the International Date Line. It is currently to the east of this line, which means it is one of the last countries in the world to see the sun set. The move over the date line means it will be the first country to see the sun rise. At midnight on Thursday, December 29, Samoa's calendar will leap straight to Saturday, December 31. Samoans will not see Friday, December 30.

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The shift is so it can have better relations with its two biggest trading partners, Australia and New Zealand. Currently, Samoa is open for business on Fridays, but Australia and New Zealand are closed because it’s their Saturday. Similarly, while Samoa closes on Sunday, it is Monday and business as usual for Australia and New Zealand. Tourism companies are happy. They can now offer tourists double New Year’s Eves, birthdays and anniversaries – one in Samoa, the other the next day in American Samoa, which is still east of the date line.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

The South Pacific island

a.

the sun rise

2

jump across the International

b.

December 30.

3.

east of

c.

Date Line

4.

the first country to see

d.

nation of Samoa

5.

Samoa's calendar will leap straight

e.

this line

6.

Samoans will not see Friday,

f.

to Saturday

 

Paragraph 2

1.

have better

a.

business

2

its two biggest

b.

relations

3.

open for

c.

New Year’s Eves

4.

business as

d.

next day

5.

offer tourists double

e.

trading partners

6.

the other the

f.

usual


LISTENING GAP FILL

The South Pacific _________________ Samoa will skip December the 30th this year. The island’s prime _________________ to jump across the International Date Line. It is currently to the _________________, which means it is one of the last countries in the world to see the sun set. The ___________________line means it will be the first country to _________________. At midnight on Thursday, December 29, Samoa's calendar will leap straight to Saturday, December 31. Samoans _________________, December 30.

The shift is so it can ___________________ with its two biggest _________________, Australia and New Zealand. Currently, Samoa is ___________________ on Fridays, but Australia and New Zealand are closed because it’s their Saturday. Similarly, while Samoa closes on Sunday, it is Monday and _________________ for Australia and New Zealand. Tourism companies are happy. They can now _________________ New Year’s Eves, birthdays and anniversaries – one in Samoa, the other the next day in American Samoa, which is _________________ date line.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

The South Pacific island (1) ____ of Samoa will skip December the 30th this year. The island’s prime minister has (2) ____ to jump across the International Date Line. It is currently to the east (3) ____ this line, which means it is one of the last countries in the world to see the sun (4) ____. The move over the date line means it will be the first country to see the sun rise. At midnight on Thursday, December 29, Samoa's calendar will (5) ____ straight to Saturday, December 31. Samoans will not (6) ____ Friday, December 30.

The shift is so it can have better relations (7) ____ its two biggest trading partners, Australia and New Zealand. Currently, Samoa is open (8) ____ business on Fridays, but Australia and New Zealand are (9) ____ because it’s their Saturday. Similarly, while Samoa closes on Sunday, it is Monday and business (10) ____ usual for Australia and New Zealand. Tourism companies are happy. They can now offer tourists (11) ____ New Year’s Eves, birthdays and anniversaries – one in Samoa, the other the next day in American Samoa, which is (12) ____ east of the date line.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

nations

(b)

nation

(c)

nationality

2.

(a)

decided

(b)

decision

(c)

decides

3.

(a)

of

(b)

for

(c)

by

4.

(a)

sit

(b)

sat

(c)

set

5.

(a)

lamp

(b)

leap

(c)

lisp

6.

(a)

saw

(b)

seeing

(c)

see

7.

(a)

with

(b)

of

(c)

at

8.

(a)

by

(b)

on

(c)

for

9.

(a)

closing

(b)

closed

(c)

close

10.

(a)

was

(b)

as

(c)

has

11.

(a)

duo

(b)

twice

(c)

double

12

(a)

still

(b)

close

(c)

motionless


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

South Pacific linasd nation

2.

prime mnireits

3.

tcyrunlre to the east

4.

one of the last consuiret

5.

Samoa's lnrdaaec

6.

leap trhaitsg to Saturday

 

Paragraph 2

7.

better snaleitro

8.

two biggest ndtgira partners

9.

open for iesubsns

10.

muiostr companies

11.

They can now offer tourists buolde

12.

bhrsaityd and anniversaries


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

minister has decided to jump across the international date line. It is currently to the east

(    )

partners, Australia and New Zealand. Currently, Samoa is open for business

(    )

over the date line means it will be the first country to see the sun rise. At midnight

(    )

The shift is so it can have better relations with its two biggest trading

(    )

companies are happy. They can now offer tourists double New Year’s Eves, birthdays and

(    )

on Thursday, December 29, Samoa's calendar will leap straight to

(    )

anniversaries – one in Samoa, the other the next day in American Samoa, which is still east of the date line.

1  )

The South Pacific island nation of Samoa will skip December the 30th this year. The island’s prime

(    )

of this line, which means it is one of the last countries in the world to see the sun set. The move

(    )

Saturday, December 31. Samoans will not see Friday, December 30.

(    )

closes on Sunday, it is Monday and business as usual for Australia and New Zealand. Tourism

(    )

on Fridays, but Australia and New Zealand are closed because it’s their Saturday. Similarly, while Samoa


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.

Samoa     of     nation     island     Pacific     South     The.    

2.

Line     across     the     Decided     International     to     Date     jump.    

3.

currently     east     line     is     the     this     It     to     of.    

4.

last    The    set    sun    the    see    to    world    the     in     countries.    

5.

calendar     Samoa's     Saturday     to     straight     leap     will.    

6.

The     so     have     is     can     relations     shift     it     better.    

7.

business     on     Fridays     Samoa     .     is     open     for

8.

usual     as     Business     Australia     for.    

9.

New     now     double     Eves     can    tourists    Year’s    They    offer.    

10.

date     east     the     line     Still     of.    


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

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Samoa’s shift. Include an imaginary interview with Samoans. 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 calendar expert. Ask him/her three questions about calendars. 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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