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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - Female Saudi Olympian
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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First Saudi Woman Takes Part in Olympics (5th August, 2012)

A woman from Saudi Arabia has taken part in the Olympics for the first time ever. Wojdan Shaherkani, 16, became the first female Saudi Olympian when she competed in the judo competition on Friday. Shaherkani's match was over in 82 seconds but she had already made history for her country. The London 2012 Olympics is the first time every nation competing in the Games has had female athletes. The International Olympic Committee threatened to bar all Saudi athletes if the team did not include women.

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The Olympics was Shaherkani's first ever official competition. She fought even though she is not close to qualifying for a black belt. She said she was scared when she stepped onto the mat. She knew the whole world was watching her. After her match, she said: "Hopefully this is the beginning of a new era." She hopes her efforts in London will mean more Saudi women will take part in future Olympics. Many people in Saudi Arabia still strongly oppose women competing at the Olympics because they say it is un-Islamic.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	for the first	a.	Saudi Olympian
2	the first female	b.	athletes
3.	Shaherkani's match was	c.	time ever
4.	she had already made	d.	all Saudi athletes
5.	the Games has had female	e.	history for her country
6.	threatened to bar	f.	over in 82 seconds

Paragraph 2

1.	first ever official	a.	belt
2	a black	b.	women competing
3.	she was scared when she	c.	competition
4.	the whole world was	d.	stepped onto the mat
5.	the beginning of	e.	watching her
6.	strongly oppose	f.	a new era

LISTENING GAP FILL

A woman from Saudi Arabia (1) ____________________ in the Olympics (2) ____________________. Wojdan Shaherkani, 16, became the first female Saudi Olympian (3) ____________________ the judo competition on Friday. Shaherkani's match was (4) ____________________ but she had already made history for her country. The London 2012 Olympics is the first time (5) ____________________ in the Games has had female athletes. The International Olympic Committee (6) ____________________ Saudi athletes if the team did not include women.

The Olympics was Shaherkani's first (7) ___________________. She fought even though she is (8) ____________________ for a black belt. She said (9) ____________________ when she stepped onto the mat. She knew the (10) ___________________ her. After her match, she said: "Hopefully this is the (11) ____________________." She hopes her efforts in London will mean more Saudi women will take part in future Olympics. Many people in Saudi Arabia (12) ____________________ women competing at the Olympics because they say it is un-Islamic.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A woman from Saudi Arabia has (1) ____ part in the Olympics for the first time ever. Wojdan Shaherkani, 16, became the first (2) ____ Saudi Olympian when she competed (3) ____ the judo competition on Friday. Shaherkani's match was (4) ____ in 82 seconds but she had already made history for her country. The London 2012 Olympics is the first time every nation (5) ____ in the Games has had female athletes. The International Olympic Committee threatened to (6) ____ all Saudi athletes if the team did not include women.

The Olympics was Shaherkani's first ever (7) ____ competition. She fought even though she is not (8) ____ to qualifying for a black belt. She said she was scared when she (9) ____ onto the mat. She knew the whole world was watching her. After her match, she said: "Hopefully this is the beginning of a new (10) ____." She hopes her efforts in London will mean more Saudi women will take part in future Olympics. Many people in Saudi Arabia still strongly (11) ____ women competing at the Olympics because they say it is (12) ____-Islamic.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	taken	(b)	given	(c)	received
2.	(a)	ladylike	(b)	female	(c)	feminine
3.	(a)	in	(b)	on	(c)	by
4.	(a)	under	(b)	around	(c)	over
5.	(a)	competition	(b)	competing	(c)	competetive
6.	(a)	jar	(b)	par	(c)	bar
7.	(a)	official	(b)	officially	(c)	offices
8.	(a)	far	(b)	close	(c)	middle
9.	(a)	laddered	(b)	staired	(c)	stepped
10.	(a)	aura	(b)	era	(c)	aurora
11.	(a)	oppose	(b)	against	(c)	anti
12	(a)	uni	(b)	in	(c)	un

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	kanet part in the Olympics
2.	when she tdeemcop in the judo
3.	she had already made ortsyhi
4.	every nation itogpnmec
5.	Saudi ttelhaes
6.	the team did not liecnud women
Paragraph 2
7.	first ever floicifa competition
8.	she psdtepe onto the mat
9.	the gebnnnigi of a new era
10.	uftuer Olympics
11.	ryotlgns oppose
12.	they say it is un-scaiIml

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	Saudi women will take part in future Olympics. Many people in Saudi Arabia still strongly
( )	though she is not close to qualifying for a black belt. She said she was scared when she stepped
( )	Committee threatened to bar all Saudi athletes if the team did not include women.
( )	nation competing in the Games has had female athletes. The International Olympic
( )	oppose women competing at the Olympics because they say it is un-Islamic.
( 1 )	A woman from Saudi Arabia has taken part in the Olympics for the first
( )	The Olympics was Shaherkani's first ever official competition. She fought even
( )	82 seconds but she had already made history for her country. The London 2012 Olympics is the first time every
( )	time ever. Wojdan Shaherkani, 16, became the first female Saudi Olympian when she competed
( )	onto the mat. She knew the whole world was watching her. After her match, she said: "Hopefully this is the
( )	in the judo competition on Friday. Shaherkani's match was over in
( )	beginning of a new era." She hopes her efforts in London will mean more

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.	the ever in for time part Olympics first Taken the.
2.	on in Friday the judo She competition competed.
3.	history She for had her already country made.
4.	to all athletes Threatened bar Saudi.
5.	women include not did team the If.
6.	black belt She is not close to qualifying for a.
7.	she the She when onto scared stepped mat was.
8.	She was knew watching the her whole world.
9.	new Hopefully the a is of era this beginning.
10.	Olympics the at competing women oppose Strongly.

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 Olympic athletes 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. OLYMPIC ATHLETES: Search the Internet and find more information about Wojdan Shaherkani. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Wojdan Shaherkani. Include an imaginary interview with her. 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 Olympic athletes expert. Ask him/her three questions about Olympic athletes. 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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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - Female Saudi Olympian (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)