Welcome to the CBC Newscast Lesson!
The CBC EAL Newscast is a listening lesson for students who are learning English.
The lessons are for students who are at Canadian Language Benchmarks 3 and 4 (high
beginner / low intermediate). Each newscast has a lesson file and an audio file.
The Lesson File
You will need to print the lesson file first. Here’s what you will find in each lesson.
1. A vocabulary match exercise for each story
Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it easier for you to understand the
story.
2. Questions on the main ideas or details of each story
Can you listen to a news story and understand the main ideas? Are you hearing the
most important details? Answer the questions and find out!
3. A transcript for the newscast
If you are having difficulty understanding the story when you listen, you can use the
transcript to help you.
4. Answers to the questions in the lesson
The answers are at end of the lesson on page 5.
5. An internet link or other resource suggestion
Some stories will have an internet link or suggest another resource you can use to
find more information.
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites)
The Audio File
Click on this file to hear three real world news stories read by a CBC news reader. The
first is a Manitoba story. The second is a Canadian story. The third is an international
story. All of the stories are in the same audio file
There are new stories and lessons every Thursday.
Now you are ready to begin. Read on!
Story 1: Winnipeg having coldest winter in thirty-five years
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary
words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. _d a meteorologist
Meaning
a scale that measures temperature
a)
2. __ minus
b)
a metric unit for measuring length, width or
height
3. __ Celsius
c)
the combined effect of temperature and
wind that makes the air feel colder and
causes our bodies to lose heat faster
4. __ temperature
d)
a scientist who studies weather
5. __ wind chill
e)
the usual or expected temperature for a
certain time of year
6. __ a normal temperature
f)
a measure of how hot or cold something is
7. __ a centimetre
g)
a sign used to indicate a temperature that is
below zero
Step 2: Listen to the first story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Does option a) or option b) make the
sentence correct? Underline or circle your answer. The first one is completed
for you as an example.
1.
Winnipeg has had the coldest winter
temperatures ________.
a) in 25 years
b) in 35 years
2.
Daytime temperatures have been
below ______.
a) minus 20 degrees Celsius
b) minus 30 degrees Celsius
3.
Normal daytime temperatures for this
time of year are ________________.
a) minus 6 degrees Celsius
b) minus 16 degrees Celsius
4.
Nighttime temperatures have been
____________.
a) below minus 30 degrees Celsius
b) minus 30 degrees Celsius
5.
Normal nighttime temperatures for
this time of year are _________.
a) below minus 6 degrees Celsius
b) minus 16 degrees Celsius
6.
So far this winter, Winnipeg has had
___________.
a) 127 inches of snow
b) 127 centimetres of snow
To find out more: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-experiencing-coldestwinter-in-35-years-1.2551863
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Story 2: Connection with nature is important for children
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary words
with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. _f to have a connection
with something
a)
Meaning
a medical condition that makes children too
active or unable to pay attention for very long
2. __ nature
b)
how you feel, e.g. happy or sad
3. __ depression
c)
to rest or do something that’s enjoyable
4. __ attention deficit
disorder
d)
to make it possible for someone to see or
experience new ideas or ways of life
5. __ to relax
e)
the physical world, e.g. plants, animals, rocks,
earth, weather
6. __ memory
f)
to have a relationship with something; when
one thing is affected or caused by another
7. __ your mood
g)
the ability to remember things, people, places
8. __ to recommend
something
h)
a medical condition that makes someone sad,
anxious, unhappy etc.
9. __ to expose someone to
something
i)
to give advice on something, especially
something you know a lot about
Step 2: Listen to the first story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Fill in the blank with the correct word from
the box below. The first one is completed for you as an example.
1. Some experts say__________ do not spend enough time in ________.
2. Many children spend most of their time ______ , ________ TV or using _______.
3. Children who don’t spend time enjoying nature are more likely to have_________ or
__________deficit disorder.
4. Studies show that the brain ______ in nature.
5. Health experts __________ schools and families make more time for _________
activities.
attention
indoors
relaxes
children
watching
depression
experts
nature
computers
recommend
outdoor
To find out more: www.cbc.ca/news/health/kids-need-to-offset-screen-time-withnature-time-1.2543165
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Story 3: Air pollution levels high in China
Step 1: Learn new vocabulary. Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it
easier for you to understand the story. Can you match these vocabulary
words with their meaning? The first one is completed for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
1. c_ air pollution
a)
Meaning
to find out the size, length or amount of
something
2. __ smog
b)
something that covers your face to protect it
3. __ to measure
something
c)
when there are substances in the air that make it
dirty and possibly unsafe to breathe
4. __ a particle
d)
dirty air that looks like a mixture of smoke and fog
5. __ the World Health
Organization
e)
an official attempt to try to find out the truth about
something, or the cause of something
6. __ a safe level
f)
limits set to reduce pollution, e.g. for factories
7. __ an inspector
g)
a United Nations agency that coordinates and
helps improve health services around the world
8. __ to investigate
something
h)
a place where something is being built, e.g. a
road or building
9. __ a construction site
i)
a very small piece of something, e.g. dust
10. __ pollution control
standards
j)
someone who checks to see if something is
working well and if rules are being followed
11. __a mask
k)
a level that will not harm people
Step 2: Listen to the third story in the audio file. Focus on listening for the main ideas
and key information. Listen as many times as you need to.
Step 3: Answer questions about the story. Which of the following statements about
the story are true? Which are false? Underline or circle the correct answer.
The first one is completed for you as an example.
1.
China’s air pollution levels were high last week.
True False
2.
Thick smog covered the entire country.
True False
3.
Air pollution in Beijing was over six times the level considered to be
safe.
True False
4.
Inspectors are seeing if pollution control standards are being met.
True False
5.
One place they are checking is construction sites.
True False
6.
People have been wearing masks indoors and outdoors.
True False
Find out more: www.cbc.ca/news/world/pollution-in-china-severe-smog-plaguesbeijing-for-5th-day-1.2549065
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Hi, this is Heather Wells. You’re listening to Learning English with CBC newscast for the
week of February 24th.
Here is our first news story.
Winnipeg having coldest winter in thirty-five years
According to a local meteorologist, Winnipeggers are experiencing the coldest winter
the city has had in thirty-five years. Temperatures have been below minus twenty
degrees Celsius with the wind chill during the day. The normal daytime temperature at
this time of year is minus six degrees. At night, it gets even colder, with temperatures
below minus thirty degrees Celsius. Normal nighttime temperatures for this time of year
are around minus sixteen degrees. Winnipeg has also had fifty per cent more snow than
usual. So far, one hundred and twenty seven centimetres of snow has fallen in the city.
And in Canadian news,
Connection with nature is important for children
Some health experts say that children are not spending enough time out in the natural
world. Many children spend most of their time indoors, usually in front of television or
computer screens. Health experts say children who do not spend any time enjoying
nature are more likely to have depression, attention deficit disorder, and other health
issues. Studies have shown that the brain relaxes in nature and that being in nature
improves memory and mood. Health experts recommend that schools and families
make time for outdoor activities to expose children to the natural world.
And in international news,
Air pollution levels high in China
China’s air pollution levels were high last week. Thick smog covered seven provinces in
the country. A test which measures pollution particles in the air showed that the
pollution level in central Beijing was very high. The level was over sixteen times the
level that the World Health Organization considers to be safe. Government inspectors
were investigating construction sites and factories to ensure pollution control standards
were being followed. People who had to leave their homes were wearing masks when
they went out.
Answers for Story 1
Vocabulary: 1) d; 2) g; 3) a; 4) f; 5) c; 6) e; 7) b
Questions:
1) b; 2) a; 3) a; 4) a; 5) b; 6) b
Answers for Story 2
Vocabulary: 1) f; 2) e; 3) h; 4) a; 5) c; 6) g; 7) b; 8) i; 9) d
Questions:
1) experts, children, nature 2) indoors, watching, computers 3) depression,
attention 4) relaxes 5) recommend, outdoor
Answers for Story 3
Vocabulary: 1) c; 2) d; 3) a; 4) i; 5) g; 6) k; 7) j; 8) e; 9) h; 10) f; 11) b
Questions:
1) T; 2) F; 3) F; 4) T; 5) T; 6) F
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