• ☐ ☐ ☐ launch [v] - start (an attack)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a strike [n] - an attack
• ☐ ☐ ☐ administered [adj] - managed, controlled
• ☐ ☐ ☐ vow [v] - promise
• ☐ ☐ ☐ retaliate [v] - get revenge
• ☐ ☐ ☐ mediate [v] - help two sides reach an agreement
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a ceasefire [n] - an agreement to stop fighting
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the Houthis [n] - a rebel group in Yemen
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a chancellor [n] - the leader of a government
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a shock defeat [n] - an unexpected loss
• ☐ ☐ ☐ initial [adj] - first
• ☐ ☐ ☐ Parliament [n] - the government
• ☐ ☐ ☐ testimony [n] - a formal statement about what someone saw or knows
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a truckload [n] - as much as a truck can carry, many
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a mass grave [n] - a large grave for many people, often after war or disaster
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the Assad regime [n] - the former government of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad
• ☐ ☐ ☐ torture [v] - hurt someone badly

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

1. India launched strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
   True
   False
   
   
2. The US is trying to mediated a ceasefire deal between Oman and the Houthis in Yemen.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Canada’s new Prime Minister told Donald Trump that Canada is not for sale.
   True
   False
   
   
4. Friedrich Merz has been defeated in Germany’s election for chancellor.
   True
   False
   
   
5. A Syrian man has been sent to jail for transporting bodies to mass graves during the Assad regime.
   True
   False
   
   

Directions: What expressions from the audio have the same meaning as the highlighted expressions in the sentences below?

1. India launches strikes on Pakistan and [ Pakistan-controlled ] Kashmir.

   [ Pakistan-administered ]

   Show Hide
   
   
2. Pakistan [ promises ] to [ get revenge ].

   [ vows ] [ retaliate ]

   Show Hide
   
   
3. Oman says it has [ negotiated ] a ceasefire deal between the US and the Houthis in Yemen.

   [ mediated ]

   Show Hide
   
   
4. And we hear [ official statements ] from a Syrian man who drove [ large amounts ] of bodies to mass graves under the Assad [ government ].

   [ testimony ] [ truckloads ] [ regime ]

   Show Hide
   
   

Directions: Choose the most natural word.

• India starts makes launches (launches) strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan vows to react revenge retaliate (retaliate) .
• Oman says tells talks (says) it has mediated a ceasefire deal from among between (between) the US and the Houthis in Yemen.
• Canada's new newly (newly) elected Prime Minister says tells talks (tells) Donald Trump his country will never be on up for (for) sale.
• Friedrich Merz becomes Germany's new newly (new) chancellor after surviving a shock defeat during an first initial starting (initial) vote in Parliament.
• And we hear listen notice (hear) testimony from a Syrian man who drove truckloads of bodies to mass graves for with under (under) the Assad regime.
• The hardest part to see look watch (see) was the bodies — how they were tortured. To see look watch (see) that, the torture on them, it was a hard process.