• ☐ ☐ ☐ hostages [n] - people taken prisoner and used to negotiate
• ☐ ☐ ☐ transfer [v] - move from one place to another
• ☐ ☐ ☐ gender-based violence [exp] - violence targeted against a specific sex or gender (usually meant to mean violence against women)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ allegedly [adv] - accused (said) but not yet proven
• ☐ ☐ ☐ at the hands of [exp] - done by
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a setback [n] - a problem, a stop of progress
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a collapsed tunnel [n] - an underground passage that has fallen down or been destroyed
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a drilling machine [n] - a machine that makes a large hole
• ☐ ☐ ☐ reach [v] - get to, arrive at
• ☐ ☐ ☐ broken down [adj] - not working or funtioning
• ☐ ☐ ☐ ferries [n] - boats that carry people (and often cars)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ cut [v] - reduce
• ☐ ☐ ☐ emissions [n] - something discharged into the air

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

1. Hamas has released some hostages to the Red Cross.
   True
   False
   
   
2. Israel has released some Palestinians.
   True
   False
   
   
3. There has been a major protest against violence against women in Italy.
   True
   False
   
   
4. A man has been found guilty of murdering her ex-girlfriend in Italy.
   True
   False
   
   
5. Some of the workers trapped in a tunnel in India have been rescued.
   True
   False
   
   
6. A new drilling machine has been brought to help free more of the trapped workers.
   True
   False
   
   
7. New ferries is Sweden will produce fewer emissions but increase travel times.
   True
   False
   
   

Directions: Choose one word for each box.

• Hamas (has) released (the) latest group of hostages to the Red Cross for their transfer out (of) Gaza by rapid crossing.
• 39 more Palestinians have (been) released (by) Israel (in) return.
• Also, tens of thousands of Italians protest (agaisnt) gender-based violence after the killing of (a) young woman, allegedly (at) the hands of her ex-boyfriend.
• Also in (this) podcast, another major setback (for) dozens of workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel (in) India.
• The drilling machine that they (were) using behind me (to) drill a hole to try and reach the workers that (are) trapped, that (is/has) now broken down completely.
• And (the) new Swedish ferries designed (to) cut journey times and greenhouse gas emissions.