Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Yulia Tymoshenko. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Yulia Tymoshenko is Ukraine’s prime minister and one of the world’s few female leaders. She is head of the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. She was born in 1960 and spent her teenage years rising through the Soviet Communist Youth Organization. She has a Ph.D. in economics and has written over 50 research papers.
Before she entered politics, Tymoshenko was a successful businesswoman. In 1989, she started a chain of video rental stores, which made her quite rich. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, she had several high positions in Ukraine’s oil and gas industries and became one of Ukraine’s richest people. Her newly found fortune allowed her to start up her own political party.
During Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, the Western media dubbed her as the nation’s Joan of Arc. She was appointed as acting prime minister in January 2005, but lost power in September that same year when Ukraine’s president dismissed her government. She returned to power in June 2006, following national elections. She is widely tipped to one day become President of Ukraine.
There are many other sides to Tymoshenko’s life. In 2001, she was voted as one of the most beautiful women to ever enter politics. She is also known for her trademark plaited hairstyle, which became iconic during the Orange Revolution, and which she keeps to this day. She once joked her hairstyle was “a steering wheel to drive the state”.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
head
a.
wealth
2
rising
b.
authored
3.
written
c.
fall
4.
chain
d.
going up
5.
collapse
e.
boss
6.
fortune
f.
franchise
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
dubbed
g.
fired
8.
dismissed
h.
parts
9.
tipped
i.
called
10.
sides
j.
predicted
11
enter
k
symbolic
12
trademark
l
get into
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
one of the world’s few
a.
gas industries
2
her teenage
b.
Tymoshenko’s life
3.
rising through the Soviet Communist
c.
female leaders
4.
the collapse
d.
day become President
5.
Ukraine’s oil and
e.
the nation’s Joan of Arc
6.
the Western media dubbed her as
f.
Youth Organization
7.
She is widely tipped to one
g.
of the Soviet Union
8.
There are many other sides to
h.
trademark plaited hairstyle
9.
one of the most beautiful women
i.
years
10.
She is also known for her
j.
to ever enter politics
LISTENING GAP FILL
Yulia Tymoshenko is Ukraine’s prime minister _______________ world’s few female leaders. She _______________ All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. She was born in 1960 and spent her teenage __________________ the Soviet Communist Youth Organization. She has a Ph.D. in economics __________________ 50 research papers.
Before __________________, Tymoshenko was a successful businesswoman. In 1989, she started a chain of video rental stores, which _______________ rich. After the _______________ Soviet Union, she had several high positions in Ukraine’s oil and gas industries and became one of Ukraine’s richest people. Her newly found fortune _______________ up her own political party.
During Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, the Western media _______________ nation’s Joan of Arc. She _______________ acting prime minister in January 2005, but lost power in September that same year when Ukraine’s president dismissed her government. She _______________ in June 2006, following national elections. She is _______________ one day become President of Ukraine.
There are _______________ to Tymoshenko’s life. In 2001, she was voted as one of the most beautiful women _______________ politics. She is also known for her trademark plaited hairstyle, which became iconic during the Orange Revolution, and which _______________ day. She once joked her hairstyle was “a steering wheel to drive the state”.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Yulia Tymoshenko is Ukraine’s prime minister and one of the world’s few / true female leaders. She is brain / head of the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. She was born in 1960 and spent / used her teenage years rising through the Soviet Communist Youth Organization. She has a Ph.D. in economics and has writing / written over 50 research papers.
Before she entered politics / political, Tymoshenko was a successful businesswoman. In 1989, she started a chain of video rental stores, which made her quit / quite rich. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, she had several high positions on / in Ukraine’s oil and gas industries and became one of Ukraine’s richest people. Her newly found fortune allowed her to start down / up her own political party.
During Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, the Western media dubbed her as / was the nation’s Joan of Arc. She was appointed as / was acting prime minister in January 2005, but lost power in September that some / same year when Ukraine’s president dismissed her government. She returned to power in June 2006, following national elections. She is widely / wide tipped to one day become President of Ukraine.
There are many other / another sides to Tymoshenko’s life. In 2001, she was voted as one of the most beautiful women to never / ever enter politics. She is also known for her trademark plaited hairstyle, which became iconic / icon during the Orange Revolution, and which she keeps to this day. She once joked her hairstyle was “a steering wheel to drive / ride the state”.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
one of the world’s few faemel leaders
2.
her geetnae years
3.
rising ohrgthu the Soviet Communist Youth Organization
4.
written over 50 areshrce papers
Paragraph 2
5.
Before she entered pcoiislt
6.
the calspelo of the Soviet Union
7.
Ukraine’s oil and gas stiuendsri
8.
Her newly found ufoernt
Paragraph 3
9.
the Western idmea
10.
lost opewr in September
11.
Ukraine’s president seidsmsid her government
12.
She is iyldew tipped to one day become President of Ukraine
Paragraph 4
13.
There are many other dseis to Tymoshenko’s life
14.
she met at yisntivreu in England
15.
known for her rmdaetrak plaited hairstyle
16.
became iconic uidgrn the Orange Revolution
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
During Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, the Western media dubbed her as the nation’s
( )
years rising through the Soviet Communist Youth Organization. She has a Ph.D. in economics and has written over 50 research papers.
( )
president dismissed her government. She returned to power in June 2006, following
( )
ever enter politics. She is also known for her trademark plaited hairstyle, which became iconic
( )
national elections. She is widely tipped to one day become President of Ukraine.
( )
of video rental stores, which made her quite rich. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, she had several high positions in Ukraine’s oil and
( )
her hairstyle was “a steering wheel to drive the state”.
( )
Before she entered politics, Tymoshenko was a successful businesswoman. In 1989, she started a chain
( )
There are many other sides to Tymoshenko’s life. In 2001, she was voted as one of the most beautiful women to
( )
during the Orange Revolution, and which she keeps to this day. She once joked
( )
of the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. She was born in 1960 and spent her teenage
( 1 )
Yulia Tymoshenko is Ukraine’s prime minister and one of the world’s few female leaders. She is head
( )
gas industries and became one of Ukraine’s richest people. Her newly found fortune allowed her to start up her own political party.
( )
Joan of Arc. She was appointed as acting prime minister in January 2005, but lost power in September that same year when Ukraine’s
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
leaders of world’s female one the few
2.
youth rising the Communist organization through Soviet
3.
stores rental video of chain a started she
4.
Ukraine’s oil and gas industries several high positions in
5.
her up start party political own
6.
was as prime She appointed acting minister
7.
power June She to in 2006 returned
8.
many are There life Tymoshenko’s to sides other
9.
enter of beautiful ever one most to politics the women
10.
hairstyle for She her is trademark also plaited known
DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Yulia Tymoshenko?
2.
Would you like to meet Yulia Tymoshenko?
3.
What would you like to know about Yulia Tymoshenko and why?
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. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Yulia Tymoshenko. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. YULIA TYMOSHENKO POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Yulia Tymoshenko. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Yulia Tymoshenko. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Yulia Tymoshenko. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Yulia Tymoshenko expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
head
a.
boss
2
rising
b.
going up
3.
written
c.
authored
4.
chain
d.
franchise
5.
collapse
e.
fall
6.
fortune
f.
wealth
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
dubbed
g.
called
8.
dismissed
h.
fired
9.
tipped
i.
predicted
10.
sides
j.
parts
11
enter
k
get into
12
trademark
l
symbolic
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
one of the world’s few
a.
female leaders
2
her teenage
b.
years
3.
rising through the Soviet Communist
c.
Youth Organization
4.
the collapse
d.
of the Soviet Union
5.
Ukraine’s oil and
e.
gas industries
6.
the Western media dubbed her as
f.
the nation’s Joan of Arc
7.
She is widely tipped to one
g.
day become President
8.
There are many other sides to
h.
Tymoshenko’s life
9.
one of the most beautiful women
i.
to ever enter politics
10.
She is also known for her
j.
trademark plaited hairstyle
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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