The President of America, Joe Biden, and the President of China, Xi Jinping, are going to meet in San Francisco next week. They will talk about many things like wars in different places, elections, and how to keep peace between their countries. They hope to understand each other better, but they don’t think everything will be fixed.

They will talk a lot about Taiwan, a place China wants to control but America is worried about. They will also talk about things like technology and places in the sea that China says are theirs. Biden will ask China to help keep peace in the Middle East. The two countries have not been getting along, but they hope this meeting will help them be less angry with each other.

Original news source: Biden and Xi Jinping to meet in California (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Have students work in pairs to create a catchy headline for the article they just read. Encourage them to use new vocabulary words from the article in their headline. After they are done, each pair can present their headline to the class, and the class can vote on the most effective one.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group one aspect of the article (e.g., the meeting, Taiwan, technology, peace in the Middle East). Each group must draw a picture that represents their assigned topic without using words. Afterward, they present their drawing to the class, and other students guess what aspect of the article it represents.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “meeting” on the board. Ask students to take turns saying a word that they associate with “meeting” (e.g., “talk,” “presidents,” “countries”). Each student must also use the word in a simple English sentence. This activity helps students practice speaking and thinking in English.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a simple opinion poll related to the article’s content. For example, “Do you think it’s important for leaders of different countries to meet? Why?” Have each student vote yes or no, and then share their reason with a partner. This activity encourages students to express their opinions and practice using new vocabulary and grammar structures in context.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what might happen after the meeting between President Biden and President Xi Jinping. Instruct them to write one or two sentences predicting the outcome of the meeting. For example, “I think America and China will become friends,” or “I think they will not agree about Taiwan.” This activity helps students practice using future tense verbs and discussing potential outcomes.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who are the two men that are going to meet in San Francisco?
2. What city are they going to meet in?
3. What are some things they will talk about?
4. Why is America worried about Taiwan?
5. What does China say they own in the sea?
6. What will Biden ask China to help with?
7. Do the two countries get along right now?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The President of America, Joe Biden, and the President of China, Xi Jinping, are (1)______ to meet in San Francisco next week. They will talk about many things like (2)______ in different places, elections, and how to keep peace between their countries. They (3)______ to understand each (4)______ better, but they don’t think everything will be fixed.

They will talk a lot about Taiwan, a place China wants to control but (5)______ is worried about. They will also talk about things like technology and places in the sea that China says are (6)______. Biden will ask China to help keep peace in the Middle (7)______. The two countries have not been getting along, but they hope this (8)______ will help them be less angry with each other.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a president?
2. How would you feel if you met someone from another country?
3. Do you like talking to new people? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is good to share toys? Why?
5. What is peace?
6. How do you feel when you make a new friend?
7. Do you think it is important to talk about problems? Why?
8. What is a war?
9. How would you feel if someone wanted to take something that is yours?
10. Do you like to help friends when they are sad? Why?
11. Do you think it’s good to have meetings? Why or why not?
12. How do you feel when people are angry with each other?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. President
2. America
3. China
4. meet
5. talk
6. peace
7. Taiwan
8. technology

Meanings:
(a) A place that China wants to control
(b) When there is no fighting or arguing
(c) Things like computers and phones
(d) The country with cities like Beijing
(e) The leader of a country
(f) The country with cities like New York
(g) To have a conversation with someone
(h) To see someone and say hello
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is going to meet in San Francisco?
(a) Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin
(b) Joe Biden and Angela Merkel
(c) Joe Biden and Boris Johnson
(d) Joe Biden and Xi Jinping

2. What will they talk about?
(a) Sports, movies, and music
(b) Wars, elections, and peace
(c) Food, animals, and weather
(d) Cars, computers, and books

3. What is a place that China wants to control?
(a) France
(b) Taiwan
(c) Australia
(d) Brazil

4. What will Biden ask China to help with?
(a) Building a wall
(b) Making more money
(c) Keeping peace in the Middle East
(d) Winning a soccer game

5. How have the two countries been getting along?
(a) Not very well
(b) Very well
(c) Just okay
(d) They don’t know each other

6. Where will the meeting take place?
(a) New York City
(b) Los Angeles
(c) Chicago
(d) San Francisco

7. What are some things they will talk about?
(a) Food and clothes
(b) Books and movies
(c) Technology and places in the sea
(d) Animals and plants

8. What do they hope the meeting will do?
(a) Help them be less angry with each other
(b) Make them best friends
(c) Make them enemies
(d) Make them forget about each other

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Joe Biden and Xi Jinping are not going to meet in San Francisco.
2. They will also avoid discussing technology and places in the sea.
3. They will talk about Taiwan, a place China wants to control.
4. They will not talk about wars, elections, and how to keep peace.
5. America is worried about Taiwan.
6. The two countries hope this meeting will exacerbate their anger towards each other.
7. They want to understand each other better.
8. They don’t think everything will be fixed.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who are the two men that will meet in San Francisco?
2. What city will they meet in?
3. What is one thing they will talk about?
4. What does China want to control?
5. Why are they meeting?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who are the two men that are going to meet in San Francisco?
The President of America, Joe Biden, and the President of China, Xi Jinping, are the two men.

2. What city are they going to meet in?
They are going to meet in San Francisco.

3. What are some things they will talk about?
They will talk about wars, elections, peace between their countries, Taiwan, technology, and places in the sea.

4. Why is America worried about Taiwan?
America is worried because China wants to control Taiwan, but America wants to keep Taiwan safe.

5. What does China say they own in the sea?
China says they own some places in the sea.

6. What will Biden ask China to help with?
Biden will ask China to help keep peace in the Middle East.

7. Do the two countries get along right now?
No, the two countries do not get along right now.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) going
(2) wars
(3) hope
(4) other
(5) America
(6) theirs
(7) East
(8) meeting
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. President
Answer: (e) The leader of a country

2. America
Answer: (f) The country with cities like New York

3. China
Answer: (d) The country with cities like Beijing

4. meet
Answer: (h) To see someone and say hello

5. talk
Answer: (g) To have a conversation with someone

6. peace
Answer: (b) When there is no fighting or arguing

7. Taiwan
Answer: (a) A place that China wants to control

8. technology
Answer: (c) Things like computers and phones
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is going to meet in San Francisco?
Answer: (d) Joe Biden and Xi Jinping

2. What will they talk about?
Answer: (b) Wars, elections, and peace

3. What is a place that China wants to control?
Answer: (b) Taiwan

4. What will Biden ask China to help with?
Answer: (c) Keeping peace in the Middle East

5. How have the two countries been getting along?
Answer: (a) Not very well

6. Where will the meeting take place?
Answer: (d) San Francisco

7. What are some things they will talk about?
Answer: (c) Technology and places in the sea

8. What do they hope the meeting will do?
Answer: (a) Help them be less angry with each other
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Joe Biden and Xi Jinping are not going to meet in San Francisco. (Answer: False)
2. They will also avoid discussing technology and places in the sea. (Answer: False)
3. They will talk about Taiwan, a place China wants to control. (Answer: True)
4. They will not talk about wars, elections, and how to keep peace. (Answer: False)
5. America is worried about Taiwan. (Answer: True)
6. The two countries hope this meeting will exacerbate their anger towards each other. (Answer: False)
7. They want to understand each other better. (Answer: True)
8. They don’t think everything will be fixed. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧