Ghanaian Member of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, said sorry to Manchester United player Harry Maguire for making fun of him last year. Adongo compared Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s handling of the economy to Maguire’s performance on the football field during a budget discussion. But now, Adongo thinks Maguire is an amazing player and an important part of Manchester United. However, Adongo still criticized Vice-President Bawumia, saying that Maguire is now at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) asking for help, which refers to Ghana’s economic problems and the country borrowing money from the IMF.

Ghana is currently facing big economic problems, with a lot of government debt and a really high inflation rate of 54% in December 2022. Adongo’s comparison of Bawumia to Maguire was shared a lot on social media and got criticized by England manager Gareth Southgate, who called it “ridiculous treatment.” Maguire’s mom also defended her son, saying that the way he was treated is shameful and not okay.

Some Ghanaians reacted to Adongo’s apology by recognizing that Maguire has gotten better as a player, but they’re still questioning how well Ghana’s economic managers are doing. The Ghanaian government had to raise taxes and fees for services as part of their agreement with the IMF, which made a lot of people angry and caused protests about the high cost of living and unemployment.

Even with all these problems, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which is in charge, picked Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections. If he wins, he will be the first Muslim to run for president under the NPP since 1992. Bawumia promised to lead a united and energized NPP and make big changes in Ghana.

In summary, Isaac Adongo said sorry to Harry Maguire for making fun of him and recognized his contributions to Manchester United. But Adongo still criticized Vice-President Bawumia’s handling of the economy. Ghana is facing a lot of economic problems, including borrowing money from the IMF and protests about the high cost of living. This has caused a lot of debate among Ghanaians. However, the NPP chose Bawumia as their candidate for the upcoming elections and promised to make big changes and bring unity.

Original news source: Harry Maguire: Ghana MP Isaac Adongo sorry for mocking Manchester United star (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary

Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will read the article and then work together to create a concise summary of the main points. They should focus on capturing the key information and events mentioned in the article. Afterward, each group can take turns sharing their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll

Instructions: Students will form pairs and take turns asking each other questions related to the article. They can ask for opinions on topics such as the apology, the comparison between Maguire and Bawumia, the economic situation in Ghana, and the NPP’s choice of candidate. They should encourage their partner to elaborate on their answers and provide reasons for their opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Each team will take turns selecting a word from the article and drawing it on the board without using any letters or numbers. The other teams must try to guess the word based on the drawing. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary from the article and encourage creativity.

– Pros and Cons

Instructions: Students will work individually or in pairs to create a list of pros and cons related to the issues discussed in the article. They can consider the apology, the economic situation in Ghana, and the NPP’s choice of candidate. Afterward, they can share and discuss their lists with the class, encouraging a respectful and balanced discussion.

– Future Predictions

Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the possible outcomes of the situations mentioned in the article. They can consider the economic situation in Ghana, the impact of the apology, and the upcoming elections. They should support their predictions with reasons and evidence from the article. Afterward, they can share their predictions with the class and discuss the different perspectives.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did Isaac Adongo apologize to Harry Maguire?
2. How did Adongo compare Vice-President Bawumia to Maguire?
3. How did Gareth Southgate react to Adongo’s comparison?
4. What did Maguire’s mom say about the way her son was treated?
5. How did Ghanaians react to Adongo’s apology?
6. What economic problems is Ghana currently facing?
7. Why did the Ghanaian government have to raise taxes and fees?
8. Who did the New Patriotic Party choose as their candidate for the 2024 elections?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Ghanaian Member of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, said sorry to Manchester United (1)______ Harry (2)______ for making fun of him last year. Adongo compared Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s (3)______ of the economy to Maguire’s performance on the (4)______ field during a budget discussion. But now, Adongo thinks Maguire is an amazing player and an important part of Manchester United. However, Adongo still criticized Vice-President Bawumia, saying that Maguire is now at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) asking for help, which refers to Ghana’s economic problems and the country (5)______ money from the IMF.

Ghana is currently (6)______ big economic problems, with a lot of government debt and a really high inflation rate of 54% in December 2022. Adongo’s comparison of Bawumia to Maguire was (7)______ a lot on social media and got criticized by England manager Gareth Southgate, who called it “ridiculous treatment.” Maguire’s mom also defended her son, saying that the way he was treated is shameful and not okay.

Some Ghanaians reacted to Adongo’s apology by recognizing that Maguire has gotten (8)______ as a player, but they’re still questioning how well Ghana’s economic managers are doing. The Ghanaian (9)______ had to raise taxes and fees for services as part of their agreement with the IMF, which made a lot of people angry and caused protests about the high cost of living and unemployment.

Even with all these problems, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which is in charge, picked Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections. If he wins, he will be the first (10)______ to run for (11)______ under the NPP since 1992. Bawumia promised to lead a (12)______ and energized NPP and make big changes in Ghana.

In summary, Isaac (13)______ said (14)______ to (15)______ Maguire for making fun of him and recognized his contributions to Manchester United. But Adongo still criticized Vice-President Bawumia’s handling of the economy. Ghana is facing a lot of economic problems, including borrowing (16)______ from the IMF and protests about the high cost of living. This has caused a lot of debate among Ghanaians. However, the NPP chose Bawumia as their candidate for the upcoming elections and promised to make big changes and bring unity.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you think about Isaac Adongo’s apology to Harry Maguire?
2. How would you feel if someone made fun of you in public like Isaac Adongo did to Harry Maguire?
3. Do you like watching football? Why or why not?
4. What is your opinion on Vice-President Bawumia’s handling of the economy?
5. How do you think Harry Maguire felt when he was compared to Vice-President Bawumia?
6. Do you think it’s fair for politicians to criticize athletes in public? Why or why not?
7. What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and why is Ghana asking for their help?
8. How would you feel if your country was facing economic problems like Ghana?
9. Do you think raising taxes and fees is an effective solution to economic problems? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the protests about the high cost of living and unemployment in Ghana will impact the upcoming elections?
11. What changes would you like to see in your country’s government?
12. How important is unity in a political party? Why or why not?
13. What do you think about the NPP choosing Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections?
14. How do you think Bawumia’s religion might impact his chances of winning the elections?
15. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Ghana right now?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. apologize
2. criticize
3. inflation
4. candidate
5. protest
6. unity
7. contribution
8. debate

Meanings:
(a) A discussion or argument about a particular topic
(b) The increase in prices and decrease in the value of money
(c) Something that someone gives or does to help achieve a goal or purpose
(d) A public demonstration or expression of objection or disapproval
(e) The state of being together or joined as a whole
(f) Say sorry for something you did wrong
(g) A person who is running for a position in an election
(h) Express disapproval or negative opinions about something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who apologized to Harry Maguire for making fun of him?
(a) Gareth Southgate
(b) Mahamudu Bawumia
(c) Maguire’s mom
(d) Isaac Adongo

2. What did Isaac Adongo compare Bawumia’s handling of the economy to?
(a) England’s performance in the World Cup
(b) Maguire’s performance on the football field
(c) Ghana’s borrowing from the IMF
(d) Manchester United’s winning streak

3. What did Gareth Southgate think of Adongo’s comparison?
(a) He praised Adongo’s sense of humor
(b) He agreed with the comparison
(c) He called it “ridiculous treatment”
(d) He didn’t comment on it

4. What is the current inflation rate in Ghana?
(a) 10%
(b) 30%
(c) 54%
(d) 80%

5. What did the Ghanaian government have to do as part of their agreement with the IMF?
(a) Lower taxes and fees for services
(b) Raise taxes and fees for services
(c) Increase government spending
(d) Borrow more money from the IMF

6. What caused protests in Ghana?
(a) High cost of living and unemployment
(b) Low inflation rate and economic stability
(c) Increased government transparency
(d) Successful economic reforms

7. Who did the New Patriotic Party (NPP) choose as their candidate for the 2024 elections?
(a) Mahamudu Bawumia
(b) Isaac Adongo
(c) Harry Maguire
(d) Gareth Southgate

8. What did Bawumia promise if he wins the elections?
(a) To continue the current economic policies
(b) To focus on international relations
(c) To step down as Vice-President
(d) To make big changes in Ghana

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. A Ghanaian Member of Parliament named Isaac Adongo apologized to Manchester United player Harry Maguire for making fun of him in the past.
2. Adongo did not compare Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s handling of the economy to Maguire’s performance on the football field during a budget discussion.
3. Adongo now thinks Maguire is an amazing player and an important part of Manchester United.
4. Adongo’s comparison of Bawumia to Maguire did not receive a lot of attention on social media and was not criticized by England manager Gareth Southgate.
5. Ghana is not currently facing significant economic problems, including high government debt and a high inflation rate of 54% in December 2022.
6. Adongo did not criticize Vice-President Bawumia and did not suggest that Maguire is at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking help, which does not refer to Ghana’s economic problems and borrowing money from the IMF.
7. Maguire’s mom defended her son, stating that the way he was treated was shameful and unacceptable.
8. Despite the economic problems, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) chose Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections, and he promised to bring about significant changes in Ghana.
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. Why did Isaac Adongo apologize to Harry Maguire?
2. What did Isaac Adongo compare Vice-President Bawumia’s handling of the economy to?
3. What economic problems is Ghana currently facing?
4. How did people react to Adongo’s apology?
5. Who did the New Patriotic Party (NPP) choose as their candidate for the 2024 elections?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why did Isaac Adongo apologize to Harry Maguire?
Isaac Adongo apologized to Harry Maguire because he had previously made fun of him during a budget discussion, comparing Vice-President Bawumia’s handling of the economy to Maguire’s performance on the football field.

2. How did Adongo compare Vice-President Bawumia to Maguire?
Adongo compared Vice-President Bawumia to Maguire by saying that Bawumia’s handling of the economy was similar to Maguire’s performance on the football field. This was meant to criticize Bawumia’s economic management.

3. How did Gareth Southgate react to Adongo’s comparison?
Gareth Southgate, the England manager, called Adongo’s comparison “ridiculous treatment.” This means that Southgate thought it was unfair and unreasonable to compare Bawumia’s economic management to Maguire’s performance as a football player.

4. What did Maguire’s mom say about the way her son was treated?
Maguire’s mom defended her son and said that the way he was treated was shameful and not okay. She was upset about the criticism and felt that it was unfair to make fun of her son.

5. How did Ghanaians react to Adongo’s apology?
Some Ghanaians accepted Adongo’s apology and acknowledged that Maguire has improved as a player. However, they still questioned the performance of Ghana’s economic managers and expressed concerns about the country’s economic problems.

6. What economic problems is Ghana currently facing?
Ghana is currently facing big economic problems, including a high inflation rate of 54% in December 2022 and a lot of government debt. The country has also had to borrow money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to address its financial difficulties.

7. Why did the Ghanaian government have to raise taxes and fees?
The Ghanaian government had to raise taxes and fees as part of their agreement with the IMF. This was a condition for receiving financial assistance from the IMF to help address the country’s economic problems.

8. Who did the New Patriotic Party choose as their candidate for the 2024 elections?
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) chose Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections. If he wins, he will be the first Muslim to run for president under the NPP since 1992.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) player
(2) Maguire
(3) handling
(4) football
(5) borrowing
(6) facing
(7) shared
(8) better
(9) government
(10) Muslim
(11) president
(12) united
(13) Adongo
(14) sorry
(15) Harry
(16) money
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. apologize
Answer: (f) Say sorry for something you did wrong

2. criticize
Answer: (h) Express disapproval or negative opinions about something

3. inflation
Answer: (b) The increase in prices and decrease in the value of money

4. candidate
Answer: (g) A person who is running for a position in an election

5. protest
Answer: (d) A public demonstration or expression of objection or disapproval

6. unity
Answer: (e) The state of being together or joined as a whole

7. contribution
Answer: (c) Something that someone gives or does to help achieve a goal or purpose

8. debate
Answer: (a) A discussion or argument about a particular topic
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who apologized to Harry Maguire for making fun of him?
Answer: (d) Isaac Adongo

2. What did Isaac Adongo compare Bawumia’s handling of the economy to?
Answer: (b) Maguire’s performance on the football field

3. What did Gareth Southgate think of Adongo’s comparison?
Answer: (c) He called it “ridiculous treatment”

4. What is the current inflation rate in Ghana?
Answer: (c) 54%

5. What did the Ghanaian government have to do as part of their agreement with the IMF?
Answer: (b) Raise taxes and fees for services

6. What caused protests in Ghana?
Answer: (a) High cost of living and unemployment

7. Who did the New Patriotic Party (NPP) choose as their candidate for the 2024 elections?
Answer: (a) Mahamudu Bawumia

8. What did Bawumia promise if he wins the elections?
Answer: (d) To make big changes in Ghana
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. A Ghanaian Member of Parliament named Isaac Adongo apologized to Manchester United player Harry Maguire for making fun of him in the past. (Answer: True)
2. Adongo did not compare Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s handling of the economy to Maguire’s performance on the football field during a budget discussion. (Answer: False)
3. Adongo now thinks Maguire is an amazing player and an important part of Manchester United. (Answer: True)
4. Adongo’s comparison of Bawumia to Maguire did not receive a lot of attention on social media and was not criticized by England manager Gareth Southgate. (Answer: False)
5. Ghana is not currently facing significant economic problems, including high government debt and a high inflation rate of 54% in December 2022. (Answer: False)
6. Adongo did not criticize Vice-President Bawumia and did not suggest that Maguire is at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking help, which does not refer to Ghana’s economic problems and borrowing money from the IMF. (Answer: False)
7. Maguire’s mom defended her son, stating that the way he was treated was shameful and unacceptable. (Answer: True)
8. Despite the economic problems, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) chose Bawumia as their candidate for the 2024 elections, and he promised to bring about significant changes in Ghana. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧