Battle at the Front: Listening exercise Everything taken from: http://www.esl-lab.com/bat/batrd1.htm
Pre-listening: In small groups, try to predict the following ideas about the news report before you listen:
-the setting, or where the action is taking place (e.g., in the country side, along a beach, in the city, at sea, in the jungle, in the mountains, etc.);
-how long has the war being going on;
-problems that have resulted from the war (e.g., hunger, loss of life, orphaned children, blackouts, sniper attacks, starvation, disease, malnutrition, looting, landmines, etc.)
Present the group's predictions orally to other groups or the rest of the class.
Listen and choose the right option:

1. Where in the city is the news reporter Stan Fielding?
A. at a military facility
B. in the suburbs
C. in the downtown area

2. How long has the civil war been going on for?
A. almost one year
B. just over a year
C. a year and a half

3. About what time of day is this news report taking place?
A. in the early afternoon
B. in the late evening
C. in the middle of the night
4. What is the main target of the rebels in this latest attack?
A. the current location of city leaders
B. military stockpiles of ammunition
C. the main lines of transportation
5. Which is NOT a major problem as a result of the war so far?
A. infectious disease
B. lack of drinking water and food
C. insufficient housing
Post- Listening: Discuss the following ideas with another student:
-the greatest areas of conflict in the world and how they affect you directly or indirectly
-the main causes of these conflicts
-the keys to resolving these problems

Script:
Newscaster: We interrupt our regular scheduled news program to bring you live up-to-date coverage on the civil  unrest  in the newly formed country of Karnak, where our  man Stan Fielding is stationed. Stan . . .
Stan: This is Stan Fielding reporting live from the  outskirts  of the capital city. Just 20 minutes ago, rebel forces  launched  the biggest offensive against the ruling government in the 18-month conflict here in this country.
Newscaster: Now Stan, is this a sign that the peace process has been totally  abandoned?
Stan: Well, so far, peace negotiations have failed, and any resolution to  quell  the civil war appears  bleak  at this point. As you can see . . . Whoa.
Newscaster: Stan, Stan, are you there?
Stan: Uh, yes, Bob. As you can probably hear behind me, rebel forces are also using heavy  artillery  to pound government strongholds  around the city center. Rebel forces are closing in, and it's feared that they will be able to take the capital building before sunup where it is believed, many government officials are holding out.
Newscaster: Now, besides the heavy fighting, what other pressing concerns are there for the citizens of the city?
Stan: Well, since the beginning of the conflict,  starvation, clean water, and  adequate  shelter  have been the biggest daily obstacles facing the citizens of this torn country. It is believed that over 40,000 people, mostly children, have starved to death. Land mines have claimed countless other lives. Fortunately, no epidemics  have broken out, but that is always a concern if this war  lingers on.
Newscaster: Okay, that was Stan Fielding reporting. And we will keep you up-to-date as this story continues to unfold.
Important Vocabulary

unrest  (noun): dissatisfaction or anger against society or political parties
- Political  unrest  has caused instability in that region of the world.
stationed  (verb): to be assigned to a particular place like in the military
- My father was  stationed  in Germany for two years with the airforce.
outskirts  (noun): the outer area of a city
- Often, the  outskirts  of the city are the most peaceful.
launch  (verb): start
- The vice-president decided to  launch  his election campaign last week.
abandon  (verb): to stop or give up on something
- The ruling government  abandoned  its decision to raise taxes further because of voter discontent.
quell  (verb): to put down or end
- The military used force to  quell  social unrest.
bleak  (adjective): hopeless
- The economy looks very  bleak  at this point with sky-high inflation and unemployment at 27 percent.
artillery  (noun): large guns, often on wheels, used by armies
- Developing countries in that region are increasing their stockpiles of  artillery  as a way to demonstrate their military muscle.
strongholds  (noun): strongly defended places
- The army attacked the enemy's  strongholds  just before dawn.
starvation  (noun): a state of extreme hunger which can lead to death
- Thousands of people are on the verge ofstarvation  in that country.
adequate  (adjective): enough
- If  adequate  food supplies do not become available, many people will not survive the winter.
shelter  (noun): a place, like a house, that provides protection from danger or weather
- We need to seek shelter before the storm.
epidemics  (noun): a sudden and widespread start of an infectious disease among many people
- There has been an  epidemic  of malaria for the past three months.
linger on  (verb): continues slowly on
- The conflict has  lingered on  for more than three years