Regular listening practice based on the weekly news, with pre-reading vocabulary, reading, gap-fill exercise, comprehension quiz and answers.

Each Tuesday EnglishClub publishes a short audio news report in easy English from the previous week. With this resource you can practise your listening, reading, writing and even speaking.

1.   Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.

2.   Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.

3.   Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.

4.   Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.

5.   Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.

Study the news story each week and watch your English skills grow!

10 Reading Tips

1.   Read at a level slightly lower than what you understand. You should not have to look up a lot of words. It"s okay to look up a few words.

2.   Make reading a ritual. Choose a time and place to read every day or week. Commit to this reading time as if it were a job.

3.   Read what interests you.

4.   Understand what you"ll be tested on. If you"re working on your reading skills for a particular test, make sure to learn about the test. There may be specific formats such as advertisements that you"ll have to read in the test.

5.   Find free reading materials. Project Gutenberg is an excellent source, but be careful with public domain books that are written in outdated English. Some words and expressions are no longer in use.

6.   Visualize what you are reading. Some people try to imagine they are reading a movie or a how-to video.

7.   Listen and read. Find podcasts or videos that have transcripts and read along silently. You can also read out loud with the recording.

8.   Relate what you read to your own life. How does the reading apply to you?

9.   Think about the author or journalist.  How would the reading differ if you were the author?

10.                Check your eyesight. If you haven"t had your eyesight checked in the last few years, make an appointment.

Reading Strategies

Here are some strategies for improving your comprehension skills.

§ Skim: read for the brief idea or overview.

§ Scan: read for specific details or a specific reason.

§ KWL: determine what you Know about the topic, what you Want to know, and what you Learned.

§ Skip: if you don"t understand a word or section, keep reading ahead. Come back to the section or word again and try to figure out the meaning. Use a dictionary if necessary.

§ Look for headings, subtitles and keywords.

§ Read out loud: children read out loud when they first start reading. You can too. Get comfortable hearing your English voice.

§ Create timelines or charts: reorganize what you read in a different format.

§ Rewrite in a different tense.

§ Rewrite in a different format: for example, rewrite an article in letter or list form.

§ Illustrate: if you think you’re a visual learner, sketch images or an infographic related to what you read.

§ Write the questions: as you read, think about which questions you might find on a test or quiz. Write them down and answer them, or quiz a friend.

§ Summarize or retell: you can do this by writing a letter to a friend, writing a blog post, making a web cam video, or just starting a conversation on this topic.

§ Learn affixes: prefixes and suffixes. This will increase your word recognition.

§ Keep a vocabulary journal.

§ Get a vocabulary partner.

§ Use a pen or ruler. Some people find it is easier to read with a pacer. A pen, ruler or fingertip can help you keep your place and prevent your eyes from wandering off. This may not be suitable if you are reading on a computer or mobile device. Adjust the screen to a larger size if necessary.