Opinion Piece Links Ceuta Crisis to Algeria's Regional Politics
Listen to the story
A writer has published an opinion piece about North Africa. The piece talks about a crisis near Ceuta. Ceuta is a small city. Spain controls this city. The city is on the coast of Morocco.
The writer says this crisis is a test for Algeria. The test is about Algeria's foreign policy. Foreign policy means how a country acts with other countries. The writer asks who the important people in this story are.
The piece also talks about old documents. These documents come from the United Nations. The United Nations is a big group of countries. The documents talk about Ceuta and another city called Melilla. Melilla is also controlled by Spain.
The writer says these documents give strong evidence. Evidence means facts that show something is true. The writer says the documents answer people who doubt facts about these cities.
The piece also compares this to Western Sahara. The writer says Western Sahara is occupied. Occupied means one country controls land that is not really theirs. The writer says Algeria's ideas are weak on this subject.
Vocabulary7 words
- opinion
- what one person thinks; not a fact
- crisis
- a very bad and difficult situation
- foreign policy
- how a country works with other countries
- documents
- papers with important information
- United Nations
- a big group of countries that works together
- evidence
- facts that show something is true
- occupied
- controlled by another country by force
Quiz
Answer key
1. Ceuta 2. The United Nations 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A writer has published an _____ piece about North Africa. The piece talks about a _____ near Ceuta. Ceuta is a small city. Spain controls this city. The city is on the coast of Morocco.
The writer says this crisis is a test for Algeria. The test is about Algeria's _____. The writer asks who the important people in this story are.
The piece also talks about old _____. These documents come from the _____. The documents talk about Ceuta and another city called Melilla.
The writer says these documents give strong _____. The writer says the documents answer people who doubt facts about these cities.
The piece also compares this to Western Sahara. The writer says Western Sahara is _____. The writer says Algeria's ideas are weak on this subject.