Worksheet Listening Comprehension by Moya Irvine

After 40,000 years, recognition for Aboriginal people beckons

World and Press 1st March Issue 2011 page 11

page 1 of 5

PRE-LISTENING
1. This is the headline of the article you are about to hear: After 40,000 years,
recognition for Aboriginal people beckons. What do you think happened 40,000
years ago? Why could that be important for Aboriginal people in Australia?

2. Here are some words that come up in the text. They are important for
understanding it. Can you find the German translations?

to beckon / to give a signal to s.o. to come

predecessor / a person who did a job before you started it
to herald / to show that s.th. is going to happen
to be wary of s.th. / to be cautious or sceptical about s.th.
residual / left over, still remaining
tokenism / the act of doing s.th. simply as a gesture, not because it is really effective
glaring discrepancy / obvious difference between two things that ought to be the same
genocide / killing of a whole community or race
treaty / agreement
to amend / to change
prior / if s.th. is prior to s.th. else, it is done or happens before it
mature / adult, grown-up

2011 Carl Ed. Schnemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved.

Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons.

After 40,000 years, recognition for Aboriginal people beckons

World and Press March 1 / 2011 page 11

page 2 of 5

COMPREHENSION
1. Complete the sentences. Tick the correct option. There is only one solution.
a) In the planned referendum, Australians will vote on
the standard of living of Aboriginal people.
a change to the constitution which would recognise Aboriginal people as Australias first
inhabitants.
an apology to the Stolen Generations.
the removal of Aboriginal children from their families.
b) According to the text, the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia was the beginning of ...
the persecution of Aboriginal people.
the removal of Aboriginal children from their families.
the colonisation of Australia by Europeans.
the process of writing the Australian constitution.
c) According to the text, some Aboriginal leaders
were thrilled about the plan for a referendum.
said there were too many obstacles to the referendum.
said the government should do something about residual racism instead.
said there were more important issues to be dealt with than "first people" status.
d) Sam Watson points out that
there has never been a treaty between Britain and the tribal nations.
Aboriginal people had to wait a long time for an apology concerning the Stolen Generations.
Australians are sceptical about constiutional reform.
Aboriginal people still have lower living standards than white Australians.

2. Complete the following sentences with information from the text. You only have to
write one word or a number.
Aboriginal children were stolen from their families as far back as ____________. Aboriginal land
rights were only recognised in ____________. Aboriginal people have been recognised as
Australian____________ since 1967, when a ____________ was passed with a big majority.

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Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons.

After 40,000 years, recognition for Aboriginal people beckons

World and Press March 1 / 2011 page 11

3. Complete the information about the history of settlement in Australia

with a few words only.
a) Aboriginal people settled in Australia about

b) The colonisation of Australia by Europeans began 223 years ago when

c) Since 1901, Australia has held 44 referendums on

4. Find another title for the text. Which heading fits best?
Tick the right box.
At last, equality for Aboriginal people
Justice for the stolen generations
Referendum on status of Aboriginal people
Australians reject constitutional reform

2011 Carl Ed. Schnemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved.

Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons.

page 3 of 5

After 40,000 years, recognition for Aboriginal people beckons

World and Press March 1 / 2011 page 11

page 4 of 5

SOLUTIONS
PRE-LISTENING
2. Here are some words that come up in the text. They are important
for understanding it. Can you find the German translations?
to beckon / to give a signal to s.o. to come > winken
predecessor / a person who did a job before you started it > Vorgnger
to herald / to show that s.th. is going to happen > ankndigen
to be wary of s.th. / to be cautious or sceptical about s.th. > vorsichtig sein, wenn es um
etwas geht
residual / left over, still remaining > restlich; h.: noch bestehend
tokenism / the act of doing s.th. simply as a gesture, not because it is
really effective > Alibipolitik
glaring discrepancy / obvious difference between two things that ought
to be the same > deutlicher Unterschied
genocide / killing of a w hole community or race > Vlkermord
treaty / agreement > Vertrag
to amend / to change > abndern, ergnzen
prior / if s.th. is prior to s.th. else, is is done or happens before it > vorausgehend, vorher
mature / adult, grown-up > reif

COMPREHENSION
1. Complete the sentences. Tick the correct option. There is only one solution.
a) In the planned referendum, Australians will vote on
a change to the constitution which would recognise Aboriginal people as Australia's
first inhabitants
b) According to the text, the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia was the beginning of ...
the colonisation of Australia by Europeans.
c) According to the text, some Aboriginal leaders
said there were more important issues to be dealt with than first people status.
d) Sam Watson points out that
there has never been a treaty between Britain and the tribal nations.

2011 Carl Ed. Schnemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved.

Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons.

After 40,000 years, recognition for Aboriginal people beckons

World and Press March 1 / 2011 page 11

page 5 of 5

2. Complete the following sentences with information from the text.

You only have to write one word or a number.
Aboriginal children were stolen from their families as far back as 1905. Aboriginal land rights
were only recognised in 1976. Aboriginal people have been recognised as Australian citizens
since 1967, when a referendum was passed with a big majority.

3. Complete the information about the history of settlement in Australia with a few
words only.
a) Aboriginal people settled in Australia about
40,000 years ago.
b) The colonisation of Australia by Europeans began 223 years ago when
the First Fleet arrived.
c) Since 1901, Australia has held 44 referendums on
constitutional reform.
4. Find another title for the text. Which heading fits best? Tick the right box.
Referendum on status of Aboriginal people

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2011 Carl Ed. Schnemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved.

Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons.