Advanced English Exercises
North Korea (1)

Do you want to improve your English, and need some advanced English exercises? Here is a ready made lesson for you about the lives of ordinary people who lived in North Korea in the 1990's and early 21st century. North Korea has been a totalitarian, single-party Stalinist dictatorship since 1949, and little is known outside of the country what life is really like. Famine, military might, nuclear weapons and the leadership are all elements that are covered in this lesson.

Barabara Demick is a journalist for the LA Times. For many years she was stationed in Seoul so that she could interview defectors from North Korea, to find out about life under the regime. The people she interviewed were not from Pyonyang, the showcase city, but from more rural parts of the country, where people faced a life with unbelievable challenges.

She wrote a series of articles for the LA Times based on her interviews. I have taken 5 of her stories and turned them into some advanced English exercises for you J

Free Downloadable Lesson

Level

You can also use these advanced English exercises if you are at upper-intermediate of proficiency level English (B2, C1 and C2).

Language Focus

These advanced English exercises start off with a very interesting quiz on the basic facts about North Korea. Who are their neighbours? How many nuclear weapons do they have? Why are North and South Korea divided? Check your general knowledge, and then learn some very interesting facts.

Read the 5 fascinating and unusual stories about an orphan, a doctor, an actress, a mother, and the pampered son of an official. While reading through these stories you will be able to practice your reading, comprehension, and learn some new vocabulary. The answers to the quiz are at the end of the lesson.

I hope you enjoyed my free reading exercises. If you liked them, you can try some of my other reading and listening lessons for students.

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