LESSON PLAN

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Lesson plan

Level A2

Living in Dubai: Navigating Safety and Governance Amid Regional Conflict

Lesson overview

The article explores the challenges of living in Dubai amid ongoing regional conflict, highlighting residents' mixed feelings about safety and governance.

Reading text

READING TEXT

Many people have trouble sleeping. They wake up often at night. Alarms wake them up. They look outside. They see lights in the sky. They feel scared. They close the curtains. They go to the bathroom. They wait there. They hear loud sounds. They hear explosions. They wait for messages on their phones. The messages say, 'All is well.' They go back to bed. They hope to sleep again. But they feel nervous. They wait for the next alarm.

A friend thinks the government is doing well. He says life is normal. His office is busy. He likes living in Dubai. He says it is the best place. But his wife feels different. She tells me her worries. I remind her to be careful. We agree to talk later.

Dubai is a big city in the UAE. Many people come here. They come from India, the West, and Russia. They want a better life. They want to escape problems. Many workers help the rich people. They work in banks and businesses. The city is busy and alive.

There are problems now. Iran attacks places in the Gulf. The UAE is in danger. Drones and missiles hit buildings. People feel scared. Some work from home. Others go to the office. They want to feel normal again. But they worry about the next attack.

Life goes on. People shop and meet friends. They try to enjoy life. One woman sent her parents away. They are safe now. They are in Mumbai. She wants to help her other family members. They do not want to leave.

People remember the pandemic. They feel scared and confused. They want to be safe. Shops stay open. Prices are okay. The government helps. They want people to feel calm. They say everything is fine. But people still worry about their families and jobs. They think about the future. They want to stay in Dubai, but they are afraid.

Discussion prompts

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

  • 1. How do you feel about living in a big city?
  • 2. What do you do to relax at night?
  • 3. Do you think it is important to feel safe? Why?
  • 4. What do you think about the future of your city?
  • 5. How do you help your family when they are worried?

Key vocabulary

Match each numbered word with the correct lettered definition.

Words

  • 1. sleep
  • 2. alarm
  • 3. city
  • 4. danger
  • 5. message
  • 6. work
  • 7. family
  • 8. worry
  • 9. future
  • 10. help

Definitions

  • a. A large place where many people live.
  • b. The time that comes after now.
  • c. To do a job or task.
  • d. A situation where something bad can happen.
  • e. The state of rest where you close your eyes and do not think.
  • f. To assist someone.
  • g. To feel anxious about something.
  • h. A group of people related to you.
  • i. A note or text sent to someone.
  • j. A sound that wakes you up.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Question 1

What do many people struggle with?

  • a) A) Finding a job
  • b) B) Sleeping well
  • c) C) Making friends
  • d) D) Traveling
Question 2

What does the friend think about the government?

  • a) A) It is bad
  • b) B) It is doing well
  • c) C) It is not important
  • d) D) It is weak
Question 3

Where are the woman's parents now?

  • a) A) In Dubai
  • b) B) In Mumbai
  • c) C) In Iran
  • d) D) In America
Question 4

What do people do to feel calm?

  • a) A) They sleep
  • b) B) They shop
  • c) C) They travel
  • d) D) They work
Question 5

What do people worry about?

  • a) A) Their jobs
  • b) B) The weather
  • c) C) Their pets
  • d) D) Their cars

TRUE / FALSE

TRUE / FALSE QUESTIONS

Question 1

People feel safe in Dubai.

  • True
  • False
Question 2

The government helps people feel calm.

  • True
  • False
Question 3

Many people in Dubai come from different countries.

  • True
  • False
Question 4

The woman wants to leave Dubai.

  • True
  • False
Question 5

People do not care about the future.

  • True
  • False

SHORT ANSWER

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question 1

What do many people do at night?

Question 2

What does the woman do for her parents?

Question 3

What do people hear during the night?

Question 4

What do people want to feel again?

Question 5

What do people do to enjoy life?

GRAMMAR EXERCISES

GRAMMAR

Selected Grammar Point: Present simple / continuous contrast

Brief Explanation: The present simple is used for regular actions or facts, while the present continuous describes actions happening right now or around the present time.

Exercise Questions:

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses (present simple or present continuous):

    Many people __________ (have) trouble sleeping at night.

  2. Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

    His office __________ (is / is being) busy these days.

  3. Rewrite the sentence in the present continuous:

    She tells me her worries.

  4. Identify if the following sentence is in the present simple or present continuous:

    "They are in Mumbai."

  5. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses (present simple or present continuous):

    People __________ (want) to escape problems.


Answer key

KEY VOCABULARY

  • 1. sleep → e
  • 2. alarm → j
  • 3. city → a
  • 4. danger → d
  • 5. message → i
  • 6. work → c
  • 7. family → h
  • 8. worry → g
  • 9. future → b
  • 10. help → f

MULTIPLE CHOICE

  • 1. B) Sleeping well
  • 2. B) It is doing well
  • 3. B) In Mumbai
  • 4. B) They shop
  • 5. A) Their jobs

TRUE / FALSE

  • 1. False
  • 2. True
  • 3. True
  • 4. False
  • 5. False

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

  • 1. They wake up often.
  • 2. She sent them away for safety.
  • 3. They hear explosions.
  • 4. They want to feel normal.
  • 5. They shop and meet friends.

GRAMMAR EXERCISES

Answer Key:

  1. have
    Explanation: "Many people have trouble sleeping at night" is a regular fact, so we use the present simple.

  2. is
    Explanation: "His office is busy these days" indicates a current state, so the present simple is correct.

  3. She is telling me her worries.
    Explanation: The present continuous form indicates that the action is happening now.

  4. Present continuous.
    Explanation: "They are in Mumbai" describes a current situation.

  5. want
    Explanation: "People want to escape problems" is a general statement, so we use the present simple.


Selected Grammar Point: Past simple (regular/irregular)

Brief Explanation: The past simple tense describes actions that were completed in the past. Regular verbs form the past by adding -ed, while irregular verbs have unique past forms.

Exercise Questions:

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct past simple form of the verbs in parentheses:

    She __________ (send) her parents away.

  2. Choose the correct past simple form of the verb:

    Many workers __________ (help / helped) the rich people.

  3. Rewrite the sentence using the past simple:

    They are scared.

  4. Identify the irregular verb in the following sentence and write its past simple form:

    "People feel scared."

  5. Fill in the blanks with the correct past simple form of the verbs in parentheses:

    The government __________ (help) people during the pandemic.


Answer Key:

  1. sent
    Explanation: "She sent her parents away" uses the past simple form of the irregular verb "send."

  2. helped
    Explanation: "Many workers helped the rich people" uses the regular past form of the verb "help."

  3. They were scared.
    Explanation: The past simple form of "are" is "were."

  4. feel; felt
    Explanation: "Feel" is the irregular verb, and its past simple form is "felt."

  5. helped
    Explanation: "The government helped people during the pandemic" uses the regular past form of the verb "help."


Selected Grammar Point: Basic conjunctions (and/but/because/so)

Brief Explanation: Conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses. "And" adds information, "but" shows contrast, "because" gives a reason, and "so" indicates a result.

Exercise Questions:

  1. Complete the sentence with the correct conjunction (and/but/because/so):

    She wants to help her family __________ they do not want to leave.

  2. Rewrite the sentence using a conjunction:

    People feel scared. They want to feel normal again.

  3. Choose the correct conjunction to complete the sentence:

    The UAE is in danger, __________ people still go to work.

  4. Match the sentence halves with the correct conjunction:

    a. Many people come to Dubai
    b. She feels scared
    c. They want to escape problems
    d. The government helps people

    1. but they worry about their families.
    2. because they want a better life.
    3. and the city is busy.
    4. so they try to enjoy life.
  5. Fill in the blanks with the correct conjunction:

    Life goes on, __________ people still worry about the future.


Answer Key:

  1. but
    Explanation: "She wants to help her family but they do not want to leave" shows contrast.

  2. People feel scared, but they want to feel normal again.
    Explanation: The conjunction "but" connects the two contrasting ideas.

  3. but
    Explanation: "The UAE is in danger, but people still go to work" contrasts the situation with the action.

  4. a-3, b-1, c-2, d-4
    Explanation: The matches connect the ideas logically using the appropriate conjunctions.

  5. but
    Explanation: "Life goes on, but people still worry about the future" shows contrast between life continuing and ongoing worries.

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