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Joy English · Level B1 · Short storiesjoy-english.com

The Story of an Eyewitness

Name:Date:

Understand passive sentences in a news report.

Listen to each sentence and write what you hear.

Audio and answer checking: https://joy-english.com/listening-lessons/the-story-of-an-eyewitness

Words to know

eyewitness
A person who saw something happen.
earthquake
A sudden shaking of the ground.
telegraph
An old system for sending messages along wires.

Answer key

  1. The true number of dead will never be known.“Will never be known” is the future passive.
  2. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began.“Within minutes of” means only a few minutes after.
  3. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken.“Were broken” is passive.
  4. There was no water to fight the fire.“No water to fight” means no water for fighting.
  5. And still the great fires continued.“Still” means even then.

Joy English · free English practice · https://joy-english.com/listening-lessons/the-story-of-an-eyewitness