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star pictureTHE ARTICLE

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953). Truman was born in Missouri in 1884 and grew up on his family’s farm. He went to France during World War I as a captain. Returning, he married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and opened a wool shop in Kansas City. Truman was the only president who served after 1897 without a college degree. His poor eyesight halted his studies.

Active in the Democratic Party, Truman was elected a judge of the Jackson County Court (an administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he headed the Senate war investigating committee, checking into waste and corruption and saved up to $15 billion and thousands of lives. His efforts put him on the cover of ‘Time’ magazine in 1943.

Truman became vice president in 1944. He succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died. He told reporters, "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me." As President, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history, including the nuclear attacks on Japan, the defense of Berlin against communism, and America’s entry into the Korean War.

In June 1945 Truman witnessed the signing of the charter of the United Nations and negotiated the alliance that became NATO. After WWII, he presented to Congress his “Fair Deal” to modernize the USA and introduce greater social welfare. He also oversaw the Marshall Plan, which brought economic recovery in war-torn Western Europe. He decided not to run for a third term. He died in 1972 aged 88.

Article adapted from www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/harrystruman

         
         From www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents

star picture LISTENING GAP FILL

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953). Truman was born in Missouri in 1884 ____________________ family’s farm. He went to France during World War I as a captain. Returning, he married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and ____________________ Kansas City. Truman was the only president who served after 1897 without a college degree. His ____________________ his studies.

Active in the Democratic Party, Truman ____________________ the Jackson County Court (an administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he headed the Senate war investigating committee, ____________________ corruption and saved up to $15 billion and ____________________. His efforts put him on the cover of ‘Time’ magazine in 1943.

Truman became vice president in 1944. ____________________ presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died. He told reporters, "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all ____________________ on me." As President, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history, including the nuclear attacks on Japan, the defense of ____________________, and America’s entry into the Korean War.

In June 1945 Truman ____________________ of the charter of the United Nations and negotiated the alliance that became NATO. After WWII, he presented to Congress his “Fair Deal” to modernize the USA and introduce ____________________. He also oversaw the Marshall Plan, which brought economic recovery in war-torn Western Europe. He ______________________ third term. He died in 1972 aged 88.


star picture  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953). Truman was born in Missouri in 1884 and grew up on his family’s farm. He went to France uigndr World War I as a captain. Returning, he married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and opened a wool shop in Kansas City. Truman was the only president who served after 1897 without a college egeerd. His poor eyesight hledta his studies.

Active in the Democratic Party, Truman was tedecel a judge of the Jackson County Court (an administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he headed the Senate war investigating committee, cikcgnhe into waste and corruption and saved up to $15 billion and thousands of lives. His tefosfr put him on the cover of ‘Time’ magazine in 1943.

Truman became vice president in 1944. He succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died. He told rstrpreoe, "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the aeslptn had fallen on me." As President, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history, including the nuclear attacks on Japan, the defense of Berlin against ousimnmmc, and America’s entry into the Korean War.

In June 1945 Truman dsnistewe the signing of the charter of the United Nations and negotiated the alliance that became NATO. After WWII, he presented to Congress his “Fair Deal” to eeiromznd the USA and introduce greater social welfare. He also oversaw the Marshall Plan, which brought economic cvyoerre in war-torn Western Europe. He decided not to run for a third term. He died in 1972 aged 88.


star picture  UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953). Truman Missouri up in was 1884 born and in grew on his family’s farm. a to World as went during I He France War captain. Returning, he married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, and opened a wool shop in Kansas City. Truman was the only president who served after 1897 without a college degree. His studies halted poor his eyesight.

Active in the Democratic Party, Truman was elected a judge of the Jackson County Court (an administrative position) in 1922. He became a Senator in 1934. During World War II he headed Senate committee war the investigating, checking into waste and 15 thousands saved $ and and to billion corruption up of lives. His of magazine him cover Time’ put the ‘ efforts on in 1943.

Truman became vice president in 1944. He succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died. He told reporters, "stars , and all I felt like the moon , the the planets had fallen on me." As President, Truman made some of history in decisions crucial most the, including the nuclear attacks on Japan, of defense the communism against Berlin, and America’s entry into the Korean War.

In June 1945 Truman charter the of signing the witnessed the of United Nations that NATO negotiated alliance became and the. After WWII, he presented to Congress his “Fair Deal” to modernize the USA and introduce greater social welfare. He also oversaw the Marshall Plan, which brought economic recovery in war-torn Western Europe. to term run He for decided a not third. He died in 1972 aged 88.


star picture  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

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3.

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4.

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5.

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6.

________________________________________________________

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STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


star picture  STUDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Harry S. Truman in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

star picture  WRITING

Write about Harry S. Truman for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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star picture  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Harry S. Truman. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Harry S. Truman. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. HARRY S. TRUMAN POSTER Make a poster about Harry S. Truman. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY HARRY S. TRUMAN LESSON: Make your own English lesson on Harry S. Truman. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.

6. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Harry S. Truman. Share your findings with the class.

star picture ANSWERS

    You can check your answers to these activities by looking at the article at the top of this page.

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