Lance Armstong's confession to Oprah

Cyclist Lance Armstrong spoke exclusively with Oprah in his first interview since he was stripped of his Tour de France titles. He addressed the doping scandal, years of accusations of cheating and the use of performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. Watch his confession and look back at this two-night special event.
Here's the video.

Doping

1. Read this short text about drugs in sports.

2. Blood doping. Watch this video and learn about it.

3. Should performance enhancing drugs (such as steroids) be accepted in sports? Here you have some ideas pro and against them. If you select part of the text, you can listen to it.

Doping evidence against Armstrong

New evidence released by the US Anti-Doping Agency says Lance Armstrong ran the most sophisticated doping ring in sport history. Julie Noce reports.

1. A new report from the US Anti-Doping Agency includes first-hand accounts, __________ documents, financial payments, __________ and lab __________.
2. According to the report, Armstrong was not only a __________  __________, but the ringleader of a sophisticated doping ring.
3. 11 former __________ have testified, including George Hincapie, one of Armstrong’s most __________ and trusted friends __________.
4. Last month Armstrong received a __________ __________ from professional cycling.
5. The International Cycling Union has __________  __________ to file an appeal.

BBC News / passive

Watch this video and complete the news stories:
(check your answers in 'comments')

The star dancer who___________  ___________ (1)of orchestrating an attack on his boss at the Bolshoi Ballet has told the Moscow court he had ___________  ___________  (2)that acid would ___________  ___________(3). Pavel Dmitrichenko said he´d expected that Sergei Filin would ___________   ___________ (4) on the head.

The body of the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, is now lying in state at the Military Academy in Caracas. His mother and children gathered  around the open casket to ___________ (5) their respects, that's before members of the public ___________  ___________  (6) in.

The UN has begun ___________ (7) with opposition fighters in Syria to secure the release of 21 observers seized by Syrian opposition fighters. All the captives ___________  ___________ (8) to be from the Philippines. (=They think that all the captives are from the P.)

Election officials in Kenya are continuing to count votes by hand. That´s after the electronic system ___________  ___________(9). The head of the electoral commission has warned that it maybe Friday or even Monday before the result ___________  ___________(10).

International Happiness Day

The United Nations has declared 20 March as the first ever International Day of Happiness.

It hopes the initiative will encourage governments to consider the well-being of their citizens, rather than focusing efforts solely on economic growth.

1. Watch this video about people in the UK. What makes them happy? (Answers in 'comments').

Speaker 1:

Speaker 2:

Speaker 3:

Speaker 4:

2. HAPPY is a feature documentary that takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Calcutta in a search of what really makes people happy. Combining powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research and real life stories of ordinary and extraordinary people around the world, HAPPY uncovers the secrets behind our most valued emotion. Director: Roko Belic. Click here to watch the trailer.

The History of St Patrick's Day

Watch this video about the history of St Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day

A. Listen to Franck talking about St Patrick's Day and answer these questions (key in 'comments').
1. What is St Patrick's Day?
2. When is it?
3. Who is St Patrick?
4. Why did he come to Ireland?
5. What did Franck use to do?
6. What did the parade contain?

B. Go to the bottom of the page. Listen to this article about St Patrick's Day and take notes. Then listen and read the script to check your notes.

Click on 'Festivities' and have a look at older posts about the same topic.

Listening: a summer course

You can do a multiple choice listening activity here. 
You will hear a radio interview with the manager of a summer activity course. For each question, choose the correct answer (remember wrong answers will be penalises).

The Environment

This is the recording for the multiple choice listening. The key is in 'comments'.

Visiting endangered places around the world

Listen to this radio programme about a book called 'Disappearing Destinations' and learn about some several endangered natural and cultural treasures.

Articles

1. First do the vocabulary activity. Listen to the article  about Environmental Protest Groups and take notes. Then do the comprehension activity and finally listen and read the script. 

2. Do the same with this article about Ecotourism.