• ☐ ☐ ☐ the Pope [n] - the leader of the Roman Catholic Church
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the pontiff [n] - another word for the Pope
• ☐ ☐ ☐ tranquil [adj] - calm, peaceful
• ☐ ☐ ☐ in critical condition [exp] - very sick, life in danger
• ☐ ☐ ☐ prolonged [adj] - lasting a long time
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a respiratory crisis [n] - a serious breathing problem
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a blood transfusion [n] - receiving blood from another person
• ☐ ☐ ☐ drones [n] - flying robots, often used in war
• ☐ ☐ ☐ Canadian snow birds [n] - Canadians who travel south to the US in winter
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the 51st state [exp] - Donald Trump's threat to Canada
• ☐ ☐ ☐ heightened [adj] - increased, stronger
• ☐ ☐ ☐ anxiety [n] - strong worry or fear
• ☐ ☐ ☐ federal employees [n] - people who work for the government
• ☐ ☐ ☐ slash (jobs) [v] - cut or remove (jobs)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ justify [v] - explain why something is right
• ☐ ☐ ☐ their roles [n] - their jobs or responsibilities
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the Department of Government Efficiency [n] - a new US government agency

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

1. The Pope is in stable condition.
   True
   False
   
   
2. The Pope will have a blood transfusion tomorrow.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Russia attacked the Ukraine with over 400 drones overnight.
   True
   False
   
   
4. France and Britain are planning face-to-face meetings with President Trump this week.
   True
   False
   
   
5. About one million Canadians travel to the US every year.
   True
   False
   
   
6. Many Canadian are canceling their trips to the US because of snow.
   True
   False
   
   
7. Elon Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
   True
   False
   
   
8. The department has been cutting jobs in various U.S. agencies.
   True
   False
   
   

Directions: Choose the most natural word or expression for each sentence.

• We begin in the Vatican thatwhichwhere (where) officials say the Pope wasdidhad (had) a tranquil night.
• The pontiff remains in hospital in critical diseasesicknesscondition (condition) after a prolonged respiratory crisis.
• He required a blood transfertransfusiontransmission (transfusion) yesterday.
• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saystellsspeaks (says) Russia launched more than 200 drones overnight.
• There is growing concern ofonover (over) the US's communications with Russia and Trump's focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
• Weeks of cold and snow across manymuchmore (much) of the country may have you dreaming of headingvisitngwandering (heading) South.
• AllEachWhole (Each) year, an estimated one million Canadian snow birds tripvisittravel (travel) to the U.S.
• But with President Donald Trump's threats against Canada and talks of a 51st state, manymuchmore (many) are canceling their plans.
• There is muchstrongheightened (heightened) anxiety among federal employees in the U.S. about the future of their jobs.
• Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been slashingloweringdestroying (slashing) jobs across various agencies.
• And many workers fear they could be next if they don't guarddefendjustify (justify) their role.