Oral comprehension · History · Level B1

Ellis Island

The main building of Ellis Island, seen from the water
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Listen to the report

Listen once without stopping. Try to answer these questions: What was Ellis Island? Who came through it, and when? Who visits it today, and why? Don't worry if you don't understand everything!

How to work

  1. Test your understanding: listen and answer (12 questions). Read the feedback after each answer: it explains what you missed.
  2. Learn the key words: vocabulary activity (5 slides, 40 words). Then listen to the report again: how much more can you understand now?
  3. Listen and read at the same time, and complete the transcript: fill in the gaps (6 pages, 51 words). Hover over the underlined words to see their translation.
  4. To finish, take the final test (20 questions, mark out of 20).

Audio: a report from Voice of America (VOA) about Ellis Island and its museum.