Trump Lifts Diesel Ban and Criticises Ukraine's Leader

Study this lesson
Activities for CEFR B1, all based on the story above.
1. Grammar focus
One structure from the story, explained, with sentences taken from the text.
Reporting what people said
said (that) + a statement, usually one tense back
To say what another person said, use said (that) + the news. The verb often moves back in time: "It is ready" becomes she said it was ready.
- Axios reported that the diesel deal was a response to Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries.
- Senator Tom Tillis said Trump was likely breaking a 2022 law.
- He said the diesel decision was weak.
Notice: Who is speaking in each sentence, and what did they say?
2. Vocabulary
Useful words and phrases from the story, with meanings and examples.
Words from the story
6 Target Termsan official rule that says something is not allowed
“There is a ban on smoking in all public buildings.”
Often with: trade ban, impose a ban, lift a ban
to remove or end an official rule or restriction
“The government decided to lift the speed limit on the new highway.”
Often with: lift a ban, lift a restriction, lift sanctions
the act of choosing something after thinking about it
“She made the decision to study abroad after talking to her parents.”
Often with: make a decision, important decision, final decision
to take the place of someone or something, or to put a new person or thing in the position of an old one
“The company hired a new manager to replace the one who left.”
Often with: replace a leader, replace a player, replace someone
to say that something or someone is wrong or bad
“Many people criticised the new plan because it was too expensive.”
Often with: criticise a decision, criticise someone publicly, heavily criticised
to pay no attention to something or refuse to consider it
“He ignored the warning sign and walked into the closed area.”
Often with: ignore a call, ignore a warning, completely ignore
3. Check your understanding
Questions about the story. Answer first; each question explains the answer.
Reading Comprehension
Fact VerificationUS President Trump has agreed to lift trade bans on Russian diesel fuel. This means Russia can now sell diesel on global markets. The decision was made during talks in Miami. Ukrainian, US and European officials were present at the meeting. Trump also said that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy should be replaced as his country's leader. Zelenskyy called this choice painful. He said the diesel decision was weak. However, some US Republicans criticised the move. Senator Tom Tillis said Trump was likely breaking a 2022 law. That law bans energy imports from Russia. Trump also tried to stop attacks on energy sites between Ukraine and Russia over the weekend. The Kremlin ignored his call. Axios reported that the diesel deal was a response to Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries. Experts have linked Trump's threats to Ukraine to the US midterm elections on November 3.
Short-Answer Comprehension
Precision RecallAnswer the prompt in a concise phrase or sentence. Your answer will be checked against stored accepted answers, and you can compare your wording with the authentic editorial model response.
4. Practice
Activities with instant feedback. Try each one before you look at the answer key.
Contextual Syntax Drill
Grammar & TensesFill in each blank with the grammatically correct passive or active form of the verb indicated in parentheses.
Lexical Matching Drill
Vocabulary in ContextSelect the matching definition for each target news term extracted from the report.
5. Write or speak
A short task in your own words.
Guided Writing Practice & Model Comparison
Productive SynthesisWrite a concise summary in your own words (target: 50–90 words). Incorporate the target vocabulary: decision, criticised, ignored, replaced.
Review your draft against each pedagogical criterion before completing the exercise:
Answer key and explanations
Try the activities first: you learn more by checking your own answers. Then compare.

