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CURRENT EVENT | MARCH 4, 2014

A Commuter Rail’s Holocaust Connection

Transportation World War II

The new operator of the Massachusetts Commuter Rail is a French company whose trains played a role in the Holocaust. Now, the company wants to manage trains in Maryland. A Holocaust survivor is protesting, though, because the company’s trains once transported thousands of Jews to death camps. Listen to this story to understand how the actions of a company decades ago can affect its business today.

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Story Length: 4:46

Listen to the Story:

Listening Comprehension Questions

  • What was one of Malala Yousafzai’s first experiences with the dangers of religious extremism?
  • After miraculously surviving her attack, what has Malala focused her work on?
  • What is the message that Malala is trying to send to those in power?
  • What does Malala want to do in the future?
  • What are the goals of Malala’s mission to support girls?

Discussion Themes

  • What is your opinion on Malala’s message about the power of education?
  • Why do you think that ISIS might want to silence people like Malala?

Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234