Unit 1.

Family Relations
Essential Vocabulary
to abuse

a maltrata, a se purta ru cu

attitude

bilineal

ce ine de proveniena de pe
linia matern i patern

to come along

a aprea

descent

origine, provenien

to feel trapped

a se simi prins n capcan

,

for the sake of

-, -

de dragul, pentru numele

inheritance

motenire

to instill

a inspira

matrilineal

ce ine de proveniena de pe
linia matern

patrilineal

ce ine de proveniena de pe
linia patern

prenuptial agreement

contract prenupial

to quit

a abandona, a lsa

to split up

a se separa, despri

value

valoare

atitudine

Warm-up
1) Think of all the words or phrases you associate with the word family.
2) Give examples of words that denote a common gender.

Pre-reading discussion
1) Why do we need families? Is the family ever likely to disappear as an institution?
1

2) Should the mother or the father be the head of the family (i.e. matriarchal and patriarchal)?
What roles do the mother and father play in your society? And sons and daughters? Who is the
boss in your family?
3) What influence have your parents had on your life? Whose influence was stronger - your
mother's or your father's? Would you instill the values that your parents instilled in you into your
children?
4) Is descent in your society patrilineal (i.e. all children take their father's surname), matrilineal
(through the mother), or bilineal (through mother and father)? Should sons and daughters have
equal inheritance rights?
Reading
Read these two opinions about divorce. Which one do you agree with more?

Task 1. Mark the sentences below with 'S' if they are what Sue says and 'J' if they are what
Julia says:
1. People expect too much from marriage.
2

2. Children can experience negative things in a bad marriage.

3. Children whose parents split up can find it difficult to trust other people later in life.
4. Living with one parent can be better than living with both.
5. You shouldnt give up just because a relationship is difficult.
Do you agree or disagree with the statements above?
Task 2. Complete the text below with the correct form of these words:
last

contest

sign

break

split up

break down

work

In the USA couples sometimes (1)..a contract before they get married called a
'prenuptial agreement', which puts in writing what will happen to their money and possessions
if the marriage (2)..It doesn't surprise me that some of these marriages don't (3)
..long. Before it has even started, the happy couple are already planning what to do when
the marriage doesnt (4) And, of course, a prenuptial agreement only works if both
partners are reasonable. But what happens if one person doesnt want to (5)..and (6)
..the divorce? Or what happens if someone tries to (7).the contract? 'Well, what it
really means is lots of work- and money - for the lawyers!
Do you think prenuptial agreements are a good idea? Would you have one?

Unit 2. The Impact of Mass Media

Essential Vocabulary
decline

declin

essential

esenial, necesar

facility

condiii
posibiliti

to flick through

a zapa, a rsfoi

habit

obicei, obinuin

impact

efect, influen

inquiry

cercetare

lens

lentile

to multitask

a avea mai multe funcii

to overtake

1. a ajunge din urm, 2. a

surprinde, a covri

favorabile,

pastime

distracie, ocupaie pentru

timpul liber

reluctant

care se opune, care rezist

to restrict

a limita, a mrgini

sedentary

nemicat, sedentar

soap opera

telenuvel

space

spaiu

survey

privire general, trecere n

revist

Pre-reading discussion
1) How much television do you watch a day?
2) Is watching television 24 hours a week too much, too little or just about right?
3) Do you think the number of hours we watch should be restricted?

Reading
Life through a Lens
A generation of multitasking children are living their daily lives including eating and falling
asleep to the accompaniment of television, according to a survey of young peoples media
habits. They watch TV before they go to school, when they return home, as they eat their
evening meal and then for 63%, a much higher percentage than read a book each day in bed
at night. The survey of five to 16-year-olds shows that four out of five children now have a TV
set in their bedroom.
Television has become so widespread that many children now combine it with other activities,
including social networking online, looking from their laptop to the TV screen and back again.
Even if they are concentrating on the television, young people are now unwilling to watch just
one programme, with boys in particular often switching between channels to keep up with two
programmes at the same time. The survey, conducted by the market research agency Childwise,
will increase worries that childhood is increasingly about private space and sedentary activities
and less about play, social interaction or the childs own imagination.
The governments recent Childrens Plan focused on improving play facilities as a means of
ensuring a more balanced life for young people who spend a lot of time watching television.
Todays survey findings show that after declining for three years, television-watching among
children is now increasing again. This is mainly the result of more girls watching soap operas.
Internet use is also continuing to increase rapidly. This means British children spend an average
of five hours and 20 minutes in front of a screen a day, up from four hours and 40 minutes five
years ago. Reading books for pleasure, on the other hand, continues to decline as a regular
4

pastime. While four out of five children read books in their own time, only a quarter do so daily
and 53% at least once a week.
The report, based on interviews with 1,147 children in 60 schools around England, Scotland and
Wales, found television viewing now averages 2.6 hours a day across the age group, though one
in ten say they watch more than four hours daily. The survey, which has been conducted annually
for 14 years, asked for the first time whether children watched television while eating dinner or
in bed before going to sleep. It found that 58% watch during their evening meal, while 63% lie in
bed watching the screen (rising to almost 75% of 13 to 16-year-olds). Two-thirds particularly
the youngest children watch before school, and 83% turn on the television after returning
home.
Rosemary Duff, Childwise research director, said television was now a part of childrens lives,
but added that the quality of viewing had changed. People used to pay more attention when they
watched television. It used to be less widespread but much higher in its importance. Now it is
widespread but just part of the background, not just at home but wherever you go.
It seems that children now multitask, keeping one eye on the television as they flick through
magazines or use the computer, Duff added. When the company asked boys to choose between
programmes on different channels they often refused, saying they would watch both. They
switch from one to another and cannot imagine that they should have to make a decision. They
are surprised that you should put them in a situation where they have to make a choice.
Computers are also now a key part of childrens private worlds. The Internet is now an essential
part of most young peoples lives, says the study, with 85% of five to 16-year-olds using the
Internet, and over a third (including a quarter of five to six-year-olds) owning a computer or
laptop of their own. On average, they go online just over four times a week, spending two hours
each time.
The survey shows a rise in Internet use, particularly among younger children. This is mainly the
result of social networking sites, primarily Bebo. Communication, says the report, has
overtaken fun (e.g. online games) as the main reason to use the Internet and study is now far
behind. Almost three quarters (72%) of children have visited a social networking site, and over
half have their own profile sometimes lying about their age to avoid minimum age
requirements. Children as young as eight are now signing up.
Kathy Evans, policy director of the Childrens Society, which is conducting its own inquiry into
modern childhood, said there was now growing public and professional concern about the
possible effects of childrens TV and Internet viewing habits. The inquiry will report next
month on children and technology as part of its two-year investigation.

Word study
Task 1. Fill in the gaps using these key words from the text.
widespread

facilities

sedentary

balanced

survey

reluctant

decline
multitask

pastime
essential
5

1. If you ____________, you do more than one thing at the same time.
2. If something is ____________, it happens or exists in many places.
3. A ____________ life is one in which all parts combine well together and exist in the correct
amounts.
4. A ____________ is a set of questions that you ask a large number of people.
5. ____________ are things such as rooms or pieces of equipment provided at a place for
people to use.
6. A ____________ is a reduction in the amount or quality of something.
7. If something is ____________, it is completely necessary.
8. A ____________ is something people do regularly for fun in their free time.
9. If you are ____________ to do something, you dont want to do it.
10. If an activity is described as ____________, it involves a lot of sitting and not much exercise.

Task 2. Are these statements True (T) or False (F)?

1. Boys often watch more than one TV programme at the same time.
2. The rise in Internet use is mainly the result of social networking sites.
3. The number of children watching television is falling steadily.
4. Less than half the children surveyed watch TV while they are eating their evening meal.
5. The survey is conducted every 14 years.
6. Many children watch TV and use a laptop at the same time.

Task 3. Find the following words or phrases in the text.

1. A four-word expression meaning while something else is happening or can be heard. (para 1)
2. A three-word phrasal verb meaning to continue to follow. (para 2)
3. An adverb meaning every year. (para 5)
4. A two-word phrasal verb meaning look quickly at a magazine or newspaper. (para 7)
5. A verb meaning to say you will not do something that someone has asked you to do. (para 7)
6. An adjective meaning as small in amount or degree as possible. (para 9)
7. A two-word phrasal verb meaning agree to join a course or organization. (para 9)
6

8. A noun meaning the time of your life when you are a child. (para 10)

Task 4. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:

1. Influence

6. To limit

2. Hobby

7. Worry

3. Study

8. To escape

4. Unwilling

9. To possess

5. Necessary

10. Significance

Task 5. Discussion
Do you think people spend too much time watching TV and using the Internet? What are
the advantages and disadvantages of these activities?

Additional material
addict

rob
al
unei
pasiuni,
consumator mptimit

cold turkey

drug

drog

to enrich

a mbogi, a fertiliza

to flush

, ()

a (se) nroi

grunt

mormial

hermit

pustnic, sihastru

to indulge

a rsfa, a tolera

to infiltrate

a (se) infiltra

to mutter

a mormi, a bombni

obscenity

obscenitate

peer

seamn

to swap

()

a face schimb

tedious

plicticos, obositor

ntreruperea subit de a lua

droguri

Walkman

player

Pre-reading discussion
1) Do you ever play games on your computer? What are your favourites? What do you like
about them?
2) Could you live without computer games? Do you think they are good or bad?
Reading
The Computer Games Addict
This article is about a 13-year-old boy who is addicted to computer games. He loves them so
much that his mother says they have become a kind of drug for him and the only time he
seems really happy is when he is on the computer, playing a game.
Like many 13-year-olds, my son is a computer games hermit, emerging only to be fed and
watered. Recently, to reassure me that he was not addicted, he volunteered not to touch the
computer for a week. I kept a close eye on him for signs of cold turkey but apart from the fact
that he recorded the music of his favourite games, so that he could listen to them on his
Walkman, there was not one. On the other hand, both his sister and I suffered as his boredom
increased: I had not realized how we have created a life without him. Suddenly he was under our
feet, muttering obscenities and flicking TV channels in the middle of our favourite programmes.
What he seemed to have lost was the sense that there was anything worthwhile to do other than
indulge in the challenge of computer games. Suggestions from me to go and read, swim or play
badminton got a grunt and a dark look. I guess the adrenaline rush of moving up a level on
Lemmings cannot be compared with a gentle read or a few lengths of the local pool. It may take
another 10 years or so before society really knows the mental and physical effects of computer
games on the young. Until then, parents can only feel their way in the dark as to how much and
how often the games are allowed to be played. My son and I have compromised on two
computer-free days a week, plus a half-day at weekends. But the two free days seem to have
become moveable feasts they were to be Mondays and Wednesdays but very often I will get a
telephone call from him after school, asking to swap days as he has got hooked into a game at a
friends house. However, even on computer-free days we have negotiated that he can use the
computer for the things that I consider creative or useful, such as chess or writing simple
programmes. Nevertheless, he is constantly trying to expand these boundaries. He will
innocently ask over dinner, Mum, is SimCity a creative game? and when I agree that it
probably is, as it asks more of a player than simply fast reflexes, he immediately demands to play
it on a computer-free day. I am beginning to feel that the computer is slowly infiltrating our lives
and that it will eventually emerge as a not-so-friendly despot, wielding its authority from the
small box bedroom. It seems a lifetime ago that I naively brought the family a computer for
educational purposes, along with a couple of games as light relief between the maths quizzes.
Games were simple back then and usually played at the pub between consenting adults after
several pints of bitter. Space Invaders and Tennis were the hit favourites at our local. It was only
on holiday at the amusement arcades that children were exposed to these seemingly innocent
novelties. Now, however, my son and his peers seem to find just living in the present moment
8

tedious unless it is masked by a Walkman plugged into eager ears, a hand-held computer game or
the full fix of the computer terminal punching at full volume. This is supplemented by the everactive television placed a foot or two from the terminal, so that any transitory moments of
boredom, such as when a game is loading up, can be alleviated by a dose of cartoons. I fear not
only that these young people are becoming unfit from lack of exercise but that the involvement
in these games is so intense that it results in high levels of stress. I have occasionally found my
son flushed and shaking after an especially tense game and particularly after competing against
a friend. No matter how often I explain to him my feelings about this and he does appear to
understand my anxieties about his health the bottom line is, he has so much fun with this thing.
His eyes come alive when he relates the intricacies and cheats of a new game, and his friendships
seem to be enriched through it. These days it is not who is the best centre-forward in the school
team, but the computer games wizard, who is king, and my son is fighting for that crown.

Task 1. Match the words from the article with their meanings.
1) enriched

a) came to an agreement to keep everyone happy

2) muttering

b) red in the face from excitement

3) grunt

c) made better or richer

4) compromised

d) entering secretly

5) flushed

e) it doesnt matter how

6) infiltrating

f) speaking in a low, unclear way

7) no matter how

g) a sound made by pigs and some tennis players

Task 2. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:

1. narcotic

6. addicted

2. tedium

7. to negotiate

3. to pamper

8. to require

4. proposals

9. friends

5. to permit

10. absence

Task 3. Define the terms.

1. Cold turkey ____________________________________________________________
2. Addict ________________________________________________________________

3. Walkman ______________________________________________________________

Task 4. Discussion
Think of the ways that you can help people overcome an addiction. Here are some phrases
that can help.
-

take up a new hobby

join a club

play more sport

meet new friends

go on holiday

see a doctor

Unit 3. Immigration Problem

Essential Vocabulary
to acknowledge

a recunoate

asylum

azil, adpost

to call for

a cere

candid

sincer,
fr
preconcepute

citizenship

cetenia

cohesion

unire

diversity

diferen, diversitate

to earn

a ctiga

eligible

()

care are dreptul

to embrace

, a (se) mbria, a accepta

to feature

a prezenta, a descrie

to float

a suporta

idei

10

fly-tipping

a arunca gunoiul n locuri

neautorizate

forthcoming

viitor

to hand out

a nmna

a host of trends

o mulime de tendine

to ignite

a provoca

to incentivize

a motiva, a stimula

indigenous

local, batinal

to instil

a inspira

in a law-abiding way

conform legei

measure

msur

proposal

propunere

refugee

refugiat

to settle

a se stabili

suspicious

suspicios, bnuitor

threat

ameninare

to toughen

a (se) ntri

to undertake

a ntreprinde, a ncepe

value

valoare

to warn

a avertiza, a preveni

Pre-reading discussion
1) What different ethnic groups are there in your city/region?
2) Where have they come from and why?
3) Does your country offer help to refugees? If so, are you happy that your taxes help to
support them?
Reading
New citizens, good citizens
11

Government ministers want to introduce a national British day to complete a citizenship

revolution that would also toughen rules for migrants and try to instil community pride in all 18year-olds. Under the new plans, every teenager in the UK would be given a citizenship pack
when they became eligible to vote, and migrants would only be able to become British citizens if
they could demonstrate good behaviour and a willingness to integrate.
The national day, which could be a bank holiday, would be loosely modelled on Australia Day.
The proposals come from the communities secretary, Ruth Kelly, and the immigration minister,
Liam Byrne, who are also calling for more inclusive and visible citizenship ceremonies for
anyone wanting to settle in the UK. Some of the ideas floated by the two ministers are likely to
feature in the forthcoming report from the Commission on Integration and Cohesion. The themes
have already been enthusiastically embraced by the prime minister-in-waiting, Gordon Brown.
Another idea is to improve links between veterans and young people. The pack for 18-year-olds
would set out information on democracy, volunteering and civic duties such as jury service.
Student loan repayments could be reduced in return for volunteering. Mr Byrne and Ms Kelly
argue that the current settlement policy for new migrants is difficult to understand and unclear.
In future, full citizens would need to accrue credits linked to time spent in the country, bringing
substantial new investment into the UK, passing English tests, demonstrating knowledge of the
UK, undertaking civic work and living in a law-abiding way. A points system for citizenship
would allow credits to be deducted for anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping or more serious criminal
behaviour.
This form of points system would be the basis of a clearer relationship between the citizen and
the state. An easy to understand contract such as this would incentivize integration and
demonstrate a clearer sense in which citizenship and the rights that come with living in Britain
are earned. Local government should also provide a citizenship deal for newcomers, setting out
their responsibilities to be good neighbours, as well as their access to English language training
and employment, say the ministers. A life in Britain good neighbour contract would be
provided to all migrants from inside and outside the EU, including those that stay temporarily.
The contract would be introduced alongside identity cards. The ministers also suggest councils
might spend less on translation services, and more on English language teaching. Support
cannot become dependency, they say.
The ministers warn there is a critical risk that after 40 years in which diversity has grown,
Britains communities are no longer looking outwards and celebrating what they have in
common. Instead, they are beginning to look inwards, stressing their differences and divisions.
The threat to a united sense of feeling British comes both from Islamist extremism and also
groups like the British Nationalist Party. Ministers argue that government has to acknowledge
and respond to the growing mood of English nationalism. We risk seeing a more divided
society, more suspicious of each other and a society less capable of coming together around
shared goals. We need a stronger sense of why we live in a common place and have a shared
future. Mr Byrne admitted that recent eastern European migration had proved a shock to the
system. He said new migrants needed to do more to help them understand British values and
its way of life. He added: We need to make it clearer that citizenship isnt simply handed out,
but is something which is earned.

12

The ministers say a host of trends are pushing Britons apart in the workplace, the family, the
media and new technology. They insist migration has brought benefits, but say sometimes the
pace of change is rapid and destabilizing, pointing out that by 2011, only 20% of Britains
workforce will be white, able-bodied men under 45. In a speech to business leaders, Mr Byrne
said the new measures were needed because the spike in asylum claims in 2000, the
unpredicted level of eastern European migration and the foreign prisoners crisis has badly
damaged confidence in Britains asylum and immigration system. He added, We have to be
open and candid about the choices we have. In the 21st century we cant make big decisions in
secret. Mr Byrnes intervention follows the row ignited last month by Margaret Hodges claim
that new migrants were getting priority for council housing over indigenous residents.
Task 1. Write the words below next to the definitions.
citizenship

immigration

integration

immigrant

asylum

indigenous

migrant

diversity

1. _______________ The process in which people enter a country in order to live there
permanently.
2. _______________ Someone who comes to live in a country from another country.
3. _______________ Someone who travels to another place or country in order to find work.
4. _______________ People who lived in a place for a very long time before others came to live
there.
5. _______________ The legal right to be a citizen of a particular country.
6. _______________ The right to stay in a country, given by a government to protect someone
who has escaped from war or political trouble in their own country.
7. _______________ The process of becoming a full member of a group or society, and
becoming involved completely in its activities.
8. _______________ The fact that very different people or things exist within a group or place.

Task 2. According to the text are these statements True (T) or False (F)?
1. Britain has a national day, like Australia.
2. Migrants need to demonstrate good behaviour in order to vote in the UK.
3. The ministers want to encourage cooperation and understanding between the young and the
old.
4. Law-abiding immigrants could gain points while anti-social and criminal immigrants could
lose them.
5. There should be more English language lessons available for migrants, say the ministers.
6. Ministers think immigrants should learn to be more autonomous so that they dont have to
depend on translators and interpreters.
13

7. Immigrant groups are integrating into society better than they used to.
8. A feeling of British nationalism is increasing amongst indigenous people.
9. The recent number of immigrants arriving from eastern European countries has been higher
than anyone expected.

Task 3. Match the verbs on the left with the nouns on the right to make collocations from
the text.
instil

links

improve

risk

accrue

pride

critical

credits

growing

future

divided

knowledge

demonstrate

mood

shared

society

Write example sentences for any of the collocations that are new to you. Use a dictionary or
the Internet to help you.

Task 4. Match the halves of the phrases.

a shock

a row

eligible

of life

float

to the system

ignite

ideas

a way

to vote

Now complete the sentences using the phrases.

a. Are we trying to protect ________________ that no longer exists?
b. The committee are meeting again tomorrow to ________________.
c. His comments are going to ________________.
d. In the UK, people are ________________ from the age of eighteen.
e. Arriving there in mid-winter will be a bit of ________________.

14

Task 5. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:

1. Shelter

6. Relations

2. To infuse

7. To motivate

3. Conduct

8. To provoke

4. Supported

9. Duties

5. Future

10. Local

Task 6. Write antonyms from your active vocabulary for the following words:
1. Diversity

6. To reduce

2. To introduce

7. Unclear

3. Willingness

8. To pass

4. Visible

9. Benefit

5. To improve

10. Foreign

Task 7. Define the terms.

1. Citizenship ______________________________________________________________
2. Eligible _________________________________________________________________
3. Cohesion
________________________________________________________________
4. In a law-abiding way ______________________________________________________
5. Indigenous ______________________________________________________________

Task 8. Discussion
Does your country require new immigrants to take a citizenship test? What subjects would you
include when writing questions for a citizenship test? Is nationalism generally a good or a bad
thing? Try to think of different instances where national pride is acceptable or not acceptable.

Task 6. Web quest

Choose a country you would like to move to. Check out the immigration requirements for that
country on the Internet. Would you be able to move to the country of your choice without too
many problems? In your opinion, which would be the most difficult requirement to fulfil?

Unit 4. Global Warming

15

Essential Vocabulary
adverse

advers, nefavorabil

to bask in

a savura

destitution

1.srcie, 2. lipsuri

drought

secet

famine

foamete

flood

inundaie, potop

greenhouse

to hang on

to murmur

a murmura, a opti

perilous

periculos, riscant

to punch

, a lovi cu pumnul, a infiltra

swathe

well

fntn, pu

to wilt

a (se) veteji, a (se) ofili

ser
, a se ine strns

- tifon, bandaj

Environmental groups like Greenpeace say the world is getting hotter every year as greenhouse
gases punch a huge hole in the ozone layer which protects us from the heat of the sun. In
countries like Zambia, this rise in temperature can mean the difference between life and death as
the dry earth makes it impossible for farmers to grow enough crops to survive. No one knows
this better than Julius Njame and the villagers of Chikani who see their farms hit by drought and
their wells running dry.
Pre-reading discussion
Some scientists say that global warming is disrupting the weather and causing drought, flooding,
hurricanes, etc. What types of extreme weather have been in the news recently? Describe what
happened and how people were affected.
Reading
Africa is on the front line of climate change reports John Vidal. And floods, drought and
famine show the continent is in for a rough ride.
Thirty men and 22 women sit beneath a great mugamba tree on the edge of Chikani village in
southern Zambia. This is what happened, says Julius Njame, standing and speaking formally.
We prepared our fields for planting seeds in the November rains. We waited but the first drop
16

didnt fall till December 20. After a day, the rains stopped. Three weeks later, it started to rain
again. But then it stopped again after a few days. Since then, we have had no rain. The crowd
murmurs its assent and one by one, people stand to tell how their own crops wilted and how little
they have harvested this year. Anderson says he got five bags of the staple maize crop, Lovewell
eight, Jennifer two, Felice three and Jonah seven. Some say they have lost almost everything and
will be eating wild foods within weeks. Most say they will be able to hang on only until next
month. The people of Chikani are experiencing a climatic phenomenon taking place around the
world. But the effect of global warming on a village of central African subsistence farmers is
different and far more serious than on America and Europe. Some northerners bask in the idea
that global warming promises delightful summers and longer growing seasons. But rising sea
levels and future climatic extremes, causing even a small change in rainfall patterns or
temperatures, is perilous now for vast areas of Africa.
Where the rich northern city or farmer can adapt, the families of millions of poor Zambian,
Congolese or Malawian farmers go hungry for months; urban water supplies are interrupted and
wells run dry. Africa is in the frontline of climate change, and for the people of Chikani it makes
the difference between food and hunger, migration and stability, sufficiency and destitution
even life and death. Droughts, floods, unseasonal rains, extreme weather and natural disasters
have long been common in southern Africa, but new studies are finding a pattern of increasing
climatic variability and unpredictability. According to UN agencies and national meteorologists,
severe wet and dry periods have become more frequent in the past two to three decades. Old
Jonah in Chikani, who has 24 children from three wives, doesnt need academics to tell him the
climate is changing. These are the worst rains ever, he says. The pattern of rainfall is
definitely changing. I remember many bad years but this is the first time the river Musaya has
ever dried up. This is the first time that we have only had one place to find water.
Crop failure this year extends across swathes of southern Zambia, northern Zimbabwe and
Malawi. According to the UNs food organisation, 20 countries in Africa are this month facing
food emergencies following droughts or adverse weather.

Task 1. Choose the best answer.

1) In Chikani last year
a) there were heavy rains in November;
b) it rained for three weeks in December;
c) the first rains came a month later than normal.
2) The villagers...
a) agree with what Julius says;
b) have not harvested any maize this year;
c) have rice as their staple diet.
3) Global warming will...
a) make summers colder;
b) make growing seasons longer;
c) make sea levels fall.
17

4) In southern Africa...
a) they have had extremes of weather for a long time;
b) the climate is becoming more predictable;
c) severe weather is becoming less frequent.

Task 2. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:

1. hunger

6. dangerous

2. multitude

7. poverty

3. consent

8. inquiries

4. to reap

9. inconstancy

5. to enjoy

10. to alter

Task 3. Discussion
1) Does global warming affect us all, or just people in Africa? What would happen if the ice
caps melted?
2) How are these things affected by global warming?
the rainforests

wild animals

pollution

water levels

water supplies

disease

political relations between countries

3) What practical things could be done to reduce the effects of global warming?
4) Many people do not care about global warming. Why is this? Do you care?

Additional material
Essential Vocabulary
chunk

bucat mare, halc

to crumble

a frmia, a pisa

gadfly

1. tun. 2. streche

habitat

habitat, arie de rspndire

herd

ciread

herder

cioban

itinerant

itinerant

18

landslide

alunecare de teren

pasture

pune, ima

peninsula

peninsul

permafrost

Pmnt etern ngheat

pilgrimage

pelirinaj

reindeer

ren

rubbish

prostii

sledge

sanie

to squelch

a lipi

strain

tensiune, efort

swamp

mlatin

Pre-reading discussion
Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F).
1. Russia is the worlds biggest country by geographical area.
2. There are no polar bears in Russia.
3. Reindeer give birth to their young in October.
4. Global warming is happening at a faster rate in Russia than in other parts of the world.
5. Temperatures of -50o C have been recorded in the Arctic regions of Russia.
6. It is impossible to build railways on permafrost.
Reading
Climate change in Russias Arctic tundra
It is one of the worlds last great wildernesses, a 435-mile-long peninsula of lakes and squelching
tundra stretching deep into the Arctic Ocean. For 1,000 years the indigenous Nenets people have
migrated along the Yamal peninsula. In summer they wander northwards, taking their reindeer
with them. In winter they return southwards. But this remote region of north-west Siberia is now
under heavy threat from global warming. Traditionally the Nenets travel across the frozen River
Ob in November and set up camp in the southern forests around Nadym. These days, though, this
annual winter pilgrimage is delayed. Last year the Nenets, together with many thousands of
reindeer, had to wait until late December when the ice was finally thick enough to cross.
Our reindeer were hungry. There wasnt enough pasture, Jakov Japtik, a Nenets reindeer
herder, said. The snow is melting sooner, quicker and faster than before. In spring its difficult
for the reindeer to pull the sledges. They get tired, Japtik said, speaking in his camp 25
kilometres from Yar-Sale, the capital of Russias Arctic Yamal-Nenets district. Herders say that
the peninsulas weather is increasingly unpredictable with unseasonal snowstorms when the
19

reindeer give birth in May, and milder longer autumns. In winter, temperatures used to go down
to -50C. Now they are typically -30C, according to Japtik. Obviously we prefer -30C. But
the changes arent good for the reindeer and ultimately what is good for the reindeer is good for
us, he said, setting off on his sled to round up his itinerant reindeer herd.
Here in one of the most remote parts of the planet there are clear signs the environment is under
strain. Last year the Nenets arrived at a regular summer camping spot and discovered that half of
their lake had disappeared. It had drained away after a landslide. While landslides can occur
naturally, scientists say there is unmistakable evidence that Yamals ancient permafrost is
melting. The Nenets report other curious changes fewer mosquitoes and a puzzling increase in
gadflies. Its an indication of the global warming process, like the opening of the Arctic waters
for shipping this summer, says Vladimir Tchouprov, Greenpeace Russias energy unit head. The
melting of Russias permafrost could have catastrophic results for the world, Tchouprov says, by
releasing billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and the potent greenhouse gas methane that were
previously trapped in frozen soil.
Russia the worlds biggest country by geographical area is already warming at one-and-a-half
times the rate of other parts of the world. If global temperatures do go up by the 4C many
scientists fear, the impact on Russia would be disastrous. Much of Russias northern region
would be turned into impenetrable swamp. Houses in several Arctic towns are already badly
subsiding. Many Russians, however, are sceptical that climate change exists. Others rationalize
that it might bring benefits to one of the worlds coldest countries, freeing up a melting Arctic for
oil and gas exploration and extending the countrys brief growing season. Russias scientific
community seems sceptical of global warming and the Kremlin doesnt appear to regard the
issue as a major domestic problem; public awareness of climate change in Russia is lower than in
any other European country.
Western politicians, however, point out that it is in Russias interests to take action on climate
change and to push for ambitious targets at Decembers Copenhagen summit. There is 5,000
miles of railway track built on permafrost. It could crumble as a result of melting, Ed Miliband,
the UK secretary of state for climate change, pointed out during a recent visit to Moscow.
However, even Russians working in the Arctic are unconvinced that their country faces a serious
climate-change problem. Its rubbish. Its invented. People who spend too long sitting at home
have made up climate change, Alexander Chikmaryov, who runs a remote weather station on
the Yamal peninsula, said. A small community of Nenets hunters live nearby; otherwise theres
nobody for a hundred kilometres. The weather here is, not surprisingly, bitterly cold; the sea
freezes for nine months of the year.
In fact, Chikmaryovs own data suggests that global warming is a real problem here too. In 2008
the ice was 164cm thick; this year it is 117cm. Winter temperatures have gone up too from
lows of -50C in 1914, when the station was founded, to -40C today. Every year large chunks of
the coast fall into the sea. And there are other unnatural signs. On 15th August a large polar bear
started rooting through the stations rubbish bin. It was 7pm. The bear was enormous. We set off
a flare. It ran off, she recalled. Polar bear sightings are becoming increasingly common with
the bears coming south from their far-northern habitat in search of food. Back on the tundra
Japitik was rounding up his reindeer. Ive lived all of my life in the tundra, he said. The
reindeer for us are everything food, transport and accommodation. The only thing I hope is that
we will be able to carry on with this life.
Task 1. Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.
tundra

permafrost

swamp

catastrophic

indigenous

itinerant

wilderness
unmistakeable

landslide
impenetrable
20

1. The _______________ people of a particular place have lived there for a very long time
before other people came to live there.
2. A _______________ situation or event causes a lot of damage or makes a lot of people
suffer.
3. A _______________ is a heavy fall of earth and rocks down the side of a mountain or
steep slope.
4. A _______________ is an area of land covered by water where trees and plants grow.
5. _______________ people or animals travel from place to place frequently.
6. If a place is described as _______________, it is impossible to get into or get through it.
7. _______________ is a large flat area of land without trees in very cold northern parts of
the world.
8. A _______________ is an area of land where people do not live or grow crops and where
there are no buildings.
9. _______________ is ground that stays permanently frozen.
10. If something is described as _______________, it is very easy to recognize.

Task 2. Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. Why would the melting of Russias permafrost have catastrophic results for the world?
a. Because the 5,000 miles of railway track built on it would be destroyed.
b. Because it would release billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and methane into the
atmosphere.
c. Because it would be an indication of the global warming process.
2. Why is the rise in temperature from -50C to -30C a bad thing for the Nenets herders?
a. Because it isnt good for their reindeer and what is good for their reindeer is good for them.
b. Because they cant cross frozen rivers when the temperature rises to -30C.
c. Because there are unseasonal snowstorms when the reindeer give birth.
3. What will happen to Russias northern region if global temperatures rise by 4C?
a. It will turn into impenetrable swamp.
b. There will be so many mosquitoes that people wont be able to live there.
c. The growing season will be longer.
4. What do many Russians think about climate change?
a. They are very worried about it and regard it as a major domestic problem.
b. They believe it will be a good thing for their country.
21

c. They do not believe that climate change exists.

Task 3. Find the following words and phrases in the text.

1. an adjective meaning far away from other cities, towns or people (para 2)
2. a noun meaning a visit to a place that is important to you (para 2)
3. two different words both meaning a vehicle that you sit on to travel over snow (para
3/para 4)
4. a two-word expression meaning under pressure (para 5)
5. a verb referring to buildings meaning to become damaged as a result of the land sinking
(para 7)
6. a two-word expression meaning extremely cold (para 10)
7. a noun meaning a bright light or flame that burns brightly and is used as a signal in the
dark (para 11)
8. a noun meaning the type of place that an animal normally lives in (para 11)
Task 4. Match the phrasal verbs from the text with their meanings.
1. set up

a. flow out of somewhere

2. round up

b. make something available

3. drain away
c.
people search through something with their hands; animals
search by pushing with their nose
4. free up

d. tell someone something

5. push for

e. cause something to operate or make it explode

6. set off

f.

7. point out

g. try hard to achieve something

8. root through

h. bring animals together in one place for a particular purpose

build a structure or put it in a particular place

Task 5. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of
each sentence.
1. The weather is becoming increasingly ____________ in some parts of the world.
[PREDICT]
2. Global warming could have a ____________ impact on Russia. [DISASTER]
3. Warmer temperatures could free up Russias Arctic regions for oil and gas
____________. [EXPLORE]
4. Many politicians are hoping for ____________ targets at the Copenhagen summit.
[AMBITION]
22

5. Many Russians are ____________ that there is a serious climate-change problem.

[CONVINCE]
6. ____________ of polar bears are becoming increasingly common. [SIGHT]

Task 6. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:

1. Local

6. To come

2. To rove

7. Landslip

3. To come back

8. Influence

4. Danger

9. To consider

5. To postpone

10. To establish

Task 7. Discussion
What practical measures should be undertaken to combat climate change?

Unit 5. Terrorism
Essential Vocabulary
To achieve success

A obine succes

To achieve a target

A ndeplini
sarcin

Assassination

( Asasinare, omor, ucidere

)

To combat

A lupta

To disrupt

A distruge

To drop out of

A iei din

To fracture

()

A (se) rupe

Futile

Inutil, zadarnic

Kidnapping

Rpire, furt

Legacy

Motenire

Merciless

Nemilos, crud

To operate out of

A
purta
lupte/aciuni
-
militare n afara

To rise to power

un

plan,

A veni la putere
23

To rise through the ranks

A fi promovat

To rise above smth

To struggle on/along

A suporta greuti n via

It holds no terrors for me.

To state the obvious

A afirma evidentul

The States Department

Departamentul
de
stat,
ministerul afacerilor externe

To make peace
belligerent parts

A fi mai presus de

/ Aceasta nu m sperie/nu m
ngrijoreaz

between A ncheia pace ntre prile

beligerante

To keep the peace

A respecta ordinea social

To be at peace

To hold your peace/tongue

, A tcea, a ine limba dup

dini

A se odihni n pace

To make (your) peace with

smb

A se mpca

A peaceable character

Caracter linitit

A peaceful crowd

O
mulime/aglomeraie
panic

Peacekeeping

Pacificator

Peace dividend

(..)

A lethal/deadly weapon

Arm mortal, fatal

A murder weapon

Arma de omor

The Allies

Aliana, Antanta

Petty-bourgeois

Sabotage

Sabotaj, diversiune

To overthrow

A rsturna, a nimici

To wage

A purta rzboi cu, a lupta

Warfare

Rzboi, lupt

Dividendul pcii

Reprezentant
burghezii

al

micii

24

To underestimate

A subestima

Quiescence

Linite, nemicare

To undermine

A submina

Shifting alliance

Alian schimbtoare

Pre-reading discussion
1) What are the terrorists aims?
2) Is terrorism a threat only for rich, developed countries or for all the countries?
3) What are the effective ways of combating terrorism?
Terrorism
Terrorism is a means of achieving political aims through assassinations, kidnapping, sabotage
and other acts of violence. In the past terrorism was practiced by individual secrete societies and
religious organizations both in Europe and in the East. With the rise of capitalism it was used by
petty-bourgeois and anarchic elements attempting to overthrow the bourgeois order which
resulted in merciless terror waged by the classes and destruction of the revolutionary forces. In
Russia towards the end of the 19 th century, the method of individual terror was used by the
Peoples Will Organization; however, the practice of revolutionary struggle proved that the tactic
of individual terror was senseless and futile.
It is stated that terrorism is a form of psychological warfare. Terrorists are not in the business of
killing large numbers of people; they are in the business of killing a small number of people and
instilling in every one of us the fear that we are next in line. A small number of terrorists can
change history, as happened in Israel when terrorists bombings and the assassination of Prime
Minister Rabin disrupted the Arab-Israeli peace process. The terrorist threat to the security of a
state is potentially great and it is therefore a serious mistake for governments to underestimate it.
Historically, terrorism occurs in waves. There is an attack, everybody is focused on terrorism, but
then there is a long period of quiescence and terrorism drops out of public awareness. This
presents serious problems for policymakers, who respond to pressure. In certain historical
periods when the threat of terrorism is intense, states must make an effort to remain focused on
terrorism and to provide the resources necessary to combat it. Otherwise, you are going to be
surprised by terrorist attacks again and again.
The United States has wrongly focused its attention in recent years on preventing terrorist attacks
with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
Although many experts disagree, it is argued that terrorists like Saudi-born millionaire Osama
bin Laden are not likely to use weapons of mass destruction. They can get the results they want
with a car bomb.
As the sole remaining superpower, the United States is seen by some terrorist groups in the Arab
world as the enemy of tradition and hierarchy, the apostle of globalization and social forces that
undermine traditional Islamic societies. As long as those groups see themselves as victimized by
the United States and all it stands for, they are unlikely to engage in political dialogue, making
that option difficult for a target state to initiate. But when the United States hits back, as it did,
25

using potentially provocative military action, it is violating the sovereignty of other countries,
threatening civilian populations, and intensifying anti-American sentiment.
The United States needs to build coalitions among its allies in the United Nations in order to
combat terrorism collectively and effectively.
Task 1. Answer the following questions on the text:
1) Is terrorism a serious threat to mankind or its effects are exaggerated?
2) Do you think that all terrorists are insane people and fanatics?
3) Why are terrorists often associated with Islamic fundamentalists?
4) Is psychological warfare an effective one?
5) Who can protect mankind against terrorism?
6) Why do certain countries support terrorists and terrorism?
Task 2. For every word in italics find in the list three other synonyms in order to obtain 10
groups of synonyms:
Expert
to disrupt

to achieve
futile

to undermine
to state

to overthrow
to instill

merciless

To accomplish, to topple, ruthless, barren, to declare, to imbue, to break up, only, to erode,
pundit, to dig under, specialist, single, to disconnect, to indoctrinate, to affirm, ineffective,
callous, to oust, to attain, to dethrone, to carry out, virtuoso, harsh, to sap, pointless, unique, to
assert, to ingrain, to spoil.
Task 3. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate adjective:
Hairy nosey cheeky

hearty bloody

skinny

leggy heady

handy chesty

1) congratulations on your success!

2) I could watch those women high jumpers for hours.
3) That sounds like a rather cough youve got.
4) The shops are quite - only a two minutes walk.
5) No, you cant borrow my girlfriend for the evening! Dont be so !
6) Its nothing to do with you what were doing tonight! Dont be so !
7) Shes so that when she turns sidewalks, she is almost invisible!
8) Did you know hes got a chest? Like a doormat, it is!
9) I reckon youd have to be a fool to want to learn this stupid language!
10) I feel quite after getting all those right. Or perhaps its champagne.
Task 4. Replace the underlined words with their synonyms from the list:
Speaker
university
head
extremely loud
destroying

polite
harassed

applauded
politician
flagrant
enthusiastic

approving
conservative
26

The stentorian high school students hectored the visiting rector and made it clear by their
egregious behavior that they were intent on decimating his proposal.
Task 5. Match the words with their definitions.
1. To attempt

6. Sabotage

2. To state

7. To overthrow

3. Futile

8. Quiescence

4. Sole

9. To combat

5. To undermine

10. To exaggerate

a) To make something, especially somebodys confidence or authority, gradually weaker or

less effective;
b) To make something seem longer, better, worse or more important than it really is;
c) Only, single, not shared;
d) To stop something unpleasant or harmful from happening or from getting worse;
e) Having no purpose because there is no chance of success;
f) A temporary period lacking in a certain kind of activity;
g) To formally write or say something, especially in a careful and clear way;
h) To remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force;
i) To make an effort or try to do something, especially something difficult;
j) The act of doing deliberate damage to equipment, transport, machines, etc. to prevent an
enemy from using them or to protest about it.
Task 6. Choose in the parentheses the phrasal verb that means the same as the underlined
word:
1) He was depending on his favorite team to win the World Cup. (picking out, counting on)
2) The advisers distributed the didactic materials at the students conference. (passed out,
brought up)
3) They continue searching the island for the buried pirates treasures. (keep on, do away
with)
4) We had to postpone the game because of the heavy snow. (drop out of, put off)
5) The Party Chairman asked his staff to help him organize the meeting. (called on, counted
on)
6) If we terminate the relations with our neighbors we will have to find other suppliers.
(break off, draw up)
7) The gas attack caused many demonstrators to faint. (pass out, put on)

27

8) The teacher indicated many mistakes in my suggestions and invited me to think more
about them. (figured out, pointed out)

Unit 6. Human Traffic

Essential Vocabulary
To bark

A ltra

Belongings

Bunuri, efecte (personale)

Borrower

Debitor

To carry

A duce, a avea, a purta

To charge

Complaint

Plngere, reclamaie

Cornea

Cornea

Eyeball

Globul ocular

To file

, A
clasa,
a

(documente)

Interest rate

Rata dobnzii

Kidney

Rinichi

Liver

Ficat

Lungs

Plamni

To outnumber

A ntrece n numr

Outrage

Pancreas

Pancreas

Purpose

Scop

Reluctant

Care se opune, ovitor

To resort to

A recurge la

Retired

La pensie

Sacred

Sfnt, sacru

Treatment

Tratament

To urge

A ruga, a sili

A cere un pre, a nsrcina

nregistra

, Crim, ofens

28

Pre-reading discussion
Under what circumstances would you allow an organ to be removed from your body? Tick the
ones you agree with and prove your answer:
1. If I needed an operation.
2. After death, for general medical purposes.
3. To donate an organ to a close relative.
4. To donate an organ to a close friend.
5. To help anyone in need.
6. To make money.
7. Never.
Many people carry an organ donor card, which allows doctors to take parts of their bodies if
they are killed. Do you carry one? If not, why not?
Reading
Read this article about debt collection in Japan. Does the same thing happen in other
countries?
Japanese Urged to Sell Eyes to Pay Debts
The phone calls from the debt collector got increasingly more threatening. First, the standard
pressure: You have to come up with the money. Sell your house quicklysell your clothes and
all your belongings if necessary. But then: Sell a kidney. You have two, dont you? Many of
our borrowers only have one. You can get $28.000 for a kidney. You can get $9.500 for an
eyeball, said the debt collector, on tape recordings of the calls.
By this time, the person receiving the calls, Mr Mamoto, a retired metalworker, was so
frightened that when he heard dogs barking, he thought it was debt collectors coming after him,
his lawyer said.
These shoko loan firms lend money to small businesses who are experiencing financial
difficulties and who cannot raise money in other ways. Their methods give a whole new meaning
to the idiomatic expression: It will cost you an arm and a leg!
Aggressive debt collection has always been an unpleasant aspect of the business world but this
new development has caused outrage. The sale of body organs is especially sensitive in Japan,
where people are often reluctant to even allow the donation of an organ after death for medical
purposes.
We believe that our bodies are sacred. I would never allow anyone to take anything away from
my body dead or alive, said Mr Hiroshi Yamazaki, a small business owner in Tokyo and also a
recently-threatened borrower. Maybe in the western world this is different. And indeed it is.
The United States, for example, outnumbers organ donations in Japan by 20 to 1.
Fortunately for Mr Mamoto, he found the legal help he needed before having to resort to selling
off parts of his body. He filed the first criminal complaint against one of the largest loan shark
companies in Japan, a company charging interest rates of 30 to 40 per cent. National television

29

has broadcast the recorded telephone threats repeatedly in an attempt to make Japanese citizens
aware of the ruthless world of debt collection.
Task 1. Answer the questions.
1. In the telephone threats that were made, what did the debt collector say that shows there
have been other victims of these threats?
2. How did Mr Mamoto get proof of these threats?
3. According to the article, why are there so few organ donors in Japan?
4. Which idiomatic expression in the article means very expensive?
5. The debt collector gave prices for certain organs. Where was he possibly getting those
figures from?
6. Do you think people who object to organ donation are being selfish?
Task 2. Match the words below.
E.g. It will cost you and arm and a leg! (Lots of expressions in English have the word and in
the middle. There are two things to know about these expressions: the order never changes; the
words before and after and are almost always the same word class arm and leg are both
nouns.)
1. sick

a. and age

2. wait

b. and hard

3. black

c. and far between

4. leaps

d. and bounds

5. in this day

e. and white

6. few

f. and foremost

7. first

g. and tired

8. think long

h. and see

Task 3. Put the expressions from Task II into the sentences below.
1. I had to think _____________________________ before I decided to become an organ
donor.
2. Its amazing that this is still a controversial issue in this _________________________.
3. Its a complicated issue. Theres no simple answer. Its not ______________________.
4. Maybe someday people will change their attitude towards organ donation well just
have to ______________________________.
5. In some countries people who
_________________________.

are

willing

to

donate

their

organs

are

30

6. These are _________________________ ethical questions, not medical questions.

7. Finding an organ donor used to be more difficult, but the situation has improved by
_____________________________.
8. People are __________________ of being pushed around by debt collectors.
Task 4. Discussion
1. Do you think one day doctors will be shopping for organs on the internet? Is there
anything wrong with selling organs?
2. Would you mind having your body cut up for the sake of science after you die? Would
you put a limit on what they can take?
3. What would you tell a person who is considering becoming an organ donor? What would
you say to encourage or discourage her/him?
4. How do you feel about using animal organs in human beings? How about using a
monkeys heart? Would you like the eyes of a pig?
5. Many people dont have the time or just cant be bothered to get an organ donor card.
Some countries want a new system where doctors automatically have permission to take
organs unless you have a card which says that you are not an organ donor. A system like
this one could simplify and speed things up at hospitals and save lives. Would you be in
favour of a system like this?

Unit 7. Women in the 21st century

Essential Vocabulary
Challenge

Provocare, sarcin

To challenge

A provoca, a solicita

Challenging

Responsabil,
atenie

To compel

A sili, a obliga

Compelling

Captivant

Compulsion

Obligaiune

To experience

A trece prin, a ncerca

To impair

A duna,
nruti

Impairment

Gain

, Ctig, folos, avantaj, venit

To gain

, A ctiga, a face progrese

care

cere

distruge,

Daun, dizabilitate

31

 /
To get/take credit for smth

, A primi laud, aprobare,

,
respect

To lock smb out of

- A nu da voie cuiva la
-

Mutilation

To name just/but a few

Network

Reea

The old boy network (idiom)

Frie

Parity

Paritate, egalitate

Prominent

Important, marcant

Prominence

To rally

, A aduna, a reuni

Rally

ntrunire (politic)

To reverse

A inversa, a schimba

Turn-out

(
)

Mutilare

A numi
exemple

numai

aceste

Proeminen, importan

Electoratul (numrul
persoane, care au votat)

de

Paternalism the policy of government or employers of controlling people by providing

them with everything they need, but giving them no responsibility or freedom of choice.
Pre-reading discussion
1. How household duties are usually shared in a family between women and men?
2. What are womens opportunities in the social and political life of your country?
Reading
Women in the 21st century
One of the most revolutionary changes of the 20th century was the rapid increase of women in
leadership roles throughout our society. Women rose to unprecedented prominence in business,
government, science, the arts, and education, in unions, religion, sports, and the professions. But
if the 21st century is to be an era of equally dramatic progress for humanity, women will have to
make even more significant gains as elected officials.
Although women were locked out of the political process for so long, they have always done
more than their share to advance social progress, even when men got the credit. Women have
32

long been influential as moral leaders, and in the 20th century they produced no small number of
the centurys greatest humanitarians.
Among the most courageous and dedicated participants in the Civil Rights Movement, women
helped with a range of activities. They took part in all of the marches, they helped lead boycotts,
and they organized voter education, registration and turn-out campaigns.
As the womens rights movement rallies for a new era of global activism in the 21 st century, we
face critical challenges with respect to changes in family life, educational opportunity, health
care, and workplace reforms, to name just a few areas of concern. In some oppressive nations,
women still experience brutal injustices including enslavement, forced prostitution, and genital
mutilation. In other countries, women cant vote, own property, work for living, or drive a car.
Governments and international institutions must take stronger diplomatic and economic action to
press these nations to stop abusing their female citizens. The United States and other wealthy
nations should also provide additional support for human rights movements in these nations.
Perhaps the most compelling challenge facing women in every nation is parity in politics. The
nurturing and caring skills that come so naturally to women are desperately needed in our
political institutions. If we want to improve living conditions for families, we must achieve
greater political representation of women in the elective offices of all countries.
There are many obstacles that prevent women from achieving parity in representative
government, such as paternalistic attitudes that impair fund-raising, and old-boy networks that
refuse to take women seriously. In addition, women are two-thirds of the worlds illiterate
population, and teaching these women to read is a challenge that must be met to prepare them for
higher levels of political participation.
While progress in addressing such deeply entrenched obstacles may be slow in coming, an
energetic campaign to encourage and prepare women candidates could begin to reverse the
gender imbalance and make our political institutions more representative. The UN and global
womens organizations should join together and increase funding for nonpartisan literacy
training and leadership development workshops that identify potential women candidates, train
them to navigate through local political processes, and teach them how to use new and traditional
media to educate voters.
Women have a historic mission to fulfill as we move into the 21 st century. The challenge is not
only to improve their own circumstances, but to advance the values of caring and compassion
throughout the world. With this commitment, women can hasten the dawning of a new kind of
global community, based not on power and greed, but on the values of love, nonviolence, and
human decency. The development of a new generation of women leaders committed to these
principles is our best hope for creating a more just and peaceful world.
Task 1. Match the words to their meanings:
1. Leadership

a. the condition of being male or female

2. Humanitarian

b. not showing too much support for smb/smth

3. Boycott

c. the state of being equal, esp as regards status

4. Enslavement

d. the policy of controlling people by providing them

with what they need

5. Turn-out

e. a person concerned with the lives of people

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6. Paternalism

f. an act of refusing to take part in smth or to have

social contact with smb/smth as a way of
protesting about smth

7. Gender

g. the state of being injured very severely

8. Nonpartisan

h. the condition of being a slave; slavery

9. Mutilation
10. Parity
event

i. the condition or ability of being a leader

g. the number of people who attend a particular

Remember
Raise means to move from a lower to a higher place or position; to cause to rise. Raise takes a
complement: to raise a quality, to raise prices, to raise ones voice. A raise means an increase in
salary.
Rise means to go up or to increase. Rise does not take a compliment. A rise means an increase in
price, quantity, worth, or degree.
Lift implies a stronger effort to overcome the resistance of weight: to lift a weight.
Task 2. Use one of the verbs above in their proper form in the following sentences:
1. An honour guard __________________ the flag.
2. The cost of living __________________ essentially.
3. Prices ___________________ from day to day.
4. The student ____________________ an important question.
5. The survivors ___________________ to safety by helicopter.
6. The Sun ______________________ in the East.
7. The American flag ____________________ on the Moon.
8. The children never _____________________ a finger to help around the house.
Task 3. Choose the word which best completes each sentence.
1. His plays contain ________________ themes of real life that leave a lasting impression
on you. (compelling, phoney, trivial)
2. He was one of the most _____________ artists of his generation and deserves to be
better-known. (prominent, applauded, distinguished)
3. Women _________________ to unprecedented prominence in almost all domains. (raise,
rise, arise)
4. She didnt wish to _________________ favours from a total stranger. (accept, receive,
admit)
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5. Help was rendered for ________________ reasons. (human, humane, humanitarian)

6. He had enough _______________ to know how to behave under the circumstances.
(experience, knowledge, information)
7. A rise in interest rates ________________ the outset of recession. (force, hasten, cause)
8. The traffic was ______________ because of the accident. (inversed, reversed, changed)
9. Women face critical ____________________ with respect to changes in different
domains of their daily lives. (problems, tasks, challenges)
10. International organizations should increase their support for __________________
literacy training and development workshops for women. (unbiased, nonpartisan)
Task 4. Study some expressions with Do and use the correct expression to replace the
underlined words in the sentences below. Make any necessary changes.
wonders for
something up
the donkey work
to do

something with your eyes closed

someone a good turn/favour
time
a lot of harm/good or no harm/good

1. I am fed up with being responsible for all the hard work in the barracks.
2. The caf was in a mess. We had to redecorate it.
3. Running a smooth operation is not difficult. It is second nature to me now.
4. I think too much army-type discipline is counter-productive.
5. Could you help me? I need someone to pick up an urgent consignment of supplies.
6. Some people say that military service is very good for character building.
7. He spent several years in prison for being a conscientious objector.
8. You will gain no benefit from a life of hardship.

Task 5. Decide whether the statements are true or false. Complete or correct them.
1. The rapid increase of women in leadership roles led to their unprecedented prominence in
different domains.
2. Women were not locked out of the political process.
3. Women do not face critical challenges and brutal injustices.
4. The most compelling challenge for women is parity in politics.
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5. There are no obstacles for women to achieve parity in representative government.

6. An energetic campaign to encourage women should begin to reverse gender imbalance.
7. International organizations do not support leadership development workshops for women.
8. The development of a new generation of women leaders is the best hope for creating a
more just and peaceful world.

Task 6. Answer the questions on the text.

1. What was one of the most unprecedented changes in the 20th century?
2. How did women help to advance social progress?
3. What challenges do women face nowadays?
4. Why parity in politics is the most compelling challenge for women?
5. What obstacles prevent women from achieving parity in politics?
6. What should be done to encourage women?
7. How can the development of a new generation of women leaders improve the world
community?
Task 7. Find synonyms in the text for the following words:
1. Transformation

6. To participate

2. Growth

7. Defiance

3. Distinction

8. Possibility

4. Benefit

9. To undergo

5. To further

10. Barrier

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