4 SOCIETY Vocabulary The government, economics and society 1 Replace the underlined woids in the conversation with the words in the box. booming recession too soft on struggling have gone bankrupt made a difference A: So what do you reckon to this new government? Are they any good? B: I think they've done quite a lot.They've certainly 1 had an effect since they came to power three months ago. Things have improved since last year's 2 economic decline. A: But the economy is hardlyJ a great success, is it? A lot of businesses 4 are unable to pay their debts, you know. B: Sure,and some families are still5 finding it hard to manage, but things are getting better. A: Perhaps. I just wish they would do something about youth crime.They're6 not strict enough with young offenders. B: You're right there. 2 Choose the correct words. Then match the sentences (1-5) to the topics (a-e). 1 I find the bureaucracy I bureau so annoying. We have so much paperwork to do and it takes upa lot of ourtime. 2 The rate has shoot I shot up over the last six months. It's getting harder and harder to get a job. 3 I think it will undermine I underline people's confidence. They are already worried about the threat of rising inflation. 4 This shortage I shortness is really hitting hard. Nearly all international flights have been cancelled. 5 It's bound to rise I boost our standing in the world. An important sporting event always does. a lack of fuel b the Olympic Games c the economy d unemployment e business Grammar so and such Write new sentences with so or such and the information from box A and box B. ■There were a lot of demonstrators. This area has become run-down. The economy is doing badly. Some students are in serious debt. The government have wasted a lot of money. Petrol is expensive. I No-one will vote for them again. I We hardly use our car. I It will take years to pay it off. I No-one wants to move there. H People are struggling to make ends meet. I The police had to close the road. 1 P.etypl'. iff.QPrQfM^&.fjw&.wZ'. hw&k)!. owr. car. 2 3 4 5 6 4 Find and correct five mistakes in the sentences. 1 The factory closing caused so lasting damage to the local economy. 2 Such few young people vote nowadays, they are thinking of making it compulsory. 3 The demonstration passed off so peacefully, there were no arrests. 4 There are so little green spaces, it's hard to find somewhere to sit and relax. 5 The parade was such great success that the city decided to hold one every year. 6 So many high-rise blocks have been built in the city, it's now unrecognisable. 7 Air pollution has risen so high that people are finding it hard to breath. 8 There are so a lot of positive things that he's done for the city. 22 OUTCOMES Developing conversations Showing understanding 5 Choose the correct response from the box for sentences 1-6. There are two sentences you don't need. Listening a I know what you mean, but they're not all bad. They just need somewhere to go after school, b Well, maybe, but at least unemployment is falling, c I know! Her voice drives me mad. I wish they would bring the older guy back, d I know what you mean, but it isn't all bad. Some of the new offices are quite elegant, e Tell me about it! I can't remember the last time I saw a good film, f I know! It just keeps getting noisier and noisier, g Well, maybe, but some are better than others. You just have to find out what they stand for. h Tell me about it! If I'd tried that, my mum would have marched me into class herself. There's so much rubbish on TV. I don't know why I bother with the satellite channels........... I don't think I'll bother to vote this time. All the candidates seem the same........... Young people are so rude nowadays. I don't like walking past them........... Some parents are too soft on their kids when they skip school........... That woman who reads the news is so annoying. 6 Modern architecture is a nightmare. All concrete high-rises and no green spaces........... 6 Write responses for these complaints. Use your own ideas. 1 They're not doing anything about the shortage of housingforyoung people. 2 They never invest in green initiatives in my region. 3 The news is always so depressing. 4 Voting in local elections never changes anything. 5 There's a real shortage of jobs for young professionals. 6 All new rock bands sound the same. 7 % 4.1 You are going to hear two friends, Natalie and Adam. Listen and choose the main topic they talk about. a the best way to catch up on the news b problems in modern society c a different type of news coverage 8 Listen again. Are these statements true or false? 1 Adam doesn't read newspapers any more. 2 Talking about the news with a colleague made Adam feel depressed. 3 The Good News Network is a TV channel. 4 Adam assumes the Network covers just silly stories. 5 The Network aims to deal with serious issues in a positive way. 6 The stories reported on the Network are all American. 7 Natalie thinks that the stories that get the most coverage give bad news. 8 In the end Adam agrees to read the news on the Network. pronunciation Same sound or different? 9 Are the letters in bold the same sound (S) or different (D)? 1 I've given up on buying a paper. / It just gave a bit of balance........... 2 They deal with serious issues like the economy. /1 just can't be bothered reading it........... 3 The only thing you hear about is the recession. / You should check out that website........... 4 They had headlines on signs of economic growth. / How do you find out what's going on?.......... 5 I listen to the headlines on the radio. / My colleague replied/What's good about it?'.......... 6 They cover international news. / They must have quite a lot of cute stories........... 10 ♦ 4.2 Listen and check. Practise saying the sentences. 04 SOCIETY 23 Vocabulary Big issues Reading 1 Complete the newspaper headlines with the phrases in the box. family size racism drug and alcohol abuse school dropout rates family breakdown E IMPROVED TEACHING LEADS TO REDUCED 1 [DIVORCE RATES FALL THANKS TO NEW POLICY ON 31 Average.................... falls leading to reduced risk of overpopulation MULTI-ETHNIC POLICIES AIM TO DEAL WITH | NEW CLINIC OPENS TO TREAT What are the people in these sentences talking about? Match (1-5) to the social issues (a-e). 1 They're opening a whole network of shelters so the number of people on the streets should fall. 2 They have a very good track record on this. Seven of the top directors are women. 3 The head has a zero tolerance policy on this, so the number of complaints from parents has dropped. 4 Several new species have been returned to the wild thanks to the preservation of the birds' habitat. 5 An innovative anger management programme has led to a fall in the number of attacks in the home. a bullying in schools b the destruction of the environment c homelessness d domestic violence e gender discrimination Read the introduction to the webpage opposite and headings 1-4. In which paragraph would you expect to find this information? what society gets from learning about citizenship.................... what you might do in a citizenship class.................... a definition of citizenship.................... reasons for teaching citizenship.................... Read the webpage quickly and check your answer to Exercise 3. Read the webpage again. Choose the best answer to the questions. 1 Citizenship programmes aim to help people a become more established in the UK. b get a better education. c participate more fully in public life. 2 Citizenship doesn't include a being offered tuition. b the right to become a legal member of any country, c having the right to vote. 3 Modern citizens need to know a what they can and have to do. b how to win arguments. c about the geography of the world. 4 Citizenship education improves a the organisation in schools, b younger students'grades.' c motivation and participation. 5 Citizenship students are likely to a practise what they have already learnt. b talk about what's in the news in a fairly informal way. c teach other people in their community. 6 Complete the text with the correct form of the words in brackets. I started a citizenship course with a group of rather difficult teenagers last term. They seemed to enjoy the 1....................(topic) content of the course and slowly their2....................(behave) started to improve. They liked having more 3....................(involve) in their learning through debates and i....................(discuss), and improving their5....................(know) of law and the economy. Perhaps the most surprising change was their interest in 6....................(political). One of them is even thinking of becoming an MP! Language note it's or its Remember that it's means it is or it has. It's a difficult issue. = It is ... Its is a possessive form and doesn't need an apostrophe. ...the behaviour that society expects of its citizens. 24 OUTCOMES Many countries around the world have been looking at ways to encourage people to take a more active part in democratic society and in their local community. One of the ways of doing this is through citizenship programmes and education in schools. In 1989, an organisation called the Citizenship Foundation was established in the UK and in 2002 citizenship education became compulsory in UK secondary schools. After a decade of interest in this subject, here are the answers to some FAQs on citizenship. 1 What exactly is citizenship?_ The word citizenship can have different meanings: • legal and political status Put simply, being a legal member of a particular country or state. This brings with it certain rights and responsibilities under the law, such as the right to vote and the responsibility to pay tax. • involvement in public life Sometimes called 'active citizenship', this refers to the behaviour that society expects of its citizens. It can include a variety of activities including voting in elections and taking an interest in current affairs. • an educational activity In other words, ways of helping people become active, informed and responsible citizens. This can be achieved in a number of ways - formal types of education in schools, colleges, universities, training organisations and the workplace, and more informal education in the home or community groups. 2 Why teach citizenship? The main reason is to support modern society and the democratic process. A democracy needs citizens who are able to take responsibility for themselves and their communities, and to contribute to the political process. This requires a number of skills and characteristics, including: knowledge of rights and responsibilities awareness of other societies in the world concern for other people • ability to express opinions and arguments • willingness to act in the local community These skills cannot develop without an education programme that includes everyone, whatever their background and whatever their age. 3 How does it benefit people? People in general benefit by being able to make a positive contribution on a local and national level. Schools and other organisations develop motivated and responsible learners, who relate positively to each other and to the surrounding community. Younger people in particular find that citizenship education helps them develop self-confidence and find a voice. 4 What is involved in citizenship education? It is typically different from other education programmes in these ways: • content Including topics not usually covered in other subjects, such as law, government and politics, taxation and the economy, and the role of organisations such as the United Nations. • focus Highlighting topical everyday issues that are not usually discussed in an educational setting, especially with younger learners. These may include health care, public transport, policing, and the environment. • approach to learning Encouraging active involvement through discussions and debates, and active participation in the life of the wider community. Students are given opportunities to develop as learners and to put their learning into practice. Glossary current affairs: events that are happening now and are discussed in the news United Nations: an international organisation that encourages countries to work together to solve world problems 04 SOCIETY 25 Grammar Comparatives with the..., the. 1 Choose the coirect words in brackets to complete the sentences. There is one extra word in each set. 1 The....................you practise,the....................playing the piano becomes, (easier / less / more) 2 As a rule, the....................the plan, the more.................... the project, (more / successful / simpler) 3 In my experience, the more....................a person is, the less....................they really are. (aggressive / less / confident) 4 If you ask me, the....................you are, the.................... you learn, (younger / faster / fewer) 5 It's human nature - the....................people earn, the ....................generous they become, (less / richer / more) 6 In general, the....................people work, the.................... mistakes they make, (serious / faster / more) 7 The....................I thought about his suggestion, the ....................I liked it. (worse / more / less) 8 You have to admit, the....................the economy does, the more....................the government becomes. (popular / better / good) 2 Choose the correct responses from the box. the more, the merrier the bigger, the better the faster, the better the sooner, the better the simpler, the better the smaller, the better Developing writing An essay-givingyour opinion 1 A: 2 A: 3 A: B: 4 A: 5 A: 6 A: They've brought forward the date for mum's operation. It's in June now. Good................................................................................. I've added twenty more people to the guest list, hope that's OK. Sure.................................................................................. I've booked tickets on the express train to Paris. It takes only 90 minutes. Great, thanks................................................................... I've shortened the presentation tojust ten minutes and taken out a lot of the details. That was a good move................................................... We've managed to reduce the budget by about a third. I'll see if I can make any other cuts. Brilliant!........................................................................... I'm upgrading my laptop to a 40cm screen.That should be easier on my eyes. Good for you................................................................... 3 Read the essay title and the first paragraph of the model text. What does the writer think about the statement? 'Interest in elections has been dropping for years. It's now time for I compulsory voting.' How far do you agree with this statement? 4 Choose the correct words in the rest of the model text. It is clear that turnout in general elections has been declining in most democracies since the Second World War. In Britain, for example, over 72% of voters took part in the general election in 1945 compared with just 59% in 2001. Given this trend, it is worth asking if voting should be made compulsory. Personally, I think it should. There are several reasons for 1 these I this. Compulsory voting makes politicians consider the views of the whole population,2 no I nor just of the regular voters. It brings young people, 3 that I who are traditionally less likely to vote, into the political process. It also makes the public take an interest in government and share the responsibility of checking their actions. 4 Finally I Last, it can encourage a sense of community,5 that I as everyone takes part in it together. 6 Furthermore I Addition, the system of compulsory voting has been successfully introduced in a number of other countries. In Australia and Belgium,7 by I for instance, the system has been in place for many years and more than nine out of ten voters regularly take part in elections. 8 In I For conclusion, I believe that compulsory voting is a way of reuniting people with the political world and so with democracy. 26 OUTCOMES S Match the verbs in the box to the nouns and phiases they go with. take part in introduce take share bring consider Vocabulary Builder Quiz 4 1 .................... 2 .................... 3 .................... 4 .................... 5 .................... 6 .................... Learner tip an interest in / seriously / responsibility for the possibility of / doing / people's views a campaign / a discussion / elections a law / a system / a change the same opinions / enthusiasm for / responsibility for people into a process / people together / up an issue Remember to plan before you write! In an essay question: • think about your own opinion / experience first. • make notes of your ideas and the vocabulary ™ you need. • plan each paragraph and the topic sentences you 3re going to use. • use connecting words and phrases to link sentences and paragraphs. • check your essay carefully when you have finished. 6 Write an essay (150-190 words) based on the title below. 'Young people are the least likely to vote. It's now time to lower the voting age to 16.' How far do you agree with this statement? Download the Vocabulary Builder for Unit 4 and try the quiz below. Write your answers in your notebook. Then check them and record your score. 1 Match 1-5 and a-e to form compound nouns. 1 domestic a permit 2 gender 3 work 4 alcohol 5 pressure 6 child abuse group mortality violence discrimination 2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets. 1 .............(home) is a serious problem in many cities. 2 There are a few.............(nation) based in the area, which employ thousands of people. 3 There has been so little rain that water.............(short) are likely. 4 The student's confidence was.............(mine) by the constant criticism. 5 The company went bankrupt after making.............(precede) losses. 3 Write the missing words in the correct place. 1 They're threatening to put car tax this year. 2 Why do you think their marriage broke? 3 How long have the police been carrying the investigation? 4 He comes as a serious and responsible person. 5 That shop only started last year, and now it's closing down. 4 Which words that are both verbs and nouns can complete these sentences? 1 Her parents.............that she is in serious trouble. I suffer from a terrible.............of flying. 2 The school won't tolerate any form of racial.............. Research shows that many criminals.............drugs. 3 The court may.............that the action is illegal. The.............is that you can't touch the ball with your hand. 4 Newer varieties of wheat might give a higher.............. How much will this year's crop.............? 5 Replace the underlined words with an adjective from VB Unit 4. Add any extra words needed. 1 He isn't strict enough when the children misbehave. 2 According to experts the economy isn't likely to change suddenly. 3 The problem is unfortunately common in a lot of places. 4 His reaction to her comments seemed a bit too strong. 5 The report gives a very bad picture of the future. Score /25 Wait a couple of weeks and try the quiz again. Compare your scores.