Mini Debates Worksheet (Advanced Level)

Robert Taylor - Mini Debates
1 - Corporate Responsibility
2 - Banning Trans Fats
3 - Caring for the Elderly
4 - Euthanasia
5 - Banning Pit Bulls
6 - Animal Testing
7 - Cheating and Plagiarism
8 - Gun Control
9 - The Smoking Ban
10 - The Kyoto Protocol
11 - Banning Landmines
12 - Gene Patents
13 - The Live 8 Concerts
14 - Water Privatization
15 - File Sharing
16 - Video Game Violence
17 - Junk Food Sales in Schools
18 - Employee Tracking
19 - Botox Use by Teens
20 - Back Gold: The Movie
21 - Cell Phones in Class
22 - The Death Penalty
23 - English Globalization
Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use and photocopying by members of ESL-library.com only in accordance with membership terms. 1
Teachers Notes
Mini-Debates
Reading
Each Mini-Debate lesson includes a vocabulary matching task. These 1015 words are reviewed throughout the
lesson. Some teachers prefer to assign this task as a pair activity after the reading. Some prefer to do it as an
individual, pair, or class exercise before the reading. You can decide whether or not to allow your students to use
their dictionaries for this activity. Be sure to practice the pronunciation and spelling of the highlighted vocabulary
throughout the week.
Pre-Reading Warm-Up Questions
Before exploring the reading, find out if your class is interested in this topic. How much do they already know?
You can ask the fourfive questions orally, or put students in small groups to discuss. Though some questions
are provided, you may want to add some more of your own.
About the Series
The Mini-Debates section is full of readings based on controversial topics from the news. Some of these topics
continue to be in the news, and others are based on single events from history. Our goal is to include topics that will
inspire teens and adults to express their opinions. Being able to express your opinion in a non-native language is a
difficult but important skill.
When using the Mini-Debates in class, don't feel you have to cover all of the suggested activities. Some teachers
just use the readings, or even only the debate topics. It is useful to pre-teach some expressions that can be used
when having a debate. You will find a page of useful expressions at the end of this guide that you can print out for
your students as a reference.
Debate Options
Sometimes you will want to let your students choose which side of a debate they are on. If most of the
class feels the same way about an issue, teach your students about being the Devils Advocate. It can be
fun to debate something from a perspective that you do not agree with. This can also help your students to
be more open-minded.
Here are some different ways to divide the students or assign roles for a debate:
For/Against (assigned)
For/Against (own opinion)
Celebrities
People with different jobs
Males pretend to be females and vice versa
People from different countries
People of different age groups (children, teens, adults)
Tasks in the Mini-Debates Section

ANSWER KEY
We recommend that you print the teacher version with the answer key. You may not need to photocopy the answer
key for all of your students (unless they request it). Alternatively, you can print out a few answer keys and have
students share them around.
Discussion and Writing
Before having a class debate, students have a chance to discuss the topic with a partner or in small groups. This will
give your students a chance to play with the new vocabulary and develop strong opinions. Listening to the opinions of
others will help your students in the debate section, especially if they are forced to debate from a perspective that they
do not agree with. You can set them up in small groups, have rotating pairs, or even schedule a chat about this topic
with students from another class or country. If your students have a blog or journal, these questions can also be writing
prompts.
Vocabulary Review !
Each Mini-Debate lesson includes two vocabulary review activities. If you dont want to waste class time, you can
assign individual tasks for homework, and take them up the following day to check if your students have remembered
the new words. Example activities include fill in the blanks, matching, true/false, synonym/antonym.
Debate
Review some useful expressions that can be used in debates before holding a class debate on each topic (see reference
page). There are two debate topics provided in each lesson. If you only have time for one, allow your students to
choose which topic they want to debate. Hold a vote, or get someone to pick a number from onetwo. The other topic
can be used for essay practice, a blog topic, or a quiz.
Decide how you want to divide the class. For large classes, you may want to have more than one debate going on at a
time. Decide whether or not your students can choose which side of the debate (for/against, agree/disagree) they are
on. If you are assigning your students a position, decide how you want to do this (see chart above for ideas). You can
also assign a few students to be the judges or audience.
After an informal debate, you can hold the debate again on another day. Give your students time to practice stating
opinions and forming rebuttals. They can deliberate and vote on who won the debate and why.
Comprehension Questions !
Each reading includes about five comprehension questions. You can use these questions, or have your students write
their own comprehension questions. You can also ask the questions orally and have students take turns offering the
answer. Make sure that your students give more than just one-word answers if they are writing them out.
(Encourage them to use the back of their lesson page to save paper! They can also email you the answers.)
Reading (continued)
The readings are about 400 words in length and are written at an intermediate level. Explore many options for
reading in class, including silent reading, reading aloud, shared reading, and reading with audio support. You can also
assign the reading for homework, or have students record the reading and send it to you!
Note that even though the readings are aimed at a lower to upper intermediate level, the lesson can certainly be used
for higher levels as well. Advanced students dont mind reading a lower level lesson if it leads to a great discussion
and debate.
Teachers Notes
Mini-Debates
Mini-Debates Reference Page
Related Vocabulary
argue (verb): to disagree in a verbal form
concluding remarks (noun): the final opportunity
to explain or summarize the main points of an
argument
consensus (noun): agreement
contention (noun): one main point in a debate or
argument
contest (verb): to challenge
contribute (verb): to add something to the debate
or conversation
controversial (adjective): causing people to
express strong opinions
controversy (noun): a subject that many people
have strong and different opinions about
debate (noun): a discussion about a particular
topic that usually has two main arguments
debate (verb): to formally argue ones points and
opinions about a discussion topic or issue.
dispute (noun): a disagreement
dispute (verb): to disagree
interrupt (verb): to begin speaking when
someone else is still talking
objective (adjective): main goal
outcome (noun): the result
persuade (verb): to convince someone to
agree with you
prevail (verb): to win or succeed
reason (verb): to talk with someone in an
attempt to convince them that they are
wrong
rebuttal (noun): the argument against the
one you have just listened to
reiterate (verb): to say again in order to
make sure a point is heard and
understood
Debating helps you learn how to:
state an opinion
agree
disagree
interrupt
ask for clarification
persuade
summarize
clarify or rephrase
Teachers Notes
Mini-Debates

Useful Expressions and Transitions for Debating
Interrupting/Asking to Contribute
I hate to interrupt, but...
If I may come in here...
Id like to add something.
Would you like to contribute
something?
Id like to raise a point.
If I could speak for a moment...
Id like to cut in here.
You havent answered my question.
Summarizing/Concluding
So let me get this straight, you think...
To conclude...
Id just like to summarize by saying...
Finally, Id like to reiterate that...
Its time to take stock of what weve heard
today.
Both sides have some valid points.
The stronger argument/team today is...
Clarifying/Rephrasing
Lets be clear here...
I think you misunderstood what I said.
What I said was... (repeat a point that
was misunderstood or confused)
What I meant to say was... (rephrase
something in a way that is clearer)
In other words...
What I was trying to say before I was
interrupted is that...
Expressing an Opinion
In my honest opinion...
It is my belief that...
From my experience...
From where I look at it...
From my point of view...
Agreeing and Disagreeing
That doesnt take away from the fact
that...
Thats besides the point.
With all due respect...
I agree with you there.
I agree with ---- (name).
I see your point, but...
That may be true, but...
Were going to have to agree to
disagree.
I get/see where youre coming from,
but...
Im afraid I disagree entirely.
Im afraid Id have to disagree.
I agree to some extent, but...
I disagree with you there.
Pardon me for disagreeing, but ...
Persuading
Can you see where Im coming from?
I challenge you to give this a try/chance.
I want you to see it my way.
Put yourself in my shoes.
Am I getting through to you?
Teachers Notes
Mini-Debates
Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 1
Corporate Responsibility
Mini-Debates
Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions
1. What is a corporation? What do you think is the
meaning of corporate responsibility?
2. Have you heard of any situations in which a company
has been responsible for the injury or death of people
in its community? If so, share the information with
your classmates.
3. Have there ever been any major oil or chemical spills
or other environmental disasters in the area in which
you live?
4. Have you heard of the environmental group
Greenpeace? What does this organization do?
5. Look at a world map. Find Bhopal, India. Do you
know anything about the disaster that occurred there?
COMPREHENSION !
1. When did the disastrous chemical spill occur in
Bhopal, India?
2. What kind of factory did Union Carbide have in
Bhopal, India?
3. How many people have been affected by the
chemical spill in Bhopal?
4. How much did Union Carbide pay the government
of India for the disaster? Was that amount enough
for the people of Bhopal?
5. Why, after so many years, are the people of Bhopal
still suffering from the effects of the spill?
1. December 3, 2004, marked the 20th anniversary of a
disastrous chemical spill from a Union Carbide pesticide
plant in Bhopal, India. Up to 10,000 people died when 40
tonnes of poisonous gas leaked from the plant that night.
The issue of corporate responsibility for this disaster has yet
to be resolved.
2. The Union Carbide plant sits empty today. Although the
company declared that it cleaned up the site before
abandoning it, unused pesticides and toxic wastes were left
behind and continue to contaminate Bhopals water supply.
Government officials have been responsible for cleaning up
the site since 1998, but they have done little, if anything.
The environmental group Greenpeace has estimated it
would take over $30 million to make the area safe again.
3. The people of Bhopal continue to suffer from the spill. It is
estimated that more than a half million people may have
become ill or died or suffered birth deformities from the
effects of Bhopals still contaminated water supply.
4. Union Carbide accepted some responsibility for the spill at
first, but then blamed an angry employee for causing the
disaster. After paying the government of India $470 million
in 1989, it felt that its corporate responsibility had been met.
However, this amount was far too little given the scope of
the disaster, and the Bhopal victims have never received
enough money to pay for much-needed medical treatment or
rehabilitation services.
5. Dow Chemical bought Union Carbide in 2001. It refused to
take any responsibility for either the ongoing suffering of
the people of Bhopal or for the condition of the abandoned
Union Carbide plant.
6. On the 20th anniversary of the disaster, environmental
activists joined the people of Bhopal to demand that Dow
Chemical take full corporate responsibility for the
continuing horror in Bhopal.
1
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
B. Choose the right word(s) from the left column above to complete the
following sentences.
1. Please dont ______________________ me for breaking the window. I
didnt do it!
2. Those cleaning supplies are ______________________. Keep the children
away from them.
3. The effects of the chemical spill in Bhopal are _____________________.
The people there are still suffering.
4. He broke both his legs in the car accident. He is going to need a lot of
______________________ before he can walk again.
5. There was a terrible earthquake last week. Over 100 people were killed in the
______________________.
DISCUSS IT
Work with a partner or in small groups.
Discuss the following questions.
1. Give several examples of corporations that
have caused damage to the environment, to
the communities in which they operate, or to
individual consumers.
2. List several reasons why companies may not
be socially responsible.
3. What are the advantages to a corporation of
being socially responsible?
4. Do you think that the government of India
bears any responsibility for the continuing
suffering of the people of Bhopal?
5. Do you think that governments should do
more to prevent companies from polluting or
damaging the environment or society?
WRITE IT !
Choose one of the questions above and write
a paragraph stating your own opinion.
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.
_____ 1. disaster a. size or extent
_____ 2. pesticide b. continuing
_____ 3. resolved c. leave and not plan to return
_____ 4. abandon d. a great misfortune; a terrible situation
_____ 5. toxic e. a chemical used to kill insects
_____ 6. contaminate f. hold someone responsible for something bad
_____ 7. estimate g. treatment to bring back to good condition
_____ 8. deformity h. settled, decided
_____ 9. blame i. poisonous
_____ 10. scope j. give an approximate number
_____ 11. rehabilitation k. something that is not formed properly (ex. a part of the body)
_____ 12. ongoing l. make dirty
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will
tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea. You will have ten
minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
The executives of Union Carbide should have been sent to prison for the
disastrous chemical spill in Bhopal.
Topic #2:
Dow Chemical, the corporation which bought Union Carbide, should be forced
to pay for the clean-up of the contaminated site in Bhopal as well as the
medical treatment of the Bhopal victims.
Mini-Debates
1
1. Do you read the label on a food item before you buy it?
2. Do you feel that the food you buy at the supermarket is
properly labeled?
3. Are there any types of ingredients that you try to avoid when
buying food?
4. What nutritional facts are usually listed on the food you buy?
5. What other nutritional facts would you like to see on a food
label?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What did the Canadian parliament do in November 2004?
2. What did the legislation aim to do?
3. What do some food industry spokespeople say about
banning trans fats?
4. Why is the consumption of trans fats a serious health issue?
1. In November 2004, the Parliament of Canada voted to
take action on the use of artificial trans fats in food.
The government had one year to develop new standards
for the food industry. Legislation forcing food
producers to include trans fats on their product labels
was passed earlier and become law in 2006.
2. The consumption of trans fats is a serious health issue.
Trans fats raise levels of bad cholesterol, and because
the body cannot rid itself of these fats, they collect in
the arteries and may lead to heart attacks and strokes.
The new legislation was aimed at trans fats found in
processed foods such as margarine, doughnuts, instant
soups, cake mixes, and frozen pizzas.
3. A task force made up of people from the food industry,
universities, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation was
set up to suggest ways to remove or reduce trans fats
from Canadians diets.
4. Not everyone was in favor of this action. Some
parliamentarians think that the government should not
decide what people can or cannot eat. Food industry
spokespeople say that trans fats may have to be
replaced with other, perhaps equally unhealthy,
substances. Others were concerned that current levels of
these foods might be disturbed because, without trans
fats, they could not stay on grocery shelves for as long.
5. However, several food manufacturers, such as
Voortman Cookies, Kelloggs, and McCains, began to
reduce or remove trans fats from their products
voluntarily. This was mainly due to pressure from
consumers and health authorities.
Banning Trans Fats
Banning Trans Fats
Mini-Debates
2
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
B. Choose the right word(s) from the left column above to complete
the following sentences.
1. Jim recently suffered a ___________________. The doctors said
the blood supply to his brain was interrupted.
2. Sara lost her leg in a car accident. Now she has an
____________________ leg.
3. The Canadian ________________ recently _______________ to
ban trans fats from all foods sold in Canada.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think food manufacturers are doing
enough to warn people about the risks of
certain ingredients?
2. Do you feel that it has become easier or
harder to find healthy foods at the
supermarket?
3. What do you think the responsibilities are
of food manufacturers?
WRITE IT !
1. ____ parliament a. Sudden interruption of the supply of blood to the heart
2. ____ vote b. A member of a parliament
3. ____ artificial c. A condition due to a lack of oxygen to the brain
4. ____ trans fats d. Tubes that carry blood from our heart to our cells and organs
5. ____ legislatio e. A proposed or enacted law or group of laws
6. ____ arteries f. An unsaturated fatty acid
7. ____ stroke g. Made in imitation of something natural
8. ____ parliamentarians h. To express ones preference for a proposed resolution of an issue
9. ____ heart attack i. A legislative assembly in certain countries
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your
teacher will tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea.
You will have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
Governments should have the right to ban any food ingredients that
may pose a health risk to the consumers.
Topic #2:
It is the individuals decision, not that of the governments, to decide
what constitutes a healthy diet.
Banning Trans Fats
Mini-Debates
2
Caring for the Elderly
Mini-Debates
1. Is the population of senior citizens getting bigger or
smaller in your country?
2. What are the advantages of people living to an older age?
3. What are the disadvantages of people living longer?
4. Do you think that the quality of life is better now than it
was fifty years ago?
5. How are most elderly people taken care of in your
community?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What group of people is becoming the fastest growing
population in Canada?
2. Why are people living longer lives?
3. Who are the parent-sitters?
4. Why is it difficult for parent-sitters to take care of their
parents?
5. Why is it a difficult decision for a child to put their
parent into a nursing home?
1. The elderly are becoming the fastest growing population
in Canada. The improvements in health care and diet are
helping people to have longer and better lives.
Sometimes senior citizens are able to live normal lives
and care for themselves until a very old age - but as
most people age - they need care takers at some point.
As a result, more middle-aged adults are responsible for
taking care of their aging parents. These people are
often called parent-sitters.
2. Parent-sitters often have their elderly parents move in
with them. The parent-sitters usually have busy lives
raising their own children, going to school or going to
full-time jobs. It is especially difficult to take care of a
parent when they are ill with diseases, such as
blindness, Alzheimers or arthritis.
3. Sometimes a parent-sitter will decide to put a parent in a
nursing home, especially if the parent becomes very ill
and requires 24-hour care. This decision is very difficult
and often leaves the child feeling guilty and ashamed
for not taking care of the parent at home. Many people
feel it is the young persons duty to take care of their
elder family member.
4. Nowadays, people are living much longer, often into
their 90s, so it is sometimes not possible for family
members to care of these people at home. The choice of
caring for aging parents at home or putting them in a
nursing home has become a very difficult one.
3
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. John took $25 from his sisters purse. Now he feels
____________________ and _____________________.
2. Susans mother is 90 years old. She has ________________________
disease and cant remember very much any more.
3. My friend only eats fruits and vegetables. She has a very healthy
________________________ .
4. My grandmother lives in a ________________________ . She is taken
care of by nurses because she has become ill.
5. People who are 50 years old are called ________________________ .
DISCUSS IT
Work with a partner or in small
groups. Discuss the following
questions.
1. Do you think it is wrong to put a
parent into a nursing home?
2. Who is responsible for caring
for the elderly?
3. Do you think that only the oldest
child in a family is responsible
for caring for the elderly parent?
4. Should an elderly parent be put
in a nursing home?
5. What do you think is the best
way to care for the elderly?
6. Do you think that it is better that
people are living longer lives?
WRITE IT !
Choose one of the questions
above and write a paragraph
stating your own opinion.
_____1. nursing home a. older people
_____2. parent-sitter b. the usual food and drink that a person consumes
_____3. guilty c. people who are between the ages of 40-60
_____4. Alzheimers d. being unable to see
_____5. diet e. a person who takes care of one or both of their parents
_____6. blindness f. special hospital where older people live until they die
_____7. middle-aged g. feeling that one has done something wrong
_____8. duty h. feeling bad about something that one has done
_____9. ashamed i. a responsibility or obligation
_____10. elderly j. a disease that causes a person to lose their memory
and ability to move
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea.
Topic #1:
Adult children are always responsible for taking care of an elderly parent at home.
Topic#2
Elderly parents should live in a nursing home.
Mini-Debates
3
1. Can you think of a situation where a person would want
an assisted suicide?
2. Have you heard of any cases of euthanasia in your state/
country/province?
3. Do you approve of assisted suicide?
4. Does your country have any laws about assisted suicide?
5. Would you want to be helped to die if you were
terminally ill?
COMPREHENSION !
1. In Britain, approximately how many people a year are
helped to die by a doctor?
2. What kind of law is Dr. Biggs trying to create?
3. Why does Dr. Biggs want to have the law created in the UK?
4. How are the doctors secretly causing the death of the
terminally ill patients?
5. Do the patients always agree to having an assisted early
death? Explain.
1. The number of assisted deaths continues to increase in
Britain. It is estimated that 20,000 people die a year
according to one of Britains leading authorities on
euthanasia. This is apparently the first statement of its kind
from a credible expert. According to Dr. Hazel Biggs,
approximately 18,000 people a year are helped to die by a
doctor who is treating them for a terminal illness.
Currently, in Britain, the maximum sentence for helping
someone commit suicide is 14 years.
2. Dr. Biggs is trying to have a new law created that allows
medical staff to help conscious, terminally ill patients end
their lives. She claims that doctors in many countries
already help patients to die, even though it is not legal or
regulated. Dr. Biggs wants a law created in the UK so that
patients can give voluntary consent to die and also, so that
the practice will be more closely controlled.
3. As the population ages, more doctors are secretly making
private decisions to aid the early death of patients by
increasing drug doses. Sometimes the patient does not give
their consent and the doctor secretly makes the decision.
So, a law is needed to decrease the risk of abuse.
4. Although many people support the new law, the ProLife
party and other religious groups are against it. The Church
of England and Roman Catholic bishops said, It is deeply
misguided to propose a law by which it would be legal for
terminally ill people to be killed or assisted in suicide by
those caring for them, even if there are safeguards to ensure
that only the terminally ill would qualify.
Euthanasia
Euthanasia
Mini-Debates
4
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. Hitting children is often considered a form of _______________________.
Many people think it is wrong to hit children.
2. Paying taxes is not ____________________ . People have no choice, they
must pay taxes.
3. Cancer is not always ___________________ . Often people continue to
live after having cancer.
4. Most of the time when you have an operation, you are not
____________________ . You are usually given medication that will
cause you to sleep.
5. Unfortunately, that man committed __________________________ . He
decided to kill himself.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think that doctors should help
terminally ill patients die?
2. Should doctors be able to decide when to
increase a patients drug dosage so that the
patient will die?
3. Do you think a law should be passed so that
a terminally ill patient can sign a consent
form requesting assisted suicide?
4. What kind of abuse can happen if a law isnt
created to regulate and control assisted
suicide?
5. Do you think that people should go to jail for
assisting in a terminally ill patients death?
WRITE IT !
______ 1. euthanasia a. to willingly do something
______ 2. assisted b. bad treatment or behavior
______ 3. credible c. controlled by laws or rules
______ 4. expert d. helped, made easier
______ 5. terminal e. going to die
______ 6. suicide f. a person who has special knowledge
______ 7. conscious g. helping to end the life of a terminally ill person
______ 8. regulated h. believable, reliable
______ 9. voluntary i. to agree or give permission to do something
______ 10. consent j. to kill oneself
______ 11. abuse k. aware of whats happening
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will
be debating for or against the idea. You will have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
Doctors should be able to help terminally ill patients in assisted suicide.
Topic #2:
People should die naturally without any interference or assistance.
Euthanasia
Mini-Debates
4
Banning Pit Bulls
Mini-Debates
1. Do you have a dog? If so, what kind of dog is it?
2. Are you afraid of any kind of dog? If so, what
kind of dog scares you?
3. Have you ever been bitten by a dog?
4. Have you ever seen anyone attacked by a dog?
5. Do you think that different breeds of dogs have
different temperaments? Are some more gentle
and some more vicious?
COMPREHENSION !
1. Why did the Ontario government decide to
ban pit bulls?
2. What did current pit bull owners have to do?
3. What will the punishment be for irresponsible
dog owners?
4. What was the reaction to the law?
5. What other places have banned pit bulls?
1. In October, 2004, the province of Ontario, Canada announced that it
would ban pit bull dogs. When the law passed it became illegal to
own, buy, sell, breed, or import this kind of dog.
2. The law allowed people who currently owned pit bulls to keep
their dogs, but only under very strict rules. These dogs had to be
muzzled and on leashes. New ownership was completely banned
throughout the province. The law will also placed severe
restrictions and penalties on irresponsible owners of all breeds.
Dog owners who break the new law may have to pay fines of
$10,000 or spend up to six months in jail.
3. A number of very serious pit bull attacks in Ontario caused the
government to take this action. In one situation a man was attacked
by two pit bulls and it was necessary for the police to fire over a
dozen bullets before the attack stopped. According to Michael
Bryant, the Attorney General of Ontario, the man was practically
eaten alive from the ankles up. In another recent case, a three year
old child needed over 200 stitches to close the wounds he suffered
in a pit bull attack.
4. Before reaching its decision to ban pit bulls, the Ontario
government spent several months meeting with different groups on
opposite sides of the debate. Since the government made its
announcement, there has been mixed reaction among the people of
Ontario. Many people were delighted with the law. However, pit
bull owners as well as many other dog owners were not happy. They
believed that the problem was not the breed of dog. They say that
dogs only become vicious when they have irresponsible owners.
5. While Ontario was the first province in Canada to ban pit bulls,
some cities had already done so. In 1990, Winnipeg, Manitoba
became the first Canadian city to ban pit bulls. According to a
Winnipeg city official, the number of pit bull attacks decreased from
29 in 1989 to zero the following year. There are similar bans in
France, Britain, and Germany.
6. According to some studies that were done in the United States, pit
bulls make up only one to three percent of the overall dog population,
but they cause more than fifty percent of all serious dog attacks.
Banning Pit bulls
5
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. He drove through a red light and had to pay a $100 ___________________ .
2. When I cut my hand, I had to go to the hospital to get _________________ .
3. I want to take the dog for a walk but first I must find the _______________ .
4. Do you think the government should _______________________ smoking
in all public places?
5. He was _______________________ when he learned that he had won the
lottery.
DISCUSS IT
1. Should dogs be allowed to run freely
(without a leash) in public parks?
2. If a dog attacks someone, do you think the
dog owner should be punished?
3. If a dog attacks someone, do you think the
dog should be destroyed?
4. Do you think that any breed of dog can
become vicious if it is not properly cared
for?
5. Do you think that it should be against the
law to own any kind of dangerous pet? (ex.
snakes, spiders, etc.)
6. Do you think that letter carriers should have
to deliver the mail to a home if there is a
dangerous dog present?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. ban a. very happy
_____ 2. illegal b. now
_____ 3. import c. money paid as a penalty or punishment
_____ 4. currently d. very cruel, savage, wild
_____ 5. strict e. against the law
_____ 6. muzzle f. injury to the body, cut
_____ 7. leash g. not allow, forbid, prohibit
_____ 8. restrictions h. bring into the country
_____ 9. fine i. including everything, total
_____ 10. breed (noun) j. mouth cover to stop an animal from biting
_____ 11. stitches k. harsh, severe, hard
_____ 12. wound l. medical sewing to close a cut
_____ 13. delighted m. limitations
_____ 14. vicious n. a leather strap for leading a dog
_____ 15. overall o. a kind of animal
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
All dogs must be kept on a leash in all public places within the city.
Topic #2:
Pit bulls are a vicious breed and should be banned from our city.
Banning Pit Bulls
Mini-Debates
5
Animal Testing
Mini-Debates
1. Do you use cosmetic products on a regular basis?
2. Do you feel the cosmetic products you use are safe?
3. Do you know how cosmetic products are tested
before they reach the market?
4. Can you guess how many animals were being used
to test cosmetics each year in the European Union
prior to 2009?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What did the European parliament vote to do?
2. Prior to 2009, roughly how many animals were used
each year to test new cosmetics in the EU?
3. When did the ban on animal testing take effect?
4. Why does the cosmetic industry feel that testing on
animals is important?
5. How did the 2013 ban change the rules in the EU?
After ten years of discussion and debate, the European parliament voted to
ban the use of animal testing for cosmetic products. The act was passed
with a huge majority. The ban took effect in March, 2009.
Prior to the ban, approximately 38,000 animals in the European Union
(EU) were used to test the toxicity in new cosmetic products each year. The
large majority of cosmetic products are tested on animals before reaching
the market. Products include toothpaste, shampoo, make-up, hair dye, and
nail polish and many more.
In 2013, the EU took the ban one step further by including their trading
partners. Cosmetic companies worldwide who want to sell cosmetics in the
EU now have to prove their cosmetics are safe without animal testing. The
EU wanted to set an example for the rest of the world.
There are many different types of experiments conducted on animals to test
the benefits and risks of cosmetic products. Some of these tests include:
- Skin penetration
The skin penetration tests are used to determine how deep cosmetic
ingredients might penetrate the skin.
- Eye irritation
In this test, substances are dropped into the eyes of albino rabbits, to
determine how irritating they may be.
- Skin irritation
A substance is smeared over the shaved back of a group of animals, usually
rabbits or guinea pigs.
- Oral toxicity
Animals are force fed a substance once or repeatedly to determine the toxic
effects.
Though there has been great concern over the use of animals to test
cosmetics, many feel it is the most effective way to protect the consumers
who use them. The cosmetic industry insists that animal testing is the best
way by far to test for cancer-causing and allergy-causing chemicals. The
industry also feels that it is involved not only in the development of vanity
products, but also health products such as toothpaste and sunscreen.
Animal Testing
6
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. Recently many cities have decided to ___________________________
smoking in restaurants and bars.
2. There are many ___________________________ in eating healthy foods.
3. She got sunscreen in her eye. Its starting to
___________________________ her.
4. The pharmaceutical industry conducts a lot of
___________________________ before releasing a new drug.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think that animal testing can be
justified for certain cosmetic products?
2. Do you think its right to conduct animal
testing for products that only serve to
enhance our beauty?
3. Do you think there should be any
limitation on the animal testing for
health products such as pharmaceuticals?
WRITE IT !
Choose one of the questions above and
write a paragraph stating your own
opinion.
_____ 1. ban a. matter, material
_____ 2. cosmetics b. advantages, assets
_____ 3. toxicity c. dangers
_____ 4. experiments d. the degree to which something is poisonous
_____ 5. substances e. entering into or through something
_____ 6. benefits f. products used to beautify the body
_____ 7. risks g. to cause pain or annoyance
_____ 8. penetration h. to disallow, make illegal
_____ 9. irritate i. observations or tests
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Cosmetic companies should have the right to test all of their products on
animals before they are released to the public.
Topic #2:
Animal testing should be banned for all products other than health-related
products.
Animal Testing
Mini-Debates
6
1. What was the punishment for cheating in your high school?
2. What happens to students who cheat in university in your
country?
3. Do you know anyone who has ever been caught cheating?
4. Have you ever cheated on any tests?
5. What does plagiarism mean?
COMPREHENSION !
1. Who conducted a recent survey about cheating in high schools?
2. How many students participated in the survey?
3. What percentage of students admitted to cheating?
4. What was a disturbing finding of the study?
5. Why do many students say they cheat?
1. There is growing evidence that cheating is becoming
more common and more accepted among North
American high school students.
2. A recent national survey conducted by Rutgers
Management Education Center found that 75% of the
4,500 students questioned had participated in serious
cheating. In addition, more that 50% admitted they had
plagiarized work from the Internet.
3. Perhaps the most disturbing finding of the study is that
many respondents dont see anything wrong with
cheating. In fact, for many students, cheating has
become a survival technique in high school. There is
increasing pressure on students to achieve high marks
and it is becoming more difficult to get accepted into
good colleges and universities.
4. According to some students, cheating is an efficient
way to cut corners and more and more students are
using this shortcut. Others do not think that copying
questions and answers from a test is even cheating.
5. Many students believe that getting good grades is more
important than being honest. They think that better
grades lead to better colleges and universities and
better universities lead to better careers and better lives.
6. As one student stated, Whats important is getting
ahead. Its not how moral you were in getting there.
Cheating and Plagiarism in Schools
Cheating and Plagiarism
Mini-Debates
7
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. When you write an essay, you must not ____________________ or you will
fail.
2. He studied very hard for his math test and got an excellent _______________.
3. She is a very ____________________ worker. She always gets her work done
quickly.
4. If a company tries to ____________________ when they manufacture a
product, the quality of the product may not be as good.
5. If you are the one who broke the window, you should _________________ it.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think cheating is always wrong?
2. Do you think that cheating can hurt a
students chance of succeeding in life?
3. What should the punishment be for students
who cheat?
4. Why do you think so many students cheat?
5. If your son or daughter were caught
cheating, what would you want the school
punishment to be?
6. If you were taking a test and saw another
person cheating , would you tell the
teacher? Why or why not?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. evidence a. staying alive
_____ 2. survey b. grade, score, evaluation of a students work
_____ 3. plagiarize c. questioning a large number of people
_____ 4. disturbing d. honest, truthful, having good values
_____ 5. survival e. proof
_____ 6. technique f. confess, say you did something wrong
_____ 7. mark g. do something in a faster, easier or cheaper way
_____ 8. efficient h. copy or steal someone elses ideas or words
_____ 9. cut corners i. upsetting, bothersome
_____ 10. moral j. person answering questions
_____ 11. respondent k. able to do something well without wasting time
_____ 12. admit l. way, method
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
All students caught cheating in high school should automatically fail the course
and be required to repeat the entire course the following year.
Topic #2:
The only punishment for cheating will be as follows: The name of a cheater
will be announced to the entire school over the PA and the name and picture of
the cheater will be on display in all classrooms with the caption: I am a cheater.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Mini-Debates
7
Gun Control
Mini-Debates
VOCABULARY PREVIEW !
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
_____ 1. penal colony
_____ 2. massacre
_____ 3. initiate
_____ 4. crackdown
_____ 5. swift
_____ 6. retrieve
_____ 7. skyrocket
_____ 8. easy access
_____ 9. mental illness
_____ 10. opponent
_____ 11. rampage
_____ 12. mandatory
PRE-READING WARM-UP QUESTIONS
1. What does the right to bear arms mean?
2. Is it legal to carry a handgun in your state / province / country?
3. Should schools be gun-free zones?
4. Is it difficult to get a permit to carry a gun in the place where you live?
a. required
b. to be the one to lead something
c. a person or group on the other side of a conflict or debate
d. a serious regulation to prevent future crime
e. uncontrollable violent behavior
f. to suddenly go up in numbers
g. a remote place for prisoners that is difficult to escape from
h. not difficult to get/find and use
i. to get something back that you had before
j. sickness that affects ones thinking and emotions
k. quick
l. the violent killing of many
8
COMPREHENSION !
1. What caused Prime Minister Howard to crack
down on gun ownership in Australia?
2. What does the reading say about murder rates
and gun ownership?
3. What do gun-control opponents have to say
about gun-free zones at schools?
4. What always happens in the US after a mass
shooting?
5. What happened at an elementary school in
Connecticut?
6. How did Obamas reaction to the Sandy Hook
massacre compare to Howards in the penal
colony massacre?
On April 28, 1996, in a caf in Tasmania, a young man pulled a
semi-automatic weapon out of his bag and began shooting
tourists and staff at the historic Port Arthur penal colony. By the
time he was finished, he had killed 35 people. This was just one
of several mass shootings in Australia between the 70s and 90s.
Following the 1996 massacre, Prime Minister Howard initiated
a serious crackdown on gun ownership. Howard worked
together with the Australian government. They made a swift
decision to restrict gun ownership. The government also
organized a program to buy back weapons that had already been
sold. Over 600,000 guns were retrieved. Fifteen years later,
there were still no new mass shootings to report in Australia.
Its a different story in the US. Since the 1980s, mass shootings
have occurred in several public places, including malls, schools,
and places of worship. After a mass shooting, the sale of guns
always skyrockets. Though studies prove that easy access to
guns results in high murder rates, surveys show that many
Americans still believe in the right to bear arms.
One of the worst massacres in US history took place at Virginia
Tech University in 2007. A student suffering from mental illness
killed 35 students. Opponents of gun control argued that the
students and staff couldnt protect themselves because they were
in a gun-free safe zone.
In 2012, a week before Christmas, a young man entered Sandy
Hook Elementary school in Connecticut and went on a shooting
rampage. He killed six staff members and 20 first-graders with a
legally purchased gun. US President Obama broke down in tears
as he addressed the union. He called it the worst day in his
presidency.
Like Prime Minster Howard, Obama immediately organized a
team to address gun-control laws. His proposals called for a ban
on assault weapons, and mandatory background checks for all
gun buyers. Within one month of the school shooting, 1,000
more Americans had been killed by guns.
Gun Control
Did you know?
Following the Sandy Hook school
shooting, the National Rifle
Association (NRA) proposed that
there should be armed police in
schools. President Obama disagreed
that more guns was the answer. The
NRA then put out an ad calling the
president a hypocrite because his
daughters have the protection of the
Secret Service when they go to school.
Gun Control
Mini-Debates
8
1. Does anyone in your family smoke? If so, how long has he/
she smoked?
2. Do you think it is easy to quit smoking?
3. Does second-hand smoke bother you?
4. Do you know anyone who has tried to quit smoking?
5. Is smoking allowed in public buildings in your community?
COMPREHENSION !
1. Why were some veterans from Idaho very angry?
2. What is the Clean Indoor Air Law in Idaho?
3. Before this law was passed, where were veterans in
state-owned homes allowed to smoke?
4. What was the administrator of Veterans Services
particularly concerned about with this law?
5. What did the veterans plan to do?
1. A law in the state of Idaho forbids smoking in all state-
owned buildings and within 20 feet of their entrances
and exits. This Clean Indoor Air Law had an
unintended effect on a special group of senior citizens.
2. Dozens of smokers who lived at the Idaho State
Veterans Homes in Boise, Pocatello and Lewiston were
forced to start smoking outside. Prior to the passing of
the law, these veterans had not been allowed to smoke
in their own rooms. However, each home had provided a
specially designed, well-ventilated, smoking room for
the residents to use. These smoking rooms were
separated from other rooms in the homes to protect non-
smokers from second-hand smoke.
3. In the past, public nursing homes, including veterans
homes, had been exempt from environmental laws
banning smoking in public places. However, according
to Richard Jones, the administrator of Veterans
Services, the law overlooked the situation of senior
citizens. Mr. Jones was very worried about what would
happen when winter arrived and the veterans had to
leave the building to smoke.
4. Many of the old soldiers living in the State Veterans
Homes were very angry about the way they were being
treated in the final years of their lives. They felt that
they fought hard for their country and deserved the
right to smoke inside their buildings. They planned to
consult with the Attorney Generals Office and ask the
legislature to give the same exemption as in the past.
5. These old soldiers said they had one last battle to fight.
The Smoking Ban
The Smoking Ban
Mini-Debates
9
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. ____________________________ moving to New York, he lived in
Toronto for three years.
2. In many countries, you are not ____________________________ to buy
cigarettes if you are under 18.
3. They have studied very hard this term. They
____________________________ to get good marks.
4. If your medical problem continues, you should
____________________________ with your doctor.
5. You may be ____________________________ from paying sales tax if
you are from another country.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think there should be special indoor
smoking rooms in senior citizens care
homes?
2. Do you think restaurants should have
smoking sections? Why or why not?
3. Do you think pubs and bars should be
smoke-free? Give your reasons.
4. Should employers be allowed to ask job
applicants if they smoke?
5. Should cigarette advertising be banned on
television and in magazines?
6. What should the punishment be for retailers
who sell cigarettes to under-aged teenagers?
7. Should teenagers who are caught smoking
on school property be expelled from the
school?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. forbid a. not notice, fail to see
_____ 2. unintended b. free from, not part of
_____ 3. effect c. ban, not permit
_____ 4. veteran d. discuss with
_____ 5. prior to e. not planned
_____ 6. allowed f. before
_____ 7. ventilated g. fight
_____ 8. resident h. result
_____ 9. exempt i. permitted
_____ 10. overlook j. former soldier
_____ 11. deserve k. person living in a certain place
_____ 12. consult l. earn the right to do something
_____ 13. battle m. having good air movement
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will
be debating for or against the idea. You will have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
Doctors should have the right to refuse to treat patients who will not quit smoking.
Topic #2:
Cigarettes should be in the same category as other drugs like heroin and cocaine and all cigarette
sales should be banned.
The Smoking Ban
Mini-Debates
9
The Kyoto Protocol
Mini-Debates
Pre-Reading Warm-Up Questions
1. Do you usually use public transit or drive a
car?
2. What is global warming? Do you know
what causes global warming?
3. Why is global warming a problem? Do you
worry about global warming and other
environmental problems?
4. Do you think many governments are trying
to deal with global warming?
5. Have you heard of the Kyoto Protocol, the
international agreement that deals with global
warming?
COMPREHENSION !
1. How are greenhouse gases produced and
how do they cause global warming?
2. What problems can global warming cause?
3. Why was the Kyoto Protocol created?
4. What was required to make the agreement
legally binding?
5. Which industrialized countries did not sign
the agreement?
1. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that deals with
global warming. Global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse
gases in the earths atmosphere.
2. Greenhouse gases are produced by the industrial activities of developed
nations, mainly from burning oil, gas, and coal. When these gases collect
in the atmosphere, they trap heat near the earths surface and cause the
global temperature to rise. This increase in temperature can produce
changes in wind patterns and precipitation. These changes can lead to
severe weather such as droughts, floods, or powerful hurricanes that can
have devastating social and economic consequences.
3. The Kyoto Protocol was created to encourage countries to reduce the
amount of greenhouse gases they produce and to become more energy
efficient and socially responsible. To be legally binding, the protocol had
to be signed by 55 countries that produced 55% of the industrialized
worlds greenhouse gases in 1990.
4. Several countries including Canada, Japan, and the European Union
signed the protocol, but there was concern that the required numbers to
make it legally binding would not be reached. However, Russias decision
to sign the protocol in September 2004 ensured it would take effect. In
return, the European Union pledged to support Russias application to
join the World Trade Organization. Russias signature was crucial because
both the United States and Australia refused to ratify the protocol.
5. In February 2005, 30 industrialized countries started to limit or reduce
their greenhouse emissions to meet the scientific targets set out for them
by the protocol. The goal was to reduce greenhouse gases by 5% by 2012.
Countries that had not produced significant amounts of greenhouse gases
in the past, including India and China, would be expected to participate in
the protocol as they become more industrialized.
6. While Canada was one of the first to sign the protocol, its greenhouse gas
emissions rose significantly. In 2011, prior to the expiry of Kyoto,
Canada pulled out of its commitment. In 2012, Australia, the European
Union, and several developing nations agreed to work towards a
replacement treaty. The proposed goal was to prevent global temperatures
from ever rising more than 2 degrees Celsius. However, Canada, the US,
Japan, and Russia refused to sign on to Kyotos extension.
The Kyoto Protocol
10
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. We have had no _________________________ for two months. The
land is very dry.
2. The destruction from the earthquake was _________________________.
3. Governments are trying to _________________________ the amount of
industrial pollution.
4. If there is another serious _________________________ in Africa,
many people will die.
5. It is _________________________ for everyone to recycle in order to
cut down on pollution.
DISCUSS IT
1. Why do you think Russia finally agreed to
sign the Kyoto Protocol?
2. Do you think governments should do more
to prevent industries from polluting the
environment?
3. If companies are not forced by law to reduce
pollution and harmful emissions, do you
think they will do so voluntarily?
4. Why do you think the United States and
Australia refused to sign the Kyoto
Protocol?
5. What new technological developments are
helping to reduce pollution?
WRITE IT !
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
_____ 1. trap a. goal, objective
_____ 2. precipitation b. promise
_____ 3. drought c. required according to the law
_____ 4. devastating d. results, effects
_____ 5. reduce e. lessen, decrease
_____ 6. legally binding f. necessary, critical, very important
_____ 7. pledge g. catch
_____ 8. crucial h. terrible
_____ 9. target i. continuous period of no rain
_____ 10. consequences j. rain or snow
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher
will tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea. You will
have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
To reduce automobile pollution, governments should substantially increase
taxes on cars that are not energy efficient.
Topic #2:
Governments should increase environmental restrictions on industry, even
if this leads to increased unemployment.
The Kyoto Protocol
Mini-Debates
10
1. What is a landmine?
2. How many landmines do you think have been planted
around the world?
3. Which parts of the world do you think have the largest
number of landmines?
4. Why do landmines continue to be a problem long after
wars have ended?
5. Which countries do you think are the largest producers
of landmines?
COMPREHENSION !
1. How are innocent civilians affected by landmines?
2. How else are countries with large numbers of
landmines affected economically?
3. What kind of treaty was signed in 1997 in Ottawa,
Canada?
4. What has happened as a result of this treaty?
5. Why did United States, Russia, and China refuse to
sign this treaty?
1. Landmines are weapons of war that kill or maim soldiers
and civilians indiscriminately. The United Nations
estimates that more than 100 million landmines have been
planted in 70 countries, most of which are poor and
underdeveloped.
2. Children are often the victims of landmines; for example,
8,000 Angolan children have lost limbs after stepping on
landmines. Fitting victims with artificial limbs is very
costly, so most victims do not receive rehabilitation
services and are left physically unable to work and support
themselves. As well, land cannot be used to produce food
until mines have been cleared, and removing them is a slow
and expensive process.
3. In 1997, a treaty to ban the production and use of
landmines was signed by 133 countries in Ottawa, Canada.
Of the countries who have yet to sign the treaty, the most
significant are the three largest producers and users of
landmines the United States, China, and Russia. All three
have said they need landmines to defend themselves. Critics
of this policy think that landmines are more likely to kill or
maim their own soldiers than to scare off their enemies.
4. Since the treaty was signed, more than 40 million landmines
have been destroyed and only 15 countries still produce
them (compared to 50 before the treaty). The United States
has provided funds to pay for the removal of many of these
mines at the same time as it continues to produce them.
5. In December 2004, the first World Summit on a Mine Free
World was held in Kenya. Participants demanded that the
United States, China, and Russia sign the 1997 treaty.
Clearly, without their co-operation, the total elimination of
landmines will not be possible. However, neither Russia nor
the United States sent delegates to the conference.
Landmines
Banning Landmines
Mini-Debates
11
Banning Landmines
Mini-Debates
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. You dont need to water those plants. They are ______________________.
2. Many city governments now ___________________________ smoking in
all public places.
3. He had a lot of ___________________________ after his car accident so
now he can walk again.
4. Lets have a party on Saturday. Ill ___________________________ the
food if you bring the drinks.
5. There are many innocent civilians who are ____________________ in wars.
DISCUSS IT
1. Why are landmines different from other
conventional weapons used in war?
2. Why do you think United States helps pay
for the removal of landmines but at the
same time continues to produce landmines?
3. Do you think that the total worldwide
elimination of landmines is possible in
your lifetime? Why or why not?
4. What can individual nations do to help
eliminate landmines around the world?
5. What can be done to educate children
about the dangers of landmines in countries
where landmines exist?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. maim a. not allow, prohibit
_____ 2. indiscriminately b. not natural
_____ 3. victim c. injure so that part of the body is useless
_____ 4. artificial d. money
_____ 5. limb e. without care
_____ 6. rehabilitation f. getting rid of, not having anymore
_____ 7. ban g. treatment to bring back to good condition
_____ 8. significant h. a person not in the army
_____ 9. provide i. a person who is hurt or suffers a loss
_____ 10 elimination j. important
_____ 11. civilian k. give, supply
_____ 12. funds l. arm or leg
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
The United Nations should impose economic sanctions on countries that con-
tinue to produce landmines.
Topic #2:
United States, Russia, and Chinas claims of self-defense as their explanation
for not banning the production and use of landmines are reasonable.
11
Gene Patents
Mini-Debates
1. What does a biotechnology company do? Have you
heard of the company, Monsanto? If so, what do you
know about it?
2. What are genes? Have you heard of genetically
modified food or genetically modified organisms
(GMOS)? If not, can you guess the meaning of these?
3. What do modern day farmers do to protect their
plants from insects and weeds?
4. What does it mean to sue someone in a court of law?
5. If a company invents something, what can it do to
protect this invention and prevent others from
stealing this idea?
6. Explain the meaning of the following idioms: by
accident and on purpose.
COMPREHENSION !
1. What is Roundup?
2. What is Roundup Ready canola seed?
3. Why does Monsanto make farmers agree to buy
new seeds every year, instead of letting them use
seeds from previous years?
4. Why did Monsanto sue farmer Percy Schmeiser?
5. What did Percy Schmeiser argue in the Supreme
Court of Canada?
1. Monsanto Canada, a biotechnology company, produces canola
seed that contains a gene that protects the seed from the effects
of Roundup, a weed killer also produced by Monsanto. Farmers
who buy and plant Roundup Ready canola seed can use the
herbicide to kill the weeds in their fields without damaging
their canola crop. They must agree to buy new seed every year,
instead of saving seeds from previous crops to plant new ones.
Monsanto argues this is the only way to recover the money it
spends on researching and developing genetically improved
seeds.
2. In the late 1990s, Monsanto sued Saskatchewan farmer Percy
Schmieser for growing Roundup Ready canola without having
bought the seed. Schmieser said the seeds had blown into his
field by accident, either from his neighbors fields or off passing
farm equipment.
3. Lower courts ruled against Schmiesers by accident argument
and ordered him to turn over the profits from his 1998 crop to
Monsanto. He then took his fight to the Supreme Court of
Canada to argue that a company should not be allowed to
patent, or control, the use of a plant.
4. In May 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that Monsanto could not
patent a plant, but it could patent the gene that it had developed
and the process for inserting it into the seeds. It means that
farmers who do not buy seed directly from Monsanto each year
have to remove any crop from their land that originated from
Monsanto seed, no matter how it got there.
5. Earlier, in 2003, a government biotechnology advisory council
had recommended that, in some cases, higher life forms such as
plants could be patented; that farmers should have a limited right
to save and use seeds from patented plants; and that those who
accidentally violate patents should have some legal protection.
6. Given the Supreme Courts decision, and the committees
recommendations, the Federal Patent Act needs to be updated to
make the rules for gene patenting clearer.
Gene Patents
12
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. You promised to pay your ex-wife $1000 every month. If you
_____________________ the divorce agreement, you will have to go back
to court.
2. His business is only two years old, but he is already making a huge
_____________________.
3. You have to _____________________ a quarter into the parking meter to
park for one hour.
4. He is going to the library to do some _____________________ for his
university project.
5. If you dont wear your reading glasses, you will _____________________
your eyesight.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you believe Percy Schmeisers
argument that the canola seeds had blown
onto his land by accident?
2. Did Percy Schmeiser win or lose his court
case? Do you agree with the courts
decision? Why or why not?
3. The article mentioned three
recommendations that the Canadian
governments biotechnology advisory
council made in 2003. Do you support
these recommendations?
4. Does the 2004 decision made by the
Supreme Court support or contradict the
recommendations of the advisory council?
Explain your answer.
5. What do you think about genetically
modified food? Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of genetically modified
food? Do you think that all genetically
modified foods should be labeled as such?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. contain a) put inside
_____ 2. herbicide b) legal protection of ones invention
_____ 3. damage c) break a law or agreement
_____ 4. previous d) come from
_____ 5. recover e) hold within itself
_____ 6. research f) hurt, injure, cause destruction
_____ 7. insert g) take to court and ask to be paid for suffering
_____ 8. profit h) chemical used to kill harmful weeds and plants
_____ 9. patent i) get back
_____ 10. originate j) gain; money earned
_____ 11. violate k) from before
_____ 12. sue l) study
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
A company should not be allowed to patent or control the use of a plant.
Topic #2:
Biotechnology companies like Monsanto will help solve the problem of world
hunger with their genetically modified plants and foods.
Gene Patents
Mini-Debates
12
1. Who organized the Live 8 concerts?
2. Name some of the performers at the Live 8 concerts.
3. Where did the Live 8 concerts take place and how
many people attended them?
4. What was the goal of the Live 8 concerts?
5. Why did some people criticize the Live 8 concerts?
COMPREHENSION !
1. Who organized the Live 8 concerts?
2. Name some of the performers at the Live 8 concerts.
3. Where did the Live 8 concerts take place and how
many people attended them?
4. What was the goal of the Live 8 concerts?
5. Why did some people criticize the Live 8 concerts?
1. This set of free, live concerts was held on July 2, 2005, at
locations throughout the G8 nations - Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States,
and Russia - the worlds richest countries.
2. The concerts were organized by rock star Bob Geldof and
leaders of the Make Poverty History coalition. Paul
McCartney, Bono, Madonna, and Elton John were among the
170 acts that performed for about 2 billion concert-goers and
television viewers.
3. The goal was to pressure the G8 leaders, who were meeting in
Scotland a few days later, to do more to end world poverty,
especially in Africa. Concert organizers demanded that the
debt of the worlds poorest nations be cancelled and that aid to
them be increased. More than 26 million people worldwide
sent messages of support for their demands.
4. Many people praised Live 8 for focusing the worlds attention
on poverty, but other people questioned the goals of Live 8.
5. Some people believe that rich nations should not decide what
is best for poor nations. Others criticized the Live 8 concerts
because they feel that in the past, debt relief has provided
corrupt African governments with more money to buy more
weapons to maintain power. These people do not think that
ordinary Africans will benefit from debt relief and increased
aid until their governments are less corrupt and more
democratic. They say that war-torn areas of Africa, such as
Darfur, the Congo, and northern Uganda, need peace first.
Without peace, debt relief and increased aid will do little to
help those suffering and dying in these regions.
6. In spite of these criticisms, the Make Poverty History coalition
continues to work towards eliminating world poverty.
The Live 8 Concerts
The Live 8 Concerts
Mini-Debates
13
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. If you bring the drinks to the party, we will _____________________ the food.
2. It is difficult to _____________________ an accent when you learn a foreign
language.
3. Mary studies for three hours every night. Her _____________________ is to
become a doctor.
4. He has a lot of _____________________. He owes over twenty thousand dollars.
5. If you want _____________________ of pain from your headache, take two
aspirins.
DISCUSS IT
groups. Discuss the following questions.
1. The goal of the Live 8 concerts was the
elimination of world poverty. Do you
think that holding a benefit concert is a
good way to focus public attention on
certain issues? What are some other
reasons that benefit concerts are held?
2. Have you heard of the Live Aid concert
that was held in 1985? What was the
goal of that concert? Was that concert a
success?
3. Explain the meaning of the following
saying: Give a man a fish and he will
eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and
he will eat for a lifetime.
How does this proverb relate to the
issue of world poverty?
4. Do you think that the Live 8 concerts
helped influence world leaders to take
action to eliminate world poverty?
Explain your answer.
5. Do you think that most people who
attended the Live 8 concerts did so
because they wanted to help
eliminate world poverty or because
they wanted to see a free concert?
6. Name some other organizations around
the world that try to help poorer
nations. What are their goals?
WRITE IT !
Choose one of the questions above and
write a paragraph stating your own
opinion.
_____ 1. coalition a. give
_____ 2. goal b. dishonest
_____ 3. debt c. get rid of, abolish
_____ 4. aid d. instrument that can harm someone; ex. knife, gun
_____ 5. praise e. aim, objective, purpose
_____ 6. criticize f. a union or group with a shared purpose
_____ 7. corrupt g. put attention on something
_____ 8. relief h. lessening, reducing
_____ 9. provide i. say something positive; compliment
_____ 10. eliminate j. help
_____ 11. weapon k. money owing
_____ 12. focus l. say something negative; disapprove of
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Rich nations should not give aid to poor countries with corrupt governments
because the aid will not reach the people.
Topic #2:
The United Nations, not individual nations, should take responsibility for
eliminating world poverty.
Topic #3:
Giving money alone is not the solution to eliminating world poverty.
The Live 8 Concerts
Mini-Debates
13
1. Look at a world map and locate Cochabamba,
Bolivia. Have you ever heard of this city?
2. Have you heard of the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund? Do you know what
these organizations do?
3. Is the water supply in your community publicly
owned?
4. Do you know how much your monthly water bill is?
5. How can citizens protest against government action
in non-violent ways?
6. What is the meaning of globalization?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What has been happening in recent years to the
municipal water supplies in many poor countries?
2. What happened in Cochabamba, Bolivia in late 1999?
3. Why were the residents of Cochabamba so upset by
this situation?
4. How did the residents protest?
5. Who won the fight over water rights in Cochabamba,
Bolivia?
1. In recent years, private companies have taken over municipal
water supplies in a number of poor countries. The World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund are accused of forcing
countries with large debt loads to allow this in exchange for
loans.
2. In late 1999, a company called Aquas del Tunaria, owned by
Bechtel, an American multinational corporation, was given a 40-
year contract to increase the water supplies and services of
Cochabamba, Bolivia, a city of 600,000.
3. Shortly after taking over in January 2000, the company raised
water rates substantially. Many people had to choose between
feeding their family and paying their water bill. To protest the
increase, residents took part in a four-day general strike, which
shut down the city. La Coordinador, an organization of
community activists and labor leaders, led the protest. The strike
ended when the government agreed to cancel the rate increases.
4. By mid-February, the government had not lived up to the
agreement. A peaceful protest march was organized, but riot
police used tear gas to stop the marchers, many of whom were
injured. The people did not give up though. In March, activists
demanded that the government cancel the privatization contract
and return the water system to public ownership. They also
released the Cochabamba Declaration, which called for the
protection of the water rights of people around the world.
5. When the government once again refused their demands,
residents shut down the city on April 4. Other Bolivians came to
support them. The government arrested the leaders of the
protest and stopped the media from reporting on it. Police
attacked and injured many protesters and, on April 8, killed a
young protester. On April 10, however, the government backed
down and agreed to all of the protesters demands.
6. The people of Cochabamba had won. They said no to the
economics of globalization and gave hope to many others around
the world.
Water Privatization
Water Privatization
Mini-Debates
14
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. There will be a ________________________ election in our city next fall.
2. If the president dies, the vice-president will ________________________
for him.
3. When the bus drivers went on ________________________ , we had to
walk to work.
4. Make sure to read the ________________________ very carefully before
you sign it.
5. The ________________________ in that apartment building are very angry
about the increase in rent.
DISCUSS IT
1. What do you think of the World Banks
decision to force poor countries to privatize
their water supplies in exchange for loans?
2. Why do you think the residents of
Cochabamba were able to make the
government back down?
3. Do you think that general strikes are
effective ways to get governments to
respond to citizens complaints?
4. Why do peaceful demonstrations often turn
into rioting?
5. What means can police use to stop rioting
without injuring demonstrators?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. take over a) legal agreement
_____ 2. municipal b) do what is expected
_____ 3. debt load c) take by the police and charge with a crime
_____ 4. contract d) take control
_____ 5. residents e) methods of communication; T.V., radio, press
_____ 6. strike f) relating to a city or town
_____ 7. protest g) give up
_____ 8. riot h) amount of money owing
_____ 9. arrest i) stopping work as a means of protest
_____ 10. media j) people living in a particular place
_____ 11. live up to k) noisy, uncontrolled, behavior of a group
_____ 12. back down l) demonstrate to show disagreement
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Water, the most important substance of life, should always remain a public
utility: in other words, water rights should never be privatized.
Topic #2:
If Bechtel had been allowed to continue its control of the water supply of
Cochabamba, the lives of the residents would have improved.
Water Privatization
Mini-Debates
14
1. Do you have a computer in your home? If so, how
much time do you spend on the computer everyday?
2. What do you use the computer for?
3. What is the meaning of downloading?
4. Do you ever download movies or music for free?
5. What is the meaning of copyright?
6. Have you ever noticed the warning that appears at
the beginning of every video or DVD that you rent?
If so, what is the warning?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What is file sharing?
2. Why has file sharing become easier and faster than
ever before?
3. Why is the Recording Industry Association of
America against file sharing?
4. What have some universities done to deal with the
problem of illegal file sharing?
5. What are some of the objections to this solution?
1. Downloading music or movies from the Internet onto your
personal computer is called file sharing. New high-speed Internet
services have made file sharing easier and faster than ever before.
Many universities have an extremely fast Internet network for
research purposes, but students also use it to download music
and movies for free. The Internet2 system lets students download
a movie in five minutes and a song in twenty seconds.
2. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) argues
that several file-sharing networks that provide music and the
people who download it for free are breaking the law. The
performers and the music producers should get money every time
a copy of their songs is downloaded. In June 2005, the U.S.
Supreme Court agreed with them. The RIAA has sued and shut
down some of the illegal file-sharing networks, but not all of
them. The association has also sued more than 400 students at
several U.S. universities for using their universitys computer
network to download music without paying for it.
3. Universities in California have decided to do something about
this problem. They have signed an agreement with Cdigix, a
music download service, which will allow students to download
music and videos legally from their universitys high-speed
computer network. Students will pay a small fee for the service,
likely as part of their student fees.
4. Not everyone is in favor of this agreement, though. Some people
think that the new service will not provide enough variety of
music and videos, and students will continue to download them
illegally. Others think that universities have much more important
issues to deal with and should not be using their time and
resources on this issue. Finally, some people believe that the
music industry should allow people to download songs for free
because it will introduce new songs and new performers to far
more people and result in increased sales of music CDs.
File-sharing
File Sharing
Mini-Debates
15
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. Well ____________________ the food for the party if you bring the drinks.
2. There is a $200 ________________________ to join that sports club.
3. The weather in winter in northern Canada is _____________________ cold.
4. It is ____________________ to sell cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18.
5. That sweater comes in a ________________________ of colors. Which
color would you prefer?
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think authors should be paid a fee
every time a person photocopies something
from their books? If so, should this fee
apply to teachers who photocopy material
for their students? Explain your answer.
2. Have you ever heard of the term
intellectual property? What do you think it
means? What does it mean when we say
that writers and composers receive a
royalty payment for their work?
3. Do you think that downloading music and
movies for free is a kind of stealing? Do
you think that people who download music
and movies for free should be punished?
4. Do you ever borrow audio tapes or CDs
from friends and make copies for yourself?
Do you think that there is anything wrong
with this? Why or why not?
5. Making illegal copies of videos, DVDs
and CDs is sometimes called pirating. In
some countries, it is very easy to buy
pirated copies. Do you think this really
hurts the movie and music industry and
individual performers? If so, how can the
industries deal with the problem?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. research a. an entertainer (singer, dancer, etc.)
_____ 2. provide b. against the law
_____ 3. sue c. very
_____ 4. illegal d. study, investigation
_____ 5. fee e. use
_____ 6. likely f. give
_____ 7. in favor of g. money, wealth, supply of goods
_____ 8. variety h. go to court of law and ask for compensation
_____ 9. resources i. probably
_____ 10. performer j. a number of different things
_____ 11. purpose k. a payment for a service
_____ 12. extremely l. agreeing with, supporting
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Both individuals who download free music and the Internet companies that
provide the free services should be punished for file sharing.
Topic #2:
It is impossible to prevent file sharing, so the music and film industries should
stop trying to do so.
File Sharing
Mini-Debates
15
Video Game Violence
Mini-Debates
PRE-READING WARM-UP QUESTIONS
1. Do you ever play video games? If so, how often do
you play?
2. Do you have children? Do they play video games,
and if so, how often do they play?
3. What do you think the average amount of time
school age children in America play video games
every day is?
4. Do you think the most popular video games
contain violence?
5. Is there a law in your country (city, state, province,
etc.) restricting the sale or rental of violent video
games?
6. Who do you think might support this kind of law
and who do you think might oppose it?
COMPREHENSION !
1. How can someone in the US know if a video game
contains violence or sexual images?
2. What kind of law did the state of Illinois pass in
2005 regarding video games?
3. Why do many parents support bills related to
restricting and labeling violent video games?
4. What do many people who rent or sell video games
think about bills related to video game violence?
5. What did President Obama propose after the Sandy
Hook elementary school shooting?
1. Many school-age children in the United States play video games for
close to an hour a day. Almost 90% of the most popular video games
contain violence, and much of it is extremely violent. In the US, the
video game industry rates games that contain violence or sexual images
as M for mature audiences. Researchers have discovered, though,
that children as young as seven years old have played these games.
2. In July 2005, the state of Illinois passed a law that made it illegal to sell
or rent a video game containing violence or sexual images to anyone
under 18 years of age. Those who broke the law would face a year in
prison or a $5,000 fine. The video game industry was told to label these
games as violent or sexually explicit. In 2006, this state law was
thrown out.
3. For several years, lawmakers in the US tried to get video game labeling
acts passed. They wanted violent video games to have a warning like
cigarettes. The warning would say, WARNING: Exposure to violent
video games has been linked to aggressive behavior. Many parents
and researchers support these efforts. They argue that children who play
violent video games may act more violently in real life.
4. Many bills related to video game violence have been rejected by
American courts on the basis of free speech. Those who sell or rent
video games fight the bills and win. They think that parents, not video
stores, should be responsible for what their children are doing or seeing.
In addition, no scientific study in the US has proven that video games
lead to aggressive behavior.
5. Despite the lack of proof, many people blame gun violence in America
on the video game industry. They think that violent gaming causes
antisocial behavior that may lead to mass shootings. In 2012, after the
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, a US senator said that video
games are a bigger problem than guns. The National Rifle Association
(NRA) agreed. President Obama argued that there was no proof to this;
however, he asked Congress to approve funding to conduct further
studies. The president stated, Congress should fund research on the
effects violent video games have on young minds. We dont benefit
from ignorance.
Video Game Violence
16
Video Game Violence
Mini-Debates
1. The child with the _________________ behavior got into a fight at school.
2. When he drove through the red traffic light, the police gave him a $100
___________________.
3. If she doesnt love him anymore, she will _____________________ his
marriage proposal.
4. He is _____________________, so most kids dont even know his name.
5. His instructions were very ___________________. I understood them well.
DISCUSS IT
1. Childrens TV programs, comic books, and
movies often contain violence. Do you think
that violent video games have any different
impact on children than these other forms of
entertainment?
2. Do you think that a future study will prove
that video game violence leads to aggression
and antisocial behavior?
3. Do you think that the video game industry
has any interest in protecting children from
the harmful effects of watching violent or
adult sexual images?
4. Do you think most parents carefully monitor
the TV programs their children watch and
video games they play?
5. Most countries have classifications for
movies such as Family Entertainment,
General Admission, Parental Guidance,
Restricted Adult, etc. Do you think that
video games should have a similar type of
classification system? Why or why not?
WRITE IT !
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
_____ 1. rate a. be against, not support
_____ 2. mature b. facts that reveal the truth
_____ 3. illegal c. not social, spends most time alone
_____ 4. researcher d. estimate the value, classify
_____ 5. aggressive e. sum of money paid as a penalty or punishment
_____ 6. image f. against the law
_____ 7. fine g. a proposal for a new law
_____ 8. label h. fully grown or developed, adult
_____ 9. explicit i. clearly and fully shown or expressed
_____ 10. antisocial j. someone who studies and looks for answers
_____ 11. bill k. picture
_____ 12. reject l. put a name or description on something
_____ 13. proof m. violent, full of anger
_____ 14. ignorance n. not knowing
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your
teacher will tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea.
Topic #1:
It is the responsibility of parents, not lawmakers, to decide which video
games their children can play. Therefore, there should be no laws
restricting the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.
Topic #2:
Violent video games have a very harmful effect on children and
contribute to the increase in violence in our society.
16
Junk Food Sales in Schools
Mini-Debates
1. What is junk food? Give some examples of
junk food?
2. Do you eat a lot of junk food?
3. Do you think that children nowadays eat too
much junk food?
4. What is a vending machine? Are there vending
machines in public schools in your city? If so,
what kind of products do they sell?
5. How do schools in your area pay for things
such as sports equipment, musical instruments,
computer equipment, field trips, etc.?
COMPREHENSION !
1. Why are American students eating more junk
food in schools nowadays?
2. What is the danger to children who eat a lot of
junk food?
3. Why do many schools make junk food easily
available to students?
4. How is the money obtained from the sale of
junk food often used?
5. What are many parent groups and
communities trying to do about this situation?
1. Over the last 15 years, many high schools and middle schools in the
United States have allowed snack foods such as soft drinks, candy,
and potato chips to be sold in vending machines in their buildings.
Expensive advertising campaigns, paid for by the makers of these
products, have encouraged students to snack on junk food instead
of healthy food such as fruits and vegetables.
2. As a result, many students eat junk food for lunch and during the
day. Federal and state rules that restrict vending machine products
from being sold at lunchtime are simply ignored.
3. Students who eat junk food every day are likely to become obese or
to suffer from tooth decay. As adults, they may develop serious
diseases, like diabetes, which add to the countrys health care costs.
4. Yet schools continue to make junk food easily available to students.
They do this because their government-funded budgets only cover
basic school services. The money they receive from junk food
manufacturers can add $50,000 or more to their budgets each year.
Schools that allow only one particular brand of soft drink, such as
Coke, to be sold in vending machines can make much more money.
This money is used to pay for things like computer equipment, field
trips, special activities, and marching bands.
5. The more junk food students buy from the vending machines, the
more money the schools make.
6. Since 2001, many U.S. lawmakers, parent groups, and communities
have tried to change this situation. They believe that schools should
sell nothing but nutritious food at lunchtime. They also believe that
corporations should not be offering schools large sums of money to
ignore the health risks of junk food. However, many schools have
opposed their actions because they do not want to lose the money
they make from junk food sales.
7. Many people believe that, instead of being safe places, schools
today are unhealthy places for students.
17
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. Eating a lot of candy will make your teeth __________________________.
2. A ____________________________ diet includes a lot of fresh fruits and
vegetables.
3. The toy company is planning a very big ____________________________
before Christmas.
4. If you ____________________________ the doctors advice, you will not
get better.
5. If you ____________________________ the government, you can vote for
someone else in the next election.
DISCUSS IT
1. Why do you think so many children are
obese today? What can parents and society
do to prevent children from becoming
obese?
2. How have schools changed in the past forty
or fifty years? Do you think it is the
responsibility of public schools to provide
extra-curricular activities to students or
should this be the responsibility of parents?
3. Do you think public school budgets should
include funding for sports programs, music,
arts, field trips, etc. or should they just cover
basic educational services?
4. Do you think that public schools should ask
more big corporations to provide funding for
the schools in exchange for endorsing
(supporting) their products? Explain your
answer.
5. Do you think that big corporations such as
Coca-Cola could be persuaded to change the
products they sell in the vending machines?
For example, many soft drink producers also
make healthier products such as fruit juices,
bottled water, etc.
6. If schools decide to ban the sale of junk food
in their schools, what are some other ways
they could raise money?
WRITE IT !
______ 1. snack a) danger
______ 2. advertising campaign b) very fat
______ 3. encourage c) company
______ 4. restrict d) paid for
______ 5. ignore e) a light meal
______ 6. obese f) limit
______ 7. decay g) good for health (as in food)
______ 8. budget h) be against; not support or agree with
______ 9. funded i) series of activities for selling something
______ 10. nutritious j) not pay attention to
______ 11. corporation k) get in bad condition
______ 12. risk l) a plan of income and spending
______ 13. oppose m) give hope or confidence; support
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Schools should promote healthy lifestyles for children and therefore, no junk
food should be sold in school cafeterias, snack bars, vending machines or
anywhere else on school property.
Topic #2:
Schools should never be allowed to make arrangements with big corporations to
support, sell, or advertise their products no matter how much money they receive.
Mini-Debates
17
Employee Tracking
Mini-Debates
1. Can you explain the idiom, keep track of?
2. What do you think employee tracking means?
3. Do you think that many companies have problems with
their employees using the Internet, cell-phones, e-mail,
etc. for personal use during office hours?
4. If employers have this problem, what do you think they
can do to solve it?
5. Do you know what it means to submit a travel expense
to an employer?
6. What does a civil rights group do?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What are some employers now doing to watch over
their employees?
2. Name two companies that provide this kind of service.
3. Why are companies subscribing to these services?
4. What is the main concern of the civil rights group,
Liberty, regarding these services?
5. How does the company, Followus, respond to this
concern?
1. Employers can now use technology to watch over their
employees e-mail, Internet use, telephone calls, and job-related
travel.
2. The British company Followus is one of a number of companies
that help businesses keep track of their employees, their vehicles,
and their merchandise.
3. Businesses can use this tracking information to operate more
efficiently. For example, a business that delivers goods can have
more flexible delivery schedules and one that employs sales staff
or trades people can provide better customer service.
4. Employees are tracked through their cell phones, using a
computer with an Internet connection. Their phone acts as a
mobile electronic device and the service providers Web site can
locate its approximate location.
5. More and more businesses are interested in using cell-phone
tracking technology. Since starting up in 2003, Followus had
gained 50,000 subscribers by 2005 and was adding 5,000 more
each month. Verilocation, another British company, had 60,000
subscribers as of 2005.
6. Most of these subscribers are small businesses wanting to reduce
their operating costs. They do this by checking that employees
take the shortest route to a job, that they are actually on the job
when they are supposed to be, and that they submit accurate
travel expense claims for each job.
7. A British civil rights group known as Liberty believes that the use
of electronic tracking may threaten employees rights to privacy.
However, a spokesperson for Followus says this is not true
because tracking companies must obey strict government
regulations. Employees must agree to have their phones tracked,
and every phone that is tracked must give out random alerts so
that employees know their phone tracking device is still operating.
8. Even though employees must agree to being tracked, some people
believe they may lose their job if they dont agree.
9. Liberty is working to ensure that employers continue to comply
with these regulations.
Employee Tracking
18
Employee Tracking
Mini-Debates
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. Our city newspaper has over 100,000 _____________________.
2. A lot of the store __________________ goes on sale after Christmas.
3. A soldier in the army must _______________ his officers orders.
4. The main shopping street is closed to _________________ today because
there is a street fair taking place all afternoon. The street is only open to pe-
destrians.
5. The robber planned to use a gun to __________________ the bank employee
if she wouldnt give him the money right away.
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think many employees use the
Internet for personal use during office
hours? What do you think they use the
Internet for? How much office time do you
think is wasted on this everyday?
2. Do you think employers should have the
right to read all employees e-mails that are
written during office hours?
3. Do you think many employees submit false
or exaggerated travel expense claims to
their employers?
4. Do you think employee tracking leads to a
loss of trust between employees and
employers? If so, what is a more effective
way of monitoring employees use of time?
5. If your employer asked you to agree to
have your cell phone tracked, would you
do so? Why or why not?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. vehicles a) lower, lessen
_____ 2. merchandise b) do as one is told; comply with rules or orders
_____ 3. efficiently c) able to be moved
_____ 4. flexible d) warning
_____ 5. mobile e) cars
_____ 6. subscribers f) correct
_____ 7. reduce g) done well and without wasting time
_____ 8. accurate h) done by chance, without a specific order or time
_____ 9. threaten i) goods or products for sale
_____ 10. obey j) people who agree to take a service
_____ 11. random k) can change easily
_____ 12. alert l) about; near to
_____ 13. approximate m) make a sign of danger to come
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Employee tracking is an effective management tool and leads to increased
productivity and efficiency for companies.
Topic #2:
There is no reason for an employee who is working efficiently in the work-
place to feel threatened by tracking devices.
18
1. Do you ever worry about getting wrinkles and starting
to look older?
2. How do many movie stars and other famous celebrities
keep their youthful appearances?
3. Are cosmetic surgeries and other cosmetic treatments
to maintain youthful looks common in your country?
4. Have you ever heard of Botox injections to get rid of
wrinkles?
5. How much do you think a Botox injection costs and
how long do you think it lasts?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What is Botox and what is it widely used for
nowadays?
2. How long has Botox been used for cosmetic purposes?
3. Why have many teenagers started to use Botox?
4. Why are many people opposed to the use of Botox by
teenagers?
5. How many Americans used Botox for cosmetic
purposes in the year 2005?
1. In 2005, nearly three million American women and men had
Botox injections to help them look younger. Since 2000,
though, a new trend has been emerging: the use of Botox by
teenagers just out of high school.
2. Botox is a chemical substance that is injected into a persons
face to smooth facial wrinkles. It works by paralyzing the
muscles that cause wrinkles to form. Botox injections usually
cost about $300 and last about four months.
3. Botox can be used to treat serious medical conditions, but most
people only know about its ability to prevent wrinkles. The
government approved its cosmetic use about 10 years ago, and
doctors think it is safe and effective.
4. Teenagers who decide to use Botox have accepted societys
view that only the young and those who look young are
beautiful. Magazines and movies have convinced them and
many others that they must look young and beautiful to succeed
in the world. They also see their mothers, their older sisters, and
even their fathers using Botox as a way to stay younger looking.
5. These teenagers think that Botox will help them look young for
a longer time. They save their money from part-time jobs or ask
their parents for money to pay for the injections, which can add
up to over $1,000 a year.
6. Other people believe that societys obsession with youth is not
good for anyone. They believe that too many of todays
teenagers think more about how they look than about how they
can contribute to society. They also worry that using Botox
will soon be as common as getting a haircut or going shopping.
7. As long as society views staying young as the highest form of
self-improvement, more and more young people will turn to
Botox to keep looking young.
Botox Use by Teens
Botox Use by Teens
Mini-Debates
19
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. There is never a spot of dirt in her house. She has an ___________________
about cleaning.
2. She doesnt look her age. She is almost 70, but has very few
______________________.
3. We have a doctors appointment because the baby needs an
______________________.
4. She wants to ______________________ to society by becoming a doctor.
5. The firemen tried to ______________________ anyone from entering the
burning building.
DISCUSS IT
1. Besides Botox injections, list several other
types of cosmetic treatments or surgeries
that are common today. Do you know
anyone who has had such a treatment?
Was she/he happy with the results?
2. Do you think teenagers today are too
obsessed with physical appearance?
3. Do you think that movies and the media
(T.V., magazines, etc.) put too much
emphasis on beauty and youthful
appearance? Explain your answer.
4. All forms of surgery carry some degree of
risk. Do you think that children under the
age of 18 should be allowed to have any
form of cosmetic surgery?
5. For years, women have been using dyes to
cover grey hair and change hair color. Do
you think that this action is any different
from using Botox injections?
6. Have you ever heard the expression, to
grow old gracefully? What do you think
it means?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. injection a) opinion
_____ 2. trend b) overly preoccupied with; thinking about too much
_____ 3. emerge c) stop something from happening
_____ 4. wrinkles d) putting something into the skin with a needle
_____ 5. paralyze e) style which others follow
_____ 6. prevent f) cause a loss of feeling or movement in the body
_____ 7. cosmetic g) give help, money, ideas, etc.
_____ 8. effective h) treatment or substance used to beautify the skin
_____ 9. view i) appear
_____ 10. convince j) make someone think or believe or do something
_____ 11. obsession k) able to bring about a good result
_____ 12. contribute l) lines in the skin that show aging
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Physical appearance is a very important factor in determining ones success in life.
Topic#2
There is nothing wrong with teenagers using Botox or other cosmetic
treatments to improve their appearance.
Botox Use by Teens
Mini-Debates
19
Black Gold: The Movie
Mini-Debates
1. Do you enjoy watching documentary films? Have you
heard of the British documentary called Black Gold?
2. Are you a coffee drinker? If so, do you go to cafes such
as Starbucks very often?
3. How much do you usually pay for a cup of coffee? Do
you know how much a specialty coffee such as a
cappuccino or latte costs?
4. How much do you think a coffee farmer makes from a
cup of coffee sold in the West?
5. How much profit do you think international coffee
companies make each year?
6. Do you know what a co-operative farm is?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What situation is exposed in the film, Black Gold?
2. What is Tadesse Meskela trying to do?
3. What happened in 1989 that affected the price of coffee
paid to coffee producers?
4. What did some Ethiopian coffee farmers do when
coffee prices fell sharply?
5. What will it take to improve the plight of the worlds
poor coffee farmers?
1. Black Gold is a recent British documentary film about the
international coffee industry. It exposes a situation in which
small coffee farmers in developing countries receive very little
for their back-breaking labor, while international coffee
corporations make huge profits selling the farmers coffee to
consumers in rich nations.
2. The film focuses on the efforts of Ethiopias Tadesse Meskela
to teach the worlds coffee drinkers about the plight of small
coffee farmers in Ethiopia, who make as little as three cents for
each cup of coffee sold in the West. Meskela manages the
Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, which represents
about 70,000 farmers. He wants farmer cooperatives like his to
be able to negotiate better and fairer prices for their product.
3. The film follows Meskala as he journeys to wealthy countries
like the United States and England to try to convince coffee
drinkers and those involved in the coffee trade to buy Ethiopian
coffee for which Ethiopian farmers have been fairly paid.
Although some argue that civil unrest in Ethiopia also affects
its small coffee farmers, the film does not address this issue.
4. Viewers learn that the price paid to small coffee producers has
fallen sharply since 1989, when coffee began to be traded on
the New York commodity market. In 2001, coffee prices were
the lowest in 30 years. In Ethiopia, some farmers either gave up
farming or stopped growing coffee and started growing chat,
a narcotic, in order to feed and clothe their families. Yet, over
the last five years, international coffee corporations together
have profited by as much as $80 billion a year.
5. Although the international price of coffee has risen in the last
few years, small coffee farmers like those in Ethiopia are still
poor and the coffee corporations are getting richer. The films
message is that it will take consumer education, political
advocacy by ordinary citizens in rich nations, and the
willingness of coffee corporations to change their policies to
improve the plight of the worlds small coffee growers.
20
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. He is a very ________________________ man. He owns four very expen-
sive cars and a large boat.
2. Their business lost money the first year, but they hope to make a
________________________ soon.
3. Heroin is a powerful ________________________ that is illegal in most
countries.
4. My neighbor is planning to buy my old car. He is coming over this afternoon
to ________________________ a price.
5. Mary is trying to ________________________ her husband to go to Hawaii
for their vacation, but but he would rather go skiing.
DISCUSS IT
1. Why do you think coffee companies such as
Starbucks have grown so rapidly in recent
years?
2. Why do you think coffee is referred to as
Black Gold?
3. Have you seen coffee that is labeled fair
trade? What do you think this means? Do
you usually buy this kind of coffee? Why or
why not?
4. Are you willing to pay more for coffee that
you know is registered fair trade? If so,
how much more are you willing to pay?
5. What measures can individuals in the West
take to help improve the plight of poor
coffee farmers around the world?
6. What measures can large coffee corporations
take to help improve the plight of poor
coffee farmers around the world?
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. expose a) rich
_____ 2. labor b) put attention on
_____ 3. profit c) a drug that can cause addiction
_____ 4. consumer d) discuss in order to reach an agreement
_____ 5. focus e) show, uncover
_____ 6. effort f) persuade; make someone want or believe something
_____ 7. plight g) working in support of someone or something
_____ 8. negotiate h) trying hard to do something
_____ 9. wealthy i) speak about; deal with
_____ 10. convince j) a person who uses something
_____ 11. address k) a very serious and difficult condition
_____ 12. narcotic l) work
_____ 13. advocacy m) money gained in business
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
Individuals in the West will improve the plight of the worlds poor coffee
farmers if they boycott coffee companies that refuse to buy and sell fair
trade coffee.
Topic #2:
Coffee companies in the West should be required by law to only buy and sell
fair trade coffee.
Mini-Debates
20
Cell Phones in Class
Mini-Debates
1. Have you heard of the website called YouTube? If
so, do you look at it regularly or have you ever
posted anything on it?
2. Do you know if cell phones are allowed in
classrooms in public schools in your city?
3. Do you own a cell phone? Does it have a camera?
Do you use it very often?
4. Do you text message your friends on your cell
phone very often?
5. Do you know anyone who has had his/her picture
taken on a cell phone in an embarrassing situation?
If so, what was his/her reaction?
6. Do you worry about ever finding a secretly
obtained picture of yourself on the Internet?
COMPREHENSION !
1. What became an important issue in Quebec high
schools in 2006?
2. What situation led to this becoming an important
issue?
3. How did the teacher involved react to this incident?
4. What did the school do in response to this incident?
5. Why do many teachers want personal electronic
devices banned from all classrooms?
1. Whether students should be allowed to have personal electronic
devices in the classroom became an issue in Gatineau, Quebec,
after an October 2006 incident in a secondary school.
2. Two 13-year-old girls provoked their teacher into yelling at one of
them while the other used her cell phone camera to secretly film
him. The girls then posted their video on the Internet on the
YouTube website.
3. The teacher was so upset and embarrassed by the video that he
took stress leave. The school suspended the two students and
banned all students from bringing any type of personal electronic
device into the classroom.
4. Their teachers reaction to the YouTube posting and his absence
from school left all his students feeling badly about what had
happened and they asked that the video be removed from YouTube.
The students would not be searched but the ban on taking devices
like cell phones into class would be strictly enforced.
5. Teachers were concerned about how easily a persons image can be
distorted. The Gatineau teacher had taught for 32 years and had
spent many years working with students with discipline problems.
Shouting at students was not a true picture of his work as a teacher.
The teachers union was lobbying for personal electronic devices
to be banned from all schools in Western Quebec.
6. The teachers also believed that they must be able to discipline
students without fear of being publicly exposed. In other words,
what happens in the classroom should stay within the classroom.
Some parents, however, were dismayed by the teachers view on
privacy. Parents worried that students with serious complaints
about a teachers behavior would not be believed. They expected
teachers to act responsibly and be able to justify their actions in
their classroom.
7. Posting secretly obtained videos of people on the Internet is an
ongoing privacy issue.
21
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
B. Find the words or expressions in the article that have the following
meanings.
1. made angry; caused something to happen _________________
2. time off work because of mental or emotional difficulties
_________________
3. didnt allow students to attend school for a period of time, as a means of
punishment _________________
4. being away from _________________
5. an organization of workers _________________
6. give a set of rules; bring under control; punish _________________
DISCUSS IT
1. Do you think there is any reason that
students should be allowed to take cell
phones into classrooms?
2. What problems may occur if cell phones
are allowed in classrooms?
3. If you were a teacher, would you be upset
if students were videotaping you in the
classroom?
4. How have YouTube and other websites
been used by some students to bully or
intimidate other students?
5. Do you think that the punishment given to
the two students discussed in the article
was fair? Explain your answer.
6. The teachers discussed in the article felt
that what happens in the classroom should
stay in the classroom. Do you agree with
their views on privacy in the classroom?
WRITE IT !
____ 1. device a) greatly surprised with difficulty understanding
____ 2. incident b) statement of dissatisfaction
____ 3. embarrassed c) trying to make lawmakers pass certain laws
____ 4. ban d) piece of equipment for a special purpose
____ 5. distorted e) question for discussion; concern
____ 6. lobbying f) order that something must not be done; not allow
____ 7. dismayed g) give a good reason; show something is right
____ 8. complaint h) feeling mentally or socially uncomfortable
____ 9. justify i) giving a false or untrue picture of something
____ 10. issue j) situation, happening, event
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher
will tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea. You will
have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
There is no educational purpose for having cell phones in a classroom and
therefore they should be banned.
Topic #2:
Posting secretly obtained videos of people on the Internet should be a
criminal offense.
Mini-Debates
21
COMPREHENSION !
Read the article then answer these questions.
1. What is another word for the death penalty and
why does it have this name?
2. What percentage of countries have abolished the
death penalty?
3. What do autopsies of previous death row inmates
sometimes show?
4. How does Amnesty International feel about the
death penalty?
5. Why are poor criminals more likely to face the
death penalty?
1. The death penalty, also called capital punishment, refers to the
killing or execution of a person as punishment for a crime. Half of
the countries in the world have abolished this form of punishment.
About 30% of the countries in the world still use it as punishment
for crimes such as murder and treason. Each year, a few more
countries abolish the death penalty.
2. Capital punishment is used in 34 of the 50 states in the US. Does the
word capital seem odd? This term comes from the Latin word for
head. Long ago, capital punishment referred to cutting off a persons
head. In America, execution is now carried out by lethal injection.
While this method of killing is not as disturbing to watch, autopsies
show that the injections are not always quick and painless. The
procedure sometimes goes wrong, and the injections cause severe
pain. Medical professionals are often required to assist in the
executions. The UN has asked that all countries refrain from using
this cruel and unusual form of punishment.
3. Many opposed to the death penalty say that death row is a form of
torture. Death row is a section of a prison for those sentenced to
death. Some inmates spend years waiting for their execution date.
This happened to Manuel Valle, a Floridian man who killed a police
officer. He spent 33 years on death row before being executed. How
does death row differ from regular prison life? In some cases,
prisoners spend their days in solitary confinement. They are not
allowed to worship, exercise, or take part in group activities.
4. Amnesty International calls the death penalty the ultimate denial of
human rights. In 2011, this human rights group defended an
American prisoner named Troy Davis. Davis was convicted of
killing a police officer, but many doubted the evidence. The
executive director called this case a catastrophic failure of the
justice system. Troy Davis maintained his innocence until the
moment he died. 1000 people attended his funeral.
5. Statistics show that minorities are more likely to face capital
punishment. Americans who murder a white male are at least three
times more likely to be executed than those who kill a black male. In
addition, those who cant afford a good lawyer are more likely to
face the death penalty. Studies also show that capital punishment
does not deter criminals. Would you believe that a death penalty
sentence costs tax payers more than a sentence of life imprisonment?
Some people think the death penalty is a less severe sentence than
life in prison with no chance of parole.
The Death Penalty
The Death Penalty
Mini-Debates
1. Does your country have the death penalty?
2. How many countries do you think use the death
penalty?
3. What are the arguments against the death penalty?
4. What are the arguments for the death penalty?
5. How are criminals typically treated in prisons?
22
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
B. Choose the right word(s) from the left column above to complete the following
sentences.
1. The murderer was sentenced to death and will now wait on _____________________.
2. The ________________________ showed that the lethal injection caused the heart to
stop beating.
3. Burning someone in exchange for a guilty plea is a form of
________________________ used in some prisons.
4. Statistics show that capital punishment does not _______________ murderers .
5. The man was on ___________________ for good behavior when he killed his
neighbor.
DISCUSS IT
groups. Discuss the following
questions.
1. Is capital punishment a fair
punishment for murder?
2. How do prosecutors prove that
a person is guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt?
3. Do you know of any cases
where a person did time for a
crime he or she did not commit?
4. What should happen if a victim
or victims family has forgiven
a criminal on death row?
5. Is killing a police officer worse
than killing a citizen? Should
the punishment be more harsh?
6. What does race have to do with
the death penalty?
WRITE IT !
Choose one of the questions
above and write a paragraph
stating your own opinion.
__1. capital punishment a. discontinued
__2. abolished b. the purposeful administration of a drug that kills
__3. treason c. a crime of betrayal against a country or its leaders
__4. lethal injection d. prison area for people who have been sentenced to death
__5. autopsy e. a form of cruel punishment that causes severe pain
__6. death row f. the death penalty
__7. torture g. a medical procedure to determine exactly how a person died
__8. solitary confinement h. a chance to be free from jail based on good behavior
__9. convicted i. punishment preventing prisoners from interacting with others
__10. catastrophic j. to help prevent someone from doing something
__11. deter k. causing great damage
__12. parole l. found to be guilty of a crime
DEBATE IT
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will be debating for or against the
idea. You will have ten minutes to prepare your arguments.
Topic #1:
A death penalty sentence is more severe than a sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole.
Topic#2
All countries will have abolished capital punishment by the year 2020.
The Death Penalty
Mini-Debates
22
English Globalization
Mini-Debates
1. What language do you speak at home?
2. When did you start to learn English?
3. Do you ever mix your native language with
English when you are speaking?
4. How many people around the world do you think
speak English as a second language?
5. Have you ever heard the terms Spanglish or
Hinglish? What do you think these terms mean?
6. What is the meaning of globalization?
COMPREHENSION !
1. In 2006, what was the ratio of non-native
English speakers to native English speakers?
2. In what fields or industries is English spoken
around the world?
3. How many people will speak English as a
second language by 2016?
4. Why are many non-English speaking countries
starting to teach their children English at a
young age?
5. Give two examples of languages that have
started to mix with English?
1. Today, the English language is spoken as a second language by
more people than ever before. In 2006, for every native English
speaker, there were estimated to be three non-native English
speakers.
2. English is now the language of business, computer technology, and
skilled employment worldwide. Currently, hundreds of millions
of people, especially in China and India, are learning to speak
English, many of them in small local language schools. Experts
predict that 3 billion people will speak English as a second
language by 2016.
3. Many non-English-speaking countries now start to teach their
children English in school at a young age. This not only helps the
children to learn English but also to get better jobs when they are
older. A country that has workers who have both English and
computer skills is better able to compete in the global marketplace.
4. English is also the language of the Internet. Many people work in
the field of Internet technology, while many others use the Internet
to help them do their jobs or to improve their English skills.
5. As more non-native speakers have learned English, words from
local languages have become mixed with it. For example,
Spanglish, a mix of Spanish and English, is now spoken in the
United States and Mexico. Hinglish, a mix of Hindi and English, is
becoming more common in India.
6. In fact, some experts think that people could one day speak one
kind of English at home, another at work or school, and a third
while traveling or talking to international visitors. Other experts
believe that countries should encourage local versions of English.
7. Some native English speakers are upset at these changes. However,
they will have to adapt to them because the globalization of
English has become a fact of life. The highly lucrative English as a
second language teaching industry and the demand for native
English speakers will continue to grow for some time to come.
23
VOCABULARY REVIEW !
1. They _________________________ live in Canada, but they are planning
to move to England soon.
2. When you move to a new country, you have to ______________________
to new customs.
3. Thousands of athletes from around the world _______________________
in the Olympic Games.
4. At first he lost money in his business, but now it is becoming very
__________________________.
5. John has become a very good student because all his teachers
__________________________ him to work hard.
DISCUSS IT
1. At what age do you think children should
begin to study a second language in school?
2. What do you think is the best way to teach
English to children?
3. Why do you think English has become the
global language?
4. Besides business and technology, what other
industries function primarily in English?
5. How is the spread of English throughout the
world affecting local languages and local
cultures?
6. What can countries do to preserve their local
languages?
7. Do you think it is important for English
language teachers around the world to try to
maintain a standardized form of English?
Why or why not?
8. In what ways do languages change
throughout time? Give some examples.
9. Nowadays, many young people are traveling
to foreign countries to teach English as a
second language. Do you think this would be
a good job? Explain your answer.
WRITE IT !
_____ 1. native a) worldwide
_____ 2. estimate b) change to fit a new use or situation
_____ 3. skill c) in the area
_____ 4. currently d) give support or confidence to; help
_____ 5. expert e) give an idea of the approximate size, number, etc.
_____ 6. predict f) profitable; bringing money
_____ 7. compete g) now; at the present time
_____ 8. global h) a form that is different from the original
_____ 9. local i) born in or belonging to a certain place
_____ 10. encourage j) ability to do something
_____ 11. version k) say what will happen in the future
_____ 12. adapt l) person with special knowledge or skill
_____ 13. lucrative m) try to win or be better than someone else
DEBATE IT
Topic #1:
With English becoming the global language, the loss of national languages
and cultures is inevitable.
Topic #2:
In order to facilitate effective international communication, the mixing of
local languages with English should be discouraged and teachers everywhere
should use one global standard for English language instruction.
Mini-Debates
23

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