Discussing controversial issues

Explore controversial issues! Practice vocabulary, listening, and reading skills. Understand diverse beliefs.

Listen to infer and activate vocabulary Listen to each conversation and complete the chart below according to each person's political and social belief radical 1. He's a liberal 3. He's a moderate 5. He's a conservative 2. She's a reactionary 4. She's a Some controversial issues Look at the pictures and match them with the words on the right Censorship of books and movies Compulsory military service Lowering the driving age Raising the voting age Prohibiting smoking indoors Listen to activate vocabulary Listen to peoples's opinions about controversial issues. Complete the cart with each issue they discuss and check against or for in the chart. Use the vocabulary above. Conversation The issues the discuss For Against 1 prohibiting smoking indoors for 2 compulsory military service against 3 raising the driving age for 4 lowering the voting age for 5 censorship of TV programs for Reading comprehension Match each definition with a word from the right column 1 a lack of necessary money to survive poverty 2 the attempt to destroy all members of a racial or ethnic group genocide 3 judging or harming people because of their racial or ethnic heritage discrimination 4 money paid or some other reward given to a person to perform a dishonest or unethical act or to provide a favor bribe 5 the abuse of power by people in government or business corruption 6 the belief that other racial or ethnic groups are inferior to one's own racism A. Complete the sentences using information from the Reading. 1. Some people feel that corruptioncannot be avoided.2. One-fifth of the world’s population earns less than US $1.00 a day.3. Some social scientists think that television and movies contribute to the growing anger of people in poorer societies.4. Genocide is the result of racismand discrimination. Based on the information in the article, check whether these statements are presented as a fact or an opinion. Fact Each day, over a billion people in the world lack basic food supplies. Racism and racial and ethnic discrimination exist in many places. Opinion Power promotes corruption. Television and movies contribute to growinganger.