Students protests: The case of U.K.

 September 5

We'll continue our topic about students' protests. We will read, listen, write and speak a little bit about the case of United Kingdom. What is happening there? Let's listen to one news about what happened in November last year:

 BEFORE READING / LISTENING

Read the headline and guess if they are true or false:


U.K. Students in University Fees Protest


TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).
a.
Hundreds of thousands of students protested across the U.K.
T / F
b.
U.K. universities are allowed to triple their fees.
T / F
c.
High school students and teachers also joined in the protests.
T / F
d.
Several policemen suffered broken bones in the demonstrations.
T / F
e.
The U.K. government has cut its funding to its universities.
T / F
f.
The British public are most angry with the ruling Conservative Party.
T / F
g.
U.K. students paid no tuition fees throughout most of last century.
T / F
h.
The government has increased living allowances for poorer students.

T / F
WHILE READING / LISTENING activity

In order to listen to the news, go to the following page and click on MP3, listen to the news and fill in the gaps:

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1011/101125-university_fees.html

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Tens of thousands of students across the U.K. ____________ part in protests on Wednesday ____________ their government’s increase in tuition fees. They were speaking out against the three-____________ rise in the prices universities can charge, and voicing their opposition to the scrapping of benefits that will ____________ poor students. The nationwide protest was organized by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC). High school and university students, teachers and ____________ took to the streets to demonstrate. Around 10,000 protestors rallied in London, where there were arrests after ____________ clashes left a police officer with a broken arm. The protests were largely trouble-____________, unlike those two weeks earlier in which the ruling Conservative Party headquarters was ____________. 

 harm
ugly
attacked
against
lecturers
took
free
fold
Britain’s ____________ coalition government have made many cuts to university education, while at the same time ____________ universities to increase tuition fees from $5,624 a year to $14,400. They say these measures are necessary to ____________ the country’s budget deficit. Most of the public fury is directed at the junior coalition partner, the Liberal Democrats, whose election ____________ earlier this year was to ____________ tuition and maintain transport benefits for students from low-income families. Their leader has done a total U-____________ and broken these promises. Until the late 1990s, British students did not need to pay tuition, and many poorer students received ____________ living allowances from the government. Many protestors believe this will ____________ opportunities for the poor. They carried banners saying: “R.I.P. My Degree.”


abolish
reduce
ruling
kill
pledge
turn
allowing
weekly
SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
1.
took part
a.
getting rid of
2
protests
b.
payments
3.
scrapping
c.
fights
4.
clashes
d.
governing
5.
headquarters
e.
anger
6.
ruling
f.
participated
7.
measures
g.
promise
8.
fury
h.
demonstrations
9.
pledge
i.
actions
10.
allowances
j.
HQ

Causes and effects:
According to Sir Ken Robinson, what are the causes and the effects of  public education reforms carried out currently in every country on earth? go to the following website and then complete the chart :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

CAUSES
EFFECTS












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