British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will host talks in Luxembourg today aimed at resolving the crisis overshadowing Turkey’s accession to the European Union. Mr. Straw said: “Last December, the European Union agreed that negotiations with Turkey should commence October 3, subject to Turkey fulfilling various conditions.…These conditions have been met.” However, the timetable and whole concept of Turkey becoming a full member have been thrown into jeopardy by last-minute objections from Austria. It has thrown a spanner in the works by insisting Turkey should not have full membership of the Union, but instead have a watered down alternative it termed as a “privileged partnership.”

Turkey is adamant the latest impasse must be broken and talks proceed as scheduled. A Turkish government spokesman warned the EU would lose international credibility if it failed to “keep its word” and stall the talks, stating: “Adding further conditions now would be a betrayal”. Turkey’s parliamentary speaker stated: “Either Europe…remains in sync with the changes in the world and accepts our joining, or by hurting our membership bid it will turn into an old, nostalgic bloc that loses its influence in world politics.” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “European leaders will show political maturity and become a global power, or it will end up a Christian club.” He warned “the alliance of civilizations” could be harmed.

WARM-UPS

1. BEING EUROPEAN: You are all Europeans. Decide which EU country you would like to be a citizen of. Walk around the class and talk to other “Europeans” about what it means to be a European. Is life in Europe better than life outside of Europe? Should Europe allow Turkey into its fold?

2. AUSTRIA Vs. TURKEY: What are the differences between Austria and Turkey? Talk about them with your partner(s) using the prompts below. After you have finished, change partners and discuss the differences you talked about with your first partners.

People Religion Culture History Geography

World importance Food Politics Human rights Other

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Foreign Secretaries / Luxembourg / crisis talks / Turkey / European Union / negotiations / Austria / betrayal / world politics / Christian clubs

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. TURKEY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with Turkey. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. TURKEY OPINIONS: How far do you agree with these opinions on Turkey and its accession to the European Union? Discuss them with your partner(s).

1. Turkey should be allowed full membership of the European Union.
2. Turkey is too historically and geographically different to be considered European.
3. Austria is being xenophobic about Turkey’s admission.
4. Turkey joining the EU would represent a successful merging of civilizations.
5. After working hard for 40 years to join, Turkey deserves membership.
6. Most EU leaders are quietly afraid of large numbers of Muslims emigrating.
7. Stalling Turkey’s accession sends a shocking message to 12 million EU Muslims.
8. Turkey must first recognize Cyprus before it can join the EU.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
 

a.	A crisis is overshadowing Turkey’s accession to the European Union.	T / F
b.	Turkey has failed to fulfill many conditions established last year.	T / F
c.	Austria is objecting to issues concerning Turkish made spanners.	T / F
d.	Austria has suggested a diluted form of EU membership for Turkey.	T / F
e.	EU credibility will be enhanced if it sets more conditions on Turkey.	T / F
f.	A Turkish politician said the EU must remain in sync or lose influence.	T / F
g.	The EU is in danger of being seen as an exclusive, Christian club.	T / F
h.	Turkey’s prime minister said an alliance of civilizations may be hurt.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	host	harmonized
b.	overshadowing	diluted
c.	jeopardy	submission
d.	thrown a spanner in the works	danger
e.	watered down	union
f.	adamant	clouding
g.	impasse	chair
h.	in sync	resolute
i.	bid	predicament
j.	alliance	endangered

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	host	in the works
b.	resolving the crisis	various conditions
c.	subject to Turkey fulfilling	be broken
d.	thrown into jeopardy	overshadowing Turkey’s accession
e.	thrown a spanner	it failed to keep its word
f.	the latest impasse must	nostalgic bloc
g.	lose international credibility if	political maturity
h.	remains in sync	talks in Luxembourg
i.	it will turn into an old,	by last-minute objections
j.	show	with the changes in the world

AFTER READING / LISTENING

WHICH WORD? Strike through the incorrect choice in each pair of italicized words.

Crisis talks for Turkey to join EU

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will host / ghost talks in Luxembourg today aimed at resolving / dissolving the crisis overshadowing Turkey’s succession / accession to the European Union. Mr. Straw said: “Last December, the European Union agreed that negotiations with Turkey should commence / command October 3, subject / object to Turkey fulfilling various conditions.…These conditions have been met.” However, the timetable and whole concept / contraption of Turkey becoming a full member have been thrown into jeopardy by last-minute objections from Austria. It has thrown a spanner / screwdriver in the works by insisting Turkey should not have full membership of the Union, but instead have a watered up / down alternative it termed as a “privileged partnership.”

Turkey is adamant the latest impasse / compass must be broken and talks proceed / recede as scheduled. A Turkish government spokesman warned the EU would lose international credibility if it failed to “keep its sentence / word” and stall the talks, stating: “Subtracting / Adding further conditions now would be a betrayal”. Turkey’s parliamentary speaker stated: “Either Europe…remains in sync / sink with the changes in the world and accepts our joining, or by hurting our membership bid / bib it will turn into an old, nostalgic bloc that loses its influence in world politics.” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “European leaders will show political maturity / immaturity and become a global power, or it will end / start up a Christian club.” He warned “the alliance of civilizations” could be harmed.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘foreign’ and ‘secretary’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. WHICH WORD? In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “TURKISH ACCESSION” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

host December subject jeopardy spanner watered

adamant credibility betrayal nostalgic maturity civilizations

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What were your initial thoughts on this headline?
2. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
3. Are you interested in the expansion of the European Union?
4. What do you know about Turkey?
5. Do you think Turkey is a European country?
6. Do you think Turkey should be allowed to join the EU?
7. How do you think Turks feel at European leaders treating them like second-class citizens?
8. Do you think Turkey being in the EU could help the war on terror?
9. What do you think of Austria’s last-minute objections?
10. What are Austria’s objections?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. What do you know about the history of Turkey trying to gain entry into the EU?
4. Do you think religion plays a part in whether or not Turkey should be accepted into the EU?
5. What are the international consequences for Europe of its being seen as an exclusive “Christian club”?
6. Do you think Turkey should recognize the nation of Cyprus before it is allowed entry to the EU?
7. Do you think Turkey has fully addressed human rights issues?
8. Does the EU need to accept Turkey as a full member of the EU to “remain in sync with the changes in the world”?
9. Do you think European leaders will show political maturity?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Crisis talks for Turkey to join EU

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will _______ talks in Luxembourg today aimed at resolving the crisis overshadowing Turkey’s ___________ to the European Union. Mr. Straw said: “Last December, the European Union agreed that negotiations with Turkey should _________ October 3, subject to Turkey _________ various conditions.…These conditions have been met.” However, the timetable and whole concept of Turkey becoming a full member have been _________ _____ _________ by last-minute objections from Austria. It has thrown a spanner in the _______ by insisting Turkey should not have full membership of the Union, but instead have a _________ down alternative it termed as a "____________ partnership."

Turkey is ___________ the latest ___________ must be broken and talks proceed as scheduled. A Turkish government spokesman warned the EU would lose international ___________ if it failed to “keep its word” and stall the talks, stating: “Adding further conditions now would be a ___________”. Turkey’s parliamentary speaker stated: “Either Europe…remains ___ ________ with the changes in the world and accepts our joining, or by hurting our membership bid it will turn into an old, ___________ bloc that loses its influence in world politics.” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “European leaders will show political ___________ and become a global power, or it will end up a Christian club.” He warned “the ___________ of civilizations” could be harmed.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on this story. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. EUROPEAN UNION: Make a poster outlining the roles the European Union plays in the world and how Turkish membership could enhance them. Show your posters to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all write about similar things?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw about Turkey’s accession to the European Union. Outline why you think Turkey has every right (or otherwise) to join. Read your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all write about similar things?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. F

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. T

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	host	chair
b.	overshadowing	clouding
c.	jeopardy	danger
d.	thrown a spanner in the works	endangered
e.	watered down	diluted
f.	adamant	resolute
g.	impasse	predicament
h.	in sync	harmonized
i.	bid	submission
j.	alliance	union

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	host	talks in Luxembourg
b.	resolving the crisis	overshadowing Turkey’s accession
c.	subject to Turkey fulfilling	various conditions
d.	thrown into jeopardy	by last-minute objections
e.	thrown a spanner	in the works
f.	the latest impasse must	be broken
g.	lose international credibility if	it failed to keep its word
h.	remains in sync	with the changes in the world
i.	it will turn into an old,	nostalgic bloc
j.	show	political maturity

WHICH WORD?

Crisis talks for Turkey to join EU

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will host / ghost talks in Luxembourg today aimed at resolving / dissolving the crisis overshadowing Turkey’s succession / accession to the European Union. Mr. Straw said: “Last December, the European Union agreed that negotiations with Turkey should commence / command October 3, subject / object to Turkey fulfilling various conditions.…These conditions have been met.” However, the timetable and whole concept / contraption of Turkey becoming a full member have been thrown into jeopardy by last-minute objections from Austria. It has thrown a spanner / screwdriver in the works by insisting Turkey should not have full membership of the Union, but instead have a watered up / down alternative it termed as a “privileged partnership.”

Turkey is adamant the latest impasse / compass must be broken and talks proceed / recede as scheduled. A Turkish government spokesman warned the EU would lose international credibility if it failed to “keep its sentence / word” and stall the talks, stating: “Subtracting / Adding further conditions now would be a betrayal”. Turkey’s parliamentary speaker stated: “Either Europe…remains in sync / sink with the changes in the world and accepts our joining, or by hurting our membership bid / bib it will turn into an old, nostalgic bloc that loses its influence in world politics.” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “European leaders will show political maturity / immaturity and become a global power, or it will end / start up a Christian club.” He warned “the alliance of civilizations” could be harmed.

TOP