The Reading / Listening - Women in Power - Level 4

Spain's new government has eleven women and six men. Women are in most of the top positions, including defence, the economy and finance. Spain has the highest ratio of women in top government posts in Europe. New prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, praised his government. He said: "All are highly qualified and bring a vocation for public service and reflect the best of Spain." He said they have global views but are, "anchored in the European Union."

Mr Sanchez's party has just 84 of the 350 seats in parliament. He replaced Spain's leader Mariano Rajoy. Mr Rajoy was the focus of a corruption scandal. He was unpopular because of his austerity measures. Sanchez promises change. He has to work quickly to improve Spain's economy. He will call elections in less than two years. This may be too soon to change the last government's budget. Another big challenge is to repair relations with Catalonia.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Women in Power - Level 5 or  Women in Power - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44382051
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics/spains-new-prime-minister-names-cabinet-with-women-in-majority-idUSKCN1J22EI
  • https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/06/06/inenglish/1528285458_728200.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Spain's new
  2. in most of
  3. economy
  4. has the highest ratio
  5. top government
  6. All are highly
  7. a vocation for public
  8. global
  1. the top positions
  2. views
  3. qualified
  4. and finance
  5. government
  6. service
  7. of women
  8. posts

Paragraph 2

  1. 84 of the 350 seats
  2. unpopular because of his austerity
  3. work quickly to improve
  4. call elections in less
  5. This may not be
  6. change the last government's
  7. Another big
  8. repair relations
  1. than two years
  2. challenge
  3. measures
  4. with Catalonia
  5. too soon
  6. Spain's economy
  7. budget
  8. in parliament

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Spain's new government (1) ___________________ and six men. Women are in most of (2) ___________________, including defence, the economy and finance. Spain has the (3) ___________________ women in top government posts in Europe. New prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, praised his government. He said: "(4) ___________________ qualified and bring a vocation for public service and (5) ___________________ of Spain." He said they have global views but (6) ___________________ the European Union."

Mr Sanchez's (7) ___________________ 84 of the 350 seats in parliament. He replaced Spain's leader Mariano Rajoy. Mr Rajoy was (8) ___________________ a corruption scandal. He was unpopular because of (9) ___________________. Sanchez promises change. He has to work quickly to improve Spain's economy. He will call elections (10) ___________________ two years. This may be (11) ___________________ change the last government's budget. Another big challenge (12) ___________________ relations with Catalonia.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Spain'snewgovernmenthaselevenwomenandsixmen.Womenarein
mostofthetoppositions,includingdefence,theeconomyandfinance.S
painhasthehighestratioofwomenintopgovernmentpostsinEurope.N
ewprimeminister,PedroSanchez,praisedhisgovernment.Hesaid:"All
arehighlyqualifiedandbringavocationforpublicserviceandreflecttheb
estofSpain."Hesaidtheyhaveglobalviewsbutare,"anchoredintheEur
opeanUnion."MrSanchez'spartyhasjust84ofthe350seatsinparliame
nt.HereplacedSpain'sleaderMarianoRajoy.MrRajoywasthefocusofac
orruptionscandal.Hewasunpopularbecauseofhisausteritymeasures.
Sanchezpromiseschange.HehastoworkquicklytoimproveSpain'seco
nomy.Hewillcallelectionsinlessthantwoyears.Thismaybetoosoon
tochangethelastgovernment'sbudget.Anotherbigchallengeistorepai
rrelationswithCatalonia.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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