Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- stance / stæns / (n.) – an opinion about something that is expressed publicly
Example:The company changed its stance on remote work after hearing feedback from employees.
- crackdown / ˈkrækˌdaʊn / (n.) – a strong and serious action by authorities to stop something they believe is wrong or illegal
Example:The government began a crackdown on businesses breaking health and safety laws.
- pervasive / pərˈveɪ sɪv / (adj.) – existing everywhere or present in many places
Example:There was a pervasive feeling of fear during the storm.
- revoke / rɪˈvoʊk / (v.) – to officially cancel the effect of a law, agreement, or permission
Example:The organization revoked the invitation to join the program because the participant gave false information.
- termination / ˌtɜr məˈneɪ ʃən / (n.) – the act of ending something such as a job, contract, or agreement
Example:The sudden termination of the project surprised the team.
Article
Read the text below.
To attract the brightest minds to America, President Donald Trump proposed a novel idea while campaigning: If elected, he would grant green cards to all foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges.
“It’s so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, from the greatest schools,” Trump said during a podcast interview in June 2024. “That is going to end on Day One.”
That promise never came to pass. Trump’s stance on welcoming foreign students has shifted dramatically. International students have found themselves at the center of an escalating campaign to kick them out or keep them from coming, as his administration merges a crackdown on immigration with an effort to reshape higher education.
An avalanche of policies from the Trump administration—such as terminating students’ ability to study in the U.S., halting all new student visa interviews and moving to block foreign enrollment at Harvard—has triggered lawsuits, countersuits and confusion. Foreign students say they feel targeted on multiple fronts. Trump himself took the latest action against international students, signing a proclamation barring nearly all foreigners from entering the country to attend Harvard. A federal judge temporarily blocked the order the following day.
In interviews, students from around the world described how it feels to be an international student today in America. Their accounts highlight pervasive feelings of fear, anxiety and insecurity that have made them more cautious in their daily lives, distracted them from schoolwork and prompted many to cancel trips home because they fear not being allowed to return.
For many, the last few months have forced them to rethink their dreams of building a life in America.
This spring, the Trump administration abruptly revoked permission to study in the U.S. for thousands of international students before reversing itself. A federal judge has blocked further status terminations, but for many, the damage is done.
The Associated Press provided this article.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- If you had the chance to study in another country, where would you go and why? What do you think would be the biggest challenges you would face (ex. language, being far from family)? Discuss.
- What do you think would help you adjust to life in a new country (ex. trying local food, making local friends)? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Politicians often make big promises during elections that later don’t happen at all. Should leaders be held responsible for promises they don’t keep? Why or why not? Do you think it’s better for a leader to make fewer promises and be realistic, or to make big promises even if they might not happen? Why? Discuss.
- If a leader makes promises but doesn’t keep them, how does that affect how people see them? Do you think people will still trust or support that leader? Why or why not? Discuss.
