Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- lobby / ˈlɑː bi / (v.) – to try to convince government officials or other decision-makers to support or change a rule, law, or plan
Example:The group has been lobbying the government to protect forests.
- meandering / miˈæn dər ɪŋ / (adj.) – having a lot of curves instead of going in a straight or direct line
Example:They got lost in the forest because of the meandering path.
- justified / ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪd / (adj.) – having a good or acceptable reason or explanation
Example:The decision to cancel the trip was justified because of the storm.
- circumvent / ˌsɜr kəmˈvɛnt / (v.) – to find a way to avoid a rule, problem, or difficulty, often in a clever way
Example:Some students tried to circumvent the ban on phones by hiding them in their bags.
- optimistic / ˌɑːp təˈmɪs t̬ɪk / (adj.) – hopeful and confident about the future; believing that good things will happen
Example:The fans are optimistic about the team’s chances of winning the championship this year.
Article
Read the text below.
A century after the city of Berlin banned swimming in the Spree River because it was so polluted, it could make people sick, there’s a push by swimmers to get back into the water.
Around 200 people jumped into the slow-moving, greenish water to show that it’s not only clean enough, but also lots of fun to splash and swim in the Mitte neighborhood along the world-famous Museum Island.
A group calling itself Fluss Bad Berlin, or River Pool Berlin, has been lobbying for years to open the meandering river for swimmers again.
“For 100 years now, people have not been allowed to swim in the inner-city Spree and we no longer think this is justified, because we can show that the water quality is usually good enough to go swimming during the season,” said Jan Edler, who is on the board of Fluss Bad Berlin and helped organize the swim-in.
To circumvent the ban, the group registered their collective swim event as an official protest.
Standing on a little staircase that leads down to the Spree canal, which flows around the southern side of the island, Edler stressed that “we want the people to use the Spree for recreation again.”
He pointed to the fact that the river has been cleaned up thoroughly, and that the water quality has improved in the last decade and is constantly being monitored.
Even city officials in the central Mitte district of Berlin say they’d be interested in introducing river swimming again in 2026.
“There are still many things that need to be clarified, but I am optimistic that it can succeed,” district city councilor Ephraim Gothe told the German Press Agency recently.
Supporters of lifting the swimming ban also point to Paris, where the Seine River was opened up for swimmers for the Olympic Games last year and will be opened this summer for Parisians. Swimming had been banned there since 1923.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Do you think your city leaders are doing enough to protect and open up natural places—like rivers, lakes, and parks—or should they do more? Why? Discuss.
- Not all cities have natural places like rivers or lakes that are open to the public. If your city had a place for swimming or relaxing, like the Spree River, how would it change your daily life or your community? Would people use it? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- The swim-in event in Berlin was both fun and meaningful. It showed how people can raise awareness in a creative way. Do you think events like this are a good way to ask for change in a city? Why or why not? Discuss.
- If you wanted to bring attention to a problem in your community, what kind of public event would you organize? Would you make it big and exciting, or quiet and peaceful? Why? Discuss.