Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

    • ex. A group of angry customers stormed the store.
    • ex. It’s going to snow a lot tonight, so please be ready for train service disruptions.
    • ex. The teacher called out the student for cheating in front of the class.
    • ex. Oil and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.
    • ex. He acknowledged his mistake and said that he was sorry.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Around 150 Harvard and Yale students stormed the field during a football game between the two universities. The game was delayed for almost an hour, but it continued after police asked the students to leave the field. The Harvard-Yale football game was first played in 1875, and it has been a longtime tradition between the two universities.

During the game’s disruption, students called out Harvard and Yale for supporting fossil fuel companies that contribute to climate change. The students said that the universities are supporting businesses that destroy people’s futures. The students explained that they wanted to remind Harvard and Yale of their responsibility to the world.

The protest gained public attention, and some US presidential candidates even showed their support on social media. One Yale representative, however, said that while the university supports freedom of expression, it does not support the disruption of university events. One of the protest organizers acknowledged the game’s disruption, but he explained that the protest was important because it gave students an opportunity to express their opinions.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Protests

  • Do you think it was okay for the students to hold the protest during the football game? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think people can hold protests on social media? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • How should police handle protesters (ex. give them a warning, make them pay a fine)? Why? Discuss.

Expressing Opinions

  • Compared to other countries, do you think it’s easier or harder for people in your country to express their opinions? Why? Discuss.
  • Is it okay to always express your opinion in every situation? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Is it good or bad if people have different opinions about a topic? Why? Discuss.