Assignment 1
For this assignment you may use a dictionary or English-language Internet sources to help you.
a Which countries are actually part of the United Kingdom?
b Work with one or two classmates. Write down the words you come up with while brainstorming about Brexit.
| Brexit Troubles
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan was strongly defeated. This was the deal that the Prime Minister negotiated to set out how Britain splits from the European Union on 29 March. As a result, the question of what will happen next between Great Britain and the European Union is as uncertain as ever. Brexit is a word made up to describe the “British Exit”from the European Union. In a vote on June 23, 2016, a little more than half of the people of the United Kingdom chose to leave the EU. When a country leaves the EU, it loses the advantages it had as a member. The country has two years to reach new agreements. For the UK, that deadline is coming up on March 29, 2019. For almost two years, Theresa May has been working with leaders in the EU and the UK to try to reach an agreement that would make everyone happy. In November, EU leaders agreed to a very complicated deal covering the details of how the UK could leave the EU. The agreement needed to be passed by UK’s Parliament to become official. On 15 January 2019, 432 Members of Parliament voted against the Brexit deal, while 202 voted to support it. Even 118 members of May’s Conservative party voted against the deal. The size of May’s defeat shows just how unpopular her Brexit plan is. Historians say it is hard to name another example in recent British history where a leader of Parliament has suffered such a major defeat. With just 10 weeks left before the March 29 deadline, something will have to happen quickly. Any option other than giving up on Brexit or “no deal” will probably require getting the EU to extend the deadline. If Britain leaves Europe without a deal, some experts have warned that there may be chaos at the borders and a shortage of key products.Following the vote to leave the EU in 2016, the British government has consistently dismissed the possibility of a no-deal Brexit that would see the country revert to World Trade Organization rules on its borders. However, the British press has warned of a “doomsday scenario” that could result in chaos at ports and land crossings, with days-long traffic jams and other delays having a dramatic effect on trade. With the deadline fast approaching and the government facing rifts over how to approach negotiations with Brussels, these warnings have become more urgent. Last month, it issued its first “technical notices” on how British citizens and businesses should prepare for the worst scenarios. A no-deal Brexit means the UK would leave the EU immediately on 29 March 2019, and there would be no agreements in place about what their relationship would be like in future. This is not what anybody in Parliament wants, but it’s a possible outcome if politicians can’t agree on what should happen next. So the government needs some plans in place. A no-deal Brexit could lead to a number of things happening. For example:
In November last year, May refused to rule out a no deal Brexit if Parliament voted against her deal. Based on: bbc.com / washingtonpost.com |
Assignment 2
Read the text. For each definition, find the word or expression it describes in the text and write it down.
a. rejected……..
b. discussed formally in order to make an agreement……..
c. benefits, good features……..
d. to make something last longer……..
e. lines that divide countries from another……..
f. situation in which there is not enough of something……..
g. very important or essential items……..
h. long lines of vehicles close on a road unable to move or moving very slowly……..
i. serious disagreements between people……..
j. ready to be used……..
k. result……..
l. official document that allows you to do something or go somewhere……..
m. to make something impossible or prevent it from happening……..
Assignment 3
a Which general expectations are expressed in the article?
1. A no-deal Brexit is becoming increasingly likely and could lead to chaos.
2. Even with a no-deal Brexit, all will still turn out fine for British citizens.
3. Most leaders in the EU and the UK are giving up on Brexit.
4. Theresa May will negotiate a good Brexit deal in the next 10 weeks.
b Which of the following statements are true? For each true statement, underline or copy sentences in the text that confirm your choice.
1. Britain is a split country with almost just as many people against Brexit as for Brexit.
2. Theresa May has managed to work out a deal that makes everyone happy.
3. Theresa May suffered a historic defeat on 15 January 2019.
4. There are probably only two possible options for the UK to make the March 29 deadline.
c What could happen in the even of a no-deal Brexit? Choose the correct answers.
1. Drivers with a British driving license will not be allowed to drive in other European countries.
2. It could take much longer to travel to other countries.
3. More British people will go to church to avoid the consequences of doomsday.
4. There may not be enough fruits and vegetables available for people in the UK.
Downloads
Opdracht 09_Lezen_B2_Brexit_Troubles
Uitwerkingen 09_Lezen_B2_Brexit_Troubles_-_uitwerking
