New citizens, good citizens

Level 2 Intermediate

1 Key words

Choose the correct word to complete the sentences.

1. A ______________ has the legal right to live in a country. (citizen / citizenship)

2. Someone who comes to live in a country from another country is called an ______________.

(migrant / immigrant)

3. A ______________ is a legal (written) agreement between two or more parties. (policy / contract)

4. In Britain a ______________ can vote at the age of 18. (teenager / veteran)

5. A______________isanofcialgroupofpeoplewhomakedecisionsaboutalocalarea.(council/government)

Useyourdictionarytolookupthedenitionsofthewordsyoudidntuse.Compareandcontrastthe
meaningsofeachofthewords.

2 Subtitles

Writedownkeywordsyouwouldexpecttoreadinthepartofthetextthatfollowseachofthesesubtitles.

Divisions in British society

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

A new points system

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Reasons why the changes are needed

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Plans for a Britain Day

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Ministers set out plans in a new report

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Citizenship contract

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Then skim-read the text and decide where each subtitle should go. Write them into the spaces
(af)provided.
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Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007

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NEWS LESSONS / New citizens, good citizens / Intermediate

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New citizens, good citizens
Level 2 Intermediate
Rules to make migrants integrate
Ministers say citizenship should depend on good
behaviour, passing English tests and knowledge
of the UK.
Patrick Wintour, political editor
and Alan Travis
June 5, 2007
a. _____________________________________
1 Government ministers want to introduce a
national British day as part of a citizenship
revolution that would also toughen rules for
migrants and try to instil community pride in
all 18-year-olds.
2 Under the new plans, every teenager in the UK
wouldbegivenacitizenshippackwhenthey
became eligible to vote, and migrants would only
be able to become British citizens if they could
demonstrate good behaviour and a willingness
to integrate.
3 Thenationaldaycouldbeabankholiday,similar
to Australia Day. The proposals come from the
communities secretary, Ruth Kelly, and the
immigration minister, Liam Byrne, who would
alsoliketointroducecitizenshipceremoniesfor
anyone who wants to settle in the UK.
b. _____________________________________
4 Someoftheideasoatedbythetwoministers
arelikelytofeatureinaforthcomingreport.
The themes have already been enthusiastically
embraced by the prime minister-in-waiting,
Gordon Brown.
5 Anotherideaistoimprovelinksbetween
veteransandyoungpeople.Thepackfor
18-year-olds would provide information on
democracy, volunteering and civic duties such
as jury service. Student loan repayments could
be reduced in return for volunteering.
c. _____________________________________
6 Mr Byrne and Ms Kelly argue that the current
settlementpolicyfornewmigrantsisdifcultto
Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007
NEWS LESSONS / New citizens, good citizens / Intermediate
understand and unclear. In future, new citizens
would gain points for the length of time spent in
the country, bringing substantial new investment
into the UK, passing English tests, demonstrating
knowledgeoftheUK,undertakingcivicworkand
living in a law-abiding way. A points system for
citizenship would allow credits to be deducted for
antisocialbehaviour,ytippingormoreserious
criminal behaviour.
7 This form of points system would be the basis
of a clearer relationship between the citizen
and the state. An easy to understand contract
such as this would encourage integration and
demonstrate a clearer sense in which citizenship
and the rights that come with living in Britain are
earned.
d. _____________________________________
8 Local government should also provide a
citizenship deal for newcomers, setting out their
responsibilities to be good neighbours, as well
as their access to English language training and
employment, say the ministers.
9 A life in Britain good neighbour contract
would be provided to all migrants from inside
and outside the EU, including those that stay
temporarily. The contract would be introduced
alongside identity cards. The ministers also
say councils should spend less on translation
services and more on English language teaching.
e. _____________________________________
10 Theministerswarnthereisacriticalriskthat
after 40 years in which diversity has grown,
Britainscommunitiesarenolongerlooking
outwards and celebrating what they have
in common. Instead, they are beginning to
lookinwards,stressingtheirdifferencesand
divisions.
11 The threat to a united sense of feeling British
comes both from Islamist extremism and
alsogroupsliketheBritishNationalParty.
Ministers point out that the government has to
acknowledgeandrespondtothegrowingmood
of English nationalism.
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O
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New citizens, good citizens
Level 2 Intermediate
12 Weriskseeingamoredividedsociety,more
suspicious of each other and no longer coming
together around shared goals. We need a
stronger sense of why we live in a common place
and have a shared future. Mr Byrne admitted
that recent eastern European migration had
provedashocktothesystem.
13 He said new migrants needed to do more to
help them understand British values and its way
oflife.Headded:Weneedtomakeitclearer
that citizenship isnt simply handed out, but is
something which is earned.
14 The ministers say new trends are pushing Britons
apartintheworkplace,thefamily,themedia
and new technology. They insist migration has
broughtbenets,butsaysometimesthepaceof
change is rapid and destabilizing, pointing out
thatby2011,only20%ofBritainsworkforcewill
be white, able-bodied men under 45.
f._____________________________________
15 In a speech to business leaders, Mr Byrne said
the new measures were needed because the
spikeinasylumclaimsin2000,theunpredicted
level of eastern European migration and the
foreign prisoners crisis has badly damaged
condenceinBritainsasylumandimmigration
system. He added, We have to be open about
the choices available to us. In the 21st century
wecantmakebigdecisionsinsecret.
GuardianNews&Media2007
First published in The Guardian,5/6/07

3 Comprehension check

Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. Government ministers want to introduce a new 4. Under a new policy, points would be awarded for...
bankholidayto... a. criminal behaviour.
a. improve the relationship with Australia. b. volunteering.
b. hand out good citizen awards. c.ytipping.
c. toughen immigration rules. d. old age.
d. promote community relationships.
5. Mr Byrne says citizenship needs to be...
2. The Prime Minister-in-waiting, Gordon Brown, a. bought.
thinkstheplansare... b. fought for.
a. a bad idea. c. earned.
b.ok,butnotforBritain. d. handed out.
c. a great idea.
d. not modern enough.

3. Ministers say the current settlement policy is...

a. too easy.
b. too complicated.
c. too long.
d. too expensive.
D
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Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007

O DO O
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NEWS LESSONS / New citizens, good citizens / Intermediate

O
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New citizens, good citizens
Level 2 Intermediate

4 Vocabulary 1: Collocations

Whichwordscomebeforeorafterthewordsinthecentreofthewordwheelsbelow?Findverbsornouns
in the text to complete the word wheels.

2.

British

1. 3.

points citizenship

Canyouthinkofanymorewordstoaddtothewordwheels?

5 Vocabulary 2: Compound words

Skim-read and subtitle are both compound words, i.e. two or three words that are combined to make a new
word.Putthesesinglewordstogethertomakecompoundswordsfromthetext.

waiting ministerabidingsocial y in bodied

year anti able tipping 18 law old

_____________ - _____________
_____________ - _____________
_____________ - _____________
_____________ - _____________
_____________ - _____________ - _____________
_____________ - _____________ - _____________

Try to work out what they mean by reading the text again.
D
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Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007

O DO O
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NEWS LESSONS / New citizens, good citizens / Intermediate

O
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New citizens, good citizens
Level 2 Intermediate

6 Discussion

Doesyourcountryrequirenewimmigrantstotakeacitizenshiptest?
Whatsubjectswouldyouincludewhenwritingquestionsforacitizenshiptest?
Isnationalismagoodorabadthing?Trytothinkofdifferentinstanceswherenationalprideisacceptableor
not acceptable.

7 Webquest

Chooseacountryyouwouldliketomoveto.Searchfortheimmigrationrequirementsforthatcountryonthe
Internet.Youcandothisbywritingkeywordssuchascitizenship requirements into a search engine.
Isiteasyordifculttomovetothatcountry?

D
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Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007

O DO O
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NEWS LESSONS / New citizens, good citizens / Intermediate

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