78
IN THIS UNIT
GRAMMAR
• present continuous for future
arrangements
• past simple passive
VOCABULARY
• people and organisations
SCENARIO
• giving examples to
strengthen points
• giving a presentation
STUDY SKILLS
• improving your listening
WRITING SKILLS
• a for-and-against essay
Global affairs
10.1
UNITED NATIONS
‘Peace at home is peace in the country. Peace in the country is peace in the world.’
Kemal Atatürk, 1881–1938, Turkish statesman
10
SPEAKING
1
a
What do you know about the United Nations
(the UN)? Discuss these questions with a partner.
1
When and why was the UN founded?
2
How many countries are now UN members?
3
Where are the UN headquarters?
4
How often does the UN have a new Secretary
General?
5
Which activities is the UN
not
involved with:
• Aid and peace keeping
• Children’s rights
• Religious education
• Economic development
• International justice
• Entertainment
1
b
10.1
Listen and check your answers. What other
things do you know about the UN? Do you have a
personal opinion about the UN and its work?
READING
2
a
Read the entry on the right from an
encyclopaedia. What is the main subject of the text?
2
b
What do these phrases refer to in the text?
1
its (line 2)
2
this UN department (lines 4–5)
3
this work (line 13)
4
these people (line 16)
T
he United Nations is an organisation that works in
many different areas. In order to carry out its work,
the UN has a large department of international civil
servants (the Secretariat). The head of this UN
department is the Secretary General and there are about
9,000 other staff members. The Secretary General is
responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the UN and its
many projects.
As well as these work responsibilities, the Secretary General
is the symbol or face of the United Nations. He or she is also
a spokesperson, or representative, for the people of the
world and can ask the UN to help with difficult situations in
the world. In this work, he or she meets national presidents
and ambassadors to discuss world problems.
The Secretary General also chooses the Messengers of
Peace. These people publicise the work of the UN and they
are chosen from the fields of arts, literature and sports.
Messengers of Peace have included George Clooney (actor),
Midori Goto (violinist) and Muhammad Ali (boxer).
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