Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Human Rights Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Human Rights Day is one of the most important events on the United Nations calendar. It takes place on the 10th of December every year. It was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Only 48 states initially agreed to the Declaration. Of course, the vast majority of countries accept it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human Rights Day, it is my hope that we will all act on our collective responsibility to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. We can only honour the towering vision of that inspiring document when its principles are fully applied everywhere, for everyone."
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are various international conferences, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions all dealing with human rights issues. There is a different theme each year on Human Rights Day. It is sad that we still need this day. It actually seems we need it more as the decades pass. There are still too many countries that do not respect even the most basic of rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world smaller, problems are getting bigger. There is still so much work to be done to guarantee the right to freedom of thought, to practice one’s own religion, and the right to education.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
one of the most
a.
rights
2
48 states initially
b.
important events
3.
the vast majority of
c.
applied
4.
our collective
d.
agreed to the Declaration
5.
uphold the
e.
responsibility
6.
its principles are fully
f.
countries accept it
Paragraph 2
1.
cultural
a.
the world smaller
2
as the decades
b.
own religion
3.
the most basic
c.
education
4.
globalization makes
d.
events
5.
practice one’s
e.
of rights
6.
the right to
f.
pass
LISTENING GAP FILL
Human Rights Day __________________ important events on the United Nations calendar. It takes place on the 10th of December every year. __________________ in 1948 that the U.N. created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Only 48 __________________ to the Declaration. Of course, __________________ countries accept it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human Rights Day, it is my hope that __________________ our collective responsibility to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. We can only honour the towering vision of that inspiring document __________________ fully applied everywhere, for everyone."
The __________________ at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are various international conferences, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions __________________ human rights issues. There is a different theme each year on Human Rights Day. __________________ still need this day. It actually seems we need it more as the decades pass. There are still too many countries that do not respect even __________________ rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world smaller, problems are getting bigger. There is still so much __________________ to guarantee the right to freedom of thought, to practice __________________, and the right to education.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Human Rights Day is one of the most important events on the United Nations ____________. It takes place on the 10th of December every year. It was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. ____________ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Only 48 states ____________ agreed to the Declaration. Of course, the ____________ majority of countries ____________ it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human Rights Day, it is my hope that we will all ____________ on our collective responsibility to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. We can only ____________ the towering vision of that inspiring document when its principles are ____________ applied everywhere, for everyone."
created vast honour calendar act fully initially accept
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are ____________ international conferences, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions all dealing with human rights ____________. There is a different theme each year on Human Rights Day. It is ____________ that we still need this day. It actually seems we need it more as the decades ____________. There are still too many countries that do not respect ____________ the most basic of rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world ____________, problems are getting bigger. There is still so much work to be ____________ to guarantee the right to freedom of thought, to practice one’s ____________ religion, and the right to education.
sad even various done own pass issues smaller
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Human Rights Day is one of the most importance / important events on the United Nations calendar. It takes place on the 10th of December every / all year. It was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Only 48 states initially / initials agreed to the Declaration. Of course, the vastness / vast majority of countries except / accept it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human Rights Day, it is my hope that we will all action / act on our collective responsibility to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. We can only honour the towering / tower vision of that inspiring document when its principles are full / fully applied everywhere, for everyone."
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are various / variety international conferences, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions all dealt / dealing with human rights issues. There is a different theme each year on Human Rights Day. It is sad / sadly that we still need this day. It actually / actual seems we need it more as the decades past / pass. There are still too many countries that do not respect even the most basically / basic of rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world smaller, problems are getting huger / bigger. There is still so much work to be done to guarantee the right to freedom of thought, to practice ones / one’s own religion, and the right to education.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Human Rights Day is one of the most important events on the United Nations calendar. It (1) ____ place on the 10th of December every year. It was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Only 48 (2) ____ initially agreed to the Declaration. Of course, the (3) ____ majority of countries accept it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human Rights Day, it is my (4) ____ that we will all act on our collective responsibility to uphold the rights (5) ____ in the Universal Declaration. We can only honour the towering vision of that inspiring document when its principles are fully (6) ____ everywhere, for everyone."
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are (7) ____ international conferences, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions all (8) ____ with human rights issues. There is a different theme each year on Human Rights Day. It is sad that we still need this day. It (9) ____ seems we need it more as the decades (10) ____. There are still too many countries that do not respect (11) ____ the most basic of rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world smaller, problems are getting bigger. There is still so much work to be done to guarantee the right to freedom (12) ____ thought, to practice one’s own religion, and the right to education.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
taking
(b)
taken
(c)
takes
(d)
took
2.
(a)
stated
(b)
states
(c)
stating
(d)
statues
3.
(a)
vast
(b)
mast
(c)
last
(d)
cast
4.
(a)
hoping
(b)
hoped
(c)
hopes
(d)
hope
5.
(a)
shrines
(b)
shrinks
(c)
enshrined
(d)
shining
6.
(a)
apply
(b)
applies
(c)
applied
(d)
application
7.
(a)
various
(b)
variety
(c)
vary
(d)
varieties
8.
(a)
sealing
(b)
dealing
(c)
healing
(d)
pealing
9.
(a)
actuality
(b)
actual
(c)
actualize
(d)
actually
10.
(a)
past
(b)
pass
(c)
parse
(d)
pasts
11.
(a)
even
(b)
never
(c)
ever
(d)
evens
12.
(a)
by
(b)
at
(c)
on
(d)
of
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
important events
2.
created the Universal Declaration
3.
the vast majority
4.
uphold the rights
5.
the towering vision
6.
principles are fully applied
Paragraph 2
7.
The focus of the day
8.
cultural events
9.
a different theme each year
10.
as the decades pass
11.
the right to freedom
12.
practice one’s own religion
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. There are various international conferences,
( )
Human Rights. Only 48 states initially agreed to the in Declaration. Of course, the vast majority of countries
( )
bigger. There is still so much work to be done to guarantee the right to
( )
of that inspiring document when its principles are fully applied everywhere, for everyone."
( )
rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. We can only honour the towering vision
( )
accept it today. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the importance of this day: "On Human
( )
meetings, cultural events and exhibitions all dealing with human rights issues. There is a different
( )
10th of December every year. It was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. created the Universal Declaration of
( )
theme each year on Human Rights Day. It is sad that we still need this day. It actually seems we need
( )
of rights, including the right to life. As globalization makes the world smaller, problems are getting
( )
freedom of thought, to practice one’s own religion, and the right to education.
( )
it more as the decades pass. There are still too many countries that do not respect even the most basic
( )
Rights Day, it is my hope that we will all act on our collective responsibility to uphold the
( 1 )
Human Rights Day is one of the most important events on the United Nations calendar. It takes place on the
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
important events on the United Nations calendar.
2.
the vast majority of countries accept it today.
3.
we will all act on our collective responsibility.
4.
uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration.
5.
the towering vision of that inspiring document.
6.
The focus of the day is at the U.N. headquarters.
7.
exhibitions all dealing with human rights issues.
8.
It is sad that we still need this day.
9.
respect even the most basic of rights.
10.
There is still so much work to be done.
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Human Rights Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Human Rights Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Human Rights Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
