The Reading / Listening - Finland - Level 2

All of Finland's government has resigned. It wanted to make welfare and healthcare reforms for Finland's future. However, politicians voted against the reforms. Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said he was "hugely disappointed". He said he would stay on in a "caretaker" government until elections in April. Mr Sipila wanted the reforms because Finland's population is aging - people are getting older. It is under a lot of financial pressure. The government said its planned reforms would save up to $3.4 billion over the next ten years.

Politicians in Finland think the government resigning is a big mistake. They think the government should stay in power until April's elections. Mr Sipila said resigning was the right thing to do because it had no support. He said: "My government has no choice but to hand in its letter of resignation. I'll shoulder my responsibility." Mr Sipila's colleagues said it was right for the government to resign. One senior member of the Centre Party said: "If anyone asks what political responsibility means, then I would say that this resignation is an example".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Finland - Level 0 Finland - Level 1   or  Finland - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47496326
  • https://www.foxnews.com/world/finlands-entire-government-resigns-after-breakdown-of-agreement-on-welfare-state-reform
  • http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/16248-finnish-government-hands-in-resignation-after-collapse-of-care-reform.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. make welfare and
  2. he was hugely
  3. he would stay on in a "caretaker"
  4. Finland's population is
  5. It is under a lot of
  6. planned
  7. save up
  8. over the next
  1. aging
  2. reforms
  3. disappointed
  4. ten years
  5. healthcare reforms
  6. to $3.4 billion
  7. financial pressure
  8. government

Paragraph 2

  1. resigning is a big
  2. the government should
  3. resigning was the right
  4. hand in its letter
  5. I'll shoulder my
  6. One senior member of
  7. political
  8. this resignation
  1. the Centre Party
  2. of resignation
  3. is an example
  4. stay in power
  5. responsibility
  6. thing to do
  7. responsibility
  8. mistake

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

All of Finland's government has resigned. It (1) ___________________ welfare and healthcare reforms for Finland's future. However, politicians (2) ___________________ reforms. Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said he was "hugely disappointed". He (3) ___________________ stay on in a "caretaker" government until elections in April. Mr Sipila wanted (4) ___________________ Finland's population is aging - people are getting older. It is (5) ___________________ of financial pressure. The government said its planned reforms would save up to $3.4 billion (6) ___________________ ten years.

Politicians in Finland think the government (7) ___________________ big mistake. They think the government should stay (8) ___________________ April's elections. Mr Sipila said resigning was the right thing to do because it had no support. He said: "My government (9) ___________________ but to hand in its letter of resignation. I'll shoulder my responsibility." Mr Sipila's colleagues said it (10) ___________________ the government to resign. One senior (11) ___________________ Centre Party said: "If anyone asks what political responsibility means, then I would say that this resignation (12) ___________________".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AllofFinland'sgovernmenthasresigned.Itwantedtomakewelfareand
healthcarereformsforFinland'sfuture.However,politiciansvotedagai
nstthereforms.Finland'sPrimeMinisterJuhaSipilasaidhewas"hugelyd
isappointed".Hesaidhewouldstayonina"caretaker"governmentuntil
electionsinApril.MrSipilawantedthereformsbecauseFinland'spopulat
ionisaging-peoplearegettingolder.Itisunderalotoffinancialpress
ure.Thegovernmentsaiditsplannedreformswouldsaveupto$3.4billio
noverthenexttenyears.PoliticiansinFinlandthinkthegovernmentresi
gningisabigmistake.Theythinkthegovernmentshouldstayinpowerun
tilApril'selections.MrSipilasaidresigningwastherightthingtodobecau
seithadnosupport.Hesaid:"Mygovernmenthasnochoicebuttohandini
tsletterofresignation.I'llshouldermyresponsibility."MrSipila'scolleag
uessaiditwasrightforthegovernmenttoresign.Oneseniormemberoft
heCentrePartysaid:"Ifanyoneaskswhatpoliticalresponsibilitymeans,
thenIwouldsaythatthisresignationisanexample".

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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