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Mexico City Backs Gay Marriage (21st December, 2009)

Lawmakers in Mexico City have passed a bill to allow gay marriage. The city’s mayor will soon sign the bill into law. The city will become the first place in Latin America to allow same-sex marriages. Mexican politicians voted for a change in the definition of marriage, from “the union of a man and a woman” to "the free uniting of two people". City official Victor Romo called it a historic day. He said: "For centuries unjust laws banned marriage between blacks and whites, or Indians and Europeans…Today, all barriers have disappeared."

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Even though we are in the twenty-first century, gay marriage is not allowed in most of the world. Only seven countries allow it. Five states in the USA have passed gay marriage into law, but most states reject it. Much of Latin America opposes gay marriage. The Roman Catholic Church is very strong in Central and South America. It is fiercely opposed to same-sex unions. The next step for Mexico City’s politicians is to let same-sex couples adopt children. This is sure to anger the Church even more.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	Lawmakers in Mexico City have	a.	in Latin America
2	sign the bill	b.	day
3.	the first place	c.	into law
4.	the union of a man	d.	disappeared
5.	a historic	e.	passed a bill
6.	barriers have	f.	and a woman

Paragraph 2

1.	we are in the	a.	allowed
2	not	b.	step
3.	most states	c.	twenty-first century
4.	fiercely opposed	d.	the Church
5.	The next	e.	reject it
6.	This is sure to anger	f.	to same-sex unions

LISTENING GAP FILL

Lawmakers in Mexico City __________________ bill to allow gay marriage. The city’s mayor __________________ the bill into law. The city will become the first place in Latin America to allow same-sex marriages. Mexican politicians __________________ change in the definition of marriage, from “__________________ a man and a woman” to "the free uniting of two people". City official Victor Romo called it __________________. He said: "For centuries unjust laws banned marriage between blacks and whites, or Indians and Europeans…Today, __________________ disappeared."

Even __________________ the twenty-first century, gay marriage is not allowed in __________________. Only seven countries allow it. Five states in the USA have passed gay marriage into law, but __________________ it. Much of Latin America opposes gay marriage. The Roman Catholic Church is __________________ Central and South America. It is fiercely opposed to same-sex unions. The __________________ Mexico City’s politicians is to let same-sex couples adopt children. This is __________________ Church even more.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Lawmakers in Mexico City have (1) ____ a bill to allow gay marriage. The city’s mayor will soon sign the bill (2) ____ law. The city will become the first place in Latin America to allow same-sex marriages. Mexican politicians voted for a change in the definition of marriage, (3) ____ “the union of a man and a woman” to "the free uniting of two people". City official Victor Romo called it a (4) ____ day. He said: "For centuries unjust laws banned marriage between blacks and whites, or Indians and Europeans…Today, all (5) ____ have disappeared."

Even (6) ____ we are in the twenty-first century, gay marriage is not allowed in most of the world. Only seven countries allow it. Five states in the USA have passed gay marriage into law, (7) ____ most states reject it. (8) ____ of Latin America opposes gay marriage. The Roman Catholic Church is very strong in Central and South America. It is (9) ____ opposed to same-sex unions. The next step for Mexico City’s politicians is to let same-sex couples adopt children. This is sure to (10) ____ the Church even more.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	past	(b)	passing	(c)	passed
2.	(a)	into	(b)	at	(c)	of
3.	(a)	of	(b)	for	(c)	from
4.	(a)	historic	(b)	history	(c)	historian
5.	(a)	barrier-free	(b)	barriers	(c)	barrier
6.	(a)	though	(b)	through	(c)	thought
7.	(a)	so	(b)	but	(c)	which
8.	(a)	Many	(b)	More	(c)	Much
9.	(a)	fierce	(b)	fiercely	(c)	fiercest
10.	(a)	anger	(b)	angry	(c)	angrily

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	sesdpa a bill
2.	nsig the bill
3.	wloal same-sex marriages
4.	politicians edotv
5.	unjust laws bnnead marriage
6.	srrbraie have disappeared
Paragraph 2
7.	Even utghoh
8.	Five ttsesa in the USA
9.	reetcj it
10.	very gntosr
11.	The next epst
12.	ngare the Church

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	first place in Latin America to allow same-sex marriages. Mexican politicians voted for a change in the definition of marriage, from
( )	Indians and Europeans…Today, all barriers have disappeared."
( )	“the union of a man and a woman” to "the free uniting of two people". City official Victor Romo called it a historic
( )	America opposes gay marriage. The Roman Catholic Church is very strong in Central and South America. It is fiercely opposed
( )	Even though we are in the twenty-first century, gay marriage is not allowed in most of the world. Only seven
( )	countries allow it. Five states in the USA have passed gay marriage into law, but most states reject it. Much of Latin
( )	children. This is sure to anger the Church even more.
( 1 )	Lawmakers in Mexico City have passed a bill to allow gay marriage. The city’s mayor will soon sign the bill into law. The city will become the
( )	to same-sex unions. The next step for Mexico City’s politicians is to let same-sex couples adopt
( )	day. He said: "For centuries unjust laws banned marriage between blacks and whites, or

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	have Lawmakers passed in a Mexico bill City.
2.	the mayor bill will soon The sign city’s.
3.	a the marriage for in of Voted change definition.
4.	day Romo it historic called a.
5.	whites and blacks between marriage banned Laws.
6.	twenty - first century Even though we are in the.
7.	not allowed in most of the world . Gay marriage is
8.	marriage gay opposes America Latin of Much.
9.	The politicians City’s Mexico for step next.
10.	to sure is This Church the anger.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about gay marriage for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 this story. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about gay marriage and the laws in different countries. Include imaginary interviews with one person who supports it and another who opposes it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the mayor of Mexico City. Ask him three questions about gay marriage. Give him three of your opinions on gay marriage. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Gay Marriage (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)