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III. READING
For an equal world
1. Match the sentences with the pictures.
1. Men often earn more than women for doing the same job.
2. A child mother takes care of her small kids.
3. Some women are unable to read or write.
2. Read the text and circle the correct meanings of the highlighted words and phrases.
Gender equality has been greatly promoted around the world. However, there are still many challenges that women face.
First of all, there are still girls who are forced to get married before the age of 18. In many places, parents may see child marriage as a way to protect their daughters from violence. However, many of these young girls become victims of domestic violence. Child marriage also carries serious health risks as young girls are not physically developed to give birth.
Secondly, more than half of the world's uneducated people are women. This means fewer girls than boys go to school or stay long at school. Girls who receive an education are less likely to marry young. They can also have better job skills and can earn higher salaries. Education gives girls the opportunity to have a better life and give back to their communities.
Thirdly, women are often paid less than men. In other words, women have to work longer than men to earn the same amount of money. Differences in career choices might be one reason. Women tend to become nurses, secretaries, or shop assistants, which are low-paying jobs, while men choose high-paying careers as surgeons, airline pilots, or engineers.
Women are still not equal to men in today's society, and governments, organisations and individuals must work together to achieve gender equality.
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1. be forced
a. be made to do something unwanted
b. be made to do something necessary
2. domestic violence
a. action taken to please someone
b. behaviour intended to hurt someone you live with
3. uneducated
a. having little or no formal education at school
b. not having many job opportunities
4. low-paying
a. giving money to a person
b. providing very little money
3. Read the text again and decide whether the following statements are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG).
| T | F | NG | |
| 1. Child marriage involves a girl under the age of 18. | |||
| 2. Fewer men than women around the world are educated. | |||
| 3. Men work much less than women, but earn much more. | |||
| 4. Men's career choices lead to high-paying jobs. | |||
| 5. Only individuals must work towards gender equality. |
4. Work in groups. Discuss possible solutions to one of the following problems.
- Child marriage
- A lack of education for girls
- Low pay for women
