Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What kind of policy do you know about? Please tell me more about it.
- What types of leaves are included in your leave policy at work?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- wealthy /WEL-thee/
- nationwide /ney-shuhn-WAHYD/
- policy /POL-uh-see/
- absence /AB-suhns/
- proposal /pruh-POH-zuhl/
[adjective] – rich
Although she was wealthy, she lived in a small house.
[adjective] – existing or happening in all parts of a particular country
A nationwide campaign against pollution began in the summer.
[noun] – a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that have been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party
He described the government’s economic policy as misguided.
[noun] – the fact of not existing
Good health means more than just the absence of disease.
[noun] – a suggestion, sometimes a written one
He opposed the proposal to build a new hall.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest countries, the United States is the only wealthy country without a nationwide paid parental leave policy. Even though nearly half of all two-parent families have both parents working full-time, only 21% of US workers have access to paid family leave through their employers, according to Pew Research Center data from 2015.
This absence of provision stands in stark contrast to Europe, where paid parental leave is the norm. Paid parental leave, according to research, has undeniable advantages for parents, children, and the societies of the countries that provide it. Paid parental leave has considerable support in the United States; according to academic research published in April, around 82 percent of Americans approve it. This number has remained relatively steady throughout time, and it includes support from all major political parties. The reasons for the United States’ prolonged status as an outlier on paid parental leave are complex, combining post-World War II needs with a complex national cultural identity of individualism and self-determination.
There is now, however, a strong desire for change. In April, US President Joe Biden suggested a $225 billion (£163 billion) paid family and medical leave package, allowing workers to take up to 12 weeks off to care for a newborn or family member. Paid parental leave is a rare topic on which Americans of all stripes can agree in an increasingly polarized country. So, why hasn’t anything been done at the federal level yet – and with Biden’s proposal on its way to Congress, might this be the year?
This absence of provision stands in stark contrast to Europe, where paid parental leave is the norm. Paid parental leave, according to research, has undeniable advantages for parents, children, and the societies of the countries that provide it. Paid parental leave has considerable support in the United States; according to academic research published in April, around 82 percent of Americans approve it. This number has remained relatively steady throughout time, and it includes support from all major political parties. The reasons for the United States’ prolonged status as an outlier on paid parental leave are complex, combining post-World War II needs with a complex national cultural identity of individualism and self-determination.
There is now, however, a strong desire for change. In April, US President Joe Biden suggested a $225 billion (£163 billion) paid family and medical leave package, allowing workers to take up to 12 weeks off to care for a newborn or family member. Paid parental leave is a rare topic on which Americans of all stripes can agree in an increasingly polarized country. So, why hasn’t anything been done at the federal level yet – and with Biden’s proposal on its way to Congress, might this be the year?
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is the only country without a nationwide paid parental leave policy?
- How many percent of US workers have access to paid family leave through their employers?
- How many percent of Americans approve of the paid parental leave policy?
- Does Europe have the paid parental leave policy?
- What did US President Joe Biden suggest?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Does your country have a paid parental leave program?
- Do you know anyone who has just taken a parental leave?
- If you had the power to decide on this matter, how many weeks would you allow workers to care for a newborn or family member?
- Do you agree with the 82 percent of Americans who support paid parental leave?
- In your opinion, why is this program not implemented in some countries? Please explain your answer.