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Pre-reading questions:
- How did you celebrate New Year’s Eve?
- Are outdoor parties and fireworks displays popular in your country during the holiday season? Please share something about it.
Vocabulary:
- cooperation /koh-op-uh-REY-shuhn/
- frustration /fruh-STREY-shuhn/
- prohibit /proh-HIB-it/
- pass /pass/
- existing /ig-ZIS-ting/
[noun] – the act of working together with someone or doing what they ask you
We ask everyone’s cooperation to finish this project by the due date.
[noun] – the feeling of being annoyed or less confident because you cannot achieve what you want, or something that makes you feel like this
She called her friend to share her frustration on James.
[verb] – to officially refuse to allow something
Taking pictures and videos inside the movie theater is prohibited.
[noun] – an official document or ticket showing that you have the right to go somewhere or use a particular form of transport
Passes are available for one month’s unlimited travel within Manila.
[adjective] – used to refer to something that exists now
The company will upgrade its existing facilities next month.
Article reading:
Several public parties and fireworks displays were prohibited in France on New Year’s Eve, as it closed down nightclubs (excluding bars). Additionally, both vaccinated and unvaccinated guests were required to take a COVID-19 self-test before they could attend year-end celebrations. Moreover, starting this year, only vaccinated individuals are allowed to get a “health pass” to several business places like bars, restaurants, and medical facilities. Currently, several hundred Omicron cases have been recorded in France, making it the strongest strain by mid-January. However, Castex noted that it does not show to be more dangerous than the Delta variant, and existing COVID-19 vaccines are effective based on data.
Comprehension questions
- Why did French officials ban outdoor parties and fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve?
- According to French Prime Minister Jean Castex, to whom do the people owe their cooperation?
- What did both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals need to do before attending year-end gatherings?
- What do vaccinated individuals need to enter business places?
- What does the data show regarding the seriousness of the Omicron variant?
Discussion questions
- How is New Year’s Eve celebrated in your country? Please tell me more about it.
- What are some of the COVID-19 protocols still being implemented in your country?
- How would you like to spend the next holiday season this 2022?
- In your opinion, do health protocols like what France has done are effective?
- Should other countries follow France in barring huge outdoor gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19? Please explain your answer.