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On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum became the first female president of Mexico. This event was an important moment in the country’s history.
Sheinbaum was also the first female mayor of Mexico City.
In her first speech as president, Sheinbaum thanked her mentor and former president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She called him the most important political leader and social warrior in Mexico’s modern history. When he finished his time as president his popularity ratings were very high.
Sheinbaum says, “It is time for women.” She explained her plans as president, which were influenced by López Obrador’s vision for Mexico. She asked people to look at the facts of what was achieved in the past six years. The country helped 9.5 million Mexicans out of poverty, reduced unemployment, and increased the minimum wage.
Sheinbaum promised to improve health services and create 300,000 new jobs in the education sector. However, there are challenges, including a drug war in states like Sinaloa and Chiapas. Critics say her experience in improving security in Mexico City may not work for the country.
Sheinbaum’s journey to the presidency includes her time as a student activist, scientist, and mayor. She said, “I’m a mother, grandmother, scientist, a woman of faith, and now, president!” She promised to govern for all Mexicans and work hard to defend Mexico. She assured the people, “I won’t let you down.”
Vocabulary
- Female – woman; girl; a person/animal that can produce eggs and give birth to young
- President – A person who is in charge of a country or a company; the top person/leader of a company or country
- Event – Something that happens; affair; matter
- Moment – a particular time or occasion; point in time; a short period of time
- Mayor – the leader or person in charge of a city
- Speech – When someone talks to a group of people; a message that someone reads or tells to a group of people
- Mentor – A person who helps and guides another person
- Former – previous; past; ex-; before; in the past
- Political – Related to government or public affairs; related to politics and the workings of a country
- Leader – someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Social warrior –Someone who fights for fairness and equality; activist
- Modern – New and up-to-date
- Popularity – how much something is liked or not liked; the level or amount something is admired, enjoyed or liked
- Rating – A score or grade that tells how good something is
- Influence – The power or ability to affect the opinions, behaviors, or actions of others; to have an effect on someone
- Vision – A plan for the future
- Achieve – To successfully complete or accomplish something; to do something successfully
- Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
- Poverty – the condition or situation or being very poor, to live with no money
- Reduce – to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Unemployment – The number of people who do not have jobs
- Minimum wage – The lowest amount of money a person can be paid for their work
- Health services – Medical care; hospitals
- Education – the process of teaching and learning, giving knowledge and understanding; school
- Sector – industry; field of business; A part of a larger group
- Challenge – problem; obstacle; something that needs a lot of work in order to be done successfully
- Drug – any natural or artificially made chemical that is used as a medicine; any natural or artificially made chemical that is taken for pleasure/fun, to improve performance or because a person feels like they need it; something people take to ‘feel good’
- Critic – a person who doesn’t like something and tells people that
- Journey – a trip; a travel; a long and often difficult process of personal change and development
- Activist – Someone who tries to make changes in the world;
- Scientist – a person who studies science or the natural world; researcher; 👨🔬🥼🧪🔬
- Faith – Belief in something; a person of faith is a religious person
- Promise – To say you will definitely do something
- Govern – To rule a country or place
- Defend – to protect someone or something against attack or criticism; to try to prevent the other team from scoring points, goals, etc.; to speak or write in support of someone or something
- Assure – To promise something;
- Let someone down – To disappoint someone; to do something that makes another person sad
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think it is significant that Claudia Sheinbaum is the first female president of Mexico?
- How do you think Sheinbaum’s experience as a mayor will help her as president?
- What are your thoughts on Sheinbaum’s promise to improve health services and create new jobs in education?
- How do you think Sheinbaum’s faith will influence her presidency? Should religion and government be separate?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum _____ the first female president of Mexico. This event was an important moment in the country’s _____.
Sheinbaum was also the first _____ mayor of Mexico City.
In her first speech as president, Sheinbaum _____ her mentor and former president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She called him the _____ important political leader and social warrior in Mexico’s _____ history. When he finished his time as president his _____ ratings were very high.
Sheinbaum says, “It is time for _____.” She explained her plans as president, which were influenced by López Obrador’s _____ for Mexico. She asked people to look at the facts of what was achieved in the _____ six years. The country helped _____ million Mexicans out of poverty, reduced unemployment, and increased the minimum _____.
Sheinbaum promised to _____ health services and create 300,000 new jobs in the education sector. _____, there are challenges, including a drug war in states like Sinaloa and Chiapas. _____ say her experience in improving security in Mexico City may not _____ for the country.
Sheinbaum’s _____ to the presidency includes her time as a student activist, scientist, and _____. She said, “I’m a mother, grandmother, _____, a woman of faith, and now, president!” She promised to govern for all _____ and work hard to defend Mexico. She assured the people, “I won’t let you _____.”
