Canada Uses French Language Amid Trade Dispute With US
Listen to the story
Canada and the United States are having a trade problem. Canada speaks two languages: English and French. Some people say speaking French is a way to stand strong against US President Donald Trump. One person said, "Our real national sport is speaking two languages."
The trade problem is between Canada and the US. It is about buying and selling goods between the two countries. The use of French language has become part of this story too.
Howard Lutnick is an important US official. He works on trade deals. A trade deal between the US and Canada did not happen. People say Lutnick played a big part in stopping this deal.
Vocabulary15 words
- trade
- buying and selling things between countries
- deal
- an agreement between two sides
- official
- a person who has an important job in government
- resist
- to fight against something
- language
- the words a country or people use to talk
- national
- about a whole country
- stall
- to stop moving forward
- dispute
- a disagreement between two sides
- bilingual
- able to speak two languages
- tension
- a feeling of stress between people or groups
- policy
- a plan of action by a government
- government
- the group that runs a country
- economy
- the money and business system of a country
- agreement
- when two sides say yes to the same plan
- identity
- who a person or country is
Quiz
Answer key
1. English and French 2. Buying and selling goods between Canada and the US 3. A US official who works on trade deals
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Canada and the United States are having a _____ problem. Canada speaks two languages: English and French. Some people say speaking French is a way to stand strong against US President Donald _____. One person said, "Our real national _____ is speaking two languages."
The trade problem is between Canada and the _____. It is about buying and selling goods between the two countries. The use of French language has become part of this story too.
Howard _____ is an important US official. He works on trade deals. A trade deal between the US and Canada did not happen. People say Lutnick played a big part in _____ this deal.