Protests in France Because of Retirement Age

Vocabulary31 words

Hundreds of thousands

a number between 200,000 and 1,000,000

Protest

an event where people come together to show strong disapproval/disagreement about something; demonstration; rally

President

leader; the top person in a large company, organization, or country; boss

Retirement

the period of life after your career; a time when you’re older and don’t work anymore;

Injured

hurt; wounded; harmed; to have damage to your body

Arrest

If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station; to use the power of the law to take and/or hold someone; detain; apprehend

Violence

using physical force/power to cause harm, damage, or injury;

Delayed

late; postponed; suspended; not on time; slowed down

Strike

a work stoppage organized by employees to demand better working conditions or higher wages; when employees agree to stop working and try to get more money from their employer

Voting

the action of choosing someone or something in an election; when each person in a group says their choice for something

Peaceful

without violence; not connected to war or fighting

Anarchist

a person who doesn't believe in having a government or other structures that control people's lives; a person who doesn’t want government or strong leaders

Smash

to break something into small pieces or fragments

Destroy

to “end” something by damaging it or attacking it; wreck; demolish

Tear gas

a chemical that hurts your eyes and makes you cough, and is used to make crowds of people run away or control riots

Block

to stop or prevent something from happening or moving forward; to prevent/stop someone or something from passing through

Garbage

waste material or unwanted things that are thrown away; trash

Pile up

to grow; to increase in quantity; accumulate

Electricity

power; current; energy used to operate lights, TVs, etc.

Go out

to stop functioning or operating; to stop working

Law

a rule, regulation, or guideline set by the government

Go into effect

to begin or start; to be valid or apply

Term

a specific/limited length of time that someone holds a job; a specific/certain length of time for a contract or agreement

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

Retirement system

the programs and policies that help people save money and get an income after they stop working

Run out of

to use up all of the supply; to have no more; exhaust; consume all of; to be out of

Opponent

a person or group that is against you; a person/group that disagrees or is trying to beat you; enemy; challenger

Tax

money that a government requires people or businesses to pay

Economy

the system according to which the money, industry, businesses, and trade of a country/region are organized; the supply of money, production of goods, and purchase of goods; the flow of money between people, businesses and government

Minister

a government person in charge of a department; government secretary; politician

Financial system

the way money is handled and exchanged, including banks, stock markets, and other ways people can invest and make money

Discussion questions

1. What do you think about the retirement age change in France? In your opinion, what's a good age for retirement?
2. Do you think that protests and strikes are effective ways to bring about change in a country? Are there better ways to make change?
3. What are some potential negative effects if the strikes and protests go on longer in France? How will they affect other people, businesses, and the economy?

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