The Queen (744 Words)

Home , British Royal Family, Elisabeth (musical), Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, Monarchy, Reign

Worksheet with mediation by Oliver Voigt

The Queen (744 words)

World and Press • 1st September issue 2019 • page 7 page 1 of 11

Worksheet with mediation

This worksheet includes reading comprehension exercises as well as pre-reading and post- reading sections. Students also practice vocabulary and grammar and complete a mediation task at the end of the worksheet. Sample answers are given in the answer key.

Pre-reading

1. Think • Pair • Share: Your thoughts on this world cloud

Think: What do you think the article is about? Take notes. Pair: Talk to your neighbor about your ideas. Share: Share your ideas with another pair or the class.

Look up any words you don’t know in a dictionary.

2. Your thoughts on the title “The Queen” a) What springs to mind when you think of Queen Elizabeth II? b) What do you know about the Queen? c) What do you know about the British royal family? d) What do you imagine the everyday life of the Queen to be like? e) Would you like to be a queen or king for a day? Why (not)? f) What do you know about other modern monarchies? How do they differ from the British one?

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3. Picture description and team discussion Find a partner. Each one of you chooses two pictures from below (make sure that the two of you don’t choose the same pictures). Work on the tasks a) and b) alone before you share your thoughts with your partner. a) Describe these pictures. b) What are your impressions of Queen Elizabeth II, her work, and her role?

Picture 1 Picture 2

Picture 3 Picture 4

| PHOTOS: Getty Images

4. Research the topics below, and prepare a short presentation. The links provided may help with your research. a) Queen Elizabeth II: www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-II www.royal.uk/her-majesty-the-queen b) The royal family: www.royal.uk/royal-family c) The role of the monarchy: www.royal.uk/role-monarchy d) The Commonwealth: www.britannica.com/topic/Commonwealth-association-of-states www.royal.uk/commonwealth

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Reading comprehension

1. Read the text and answer the following questions and tasks. a) Why may Queen Elizabeth II stand for a “Great Britain that no longer exists” (para. 1)?

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______b) What has helped revitalize the appeal of the royal family?

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______c) In keywords, write the information given in paragraphs 6–7 about Queen Elizabeth II and her role.

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______d) What event sparked dissatisfaction with the way the Queen engaged with the British public? How far did the criticism go?

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______e) What perception do many British people have of the Queen today?

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______f) Who criticizes the Queen and why?

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2. Are the following statements true, false, or not in the text? Mark () the correct box, and correct the false statements below.

Statement True False Not in text a) Some people are worried about the end of the Queen’s reign as

Brexit poses challenges for the country’s integrity.

b) The Queen has often been criticized for being too self-controlled.

c) The article raises doubts about whether or not Prince Charles

can keep the nation together as king. d) Because Prince Charles is less popular than the Queen, many

people think that Prince William should be the next king.

Corrections ______

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3. This is an extract from the original article. Some sentences have been removed from the text. Put the sentences a) – d) from the table below into the numbered gaps.

… She is viewed by many as an anchor of stability in an increasingly uncertain time. A symbol of unity over division. A ruler whose sense of duty and moral standard are timeless. [1] When she assumed the throne in 1952 – just seven years after Britain emerged victorious from World War II – the nation’s collective memory of its empire was still fresh. Now 93, Britain’s longest-serving monarch is witnessing new pressures. As the U.K. struggles to unwind an almost half-century relationship with the European Union, the country is enduring an extended period of upheaval. The Queen remains enormously popular at home: More than three-quarters of Britons favor retaining the monarchy, and almost 9 in 10 approve of the way she does her job, according to 2016 polls from Ipsos Mori. [2] This new generation has provided a distraction for a Britain polarized by the 2016 referendum to exit the EU, which exposed anxieties about immigration and globalization. With voters now more likely to identify as pro- or anti-Brexit than with either of the two main political parties, the Queen is for some a bulwark against the growing lack of faith in the institutions that secured peace and prosperity for generations. A 2017 article in the Guardian newspaper that detailed secret government plans for the days after her death explained the worry: “The Queen is approaching the end of her reign at a time of maximum disquiet about Britain’s place in the world.” [3] She oversaw Britain’s transition from postwar rationing to the rise of London as a global financial center, only for that status to be threatened by Brexit. While she has no political power – her role is symbolic as head of state and of the Church of England – she receives weekly briefings at the palace from the prime minister of the day (the first was Winston Churchill; Theresa May her 13th). She is also head of the Commonwealth of 53 nations, a loose association of former British territories. [4] One of those came after the 1997 death of Princess Diana, the popular and in some cases idolized former wife of Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son and first in line to the throne. …

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Extract Number a) Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, King George VI. b) Yet the Queen, as Elizabeth II is simply known, may represent a Great Britain that no longer exists. c) In Canada, Australia and even in the U.K. there have been periodic groundswells to ditch her as a figurehead and convert the country to a republic, where the people reign supreme. d) The royal family’s appeal has been refreshed and modernized by the Queen’s grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Vocabulary

Crossword: Complete the crossword using words from the text.

• anchor • division • timeless • throne • upheaval • polls • distraction • government • briefings • (to) convert • perception • outmoded • turmoil • threats

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ACROSS 1 a disagreement or difference in opinion, way of life, etc., especially in society 3 the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion 6 meetings in which people are given instructions or information 8 a special chair used by a king or queen to sit on at ceremonies 9 no longer fashionable or useful 10 a state of great anxiety and confusion 12 possibilities of trouble, danger, or disaster 13 the way you notice things, especially with the senses

DOWN 1 a thing that takes your attention away from what you are doing or thinking about 2 to change or make s.th. change from one form, purpose, system, etc. to another 4 a big change that causes a lot of confusion, worry, and problems 5 the group of people who are responsible for controlling a country or a state 7 (fig) a person or thing that gives s.o. a feeling of safety 11 existing or continuing forever (Definitions have been adapted from www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com.)

Grammar There is at least one mistake in each of the sentences below. Underline and correct them.

1. A perception that she was late too demonstrate grief raised public questions about the royal family’s ability to relate to its subjects and the cost of its upkeep.

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2. The size of the Queens personal fortune is estimated at about $420 million.

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3. To republicans, the Queen is the ultimate symbol of a outmoded class system and out of place in the modern world.

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4. As Brexit plunges Britain into constitutional and emotional turmoil, the question that’s beginning to asked is whether her heirs will see the nation splinter further once she’s gone.

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5. With her stiff upper lip and sheer longevity – few people alive remembers a Britain before her – the Queen is for many Britons a unifying force which helps define who they are.

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6. Yet it may fall to Charles, now 70 and considerably less popular as the Queen, to help keep the country intact in the face of threats to it’s continued integrity.

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7. The U.K. is made up of four constituent nations, but only two – England and Wales – have voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

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8. So far even Scotland’s nationalists want to remain the Queen as head of state in a independent Scotland, but that policy might not survive a King Charles on the throne.

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Post-reading

1. Team discussion: kings & queens

Get together in pairs. Student A strongly believes that kings and queens or the monarchy are not useful while student B strongly believes they are good. You can use points from the article to support your argument.

2. Your response to statements about the royal family

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Why (not)? a) Attracting more tourists to a country is the main reason for keeping a royal family. b) I would not like to be a member of a royal family. c) I would like to be a member of a royal family. d) Countries should feel a sense of pride in their royal families. e) Royal families spend too much public money. f) Royal families are an important part of a country’s history.

3. Listening and viewing comprehension

Watch the following videos. What are the speakers talking about? Briefly summarize their statements in your own words. Then comment on the ideas and questions raised and say which view you would support. Give reasons. a) TEDx Talks • “Why we should choose monarchy | Noah Wiener” (March 23, 2018, 11:37 mins) • www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlk_sLMfnBg b) BBC News • “Queen's reign: ‘63 years is nothing to celebrate’” (Sept. 9, 2015, 1:38 mins) • www.youtube.com/watch?v=bENCEUhsySo c) The Economist • “A monarchist and a republican go head to head” (July 21, 2016, 2:31 mins) • www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKH8CeXSwlw

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Mediation

You are preparing a short article for an English-speaking website on the role of Queen Elizabeth II. You have found the following article in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Use the information given in the FAZ to write your article. Write approx. 160 words.

Source: www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/ein-symbol-fuer-stabilitaet-koenigin-elizabeth-ii- 16299184.html (FAZ: “Königin Elisabeth II. : Ein Symbol für Stabilität,“ July 24, 2019, 474 words)

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ANSWER KEY

Pre-reading

1.–4. Individual student answers

Background information on the pictures and related information on the Queen’s role: Picture 1: Queen Elizabeth II visits Australia, 2006. Role: Head of the Commonwealth (includes Australia); she is also the head of state of the Australian nation. Picture 2: Reception at Buckingham Palace, 2019, to celebrate the work of UK faith and belief groups in bringing local communities together. Role: Link between the government and the people, awarding people for their service for the country. Picture 3: The Queen receives the newly elected prime minister Boris Johnson, 2019. Role: The Queen appoints the British prime minister and has regular meetings with him/her. The prime minister has to formally ask the Queen’s permission to form a government. Picture 4: State visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands (Willem-Alexander and Máxima) at Buckingham Palace, 2018. Role: Keeping close relationships with other heads of state and to represent the United Kingdom.

Reading comprehension

1. Sample answers a) The article describes Queen Elizabeth II as a symbol of unity and stability. In times of Brexit, however, the UK experiences a time of increasing uncertainty and division. The decision to leave the EU has led to an extended period of upheaval. (paras. 1–2) b) Prince William and Prince Harry: the Queen’s grandsons represent a new generation that helps to distract the British people from Brexit and the polarization it has caused. (para. 4)

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c) • full name: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor • born 1926 • became queen at the age of 25 • father: King George VI • much economic change happened during her reign (harsh economic times during the postwar era; rise of London as a global financial center; Brexit crisis) • role: no political power, symbolic head of state and the Church of England • head of the Commonwealth of 53 nations (loose association of former British territories) • is briefed by the prime minister on a weekly basis at Buckingham Palace d) The event in question is the death of Princess Diana in 1997 as people felt that the Queen expressed grief too late. This raised questions among people who didn’t feel that the royals were able to relate to their subjects and that the costs they cause for the British people are too high. This even led people to question the monarchy as such and call for a republic instead. (paras. 8–9) e) The Queen is very popular among Britons who see her as a unifying and stabilizing force. She is seen as a ruler with a timeless sense of duty and moral standard. She plays an important role for the British national identity as many say that she helps define who they are. (paras. 1, 3, 11) f) People who favor a republic instead of a monarchy criticize the Queen as a symbol of an outmoded class system. They also think that she is out of place with the modern world. (para. 10)

2. Statement True False Not in text x a) Some people are worried about the end of the Queen’s reign as

Brexit poses challenges for the country’s integrity. (§5, 10–12) x b) The Queen has often been criticized for being too self-controlled. (§11) x c) The article raises doubts about whether or not Prince Charles

can keep the nation together as king. (§10– 12) d) Because Prince Charles is less popular than the Queen, many x people think that Prince William should be the next king.

Corrections: b) The Queen’s keeping a stiff upper lip has been a character trait that many Britons appreciate. (para. 11)

3. a) 3 • b) 1 • c) 4 • d) 2

Vocabulary ACROSS: 1 division; 3 polls; 6 briefings; 8 throne; 9 outmoded; 10 turmoil; 12 threats; 13 perception DOWN: 1 distraction; 2 convert; 4 upheaval; 5 government; 7 anchor; 11 timeless

Grammar 1. A perception that she was late too demonstrate grief … 2. The size of the Queen’s personal fortune is estimated … 3. … the Queen is the ultimate symbol of an outmoded class … 4. … the question that’s beginning to be asked is whether … 5. … few people alive remembers a Britain before her … a unifying force which who helps … 6. … considerably less popular as than the Queen … threats to it’s its continued integrity. 7. … England and Wales – have voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum. 8. … Scotland’s nationalists want to remain retain the Queen … in an independent Scotland ... © 2019 Carl Ed. Schünemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved. Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons. The Queen

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Post-reading

1.–2. Individual student answers

3. Sample points a) TEDx Talks • Noah Wiener is a monarchist. • He is from the USA, which was founded on opposition to monarchy. • He doesn’t support absolute monarchy (e.g., as in Saudi Arabia) but thinks that monarchy is not a threat to democracy; according to the European Intelligence Unit, there were 10 monarchies among the 20 most democratic countries worldwide in 2015. • In his view, monarchs enhance democracy because they are better suited as heads of state.  They represent all of their people, regardless of, most importantly, their political alignment.  They are not elected so they provide greater consistency. • Average approval rating of Queen Elizabeth II is at 90 % as of 2012; this shows that constitutional monarchs are better at public relations in Wiener’s opinion. • Monarchs are impartial heads of state, which contributes to greater stability in regions. Examples are:  Latin America: states in postcolonial Latin America fell apart except for Brazil, which had consistent governments until the monarchy was abandoned;  Middle East: instable republican states vs stable monarchy in Jordan. • The relevance of monarchy? Wiener thinks that constitutional monarchs are better heads of state than politicians – they are rocks of stability in uncertain times; further reasons see above. b) BBC News • Graham Smith is the spokesperson of the anti-monarchist group Republic. • Smith calls for radical democratic reform in the UK, he doubts that the British public would have voted for Queen Elizabeth to reign for decades if they had had the chance to elect her, keeping a job for life is nothing positive from his point of view. • Smith states that public approval of the Queen shown by people celebrating her does not reflect the majority British people who are not that interested. • Opponents are against the monarchy because it is an undemocratic part in a democratic system and because royals abuse their privileged position as well as public money. • Smith thinks that people would find it hard to find something relevant that the Queen has done for the country during her reign. c) The Economist • This short feature contrasts the views of British supporters and opponents of the monarchy. • Supporters’ view: Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, the chairman of the British Monarchist Society  The monarch is apolitical (i.e., above politics) and therefore unifies the four independent nations of the UK.  The monarchy is not elitist – the Queen awards people for their service for the country regardless of their income.  The Queen embodies the crown and the state and has a lot of meaning for people.  Britain’s history and identity, which has been shaped by the monarchy, should be respected. © 2019 Carl Ed. Schünemann KG Bremen. All rights reserved. Copies of this material may only be produced by subscribers for use in their own lessons. The Queen

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• Opponents’ view: Graham Smith, CEO, Republic  Leaders should be elected by the people.  The monarchy is elitist; there is no opportunity to create a more equal (egalitarian) society. In contrast, the monarchy instills the notion that certain people are born into privilege and power  The monarchy’s appeal to visitors should not play a part in a debate on a political system of a country.  The British should reimagine their identity without basing it on the monarchy.

+ Individual student answers

Mediation

The Queen – A Symbol of Stability in Times of Brexit What does Queen Elizabeth II think about Brexit, Scotland’s independence, or the UK’s new prime minister? The answer is simply: We don’t know. And we won’t find out. Even though she is one of the most public figures in the UK, her political views have been kept from the public ever since she was crowned in 1952. Therefore, her public comments are closely scrutinized … What we know for sure, though, is that she has been a symbol of stability of the British political system. As prime ministers come and go (14 in total), she has been a role model of discipline and of keeping a stiff upper lip in all circumstances. Even in times of Brexit, her face will not betray her feelings, and she will not let the public in on her thoughts on Boris Johnson and the things said at their weekly meetings behind the closed doors of Buckingham Palace. (163 words)