Gender Equality
性别平等
TRANSCRIPT
Gender equality has powerful potential to improve the (Q1) economy, (Q2) security and the overall well-being of a population.
"If the world closed the gender gap in workforce participation, global Gross Domestic Product would increase by 28 trillion dollars by 2025. That's about a quarter of the world's current GDP, and almost half of the world's current debt," said U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Catherine Russell in a recent speech. She also noted that "studies have found that countries with (Q3) less gender inequality are more secure, and peace agreements last longer when women are at the negotiating table."
Nonetheless, no country in the world can boast that it has achieved full gender equality. "Around the world, women are vastly (Q4) underrepresented in politics and the workforce, particularly in (Q5) leadership positions and other (Q6) high-paying jobs," said Ambassador Russell. At the same time, women make up the bulk of the poor. "I've heard people say that poverty has a female face, and that makes sense when you consider that women control just one-fifth of global wealth," said Ambassador Russell.
World leaders are beginning to recognize that everyone benefits from (Q7) advancing gender equality, she said. This is why gender equality is part of U.S. foreign policy. A key part of U.S. efforts focus on educating and empowering girls. In the past 18 months, the United States launched its global strategy to (Q8) empower adolescent girls, as well as Let Girls Learn, which is a Presidential initiative that focuses on educating girls.
We are also working with numerous countries to dismantle barriers that (Q9) keep women from inheriting or owning property, entering the formal job market or accessing banking services.
"Gender equality sometimes looks like an impossible task — a pursuit without an end," said Ambassador Russell. "But...we can make progress, and that progress is worth making. Little by little, discussion by discussion, step by step, we can improve the lives of women and girls, men and boys all around the world. And in doing so, we can reach our shared goals of peace, (Q10) prosperity, and security."
VOCABULARY
1. well-being (N-UNCOUNT) 健康;安乐;康乐 Someone's well-being is their health and happiness.例句：
Singing can create a sense of wellbeing. 唱歌能够给人一种心旷神怡的感觉。
His work emphasised the emotional as well as the physical well-being of children. 他的工作不仅重视孩子们的身体健康，同时也关注他们的情感健康。
2. workforce n. all the people in a country or an area who are available for work （国家或行业等的）劳动力，劳动大军，劳动人口。例句：
A quarter of the local workforce is/are unemployed. 本地四分之一的劳动力都失业了。
3. bulk n. 主体；大部分 The bulk of something is most of it. 例句：
The bulk of the text is essentially a review of these original documents. 文章的主要部分基本是对这些原始文件的回顾。
The vast bulk of imports and exports are carried by sea. 大部分的进出口货物都是通过海路运输的。
4. dismantle v. （逐渐）废除，撤销，破坏 To dismantle an organization or system means to cause it to stop functioning by gradually reducing its power or purpose. 例句：
Public services of all kinds are being dismantled. 林林总总的公共设施正被逐渐废除。
QUESTIONS
Fill in the blanks with the words or phrases you hear in the news.
Gender equality has powerful potential to improve the (Q1) _____________, (Q2) __________ and the overall well-being of a population.
"If the world closed the gender gap in workforce participation, global Gross Domestic Product would increase by 28 trillion dollars by 2025. That's about a quarter of the world's current GDP, and almost half of the world's current debt," said U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Catherine Russell in a recent speech. She also noted that "studies have found that countries with (Q3) ___________________________ are more secure, and peace agreements last longer when women are at the negotiating table."
Nonetheless, no country in the world can boast that it has achieved full gender equality. "Around the world, women are vastly (Q4) ________________________ in politics and the workforce, particularly in (Q5) _____________________ positions and other (Q6) _______________ jobs," said Ambassador Russell. At the same time, women make up the bulk of the poor. "I've heard people say that poverty has a female face, and that makes sense when you consider that women control just one-fifth of global wealth," said Ambassador Russell.
World leaders are beginning to recognize that everyone benefits from (Q7) ______________________________, she said. This is why gender equality is part of U.S. foreign policy. A key part of U.S. efforts focus on educating and empowering girls. In the past 18 months, the United States launched its global strategy to (Q8) __________________________, as well as Let Girls Learn, which is a Presidential initiative that focuses on educating girls.
We are also working with numerous countries to dismantle barriers that (Q9) _________ women _________________ inheriting or owning property, entering the formal job market or accessing banking services.
"Gender equality sometimes looks like an impossible task — a pursuit without an end," said Ambassador Russell. "But...we can make progress, and that progress is worth making. Little by little, discussion by discussion, step by step, we can improve the lives of women and girls, men and boys all around the world. And in doing so, we can reach our shared goals of peace, (Q10) ___________________________, and security."
KEY
| Question | Key |
| Q1 | economy |
| Q2 | security |
| Q3 | less gender inequality |
| Q4 | underrepresented |
| Q5 | leadership |
| Q6 | high-paying |
| Q7 | advancing gender equality |
| Q8 | empower adolescent girls |
| Q9 | keep … from |
| Q10 | prosperity |
来源：刘立军