In Brazil things are really complicated right now since many Brazilians are not happy with their president, Dilma Rousseff, and there is a process of impeachment happening as I write this post.
Because of that some of my students have requested a lesson involving vocabulary related to this moment Brazil is going through.
Let's get started with the steps of the Impeachment process by analyzing the image below.
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| Image by the BBC News |
Now, read the important vocabulary and try to understand what each word means. If you have any doubts, feel free to write them on the comments.
Important Vocabulary
- corruption - dishonest proceedings
- money laundering-to transform illegally obtained gain into seemingly legitimate funds.
- rally - a drawing or coming together of persons, as for common action, as in a mass meeting:
- coup - A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
- clash - A violent confrontation:
- motion - A formal proposal put to a legislature or committee:
- "bribe pipeline"- money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person. The "bribe pipeline" is the name given to the Petrobrás scandal.
Lastly, read the sentences in which the vocabulary is used. The sentences have been removed from 2 articles one by the BBC News and you can read the full article here and the other by The Economist and you can read the full article here.
- She had been due to attend a rally but instead has been lobbying congress members and party leaders for support.
- Ms Rousseff is accused of manipulating government accounts. She says her opponents are mounting a "coup".
- Metal barriers have been built outside the parliament building to keep the groups apart to prevent possible clashes.
- Latest estimates suggest those in favour of impeachment have just enough votes for the motion to carry.
- Ms Rousseff has also indicated lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha is among those trying to oust her. He is himself facing money-laundering and other charges.
- The corruption scheme, in which big construction firms allegedly funnelled billions of reais to Petrobras executives and their political masters in exchange for padded contracts, appears to have been started while Lula was in office.
- The chief prosecutor accuses Mr Cunha, who denies any wrongdoing, of managing the Petrobras “bribe pipeline”.
