Reading
Very advanced level (C2)
Yesterday Margaret Thatcher died. Some people were sad but others celebrated her death by opening bottles of Champagne and dancing in the street. However most would probably agree that she was one of the most formidable politicians of the 20th century who changed the economic and political face of Britain.
Few politicians have divided public opinion so much: you love her or loathe her – a bit like Marmite! Baroness Thatcher’s supporters will see her as a principled courageous and patriotic leader while her opponents will likely view the Iron Lady as a self-righteous, uncompromising oppressor of industrial communities and introducer of the ill-fated poll tax, who only survived politically because of the Falklands War.
She was a remarkable woman who managed to rise to the top at a time when there were very few women at the pinnacle of politics, society or the economy, and perhaps was someone who was more complex than the usual caricatures. People close to her say she could be caring and charming and at times not as cocksure of her ideas as her public persona suggested. Moreover few people had as much influence on the world stage as Mrs Thatcher. She had the ear of the US president and influenced some of the changes that took place in Eastern Europe. Those that mourn her passing may well regard the current crop of political leaders as second rate.
However those that feel a sense of relief or even glee will never forget the effect of some of her policies on working communities, especially outside the south of England. Thousands of people lost their jobs in coal mining, shipbuilding and other traditional industries. They will never forgive her callous actions. Mrs Thatcher was also very conservative in her social values and certain groups in society held little fondness for her. Her misjudged description of Nelson Mandela as a terrorist and her friendship with Pinochet, not to mention the arming of Saddam Hussein, seemed more than political expediency.
Discussing Margaret Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister isn’t straightforward. Next time you have a chance to ask someone from Britain what they think, be prepared because they will have an opinion!
Key vocabulary:
The definitions are the meanings in context.
formidable (adj) – strong and impressive
loathe (v) – hate
Marmite (n) – a very strong tasting spread for bread or toast
self-righteous (adj) – overly moralistic
principled (adj) – when behaviour is based on values
uncompromising (adj) – no negotiating
ill-fated (adj) – having an unfortunate end
pinnacle (n) – top
caricature (n) – exaggerated description
be cocksure (adj) – be very certain
public persona (n) – image in public
have the ear of someone (v)
mourn (v) – feel sad because of someone’s death
second rate (adj) – not the best quality
sense of relief (n) – feeling of relief
glee (n) – pleasure
callous (adj) – harsh and cruel
not to mention (idiom) – in addition
expediency (n) – usefulness