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Margaret Thatcher
简体
Margaret Thatcher
撒切尔夫人

Learn English with this politics English lesson

Date: Apr 24 2013

Grammar: Adverbs

Intro

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In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher was one of the most famous politicians in the world. As Prime Minister of England, she changed the face of British politics and had a major impact internationally. She was one of the most prominent women politicians of all time, and paved the way for strong women to follow her.

Margaret Thatcher died on April 8, 2013, in London. Many people have mourned her death, while others have celebrated it. She was a very controversial figure, and not everyone liked her policies. Perhaps being liked by some and disliked by others is the fate of all politicians.

撒切尔夫人是 20 世纪 80 年代全世界最著名的政治家之一。在其一生中(1925-2013 年),她以英国首相的身份,改变了英国的政治面貌并对国际社会产生了重大影响。她是有史以来最杰出的女政治家之一,为她身后的女强人树立了榜样。

撒切尔夫人于 2013 年 4 月 8 日在伦敦逝世。很多人都因她的离世而痛心哀悼,但也有些人拍手称快。她是一位颇有争议的人物,不是每个人都喜欢她的政策。或许有人支持有人反对是所有政治家的宿命。

Dialog

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Greta

Greta

Amanda

Amanda

Greta:  So Amanda, did you hear the news?

Amanda:  Who died?

Greta:  Margaret Thatcher.

Amanda:  Oh, wasn’t she in that movie with Bradley Cooper? Right?

Greta:  Oh my goodness.

Amanda:  No?

Greta:  Margaret Thatcher was a prime minister of England.

Amanda:  Right.

Greta:  She, I think, set an example in terms of women in leadership roles, because she was a prime minister in the 80s, you know, that was 30 years ago, and the US still hasn’t had a female leader. It’s pretty impressive.

Amanda:  Not yet. Do you think that she’s a role model for young girls today?

Greta:  I think she reached a height that few people in the world aspire to reach, and I think it’s even more admirable that she was a female and did that. You know, she had a nickname. Do you know her nickname?

Amanda:  Iron fist?

Greta:  Boy oh boy, Amanda.

Amanda:  Am I close? I feel like I’m close.

Greta:  You’ve got the word “iron” in there.

Amanda:  Okay.

Greta:  She was known as the Iron Lady. Not everybody liked her, that’s for sure. And she wasn’t universally loved, but she was certainly a powerful presence.

 

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Discussion

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Greta wants to tell Amanda about the big news that Margaret Thatcher has died, but Amanda doesn’t even remember who she was. After Greta reminds her, Amanda wonders whether Margaret Thatcher was a role model for women.

Greta thinks that she was a very impressive figure. Only very few people become as powerful as she was, and it’s admirable when someone does. However, Margaret Thatcher’s nickname, the Iron Lady, shows that when you’re that powerful, some people might not like you.

What do you know about Margaret Thatcher? Do you think she was a good role model for young women?

 

Comments

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✰Nikki✰

✰Nikki✰

United States

 Why a country willingly spent  £10m on a state funeral of a widely loathed woman, is way beyond my understanding. Just imagine for what more useful things all those tax payers crown money could have been used. I don’t get it, I just don’t get it!

06:59 PM Apr 28 2013 |

ghost.w0506

Germany

when I hear


she wasn t just the prime minister of England, now she has been prime minister of united Kingdom. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, some ppl live in the past


they don t realize, that the glory of the past has passed away


now, it s just England, Scotland, Wales

11:53 AM Apr 27 2013 |

ghost.w0506

Germany

ah, I never hope, Thatcher will be role model


because she didn t pay attention to others


just she looked at Great Britain


and the rest of Europe have to pay a lot of money now


she reduced the payment of Britain and for what ?


Just to take the benefit of EU


England/Britain never changed their behavior.


all other countries changed their traffic rule for going  right


England…..........never


most of european countries changed to Euro


England….............never


but, they took and take the money from EU


The best solution will be…........let them goooooooooo


the   prime minister plan to install an election for this


question. HOpe, they do.

11:49 AM Apr 27 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Any politician is two sides of the coin. It depends who will be a judge. Those who has been affected by her ruthless reforms, can have grudge on her. Losing a job is depressing.  She wanted to bring to life those values she was made of – self-reliance, abstinence, puritanism, fairness. Did it work?  Well, politics aside, and taking her human traits as determination, passion, disciplined skills – is all that can be a good role model for anybody.


Rest in Peace, Iron Lady.

08:47 PM Apr 24 2013 |

1 person likes this

DarknessLight

Germany

In addition to what’s mentioned here I know that her tenure as a prime minister spanned over a decade and ended in 1990. Also, her funeral was held at St.Paul Cathedral which is normally reserved for members of the royal family, which indicates how much she meant for Britain as a whole.

06:48 PM Apr 24 2013 |

haitham4vip

Egypt

no any woman like the other

05:00 PM Apr 24 2013 |

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

The important thing about this politician is she as a woman could make it, could be in a domain that was dominant by men. Whether she was a good one or not is not the case because politics by nature is not realm of honesty and stuff like that, politics is a nasty domain.

03:27 PM Apr 24 2013 |

struggling

struggling

Tunisia

” I was not a quota.”; she once said in  an interview

02:54 PM Apr 24 2013 |

CyrilCui

CyrilCui

China

As a Chinese,I think the most impressive thing about Margaret Thatcher is that Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.I don’t want to talk too much about politic.But I have to say that Margaret Thatcher’s nickname,the Iron Lady had spread throughout the north and sorth of China during that period.


I think she was a good role model for young woman in the area of work.Few women can become prime ministers,even have political iron fist.This great woman made all people remember her once presence in this world.But in the way of doing things she was so terrible.So many people in the UK dislike her so much and even celebrate her death.I heard that few of her children came back to see her during her rest and recuperation.It is awful!Family is so important for a woman,right?

02:23 PM Apr 24 2013 |

MESS

MESS

Turkey

Well, I will not evaluate the goods or bads Margaret Thatcher did to the people in the UK, or whether she is loved or hated by the people in the UK. I am in no position to judge her or her actions, as I believe she had her own reasons to act so or maybe her role in leading the country compelled her to be harsh at times. We do not know that. Besides, no politician is loved by every citizen of the country in any country in the world. It is too hard to satisfy every individual. As you satisfy one group of people, you leave another group of people totally unsatisfied as the needs and wishes of people contradict, which is normal because everybody is different, and has different values, features and expectations.


But no one can deny Margaret Thatcher’s contribution to the increasing power of women in business life with her being the first and only prime minister in Britain and also being considered the most well known symbol of rising women all over the world. So that is one good thing for which I look up to her.

01:07 PM Apr 24 2013 |

mosa90

mosa90

Saudi Arabia

She was a great women  


before anytthing pls  read this book ( The Iron Lady)) 

12:59 PM Apr 24 2013 |

1 person likes this

Ya Nina

Kazakhstan

Frankly speaking, I began to find out more information about Margaret Thatcher after her death. Of course, I know that she was the prime minister of Great Britain and actively participated in the demise of the Soviet Union. When I read more information about Margaret Thatcher I was surprise to get know that the most British unlike her and even more – hated her for her fierce and cruel policy. The most people convince that Margaret Thatcher was the worst event that was at the history of Great Britain. They are sure that her policy returned their great country in some centuries ago. Also they consider that ex-prime minister was deprived of such human quantities as kindness, humaneness and love to people. 


Margaret Thatcher for me is the great person in the world history, but she exactly hasn’t a good role model for young women. For my opinion world history have many other dignified examples.

12:50 PM Apr 24 2013 |

1 person likes this

joodiaboot

joodiaboot

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Down with Thatcher!!!!!!!!!she had so bad doing with lots of people in all over the world….......

11:03 AM Apr 24 2013 |

1 person likes this

whipiry

whipiry

South Korea

yep..she is a controversial figue , absolutely.  what is a role mode for who ?


she could be one for individuals who wants to be a leader , but I don’t think she didn’t set an example for one who are  well-fare orginated or painful for the laid-off out of their company. 

05:27 AM Apr 24 2013 |

mojtaba

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

down with Thatcher

05:18 AM Apr 24 2013 |

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

she paved the way for other women and strengthed them to be believing in themself.

04:57 AM Apr 24 2013 |

Daniel_Zie

Daniel_Zie

China

Thatcher was the most well-known England politician in China.  She made a contribution to HongKong’s reverting to Chinese rule in 1997.

03:28 AM Apr 24 2013 |

1 person likes this

masoudhsn

masoudhsn

Canada

Thatcher was a well-known politician in England and also in the whole world. I had heared from her when I was a kid. I believe she had a great impact on people’s belief about running a country with a lady. She really pave the way for other politician especially women everywhere. Her role model in politic was universal and  she definitely set an example for  many leaders in various countries.  

02:57 AM Apr 24 2013 |

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