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| Fun Easy English Classroom January 17 |
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Classroom
Today
Learn about
freedom of speech |
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Today in the Fun Easy English classroom you are going to read about
Freedom of Speech. This is an interesting topic and hopefully you
will take the survey at the end of the lesson and post your thoughts
in the comment section. |
 Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window) |
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Vocabulary:
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of speech is the political right to communicate
one's opinions and ideas. The term freedom of expression
is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of
seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas,
regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to
freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the
right is commonly subject to limitations, as with libel,
slander, obscenity, sedition (including, for example
inciting ethnic hatred), copyright violation, revelation
of information that is classified or otherwise.
Source: Wikipedia: Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Speech in the
United States
Freedom of speech in the United States is protected by
the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
and by many state constitutions and state and federal
laws. The freedom is not absolute; the Supreme Court of
the United States has recognized several categories of
speech that are excluded from the freedom of speech, and
it has recognized that governments may enact reasonable
time, place, or manner restrictions on speech.
Criticism of the government and advocacy of unpopular
ideas that people may find distasteful or against public
policy are almost always permitted. There are exceptions
to these general protections, including the Miller test
for obscenity, child pornography laws, speech that
incites imminent lawless action, and regulation of
commercial speech such as advertising. Within these
limited areas, other limitations on free speech balance
rights to free speech and other rights, such as rights
for authors and inventors over their works and
discoveries (copyright and patent), protection from
imminent or potential violence against particular
persons (restrictions on fighting words), or the use of
untruths to harm others (slander). Distinctions are
often made between speech and other acts which may have
symbolic significance.
Despite the exceptions, the legal protections of the
First Amendment are some of the broadest of any
industrialized nation, and remain a critical, and
occasionally controversial, component of American
jurisprudence.
Source: Wikipedia: Freedom of Speech in the United States
Freedom of Speech in Other
Countries
In many nations, particularly those with relatively
authoritarian forms of government, overt government
censorship is enforced. Censorship has also been claimed
to occur in other forms and there
are different approaches to issues such as hate speech,
obscenity, and defamation laws even in countries seen as
liberal democracies.
Source: Wikipedia: Freedom of Speech by Country |
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 From
YOUR Teacher: Freedom
of Speech
This is one of the most controversial topics in the
world today. Different countries impose different
restrictions on freedom of speech. The United States of
America has the most liberal policies relating to
freedom of speech but is it too liberal? Answer the
survey below and then post a comment. |
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 Survey:
Do you agree with American citizens total freedom of
speech?
Many people believe in America freedom of speech is too
liberal.
Decide if freedom of
speech is too liberal
on the survey below. |
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Additional Lessons |
 About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice. |
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Conversation Lesson -
Beginner Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, video speaking practice, video
pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
|
 Conversation Lesson
17 - Are You Free on Friday?
(Beginner -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna tries to plan to see a movie with a
friend. But they are both very busy. Will they find a
time to get together? What will they do? |
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then do the activities on this page. |
Video Script
Anna: This city is very interesting, I really like my job, and I have some good
friends! Speaking of friends … I see one now! Marsha! Hi!
Marsha: Hi, Anna. What’s going on?
Anna: Not much. How about you?
Marsha: Busy as usual. Hey, do you wanna see a movie with me?
Anna: Sure! I never have time to see a movie. When?
Marsha: Are you busy this Thursday at 6pm?
Anna: Let’s see …. I’m busy. I am going to tap dance with my friends Thursday
night.
Marsha: Tap dancing? That sounds fun!
Anna: I’m still learning. But it is fun!
Anna: Are you busy on Friday night?
Marsha: Yes. Friday nights are when I visit my parents.
Anna: What do you and your family do together?
Marsha: We always eat dinner together and sometimes we play board games.
Anna: Playing board games is fun, too! The word game Scrabble is my favorite.
Marsha: I like Connect Four!
Anna: I’m not busy Monday night. Are you?
Marsha: I am busy on Monday night. I’m going to jog in the park with my friend.
Do you jog?
Anna: Oh! I always jog. Well, sometimes I jog. Okay, I never jog. But I will try
because it is good for you.
Marsha: I always feel great after I jog.
Marsha: How about on Wednesday night?
Anna: Wednesday night I am not busy. Oh, no, wait. This Wednesday night I will
be busy.
Marsha: What are you doing?
Anna: I’m going to teach children how to play the ukulele.
Anna: Now, children, play “C.” Good. I like your “C.”
Marsha: The world does need more ukulele players.
Anna: Marsha, it looks like we’ll never have time to see a movie.
Anna: Wait a minute. Are you busy now?
Marsha: It’s Saturday afternoon. This is always when I do my errands.
Anna: Okay, but the new Star Wars movie is gonna start in 30 minutes.
Marsha: I’ll do my errands on Sunday. Let’s go!
Anna: Most days of the week, people are really busy. But it’s important to find
time to be with your friends!
Anna: Until next time!
* Connect Four is a two-player connection game using colored discs. |
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation. |
Speaking
English has two ways to show something is happening at a future time. To form
the simple future, use will and then the simple form of the verb. You can use
will to express a desire to do something. The second form of the simple future
is be going to. Use "be + going to" when you already have a plan to do
something. |
Pronunciation
There are also two shortened forms of future verbs. In casual conversation, most
Americans will change going to to gonna. English speakers often change we will
to we’ll. Another shortened form in this lesson is want to shortened to wanna. |
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New Words |
- always -
adv. at all times; on every occasion; in a way
that does not change
- board games -
a game (such as chess) that is played by moving
pieces on a special board
- important -
adj. having serious meaning or worth
- jog -
v. to run slowly especially for exercise
- movie -
n. a recording of moving images that tells a
story and that people watch on a screen or television
- night -
n. the time of darkness between one day and the
next
- play -
v. to do activities for fun or enjoyment
- Scrabble -
trademark. a board game in which players use
lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion.
- sing -
v. to use your voice to make musical sounds in
the form of a song or tune
- sometimes -
adv. at certain times; occasionally
- Star Wars -
n. an epic film series chronicling the rise,
fall, and redemption of Anakin Skywalker
- start -
v. to do the first part of something : to begin
doing something
- tap dance -
n. a kind of dance in which you wear special
shoes with metal plates on the heels and toes and make tapping sounds with
your feet
- teaching -
v. to cause or help (someone) to learn about a
subject by giving lessons
- ukulele -
n. a musical instrument that is like a small
guitar with four strings
- week -
n. a period of seven days - in the U.S., a week
is usually considered to start on Sunday and end on Saturday, while in the
U.K. a week is usually considered to start on Monday and end on Sunday.
- will -
modal verb. used to say that something is
expected to happen in the future
- Days of the Week:
In the U.S., the week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday.
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday
- Note: You can listen to
the definitions of these words in the Speaking Practice Video.
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 Activity
What do you like to do with your friends? Is it easy or
difficult to find time to be with your friends? Write
about it in the Facebook Comments section below. Tell us
two or three things you do with friends using words like
always, usually and sometimes. Then practice writing
about your schedule.
Click
lesson activity to get the printable PDF version. The
page opens to a new window. |
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Conversation
Lessons
Study all 52 English conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginners. |
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Source:
Voice of America |
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Hey Students,
Use this dictionary and reference to look up any words you do not
understand in Fun Easy English.
Note: search opens in a new tab. |
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Search Fun Easy English |
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