John Ralston Saul The magazine “Utne Reader” has named him as one of the one hundred most important thinkers of the world. He is the President of PEN International and has recently been interviewed by the weekly Spanish magazine “EL PAÍS SEMANAL”. http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/02/04/eps/1359975187_178411.html
VOCABULARY AND IDIOMS: Argument To highlight Magazine Debt Role To rescue Instead of Growth To save Current Policy Mortgage To corrode To reset To spend To end up Envelope To suggest Drawer To lock To throw away To beat To get rid of
Discurso sin paños calientes: don’t beat around the bush. Aplicar las siguientes recetas Hablar sin pelos en la lengua: not to mince words Pasar página: turn the page
I would like to bring here some of the important arguments that have been highlighted by Joseba Elola who has written an article in that weekly magazine. Joseba Elola describes J. R. Saul as a tall, thin and smart man with a dandy stile and who doesn’t beat around the bush. He doesn’t mince his words. - John Ralston believes that countries should reconsider what a debt is as well as the role that banks play in the new world. - He proposes that citizens should be rescued instead of banks. - He says we find ourselves in a dark period of the economy and “they” continue using the same methods everywhere (Governments must control their expenses –austerity- and the economy must grow). He believes that growth and austerity can’t save us from this current situation. This is putting democracy in danger. # The interviewer makes him a question: Should we save the banks? He responds that there is no reason why we should save them. A good policy is that the government pays people’s mortgages. He believes that if you pay people’s mortgages, you will also save the banks. People would keep their houses and could spend their money as consumers. # European Union is corroded by the debt. He wants to end up with “the debt”. “They” can’t admit that they made a mistake. He asks himself” how we can reset the watch”. He suggests that, basically we should put “the debt” inside an envelope, put on it: “this is very important”, put the envelope in a drawer, lock it and throw the key away. “We must turn page, we must beat it”. If the private sector can get rid of the debt, the public sector can too.
http://recursostic.educacion.es/bancoimagenes/web/ #TRUE OR FALSE EXERCISE: Saul is describes as a tall, thin and fashionable man: T F Ralston believes it is better to save banks rather than people: T F He thinks the establishment keeps on using the same methods: T F It is a good policy to pay people mortgages instead of giving the money directly to banks: T F - Democracy is not now in danger: T F - Governments shouldn’t “reset” most of the debts: T F - Austerity is going to take out of the current crisis: T F -
# PUT THE WORDS IN THE CORRECT ORDER -
He/ not/ beat/ does/ bush/ the/ around find/ We/ in/ a/ ourselves/ period/ dark/ economy/ of/ the houses/ People / would/ their/ keep “They”/a / mistake/ can’t/ made/ admit/ that/ they/ page/ We /must /turn
Texto escrito por Mª Isabel Pérez Ortega, con la colaboración de Samantha Potts Málaga, 5 de febrero del 2013