Reading questions - university strikes - Higher
The topic of applying for work and study can cover many areas to do with work and study plans. Read this account of a university lecturers' strike in Peru.
Here is some vocabulary to help you.
| el acuerdo | agreement |
| alcanzar | to reach |
| el comienzo | start, beginning |
| esperar | to hope, expect |
| la huelga | strike |
| la inversión | investment |
| lograr | to achieve |
| la manifestación | demonstration |
| el objetivo | aim, objective |
| el/la portavoz | spokesperson |
| el sindicato | trade union |
| el sueldo | wage, salary |
| el acuerdo |
| agreement |
| alcanzar |
| to reach |
| el comienzo |
| start, beginning |
| esperar |
| to hope, expect |
| la huelga |
| strike |
| la inversión |
| investment |
| lograr |
| to achieve |
| la manifestación |
| demonstration |
| el objetivo |
| aim, objective |
| el/la portavoz |
| spokesperson |
| el sindicato |
| trade union |
| el sueldo |
| wage, salary |
Read the following statement and answer the questions below.
Huelga de profesores universitarios en el Perú
Ya es más de un mes desde el comienzo de la huelga de profesores universitarios el 26 de octubre, y por fin el Ministerio de Educación y los representantes de los sindicatos que representan a los profesores han llegado a un acuerdo. Los profesores han logrado un aumento en su sueldo que para este año significará una inversión de 86 millones de Nuevos Soles (PEN). Un portavoz del ministerio dijo que este acuerdo ayudará al gobierno a alcanzar su objetivo de mejorar la calidad educativa de las universidades del país.
La huelga ha dejado sin estudios a miles de estudiantes universitarios, algunos de los cuales tomaron parte en las manifestaciones junto a sus profesores, mientras que otros organizaron sus proprias manfestaciones en contra de la huelga. El Ministerio ha dicho que cada universidad tendrá que explicar como espera que sus estudiantes recuperen las clases que han perdido.
Question
Who has negotiated the agreement that has been reached?
The Education Ministry and the representatives of the lecturers' trade unions.
Question
What have both sides achieved in the agreement?
The lecturers have received a pay rise and the government has been helped in its aim to improve the quality of education in the country's universities.
Question
How have students reacted to the situation?
Some have joined the lecturers in their demonstrations and others have organised their own demonstrations against the strike.
Question
Why may students' studies not suffer too badly from the situation?
Universities will have to make arrangements to help students catch up on the classes they have missed.
Translation:
University lecturers' strike in Peru
It's now more than a month since the beginning of the university lecturers' strike on 26th October and at last, the Education Ministry and the representatives of the trade unions who represent the lecturers have reached an agreement. The lecturers have achieved an increase in their salaries, which for this year will mean an investment of 86 million Peruvian Sol (PEN)*. A spokesman for the ministry says that this agreement will help the government reach its aim of improving the quality of education in the country's universities.
The strike has left thousands of university students without their studies, some of whom took part in demonstrations together with their teachers while others organised their own demonstrations against the strike. The Ministry has said that each university will have to explain how they expect the students to catch up on the classes they have missed.
*Nuevos Soles is the currency of Peru.
