B1 – Intermediate
Depending on the type of government, countries use different titles to address their leader. They go by different titles such as president, prime minister, chief executive, chancellor, and many more. These leaders play very vital roles in all aspects of nation building. Hence, any issue on their health is a topic their people could not just shrug off.
Read the transcript and listen to the audio from the link below.
https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/leaders-health-level-1/
Discussion Questions:
- What are the speculations about North Korea’s leader’s health?
- Why is it difficult to verify these speculations?
- Do you agree that leaders should make frequent public appearances?
- Do you think that country leaders should release their medical records regularly? Why or why not?
- Should good state of health be an important qualification for aspiring politicians too?
6 replies on “Leader’s Health”
This news talks about North Korea’s leader’s health and how important it is for their country. From my point of view, these matters are more crucial in dictatorships than democracies.
Several rumors are explaining why Kim Jon-un doesn´t appear in any public even since 11th April. Some media are saying that Kim was undergoing cardiovascular surgery. On the other hand, other ones are writing that he is protecting himself from coronavirus, and even they are speculating over his death. Korea’s freedom of the press doesn’t exist and everything is under the control of the government. Therefore, it is difficult to check this news.
I agree that leaders should make frequent appearances, but only because they must give an explanation about their resolutions not to show their state of health. I think that medical records must be private. People should judge their leaders because of how they manage the country, not for their medical records. The fact that, for instance, Donald Trump is not wearing the mask because he doesn´t want to show signs of weakness. In my opinion, it is foolish behavior.
You did well in sharing your opinions on this topic. Keep it up. Here is one sentence you can write a bit better:
On the other hand, other ones are writing that he is protecting himself from coronavirus
,and even they are speculating over his death.> On the other hand, other ones are writing that he is protecting himself from coronavirus and they are even speculating that he is dead.
You did it! Until your next comments.
1. Speculations are about Kim Jong-un’s health.
2. Because there is no information about his health.
3. Of course, it is part of their job. I think that when you are running a country there are many people you have to interact with (native and from abroad) and many public acts where the country has to be represented by the top authority.
4. I think they should have medical tests regularly, but I think they should not be public to avoid speculations and inestability, because this could be very hazard in some fields, mainly economy.
5. I think it is a very stressing position, that occasionaly may require sleep very few hours and make stressing efforts so I think having a good state of health could be important.
Thank you for writing your answers for this lesson. Look at a more specific word you can use here:
and many public acts where the country has to be represented
> and many public affairs where the country has to be represented
Keep going in practicing your writing skills.
The North Korea leader has not appeared in public since last 11th April. This fact has provoked different types of speculations mainly to the most interested countries: USA, South Korea and Japon, such as he has been underwent to a heart surgery and his current state is grave. Others say that he is protecting himself from the covid-19 at a resort located at the east of the country. Actually, it is difficult to know which the truth is since it is a very hermetic country regarding the information they release and no always these are true. It is necessary to do a double check because the leader does not intend to inform about the reality of his country.
I agree that the leaders do public appearances just when they need to say something important which can affect to the citizens or when it is required by the population. I am not interested in the minor details about their lifes whenever they do not be perjudicial to the country.
What it is important is that the leader has a good health because this job needs strong people capable of managing stressful situations and continuous changes.
Good job writing your thoughts on this matter. Please take a look at a better way of saying the following expressions:
The North Korea leader
> The North Korean leader
This fact has provoked different types of speculations
> This fact has caused different types of speculations
such as he has been underwent
toa heart surgery> Some speculations are that he has undergone a heart surgery.
and no always these are true
> and often times, the said information are not always true
It is necessary to
do adouble check> It is necessary to double check
about the reality of his country
> about the truth on what is really happening in his country
Keep up the good work!