People in Iceland Say NO to the EU 

B1 — Intermediate 

Icelanders voted against restarting talks to join the EU. Most voters did not support the idea. They want Iceland to stay outside the EU. The vote shows that EU membership is still a debated issue in Iceland.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about Iceland rejecting EU accession talks.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/people-in-iceland-say-no-to-the-eu-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “national referendum“ mean? “Icelanders have voted against resuming membership talks with the EU in a national referendum.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
2. What does “to bring something forward” mean? “Prime Minister’s government had brought the vote forward due to global geopolitical tensions.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.
3. What does “to fail to excite someone” mean? “In contrast, the YES campaign ran a very technical campaign that failed to excite the public.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did the NO vote win in the referendum in Iceland?
2. Do you think Iceland should join the EU? Why or why not?
3. What are some benefits and disadvantages of being an EU member?
4. Do you think people should vote on important national decisions?
5. Can a small country be successful without joining the EU? Why?