Unit 6: Gender Equality (reading)

UNIT 6: GENDER EQUALITY (p2)

Exercise 1: Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage. Use only one word in
each space.

incomes service earnings bartenders occupation

workforce compared gender inequality reinforcement

Gender Equality in the United States of America

In the United States, the gender earnings ratio suggests that there has been an increase in
women's earnings (1) ____________________ to men. Men’s plateau in earnings began after the 1970s,
allowing for the increase in women's wages to close the ratio between (2) ____________________.
Despite the smaller ratio between men and women's wages, disparity still exists. Census data
suggests that women's earnings are 71 percent of men's (3) ____________________ in 1999.

As women entered the (4) ____________________ in larger numbers since the 1960s, occupations
have become segregated based on the level of femininity or masculinity associated with each
(5)____________________. Census data suggests that some occupations have become more gender
integrated (mail carriers, (6) ____________________, bus drivers, and real estate agents). In other areas,
however, the reverse is true: occupations such as teachers, nurses, secretaries, and librarians have
become female-dominated while occupations including architects, electrical engineers, and airplane
pilots remain predominately male in composition. Women seem to occupy jobs in the (7)
____________________ sector at higher rates then men. Women's overrepresentation in these jobs as
opposed to jobs that require managerial work acts as a (8) ____________________ of women and men
into traditional (9) ____________________ role that might influence persisting gender (10) ________________.

Exercise 2. Choose the best answers to the following questions.

Sonita Alizadeh was born and grew up in Afghanistan until she was eight when the family
fled to Iran because of war. Sonita remembers her childhood of hunger, aerial bombardment and
Taliban fighters. In Iran, she couldn't get a formal education because of not having proper
identification. She had to clean bathrooms and learnt the basics of how to read and write herself.

Sonita watched music videos on TV to kill her free time and learnt the styles of Iranian
rapper Yas and US rapper Eminem. She started to write songs about her life as a refugee, child
worker and especially a female. Other songs are about her girl friends with broken spirits after
arguing and begging their parents not to sell them. Her songs have empowered her friends to
protest against forced marriages which account for 60-80 per cent of Afghan marriages.

Things were all right until they weren't. Sonita's mother asked her to come back to
Afghanistan as she needed 7,000 dowry to prepare for Sonita's brother's wedding. Her mother
thought she could sell Sonita for a man with 9,000 dowry. Devastated by her mother's wish, Sonita

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fought by making a music video "Daughters for Sale" with the help of an Iranian filmmaker. Thanks
to the video, the Strongheart Group contacted her and gave her a scholarship in the US where she
now can go to school and remain single.

1. What did Sonita do to earn money in Iran?

A. She wrote songs and rapped.
B. She cleaned bathrooms.
C. She made music videos.
1. What is TRUE about Sonita's songs?
A. They were banned in Iran.
B. They have given girls strength to protest against arranged marriages.
C. They're about her love of her homeland Afghanistan.
2. How did Sonita feel when her mother wanted to sell her?
A. Extremely upset and shocked
B. Calm and indifferent
C. Angry and hateful
3. Where does Sonita live now?
A. Afghanistan B. Iran C. The USA

Exercise 3. Choose the word in the box to complete the text.

right unpaid inequalities vital discrimination

exploitation parity legislation remarkable multiplier

Ending all forms of (1) __________________ against women and girls is not only a basic human
(2) __________________ ,but it also crucial to accelerating sustainable development. It has been proven
time and again, that empowering women and girls has a (3) __________________ effect, and helps drive
up economic growth and development across the board.

Since 2000, UNDP, together with our UN partners and the rest of the global community, has
made gender equality central to our work. We have seen (4) __________________ progress since then.
More girls are now in school compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender (5)
__________________ in primary education. Women now make up to 41 percent of paid workers outside
of agriculture, compared to 35 percent in 1990.

The SDGs aim to build on these achievements to ensure that there is an end to
discrimination against women and girls everywhere. There are still huge (6) __________________ in the
labour market in some regions, with women systematically denied equal access to jobs. Sexual
violence and (7) __________________ , the unequal division of (8) __________________ care and domestic
work, and discrimination in public office, all remain huge barriers.

Affording women equal rights to economic resources such as land and property are (9)
__________________ targets to realizing this goal. So is ensuring universal access to sexual and

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reproductive health. Today there are more women in public office than ever before, but
encouraging women leaders will help strengthen policies and (10) __________________ for greater
gender equality.

Exercise 4. Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the
following passage.

GENDER ROLES IN PARENTING AND MARRIAGE

Gender roles develop (1) ____ internalisation and identification during childhood. Sigmund
Freud suggested that biology determines gender identity through (2) ____ with either the mother or
the father. While some people agree with Freud, others (3) ____ that the development of the
“gendered self” is not completely determined by biology, but rather the interactions that one has
with the primary caregiver(s).

From birth, parents (4) ____ differently with children depending on their sex, and through
this interaction parents can instill different values or traits in their children on the basis of what is
(5) ____ for their sex. This internalisation of gender norms includes the choice of toys (“feminine”
toys often reinforce interaction, nurturing, and closeness, “masculine” toys often reinforce
independence and competitiveness) that a parents give to their children. Education also plays an
(6) ____ role in the creation of gender norms.

Gender roles that are created in childhood may permeate throughout life and help to
structure (7) ____ and marriage, especially in relation to work in and outside home. Despite the
increasing number of women in the labor (8) ____, women are still responsible for the majority of
domestic chores and childcare. While women split their time between work and care of the home,
men in many societies are pressured into being the primary economic supporter of the home. (9)
____ the fact that different households may divide chores more evenly, there is evidence supporting
the fact that women have retained the primary caregiver role within familial life despite
contributing economically to the household. This evidence suggest that women (10) ____ work
outside the home often put an extra 18 hours a week doing household or childcare related chores as
opposed to men who average 12 minutes a day in childcare activities.

1. A. with B. through C. upon D. across

2. A. health B. fitness C. identification D. balance
3. A. argue B. claim C. discuss D. debate
4. A. acquaint B. relate C. interact D. make
5. A. confusing B. passive C. native D. normative
6. A. integral B. exact C. fact D. true
7. A. offspring B. family C. parenting D. parents
8. A. force B. power C. strength D. health
9. A. without B. in C. Despite D. on
10. A. which B. who C. whose D. that

Exercise 5. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

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Today, more and more women are actively participating in social activities both in urban
and rural areas. Specifically, they have shined brightly in even many fields commonly regarded as
the man's areas such as business, scientific research and social management. In some areas, women
even show more overwhelming power than men. The image of contemporary Vietnamese women
with creativeness, dynamism, success has become popular in Vietnam's society. The fact reveals
that the gender gap has been remarkably narrowed and women enjoy many more opportunities to
pursue their social careers and obtain success, contributing to national socio-economic
development. According to Ms, Le Thi Quy, Director of the Gender/and Development Research
Centre under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University, gender
equity in Vietnam has reached a high level over the past decade. The rate of Vietnamese women
becoming National Assembly members from the 9th term to the 11th term increased 8.7%, bringing
the proportion of Vietnamese women in authority to 27.3%, the highest rate in Southeast Asia.
There is no big gap in the level of literacy and schooling between men and women. Women account
for about 37% of university and college graduates, 19.9% of doctoral degree holders and 6.7% of
professors and associate professors.

The legitimate rights of women and children are ensured more than ever before with more
complete legal documents including laws, conventions and national action plans, among which the
laws on "gender equity" mark a turning-point in the empowerment of women.

Mass media also highlights the continued success of women in every field and honors their
great importance in modern society, helping to do away with outdated perceptions about
traditional women's duties. Many projects on reproductive health care, children protection, and
family income improvement jointly conducted by various mass organizations, state agencies and
non-governmental organizations have created favorable conditions for women to become involved.

1. The text is about ____.

A. the changes in the status of Vietnamese women
B. the Vietnamese women's liberation
C. the Vietnamese sex discrimination
D. the discrimination that Vietnamese women have to face
2. Which adjective is not used to describe Vietnamese women?
A. successful B. creative C. narrow D. dynamic
3. According to the data in the text, ____.
A. Vietnamese women do not take part in authority
B. the level of literacy and schooling between men and women in Vietnam is the same
C. there are more women in authority in Vietnam than those in any other countries in
Southeast Asia
D. there are no female professors in Vietnam
4. Vietnamese women ____.
A. have fewopportunities to develop their intellectual ability
B. have only shined brightly in doing housework
C. cannot do any scientific research
D. are ensured their rights with laws, conventions and national action plans

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5. Which is not mentioned in the text as a project to create condition for Vietnamese women?

A. Traditional women's duties B. Reproductive health care

C. Children protection D. Family income improvement

Exercise 6. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct
word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered bla

THE SUFFRAGETTES

England has had a democracy for a long time. Until 1918, however, women were not allowed (106)
____ in it. The right to vote is called ‘suffrage’ and the English women who fought (107) ____ and won
that right were called “suffragettes”.

The suffragette movement was led by Emmiline Pankhurst. In 1903, she (108) ____ an organization
called the Women’s Social and Politica Union (WSPU). Members of the WSPU went to the Prime
Minister to (109) ____ suffrage, but he told them to “be patient”. The suffragettes were not (110)
____.They wanted change immediately.

The fight for the vote for women became (111) ____ and sometimes violent. In 1908, two
suffragettes (112) ____ themselves to the fence outside the Prime Minister's front door! They were
arrested and spent weeks in jail. In 1912, hundreds of women (113) ____ the streets of London. They
broke shop windows and even threw Stones (114) ____ the Prime Minister’s house. Thousands of
suffragettes were (115) ____ for this and similar actions over the years.

World War I (1914-1918) proved to be an important (116) ____ for the women’s movement. Women
contributed so much to the war effort as nurses', factory workers, and at other jobs that more
people became convinced of their right to vote. Women were (117) ____ given that right in January,
1918.

1. A. to vote B. for vote C. in voting D. vote

2. A. with B. for C. against D. to

3. A. did B. made C. founded D. found

4. A. demand B. ask C. want D. raise

5. A. satisfaction B. satisfactory C. satisfy D. satisfied

6. A. intensive B. intense C. intend D. intention

7. A. trained B.changed C. chained D. charged

8. A. took to B. took in C. took up D. took over

9. A. onto B. on C. over D. at

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10. A. jail B. jailed C. jailing D. on jail

11. A. eventual B. even C. event D. eventually

12. A. finally B. final C. initial D. initially

Exercise 7. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions.

For Catherine Lumby, deciding to take on the role of breadwinner in her relationship was not a
difficult choice. When she discovered she was pregnant with her first child, she had just been
offered a demanding new role as Director of the Media and Communications department at the
University of Sydney. But she didn't see this as an obstacle, and was prepared to use childcare when
the children were old enough. It came, therefore, as a surprise to Lumby and her husband Derek
that, after the birth of their son, they couldn’t actually bear the thought of putting him into
childcare tor nine hours a day. As she was the one with the secure job, the role of primary care-
giver fell to Derek, who was writing scripts for television. This arrangement continued for the next
four years, w ith Derek working from home and caring for both of their sons. He returned to full-
time work earlier this year.

Whilst Lumby and her husband are by no means the only Australians making such a role reversal,
research suggests that they are in the minority. In a government-funded survey in 2001, only 5.5
percent of couples in the 30-54 year age group saw the women working either part- or full-time
while the men were unemployed.

The situation is likely to change, according to the CEO of Relationships Australia, Anne Hollonds.
She suggests that this is due to several reasons, including the number of highly educated women in
the workforce and changing social patterns and expectations. However, she warns that for couples
involved in role-switching, there are many potential difficulties to be overcome. For men whose
self-esteem is connected to their jobs and the income it provides to the family, a major change of
thinking is required. It also requires women to reassess, particularly with regard to domestic or
child-rearing decisions, and they may have to learn to deal with the guilt of not always being there
at key times for their children. Being aware of these issues can make operating in non-traditional
roles a lot easier.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Men being the bread winners B. Traditional roles of women
C. Women being the home makers D. Reversed roles between men and women
2. Catherine and her husband decided that Catherine would be the primary earner because
____.
A. she had a badly paid job B. she was not good at childcare
C. she had a reliable job D. she wanted her husband to stay at home
3. In paragraph 1, the word “him" refers to ____.
A. their son B. her husband C. Derek D. her colleague
4. They decided that Derek would look after their son because they ____.
A. couldn’t afford to put their child in care for long periods each day

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B. didn’t want to put their child in care for long periods each day
C. thought childcare was not safe enough for their children
D. worried about their son’s health problems
5. In paragraph 2, the word “reversal" is closest in meaning to ____.
A. stability B. modification C. rehearsal D. switch
6. One reason tor a change in the number of men staying home is ____.
A. the stability in the number of highly-educated women who are working
B. the fall in the number of highly-educated women who are working
C. the rise in the number of highly-educated women who are working
D. the fluctuation in the number of highly-educated women who are working

Exercise 8. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions.

In 1812 a young man called James Barry finished his studies in medicine at Edinburgh University.
After graduating he moved to London where he studied surgery at Guy’s Hospital. After that the
popular young doctor joined the army and over the next forty years had a brilliant career as an
army medical officer, working in many far-off countries and fighting successfully for improved
conditions in hospitals. It was a remarkable career - made even more remarkable by the discovery
upon his death that he was in fact a she, James Barry was a woman.

No one was more surprised at this discovery than her many friends and colleagues. It was true that
throughout her life people had remarked upon her small size, slight build and smooth pale face. One
officer had even objected to her appointment as a medical assistant because he could not believe
that Barry was old enough to have graduated in medicine. But no one had ever seriously suggested
that Barry was anything other than a man.

By all accounts Barry was a pleasant and good-humoured person with high cheekbones, reddish
hair, a long nose and large eyes. She was well-liked by her patients and had a reputation for great
speed in surgery - an important quality at a time when operations were performed without
anaesthetic. She was also quick tempered. When she was working in army hospitals and prisons
overseas, the terrible conditions often made her very angry. She fought hard against injustice and
cruelty and her temper sometimes got her into trouble with the authority. After a long career
overseas, she returned to London where she died in 1865. While the undertaker’s assistant was
preparing her body for burial, she discovered that James Barry was a woman.

So why did James Barry deceive people for so long? At that time a woman could not study medicine,
work as a doctor or join the army. Perhaps Barry had always wante to do these things and
pretending to be a man was the only way to make it possible. Perhaps she was going to tell the truth
one day, but didn’t because she was enjoying her life as a man too much. Whatever the reason,
Barry's deception was successful. By the time it was discovered that she had been the first woman
in Britain to qualify as a doctor, it was too late for the authorities to do anything about it.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

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A. Gender discrimination among doctors in London

B. James Barry pretended to be a man to become a doctor
C. James Barry and her career overseas
D. Punishment for James Barry’s deception
2. In paragraph 1, the word “remarkable" is closest in meaning to ____.
A. noticeable B. commented C. rewarding D. focused
3. According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT .
A. all people were surprised at the discovery
B. people remarked upon her small size
C. many people suspected that she was a woman
D. people noticed her slight build and smooth pale face
4. In paragraph 2, the word “objected" is closest in meaning to ____.
A. shared B. agreed C. protected D. protested
5. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about James Barry?
A. She could control her temper perfectly. B. She lost her temper easily.
C. She never lost her temper. D. She was calm and well-behaved.
6. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about James Barry?
A. She performed her operations quickly. B. She performed her operations slowly.
C. She performed her operations carelessly. D. Her patients did not like her very much.
7. In paragraph 4, the word “it" refers to ____.
A. Barry's choice B. Barry’s career C. Barry’s deception D. Barry's reputation

Exercise 9. Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct response to each of the following
exchanges.

Two friends Nam and Lan are talking about the topic of gender equality.

1. Nam: “Do you think that there are any jobs which only men or only women can or should
do?”
Lan: “____”
A. Men are better at certain jobs than women.
B. I agree. This really depends on their physical strengths and preferences.
C. Women and men should cooperate with each other.
D. Men are often favoured in certain jobs.
2. Lan: “Would you rather work for a male or female boss?”
Nam: “____”
A. I’ve been self-employed for five years. B. I don’t like working under time pressure.
C. I prefer a male boss. D. I can’t stand the women gossips.
3. Nam: “Would you rather have a male or a female secretary?”
Lan: “____”
A. I want to have a female one.
B. The number of female secretaries is increasing.
C. The number of female secretaries is staying the same.

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D. Female secretaries outnumber male ones.

4. Lan: “How do the roles of men and women differ in your family?”
Nam: “____”
A. Most of men don’t want to stay at home.
B. Women are changing their roles.
C. Most men are very bossy and arrogant.
D. Men are breadwinners and women are caregivers.
5. Nam: “Which gender, do you think, works harder: male or female?
Lan: “____”
A. I think it depends on individuals rather than gender.
B. Males like high position jobs more than females.
C. Females prefer to have a stable job.
D. Both males and females are responsible for childcare.
6. Nam: “Which gender spends most of the time shopping?”
Lan: “____”
A. Shopping has always been my hobby.
B. More and more people are shopping online these days.
C. Both genders like shopping.
D. It depends on who keeps the money.
7. Nam: “Which gender is most likely to ask strangers for directions?”
Lan: “____”
A. Men sometimes ask strangers for directions as well.
B. Women are because their sense of space and directions is worse.
C. Both men and women can use GPS these days.
D. GPS is very useful to help car drivers.
8. Nam: “Why are there generally so few women in top positions?”
Lan: “____”
A. Top positions are the highest in career ladder. B. Top positions are hard to climb to.
C. I guess men tend to make better leaders. D. Women also want to climb to top
positions.
9. Nam: “Which gender tends to live longer?”
Lan: “____”
A. Women tend to live 5 years longer than men. B. Women like a peaceful and quiet life.
C. Men want to live an active life. D. Both men and women tend to live longer.
10. Nam: “As women live longer than men, should they retire later?”
Lan: “____”
A. When women are retired, they want to enjoy life.
B. When men are retired, they still want to continue working.
C. The government is still discussing the retirement age.
D. I don't think so. Physically, they are weaker and they need to retire earlie
11. Lan: “What behaviours are only seen as appropriate for women?
Nam: “____”
A. Women are getting more and more independent.

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B. In some places, women still suffer gender discrimination.

C. I don’t really know. Maybe gossiping and crying in public places.
D. Gender discrimination should be abolished.
12. Lan: “What behaviours are only seen as appropriate for men?”
Nam: “____”
A. What are men’s appropriate behaviours?
B. There are many, such as offering to pay for meals or drinks.
C. Men, in general, don’t have appropriate behaviours.
D. Men don’t want other people to criticize them.
13. Lan: “What clothing is appropriate for women but not for men?”
Nam: “____”
A. They are long dresses and skirts. B. Men are also changing their fashion styles.
C. Many clothes now are uni-sex. D. Men should never wear women’s clothes.
14. Nam: “Which gender is better at team sports?”
Lan: “____”
A. Women are better at individual sports. B. Both men and women can do sports.
C. Physically, men are stronger than women. D. Certainly, men are better.
15. Lan: “Which gender do you think studies most?”
Nam: “____”
A. Studying is quite long lasting.
B. This depends more on individuals rather than genders.
C. Gender discrimination in education is a hot debate.
D. Female students should also be allowed to further their studies.

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