U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have agreed to increase cooperation between their two countries on nuclear energy. Mr. Bush has welcomed India into the nuclear elite. Since India exploded its first nuclear device in 1974, relations with America have been difficult. More nuclear testing in 1998 led to sanctions being imposed by the U.S. Relations soured further after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when America provided weapons to India’s rival Pakistan.

Mr. Bush welcomed the new talks as a breakthrough. He said: “Today, we announce the completion of the next steps in our strategic partnership [to] help us further enhance our cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy.” Mr. Bush promised American help in India’s civilian nuclear program, even though it has nuclear weapons. India refuses to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr. Bush stated: “as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states.”

WARM-UPS

1. NUCLEAR CLUB: How safe or how dangerous are the countries in the nuclear club (those possessing nuclear weapons)?

America United Kingdom France China Israel (suspected member)

India Pakistan Russia North Korea

2. QUICK DEBATE: Students A think nuclear energy is too dangerous. Students B think nuclear energy is essential. Try to persuade each other to switch sides.

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

George W. Bush / Manmohan Singh / nuclear energy / India / Pakistan / Non-Proliferation Treaty / Iran / North Korea

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. INDIA: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with India. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. NUCLEAR OPINIONS: In pairs / groups, discuss the following opinions on surveillance:

1. Nuclear energy is essential for our future.
2. Accidents such as Chernobyl make nuclear power stations too dangerous.
3. Nuclear energy is clean, cheap and renewable.
4. Alternative sources of energy need more funding, not nuclear energy.
5. George W. Bush should also welcome Pakistan into the nuclear club.
6. One day, terrorists will steal enough plutonium to make their own bombs.
7. George W. Bush should not deal with countries that have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
8. Any country has a right to develop nuclear technology.
9. A nuclear bomb will never be used in war.
10. People should be allowed to vote for whether or not they want nuclear power.

Change partners and share what you talked about.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	The U.S. accepts India has a right to nuclear technology.	T / F
b.	This is a dramatic reversal of U.S. policy.	T / F
c.	US-Indo relations have been very close since 1974.	T / F
d.	India and Pakistan cooperate closely on nuclear technology.	T / F
e.	Mr. Bush said the new understanding was a major achievement.	T / F
f.	Mr. Bush promised India help in upgrading its nuclear weapons.	T / F
g.	India has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.	T / F
h.	Mr. Bush said India is responsible with its nuclear technology.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	increase	endorse
b.	energy	greeted
c.	exploded	placed
d.	imposed	step forward
e.	rival	heighten
f.	welcomed	improve
g.	breakthrough	country
h.	enhance	enemy
i.	sign	power
j.	state	detonated

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	agreed to increase cooperation	nuclear device
b.	Mr. Bush has welcomed India	talks as a breakthrough
c.	exploded its first	advantages as other such states
d.	led to sanctions	into the nuclear elite
e.	India’s rival	Non-Proliferation Treaty
f.	Mr. Bush welcomed the new	Pakistan
g.	strategic	our cooperation
h.	further enhance	between their two countries
i.	India refuses to sign the nuclear	being imposed
j.	acquire the same benefits and	partnership

WHILE READING / LISTENING

ODD WORD OUT: Put a line through the word in the groups of three in italics that does not fit.

U.S. welcomes India to nuclear elite

U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have agreed to increase / heighten / rise cooperation between their two countries on nuclear energy / explosions / power. Mr. Bush has welcomed / greeted / accepted India into the nuclear elite. Since India exploded / detonated / exiled its first nuclear device in 1974, relations with America have been difficult. More nuclear testing in 1998 led to sanctions being imposed by the U.S. Relations soured / worsened / sweetened further after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when America provided weapons to India’s rival Pakistan.

Mr. Bush welcomed the new talks as a breakthrough. He said: “Today, we announce the completion of the next steps / stairs / stages in our strategic partnership [to] help us further chance / improve / enhance our cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy.” Mr. Bush promised American help in India’s civilian nuclear program, even though it has nuclear arms / weapons / legs. India refuses to sign / ink / pen the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr. Bush stated: “as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire / receive / pay the same benefits and advantages as other such states.”

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘nuclear’ and ‘energy’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. ODD WORD OUT: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…? How were the “odd” words related to the correct ones?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT NUCLEAR ENERGY SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about nuclear energy.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

increase welcomed exploded sanctions soured rival

breakthrough steps enhance refuses responsible advantages

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you saw this headline?
2. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
3. What do you think of the U.S.-Indo agreement?
4. Do you think America should also cooperate with Pakistan on nuclear energy?
5. Should George W. Bush welcoming a state that refuses to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?
6. Is this a foreign policy success for President Bush?
7. What do you think Iran, Pakistan and North Korea will think of the new cooperation on nuclear technology between the USA and India?
8. Do you think China will feel uneasy at the new US-Indo relations?
9. Why do you think Mr. Bush has taken a U-turn in U.S. policy?
10. Do you think India is an important partner for the USA?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What did you think about what you read?
3. Do you think India will keep its promise not to test nuclear missiles?
4. What do you think of nuclear energy?
5. Is the international sharing of nuclear technology a good thing?
6. Would you move if a nuclear power station was built in your town?
7. How safe do you think nuclear energy is?
8. Do you think nuclear fuel is better than fossil fuels?
9. Do you think every country should be allowed to develop nuclear energy and nuclear weapons?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

NUCLEAR CLUB: You are the head of the new International Nuclear Club. You must decide which countries can join the nuclear club and have or keep a nuclear capability. Discuss each country’s need for nuclear technology, the dangers to the world of each country having nuclear technology and the fears other countries might have.

COUNTRIES	NEED	DANGERS	FEARS
Iran
North Korea
America
Israel
Brazil
India

Change partners and share what you discussed earlier. Make decisions on which countries can and cannot join the International Nuclear Club.

Return to your original partners and compare which countries you accepted and rejected. State the reasons behind your decisions.

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

U.S. welcomes India to nuclear elite

U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have ______ __ increase cooperation between their two countries on nuclear energy. Mr. Bush has welcomed India into the nuclear _____. Since India exploded its first nuclear ______ in 1974, relations with America have been difficult. More nuclear testing in 1998 led to _________ being imposed by the U.S. Relations ______ _______ after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when America provided weapons to India’s ______ Pakistan.

Mr. Bush welcomed the new talks as a ____________. He said: “Today, we announce the completion of the next steps in our __________ partnership [to] help us further _______ our cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy.” Mr. Bush promised American help in India’s ________ nuclear program, even though it has nuclear weapons. India refuses to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr. Bush stated: “as a ___________ ______ with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states.”

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the USA. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. NUCLEAR ENERGY: Make a poster on the pros and cons of nuclear energy. Show your poster to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all have similar ideas?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush. Tell him what you think of his decision to accept India as a legitimate nuclear power. Read your letter to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all write about similar things?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. T

c. F

d. F

e. T

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	increase	heighten
b.	energy	power
c.	exploded	detonated
d.	imposed	placed
e.	rival	enemy
f.	welcomed	greeted
g.	breakthrough	step forward
h.	enhance	improve
i.	sign	endorse
j.	state	country

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	agreed to increase cooperation	between their two countries
b.	Mr. Bush has welcomed India	into the nuclear elite
c.	exploded its first	nuclear device
d.	led to sanctions	being imposed
e.	India’s rival	Pakistan
f.	Mr. Bush welcomed the new	talks as a breakthrough
g.	strategic	partnership
h.	further enhance	our cooperation
i.	India refuses to sign the nuclear	Non-Proliferation Treaty
j.	acquire the same benefits and	advantages as other such states

ODD WORD OUT:

U.S. welcomes India to nuclear elite

U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have agreed to increase / heighten / rise cooperation between their two countries on nuclear energy / explosions / power. Mr. Bush has welcomed / greeted / accepted India into the nuclear elite. Since India exploded / detonated / exiled its first nuclear device in 1974, relations with America have been difficult. More nuclear testing in 1998 led to sanctions being imposed by the U.S. Relations soured / worsened / sweetened further after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when America provided weapons to India’s rival Pakistan.

Mr. Bush welcomed the new talks as a breakthrough. He said: “Today, we announce the completion of the next steps / stairs / stages in our strategic partnership [to] help us further chance / improve / enhance our cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy.” Mr. Bush promised American help in India’s civilian nuclear program, even though it has nuclear arms / weapons / legs. India refuses to sign / ink / pen the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr. Bush stated: “as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire / receive / pay the same benefits and advantages as other such states.”

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