BRAZIL PROTESTERS, POLICE CLASH IN FIRST

GENERAL STRIKE IN DECADES

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA – Brazilian protesters torched busses,

clashed with police in several cities and marched on President Michel
Temer’s Sao Paulo residence on Friday amid the nation’s first general
strike in more than two decades.
Unions called the strike to voice anger over Temer’s efforts to push
austerity measures through congress, bills that would weaken labour
laws and trim a generous pension system.
The blackened hulls of at least eight burned commuter busses littered
central Rio de Janeiro as police launched rounds of tear gas and rubber
bullets at masked protesters.
Despite the protests, Temer and members of his centre-right
government denounced the strike as a failure. They said that the unions’
targeting of public transport meant that people who wanted to go to
work were unable to.
Unions said the strike was a success and pointed to adherence by
millions of workers in key sectors like automakers, petroleum, schools
and even banking. Strikes hit all 26 states and the Federal District.
“It is important for us to send a message to the government that the
country is watching what they are doing, taking away workers’ rights,”
said Marco Clemente, head of the 4,000-member radio and TV workers
union in Brasilia, leading a picket line outside the headquarters of state
broadcaster EBC.
Temer, who was in Brasilia, denounced the violence used by some
protesters. He said in an emailed statement that “small groups” had
blocked the population from using public transport and said that “work
toward the modernisation of national legislation will continue.”
Brazil’s last general strike took place in 1996, in protests over
privatisations and labour reforms under former President Fernando
Henrique Cardoso.
Despite Friday’s action, many analysts said the strike would have little
immediate impact on the president’s austerity push, and that the bills
are still expected to pass given Temer’s continued support among
lawmakers.
BRAZILIANS ANGRY AT REFORMS
Temer’s reforms have deeply angered many Brazilians and he is
weighed down by a 10% approval rating for his government.
He took over last year when former leader Dilma Rousseff, whom
Temer served as vice president, was impeached for breaking budgetary
rules. Her supporters denounced the act as a ‘coup’ orchestrated by
Temer and his allies in a bid to derail a sweeping corruption
investigation.
“This is not a government that was elected with these proposals,” said
Bernard Costa, a 27-year-old medical student protesting in Sao Paulo.
“These reforms are showing people that this government is neither
legitimate nor representative.”
Temer has proposed a minimum age for retirement, which would
compel many employees to work longer to receive a pension and reduce
payouts in a country were many workers retire with full benefits in their
50s.
The 24-hour strike started after midnight on Friday, ahead of a long
weekend with Labour Day on Monday.

VOCABULARY:
TRIM – APARAR.
BLACKENED HULLS – LATARIA ENEGRECIDA
LITTERED – ENCHERAM

SECOND PART – LISTENING

http://www.esl-lab.com/cook/cookrd1.htm#top

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

What does the conversation imply about the mother?

A. She is busy at work.
B. She had to run some errands.
C. She is resting in bed.

2. What is the first problem the girl notices about her father's cooking?
A. He is not following the recipe.
B. He is missing the right pan to cook the pizza.
C. He is using the directions for a different food.

3. How does the girl know her father doesn't like the pizza he
prepared?
A. He tells her honestly what he thinks about it.
B. She can tell by his non-verbal expressions.
C. He throws it away after making it.

4. What problem did the girl NOT mention about the pizza?
A. It was too salty.
B. It was burned.
C. It was too chewy.

5. What do they end up doing for lunch?

A. They decide to go out to eat.

B. They eat something different at home.
C. They eat at friend's house.