ESL Podcast 895 - Government Reactions to Protests
to rise up against - to rebel; to fight against; to start a revolution
Why didn't the slaves rise up against their owners?
dictator - a political leader who has complete or total control and does not consult or listen to others
The best CEOs always ask for others to be involved and never act like dictators within their company.
to rally - to gather and assemble, especially to show support for or opposition to something
The university students are rallying against gun violence.
media blackout - a period of time when the media (newspapers, television, magazines, radio, and websites) are not allowed to discuss or report on a particular topic
During a hostage situation, a media blackout can help to make sure that the bad guys don't get the attention they're hoping to get.
protester - a person who is fighting against a social issue, usually by standing in a public area and shouting or singing while holding up signs
It's hard to believe Shannon was a protestor in the 1960s. She seems so quiet and conservative now.
to clash - to fight against someone; to oppose someone, especially with physical force or violence
What can the community do to prevent gangs from clashing with each other and causing violence in the neighborhood?
to put down - to make something stop, or at least to make it calmer and less intense; to minimize or reduce the intensity of something
The army used many different types of weapons to put down the rebellion.
violent - with a lot of physical force that hurts or kills other people
Does playing violent video games make teenagers more likely to hurt other people in real life?
it's early days yet - a phrase used to show that it is too soon to make a judgment or a decision, and one must wait to see what will happen
The red team seems to be winning, but it's early days yet and anything could happen.
tear gas - gas that is sprayed to irritate a person's eyes, making them red, painful, and tearful (wet)
The police wore special masks and sprayed tear gas into the home to try to force the intruder to come out.
to fire into the crowd - to use a gun to send bullets into an area where there are many people, without aiming at anyone in particular, but trying to hurt or kill people
The shooter fired into the crowd, hitting women and small children.
tyranny - cruel, unfair, and mean governance; an abuse of power
Ingrid wants to emigrate to avoid the tyranny in her home country.
to rule with an iron fist - to govern or control a population very strictly and sternly, punishing people for breaking the law, without making any exceptions
In theory, it might make sense for the university dean to rule with an iron fist, but in reality, she has to learn to bend the rules based on each situation.
to use any means necessary - to do whatever needs to be done; to not place limits on one's actions
The secret agents were instructed to use any means necessary to get the password, even if they had to torture or kill people.
to stay in power - to remain in control of something, especially in a leadership position or in politics
Adam loves being the chairperson and would like to stay in power forever.
to have a fighting chance - to have the possibility of winning; to have a chance of succeeding
As long as we have a fighting chance, we can't give up.
to topple - to overthrow; to bring an end to a government; to take power away from a political leader
What toppled the Roman Empire?
ruthless - willing to do anything to get what one wants; not putting any limits on one's actions, even if that means hurting others
Selena was ruthless in her pursuit of the award. She lied, cheated, and stole to make sure the committee would choose her.