This exercise is linked to the article: The Swiss commitment to common sense.
Divide students into two groups and instruct each group to find out:
A, What common features does Slovakia have with Switzerland?
B, What are the differences between Slovakia and Switzerland?
Then, joining forces try to put together what connects us and what divides us. Write it down on the board.
The initial part – 15 minutes in total
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Then read aloud some selected parts from the interview with the Swiss Ambassador. Students can take turns reading the excerpts. Suggestions: You can read, e.g., the introduction until the first question, and then the third question concerning education and the fourth question about referendum.
The second part – 10 minutes
Students can write down words they could not understand.
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Then focus specifically on the eighth question, concerning tourism in Switzerland, and read it and translate with students. During this process, they can write as many notes as possible. You can write down the words they don’t know on the board.
This part – 5 minutes
Watch this video (Winners and losers in Swiss tourism) with the students. Instruct the students that they should try to notice which information mentioned by the Swiss Ambassador in the answer about tourism corresponds with the information offered in the video.
4 minutes
After having watched the video, try to identify which they were (strong Swiss franc, new market, events)
3 minutes
If there is time left, you can have a look, together with the students, at the questions which appear in the interview and encourage them to pose more questions in an effort to learn even more about the issues mentioned. Students can also study the following questions from the point of view of structure.
Why has Switzerland decided to support this project?
What are your concerns regarding the legislation?
What are, in your opinion, the preconditions necessary for a country to use referendums successfully?
Which are the areas of potential cooperation?
How could, in your opinion, Slovakia improve its own promotion?
(Important words: Why, What, Which, When, How)
This exercise is published as part of Spectator College, a programme created by The Slovak Spectator with the support of Sugarbooks, a distributor of foreign language books.
