International Women's Day · Worksheet C1
Read the passage and answer the questions. (CEFR B1–B2)
1For many people in Russia, March 8 feels like a second Mother's Day. Men line up at flower markets, and offices hold small parties for female staff. Yet the day was born as a political event, organized by socialist women who demanded the vote and better working conditions. Critics argue that the flowers and chocolates have turned a day of struggle into a day of polite compliments.
2Even the history of the day has been rewritten. For decades, books claimed that it honored a march by New York garment workers in 1857. Historians found no evidence of that march, and the story appears to have first been printed in a French newspaper in 1955. Some researchers suggest that it gave the day an American origin, distant from its Soviet image during the Cold War.
3The debate matters because the problems are far from solved. According to the UN, women worldwide hold only 64 percent of the legal rights that men have. In Japan, which ranked 118th out of 148 countries in a 2025 gender gap report, the question is especially sharp. Perhaps the best answer is to keep both faces of the day: gratitude and pressure for change.
What is the main idea of the passage?
According to historians, where did the story of the 1857 march first appear?
According to the UN, how do women's legal rights compare with men's around the world?
Why might an American origin story have been useful during the Cold War?
In paragraph 1, the word "compliments" in "a day of polite compliments" is closest in meaning to
What does the writer suggest in the last sentence?
International Women's Day · Worksheet C2
Match the words with the definitions. Then rewrite and summarize.
1. “Yet the day was born as a political event, organized by socialist women who demanded the vote and better working conditions.”
Hint: Start with "But at first" and change "demanded the vote" to "wanted the right to vote".2. “Historians found no evidence of that march, and the story appears to have first been printed in a French newspaper in 1955.”
Hint: Start with "There is no proof" and use "seems".3. “Perhaps the best answer is to keep both faces of the day: gratitude and pressure for change.”
Hint: Start with "Maybe we should" and use "thank" and "push".Summarize the passage in about 50 words.
International Women's Day · Worksheet C3
Prepare for a debate. Then write your opinion (100–150 words).
Add your own reason:
Add your own reason:
| Opinion | I believe / I think that … |
|---|---|
| Reason 1 | First, … For example, … |
| Reason 2 | Second, … In fact, … |
| Counter | Some people say … However, … |
| Conclusion | In conclusion, … |