The evolution of society

Fuente: SENA

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless,
whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in
the holy name of liberty or democracy?”

Mahatma Gandhi

Introductory material

Dear learner,

This material will help you study the topics related to learning activity 2.

You will learn about:

1. The difference between the future perfect and the future perfect
progressive.

2. Vocabulary related to politics and political systems.

Let’s begin!
 1. The difference between the future perfect and the future perfect
progressive

A. Introduction

Before getting into an explicit explanation of the use of the Future Perfect
Progressive, it is better to contextualize it through an example.

Do you watch TV? Did your grandparents watch TV? What about your great
grandparents?

Television arrived in Colombia in 1954. What this means is that Colombians

have been watching TV for 60 years now (2014). Television won’t disappear any
time soon. Our children and our children’s children will probably keep on
watching TV.

Quick question:

For how many years Colombians will have been watching TV by 2025?

If mathematics is not your strength, don’t worry.

Answer:

By 2025, Colombians will have been watching TV for 71 years.

You might be thinking, “Why does this have to do with the Future Perfect
Progressive?” Well, if you read the answer again, you will notice that it was
structured using the Future Perfect Progressive.

If you are a little confused, that’s OK. Below you will find information that will
help you understand this concept more easily.

B. Future Perfect Progressive Use

We use the Future Perfect Progressive when we express for how long an action
will have been taking place at a point of reference in the future. The action
started before that point of reference and will continue after that point.

Let’s analyze the example used in the introduction:

By 2025, Colombians will have been watching TV for 71 years.

 Subject: Colombians
Action: Watch TV
Point of reference in the future: 2025
Starting point of the action: 1953

Colombians will be
Colombians started
watching TV in
to watch TV in 1953
71 years 2025
Colombians will have been watching TV for 71 years by 2025

Now, let’s think about another situation:

Your mom told you she would meet with you at 2:00 p.m. You arrived at 2:00
o’clock at the mall. It is 2:30 p.m. and she hasn’t arrived yet. She called you to
tell you she’ll be there by 3:00.

Quick question:

For how long will you have been waiting by the time your mom gets to the mall?

Answer:

You will have been waiting for one hour.

You arrived at the mall Your mom will get to

at 2:00 p.m. 1 hour the mall at 3:00 p.m.

You will have been waiting for one hour by the time your mom gets to the
mall.

C. Future Perfect Progressive Grammar Structure

a. Affirmative statements

Subject Will+have+been Verb+ing

They will have been working

 She will have been studying

You will have been working

b. Negative statements

Subject Won’t+have+been Verb+ing

They won’t have been working

She won’t have been stud.ying

You won’t have been working

Note: won’t = will not

c. Interrogative statements

Subject Won’t+have+been Verb+ing

Will they have been working?

Will she have been studying ?

Will you have been working?

D. Future Perfect Progressive versus Future Perfect

Even though the Future Perfect and the Future Perfect Progressive are similar,
it is important to highlight the differences in use.

a. The Future Perfect denotes that an action will have been completed before a
specific moment in the future.

Examples:

I’ll have finished the chapter by 5 o’clock.

My parents will have sold their house by December.

b. The Future Perfect Progressive emphasizes the continuity of the action in the
future.

Examples:

I will have been working at this company for 15 years.

Nicole will have been teaching English in Colombia for 4 years by January.

c. The Future Perfect Progressive is more commonly used with active verbs*. It
should not be used with stative verbs* since they don’t usually have a
progressive form.

I will have owned a car for 5 years in February. (Correct)

I will have been owning a car for 5 years in February. (Incorrect)

**Stative verbs are not normally used in the progressive tense because
they describe a state rather than an action. Some examples are: dislike,
need, prefer, belong, own, etc.

The verbs that can be used in the continuous tense are called action verbs
or dynamic verbs. Some examples are: work, watch, eat, walk, run, write,
etc.

d. There are verbs that can be expressed in both the Future Perfect and the
Future Perfect Progressive. Choosing one over the other depends on
whether or not you want to put some emphasis on the continuity of the
action.

Examples:

I will have been studying Portuguese for one year by December. (using the
future perfect progressive reinforces the idea that the action will continue).

I will have studied Portuguese for one year by December. (here, the action
will be completed by the time December arrives. We don’t necessarily know if
the action will continue).
 2. Vocabulary related to politics and political systems

Fuente: SENA

“Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics
won't take an interest in you.”
Pericles

Whether we like it or not, we are political animals. We were born into a system and
are ruled by the parameters this system has established. In this part of the
learning activity, you will become familiar with some vocabulary that will allow you
to express your ideas about the most common political systems that have been
part of the history of the human kind.

a. Political systems

System Definition
It is a political system that allows for
each individual to participate equally
by suggesting, developing and
Democracy
establishing the norms that run their
society. It represents the omnipotent
majority.
The opinion of every citizen has the
same value. Citizens can directly
Direct democracy participate in the governing process,
the decision-making process, and the
law-making process.
 Citizens elect legislators who are the
Representative democracy ones in charge of making the laws
that will rule them.
A single party or group of people rule
communist states. A planned
economy is part of the governing
Communism class that takes and redistributes the
resources according to the said plan.
Some people consider communism an
authoritarian political system.
The government is subject to the
people. The people can remove the
Republic
leaders from power. Part of its
functions is to protect individual rights.
Traditionally, the people or their
representatives do not choose the
monarch. He/she has the final word in
government. The monarch is the head
Monarchy
of state until he or she abdicates or
dies. In the modern developed world,
monarchies are limited by a
constitution.
It’s an authoritarian form of
government where the dictator holds
Dictatorship supreme power. He/she is not
restricted by constitutions or
parliaments.

b. Useful vocabulary to talk about politics

Word Definition

Constitution Constitución
Election Elección
Government Gobierno
Vote Voto
Right wing Derecha política
Left wing Izquierda política
Radical Radical
Liberal Liberal
 Moderate Moderado
Conservative Conservador
Reactionary Reaccionario
Polarization Polarización
Demagogy Demagogia
Censorship Censura
To ban Prohibir
Prohibition Prohibición
Rights Derechos
Duty Deber
Opinionated Obstinado
Campaign Campaña
Debate Debate
Electorate Electorado
Opposition Oposición
Party Partido político
Policy Política (norma)
Politician Político (persona)
Spin doctor Asesor maquillador de datos
Oligarchy Oligarquía
Aristocracy Aristocracia
Coalition Coalición
To run Hacer campaña
To vote Votar
Turn-out Porcentaje de votantes
Candidate Candidato
Patriotic Patriótico
Independent Independiente
Term Periodo de gobierno

Contextualization

Read a conversation between two friends who represent two different positions in a
political spectrum. Who do you think is right?

We agree to disagree
 I’m impressed.
OK, Mary, what’s your Mendoza has
take on the latest excellent
Times poll showing proposals to the
the race for mayor at community as well
35 % Mendoza, 33 % as the others.
Urrutia, 32 % Lopera?

All of them are

well-rounded
Yes, this time it politicians who
is going to be a have their fingers
hard decision on the pulse of the
to make when nation.
voting.
I think we all consider
Urrutia, Mendoza and
Lopera as good options
for our city; we are tired of
demagogues who love
saying whatever it is to
people with no judgment
like to hear.
Why should
they be
privatized?
You are right. Anyway,
even though they are from
different political parties all
of them propose a better
education system,
universal health coverage
and the privatization of
some public institutions.
Because most
public institutions
would do way better
if capable managers
ran them.
 I understand.
Well, I have to go; I’ll be right here.
we’ll talk again Have a nice
later when I get class!
back from class.

Fuente de imágenes: SENA

Comprehension

A. Listen again and decide if the following statements are true or false:

True False
1. The presidential poll shows the same results for the
candidates.
2. Mary thinks the results are terrible.
3. Ramiro thinks Mary owes him an explanation about her
opinion.
4. Ramiro thinks Urrutia’s ideas are obsolete.
5. Ramiro thinks it will be a hard decision to make when
voting.

B. Read the following questions and choose the best answer:

1. Mary thinks public institutions waste resources because

 a. some employees are not well-trained.
b. some employees are unnecessary.
c. some employees are incompetent.

2. When Mary says Mendoza has his finger on the pulse of the nation, she
means:

a. she knows what the main problems of the country are.

b. she knows public institutions should pay higher taxes.
c. she knows people with no judgment run all public institutions.

3. Ramiro thinks Mary understands

a. Mendoza is a well-rounded politician.

b. Urrutia is not a competent manager.
c. public institutions are not run properly.

4. Ramiro decides to stop arguing because

a. he wants to keep discussing in class.

b. he has to go somewhere else soon.
c. he wants to run away from the conversation.

Practice 1

A. Fill in the blanks by changing the verb in parenthesis to the future perfect
progressive tenses.

1. You ___________________ for more than two hours when her plane finally
arrives. (wait)

2. We _________________ for over an hour by the time Thomas arrives. (talk)

3. James __________________ at the University for a year by the time

he leaves for Asia. (teach)

4. She __________________ at this company for 10 years. (work)

5. Gerriet ________________ English in Colombia for 4 years by June. (teach)

 6. He will be tired because he _____________________ so hard. (exercise)

7. We ______________ for over three days straight when we get to Anchorage.

(drive)

8. The famous artist _____________________ the mural for over six months in
January. (paint)

B. Read the words in the boxes. Match them with their definitions according to
what you remember about the vocabulary for talking about politics.

1. Traditionally, the people or their representatives

Dictatorship do not choose the monarch. The monarch is the
head of state until he or she abdicates or dies.

2. People chosen or appointed to act or speak for

another or others, in particular. The people can
Republic
remove them from power. Part of their functions is
to protect individual rights.

3. It’s an authoritarian form of government where the

Communism dictator holds supreme power. He/she is not
restricted by constitutions or parliaments.

4. It is a political system that allows for each

individual to participate equally suggesting,
Direct
developing and establishing the norms that run
democracy
their society. It represents the omnipotent
majority.

5. A single party or group of people rule communist

states. A planned economy is part of the
Representative
governing class that takes and redistributes the
resources according to said plan.

6. Citizens elect legislators who are the ones in

Monarchy
charge of making the laws that will rule them.
 7. The opinion of every citizen has the same value.
Citizens can directly participate in the governing
Democracy
process, the decision-making, and the law-making
process.

C. Read the following sentences and complete each sentence choosing between
future perfect and future perfect progressive.

1. I will ________ this apartment for 5 years in February. (have lived/have been
living).

2. Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because

she will _______________ English in the United States for over two years.
(have studied/have been studying).

3. Laura will _________ his driver's license for over two years. (Have been
having/have had).

4. At 10 pm you will ________________ for six hours. (have swam/have been

swimming).

5. This time tomorrow we will ________ on the beach for a while. I can’t wait!
(have sat/have been sitting).

6. He won’t ___________________ long enough to qualify. (have been

studying/have studied)

7. We’ll _____________ the chapter by 5 o’clock (have been finishing/have

finished)

8. He will be tired when he gets here. He’ll __________________ all day. (have
traveled/have been traveling)

D. Read the sentences and choose the correct answer.

1. My father never ______ for a Right wing candidate.

a. votes
b. choose

2. The political ________ spend lots of money on advertising.

 a. parties
b. candidate

3. Voting is considered one of the most important ______ of every citizen.

a. duties
b. prohibitions

4. A political ________ is very expensive and time consuming for candidates

and their parties.

a. campaign
b. term

5. The party is working hard to win the support of the __________.

a. politician
b. electorate

6. Have you decided which office you are going __________ for in the
upcoming elections?

a. to vote
b. to run

7. We think that the _______ at the local tv station helped the mayor win the
elections.

a. candidate
b. censorship

Practice 2

A. Read this article about the next presidential elections in a country where there
is a democracy. Pay attention to the “talking about politics” vocabulary used in
context. Then, answer the questions.
Midterm Elections

Thus far, interest in this year’s midterm elections is almost in inverse

proportion to their importance. The most important question is whether the
conservatives will gain control of the senate. That could make congress still
more belligerent toward the president. It would not only continue to block
progress on pressing national needs, but also modify the process of the
negotiation with the left groups.

Also uncertain is to what extent the Liberals can reverse the enormous gains
the Conservatives made during the last presidential term, when they took over
both the governorships and the legislatures of almost half of the country
departments.

As of now, the turnout this upcoming election is predicted to be uncommonly

low, even for midterms, which traditionally attract fewer voters than do
presidential elections. Midterm voters are older and, since they include fewer
and fewer young people, over time they have come to represent more
conservative values than the voters in presidential contests. The two stronger
candidates represent how polarized the country has been and will continue to
be. The liberals will be supported by the small parties while the conservatives
are going to run with the former president supporters.

Questions:

1. According to the article, what is the main concern for the midterm elections?

a. That the Conservatives will lose control of the senate.

b. That the Liberals are going to win control of the senate.
c. That the Conservatives will gain control of the senate.
d. That there is going to be a shared control of the senate.

2. Why could the congress become more quarrelsome toward the president and
his decisions?

a. Because the Liberals are going to take control over the senate.
b. Because the liberals will lose control over the senate.
c. Because liberals and conservatives are going to be making decisions
together.
d. Because the conservatives are going to gain control of the senate and will
have more decision- making power.
3. What are the other implications of the possibility that conservatives are going
to have during next elections?

a. Liberals will need to spend more money on campaigns.

b. Conservatives are going to be able to make more decisions and will have
more power.
c. There is going to be a block in the progress on pressing national needs
and also is going to be a modification on the process of the negotiation
with the left groups.
d. Liberals are going to be forced to change their candidate and think of new
techniques for gaining the electorate’s support.

4. What happened during the former presidential term?

a. Liberals faced a tremendous loss of chairs in the senate and congress.

b. Liberals took over both the governorships and the legislatures of almost
the half of the country departments.
c. Conservatives took over both the governorships and the legislatures of
almost the half of the country departments.
d. Conservatives started to have more control over the senate and congress.

5. According to the predictions, what is going to happen in the upcoming

elections?

a. The turnout is predicted to be commonly low.

b. The turnout is predicated to be uncommonly high.
c. The turnout is predicated to be commonly high.
d. The turnout is predicted to be uncommonly low.

6. With whom are the former president supporters going to run?

a. They are expected to be running with the liberals.

b. They are expected to be running with the conservatives.
c. They are going to be running with small parties.
d. They are going to run by themselves.

7. How can the fact that the upcoming elections are going to represent more
conservative values be explained?

a. Because many young people are going to vote.

 b. Because the society is really conservative and people of all kinds are
going to be voting.
c. Because every time there is less young people interested in politics.
d. Because midterm voters are older and they include fewer young people.

B. Read the chat between a couple who are arguing about the elections and
answer the questions below.

Fuente: SENA
Fuente: SENA
Questions:

1. What are they arguing about?

a. About the candidate they are going to vote for in the elections.
b. About their differences in terms of politics.
c. About their beliefs in elections and citizen’s rights and duties.

2. Who is Gregorio voting for?

a. The candidate of the opposite party.

b. He is not going to vote for anyone.
c. The same candidate as Francia.

3. What is the main reason Gregorio doesn’t want to vote?

a. Because he has never believed in politics.

b. Because he stopped believing that voting will make a difference.
c. Because it’s raining.

4. What is Francia’s opinion about Gregorio’s decision towards voting?

a. She is pissed off and does not agree with him.

b. She understands him and is happy that he is taking his own decision.
c. She does not agree but respects him. She thinks he does not have any
right to complain after.

5. What does Francia believe about citizenship?

a. She thinks that citizens’ rights are irrevocable and society should provide
them no matter what.
b. She believes that citizen’s duties and rights and obligations are
connected; for her, there can be no citizen rights without citizen duties.
c. She believes that citizens must claim their rights even if they do not
participate and fulfill their duties.

6. Who does believe in democracy?

a. Gregorio.
b. Francia.
c. Both.
 7. What does Gregorio feel about Francia’s beliefs?

a. He does not like them at all because he thinks it is impossible to change

society.
b. He loves that Francia believes she can change society.
c. He loves that she takes time to go vote although it is raining.

Pronunciation practice

Note: This practice must be completed using the multimedia version of the
study material. There you will find the corresponding sound files.

A. Match the words to their corresponding homophones.

1. Brake. Here.

2. Compliment. Coarse.

3. Stationary. Stationery.

4. Course. Complement.

5. Hear. Break.

6. Piece. Peace.

7. Son. Buy.
 8. Stare. To.

9. By. Sun.

10. Too. Stair.

B. Read the following sentences. Write the correct spelling for the word that has
been transcribed.

Sentence Words
In a (1) dɪ.ˈmɑk.rə.si, citizens can directly 1.
participate in the governing process and the (2) 2.
lɔˈ.meɪk.ɪŋ process.
A (1) dɪkˈteɪ.t̬ ər.ʃɪp is an (2) əˌθɔr.ɪˈteri.ən form of 1.
government where the dictator holds supreme 2.
power.
In the modern developed world, (1) ˈmɑn.ər.kiz are 1.
limited by a (2) ˌkɑn.stɪˈtu.ʃən. 2.
In a (1) ˌrep.rɪˈzen.tə.t̬ ɪv democracy citizens elect 1.
(2) ˈledʒ.ɪ.sleɪ.t̬ ərz who are the ones in charge of 2.
making the laws that will rule them.
In a (1) rɪˈpʌb.lɪk, the most important function of the 1.
(2) ˈɡʌv.ərn.mənt is to protect individual rights. 2.
A single (1) ˈpɑr.t̬ i or group of people rule (2) 1.
ˈkɑm.jə.nɪs states. 2.

Now, go to the multimedia, listen to the sentences and check the stress and
intonation patterns used. Then, practice pronouncing them.
 In a Democracy citizens can directly participate in the governing
process and the law-making process.
A Dictatorship is an authoritarian form of government where the
dictator holds supreme power.
In the modern developed world, Monarchies are limited by a
constitution.
In a Representative Democracy citizens elect legislators who are
the ones in charge of making the laws that will rule them.
In a Republic, the most important function of the Government is to
protect individual rights.
A single party or group of people rule communist states.

C. Go to the multimedia, click on each of the following words to listen to them.

Then, select the word with the different stress pattern.

Have a look of the following example:

Coalition Policy Radical

Liberal Campaign Censorship

Constitution Opposition Demagogy

Election Patriotic Opinion

Duty Party Rights

Debate Oligarchy Campaign

 Document control

Name Position Dependence Date

Theme expert Dirección de
Asesor English formación
December
Author Mauricio Aldana Dot Works - profesional.
2014
Programa de Dirección
bilingüismo General

Paola Andrea Copy editor - Centro

December
Bobadilla Línea de Agroindustrial.
2015
Gutiérrez producción Regional Quindío
Adaptation
Copy editor - Centro
Rachman Bustillo December
Línea de Agroindustrial.
Martínez 2015
producción Regional Quindío