Famous People

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev
Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀
Mikhail Gorbachev was General Secretary of the Soviet Union from 1. What is a political party?
1985 to 1991 and President from 1988 to 1991.
2. Can you explain the meaning of the “Cold War”? When
did it take place?
Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, in Privolnoye, near
3. Look at a world map. What are some of the countries
Stavropol, Russia. He joined the Communist Party in 1952. After that made up the former Soviet Union?
graduating from law at Moscow University, he returned to Stavropol
4. When did the communist system fall in Eastern Europe
to work for the Young Communist League. In 1961, he became and the Soviet Union?
Stavropol’s delegate to the Communist Party Congress.
5. Do you know how long Mikhail Gorbachev was leader
of the Soviet Union?
During the 1960s, he studied agronomy and economics. His skills as
an administrator and his honesty contributed to his election to the
Supreme Soviet in 1970. By 1980, he was a member of the
Politburo, the main governing body.

In 1985, Gorbachev was named General Secretary of the

Communist Party. In 1988, he also became President of the Soviet
Union.

Gorbachev believed the Soviet Union needed reform. From 1985 to

1991, he made many changes. He helped to end the Cold War by
signing arms control treaties with the West. He allowed open
criticism of the government and other political parties to form. Free
elections could be held throughout the Soviet Union. He moved
toward a market economy in which individuals could own property.
He brought Soviet troops home from Afghanistan.

By 1989, people in the Communist states of Central Europe wanted COMPREHENSION ✍

similar reforms. Gorbachev said he would not help the leaders of
A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the
these states if their people rebelled against them. Soon, Poland, statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is
Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany were democracies. false, write F. If it is false, correct the information.
1. Gorbachev was born in Stavropol, Russia
Gorbachev won the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize for his democratic
reforms and his foreign policy.
2. Gorbachev was President of the Soviet Union for three
years.
The Soviet Union broke up into several independent states.
Gorbachev wanted to keep control of them but they wanted their
3. Under Gorbachev’s rule, only the government could own
freedom and formed a Confederation of Independent States. property.
Gorbachev resigned as president in December 1991, when he was
defeated in an election.
4. Gorbachev wanted to increase Russia’s nuclear weapons.

Today, Gorbachev is the head of the Gorbachev Foundation. This

international foundation does political and economic research and 5. Gorbachev won the 1991 election
encourages international co-operation and exchange.

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 1
 Famous People
Mikhail Gorbachev

B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then write the answers in complete sentences.

1. What did Gorbachev study in university?

2. Why was Gorbachev able to get elected to the Soviet government?
3. What reforms did Gorbachev make in the Soviet Union?
4. What is a market economy?
5. Which European countries became democracies in the early 1990’s? DISCUSS
6. Why did Gorbachev win the Nobel Peace Prize? 1. Have you ever been to
7. What does the Gorbachev Foundation do? Russia? Would you like to
go? Why or why not?

VOCABULARY REVIEW ✍ 2. How has Russia changed

A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right. since the fall of
communism?
_____ 1. delegate a. weapons; guns, bombs, etc.
_____ 2. skills b. lose, be beaten 3. Do you think that all
_____ 3. honesty c. representative these changes have been
good? Explain your answer.
_____ 4. reform d. of or from another country
_____ 5. contribute e. truthfulness 4. Who was the leader of
_____ 6. arms f. agreement between countries Russia after Gorbachev was
_____ 7. criticism g. abilities, things one can do well defeated? Who is the
current leader of Russia?
_____ 8. treaty h. help to make something happen
How do you think he
_____ 9. rebel i. groups of soldiers
compares to Gorbachev as
_____ 10. foreign j. change a leader?
_____ 11. be defeated k. fight or protest strongly against something
_____ 12. troops l. finding fault with, saying something is wrong or bad

B. Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined words in the following sentences.

1. Gorbachev was elected because he was a good administrator.

a) lawyer b) economist c) manager

2. He resigned in 1991.
a) was shot b) gave up his job c) signed his name

3. Gorbachev allowed other political parties to form.

a) groups of people with similar ideas b) celebrations c) entertainment

4. The Gorbachev Foundation does political and economic research.

a) respect b) study c) record

5. The Gorbachev Foundation encourages international co-operation and exchange.

a) supports, gives help to b) is not afraid c) enjoys

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 2
 Famous People
Mikhail Gorbachev

ANSWER KEY

Please note:
The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson (page 4).

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

1. A political party is a group of people sharing similar political beliefs and goals.
2. The Cold War refers to a period of time when the relations between the Soviet Bloc countries and the West were very
unfriendly. There was no actual fighting, but there was a struggle for superiority and a build up of nuclear weapons.
This period occurred from the end of the Second World War until the early 1990’s.
3. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia,
Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan are all countries that made up the former Soviet Union.
4. The communist system fell in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
5. Gorbachev was leader of the Soviet Union for three years.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A. True or False
1. F 2.T 3. F 4. F 5. F

B. Written Answers
1. Gorbachev studied agronomy, economics and law.
2. Gorbachev was able to get elected because he was a skilled administrator and an honest man.
3. Gorbachev signed arms control treaties, allowed criticism of the government and let other political parties form. He also
allowed free elections to be held and moved the Soviet Union toward a market economy.
4. A market economy is one in which goods and services are exchanged voluntarily between producers and consumers
(and the setting of prices is determined largely by supply and demand).
5. Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and East Germany became democracies in the early 1990’s.
6. Gorbachev won the prize because of his democratic reforms and his foreign policies.
7. The Gorbachev Foundation does political and economic research and encourages international co-operation and
exchange.

VOCABULARY REVIEW

A. Matching
1. c 2. g 3. e 4. j 5. h 6. a 7. l 8. f
9. k. 10. d 11. b 12. i

B. Choose the correct word

1. c 2. b 3. a 4. b 5.a

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 3
 Famous People
Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev was General Secretary of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991 and President from 1988
to 1991.

Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, in Privolnoye, near Stavropol, Russia. He joined the Communist
Party in 1952. After graduating from law at Moscow University, he returned to Stavropol to work for the
Young Communist League. In 1961, he became Stavropol’s delegate to the Communist Party Congress.

During the 1960s, he studied agronomy and economics. His skills as an administrator and his honesty
contributed to his election to the Supreme Soviet in 1970. By 1980, he was a member of the Politburo, the
main governing body.

In 1985, Gorbachev was named General Secretary of the Communist Party. In 1988, he also became
President of the Soviet Union.

Gorbachev believed the Soviet Union needed reform. From 1985 to 1991, he made many changes. He
helped to end the Cold War by signing arms control treaties with the West. He allowed open criticism of the
government and other political parties to form. Free elections could be held throughout the Soviet Union.
He moved toward a market economy in which individuals could own property. He brought Soviet troops
home from Afghanistan.

By 1989, people in the Communist states of Central Europe wanted similar reforms. Gorbachev said he
would not help the leaders of these states if their people rebelled against them. Soon, Poland, Hungary,
Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany were democracies.

Gorbachev won the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize for his democratic reforms and his foreign policy.

The Soviet Union broke up into several independent states. Gorbachev wanted to keep control of them but
they wanted their freedom and formed a Confederation of Independent States. Gorbachev resigned as
president in December 1991, when he was defeated in an election.

Today, Gorbachev is the head of the Gorbachev Foundation. This international foundation does political
and economic research and encourages international co-operation and exchange.

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 4