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A political press conference

Listen to a press conference with the Minister for Energy where he is talking about tax changes.
See or print the audioscript and do an activity on paper.  (pdf  113Kb)

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Comprehension.  Listen and put the topics in the order the are first mentioned.
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Detailed comprehension.  Listen again and choose the most accurate newspaper report below: A, B or C.
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A

B

C

The Department for Energy has announced a rise in fuel tax.  At a press conference this morning Joan Lambert, the Minister for Energy, said that this change in policy reflected the recent change in world markets, and was part of her party’s election manifesto.  She claimed that oil prices would soon fall, resulting in cheaper fuel. According to the Minister, a litre of diesel now costs on average 79.9p

The Department for Energy has announced a 3% rise in fuel tax.  At a press conference this morning Joan Lambert, the Minister for Energy, denied that this was a change in policy.  She claimed the tax increase was necessary to compensate for the loss of revenue caused by falling oil prices. According to the Minister, motorists will still be paying less for their petrol than at the beginning of the year.  

The Department for Energy has announced a 2% rise in tax on petrol and diesel.  At a press conference this morning Joan Lambert, the Minister for Energy, denied that this was a change in policy.  She claimed the tax increase was necessary to pay for environmental projects.   According to the Minister, motorists will only be paying 0.8p per litre more than at the beginning of the year.

Vocabulary.  Listen to some extracts from the press conference and match the words and expressions with their meanings.
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Read an article on how to improve your writing - Process Writing Techniques.
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For similar articles and more language practice, visit the LearnEnglish Professionals site.
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