TedTest

From the Ted Talk by Benedetta Berti and Evelien Borgman: What does it mean to be a refugee?

Unscramble the Blue Letters

Around the globe, there are approximately 60 million people who have been forced to leave their homes to escape war, violence, and persecution. The majority of them have become internally displaced persons, which means they have fled their hoems but are still within their own countries. Others have crossed a border and sought shelter outside of their own countries. They are commonly referred to as refugees. But what exactly does that term mean? The world has known refugees for millennia, but the modern definition was drafted in the UN's 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees in response to mass persecutions and displacements of the Second wolrd War. It defines a refugee as someone who is outside their country of nationality, and is unable to rrteun to their home cotruny because of well-founded fears of being pctuereesd. That persecution may be due to their race, religion, nationality, meheimrbsp in a particular social group, or political opinion, and is often related to war and vlonceie. Today, roughly half the world's refugees are children, some of them unaccompanied by an adult, a situation that makes them especially vlebalurne to child labor or sexual exploitation. Each refugee's story is different, and many must undergo dangerous journeys with uearnticn outcomes. But before we get to what their journeys invovle, let's clear one thing up. There's a lot of confusion regarding the difference between the trmes "migrant" and "refugee." "Migrants" usually rferes to people who leave their country for reasons not related to persecution, such as searching for better economic opportunities or leaving drought-stricken areas in search of better cusiencamrcts. There are many people around the world who have been displaced because of natural disasters, food iericieutsns, and other hardships, but international law, rightly or wrongly, only recognizes those fleeing conflict and violence as refugees. So what happens when someone flees their country? Most refugee jeonurys are long and perilous with limited access to shelter, water, or food. Since the departure can be sudden and unexpected, belongings might be left behind, and people who are evading conflict often do not have the reieuqrd documents, like visas, to braod anplrieas and legally eetnr other countries. Financial and political fctaros can also prevent them from traveling by stdnarad reotus. This means they can usually only travel by land or sea, and may need to entrust their lives to smugglers to help them cross borders. Whereas some people seek safety with their families, others attempt passage alone and lveae their loved ones behind with the hopes of being reunited later. This separation can be traumatic and unbearably long. While more than half the world's refugees are in cities, sometimes the first stop for a person fleeing cnlocift is a refugee camp, usually run by the United Nations regeufe Agency or local greemvnotns. Refugee camps are intended to be tpromreay structures, offering short-term shelter until inhabitants can safely return home, be integrated to the host country, or resettle in another country. But resettlement and long-term integration options are often limited. So many refugees are left with no cihcoe but to remain in camps for years and sometimes even dadcees. Once in a new country, the first legal step for a displaced person is to alppy for asylum. At this pniot, they are an aslyum seeekr and not officially rginoeczed as a refugee until the application has been accepted. While countries by and large agree on one dnitifieon of refugee, every host country is riesnsbolpe for examining all requests for asylum and deciding whether anilapcpts can be granted the stuats of refugee. Different countries guidelines can vary substantially. Host countries have several duties towards people they have recognized as refugees, like the guarantee of a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination. The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a ppinrlice preventing a nation from sending an iadiuivdnl to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In reality, however, rfegeues are frequently the victims of inconsistent and dortsamnciiriy temtanret. They're increasingly obliged to rebuild their lives in the face of xenophobia and rcasim. And all too often, they aren't pemeirttd to enter the work force and are fully dependent on humanitarian aid. In addition, far too many refugee children are out of scohol due to lack of funding for education programs. If you go back in your own family history, chances are you will docsiver that at a certain point, your ancestors were forced from their homes, either escaping a war or fleeing discrimination and persecution. It would be good of us to remember their stories when we hear of refugees currently displaced, searching for a new home.

Open Cloze

Around the globe, there are approximately 60 million people who have been forced to leave their homes to escape war, violence, and persecution. The majority of them have become internally displaced persons, which means they have fled their _____ but are still within their own countries. Others have crossed a border and sought shelter outside of their own countries. They are commonly referred to as refugees. But what exactly does that term mean? The world has known refugees for millennia, but the modern definition was drafted in the UN's 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees in response to mass persecutions and displacements of the Second _____ War. It defines a refugee as someone who is outside their country of nationality, and is unable to ______ to their home _______ because of well-founded fears of being __________. That persecution may be due to their race, religion, nationality, __________ in a particular social group, or political opinion, and is often related to war and ________. Today, roughly half the world's refugees are children, some of them unaccompanied by an adult, a situation that makes them especially __________ to child labor or sexual exploitation. Each refugee's story is different, and many must undergo dangerous journeys with _________ outcomes. But before we get to what their journeys _______, let's clear one thing up. There's a lot of confusion regarding the difference between the _____ "migrant" and "refugee." "Migrants" usually ______ to people who leave their country for reasons not related to persecution, such as searching for better economic opportunities or leaving drought-stricken areas in search of better _____________. There are many people around the world who have been displaced because of natural disasters, food ____________, and other hardships, but international law, rightly or wrongly, only recognizes those fleeing conflict and violence as refugees. So what happens when someone flees their country? Most refugee ________ are long and perilous with limited access to shelter, water, or food. Since the departure can be sudden and unexpected, belongings might be left behind, and people who are evading conflict often do not have the ________ documents, like visas, to _____ _________ and legally _____ other countries. Financial and political _______ can also prevent them from traveling by ________ ______. This means they can usually only travel by land or sea, and may need to entrust their lives to smugglers to help them cross borders. Whereas some people seek safety with their families, others attempt passage alone and _____ their loved ones behind with the hopes of being reunited later. This separation can be traumatic and unbearably long. While more than half the world's refugees are in cities, sometimes the first stop for a person fleeing ________ is a refugee camp, usually run by the United Nations _______ Agency or local ___________. Refugee camps are intended to be _________ structures, offering short-term shelter until inhabitants can safely return home, be integrated to the host country, or resettle in another country. But resettlement and long-term integration options are often limited. So many refugees are left with no ______ but to remain in camps for years and sometimes even _______. Once in a new country, the first legal step for a displaced person is to _____ for asylum. At this _____, they are an ______ ______ and not officially __________ as a refugee until the application has been accepted. While countries by and large agree on one __________ of refugee, every host country is ___________ for examining all requests for asylum and deciding whether __________ can be granted the ______ of refugee. Different countries guidelines can vary substantially. Host countries have several duties towards people they have recognized as refugees, like the guarantee of a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination. The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a _________ preventing a nation from sending an __________ to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In reality, however, ________ are frequently the victims of inconsistent and ______________ _________. They're increasingly obliged to rebuild their lives in the face of xenophobia and ______. And all too often, they aren't _________ to enter the work force and are fully dependent on humanitarian aid. In addition, far too many refugee children are out of ______ due to lack of funding for education programs. If you go back in your own family history, chances are you will ________ that at a certain point, your ancestors were forced from their homes, either escaping a war or fleeing discrimination and persecution. It would be good of us to remember their stories when we hear of refugees currently displaced, searching for a new home.

Solution

terms
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membership
violence
asylum
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Original Text

Around the globe, there are approximately 60 million people who have been forced to leave their homes to escape war, violence, and persecution. The majority of them have become internally displaced persons, which means they have fled their homes but are still within their own countries. Others have crossed a border and sought shelter outside of their own countries. They are commonly referred to as refugees. But what exactly does that term mean? The world has known refugees for millennia, but the modern definition was drafted in the UN's 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees in response to mass persecutions and displacements of the Second World War. It defines a refugee as someone who is outside their country of nationality, and is unable to return to their home country because of well-founded fears of being persecuted. That persecution may be due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, and is often related to war and violence. Today, roughly half the world's refugees are children, some of them unaccompanied by an adult, a situation that makes them especially vulnerable to child labor or sexual exploitation. Each refugee's story is different, and many must undergo dangerous journeys with uncertain outcomes. But before we get to what their journeys involve, let's clear one thing up. There's a lot of confusion regarding the difference between the terms "migrant" and "refugee." "Migrants" usually refers to people who leave their country for reasons not related to persecution, such as searching for better economic opportunities or leaving drought-stricken areas in search of better circumstances. There are many people around the world who have been displaced because of natural disasters, food insecurities, and other hardships, but international law, rightly or wrongly, only recognizes those fleeing conflict and violence as refugees. So what happens when someone flees their country? Most refugee journeys are long and perilous with limited access to shelter, water, or food. Since the departure can be sudden and unexpected, belongings might be left behind, and people who are evading conflict often do not have the required documents, like visas, to board airplanes and legally enter other countries. Financial and political factors can also prevent them from traveling by standard routes. This means they can usually only travel by land or sea, and may need to entrust their lives to smugglers to help them cross borders. Whereas some people seek safety with their families, others attempt passage alone and leave their loved ones behind with the hopes of being reunited later. This separation can be traumatic and unbearably long. While more than half the world's refugees are in cities, sometimes the first stop for a person fleeing conflict is a refugee camp, usually run by the United Nations Refugee Agency or local governments. Refugee camps are intended to be temporary structures, offering short-term shelter until inhabitants can safely return home, be integrated to the host country, or resettle in another country. But resettlement and long-term integration options are often limited. So many refugees are left with no choice but to remain in camps for years and sometimes even decades. Once in a new country, the first legal step for a displaced person is to apply for asylum. At this point, they are an asylum seeker and not officially recognized as a refugee until the application has been accepted. While countries by and large agree on one definition of refugee, every host country is responsible for examining all requests for asylum and deciding whether applicants can be granted the status of refugee. Different countries guidelines can vary substantially. Host countries have several duties towards people they have recognized as refugees, like the guarantee of a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination. The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a principle preventing a nation from sending an individual to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In reality, however, refugees are frequently the victims of inconsistent and discriminatory treatment. They're increasingly obliged to rebuild their lives in the face of xenophobia and racism. And all too often, they aren't permitted to enter the work force and are fully dependent on humanitarian aid. In addition, far too many refugee children are out of school due to lack of funding for education programs. If you go back in your own family history, chances are you will discover that at a certain point, your ancestors were forced from their homes, either escaping a war or fleeing discrimination and persecution. It would be good of us to remember their stories when we hear of refugees currently displaced, searching for a new home.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation	frequency
fleeing conflict	2

Important Words

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