Lesson 1: Current Affairs & Social Issues
Thematic & Topical Vocabulary (B2)
Welcome to our B2 vocabulary series! At this level, you are ready to move beyond everyday conversations and discuss more complex topics. "Current affairs1" refers to important political or social events happening in the world right now. Understanding the vocabulary for these "social issues2" is key to reading the news, sharing your opinions, and having deeper conversations in English.
Key Concepts
| 📈 economy3 | (e-kon-o-mee) | សេដ្ឋកិច្ច | The system of how money, industry, and trade are organized in a country. Example: "The country's economy is growing quickly." |
| 🏛️ government4 | (guv-ern-ment) | រដ្ឋាភិបាល | The group of people who officially control a country. Example: "The government announced a new plan." |
| 📜 policy5 | (pol-i-see) | គោលនយោបាយ | An official plan or set of ideas agreed to by a government. Example: "The new environmental policy aims to reduce pollution." |
| 👨👩👧👦🌍 society6 | (suh-sy-e-tee) | សង្គម | People living together in an organized community with shared laws. Example: "Education is important for a healthy society." |
Common Social Issues
| 😥 poverty7 | (pov-er-tee) | ភាពក្រីក្រ | The state of being extremely poor. Example: "Many organizations work to reduce poverty." |
| ≠ inequality8 | (in-e-kwol-i-tee) | វិសមភាព | The unfair situation where some people have more opportunities than others. Example: "Addressing gender inequality is a global goal." |
| 🏗️ development9 | (di-vel-op-ment) | ការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ | The process in which a country grows and becomes more advanced. Example: "The development of new infrastructure is a priority." |
| ⚕️ healthcare10 | (helth-kair) | ការថែទាំសុខភាព | The services provided for the treatment of the sick. Example: "Access to affordable healthcare is important." |
Usage Note: Related Word Forms
At the B2 level, it's important to recognize different forms of a word. Look at the "economy" family:
- economy (noun): The system. "The economy is growing."
- economic (adjective): Related to the economy. "The government has a new economic policy."
- economical (adjective): Saves money; not wasteful. "It's more economical to ride a moto than to drive a car."
In Conversation
Srey and Bora are discussing a news article.
Srey: Bora, did you read about the government's new five-year plan?
Bora: I did. It focuses on the economic development of rural areas.
Srey: Yes, it's a new policy to fight poverty. The goal is to provide better access to healthcare and education.
Bora: I think it's a good plan. A healthy and educated society is a strong one.
Srey: I agree. Reducing social inequality is very important for the future of the country's economy.
Bora: Absolutely. And the plan seems quite economical, which is also good.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. The system of money, trade, and industry in a country is called its ______.
- a) government
- b) society
- c) economy
Click to see the answer
Answer: c) economy
2. Choose the correct word: "The new government plan is an ______ policy."
- a) economy
- b) economic
- c) economical
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) economic (This adjective means 'related to the economy').
3. The unfair situation where some people have more opportunities than others is called ______.
- a) poverty
- b) development
- c) inequality
Click to see the answer
Answer: c) inequality
edit Your Mission
- My Opinion: Choose one social issue from the lesson (e.g., poverty, healthcare, inequality). Write one or two sentences giving your opinion on it.
- In the News: Find an English-language news article about Cambodia (e.g., from the Cambodia Daily or Phnom Penh Post online). Read the headline and the first paragraph. Can you find any words from this lesson?
- Speak: Your mission is to start a conversation with a friend about a current event. Try to use one of the words from this lesson, for example: "Did you hear about the new government policy...?"
book Lesson Glossary
- Current Affairs (noun phrase) - Khmer: កិច្ចការបច្ចុប្បន្ន (kəch-kaa pach-chob-ban) - Political, social, and economic events that are happening now. ↩
- Social Issues (noun phrase) - Khmer: បញ្ហាសង្គម (panh-ha sâng-kûm) - Problems that affect many people within a society. ↩
- economy (noun) - Khmer: សេដ្ឋកិច្ច - The system of money, trade, and industry in a country. ↩
- government (noun) - Khmer: រដ្ឋាភិបាល - The group of people who officially control a country. ↩
- policy (noun) - Khmer: គោលនយោបាយ - An official plan or set of ideas. ↩
- society (noun) - Khmer: សង្គម - People living together in an organized community. ↩
- poverty (noun) - Khmer: ភាពក្រីក្រ - The state of being extremely poor. ↩
- inequality (noun) - Khmer: វិសមភាព - An unfair situation where some people have more opportunities than others. ↩
- development (noun) - Khmer: ការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ - The process of growing or becoming more advanced. ↩
- healthcare (noun) - Khmer: ការថែទាំសុខភាព - The services for treating the sick. ↩