World News for Students of English

17-03-2017 15:00

When we cross the street, we are used to waiting for the green man on the crossing sign, but in one Australian city the man no longer wears pants. The city of Melbourne has made headlines around the world. It changed some of its pedestrian lights from men to women. This was an effort to cross the gender gap.

A member of the Melbourne city board said that we are used to seeing only a male figure on the crossing sign. People call Melbourne the world’s most livable city and she thinks that it could be also called one of the world’s most equal cities.

However, some of Melbourne’s men wonder if it is at all necessary. One of them said that for him, it is only a crossing light. He does not think of it is a male or a female figure.

Melbourne’s mayor is a man. He also is unconvinced that his daughters will feel more empowered as young women because the signs now show women.

The lights will stay in place for at least one year.

Difficult words: pants (trousers), make headlines (newspaper write about it), effort (try), gender gap (a difference between males and females), empowered (having more power).

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