Obama's State of the Union Speech - English conversation

The State of the Union is a very important speech in the United States.  This year it was interesting because of what was said and also what was omitted.  We get to hear about the new plans  and old plans that are being discarded  This year the President himself leaked to the media what he was going to talk about so it wasn't such a surprise.

Read this article and discuss it with your English teacher
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/obama-in-state-of-the-union-highlights-tax-reform-community-college-plans/ar-AA8pbeF?ocid=ansWashpost11

Key Terms
targeting
opposition
spectacularly
 addressing
generates rising incomes
makes the effort
middle-class economics
 their fair shot
key themes
 try to dodge the evidence
massive disruptions
public approval ratings
telegraphed
buildup to the speech
joint session of Congress
cyberterrorism
partisan gridlock
buoyed
a tactical change
vetoed
rollback
play “offense
cede much ground
bully pulpit
consensus
tone and tenor
disingenuous



Questions
Which new proposals did President Obama introduce in this speech?
Is this the right venue to introduce new legislation?
Will his free community colleges really help?
Do tax increases on corporations really help the economy?
What about tax increases on the rich?
What measures will Obama take against terrorism?
What measures will he take against cyberterrorism?
What benefit will the common person receive from the government?
What actions will the Administration take against Global Warming?
Which areas will the Democrats and Republicans work together?




Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher