The Universal Declaration of Human Rights describes 30 basic rights that each person has, simply because he or she is human.
This is human right number 2 (the simplified version):
"2. Don’t Discriminate. These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences."
Now read the short story about this important human right.
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Don’t Discriminate
Abeni is looking for a job. She used to work as a secretary in her homeland, but now she is in a new country. She can speak the language perfectly, but her accent is very strong and very foreign. Abeny is afraid employers won't want her because of it.
She tries hard to find a job. She reads all the ads and sends many resumes. She comes to the interviews and answers all the questions. Her manners are excellent. Her skills are the best. She behaves and looks very professional, but still, every time, someone else gets the job.
One day, Abeni gets to a place that she really likes. It is a big firm that takes care of car rentals. All the people there seem very nice. The manager seems very nice. Actually, everything seems very nice, but the minute she opens her mouth she feels like the manager does not want her.
At the end of the interview the manager says, "Okay, thank you." Abeni feels like he is not going to call. "This is not fair!" she thinks, "I can be his best worker!"
She starts walking away when she realizes she must tell him what she thinks. She stops, turns around, opens her mouth to speak, and does not close it until everything is said clearly.
The manager is very surprised. But Abeni is even more surprised. What about her manners? How did she do such a thing? This will be the end. But then the manager suddenly reaches for her. He asks her to sit down. He tries to smile.
"I am going to be honest with you," he says. "I am very surprised. No one ever told this to me before. But the truth is that I feel ashamed. I could see you are a great worker. I should not judge you by your accent. There will be no such discrimination in this firm. Abeni, please accept this position and work for us."
Abeni cannot believe her ears. She feels very excited. She is very happy he offers her the job. But she is even more happy she finally spoke her mind!
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English Reading Practice
WORD BANK:
are | around | ashamed | At | best | by | cannot | clearly | country | does | employers | end | even | ever | everything | fair | finally | foreign | great | her | honest | interviews | job | like | manager | manners | no | offers | perfectly | professional | reaches | realizes | really | rentals | resumes | secretary | seem | such | the | to | tries | us | very
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Abeni is looking for a ( ). She used to work as a ( ) in her homeland, but now she is in a new ( ). She can speak the language ( ), but her accent is very strong and very ( ). Abeny is afraid ( ) won't want her because of it.
She ( ) hard to find a job. She reads all the ads and sends many ( ). She comes to the ( ) and answers all the questions. Her ( ) are excellent. Her skills ( ) the best. She behaves and looks very ( ), but still, every time, someone else gets ( ) job.
One day, Abeni gets to a place that she ( ) likes. It is a big firm that takes care of car ( ). All the people there( ) very nice. The ( ) seems very nice. Actually, ( ) seems very nice, but the minute she opens her mouth she feels like the manager ( ) not want her.
( ) the end of the interview the manager says, "Okay, thank you." Abeni feels ( ) he is not going to call. "This is not ( )!" she thinks, "I can be his ( ) worker!"
She starts walking away when she ( ) she must tell him what she thinks. She stops, turns ( ), opens her mouth to speak, and does not close it until everything is said ( ).
The manager is ( ) surprised. But Abeni is ( ) more surprised. What about ( ) manners? How did she do ( ) a thing? This will be the ( ). But then the manager suddenly ( ) for her. He asks her to sit down. He tries ( ) smile.
"I am going to be ( ) with you," he says. "I am very surprised. No one ( ) told this to me before. But the truth is that I feel ( ). I could see you are a ( ) worker. I should not judge you ( ) your accent. There will be ( ) such discrimination in this firm. Abeni, please accept this position and work for ( )."
Abeni ( ) believe her ears. She feels very excited. She is very happy he ( ) her the job. But she is even more happy she ( ) spoke her mind!