Choosing a New UN Leader

Apr 26, 2026, 04:32
A2

Choosing a New UN Leader

Introduction

Four people want to be the new leader of the United Nations. They talked with UN ambassadors. They want to take the place of António Guterres in January.

Main Body

The four people are Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, and Macky Sall. They talked about peace and human rights. They want to stop wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran. Each person has a different plan. Michelle Bachelet wants to visit war zones. Rafael Grossi wants strong leadership. Rebeca Grynspan wants the UN to take more risks. Macky Sall wants to help countries work together. Some people have problems. Some US leaders do not like Michelle Bachelet. Macky Sall is from Africa. He says the leader should come from a poor country. He also says he did not steal money.

Conclusion

The UN Security Council must choose the leader. Then the General Assembly must agree.

Vocabulary Learning

agree (v.)
concur / to have the same opinion as someone else同意；贊成
Example:I agree with your plan to go to the park.
ambassador (n.)
representative / a person who represents their country abroad大使；代表
Example:The ambassador lives in a different country to help his government.
leader (n.)
head / a person who rules or guides a group領導者；領袖
Example:He is a great leader who helps his team.
peace (n.)
calm / a time without war or fighting和平；安寧
Example:We all hope for world peace.
risks (n.)
danger / the possibility of something bad happening風險；冒險
Example:Starting a new business involves many risks.

Sentence Learning

They talked about peace and human rights.
Connector: The word 'and' joins two similar ideas together.連接詞: 「and」一詞將兩個相似的構思連接起來。
They want to take the place of António Guterres in January.
Time Marker: The phrase 'in January' tells us when the event will happen.時間標記: 「in January」短語告訴我們事情將會在何時發生。
Macky Sall is from Africa.
Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'from Africa' shows where someone comes from.介詞短語: 「from Africa」短語顯示了一個人的來源地。
Then the General Assembly must agree.
Time Marker: The word 'Then' shows the order of events.時間標記: 「Then」一詞顯示了事情發生的先後次序。
They want to stop wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran.
Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'in Ukraine' describes the location of the wars.介詞短語: 「in Ukraine」短語描述了戰爭發生的地點。
B2

Review of Candidates for the United Nations Secretary-General Position

Introduction

Four candidates have been interviewed by United Nations ambassadors to find a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends on January 1.

Main Body

The candidates—Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Macky Sall of Senegal—discussed the main goals of peace, development, and human rights. Each candidate promised to reform the institution and improve international security. They noted that the UN is currently unable to resolve conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran because of deep divisions within the organization. Strategic priorities differed among the nominees. Michelle Bachelet emphasized the need for active dialogue and a physical presence in conflict zones, while Rafael Grossi highlighted the need for strong leadership to fight global polarization. Rebeca Grynspan argued that the organization should stop avoiding risks, and Macky Sall presented himself as a mediator who could reduce international divisions. Some candidates faced specific political challenges. Bachelet responded to a letter from 28 U.S. Republican lawmakers regarding her views on reproductive rights, asserting her commitment to gender equality. Sall, the only candidate not from Latin America, argued that the UN Charter allows any candidate to run and suggested that leadership should move to the Global South. Furthermore, Sall denied corruption allegations that occurred during protests at UN headquarters.

Conclusion

The final selection depends on the decision of the UN Security Council, particularly the five permanent members with veto power, followed by formal approval from the General Assembly.

Vocabulary Learning

allegations (n.)
statements, made without giving proof, that someone has done something wrong or illegal指控；指稱
Example:The politician denied all allegations of corruption and insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
institution (n.)
a large and important organization, such as a university or bank機構；團體
Example:The United Nations is an international institution dedicated to maintaining world peace.
mediator (n.)
a person who tries to help two groups stop arguing and agree with each other調解人；斡旋者
Example:The diplomat acted as a mediator between the two warring nations to help them reach a peace treaty.
polarization (n.)
the act of dividing into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions兩極分化
Example:The political polarization in the country has made it difficult for the government to pass new laws.
successor (n.)
a person or thing that succeeds another繼任者；接替的人
Example:The board of directors is currently searching for a suitable successor to the retiring CEO.

Sentence Learning

Four candidates have been interviewed by United Nations ambassadors to find a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends on January 1.
Passive Voice & Relative Clause: The passive voice "have been interviewed" focuses on the candidates, while the relative clause starting with "whose" provides essential details about the predecessor.被動語態與關係子句: 被動語態「have been interviewed」將焦點置於候選人身上，而以「whose」引導的關係子句則提供了關於前任秘書長的必要細節。
They noted that the UN is currently unable to resolve conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran because of deep divisions within the organization.
Noun Clause & Cause/Reason: The reporting verb "noted" is followed by a "that" clause to state a situation, while "because of" introduces the reason behind it.名詞子句與原因表達: 報導動詞「noted」後接「that」子句以陳述情況，而「because of」則引出背後的原因。
Michelle Bachelet emphasized the need for active dialogue and a physical presence in conflict zones, while Rafael Grossi highlighted the need for strong leadership to fight global polarization.
Linking Word for Contrast: The conjunction "while" is used to contrast two different viewpoints or strategies within the same sentence.對比連接詞: 連接詞「while」用於在同一句子中對比兩種不同的觀點或策略。
Sall, the only candidate not from Latin America, argued that the UN Charter allows any candidate to run and suggested that leadership should move to the Global South.
Appositive & Parallel Reporting Verbs: An appositive phrase adds information about the subject, followed by two parallel "that" clauses to report multiple ideas.同位語與並列報導動詞: 同位語短語增加了關於主語的資訊，隨後使用兩個並列的「that」子句來轉述多個想法。
The final selection depends on the decision of the UN Security Council, particularly the five permanent members with veto power, followed by formal approval from the General Assembly.
Participle Phrase for Sequencing: The phrase "followed by" uses a past participle to describe a sequence of formal procedures without starting a new sentence.分詞短語表示先後次序: 短語「followed by」使用過去分詞來描述一系列正式程序，而無需另起新句。
C2

Examination of Candidates for the Position of United Nations Secretary-General

Introduction

Four individuals have undergone a series of interrogations by United Nations ambassadors to determine a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term concludes on January 1.

Main Body

The candidates—Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Macky Sall of Senegal—addressed the core mandates of peace, development, and human rights. Each candidate expressed a commitment to institutional reform and the restoration of international security, noting the organization's current inability to resolve conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran due to systemic divisions. Individual strategic priorities varied among the nominees. Michelle Bachelet emphasized the necessity of proactive dialogue and a physical presence in conflict zones. Rafael Grossi highlighted the need for effective leadership to counter global polarization and institutional skepticism. Rebeca Grynspan advocated for a departure from risk-averse organizational behavior, while Macky Sall positioned himself as a mediator intended to reduce international fragmentation. Several candidates faced specific political or procedural challenges. Bachelet addressed a communication from 28 U.S. Republican lawmakers regarding her views on reproductive rights, asserting her commitment to gender equality and national sovereignty. Sall, the only candidate from outside Latin America, argued that the UN Charter permits any candidate and suggested that the leadership should transition to the global south. Additionally, Sall has denied allegations of corruption that coincided with demonstrations at UN headquarters. Analytical perspectives on the process suggest varying interpretations of the candidates' performances. Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group noted that it remains unclear if any candidate has established a definitive lead. Minh-Thu Pham of the Starling Institute observed a systemic demand for a leader capable of taking operational risks to facilitate peace. Furthermore, the advocacy group GWL Voices, led by Susana Malcorra, has formally campaigned for the appointment of a female secretary-general.

Conclusion

The final selection remains contingent upon the decision of the UN Security Council, specifically the five permanent members with veto power, followed by the formal approval of the General Assembly.

Vocabulary Learning

contingent (adj.)
dependent / occurring or existing only if certain circumstances are the case視乎……而定；取決於
Example:The success of the peace talks is contingent upon both parties agreeing to a permanent ceasefire.
mandate (n.)
authorization / an official order or commission to do something授權；職權
Example:The committee was given a clear mandate to reform the organization's financial structure.
polarization (n.)
division / the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes兩極化
Example:The increasing polarization of the electorate has made it difficult for the government to pass bipartisan legislation.
risk-averse (adj.)
cautious / disinclined or reluctant to take risks厭惡風險的；規避風險的
Example:Investors became increasingly risk-averse following the sudden collapse of the global stock market.
systemic (adj.)
structural / relating to a system as a whole, rather than just some of its parts系統性的；制度性的
Example:The failure was not due to individual error but to systemic flaws within the regulatory framework.

Sentence Learning

Each candidate expressed a commitment to institutional reform and the restoration of international security, noting the organization's current inability to resolve conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Iran due to systemic divisions.
Present Participle Clause: The participle 'noting' functions as a supplementary adjunct, providing additional context or a simultaneous action to the main verb 'expressed'.現在分詞短句: 分詞 'noting' 作為補充狀語，為主要動詞 'expressed' 提供額外背景或描述同時發生的動作。
Rebeca Grynspan advocated for a departure from risk-averse organizational behavior, while Macky Sall positioned himself as a mediator intended to reduce international fragmentation.
Reduced Relative Clause: 'Intended' is a past participle forming a reduced relative clause (which was intended), concisely modifying 'mediator' to express purpose.緊縮關係從句: 'Intended' 是過去分詞，形成緊縮關係從句（原為 which was intended），簡潔地修飾 'mediator' 以表達目的。
Sall, the only candidate from outside Latin America, argued that the UN Charter permits any candidate and suggested that the leadership should transition to the global south.
Parallel Noun Clauses: The use of parallel 'that' clauses as direct objects of 'argued' and 'suggested' maintains structural balance while conveying multiple complex arguments.平行名詞從句: 使用平行的 'that' 從句作為 'argued' 和 'suggested' 的直接賓語，在傳達多個複雜論點時保持結構平衡。
The final selection remains contingent upon the decision of the UN Security Council, specifically the five permanent members with veto power, followed by the formal approval of the General Assembly.
Post-positive Participial Phrase: The phrase 'followed by...' acts as a non-finite clause modifying 'decision', effectively detailing a sequential administrative process.後置分詞短語: 短語 'followed by...' 作為修飾 'decision' 的非限定從句，有效地詳述了行政程序的先後順序。
Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group noted that it remains unclear if any candidate has established a definitive lead.
Expletive 'It' Construction: The 'it' acts as a dummy subject, allowing the true clausal subject (the 'if' clause) to be postponed for rhetorical emphasis on the uncertainty.虛主詞 'It' 結構: 'it' 作為形式主詞，容許真正的從句主詞（'if' 從句）後移，以在修辭上強調不確定性。