English Reading Practice

Human Right Number 6:
You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go

1. Watch the video at the top of the page.

2. Read the story "No TortureNo TortureNo TortureNo TortureNo Torture" just below it.

3. Do the exercise at the bottom of the page.

Here is the You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go video. You can watch it in your own language at www.youthforhumanrights.org. (Simply click the word "language" at the top of their homepage.)



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 6 (the simplified version):

"6. You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go. I am a person just like you!"

Now read the short story about this important human right.

You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go 

Anna and her family are about to do a great change in their lives. They are about to leave their country and move to a new country. There they will be immigrants.

It is not easy to become an immigrant, but it is the best option they have. Their old country is falling apart, and Anna’s parents want a better future for her and her brother.

The family arrives to the new country. Everything is new and different. The language is different. The people are different. Even the weather is different!

Anna's mother is an engineer. But she does not know the new language, so she works in a bakery. Anna's father is a history teacher. But he does not know the new language, so he works as a driver.

Anna's brother is still too little, but Anna already goes to school. She quickly learns the words of the new language. She can talk and understands the other kids and teachers.

She should be happy, but she is not. The other kids do not treat her the same way. They make her feel different.

This makes Anna sad. She likes other kids and wants to have many friends. She tells her mother about it and asks her what to do.

"You have rights no matter where you go," her mother tells her. "You are a person just like the local kids."

"But …" Anna says, "before you were an engineer, and now you work in a bakery. You do not work at your profession like other people do."

"Anna," her mother smiles, "I work in the bakery not because I am a second-class citizen. I work in a bakery because I do not know the language and all the rules well enough to work as an engineer. But do not worry. I will! And so will your father."

Anna smiles and her mother continues, "The other kids think you are different. But that is not the important thing. The important thing is that you have faith in yourself and talk with the other kids. Never stop talking and never stop speaking your mind. They will get to know the real you."

And Anna does just that. She comes to school every day, participates in the lessons, and talks with the other kids and teachers.

At first, some kids give her trouble, but after some time she has a few good friends. And by the end of the school year, she feels part of her new school. She even has her first boyfriend!

And now, practice:

Exercise 01

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