English Reading Practice

Human Right Number 7:
We're All Equal Before the Law

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

2. Read the story "We’re All Equal Before the Law" just below it.

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

Here is the We're All Equal Before the Law 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 7 (the simplified version):

"7. We're All Equal Before the Law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly."

Now read the short story about this important human right.

We're All Equal Before the Law 

John and Tim play football at Central Maine University. CMU has a great football team. John and Tim are well known for being good players.

One night, after a big win, John and Tim decide to paint the name CMU on the side of a bridge.
 
Tim ties a rope around his waist and lowers himself over the side of the bridge in the dark. Suddenly, Tim sees the blue lights of a police car.

"Uh-oh," he thinks as he starts to pull himself back up.

"What are you boys up to?" The officer asks.

"Nothing," John says.

"Well, it does not look like nothing. You boys have to come with me," the officer says as he shines a flashlight at Tim. Then he recognizes Tim from football.

"Oh!" the officer says in surprise, "Sorry about that. I did not recognize you." Then he shines the flashlight at John and recognizes him too. "You boys played great tonight!"

"Thanks," Tim and John say quietly.

"Okay," the officer says, "Why don't you go home."

The boys start to walk away, when John suddenly stops. They look at each other and then Tim says, "Wait, you are letting us go just because we play football?"

"Yeah," the officer says, "I just want to help you out."

"But that is not fair," John says, "If we did not play football, you would arrest us, right?"

"Do you want me to arrest you?" the officer asks.

"No," Tim says, "We just want to be fair. Don't the rules apply to everyone? We are not different just because we play football."

"You are right," the officer says, "Let's go to the police station."

"Well, at least it is fair . . ." John taps Tim on the shoulder as they head for the police car.

And now, practice:

Exercise 01

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