1. Fill the gaps with the words in the box:

western took up success richly peoples imagined fall during born

The idea of a united Europe was once just a dream in the minds of philosophers and visionaries. Victor Hugo, for example, __ 1 ______________ a peaceful 'United States of Europe' inspired by humanistic ideals. The dream was shattered by two terrible wars that ravaged the continent __2________________ the first half of the 20th century.

But from the rubble of World War II emerged a new kind of hope. People who had resisted totalitarianism during the war were determined to put an end to international hatred and rivalry in Europe and to build a lasting peace between former enemies. Between 1945 and 1950, a handful of courageous statesmen including Konrad Adenauer, Winston Churchill, Alcide de Gasperi and Robert Schuman set about persuading their __3__________ to enter a new era. There would be a new order in __4________________ Europe, based on the interests its peoples and nations shared together, and it would be founded upon treaties guaranteeing the rule of law and equality between all countries. Robert Schuman (French Foreign Affairs Minister) __5________________ an idea originally conceived by Jean Monnet and, on 9 May 1950, proposed setting up a European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). In countries that had once fought each other, the production of coal and steel would be pooled under a shared authority - the 'High Authority'. In a practical but also __6________________ symbolic way, the raw materials of war were being turned into instruments of reconciliation and peace.

This bold and generous move was a big __7________________. It was the start of more than half a century of peaceful co-operation between the member states of the European Communities. With the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, the Community institutions were strengthened and given broader responsibilities, and the European Union (EU) as such was __8________________. The EU worked hard to help unify Germany after the __9________________ of the Berlin wall in 1989. When the Soviet empire fell apart in 1991, the countries of central and eastern Europe, having lived for decades under the authoritarian yoke of the Warsaw Pact, quite naturally decided that their future lay within the family of democratic European nations.

2. Use the words given in capitals to derive new words to fill in the blanks in the text:

Europeans united in diversity

The European Union (EU) is a family of 1__________European countries, committed to working together for peace and 2 ___________.

It is not a State intended to replace existing states, but it is more than any other international organisation. The EU is, in fact, unique. Its Member States have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their 3____________ so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made 4____________ at European level.

The 5____________ roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War. The idea of European 6____________ was conceived to prevent such killing and destruction from ever happening again. It was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on 9 May 1950. This date, the “birthday” of what is now the EU, is celebrated 7____________ as Europe Day.

In the early years, much of the co-operation between EU countries was about trade and the economy, but now the EU also deals with many other subjects of direct importance for our everyday life.

Europe is a continent with many different traditions and languages,

1 DEMOCRACY 2 PROSPEROUS

3 SOVEREIGN 4 DEMOCRACY 5 HISTORY 6 INTEGRATE

7 ANNUAL

but also with shared values. The EU defends these values. It fosters co-operation among the peoples of Europe, promoting 8____________ while preserving 9____________ and 10____________ that decisions are taken as close as possible to the citizens.

In the 11____________ interdependent world of the 21st century, it will be even more necessary for every European citizen to 12____________ with people from other countries in a spirit of 13____________, tolerance and solidarity.

8 UNION 9 DIVERSE /10 ENSURE

11 INCREASE 12 OPERATE 13 CURIOUS

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