English Learning for Beginners: International Relations

Dialogue

Alice: Bob, guess what I was thinking about today?

Bob: Oh, Alice? Tell me! Is it about pizza or pandas?

Alice: Even bigger! I was thinking about ‘international relations’.

Bob: Whoa, big words! What’s that, like countries talking to each other?

Alice: Exactly! Like when you share your snacks with me, but sometimes I eat all of them.

Bob: Hey! That’s not fair! So, countries need to share too?

Alice: Yes, ideally! They trade things, like coffee for computers.

Bob: So, if I give you my cookie, you give me your juice? It’s like a big swap meet!

Alice: Sort of! But sometimes, countries disagree, like when we argue about which movie to watch.

Bob: Ah, the ‘action movie vs. rom-com’ debate! So, what do countries do then?

Alice: They try to talk it out, find a ‘win-win’ solution. Like we do with the movie – we watch one this week, one next week.

Bob: That’s smart! So, good international relations mean countries are friends, like us?

Alice: Exactly! And they help each other. Like when I help you with your homework.

Bob: And I help you reach the top shelf! So, it’s about being good neighbors, but globally.

Alice: You got it, Bob! High five for international understanding!

Current Situation

“International relations” is about how different countries interact with each other. Imagine countries as big neighbors! Sometimes they cooperate, like sharing toys or trading snacks. For example, one country might sell bananas to another, and buy cars in return. This is called “trade”. Sometimes, they might disagree, just like friends do. When this happens, they usually try to “talk it out” to find a solution that works for everyone, often called a “win-win solution”. The goal is to be “good neighbors” on a global scale, helping each other and living peacefully.

Key Phrases

• International relations: How countries interact and deal with each other.

  Learning about international relations helps us understand the world.

• Talk it out: To discuss a problem or disagreement to find a solution.

  When friends disagree, it’s good to talk it out.

• Trade things: To exchange goods or services, usually money for goods.

  Countries often trade things like food and technology.

• Disagree: To have a different opinion or not agree with someone.

  My brother and I sometimes disagree about what to watch on TV.

• Win-win solution: A solution or agreement that is good for everyone involved.

  They found a win-win solution where both companies were happy.

• Good neighbors: People or countries that are friendly, helpful, and live peacefully next to each other.

  It’s important for countries to be good neighbors.

Grammar Points

1. Simple Present Tense

We use the simple present tense for actions that are habits, general truths, or facts. It describes things that happen regularly or are always true.

• Subject + Verb (base form or -s/-es for he/she/it)

Examples from the dialogue:

• “countries talk to each other” (general truth)
• “They trade things” (habit/general action)
• “countries disagree” (general truth)
• “I help you with your homework.” (habit/general action)
• “It is like a big swap meet.” (fact/general truth)

2. Using “Like” for Comparison

“Like” is often used to show that two things are similar or to give an example. It means “similar to” or “for example”.

• Sentence + like + Noun / Noun Phrase / Clause

Examples from the dialogue:

• “…What’s that, like countries talking to each other?” (similar to)
• “Like when you share your snacks with me…” (for example, similar situation)
• “…countries disagree, like when we argue…” (for example, similar situation)
• “…countries are friends, like us?” (similar to)

3. Wh- Questions (What, How)

We use ‘Wh- questions’ to ask for specific information. For beginners, ‘What’ and ‘How’ are very common.

• What: Asks about things, ideas, or actions.
• How: Asks about the way something is done, the condition, or quantity (with adjectives/adverbs).

Examples from the dialogue:

• “What’s that…?” (What is that?)
• “What do countries do then?”

Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank with the correct word from the box:

   (trade, disagree, talk it out, neighbors, win-win)

   1. When countries have a problem, they should try to _______________.
      Answer: talk it out
   2. Being good _______________ helps countries live peacefully.
      Answer: neighbors
   3. Countries _______________ things like oil and food.
      Answer: trade
   4. A _______________ solution is good for everyone.
      Answer: win-win
   5. It’s normal for friends to sometimes _______________.
      Answer: disagree
2. Match the sentence parts:

   Match the first part of the sentence with the correct ending.

   1. International relations is about…
      
   2. Countries trade things…
      
   3. If countries disagree,…
      
   4. A win-win solution means…

   Choices:

   1. …they try to talk it out.
   2. …how countries interact.
   3. …like coffee for computers.
   4. …everyone is happy.

   Answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-a, 4-d

3. Rewrite the following sentences using “like” for comparison:
   1. Countries are friends. We are friends too.

      Countries are friends, like us.

   2. Countries share things. You share your snacks with me.

      Countries share things, like you share your snacks with me.

   3. Countries have problems. We also have problems.

      Countries have problems, like we do.

4. Answer the following questions based on the dialogue:
   1. What topic was Alice thinking about?

      Answer: International relations.

   2. What is one example of things countries trade?

      Answer: Coffee for computers (or cookies for juice in Bob’s example).

   3. What do countries do when they disagree?

      Answer: They try to talk it out and find a win-win solution.