Text used for lexical inferencing with French speakers in English L2 (target words are bolded)

Human Rights

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’. However, even today, in many countries human rights are not fully recognized, and it requires considerable courage for citizens of these nations to speak out about the plight of those whose rights are abused. In many countries where human rights are routinely ignored, military governments are all-powerful and people fear retaliation if they draw attention to the problems of their fellow citizens. The clout of such governments is often so great that it is dangerous for human rights defenders to even work with those who suffer, let alone to speak publicly about their experiences. Faced with threats of torture, many would-be defenders remain grimly silent, fearing for their own lives and those of their associates. Advocates who are able to approach international bodies and give testimony about the violations of human rights which they have observed often face severe consequences from the military governments that they criticize. In many cases, human rights workers are forced to flee their homelands. Hostile governments may even try to block their paths out of the country. Sometimes they are forced to become stowaways on ships or trucks, traveling without identification and dressed in tattered clothing, as they try to reach the safety of a country far away. In the end, some fortunate defenders of human rights are able to escape the strife of their homelands and build new lives for themselves. Sadly, not everyone is so lucky, and many are forced to remain behind in countries where even the most basic principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are ignored.