🔥 Warm-Up — Before You Read
Discuss these questions with a partner or write short answers.
📝 Key Vocabulary
Study these words and phrases before reading the summary.
| English | Simple Meaning | ES / PT |
|---|---|---|
| artisan | a skilled worker who makes things by hand | ES: artesano PT: artesão |
| hand-embroider | to decorate cloth by sewing patterns by hand | ES: bordar a mano PT: bordar à mão |
| exploitation | treating someone unfairly to benefit from their work | ES: explotación PT: exploração |
| heritage | traditions, languages, or buildings from the past | ES: patrimonio / herencia PT: patrimônio / herança |
| backlash | a strong, negative public reaction to an event | ES: reacción negativa PT: forte reação |
| living wage | income high enough to maintain a normal living standard | ES: salario digno PT: salário digno |
| empower | to give someone more control over their life or work | ES: empoderar PT: capacitar / empoderar |
| boycott | to refuse to buy a product as a form of protest | ES: boicotear PT: boicotar |
| out of reach | impossible to get or afford | ES: inalcanzable PT: fora de alcance |
| controversial | causing a lot of disagreement or argument | ES: polémico PT: controverso |
✏️ Vocabulary Practice
Type the best word or phrase from the vocabulary list.
📖 Article Summary
The text discusses a recent controversy surrounding Mexico’s 2026 World Cup soccer jerseys. To celebrate Mexican culture, global sportswear giant Adidas teamed up with a local social enterprise brand to create a special collection. The jerseys were beautifully hand-embroidered by 150 Indigenous Nahua women from the mountains of Puebla, Mexico. Initially, the project was highly praised as a wonderful way to empower local artisans and showcase traditional heritage on a global stage.
However, the project soon faced a fierce backlash. Activists and investigative reports revealed that the women were allegedly paid as little as 25 to 40 pesos (about $1.50 to $2 USD) per hour for their meticulous work. Each shirt took roughly 11 hours to hand-embroider, yet the final product was sold to fans for over $200. Critics quickly labeled the project “woke capitalism,” arguing that the companies were exploiting the women’s labor while pretending to champion their culture.
Adidas defended the collaboration, stating that they followed fair trade practices and paid the artisans above the local minimum wage. Defenders of the project also pointed out that the work generated thousands of hours of paid labor, bringing much-needed income to an impoverished rural area.
Despite this defense, many people believe that a multinational company making billions of dollars in profit should pay a living wage—enough money to comfortably support a family—rather than just the legal minimum. Soccer fans are now organizing boycotts, demanding audits of the brand's labor practices.
The situation forces consumers to ask a difficult ethical question: Is celebrating Indigenous heritage truly meaningful if the creators are still left in poverty?
🧩 Key Ideas / Argument Flow
Focus on how the controversy and the arguments on both sides develop.
1. The Collaboration
Adidas partnered with Indigenous Nahua women to hand-embroider Mexico's World Cup jerseys.
2. The Praise
The project was initially celebrated for honoring traditional Mexican heritage and artistry.
3. The Backlash
Reports revealed the artisans were paid very little compared to the jersey's high retail price.
4. The Accusation
Critics accused the brands of exploitation and using local culture purely for corporate profit.
5. Corporate Defense
Adidas argued they paid above minimum wage and provided important jobs to the region.
6. Ethical Debate
The controversy questions if global brands owe workers a "living wage" beyond the legal minimum.
✏️ Key Ideas Practice — Match the Idea
Choose the best function for each part of the story.
✅ Comprehension Check
Choose the best answer. The choices are shuffled automatically.
💬 Short Answer
Answer in your own words.
🔧 Grammar Focus — Passive Voice, Modals, and Cause-and-Effect
1. Passive voice
Use the passive when the action is more important than the person doing it.
✅ The jerseys were embroidered by Nahua women.
✅ The low wages are criticized by activists.
2. Modals
Use modals to talk about obligation, advice, or possibility.
✅ Global companies must pay living wages.
✅ Consumers should think about who makes their clothes.
3. Cause-and-effect
Use linking expressions to show reasons and results.
✅ The women were paid pennies; therefore, fans started a boycott.
✅ People are angry because the brand makes massive profits.
| Language point | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Passive voice | focus on action/result | The shirts were sold for $200. |
| Modals | advice, duty, possibility | Companies should do better. |
| Cause and effect | show reason/result | The issue matters because workers suffer. |
✏️ Grammar Practice A — Type the Correct Form
Type the best answer.
🔁 Grammar Practice B — Rewrite
Rewrite the sentences using the language focus.
1. Indigenous women hand-embroidered the national jerseys.
Rewrite with the passive voice.
2. It is necessary for brands to pay a living wage.
Rewrite with a modal.
3. The brand pays very low wages. The brand makes a large profit.
Combine with a cause-and-effect linker (e.g. because).
💬 Phrasal Verbs & Useful Phrases
These phrases are useful for talking about protests, opinions, and corporate actions.
| Phrase | Meaning | ES / PT |
|---|---|---|
| team up with | collaborate with someone | ES: hacer equipo con PT: fazer parceria com |
| point out | draw attention to a fact | ES: señalar PT: apontar |
| call for | demand that something happens | ES: exigir / pedir PT: exigir / pedir |
| speak out | express an opinion publicly | ES: alzar la voz PT: manifestar-se |
| cover up | hide the truth or a mistake | ES: encubrir PT: encobrir |
| stand by | continue to support or defend an idea | ES: respaldar / mantenerse firme PT: apoiar / manter-se firme |
| care about | think something is important | ES: importar PT: importar-se |
| fight against | actively oppose something | ES: luchar contra PT: lutar contra |
✏️ Phrasal Verb Practice
Type the correct phrase.
✍️ Writing Task — Opinion Paragraph
Write a paragraph answering this question:
Your paragraph should include:
- your opinion clearly
- at least 2 reasons
- at least 1 passive voice sentence
- at least 1 modal such as should or must
- at least 1 cause-and-effect linker such as because, so, or therefore
Model Paragraph
In my opinion, global brands must pay a living wage to artisans, not just the legal minimum. These workers should be treated with respect, and their skills should not be exploited for corporate profit. This issue is important because companies like Adidas make billions of dollars from these products. If a jersey is sold for over $200, the person who hand-embroidered it deserves a fair share of that money; therefore, paying $2 an hour is unacceptable. By speaking out and calling for better practices, consumers can force brands to change their behavior and truly empower Indigenous communities.
💡 Discussion Questions
1. Is it hypocritical for a company to celebrate Indigenous culture while paying the workers near the minimum wage?
2. Would you be willing to pay more for clothes if you knew the extra money went directly to the artisans?
3. How can consumers hold massive global brands accountable for their labor practices?
4. Is providing a low-paying job in a poor area better than providing no job at all?