Final Test in Reading,9th

Read the texts and match them to the headings. One heading is extra.

Community Warriors

Pleasant, safe communities bring happiness and security to our lives, but unfortunately not all communities are like that. These three people have won awards for the work they do to help young people in their communities.

Elena Durón Miranda was horrified when, on a trip to Argentina, she saw that children as young as 3 years old were collecting things to eat and to sell at a rubbish dump. “I saw children collect green sausages, crisp crumbs and a bag of noodles covered in cream,” she said. She was later told that many children dropped out of school in order to work at the dump. Elena decided to start a charity to give the children a free education so that they didn’t have to work at the dump. She started by working alongside the children until she started to be trusted by their families. Many of the children have gone on to get stable jobs and study at university. Elena sees her work as ‘full-life’ rather than ‘full-time’. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!” she says                            [1 A MEMBER OF THE TEAM!, 2 FROM TRASH TO TRUST, 3 HELPING THROUGH BUSINESS, 4 MY HOME IS YOURS]

Read the texts and match them to the headings. One heading is extra.

After returning home to Haiti from the USA after cancer treatment, businessman Patrice Millet felt determined to start living the life he’d always wanted to live; helping the children of Haiti’s poorest slums to have a better future. So, he started a programme that uses football to help children stay out of trouble. “In football, you need to give and receive, you need team spirit, discipline, sportsmanship … it’s not all about football, it’s about life,” Patrice says. Today, the programme is attended by hundreds of children and he regularly talks to the kids about their lives, encouraging them to believe in themselves. One 11-year-old lost his home and his father in the terrible 2010 Haiti earthquake and his family depend on the food that is received from the programme. Patrice also pays his school fees. Patrice’s dream is to set up his own school with playing fields and programmes in music and art.                            [1 A MEMBER OF THE TEAM!, 2 FROM TRASH TO TRUST, 3 HELPING THROUGH BUSINESS, 4 MY HOME IS YOURS]

Read the texts and match them to the headings. One heading is extra.

Diane Latiker is a grandmother from one of Chicago’s most dangerous neighbourhoods. In 2003, to stop her teenage daughter getting involved with a gang, she started taking her out along with her friends. Soon, Diane started inviting young people from the neighbourhood to her house. She told them that they could come any time, any day, for food, homework help or simply to talk about their hopes and dreams. This is how ‘Kids Off the Block’ was born! Soon, Diane was taking the kids out to museums, finding tutors for them, organising sports and training them for job interviews. Later, she even started taking groups to other cities to talk to young people in other difficult communities and in 2010 she finally opened a youth community centre in the building next door. “Miss Diane, she changed my life. I love her for that,” one young person said.                            [1 A MEMBER OF THE TEAM!, 2 FROM TRASH TO TRUST, 3 HELPING THROUGH BUSINESS, 4 MY HOME IS YOURS]

A

Elena Durón Miranda was horrified when, on a trip to Argentina, she saw that children as young as 3 years old were collecting things to eat and to sell at a rubbish dump. “I saw children collect green sausages, crisp crumbs and a bag of noodles covered in cream,” she said. She was later told that many children dropped out of school in order to work at the dump. Elena decided to start a charity to give the children a free education so that they didn’t have to work at the dump. She started by working alongside the children until she started to be trusted by their families. Many of the children have gone on to get stable jobs and study at university. Elena sees her work as ‘full-life’ rather than ‘full-time’. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!” she says.

B

After returning home to Haiti from the USA after cancer treatment, businessman Patrice Millet felt determined to start living the life he’d always wanted to live; helping the children of Haiti’s poorest slums to have a better future. So, he started a programme that uses football to help children stay out of trouble. “In football, you need to give and receive, you need team spirit, discipline, sportsmanship … it’s not all about football, it’s about life,” Patrice says. Today, the programme is attended by hundreds of children and he regularly talks to the kids about their lives, encouraging them to believe in themselves. One 11-year-old lost his home and his father in the terrible 2010 Haiti earthquake and his family depend on the food that is received from the programme. Patrice also pays his school fees. Patrice’s dream is to set up his own school with playing fields and programmes in music and art.

C

Diane Latiker is a grandmother from one of Chicago’s most dangerous neighbourhoods. In 2003, to stop her teenage daughter getting involved with a gang, she started taking her out along with her friends. Soon, Diane started inviting young people from the neighbourhood to her house. She told them that they could come any time, any day, for food, homework help or simply to talk about their hopes and dreams. This is how ‘Kids Off the Block’ was born! Soon, Diane was taking the kids out to museums, finding tutors for them, organising sports and training them for job interviews. Later, she even started taking groups to other cities to talk to young people in other difficult communities and in 2010 she finally opened a youth community centre in the building next door. “Miss Diane, she changed my life. I love her for that,” one young person said.

Read the text. Five sentences are missing. Match the sentences (A-E) to the gaps (1-5). There is one extra sentence.

My Visit to the Maasai

After I had finished my exams last year, I really needed to take a break by doing something totally different. 1_______________ After plenty of online research, I came across a company that specialises in giving young people the opportunity to spend time with African tribes. This really appealed to me and before I knew it I was arriving tired, dusty but excited after a day-long journey in the Maasai village that I had decided to visit.

The moment myself and the 6 others in my group stepped out of our vehicle, the Maasai began singing, chanting and dancing. It was absolutely incredible! The Maasai are such a colourful people with their bold jewellery and the red, blue and purple blankets they wear. 2____________________ Then they led us to the huts where we would stay, which were covered in cow dung and mud and had cow hides on the ground for us to sleep on. Many laughing children followed us, one of whom was holding a newborn goat!

During my visit, I noticed many huge differences between the way of life I was used to and that of the Maasai. 3______________________ There was no running water or electricity and girls of maybe 5 or 6 years old sat on the ground making jewellery. Boys spent much of their days watching cattle grazing.

We spent our 3 days visiting the school house, helping to prepare food and collect firewood and we even milked goats and learned how to make Maasai beads. One morning, we went on a nature walk to learn about local wildlife and plants used in traditional Maasai medicine, which I found fascinating!

My favourite part of my stay though was interacting with the children. They taught me how to count to 10 in Maa (the Maasai language) and some other basic words. They had some interesting questions for me such as ‘How many cows do you own?’ and ‘Do you have lightning where you live?’ 4____________________.

This was truly a life-changing experience. Before leaving, I bought a necklace which is now one of my most treasured possessions. 5 __________________________. If you ever get the chance to spend time with these amazing people, go for it! You certainly won’t regret it!

If you ever get the chance to spend time with these amazing people, go for it! _______________________.