Name: Mark:
TERM TEST 2 Level 1
WRITTEN COMPREHENSION
Read the magazine article and answer the questions that follow.
Think Local, Act Global
I When thinking of a teen environmental activist, no doubt the name Greta Thunberg comes to mind. She
has become a global sensation, but she is not alone in her quest for change. In this week’s edition, we
profile four teens who have taken a slightly quieter route to helping the environment.
II When Allison Boyer was seven, she was horrified to discover that orangutans were in danger of being
wiped out. The trees in their habitat were being cut down because of the demand for palm oil. She took
action by raising money to help. Allison simply asked people to donate their old handbags to her, which she
then sold at fundraising events. Without any financial resources of her own, the now 18-year-old has raised
$27,000 to aid these great apes.
III Activism isn’t just about raising money. The Love a Sea Turtle Foundation was launched to raise awareness
among young people of the dangers to the environment. The organisation holds workshops run by teens
such as 17-year-old Makayla Harris. She takes kids from underprivileged urban backgrounds out on trips to
learn about nature and hopefully encourages a lifelong responsibility and commitment to the environment.
IV Scottish teen Michael Sinclair is also very much involved in environmental work in his home city of
Glasgow. He makes bird boxes, small wooden houses where birds can build their nests. These are sold to
provide funding to charities. As a birdwatcher, he also has his boxes put up in a local park to monitor the
whereabouts and health of the city’s birds.
V But do local efforts really make a difference globally? Felix Finkbeiner has proved that it does. When Felix
was nine, he did a school assignment about planting trees, which he ended with a plea to plant a million
trees in Germany. He presented the talk to the rest of the school and then, two months later, he planted his
first tree. This articulate boy grabbed the attention of the world’s media so that he eventually brought about
a vast tree-planting campaign worldwide. Despite being just an ordinary boy from a small town in Germany,
Felix has changed the world. Moral of the story – never underestimate the power of local teen action.
1 Choose the correct answer. (1 point)
What is the main purpose of the article?
a To ask teenagers to raise money for green causes.
b To criticise teens who are not involved in environmental causes.
c To encourage teens to get involved in saving the environment.
d To honour four young activists for their dedicated environmental work.
2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text
to support your answers. (3 x 2 = 6 points)
1 The orangutans were in danger because they were in great demand by poachers. ......
................................................................................................................................................................
2 Michael Sinclair’s bird boxes contribute financially to the cause. ......
................................................................................................................................................................
3 Felix Finkbeiner’s project was far more successful than he had expected it to be. ......
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Name: Mark:
3 Answer the question. (4 points)
What do each of the four teens prove about environmental activism?
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4 Complete the sentences. (2 x 2 = 4 points)
1 The Love a Sea Turtle Foundation wants to encourage a relationship .....................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
2 Michael Sinclair looks out for ................................................................................................................. .
5 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (5 x 1 = 5 points)
1 likely (paragraph I) .............................
2 search (paragraph I) .............................
3 began something new (paragraph III) .............................
4 place or location of someone or something (paragraph IV) .............................
5 a request for help (paragraph V) .............................
WRITTEN PRODUCTION
Write a report (120-150) words about a cause (environmental or otherwise) that you feel very
committed to. Explain your reasons. (20 points)
