PART ONE:Reading
A.Comprehension
Read the text carefully then do the activities.
Working children lives are difficult not just because of their work. Their families are poor or they have no families and no resources. Because they have no education, they are condemned to be poor all their lives.
The British charity Save the Children says that it is important to talk to child labourers to find solutions. Not all work is bad or dangerous. In some cases, if children can’t work, they or their families can’t survive. Boycotts of products made using child labour result in the children being forced to do more dangerous work. Save the Children supports projects that give young workers access to education and better working conditions.
For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, teenagers from poor families receive some money to start businesses. They can buy products to sell at the market and make some money. Because they are the bosses, they can choose when to work and they have money to pay for school.
Embroiderers like Nancy can go to classes organized by Save the Children. The charity also helps them get reasonable pay for their work. Nancy says, “Now we know that our products sell very well in Europe. Before, I didn’t know how much money I received. It was written down. I couldn’t read it. I used to think it was a good idea to ban products made by children. But I live in the practical world, and I’m very concerned about my family. For large families, it’s very important for at least one or two children to work. If we don’ work, our families won’t survive.”
Adapted from Easy Going, summer 2003
1.Are the following statements true or false?
a.Working children have bad education.
b.The only reason why children work is that their families are poor.
c.Work is not always dangerous for children.
d.In the Democratic Republic of Congo, all the families with teenagers receive money.
2.Answer the following questions according to the text.
a.Why is the boycott of products made by children not good for them?
b. Before Save the Children’s help, what wasn’t Nancy able to do?
c. Nancy knows that the boycott is not a good thing to do. Explain her awareness.
d. What happens if children do not work?
3.What or who do the underlined words refer to in the text?
a) Their (§1): b) we (§4):
4.Which title is the most appropriate for the text?
a) Teenagers and Poor Families
b)Working Children
c)Nancy, the Embroider
B.Text exploration
1.Find in the text words closest in meaning to the following.
a) Kids: (§1) b) risky: (§2)
2. Find in the text words opposite in meaning to the following.
a) problems# (§2) b) to allow# (§4)
3. Ask questions which the underlined words answer.
a.Working children’s lives are difficult.
4. Which nouns can be derived from the following adjectives.
a. difficult b. poor c. employ
5.Combine the following sentences using the connectors given in brackets.
a. I believe we must stop exploiting children. (It’s high time)
b. The article on World Day Against Child Labour was interesting. I read it many times. (so…….that)
c.Sam will work at a very early age. He needs money to help his poor family. (as long as)
d. The poor child suffered harsh working conditions. He escaped from bondage. (consequently)
6. Classify the following words according to the number of their syllables.
Important - child - labour - education
1 syllable 2 syllables 3 or more syllables
7.Fill in the gaps with words from the list so that the text makes sense.
like / several / indigenous / mother
An ………………………girl in Panama
“I am 12 years old and my name is Kuna Yala. I am always sad and alone. They call me ‘Indian’ and tell me ……………………bad words. Sometimes, when I cry a lot, they give me 50 cents to call my…………………… who is in San Blas. I would ……………………to be with her instead of working.
PART TWO: Written Expression
Choose one of the following topics.
Topic one: In some countries like China and India, many kids have to work to help their poor parents.
Using the following notes, write a short essay on this problem.
causes Consequences
Poor families /orphan children /jobless parents
Failure at school /Illiteracy /poverty /working at an early age /
Exploited to the extreme/
Topic two: You watched a documentary on child labour and how awful these innocent children are exploited. How did you feel, and what would you do if you had the power to denunciate and punish these cruel people.
