Weekly Lessons

The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Advanced1 Key WordsFill the gaps using these words from the text: subdued encampment abduction warp overwhelmed crave thug 1. If you 2. If a place is 3. To 4. A 5. An 6. To 7. A fundamentalist raid breed

something, you want it very much and in such a way that it is very hard to control. by people, there are so many people in it that it is difficult to deal with them. a negative feeling or situation is to cause it to develop. is a man who is violent, especially a criminal. is the act of taking someone away from their home or family using force. something, for example a persons character, is to affect it in a negative way. person or group believes that original religious and political laws should be followed

very strictly and not be changed. 8. A 9. If someone looks 10. An is a sudden short attack. , he looks slightly sad or worried. is a large group of tents or temporary shelters.

2 Pre-reading What do you know?Choose the best answer for each question. Then look in the text and check your answers. 1. Where is Uganda? a. In the Middle East. b. In Asia c. In Africa.

2. What is the main problem in northern Uganda? a. A civil war. b. Severe floods.

c. Severe droughts.

3. How long has this problem existed? a. For almost 5 years. b. For almost 10 years. c. For almost 20 years. 4. What is the Lords Resistance Army (LRA)? a. The group in power. b. A rebel group.

c. The countrys army.

The night-walkers of UgandaMary Aciro has spent the day gathering grass to feed the cattle, weeding the vegetable patch and helping her mother cook dinner over a charcoal fire: the life of any African girl in any African village. But as daylight begins to fade, Mary slips away from the familys tiny mud hut and strides down a sandy track into the nearest town. The adults in the town of Lacor in northern Uganda are going home for dinner on buses. Mary, along with hundreds of other children, is going the other way. The children are dressed in rags and flip-flops; Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Advancedsome carry sacks or rolled-up blankets on their shoulders. They scramble over grassy banks and hurry down the sun-scorched roadside on the way to the night shelters, which are guarded by government troops. In any other country a 14-year-old girl leaving her home and an anxious mother for the night would spell rebellion. Here, its simply about survival. We fear the rebels, we fear thugs and robbers who come at night to disturb us, says Mary as she walks with a swinging stride. On a troubled continent, the war in this region stands out. It is Africas longest-running civil war, and perhaps the only conflict in history in which children are both the main victims and the principal aggressors. Mary and the other children walk to safety every night because they fear, with good reason, abduction by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), a Christian fundamentalist rebel group that uses children as soldiers, porters and sexual slaves. The LRA carries out its raids at night, storming into villages from the surrounding bush, killing adults and forcing children to beat their parents before marching them away to camps deep in the bush. Marys 15-year-old brother, Geoffrey, was abducted by the rebels; he was held for three months. They made him carry heavy loads, beat him at times, he went without food, says their mother, Agnes. Geoffrey only escaped when a government helicopter gunship attacked the rebels holding him. Marys neighbour, a girl named Florence, was abducted too. She spent three years with the rebels: she was forced into sexual slavery and became pregnant. Desperate to keep the child-snatchers from their doors, parents in northern Uganda began sending their children into nearby towns at night in 2002. 40,000 children across the region started walking into towns to sleep. Aid agencies set up shelters to give them somewhere safe to go, and its one of these that Mary is heading for. As she approaches Lacor, she walks past bars lit by a single lightbulb and tiny shops whose wooden shelves are crammed with cooking oil, salt, soap powder and mobile phone top-up cards. As the shadows spread, the shopkeepers open their thief-proof metal doors and step out. Mary lives near the town but some of the other children walk for hours to reach safety. When she reaches the shelter, it is already full of children, some of them barely toddlers, others in their late teens. The shelter is made up of stark concrete buildings, bare as a barn inside, as well as rows of giant white canvas tents. Lillian Apiyo, 14, is already inside. I come here for protection, she says. I always get new friends from here. There is nowhere to stay at home. The children filter through the gates looking subdued, but a party atmosphere soon develops. A dozen or so children begin dancing. At other shelters there is frenetic singing of motivational songs. The shelters are busy enough as it is, and if food were provided, they would be overwhelmed. Adult wardens patrol with torches, breaking up the occasional fight over a blanket and checking on children who look scared or upset. When I am here, I feel I am somebody, says Gabriel Oloya, who studies his schoolbooks in the dim light. When I am at home, Im always upset. I feel lonely and so many thoughts come into my mind. Here, I tend to forget such things. Gabriel, 15, is responsible for the four younger brothers who walk with him to the shelter. My parents are dead, killed by the rebels, he says. Childhood is short in rural Africa, but it is rare for children to be thrown so completely on their own resources as they are in this war-damaged society. The children who come to the shelters crave affection. Many of them are orphans whose parents were murdered by the rebels and who have been taken in by their extended family. The girls comb each others hair while the boys spin bottle-tops or engage in play fights. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l AdvancedIn the shelter the wardens keep boys and girls apart, but outside its gates young couples are cuddling in the semi-darkness. This sort of thing does worry Marys mother. We cant follow our children up to the shelter, Agnes says. Sometimes a girl says she has gone there, but she has gone to a boyfriend, and she becomes pregnant and drops out of school. But then there is more to worry about than teenage boys. The Acholi and Lango tribes of northern Uganda were once farmers, living in scattered villages amid their herds of cattle and fields of maize. But 19 years of war have warped everything: almost the entire population of the north, 1.5 million people, has been displaced into crowded, dusty encampments on the outskirts of towns. Despair has bred alcoholism and violence; the horror of war is part and parcel of life. As the older generation dies out, so does the hope of returning to a normal life. This is a culture with few written records, which relies on memories to place the boundaries of farmland and the distance to the nearest stream. When their parents are gone, the childrens link with their original villages will be broken for ever. For me, the worst thing that may happen here is a situation where officially there is no war, but everybody remains in the camps, says Father Carlos Rodriguez Soto, a Roman Catholic priest who has spent 18 years in Uganda. The sun has not quite risen when the wardens rouse the children. After a prayer and a wash, the children who have blankets roll them on to their shoulders, the older ones gather up younger brothers and sisters and they begin to slip out of the gates and stream on to the road. By 9 a.m. the sun will burn and sweat will drip from every forehead, but now it is gentle. It is a good time to walk home.

3 Comprehension checkMatch each fact with a reason or purpose. Facts 1. In Uganda 40,000 children leave their home every night. 2. The LRA abducts children. 3. Aid agencies have set up shelters. 4. Food isnt provided in night shelters. 5. Wardens patrol the shelters with torches. 6. A lot of children crave affection. 7. Childhood is very short in Uganda. 8. The childrens link with their villages will be lost. Reasons or purposes a. To avoid having overwhelmed shelters. b. Because they fear abduction. c. To break up fights and check on the children. d. To use them as soldiers, porters and sexual slaves. e. Because they are orphans. f. To provide a safe place for children to go to. g. Because there are few written records and the older generation is dying out. h. Because children are thrown on their own resources at an early age. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Advanced4 Vocabulary 1 Adjective orderPut the words in order to make phrases from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. mud / hut / tiny / a 2. tents / giant / canvas / white 3. concrete / buildings / stark 4. fundamentalist / Christian / a / group / rebel

5 Vocabulary 2 Compound modifiersWrite a compound word (a word made up of two or more words joined by dashes) to complete the descriptions in column B. Check your answers in the text. A the B roadside blankets a the girl civil war metal doors a society

1. the roadside scorched by the sun 2. blankets that have been rolled up 3. a girl who is 14 years old 4. the civil war that has run the longest 5. metal doors that are proof against thieves 6. a society that has been damaged by the war

6 Vocabulary 3 Phrasal verbsUse these words to complete phrasal verbs from the text. Check your answers in the text. in for out up without raids at night. food. shelters. a night shelter. of buildings 6. Wardens patrol the shelters to break fights. 7. Gabriel was taken family. 8. The older generation is dying . by his extended

1. The LRA carries 2. Geoffrey had to go 3. Aid agencies set 4. Mary is heading 5. The shelter is made and tents.

7 DiscussionOf all the problems in Uganda, which do you think is the most serious of all? Why? What could be done to help solve it? Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Advanced KEY1 Key WordsFill the gaps using these words from the text: 1. crave 2. overwhelmed 3. breed 4. thug 5. abduction 6. warp 7. fundamentalist 8. raid 9. subdued 10. encampment

2 Find the information1. c; 2. a; 3. c; 4.b

3 Comprehension check1. b; 2. d; 3. f; 4. a; 5. c; 6. e; 7. h; 8. g

4 Vocabulary 1 - Adjective order1. a tiny mud hut 2. giant white canvas tents 3. stark concrete buildings 4. a Christian fundamentalist rebel group

5 Vocabulary 2 Compound modifiers1. the sun-scorched roadside 2. rolled-up blankets 3. a 14-year-old girl 4. the longest-running civil war 5. thief-proof metal doors 6. a war-damaged society

6 Vocabulary 3 - Phrasal verbs1. out 2. without 3. up 4. for 5. up 6. up 7. in 8. out Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Elementary1 Key WordsFill the gaps using these words from the text. aid agency pregnant shelter slave bush 1. A 2. A 3. A 4. A 5. If you 6. If you 7. The 8. An 9. A him or her. 10. If a woman is , she is going to have a baby. capture rebel hut patrol warden

is a small simple house with only one or two rooms. is a place where people are protected from bad weather or from danger. is someone who opposes their government and tries to remove it using force. is someone who is responsible for a place and checks that people follow rules. a person, you take him or her prisoner. a place, you move regularly around it in order to prevent trouble or crime. is an area in a hot country that is not used for growing food. is an organization that gives money, food or help to people in need. is someone who is forced to do what another person tells them to do and has to work for

2 Find the informationLook in the text and find this information as quickly as possible: 1. Where is Mary Aciro from? 2. How old is she? 3. What is the LRA? 4. How many children spend the nights in shelters? 5. How many people live in shelters?

The night-walkers of UgandaMary Aciro lives near the town of Lacor in northern Uganda. Every day, she collects grass to feed the cattle, works in the vegetable patch and helps her mother cook dinner over a fire. And then, just before the sun sets, Mary leaves her familys tiny hut and walks down a sandy road into Lacor. The adults are going home for dinner on buses. Mary and hundreds of other children are going the other way. They are wearing dirty old clothes and flip-flops. Some are carrying sacks or rolled-up blankets. They are going to night shelters guarded by government troops. In any other country, a mother wouldnt let her 14-year-old daughter leave home for the night. Here, the most important thing is to survive. We fear the rebels and violent robbers who come at night to disturb us, says Mary as she walks.N TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l ElementaryThere are many problems in Africa but the war in this region is the worst problem of all. It is Africas longest civil war. Mary and the other children walk to the shelters every night because they dont want to be captured by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA is a religious rebel group that uses children as soldiers, porters and sexual slaves. The rebels attack the villagers at night. They kill adults and take the children away to camps in the bush. Marys 15-year-old brother, Geoffrey, was captured by the rebels and he was a prisoner for three months. They made him carry heavy things. They hit him and didnt give him any food, says their mother, Agnes. Geoffrey escaped when a government helicopter attacked the rebel camp he was in. Marys neighbour, a girl named Florence, was captured too. She spent three years with the rebels: she was forced to have sex and became pregnant. In 2002, desperate parents in northern Uganda began sending their childrenabout 40,000 of theminto nearby towns at night. Aid agencies built shelters to give them a safe place to go. Mary is going to one of these places. When she reaches the shelter, it is full of children of all ages. The shelter is made up of concrete buildings and large white tents. Lillian Apiyo, 14, is already inside. I come here for protection, she says. The children look sad when they reach the shelter, but soon they become happier. Some children begin dancing. At other shelters, they sing songs. The children are not given anything to eat. The shelters are already very busy, and if food were given to the children, they would be even busier. Adult wardens patrol with torches. They stop fights occasionally and check on children who look frightened or unhappy. When I am here, I feel I am somebody. When I am at home, Im always upset, says Gabriel Oloya, 15, who is responsible for the four younger brothers who walk with him to the shelter. My parents are dead, killed by the rebels, he says. Childhood is short in rural Africa, but it is even shorter in this society. The children are alone and they need love. Many of them live with their extended family because their parents were killed by the rebels. In the shelter the wardens keep boys and girls apart, but outside its gates young couples are alone in the semi-darkness. This sort of thing worries Marys mother. We cant follow our children up to the shelter, Agnes says. Sometimes a girl says she has gone there, but she has gone to a boyfriend, and she becomes pregnant and leaves school. But other things worry her more. The tribes of northern Uganda were once farmers. They lived in small villages and had cattle and fields of maize. But 19 years of war have destroyed everything. Almost all the population of the north, 1.5 million people, now lives in crowded temporary shelters near the towns. As the war goes on, the situation gets worse. There is little hope of returning to a normal life. This is a culture with few written records. When their parents are gone, the childrens link with their villages will be lost. Who will tell the children the boundaries of farmland or the distance to the nearest stream? For me, the worst thing that may happen here is a situation where there is no war, but everybody stays in the camps, says Father Carlos Rodriguez Soto, a Roman Catholic priest who has spent 18 years in Uganda. The wardens wake up the children before the sun rises. The children pray and wash. Some children roll their blankets, others call their younger brothers and sisters. They leave the shelter and walk to the road. At 9 a.m. the sun will be very hot, but now it is gentle. It is a good time to walk home.

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Elementary3 Comprehension checkMatch the beginnings and the endings to make complete sentences. 1. In northern Uganda 40,000 children 2. The rebels attack villages at night and 3. Aid agencies have built shelters to 4. In the shelters wardens walk around to 5. There are few written records, so older people 6. After 19 years of war, it will a. provide safe places for children. b. pass information on to children. c. leave their home every night. d. keep order and help children who are scared or sad. e. capture children to use them as slaves. f. be very difficult to return to a normal life.

4 Vocabulary 1 CollocationsMatch the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. feed 2. look 3. wear 4. carry 5. leave 6. build 7. become 8. cook a. dirty old clothes b. pregnant c. home / school d. shelters e. the cattle f. sacks g. dinner h. sad

5 Vocabulary 2 PrepositionsComplete these sentences based on the text using an appropriate preposition. Check your answers in the text. 1. Mary lives northern Uganda. a fire. dinner on buses. 6. The rebels take the children camps in the bush. 7. The shelter is full teenagers. 8. Wardens patrol night.B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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2. Marys mother cooks dinner 3. Adults go home 4. The shelters are guarded government troops. 5. The rebels attack the villagers Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Elementary6 Vocabulary 3 Verbs related to warsUse these verbs to complete these sentences based on the text. Check your answers in the text. escaped 1. Geoffrey was 2. He killed destroyed captured attacked

by the rebels. after three months. the camp. by the rebels. almost everything in northern Uganda.

3. A government helicopter 4. Gabriels parents were 5. Almost 20 years of war have


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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Elementary KEY1 Key Words1. hut 2. shelter 3. rebel 4. warden 5. capture 6. patrol 7. bush 8. aid agency 9. slave 10. pregnant

2 Find the information1. (northern) Uganda 2. 14 3. the Lords Resistance Army / a rebel group 4. 40,000 5. 1.5 million

3 Comprehension check1. c; 2. e; 3.a; 4. d; 5. b; 6. f

4 Vocabulary 1 Collocations1. e; 2. h; 3. a; 4. f; 5. c; 6. d; 7. b; 8. g

5 Vocabulary 2 Prepositions1. in 2. over 3. for 4. by 5. at 6. away 7. of 8. with

6 Vocabulary 3 Verbs related to wars1. captured 2. escaped 3. attacked 4. killed 5. destroyedB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Intermediate1 Key WordsFill the gaps using these words from the text. toddler abduction 1. An 2. A 3. A 4. A 5. An 6. If something causes 7. To 8. To 9. 10. rags beat warden thug rebellion aid agency damage alcoholism is an organization that helps people affected by wars or natural disasters. is a violent criminal. is a very young child who is learning to walk. is someone whose job is to be responsible for a place and check that rules are obeyed. is the act of taking someone way from their home or family using force. , there is strong opposition to it. someone is to hit a person violently several times. something is to break it or spoil it. are clothes that are old, torn and dirty. is a medical condition that makes it difficult for people to control the amount of drinks such

as wine or beer that they drink.

2 Find the informationLook in the text and find this information as quickly as possible. 1. What country is Mary Aciro from? 2. Where is this country? 3. What is the LRA? 4. When did children start going into towns? 5. Approximately how many children spend the nights in towns? 6. What problem has existed in Marys country for 19 years?

The night-walkers of UgandaMary Aciro has spent the day gathering grass to feed the cattle, weeding the vegetables and helping her mother cook dinner over a fire: the life of any African girl in any African village. But before the sun sets, Mary leaves the familys tiny mud hut and walks down a sandy track into the nearest town. The adults in the town of Lacor in northern Uganda are going home for dinner on buses. Mary and hundreds of other children are going the other way. They are dressed in rags and flip-flops; some carry sacks or rolled-up blankets on their shoulders. They are on the way to the night shelters, which are guarded by government troops. In any other country, a 14-year-old girl leaving her home and an anxious mother for the night would cause rebellion. Here, it is necessary to survive. We fear the rebels, we fear thugs and robbers who come at night to disturb us, says Mary as she walks. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l IntermediateOn a continent with many wars, the war in this region is particularly bad. It is Africas longest civil war, and perhaps the only conflict in history in which children are both the main victims and the main attackers. Mary and the other children walk to safety every night because they fear, with good reason, abduction by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), a religious rebel group that uses children as soldiers, porters and sexual slaves. The LRA attacks the villagers at night, killing adults and forcing children to beat their parents before taking them away to camps deep in the bush. Marys 15-year-old brother, Geoffrey, was abducted by the rebels. He was held for three months. They made him carry heavy things, beat him at times, gave him no food, says their mother, Agnes. Geoffrey only escaped when a government helicopter attacked the rebel camp he was in. Marys neighbour, a girl named Florence, was abducted too. She spent three years with the rebels: she was forced into sexual slavery and became pregnant. In 2002, desperate parents in northern Uganda began sending their childrenabout 40,000 of theminto nearby towns at night. Aid agencies built shelters to give them somewhere safe to go, and its one of these that Mary is going to. Mary lives near the town, but some of the other children walk for hours to reach safety. When she reaches the shelter, it is already full of children of all ages. The shelter is made up of concrete buildings and giant white canvas tents. Lillian Apiyo, 14, is already inside. I come here for protection, she says. I always get new friends from here. There is nowhere to stay at home. The children walk through the gates looking sad, but a party atmosphere soon develops. A dozen or so children begin dancing. At other shelters, they sing songs that cheer them up. The children are not given anything to eat. The shelters are busy enough as it is, and if food were provided, they would be even busier. Adult wardens patrol with torches, stopping occasional fights and checking on children who look scared or upset. When I am here, I feel I am somebody, says Gabriel Oloya. When I am at home, Im always upset. Here, I forget my worries. Gabriel, 15, is responsible for the four younger brothers who walk with him to the shelter. My parents are dead, killed by the rebels, he says. Childhood is short in rural Africa, but it is even shorter in this society damaged by the war. The children who come to the shelters are in need of affection. Many of them live with their extended family because their parents were murdered by the rebels. In the shelter the wardens keep boys and girls apart, but outside its gates young couples are alone in the semi-darkness. This sort of thing worries Marys mother. We cant follow our children up to the shelter, Agnes says. Sometimes a girl says she has gone there, but she has gone to a boyfriend, and she becomes pregnant and leaves school. But then there is more to worry about than teenage boys. The tribes of northern Uganda were once farmers who kept cattle and grew maize. But 19 years of war have destroyed everything: almost the entire population of the north, 1.5 million people, now live in crowded temporary shelters on the outskirts of towns. There is alcoholism and violence, and the horror of war is part of everyday life. The hope of returning to a normal life is slowly disappearing. This is a culture with few written records. When their parents are gone, the childrens link with their villages will be lost. Who will tell the children the boundaries of farmland or the distance to the nearest stream? For me, the worst thing that may happen here is a situation where there is no war, but everybody stays in the camps, says Father Carlos Rodriguez Soto, a Roman Catholic priest who has spent 18 years in Uganda. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l IntermediateThe wardens wake up the children before the sun rises. After a prayer and a wash, some children roll their blankets on to their shoulders and the older ones gather up younger brothers and sisters. They walk out of the gates on to the road. By 9 am the sun will burn, but now it is gentle. It is a good time to walk home.

3 Comprehension checkChoose TWO correct answers to complete each sentence: 1. In northern Uganda 40,000 children a. spend the night in shelters built by aid agencies. b. leave their homes at the age of 14. c. are afraid of being captured by the rebels. 2. The LRA is a rebel group that a. captures children to use them as slaves. b. attacks villages and murders people at night. c. takes adults away to camps in the bush. 3. The shelters a. provide children with food. b. are a safe place for children to stay. c. are guarded by government troops. 4. The war in Uganda has lasted so long that a. it has completely destroyed society. b. there is little hope of returning to a normal life. c. people will have to stay in camps forever.

4 Vocabulary 1 DescriptionsMatch the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to form descriptions from the text. 1. a mud 2. a sandy 3. a concrete 4. a canvas 5. an extended 6. a crowded a. building b. tent c. hut d. shelter e. track f. family


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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Intermediate5 Vocabulary 2 Word buildingComplete the table. Check your answers in the text. Noun (person) 1. governor 2. rebel 3. abductor 4. slave 5. child 6. farmer Noun (thing) _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

6 Vocabulary 3 Find the wrong wordCross out the word or phrase that CANT complete the sentence. The first one is done for you. 1. The children are dressed in rags / torches / flip-flops. 2. Some children carry tracks / sacks / blankets. 3. Villagers fear wardens / thugs / rebels. 4. The rebels use children as soldiers / slaves / victims. 5. Shelters are safe / desperate / crowded. 6. Some children are full / scared / upset. 7. Children need alcoholism / affection / protection. 8. In northern Uganda, the society is damaged / destroyed / murdered by war.

7 DiscussionOf all the problems in Uganda, which do you think is the most serious of all? Why? What could be done to help solve it?


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The night-walkers of UgandaLevel 1 l Intermediate KEY1 Key Words1. aid agency 2. thug 3. toddler 4. warden 5. abduction 6. rebellion 7. beat 8. damage 9. Rags 10. Alcoholism

2 Find the information1. Uganda 2. in Africa 3. the Lords Resistance Army / a rebel group 4. in 2002 5. 40,000 6. a (civil) war

3 Comprehension check1. a, c; 2. a, b; 3. b, c; 4. a, b

4 Vocabulary 1 Descriptions1. c; 2. e; 3. a; 4. b; 5. f; 6. d

5 Vocabulary 2 Word building1. government 2. rebellion 3. abduction 4. slavery 5. childhood 6. farmland

6 Vocabulary 3 Find the wrong word1. torches 2. tracks 3. wardens 4. victims 5. desperate 6. full 7. alcoholism 8. murdered Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 3 l Advanced1 Pre-reading 1Look at the headline. What do you think the article will be about?

2 Pre-reading 2 Key WordsPredict the meaning of these words from the text by matching them with the definitions. a polytunnel a dozen a walking frame to witness something defiance to cheer somebody on to object to something to descend on (a place) to spring up a migrant 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. to say that you disagree with something to see something happen an open refusal to obey; a strong protest to encourage somebody to continue what they are doing twelve, or about twelve someone who moves to another country to work or live to appear suddenly and unexpectedly, as if by magic a metal support that helps old or disabled people to move a long, transparent polythene cover to protect growing

plants, tall enough for people to work inside 10. to arrive somewhere in large numbers

Now read the first four paragraphs and see if you were right.

No strawberries and cream for fruit pickers1

When Val Salisbury walked down her lane in Herefordshire, in southern England, and into a giant plastic polytunnel where dozens of Ukrainians, Lithuanians and other east Europeans were picking strawberries, the workers were surprised. She was, after all, a 69-year-old Englishwoman using a walking frame. But when she started pulling up the plants and throwing them to the ground, they realised why she was there. Mrs Salisbury herself was surprised by what the east Europeans did next. According to some of the people who witnessed her act of defiance against S&A Davies, Europes largest strawberry grower, the workers started clapping, and then cheered her on. By the time the farm manager had arrived, Mrs Salisbury was a hero. A hero, not just for those people in the county of Herefordshire who object to thousands of acres of plastic-covered farmland, but also to an army of workers from all over eastern Europe who pick fruit for British supermarkets.

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 3 l Advanced I felt so much better after my protest, said Mrs Salisbury last weekend. We dont need these bloody strawberries and these polytunnels in Herefordshire.3 4

Welcome to the English strawberry fields, where the beginning of summer sees at least 5,000 people from eastern Europe descend on Herefordshire and Worcestershire to pick fruit. This year two villages, each of more than 1,700 people, have sprung up without planning permission, each with 400 or more caravans, football pitches, internet cafes and even saunas. The pickers are welcomed by the majority of local people, but there is concern that the migrant labour force is being exploited. Last weekend an informal survey of 50 people working in the tunnels suggested that many pickers are as angry as Mrs Salisbury. Those who spoke English said they were being paid less than they expected, that they had to wait for payment, that the accommodation was expensive, that they had paid too much to get there, and that the management were profiting excessively from their stay. In Lithuania I earn two hundred pounds a month, said Mindaugas, a Vilnius policeman. I thought I could earn more here. It looks like I am not going to. It cost more than I thought to get here; it costs more to live. None of us like strawberry picking, said Svetlana, a Ukrainian student. Today I have earned 23. But I must pay 35 a week to live in a box with three other people. Perhaps I earn 150 in a week, but when I have paid for food, accommodation, tax, everything, maybe I have 70 for a six days. Its not good. The money is bad, said Artur, a waiter from the Czech Republic. We waited days to have work. Last year we heard there was a strike here; perhaps there will be one this year, too. It is like a prison. I have been given a yellow card already. One more and I am sent home. Documents drawn up by S&A Davies and seen by the Guardian set out the terms and conditions for workers, who live four or five to a room. They must pay 26.25 a week for accommodation, 3 a week for sewage and waste collection, 2.25 for electricity and 2.75 for leisure facilities, including a TV set, football pitch and disco. For 30, they have access to medical and translation advice. The documents state that pickers can be sacked for eating a single strawberry, for stopping work, going to the toilet in a hedge, or for smoking indoors. If rooms are not clean and tidy, the workers can be asked to leave. If they want to invite a visitor to the camp, they must ask permission two days in advance. I have never been anywhere like this, said Irynya, a Ukrainian housewife. The company said they guaranteed pickers 5.05 an hour when there was work, and a bonus if they met targets. But they said that at the start of the season or in bad weather they could not guarantee hours. When 3,500 people turn up, its hard to get everyone going at the same time. We reduced the accommodation charge to 10 when it was raining, two weeks ago, said Graham Neal, a manager with S&A Davies. Mr Neal blamed agents in east European countries for sending them unsuitable workers. The old student agriculture workers quota scheme meant we could go to an east European university and know peoples history and character. We had superb people. Now the government says that we must recruit EU people. Some countries ... have sent over their unemployed drunks, he said.

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As a final irony, the east Europeans cannot afford to buy the fruit they pick. Yes, we like strawberries but we cannot pay for them, said Linas Petraitis, a Ukrainian buying cheap white bread and margarine in the local supermarket. When you eat one, just think of us in the tunnels.


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 3 l Advanced3 Post-reading Point of viewDo you think the writer sympathizes more with the workers or with the management of the strawberry farm? Why?

4 Detailed comprehensionAre the following statements true or false? 1. Mrs Salisbury was fit and healthy. 2. She didnt want the countryside covered with plastic. 3. None of the local people agree with her. 4. The workers were angry that she was destroying their work. 5. There is nothing for the workers to do in their free time. 6. Some local people think the management are making an unfair profit out of the workers. 7. The migrants working conditions are severe. 8. Doctors and interpreters are provided free. 9. There is not always enough work for everyone. 10.The S&A Davies manager is critical of all European workers.

5 Vocabulary 1 Word searchFind words in paragraphs 7-10 that mean: 1. 2. and may be dismissed (7) 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. would expect (10) Waste material from the toilet (7) Dismissed (8) Promised (to pay) (8) Reached the totals set (8) A number that is officially permitted (9) Find and employ ((9) A strange or funny situation where things happen in the opposite way to what you When workers refuse to work, to protest about their conditions (7) A sign or warning (originally from football) that you have done something wrong,


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 3 l Advanced6 Vocabulary 2 Phrasal Verbs1. See if you can remember the missing particles in these phrasal verbs. 1. pulling 2. cheered her 3. descend the plants Hertfordshire by S&A Davies

4. two villages have sprung 5. documents drawn 6. set

the terms and conditions

7. when 3,500 people turn 2. Now match numbers 1, 5, 6 and 7 to these definitions: a) prepared and written b) explained clearly in writing c) arrive (sometimes unexpectedly) d) removing, roots and all

3. Check your answers in the text.

7 Interpretation and discussion1. Do you agree with the idea of richer countries importing workers from poorer countries to do manual jobs? If so, under what circumstances and conditions? 2. With a partner, take the roles of: A. a migrant worker B. the manager of the fruit farm Try to reach an agreement about wages and conditions.


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 3 l Advanced Key:2. Pre-reading 2 Key Words1. to object to sth 2. to witness sth 3. defiance 4. to cheer sb on 5. a dozen 6. a migrant 7. to spring up 8. a walking frame 9. a polytunnel 10. to descend on (a place)

5. Vocabulary 1 Word Search1. a strike 2. a yellow card 3. sewage 4. sacked 5. guaranteed 6. met targets 7. (a) quota 8. (to) recruit 9. (an) irony 10. a strike

3. Post-reading Point of viewThe writer appears to sympathize more with the workers. He gives lots of space to various individual workers, their complaints, and the unpleasant conditions of their contracts. He gives much less space to the manager, and gives the last word to one of the workers, repeating and explaining the point made in the title.

6. Vocabulary 2 Phrasal Verbs1. 1.pulling up the plants 2.cheered her on 3.descend on Hertfordshire 4.two villages have sprung up 5.documents drawn up by S&A Davies 6.set out the terms and conditions 7.when 3,500 people turn up 2. 1-d; 5-a; 6-b; 7-c

4. Detailed Comprehension1. False; she used a walking frame 2. True 3. False; a hero not just for those people in Herefordshire who object 4. False; the workers started clapping, and then cheered her on 5. False; football pitches, internet cafes and even saunas. 6. True 7. True 8. False; for 30 they have access to medical and translation advice 9. True 10.False; We had superb people. Now ... Some countries ... have sent over their unemployed drunks


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 1 l Elementary1 Pre-reading 1Look at the title. What do you think the article is about? a. The fact that strawberry pickers are not allowed to eat when working. b. The fact that strawberry pickers are not paid a lot of money for the work they do. Now read the first two paragraphs and see if you were right.

2 Pre-reading 2 Key WordsSee if you can guess the meaning of these words from the text by matching them with the definitions. to clap to cheer a yellow card a contract leisure facilities a migrant to afford 1. is a piece of paper that two or more people sign to show that they agree to do

something (usually concerning work). 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. is to shout loudly to show that you are happy about something or somebody. is someone who moves to another country to work or live. is to hit your hands together, many times, to show that you think something is good. is to have enough money to buy something. (used in football) is a sign or warning that you have done something wrong. are things you can use to help you enjoy your free time.

Now read the text quickly to check the words.


Val Salisbury lives in a country village in England. She loves the countryside, but just near her house there is a big strawberry farm. So now the fields are covered with very big pieces of plastic, called polytunnels, where the strawberries grow. And people have to work in the polytunnels, too. These workers come to England from eastern Europe every summer, to pick the strawberries for British supermarkets. Mrs Salisbury was very angry about all the plastic, and she was also angry that the workers were badly paid. She wanted to show the farm company (S&A Davies, Europes largest strawberry grower) how she felt. So one day she walked into one of the polytunnels, and started pulling the strawberry plants out of the ground. The east Europeans understood why she was angry, and they clapped and cheered. I felt so much better after my protest, said Mrs Salisbury last weekend. We dont need these strawberries and these polytunnels in Herefordshire.

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 1 l Elementary4

Every year, at the beginning of summer, at least 5,000 people from eastern Europe arrive in south-west England to pick fruit. This year, two villages, with more than 1,700 people in each, have been built there. Each one has about 400 caravans, football pitches, internet cafes and even saunas. Most local people welcome the fruit-pickers, but some are afraid that the fruit company is making too much money out of them. Last weekend, a reporter interviewed 50 people working in the tunnels, and many were as angry as Mrs Salisbury. The workers who could speak English said that their conditions were terrible. They thought the company was making too much money from their stay. In Lithuania I earn 200 pounds a month, said a policeman from Vilnius. I thought I could earn more here. It looks like I am not going to. It cost more than I thought to get here; it costs more to live. None of us like strawberry picking, said a Ukrainian student. Today I have earned 23 pounds. But I must pay 35 pounds a week to live in a box with three other people. Perhaps I earn 150 pounds in a week, but when I have paid for food, accommodation, tax, everything, maybe I have 70 pounds for a six days. Its not good. The money is bad, said a waiter from the Czech Republic. We waited days to have work It is like a prison. I have been given a yellow card already. One more and I am sent home. The contracts S&A Davies gives the east Europeans make life hard for the workers. They have to pay 26.25 a week to live four or five in one room. They must pay 3 a week for toilets and waste collection, 2.25 for electricity, and 2.75 for leisure facilities, including a TV set, football pitch and disco. It costs them 30 to see a doctor or a translator. The contracts say that the pickers can lose their jobs if they eat a single strawberry, stop work, or go to the toilet at the side of the field, or smoke indoors. If they want to have a visitor, they must ask permission two days in advance. I have never been anywhere like this, said a Ukrainian housewife. The company said they promised to pay pickers 5.05 an hour when there was work, and extra money if they picked a lot of strawberries. But they said that they could not promise full-time work for everyone at the start of the strawberry season. When 3,500 people arrive, its hard to give everyone work at the same time. And when it was raining, two weeks ago, we only charged 10 for accommodation, said Graham Neal, a manager with S&A Davies. The strange but sad thing is that the east Europeans cannot even afford to buy the fruit they pick. Yes, we like strawberries but we cannot pay for them, said a Ukrainian who was buying cheap white bread and margarine in the local supermarket. The next time you eat one, just think of us in the tunnels.

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 1 l Elementary3 Reading for InformationMatch the numbers (they are all in paragraphs 4-8): 35 70 5,000 150 200 4 1. How many foreign workers come to the strawberry farms every year? 2. How much does the policeman earn at home? 3. How much does the student earn each week? 4. How much rent does she pay? 5. How many people share her room? 6. How much does it cost to visit the doctor?

4 Vocabulary 1 CollocationMatch these word pairs from the article: 1 white 2 full-time 3 football 4 country 5 internet 6 strawberry 7 eastern 8 badly 9 Czech 10extra Now read quickly to check. a cafe b village c Europe d work e paid f bread g Republic h money i pitch j farm

5 Vocabulary 2 Word buildingFind words in the text that match the description on the left. (The first has been done for you.) 1 somebody who grows (fruit or vegetables) is called 2 somebody who manages (a company) is called 3 somebody who picks (fruit or vegetables) is called 4 somebody who works is called - B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

a grower


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 1 l ElementaryNow do the same with these words from the text. (The names for these people are not in the text): 5 Somebody who buys things is called 6 Somebody who has a farm is called 7 Somebody who is in prison is called 8 Somebody who smokes is called 9 Somebody who cleans is called - 10Somebody who drinks is called -

a buyer

6 DiscussionDo you think Mrs. Salisbury was right to pull up the strawberry plants? Why / why not?


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 1 l Elementary Key1. Pre-reading 1The text is mainly about the fact that the workers are badly paid, though its also stated that they arent allowed to eat the strawberries (see paragraph 9).

5. Vocabulary 21. (a grower) 2. a manager 3. a picker 4. a worker 5. (a buyer) 6. a farmer 7. a prisoner 8. a smoker 9. a cleaner 10.a drinker

Word Building

2. Pre-reading 2 Key Words1. a contract 2. to cheer 3. a migrant 4. to clap 5. to afford 6. a yellow card 7. leisure facilities

3. Reading for information1. 5,000 2. 200 3. 150 4. 35 a week 5. 4 6. 30 ( is the symbol for British pounds also, GBP.)

4. Vocabulary 1 Collocation1 white bread 2 full-time work 3 football pitch 4 country village 5 internet caf 6 strawberry farm 7 eastern Europe 8 badly paid 9 Czech Republic 10extra money


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 2 l Intermediate1 Pre-reading 1 Discussion1. Have you ever had a job like picking fruit? Was it hard work? Did you enjoy it? 2. Look at the headline. What do you think the article will be about?

2 Pre-reading 2 Key WordsSee if you can guess the meaning of these words from the text by matching them with the definitions. a polytunnel a protest 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a walking frame to complain a strike a contract a migrant to cheer

is to say that you are not satisfied with something. is a metal support that helps old or disabled people to move. is a strong disagreement. is to shout loudly to show that you are happy about something or somebody. is a long, transparent polythene cover to protect growing plants,

tall enough for people to work inside. 6. 7. 8. is an agreement in writing, about work or business. is someone who moves to another country to work or live. is when the workers all stop work to show the management that

they are not happy about their working conditions. Now read the text quickly to check the words, and to see if your answer to question 1 2 was right.


Val Salisbury walked down her road in the English countryside and went into a giant plastic polytunnel. Inside, lots of people from eastern Europe were picking strawberries. The workers were surprised to see a 69-year-old Englishwoman using a walking frame come in. But when she started pulling the strawberry plants out of the ground, they began to understand that she was angry with the company they worked for. Mrs Salisbury herself was surprised when the east Europeans clapped and cheered her act of protest against S&A Davies, Europes largest strawberry grower. By the time the farm manager had arrived, Mrs Salisbury was very popular. Popular, not just with the local people who dont want large areas of farmland covered in plastic, but also with the workers from all over eastern Europe who pick fruit for British supermarkets. I felt so much better after my protest, said Mrs Salisbury last weekend. We dont need these strawberries and these polytunnels in Herefordshire.N TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 2 l Intermediate4

Every year, at the beginning of summer, at least 5,000 people from eastern Europe arrive in Herefordshire and Worcestershire to pick fruit. This year, two villages, with more than 1,700 people in each, have been built there. Each one has about 400 caravans, football pitches, internet cafes and even saunas. Most local people welcome the fruit-pickers, but some are afraid that the fruit company is treating the migrant workers unfairly to make money out of them. Last weekend, 50 people working in the tunnels were interviewed, and many seemed as angry as Mrs Salisbury. Those who could speak English complained about their conditions, and thought the company was making too much money from their stay. In Lithuania I earn 200 pounds a month, said a policeman from Vilnius. I thought I could earn more here. It looks like I am not going to. It cost more than I thought to get here; it costs more to live. None of us like strawberry picking, said a Ukrainian student. Today I have earned 23 pounds. But I must pay 35 pounds a week to live in a box with three other people. Perhaps I earn 150 pounds in a week, but when I have paid for food, accommodation, tax, everything, maybe I have 70 pounds for a six days. Its not good. The money is bad, said a waiter from the Czech Republic. We waited days to have work. Last year we heard there was a strike here; perhaps there will be one this year, too. It is like a prison. I have been given a yellow card already. One more and I am sent home. The Guardian has seen the contracts S&A Davies gives the east Europeans. The rules and conditions are hard. The workers have to pay 26.25 a week to live four or five in one room. They must pay GBP3 a week for toilets and waste collection, 2.25 for electricity, and 2.75 for leisure facilities, including a TV set, football pitch and disco. For 30, they can get medical and translation advice. The contracts say that pickers can lose their jobs for eating a single strawberry, for stopping work, for going to the toilet at the side of the field, or for smoking indoors. If their rooms are not clean and tidy, the workers can be asked to leave. If they want to invite a visitor to the camp, they must ask permission two days in advance. I have never been anywhere like this, said a Ukrainian housewife. The company said they promised to pay pickers 5.05 an hour when there was work, and extra money if they picked more than a set amount of strawberries. But they said that they could not promise full-time work for everyone at the start of the strawberry season, or in bad weather. When 3,500 people arrive, its hard to give everyone work at the same time. We reduced the cost of accommodation to 10 when it was raining, two weeks ago, said Graham Neal, a manager with S&A Davies. Mr Neal blamed agents in east European countries for sending the wrong kind of workers. Under the old system, where fixed numbers of students came to do farm work, we could go to an east European university and get excellent people. Now the government says that we must take anyone from the EU. Some countries ... have sent over their unemployed drunks, he said. The strange but sad thing is that the east Europeans cannot even afford to buy the fruit they pick. Yes, we like strawberries but we cannot pay for them, said a Ukrainian who was buying cheap white bread and margarine in the local supermarket. The next time you eat one, just think of us in the tunnels.

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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 2 l Intermediate3 Reading for InformationFind the numbers (they are all in paragraphs 4-8). 1. How many foreign workers come to the strawberry farms every year? 2. How much does the policeman earn at home? 3. How much does the student earn each week? 4. How much rent does she pay? 5. How many people share her room? 6. How much does it cost to see the doctor?

4 Vocabulary 1 Find the wordFind words in the article that match the definitions. Use the paragraph numbers (in brackets) to help you. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Made (it) less (9) Says or thinks that somebody is responsible for something bad (10) People who have no work, and drink too much alcohol (10) To have enough money to buy something (11) Hit their hands together, many times, to show that they think something is good (2) A sign or warning (used in football) that you have done something wrong (7) Things you can use to help you enjoy your free time (8)

5 Vocabulary 2 CollocationSee if you can remember the missing propositions. Use the paragraph numbers (in brackets) to help you. 1. angry 2. work 3. complain 4. pay 5. 6. 7. the cost 8. blame somebody somebody (1) somebody (1) something (4) something (6, 8 and 10) advance (9) the same time (9) something (9) something (10)

Now quickly read the article to check.B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 2 l Intermediate6 Word orderPut the words in these sentences in the right order: 1. could / thought / more / I / much / earn / here / I / money 2. never / anywhere / have / this / like / been / I 3. strawberries / them / like / pay / but / cannot / we / for / we 4. time / you / the / one / eat / next 5. of / think / us / tunnels / just / the / in Now read the text quickly to check.

7 DiscussionDo you think Mrs Salisbury was right to pull up the strawberry plants? Why / why not?


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No strawberries and cream for fruit pickersLevel 2 l Intermediate Key:2. Pre-reading 2: Key words:1. to complain 2. a walking frame 3. a protest 4. to cheer. 5. A polytunnel 6. a contract 7. a migrant 8. a strike

6. Word Order1. I thought I could earn much more money here. 2. I have never been anywhere like this. 3. We like strawberries but we cannot pay for them. 4. The next time you eat one 5. Just think of us in the polytunnels.

3. Reading for Information:1. 5,000 2. 200 3. 150 4. 35 a week 5. 4 6. 30 ( is the symbol for British pounds GBP)

4. Vocabulary 1 Find the Word1. to clap 2. a yellow card 3. leisure facilities 4. to reduce 5. to blame somebody 6. unemployed drunks 7. to afford

5. Vocabulary 2 Collocation:1. with 2. for 3. about 4. for 5. in 6. at 7. of 8. for


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Modern piratesLevel 1 l Elementary1 Key vocabularyFill the gaps using these key words from the text. pirate navy 1. A armed cargo cabin crew safe (n) grenade target chaos

is a small bomb that someone throws or fires from a gun. .

2. The people who work on a ship are called the ships 3. If someone is 4.

, they are carrying a weapon, usually a gun. is a situation where everything is confused and in a mess. .

5. The things that a ship carries are called its 6. A 7. A 8. The 9. A 10. A

is a strong metal box with a lock used to store valuable things and money. is someone who attacks ships while they are sailing in order to steal things from them. is the part of a countrys armed forces that fights at sea. is a private room on a ship. is something that someone plans to attack.

2 Find the informationLook in the text and find this information as quickly as possible: 1. Where do most modern-day pirate attacks happen? 2. How many pirate attacks have happened since 1992? 3. How many people have died in these attacks? 4. When was the golden age of the pirates? 5. What percentage of world trade goes by sea? 6. How much did the pirates steal from Captain Newtons ship?

Return of the PiratesA large container ship was sailing across the South China Sea on its way to New Zealand. It was evening and Captain Peter Newton was in his cabin. As the ship passed the Indonesian island of Bintan, nine armed men came into Captain Newtons cabin. They held a knife against his neck and tied his hands with rope. The gang leader told him to open the ships safe. The pirates took the $20,000 they found in the safe and used a rope to leave the ship. There are many Hollywood films about pirates but now real-life pirates are very active again. During the last ten years attacks by modern pirates have increased by 168%. Since the attack on Captain Newtons ship in 1992, there have been 3,583 attacks by pirates around the world, and 340 people have died in these attacks. Last November, a cruise liner called Seabourn Spirit was attacked off the coast of Somalia. The pirates who attacked the ship used grenades. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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Modern piratesLevel 1 l ElementaryThe 17th century was the golden age of the pirates. European countries colonised the Caribbean and pirates such as Edward Blackbeard Teach and Calico Jack Rackham attacked trading ships. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the navies of the great powers controlled the seas and attacks by pirates were rare. But now pirate attacks are on the increase again. There are two main reasons. Firstly, shipping companies are trying to save money so they do not spend much money on security. Secondly, there is no international law to control pirates. Most modern-day pirate attacks happen in the South China Sea. More than a third of last years 266 reported pirate attacks happened there. The seas around lawless countries are particularly dangerous. The Indian Ocean coast of Somalia has had a lot of pirate attacks. Modern pirates use inside information, satellite phones and tracking technology to plan attacks on ships with valuable cargo. They attack the ships using ropes and special hooks. It is very difficult to climb onto a moving ship and some experts believe that many pirates have had military training. Captain Newton says that pirate attacks are increasing because there is almost no danger for the pirates. Our ships dont have armed guards and nobody is going to come after you because you are in international waters, he says. As soon as pirates are on your ship, there is nothing you can do if they are armed and you are not. The pirates feel safe because many shipping companies do not report pirate attacks. They think it is cheaper to lose $20,000 in cash than to pay much more money for insurance. In October 2002, there was a suicide attack on a French oil tanker in Yemen. After that the cost of insurance increased by 300% for ships entering Yemeni waters. Navy vessels sometimes keep pirates away but they do not often arrest them in international waters. The US navy recently arrested some pirates who attacked a Thai fishing vessel off the coast of Somalia, but had to free the men because neither the Thai government nor any other government wanted to put them on trial. Shipping companies are trying to save money and now there are only 2024 crew members on modern container ships. Usually, just two crew members sail the ship at night. Sometimes only five or six people are up and working on a ship which is the size of two football pitches. This means that the risk of a pirate attack is very great. There has been an increase in pirate attacks in oceans with a lot of warships. There were no attacks in Iraqi waters in 2004, but last year there were 10 attacks on oil tankers and cargo vessels near Basra. Ships are easy targets for terrorists. Attacks in a key area like the Suez Canal could cause chaos. About 90% of world trade goes by sea. Piracy isnt fantasy, says Andrew Linington of the ship officers union in London. It is happening every week. It is an advertisement to terrorists that it is easy to attack ships.

3 Comprehension checkMatch the beginnings and endings of the sentences. 1. There is almost no danger for the pirates because 2. Shipping companies do not report pirate attacks because 3. Some experts believe many pirates have had military training because 4. The South China Sea is dangerous for ships because 5. Shipping companies do not spend much money on security because 6. Navy ships often do not arrest pirates because Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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Modern piratesLevel 1 l Elementarya. b. c. d. e. f. it is very difficult to climb onto a moving ship. they are trying to save money. they are in international waters. ships do not have armed guards. more than one third of pirate attacks last year happened there. they do not want to pay more money for insurance.

4 Sequence of eventsThese sentences tell the story of what happened to Captain Newtons ship (paragraph 1). Put them in the correct order. Check your answers in the text. a. They tied his hands with rope. b. Captain Newton was in his cabin. c. They used a rope to leave the ship. d. They told him to open the safe. e. They held a knife against his neck. f. They took the money from the safe. g. Nine armed pirates came into the cabin.

5 Vocabulary shipsFind the words in the text that are used with these words: 1. navy 2. container 3. fishing 4. oil 5. cargo 6. war 7. trading 8. cruise

6. Vocabulary prepositionsFill the gaps using prepositions. 1. sail 2. to increase 3. pirate attacks are 4. spend money the South China Sea 300% the increase security 5. attacks 6 to put someone 7. 90% of world trade goes 8. the coast of Somalia ships trial sea


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Modern piratesLevel 1 l Elementary KEY1 Key vocabulary1. grenade 2. crew 3. armed 4. chaos 5. cargo 6. safe 7. pirate 8. navy 9. cabin 10. target

5 Vocabulary ships1. vessel 2. ship 3. vessel 4. tanker 5. vessel 6. ship 7. ship 8. liner

6 Vocabulary prepositions1. across 2. by 3. on 4. on 5. on 6. on 7. by 8. off .

2 Find the information1. the South China Sea 2. 3,583 3. 340 4. the 17th century 5. 90% 6. $20,000

3 Comprehension check1. d 2. f 3. a 4. e 5. b 6. c

4 Sequence of events1. b 2. g 3. e 4. a 5. d 6. f 7. c


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Modern piratesLevel 2 l Intermediate1 Key vocabularyFill the gaps using these key words from the text. machete risk free 1. A 2. If something is 3. If something 4. If you 5. If you 6. If something is 7. 8. 9. A 10. If something is ambush detain secluded vulnerable decline non lethal jurisdiction cost-cutting

place is private and peaceful and not near other people or places. , it does not involve any danger. it gets smaller, less effective or weaker. someone, you keep them under arrest. someone, you attack them after hiding and waiting for them. it will not kill you. is the process of taking certain actions to reduce the costs of a business. is the right or power to make legal decisions. is a large knife with a long wide blade used as a weapon or tool. , it is weak or easy to attack.

2 Find the informationLook in the text and find this information as quickly as possible: 1. Which area is the centre of modern-day piracy? 2. How many pirate attacks have been reported since 1992? 3. How many people have died in these attacks? 4. When was the golden age of piracy? 5. What percentage of world trade is carried by sea? 6. How much do Filipino crew members on container ships earn each month?

The Return of the PiratesA large container ship, the Australian Star, was sailing across the South China Sea on its way to New Zealand. It was evening and Captain Peter Newton had returned to his cabin. As the ship passed the Indonesian island of Bintan, nine armed men burst into Captain Newtons cabin. They held a machete to his neck and tied his hands with rope. The gang leader told him that if he didnt open the ships safe or if he set off its alarm they would kill him. When the pirates had taken the $20,000 they found in the safe, they used a rope to leave the ship and climb down to their boat. Pirates have always had a glamorous image. Hollywood loves to make films about pirates but now real-life pirates are more active than ever before. Over the last ten years attacks by modern pirates have increased by 168%. Since Captain Newton was attacked in 1992, there have been 3,583 piratical attacks reported worldwide, causing 340 deaths. Last November, a ship called Seabourn Spirit was ambushed off the coast of Somalia. The pirates who attacked the ship were armed with rocket-propelled grenades.N TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED


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Modern piratesLevel 2 l IntermediateThe golden age of piracy was the 17th century, when European powers colonised the Caribbean. Pirates such as Edward Blackbeard Teach and Calico Jack Rackham attacked trading ships, taking advantage of the political vacuum and a secluded coastline that was perfect for ambushes. During the age of empire, the navies of the great powers enforced order on the high seas and piracy declined; but now, as the empires have vanished, piracy is on the increase again. It is helped by a number of things from cost-cutting by the shipping industry to fact that there are no international arrangements to deal with piracy. The centre of modern-day piracy is the South China Sea, where more than a third of last years 266 reported pirate attacks took place. The seas around failing states are particularly dangerous. The Indian Ocean off Somalia is home to a special brand of piracy, in which ships are hijacked and crews are kidnapped and ransomed. Modern pirates use intelligence (including information from corrupt port officials), satellite phones and tracking technology to plan attacks on valuable cargo, but one tool of modern pirates remains the same: the rope and grappling hook. Climbing onto a ship in motion requires special forces-style skills and many in the shipping industry believe some modern pirates have a military background. According to Newton, the increase in piracy is also the result of the fact that there are few risks for the pirates. Our ships dont have armed guards and nobody is going to go after you because it is international waters and no one has jurisdiction, he says. Once they are on your ship, there is nothing you can do if they are armed and you are not. Another reason why piracy is so risk free is that many victims fail to report the crime. Shipping companies would rather lose $20,000 stolen from a safe than report it to their insurers and face a large increase in premiums. Insurance premiums rose by 300% for vessels entering Yemeni waters after a suicide boat crashed into Limburg, a French oil tanker, in October 2002. Ships sometimes do not report piracy because they think that no country will bother to investigate crimes in international waters. Naval vessels often discourage pirates but rarely want to capture and detain them in international waters. The US navy recently caught and detained pirates who attacked a Thai fishing vessel near Somalia, but had to release the men because neither the Thai government nor any other government was willing to put them on trial. When ships have been seized and crews kidnapped off the coast of Somalia, shipping companies simply pay the ransom demands. About 90% of world trade is carried by sea. Cost-cutting has made modern cargo ships extremely vulnerable to attack, according to Andrew Linington of Numas, the ship officers union in London. There are only 2024 crew members on modern container ships. Usually, just two crew members patrol the bridge at night. You can have ships the size of two football pitches and at any one time you will have just five or six people up and working, says Linington. Few companies are willing to pay for security measures such as non-lethal electric fences or sonic weapons. As well as being small in number, modern multinational crews are poorly paid. Many boats use Filipino crew members, who earn just $400 a month. For that money, few captains expect their crew to risk their lives by defending their ship. Even oceans full of warships have seen an increase in pirate attacks. There were no attacks in Iraqi waters in 2004, yet last year there were 10 attacks on oil tankers and cargo vessels near Basra. Ships are soft targets for terrorists. It would only take couple of major incidents in a key area such as the Suez canal to cause chaos. Piracy isnt fantasy, says Linington. It is happening every week. It is an advertisement to terrorists that it is easy to attack something that is so crucial to world trade. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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Modern piratesLevel 2 l Intermediate3 Comprehension checkChoose the best answer according to the information in the text. 1. Why dont navy ships capture and detain pirates? a. because its too dangerous b. because no country wants to put them on trial c. because its too difficult to catch them 2. What is the main reason for the increase in piracy? a. many victims do not report the crime b. cost-cutting by the shipping industry makes piracy easy c. the pirates often have inside information 3. Why dont captains expect their crews to defend their ships? a. because its impossible to defend a big ship b. because the ships are the size of two football pitches c. because they are poorly paid 4. Why do some experts believe some pirates have a military background? a. because they are able to climb onto a moving ship b. because they wear special uniforms c. because they use intelligence

4. Vocabulary two-word expressionsMatch these two-word expressions from the text with their meanings: 1. failing state 2. cargo vessel 3. political vacuum 4. golden age 5. grappling hook 6. naval vessel 7. insurance premium 8. ransom demand a. a metal hook attached to a rope and used for climbing b. a military ship c. a country with no government or social order d. a ship carrying goods e. the money paid for an insurance policy f. the money kidnappers ask for to free their victim g. a period when something was the most successful h. a situation when political leadership is missingB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED


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Modern piratesLevel 2 l Intermediate5 Vocabulary prepositionsComplete these expressions from the text by adding a preposition. Check your answers in the text. 1. take advantage 2. 3. 4. deal 5. put someone 6. vulnerable 7. armed 8. shipping is crucial a situation the coast of Somalia the increase a problem trial attack grenades world trade

6 Vocabulary word-buildingComplete the table. Verb 1. arrange 2. hijack 3. kidnap 4. move 5. risk 6. investigate 7. advertise 8. insure (person) (person) Noun

7 DiscussionWhat measures should countries adopt to defend themselves against pirates?


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Modern piratesLevel 2 l Intermediate KEY1 Key vocabulary1. secluded 2. risk free 3. declines 4. detain 5. ambush 6. non lethal 7. cost-cutting 8. jurisdiction 9. machete 10. vulnerable

5 Vocabulary prepositions1. of 2. off 3. on 4. with 5. on 6. to 7. with 8. to

6 Vocabulary word-building1. arrangement 2. hijacker 3. kidnapper 4. motion (movement) 5. risk 6. investigation 7. advertisement 8. insurance

2 Find the information1. the South China Sea 2. 3,583 3. 340 4. the 17th century 5. 90% 6. $400

3 Comprehension check1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a

4.Vocabulary two-word expressions1. c 2. d 3. h 4. g 5. a 6. b 7. e 8. f


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Modern piratesLevel 3 l Advanced1 Key vocabularyFill the gaps using these key words from the text. machete secluded 1. A 2. If something is 3. A 4. A 5. 6. If something is 7. A 8. If something is 9. If a ship is heavily 10. glamorous plunder tip-off jurisdiction vulnerable premium laden non lethal

is a warning or secret information given to someone. , it is attractive and interesting in an exciting or unusual way. is the amount of money you pay regularly for an insurance policy. is a large knife with a long wide blade used as a weapon or tool. is the right or power to make legal decisions. it will not kill you. place is private and peaceful and not near other people or places. , it is weak or easy to attack. , it is full of cargo. means the valuable things taken from a place by force.

2 What do you know?Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible: 1. What percentage of world trade is carried by sea? a. 30% b. 60% c. 90% 2. Which area is the centre of modern-day piracy? a. The South China Sea b. The Red Sea c. The Caribbean

3. The coast off which of these countries is particularly dangerous because of pirates? a. Russia b. Tanzania c. Somalia 4. How many crew members does a modern container ship have? a. Fewer than 10 b. 2024 c. 6070 5. How much money do Filipino sailors on international container ships earn each month? a. $400 b. $1,000 c. $4,000

Latter-day pirates plunder the high seasA large container ship, the Australian Star, was making its way across the South China Sea bound for New Zealand. It was evening and Captain Peter Newton left the bridge for his cabin. As the ship passed the Indonesian island of Bintan, nine armed men burst into Captain Newtons cabin. They held a machete to his neck and his hands were bound with rope. The gang leader told him that if he didnt open the ships safe or if he triggered its alarm he would be killed. Once the pirates had pocketed the $20,000 they found in the safe, they descended to their small craft using a rope. Pirates have seemed glamorous ever since the days of Robert Louis Stevenson. Pirate stories are adored by Hollywood but real-life pirates are profiting from plunder of the high seas as never before. Attacks by modern pirates have increased by 168% in the past decade. Since Captain Newton was attacked in 1992, Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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Modern piratesLevel 3 l Advancedthere have been 3,583 piratical attacks reported worldwide, causing 340 deaths. Last November, a ship called Seabourn Spirit was ambushed off the coast of Somalia. Pirates with rocket-propelled grenades in two boats were repelled when the crew directed a sonic blaster at their attackers. Robbery at sea entered a golden age during the 17th century, when European powers colonised the Caribbean. Pirates such as Edward Blackbeard Teach and Calico Jack Rackham attacked heavily laden trading ships, taking advantage of the political vacuum and a secluded coastline perfect for ambushes. As the age of empire took hold and naval forces imposed order on the high seas, piracy lost its vigour; now, with imperial decline, it is regaining strength. A variety of conditions from the cost-cutting of the shipping industry to the absence of international arrangements to tackle piracy is aiding modern pirates. The centre of modern-day piracy is the South China Sea, scene of more than a third of last years 266 reported raids. Waters around failing states are particularly dangerous. The Indian Ocean off Somalia is home to a special brand of piracy, in which ships are hijacked and crews are kidnapped and ransomed. Modern pirates use intelligence (often tip-offs from corrupt port officials), satellite phones and tracking technology to plan attacks on valuable cargo, but one tool of modern pirates remains the same: the rope and grappling hook. Storming a ship in motion requires special forces-style skills and many in the shipping industry believe some of the more sophisticated modern pirates have a military background. A relative absence of risk also is behind the rise in piracy, according to Newton. We dont carry armed guards and nobody is going to pursue you because it is international waters and no one has jurisdiction, he says. Once they get on board, there is nothing you can do if they are armed and you are not. Another reason why piracy is so risk free is that many victims fail to report the crime. Shipping companies would rather bear the loss of $20,000 stolen from a safe than report it to their insurers and face a large increase in premiums. Insurance premiums rose by 300% for vessels entering Yemeni waters after a suicide boat rammed into Limburg, a French oil tanker, in October 2002. Ships sometimes do not report piracy because they fear that no country will bother to investigate crimes in international waters. Naval vessels often discourage pirates but rarely want to capture and detain them in international waters. The US navy recently caught and detained pirates who attacked a Thai fishing vessel near Somalia, but had to release the men because neither the Thai government nor any other would put them on trial. Where ships have been seized and crews kidnapped off Somalia, shipping companies simply pay the ransom demands. About 90% of world trade is carried by sea. Cost-cutting has made modern cargo ships more vulnerable than ever to attack, according to Andrew Linington of Numas, the ship officers union in London. There are only 2024 crew members on modern container ships. Usually, just two crew patrol the bridge at night. You can have ships the size of two football pitches and at any one time you will have just five or six people up and working, says Linington. Few companies are willing to pay for security measures such as non-lethal electric fences or sonic weapons. As well as being small in number, modern multinational crews are poorly paid. Many boats use Filipino crew members, who take home $400 a month. For that money, few captains expect their crew to risk their lives by defending their ship. Low wages also lead to the occasional inside job: crew members can be tempted to provide pirates with information on freight and opportune times to strike. Even oceans full of warships have seen an increase. There were no attacks in Iraqi waters in 2004, yet last year there were 10 opportunistic assaults on oil tankers and cargo vessels near Basra. Piracy provides a juicy example of soft targets for terrorists. It would only take couple of major incidents in a key area such as the Suez canal to cause chaos. Piracy isnt fantasy, says Linington. It is happening on a weekly basis. It is an advertisement to terrorists that it is easy to attack something that is so crucial to world trade. Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2006 Downloaded from the News Lessons section in www.onestopenglish.comB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

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Modern piratesLevel 3 l Advanced3 Comprehension checkAre these statements true or false according to the text? 1. Only about a quarter of a container ships crew are up and working at any one time. 2. Container ships would be a difficult target for terrorists. 3. Crew members are expected to risk their lives by defending their ships. 4. Storming a moving ship requires the kind of skills used by special forces. 5. The 17th century was the golden age of piracy. 6. Shipping companies usually report piracy incidents to their insurance companies. 7. It is cheaper to lose $20,000 than to pay an increased insurance premium. 8. There are international arrangements to tackle piracy.

4 Vocabulary find the verbFind the verb that means 1. to enter a room suddenly (para 1) 2. to put something in your pocket in order to steal it (para 1) 3. to like something very much (para 2) 4. to attack someone after hiding and waiting for them (para 2) 5. to force someone who is attacking to move back or stop attacking (para 2) 6. to chase (para 6) 7. to hit something very hard, usually when it is moving fast (para 6) 8. to arrest (para 7)

5 Vocabulary verb + noun collocationsMatch the verbs in the left-hand column with the nouns in the right-hand column. Check your answers in the text. 1. trigger 2. repel 3. take 4. regain 5. investigate 6. bear 7. pay 8. risk a. ones life b. a crime c. an alarm d. a loss e. strength f. advantage g. an attack h. a ransomB FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED


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Modern piratesLevel 3 l Advanced6 Vocabulary word-buildingComplete the table. Verb 1. n/a 2. seclude 3. attack 4. rob 5. vary 6. investigate 7. secure 8. hijack Noun (person) pirate n/a n/a n/a Noun (thing) n/a n/a n/a n/a Adjective

7 DiscussionWhat measures should countries adopt to defend themselves against pirates?


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Modern piratesLevel 3 l Advanced KEY1 Key vocabulary1. tip-off 2. glamorous 3. premium 4. machete 5. jurisdiction 6. non lethal 7. secluded 8. vulnerable 9. laden 10. plunder

5 Vocabulary verb + noun collocations1. c 2. g 3. f 4. e 5. b 6. d 7. h 8. a

6 Vocabulary word-building1. piracy, piratical 2. seclusion, secluded 3. attacker, attack 4. robber, robbery 5. variety, various/varied 6. investigator, investigation 7. security, secure 8. hijacker, hijacking6

2 What do you know?1. c 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. a

3 Comprehension check1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. F 7. T 8. F

4 Vocabulary find the verb1. burst in 2. pocket 3. adore 4. ambush 5. repel 6. pursue 7. ram 8. detain


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An end to malaria?Level 2 l Intermediate1 Gap-fill exerciseThese words have been removed from the text. Use them to fill the gaps in the text: neglected estimated identified excited licensed developed

Cheap anti-allergy drug offers hope of malaria cureA drug to treat allergies has been by US researchers as a potential cure for malaria. Tests in mice show that the antihistamine astemizole also kills the malaria parasite. It is for use in people, so it could be developed for use as a malaria drug in

about 12 months. And because it is no longer under patent, it can be made very cheaply. The breakthrough has researchers because of the cost of developing other

anti-malarial treatments. Time and money are major problems when it comes to developing new drugs for diseases like malaria, said David Sullivan at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg school of public health. One study of drug development costs in the 1990s that each drug that

reached the market cost pharmaceutical companies $802m in research and development.

2 Find the wordsLook at the text again and find the words or phrases that mean: 1. a medical condition in which your body reacts badly to something you eat, breathe or touch 2. a disease caused by mosquitoes 3. a document that protects a product that someone has invented or discovered so that other people cannot copy it 4. a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work 5. the work that companies do when they are developing new products, services or methods

3 CollocationsLook at these eight words from the text. Use them to make four collocations (adjective + noun; preposition + noun). Check your answers in the text. potential 4 problem public patent major cure health under

Word game

Complete these words from the text. Check your answers in the text. 1. a 4. d s er s ie s 2. p 5. d t v l ti p tN TO B FR E D CO OM OW P W NL IAB EB OA L SIT D E E ED

3. t

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tm

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An end to malaria?Level 2 l Intermediate KEY1 Gap-fill exerciseA drug develo

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