Colonel Lotfi Secondary School Level: 2ndYSE (Lit)

School Year: 2017/2018 Duration: 01 hour

Name: …………………………………………….

Make up exam

Read the text below carefully then do the activities that follow.
Millions Threatened with Starvation
A two-year drought, production distribution and depleted food reserves have plunged
Southern Africa into its most serious food emergency in at least a decade. Nearly 16 million
people in seven countries are at risk of starvation by the end of this year. Unless urgent
measures are taken, as many as 50.000 lives a month could be lost because of malnutrition
and disease.
In Malawi, food aid arrives, but will the region get enough relief to prevent more
deaths? There are more than 3 million Malawians hoping for emergency food aid in the
coming months. But it may never arrive.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that tens of millions of people
are facing severe food shortage this year. The causes are poor rains, civil and cross-border
conflicts and endemic poverty. The result has been, reduced food stocks in much of
southern, central and eastern Africa. As a result, prices for staple items have soared
beyond the means of the poor.
But it is in Southern Africa that the drought’s grip is fiercest, and Zimbabwe has been
the hardest hit. Over 6 million people are expected to require food aid by the end of this
year.
Other parts of the continent will also require assistance. In the Horn of Africa,
exceptionally dry weather in Ethiopia has increased the number of people in need of
assistance to more than 5 million.
Times are critical in Southern Africa according to the World Health Organization.
Without immediate access of food, medical care, clean water and seeds for the coming
planting season, African drought victims face a “tremendous loss of life”.

1. Are these statements true (T) or false (F)? (02pts)

a) Southern Africa suffers from a shortage of food. .......................
b) The Malawians will certainly receive food aid soon. .....................
c) Lack of rains and conflicts are the results of poverty. ......................
d) The Africans need medical care, food and clean water. ....................

2. Answer the following questions according to the text. (03pts)

a) Which of the countries affected by starvation are mentioned in the text?
...............................................................................................................................
b) List the causes of starvation.
.................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
3. In which paragraph is the rising cost of basic foods mentioned? (01pt)
................................

4. What or who do the underlined words refer to in the text? (03pts)

a) its (§1) → .......................................... b) it (§2) → ..................................
c) the continent (§5) → ..................................

5. Find in the text words closest in meaning to the following. (03pts)

a) reduced (§1) = ........................ b) famine (§1) = .........................
c) lack (§3) = ........................

6. Which verbs can be derived from these words? (02pts)

a) relief → .......................... b) civil → ...........................
c) report → ........................ d) assistance → ..........................

7. Complete sentence (b) so that it means the same as sentence (a). (03pts)
1(a) The writer asked: “Will the region get enough food relief to prevent more deaths?”
(b) The writer asked ………………………………………………………………..................................…
2(a) Other parts of the world will also require assistance.
(b) Assistance ……………....................…………………………….
3(a) Unless urgent measures are taken, thousands of lives could be lost because of
malnutrition and disease.
(b) If ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………..
………………………………..

8. Classify the following words according to their stressed syllables. (03pts)

a) distribution b) emergency c) urgent d) endemic e) serious f) prevent

01st syllable 02nd syllable 03rd syllable

 Key Answer

1. a) T, b) F, c) F, d) T ........................................................................................ (02pts)

2. a) The countries affected by starvation are Malawi, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. ...... (1.5pt)
b) The causes of starvation are poor rains, civil and cross-border conflicts and endemic
poverty. ......................................................................................................... (1.5pt)

3. Third paragraph (§3) .......................................................................................... (01pt)

4. a) Southern Africa b) food aid c) Africa ....................................... (03pts)

5. a) depleted b) starvation c) shortage .................................................... (03pts)

6. a) to relieve b) to civilize c) to report d) to assist ............................... (02pts)

7. 1(b) The writer asked if the region would get enough food relief to prevent more
deaths. ....................................................................................................... (01pt)
2(b) Assistance will also be required by other parts of the world. ....................... (01pt)
3(b) If urgent measures are not taken, thousands of lives could be lost because of
malnutrition and disease. ……………………………………..…………………………………….. (01pt)

8. ............................................................................................................................ (03pts)

01st syllable 02nd syllable 03rd syllable

c) urgent, e) serious b) emergency, d) endemic , a) distribution
f) prevent