Baccalauréat de l'enseignement général

Madagascar

Session 1999

Text : MOVE OVER, YOU ADULTS !

Two years ago, Craig Kielburger, a Canadian boy then only 12 years old, founded Free the Children, a  youth organization aimed at ending child labour and encouraging youth involvement in community service. Since then, hundreds of local chapters have formed all over the world.

Now 14, Kielburger has travelled extensively, meeting with children and giving speeches on child exploitation. He recently spoke with Newsweek’s Susan H. Greenberg.

Greenberg :     Where did the idea for Free the Children originate ?

Kielburger :      I was looking for the comics in the local newspaper and came across an article about Iqbal Masih, a young Pakistani, whose photo was on the front page with the headline BOY OF 12 SPOKE OUT, MURDERED.

It caught my attention because I was also 12 then. I read about how, at 4, he was sold into slavery and became a carpet weaver. And how, at 10, he was able to escape and began to speak out for working children in Pakistan and around the world. And how, at 12, he was murdered.

Greenberg :     Why did you identify so strongly with him ?

Kielburger :      I had learned about how slavery had been abolished. And that confused me : if slavery was abolished, how can it be alive today ? So I began research and learned that an estimated 250 million children around the world were involved in working. I went to my class at school and said, « Listen, here’s an issue. This is what I know about it. This is what I want to do. Who wants to help ? » And Free the Children was born.

 (Newsweek, August 4, 1997)

QUESTIONS

A.                Comprehension and Vocabulary                                      (7 pts)

I. Find words from  the text :            a) equivalent to « participation » (§ 1).     (0,5 pt)

b) opposite to « result » (§ 3).                    (0,5 pt)

II. Say if these statements are TRUE or FALSE :                                               (0,5 pt x 2) 

1.   Craig Kielburger was looking for an article about Iqbal Masih in the newspaper.

2.   As far as Craig knew it, slavery had already come to an end.

III. Choose the right answer :                                                                                 (0,5 pt x 2)

1.                 This article talks about :       a) the freedom of children

b) the murder of children

c) employing under-aged children

d) working with children

2.                 Craig Kielburger was interested in Iqbal Masih because :

a)    they were of  the same age.

b)    they were doing the same kind of jobs.

c)    they were of the same country.

d)    they were in the same class at school.

IV. Answer these questions                                                                                               (1 pt x 2)

1.                 How is Craig Kielburger’s action conducted ?

2.                 Why was Iqbal Masih murdered ?

V. These sentences make up a summary of the text but they have been cut and scrambled. Re-assemble the pieces in order so as to get a coherent paragraph.                   (2 pts)

-          who had been sold and then murdered.

-          he found out about child labour

-          One day, as Craig Kielburger was looking for his favourite comics in the newspaper,

-          With the help of his classmates,

-          he saw a photo of a Pakistani boy

-          After digging into the matter,

-          and the upsetting number of working children.

-          Craig decided to found Free the Children.

B.                Language Test                                                                    (6 pts)

I - Grammar : Fill in the appropriate grammatical items                                    (2 pts)

Last Saturday I went shopping. I bought that English dictionary _____ is on the table. I really need it for I am bad _____ English. I wish I _____ speak English very well. If I had learnt hard at school I could _____ spoken English fluently. I have been studying _____ two months at the American Center and I get _____ very well with my  teacher. I’ d _____ learn English than French. It is very important to know it for it is _____ an international and a scientific language.

II - Language Functions                                                                                          (4 pts)

Complete this dialogue between Brenda, in bed with fever, and Ann, a visitor.

Ann :          How are you getting on  with your fever ?

Brenda :    I’m feeling better now, but I’m still a little cold.

Ann :          ___________________________ ?

Brenda :    Oh, yes. Thank you.

Ann :          ___________________________ ?

Brenda :    Without milk, if you don’t mind.

Ann :          ___________________________ .

Brenda :    Thanks a lot.

Ann :          Oh, I’ve spilt some on your blanket ! ________________________.

Brenda :    Don’t worry about that. It’s an old blanket, anyway.

C .       Writing                                                                                  (7 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

Write an article about a Malagasy traditional celebration and send it to our newspaper.

YOU COULD WIN A WEEK’S TRIP TO REUNION !

Imagine you are taking the contest. In about 60 words, write an article about DONIA, EXHUMATION, SAMBATRA, etc.