Hunger affects one in eight people

The United Nations says one in eight people around the world does not have enough
food. The U.N. reports that 842 million people suffer from very serious hunger. This
is about 12 per cent of the world population. This percentage has gone down. It was
17 per cent in 1992. The U.N. says many countries still cannot find ways to feed their
people. Africa is the region with the highest number of undernourished people. The
U.N. says that one in five Africans is undernourished. In over 19 African nations,
more than a quarter of the population goes hungry. The U.N. said 98 per cent of the
world's hungry people live in developing countries.
The World Food Programme (WFP) explained that undernourishment is "not having
enough food for an active and healthy life" and an inability to "meet dietary energy
requirements". The WFP said hunger is now the largest risk to people's health around
the world. It is a more serious problem than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
combined. One of the biggest reasons for people being hungry is war. The U.N. said
developing countries that have experienced war in the past 20 years have bigger
problems feeding their people. Scientists say this situation could get worse because of
climate change. Hotter temperatures in more countries will mean farmers cannot grow
enough food, leading to more hunger.
a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'hungry'?

c)

What's the hungriest you've ever been?

d)

Why are people suffering from hunger in the 21st century?

e)

What do you think of one in eight people being hungry?

f)

How can we help hungry people?

g)

Why don't rich countries help poor countries more?

h)

Do you think the 12% figure will get lower and lower?

i)

What could you do to help the hungry people in this world?

j)

What do you do if you see a hungry person in your country?

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

Why are people hungry when other countries waste so much food?

c)

Should people eat less and give more to charity?

d)

Should countries spend more on fighting hunger instead of wars?

e)

What does your country do to help hungry people?

f)

Are most people too greedy?

g)

What big question do you have about world hunger?

h)

What will climate change mean for hunger around the world?

i)

Do you think hunger will become a bigger or smaller problem? Why?

Religious intolerance on the rise

The U.S. State Department has highlighted the rise of religious intolerance
worldwide. It said: "[It] shines light on the challenges people face as they seek
nothing more than basic religious freedom and the right to worship as they wish." It
said a particularly worrying trend was the increased discrimination against Jews and
Muslims around the world. The report highlighted a rise in anti-Islamic sentiment in
Europe and Asia, and an increase in anti-Semitism in other parts of the world. Kerry
warned that: "When countries undermine or attack religious freedom, they threaten
their country's own stability."

The report opened with a quote from President Barack Obama, who said religious
freedom was, "an essential part of human dignity, and without it our world cannot
know lasting peace". The report outlined how nations were repressing religious
freedom. Numerous governments imposedundue and inappropriate restrictions on
religious groups and abused their members, in some cases as part of formal
government law and practice. The report also warned that denying freedom of
worship increased the danger of political and societal instability. It said such a policy:
"Undercuts society's ability to counter and combat the biased and warped
interpretations of religion that violent extremists propagate."

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'religion'?

c)

Why aren't people tolerant toward other religions?

d)

What role does religion play in your life?

e)

Do you accept and respect people from all religions?

f)

Why do some countries see religion as something dangerous?

g)

Why are there so many different religions?

h)

Why is there an increase in discrimination against Jews and Muslims?

i)

Does greater religious freedom lead to a more peaceful society?

j)

What do you like and dislike about religion?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

Is religious freedom "an essential part of human dignity"?

c)

What do you think of people who do not believe in God?

d)

Which countries do you think repress religion or religions?

e)

If all religions promote peace, love and respect for all, why is there so much
hate in the world?

f)

Is fighting a war in the name of God a contradiction?

g)

Does religion bring the world together?

h)

What would Jesus, the Prophet Mohamed, Buddha, etc. think of our world
today?

i)

Are religious people happier than non-religious people?

Kids Need Lessons on Alcohol Emergencies

The British Red Cross says British children between the ages of 11 and 16 need
lessons in how to deal with alcohol-related emergencies. The report says one in
seven teenagers has been in an emergency situation because a friend drank too
much. The Red Cross has said children need to know what to do if their friend
becomes unconscious due to drink, chokes, or gets injured in a drunken fight. In
the past three years, almost 7,500 under-15s ended up in hospital with conditions
linked to alcohol. Many more should have gone to hospital but friends did not
think, or were afraid to call an ambulance. Only ten per cent of youngsters dialed
the emergency services number 999 when their friends needed help. In most cases,
friends did what they could and hoped for the best.
The Red Cross released its survey as part of its new campaign called Life, Live
It. The organization wants to teach young teenagers to deal with all kinds of
emergencies but feels alcohol abuse is serious enough to highlight as an issue. The
Red Cross report reveals that one in five teenagers gets drunk once every three
months. It goes on to say that as many as one in three 14- to 16-year-olds drink
almost every weekend. The average amount of alcohol consumed is the equivalent

of four large cans of beer. Red Cross spokesman Joe Mulligan said: "We need to
ensure that every young personhas the ability and confidence to cope in a crisis.
He added: We are always looking for new and innovative ways to reach young
people.
a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word alcohol?

c)

What do you think about what was said in this article?

d)

Is underage drinking a problem in your country?

e)

How is it that a country can let young people get so out of control?

f)

Is it wise to teach children how to help friends who have become unconscious
due to overdrinking?

g)

What should parents do if their 13-year-old ends up in hospital because they

drank too much?

h)

Do you have any experience of dealing with very drunk people?

i)

Have you ever called an ambulance? (Why?)

j)

Do you think alcohol should be banned as a dangerous drug?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

a)

Did you like reading this article?

b)

What do you think the Life, Live It campaign is all about?

c)

What can we do to stop kids drinking?

d)

What happens if kids younger than 11 start drinking alcohol?

e)

Do you have the confidence to cope in a crisis?

f)

What innovative ways are there to help young people?

g)

Why do you think so many teenagers are drinking these days?

h)

What would you do if you had young children and they kept getting drunk?

i)

Should underage drinking be made a criminal offence?

Direct Speech

Reported Speech

Simple Present
He said: "I am happy"

Simple Past
He said that he was happy

Present Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys"

Past Progressive
He said that he was looking for his keys

Simple Past
He said: "I visited New York last year"

Past Perfect Simple

He said that he had visited New York the
previous year.

Present Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long
time "

Past Perfect
He said that he had lived there for a long
time

Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work
when I arrived"

Past Perfect
He said that they had finished the work
when he had arrived"

Past Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when He said that he had been playing football
the accident occurred"
when the accident had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football He said that he had been playing football
for two hours."
for two hours
Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a
newspaper when the light went of"

Past Perfect Progressive

He said that he had been reading a
newspaper when the light had gone of

Future Simple (will+verb)

He said: "I will open the door."

Conditional (would+verb)
He said that he would open the door.

Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if
I were rich"

Conditional (would+verb)
He said that he would buy Mercedes if
he had been rich"

Expressions of time and place - we have to change them.

Direct speech

Indirect speech

Time

now
today
yesterday
tomorrow
last week, month,...

Place

next week, month,...

a (week,...) ago
here
this
these

then
that day
the day before
the next / following day
the previous week, month,... / the week, month,.
before
the following week, month,...
a (week,...) before
there
that
those

1. Soarele nu a apus la ora 8 aseara.

2. Ai dormit bine noaptea trecuta?
3. Ieri nu am mers la bazinul de inot.
4. M-am sculat trziu ieri dimineata.
5. Duminica trecuta prietenii mei au jucat sah.
6. Ieri pe vremea asta ploua.
7. Ce faceai martea trecuta la ora 7 dimineata?
8. Ma pregateam sa merg la facultate.
9. In timp ce imi cautam pasaportul am gasit aceasta fotografie veche.
10. Baietii jucau carti cnd l-au auzit pe tatal lor intrnd in casa.
11. Ei au ascuns imediat cartile si si-au scos manualele de scoala.
12. Cnd te-ai intors de la munte?
13. Cnd ai cumparat acest televizor?
14. Ieri mi-am pierdut manusile.
15. Batea un vnt puternic cnd am iesit din casa.
16. Unde ti-ai petrecut concediul vara trecuta?
17. Ieri m-am sculat devreme, mi-am luat micul dejun si apoi am plecat la scola.
18. Acum doua zile am cazut si mi-am rupt piciorul.
19. Saptamna trecuta am fost bolnav si nu am mers la scoala.
20. El a dat primul examen saptamna trecuta.
21. Cine a cstigat meciul alaltaieri?
22. In timp ce ploua, eu conduceam masina spre Sinaia.
1. He works in a bank
She said ___________________________________________________________
2. We went out last night
She told me________________________________________________________
3. Im coming!
She said ___________________________________________________________
4. I was waiting for the bus when he arrived
She toldme ________________________________________________________
5. Id never been there before
She said ___________________________________________________________
6. I didnt go to the party
She told me ________________________________________________________
7. Lucyll come later
She said ___________________________________________________________
8. He hasnt eaten breakfast
She told me ________________________________________________________
9. I can help you tomorrow

She said ___________________________________________________________

10. You should go to bed early
She told me ________________________________________________________
11. I dont like chocolate
She told me ________________________________________________________
12. I wont see you tomorrow
She said ___________________________________________________________
13. Shes living in Paris for a few months
She said ___________________________________________________________
14. I visited my parents at the weekend
She told me ________________________________________________________
15. She hasnt eaten sushi before
She said ___________________________________________________________
16. I hadnt travelled by underground before I came to London
She said ___________________________________________________________
17. They would help if they could
She said ___________________________________________________________
18. Ill do the washing-up later
She told me ________________________________________________________
19. He could read when he was three
She said ___________________________________________________________
20. I was sleeping when Julie called
She said ___________________________________________________________
1. Where is he?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
2. What are you doing?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
3. Why did you go out last night?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
4.Who was that beautiful woman?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
5. How is your mother?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
6. What are you going to do at the weekend?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
7. Where will you live after graduation?
She asked me______________________________________________________
8. What were you doing when I saw you?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
9. How was the journey?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
10. How often do you go to the cinema?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
11. Do you live in London?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
12. Did he arrive on time?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
13. Have you been to Paris?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
14. Can you help me?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
15. Are you working tonight?

She asked me ______________________________________________________

16. Will you come later?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
17. Do you like coffee?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
18. Is this the road to the station?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
19. Did you do your homework?
She asked me ______________________________________________________
20. Have you studied reported speech before?
She asked me ______________________________________________________