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READING Gap fili

TOPIĆ Culture

EXAM TIPS

►    Before you read the text, look at the title and think about what type of text you are about to read. If the meaning of the title isrft elear, read the first paragraph and think again.

►    Before you begin the EXAM TASK, read the text ąuickly, ignoring the ąuestions, to get a generał idea of what the text is about.

►    Before you read the text for a second time, study the form so you know what information you are looking for.

►    Find the parts of the text that contain the answers.

Read that section carefully to check your answer.

►    Be careful of distractors.

1    Look at the EXAM TASK. What type of text does it involve?

2    Before reading the text in detail, work in pairs and think about what the text might be about.

3    Read the text ąuickly. Choose the best summary. a The text is about the life of Tony Manning.

b The text is about protecting languages. c The text is about how to learn a language.

4    Read the text in the EXAM TASK again. Number the points (a-e) in the order they are madę.

a	how to protect a language
b	Tony’s free time
c	Tony’s family history
d	Tony’s education
e	the death of a language
Now cc	rmplete the EXAM TASK.

EXAM TASK

Read the interview with Tony Manning carefully. Complete the sections (1-5) of the form with one or two word answers. The right spelling is reąuired. There is an example at the beginning (0).

0    First name: Tony_

1    Nationality:_

2    Foreign languages spoken:_

3    Education:_

4    Profession:_

5    Hobby:_

A DYING LANGUAGE

Here's an interview from the radio with Tony Manning about endangered languages. Although he was born in Britain, he has travelled around the world studying different cultures. Now with his Spanish wife, he has written a book entitled Dying language, Dying culture.

Interyiewer What first madę you become interested in dying languages? Tony: My mother isfrom northem England and met my father while they were at university. After my father had finished his degree he returned to the Isle of Man and my mother went with him. While growing up on the island, my first language was English, but I became really interested in the Manx language of the Isle of Man.

Interviewer Does anyone speak the Manx language today?

Tony: No, it died with its last speaker, Ned Maddrell, over forty years ago.

Interyiewer So can you speak the Manx language?

Tony: No, I only know a few words. As if s not an active language if s really difficult to learn and practice. Although I can speak Chinese and Japanese, it is endangered languages that really interest me. Despite an initial interest in Law, I did a degree in Linguistics at university and we studied the links between language and culture. For me, when a language dies a culture also dies. So if s important to protect these languages. Interyiewer How do you help people protect a language?

Tony: There are lots of ways. The most effective way is to get a government to officially protect an endangered language, but that is hard to do. Other ways include continuing to teach the language or organizing events so that speakers of the language can gather together and talk with each other. Personally, I write books and dictionaries of endangered languages. I think if s important that we have a written recordofthem.

Interyiewer When you aren’t working to protect languages what do you like doing in your spare time?

Tony: I used to play badminton until I hurt my back. Now I love playing musical instruments. I think it really helps me to learn languages.

(Mord Uniyersity Press

19 Matura Exam Practice