Reading text on Jane Goodall, the British primatologist whose study of chimpanzees in Gombe revolutionised our understanding of primates. Duration: 2 h 30 · 40 points.
[1] Jane Goodall was born in London in 1934. As a child, Jane loved observing animals. In her free time, she liked to write observations about them. Her favourite books were about zoology. She dreamed of travelling to Africa to observe the animals in their natural habitats. After graduating in 1952, she first worked as a secretary at Oxford University, and then as a part-timer at a documentary film company to finance her upcoming trip to Africa.
[2] In July 1960, Jane arrived with her mother at the Gombe National Park in Tanzania. She had brought a tent, a cup and a pair of binoculars. Around 5 p.m. on the day of her arrival, somebody reported that they had seen a chimpanzee. Straight away, Jane set off into the forest to meet her first chimpanzee.
[3] As a young woman, Jane had no scientific qualifications, but this didn't stop her from following her childhood dream of studying chimpanzees in Africa. She went to study the animals and find out how they really lived. After months of difficult work, she made important discoveries: chimpanzees eat meat and use tools to get food. They even make their own tools. "They can learn and use sign language. But compared to humans, even the brightest chimp looks like a very small child," she said.
[4] Every evening, Jane wrote her findings in a diary. Later, she began to publish articles in journals such as National Geographic magazine. After a while, scientists and academics started reading her studies. Jane got a place at university and got her PhD in 1966. Before that, she featured in a documentary film called Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees. In 1969, she published the first of many books called My Friends the Wild Chimpanzees.
[5] In the 1980s, the human population in the region of Gombe was increasing, which caused deforestation. Consequently, there were only about a hundred chimpanzees living in the area by the end of the decade. Jane realised that something had to be done so that chimpanzees and humans could live together. So, she helped the local community to grow more trees in the region.
[6] After 1989, Jane left her career in Gombe in order to do other work. She started travelling and giving lectures. She protested about the cruel use of chimpanzees in scientific experiments. She also set up shelters for chimps which had been captured or were orphans because of the trade in chimpanzee meat. In 2002, she became a UN Messenger of Peace. Nowadays, she spends about 300 days a year giving interviews, talks and lectures, meeting with government officials and raising money for the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues her research. She has very little free time left, but she still goes every year to the forest in Gombe to watch chimpanzees.
Adapted from www.nationalgeographic.com
| Date | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Jane's graduation from school. |
| 1960 | The year Jane arrived at Gombe National Park in Tanzania. |
| 1969 | The year Jane published her first book, "My Friends the Wild Chimpanzees". |
List: interest · inventions · achievements · equality · priority
Teacher: "Can I help you, Fouad?"
Student: d. "Yes, please. I need to improve my English. What do you advise me to do?"
Teacher: b. "Have you heard of the BBC English website? It's great for beginners."
Student: a. "Yes sir, I've tried it, but I find it difficult to understand the speakers."
Teacher: c. "Don't worry about that. You'll soon become familiar with the British accent."
Complete the paragraph: "I like watching documentary films for many reasons. First, …"
I like watching documentary films for many reasons. First, they teach me things I would never learn from textbooks: the lives of animals, the history of civilisations, scientific discoveries and contemporary social issues. Secondly, the images are usually beautiful and breathtaking — they make me discover places I might never visit. Thirdly, documentaries open my mind: they expose me to different cultures, perspectives and life stories. Finally, they often inspire me to think more deeply and to care about the world.
You've seen the advert: "Summer Jobs — We need waiters, cooks and cleaners. Email: staff@basmarestaurant.com". Write an email to Mr. Naji to apply.
Subject: Application for the position of Waiter — Summer Job
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