Reading text on Othman Zolati's travel through 23 African countries — a true story of resilience, hospitality and cultural discovery. Duration: 2 h 30 · 40 points.
[1] With only 800 dirhams, a backpack and a borrowed camera, Othman left his hometown El Jadida and managed to visit 23 countries. Othman walked, cycled and skated from Morocco to South Africa. "When I first started my journey in 2015, I had no idea where it would take me or how it would end," says Othman.
[2] On his trip, Othman experienced different amazing things. Spending time with local people taught him a lot about the traditional African life and the continent's diversity and hospitality. Along the way, people invited him to sleep and eat with them and they offered him rides. To finance his journey, Othman worked as a fisherman in Senegal, a mechanic in Mali, and he also sold shoes in Côte d'Ivoire.
[3] During the 30,000-kilometre long journey, Othman also faced a few challenges. He survived malaria three times and was chased by border police on his skateboard. He mistakenly slept in a national park of wild animals. He once spent 24 hours in prison because he did not have his passport on him. He also ended up in Zambia with only 50 dirhams in his pocket.
[4] After the journey, Othman told his story through Africa and I, a 90-minute documentary. To bring his film into reality, Zolati collaborated with a team of award-winning South African artists, including the director Chris Green. The project was financed by private sponsors and donors. Through the film, Othman wants to inspire young people to change their perceptions of Africa by showing them the beauty, diversity and hospitality of the continent. "This is why I'm here, to see things differently and to change my way and others' way of thinking about these people," says Othman.
[5] Othman was named Adventurer of the Year at the 2018 Moroccan Adventure Film Festival, and was recognised and awarded as one of the world's best travellers at the Dubai Travellers Festival in 2017. He is already planning his next trip. "I have crossed the land. What is left now is the ocean. My next journey is going to be on a sailing boat around the world," he says.
Adapted from www.theculturetrip.com
| Date/Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| 800 | The amount of money (in dirhams) Othman had when he left home. |
| 2015 | The year Othman started his journey. |
| 30,000 | The total length (in kilometres) of Othman's journey through Africa. |
Hotel receptionist: "Did you sleep well?"
Customer: "No, I didn't." (Complains about the bed) → "The bed was extremely uncomfortable and the mattress was too hard. I couldn't get any rest all night."
Hotel receptionist: (Apologises and says what she/he will do about it) → "I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Sir/Madam. I'll move you to another room right away and we'll change the mattress immediately. Please accept our sincere apologies."
Customer: "Thanks."
Complete the following paragraph about how your school celebrated Women's Day this year:
"On March 8, our school celebrated Women's Day. We did a lot of activities…"
On March 8, our school celebrated Women's Day. We did a lot of activities to honour Moroccan and international women. The students prepared an exhibition about famous women like Malika El Fassi, Marie Curie and Malala Yousafzai. The drama club performed a short play about gender equality. Our English teacher organised a debate on the role of women in modern society. Finally, the principal awarded prizes to the best girl students of the year.
You have noticed that parks, green areas and forests are disappearing fast in your region. Write an article for your school e-magazine about the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, and suggest possible solutions.
The Disappearance of Green Spaces in Our Region: A Wake-Up Call
Recently, I have noticed that parks, green areas and forests are vanishing fast in our region. This worrying phenomenon has serious causes and devastating consequences.
The main causes are urbanisation — buildings, roads and shopping malls are replacing trees — and illegal logging for fuel and furniture. Pollution and forest fires also contribute to the destruction of green areas.
The consequences are alarming. We are losing biodiversity: many animal and plant species are disappearing. The air quality is declining, which causes respiratory diseases. Furthermore, the loss of trees worsens climate change and exposes our region to floods and erosion.
To save our environment, we must plant more trees, create new parks, recycle, and strengthen laws against illegal logging. Schools should organise awareness campaigns, and citizens of all ages should join environmental associations.
Together, we can build a greener, healthier tomorrow.