An Amerindian concern?
P.78-79
Compétence
Écrire et réagir à l’écrit : j’écris pour communiquer.
Did you know?
Guyana is not the only country belonging
to the Commonwealth. There is also Belize,
which is bordered by Mexico, Guatemala
and the Caribbean Sea. English settlers
established a colony there in the 17th century.
The country was granted independence in
1966. Would you like to visit these countries
and discover their traditions?
Exercice 1 : A Commonwealth concern
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Dessinez ici
Exercice 2 : Local communities and the forest
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An incredible reserve
Iwokrama, in what is called the Guiana shield, is a tropical
rainforest reserve. Because there are only three other rainforest
ecosystems like this in the world, Iwokrama is invaluable. It’s
a part of “the lungs of the earth”.
Moreover, it’s in a pristine state: it is as if it had been untouched by humans. As though nobody had ever cut a tree! But indigenous people have lived there: they have just done so very discreetly, leaving their natural environment pretty much intact.
Guyana’s landscapes and wildlife are not only protected, they are also stunning: the Kaieteur Falls are majestic and it’s as if animals and plants were all “giant”! You can meet giant anteaters, giant water lilies, giant leaf frogs and giant otters!
Because this is such a unique place, Iwokrama has been made into an official reserve. The priority is the preservation of the rainforest. But this does not mean that Guyana refuses to make money out of the forest: it just has to be done sustainably so, with income for the communities that live there rather than gains for investors on the other side of the world.
Moreover, it’s in a pristine state: it is as if it had been untouched by humans. As though nobody had ever cut a tree! But indigenous people have lived there: they have just done so very discreetly, leaving their natural environment pretty much intact.
Guyana’s landscapes and wildlife are not only protected, they are also stunning: the Kaieteur Falls are majestic and it’s as if animals and plants were all “giant”! You can meet giant anteaters, giant water lilies, giant leaf frogs and giant otters!
Because this is such a unique place, Iwokrama has been made into an official reserve. The priority is the preservation of the rainforest. But this does not mean that Guyana refuses to make money out of the forest: it just has to be done sustainably so, with income for the communities that live there rather than gains for investors on the other side of the world.
Adapted from Iwokrama.org.
Exercice 3 : An incredible reserve
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Phonology
Pronounce -ed
Listen
untouched / lived / protected / thatched / titled / forested / loved / believed / decided / missed.
Yell
proved / detached / respected / preserved / kissed.
Grammar
As if... / As though…
Observe: It is as if nobody had ever touched the forest! It is as though nobody had ever cut a tree!Think: Are we discussing real actions / facts here? Two tenses are used in each sentence: what are they?
Practise: Make 5 assumptions about the Amazon.
Design a leaflet
Use Canva and design a leaflet for Amazon Watch (a non-governmental organisation which protects the rainforest).
How far can you go?
A2 I can suggest alternatives and use superlatives.
A2+ I can imagine the future.
B1 I can make unreal assumptions in the past.
A2+ I can imagine the future.
B1 I can make unreal assumptions in the past.