Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Wangari Maathai. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai was born in 1940 in a village in Kenya. In 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The judges valued "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace”. She was also a member of Kenya’s Parliament. She served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 2003 and 2005.
Maathai left Kenya after high school to study biology in the USA. She got both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and returned to Kenya. She became the first Kenyan woman to earn a Ph.D. In 1971, she became a professor at the University of Nairobi. In 2002, Maathai accepted a position at Yale University's Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry.
Her environmental roots were planted in 1977. She founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization whose mission was to plant trees across Kenya to prevent soil erosion. It has planted over 40 million trees to date and earned her the nickname of "The Tree Mother of Africa." This experience sparked her keen interest in protecting the environment and saving the planet.
Dr. Maathai became more involved in environmental and women's issues. Her politician husband divorced her because of this. He said she was too strong-minded for a woman. Amazingly, the divorce judge agreed and jailed her! Dr. Maathai was a member of the Nobel Women's Initiative and campaigned globally for peace with justice and equality. She died of cancer aged 71 on September 26, 2011.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
receive
a.
went back
2
development
b.
job
3.
served
c.
took
4.
returned
d.
get
5.
accepted
e.
progress
6.
position
f.
worked
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
mission
g.
started
8.
to date
h.
imprisoned
9.
sparked
i.
aim
10.
involved in
j.
fought
11
jailed
k
until now
12
campaigned
l
connected with
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
the first African woman to receive
a.
to sustainable development
2
The judges valued her contribution
b.
her keen interest
3.
Maathai left Kenya after high school
c.
earn a Ph.D.
4.
She got both her Bachelor’s
d.
to study biology
5.
the first Kenyan woman to
e.
to prevent soil erosion
6.
Her environmental roots
f.
the Nobel Peace Prize
7.
plant trees across Kenya
g.
cancer aged 71
8.
This experience sparked
h.
and Master’s degrees
9.
He said she was too
i.
were planted in 1977
10.
She died of
j.
strong-minded for a woman
LISTENING GAP FILL
Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai _________________ in a village in Kenya. In 2004, _________________ African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The judges valued "her contribution _________________ development, democracy and peace”. She was also a member of Kenya’s Parliament. _________________ Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 2003 and 2005.
Maathai left Kenya after high school _________________ the USA. She got both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and returned to Kenya. She became the first Kenyan woman _________________. In 1971, she became a professor at the University of Nairobi. In 2002, Maathai _________________ at Yale University's Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry.
Her environmental _________________ 1977. She founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization _________________ to plant trees across Kenya to _________________. It has planted over 40 million trees to date and earned her the nickname of "The Tree Mother of Africa." This experience _________________ interest in protecting the environment and saving the planet.
Dr. Maathai became _________________ environmental and women's issues. Her politician husband divorced her _________________. He said she was too strong-minded for a woman. Amazingly, the divorce judge _________________ her! Dr. Maathai was a member of the Nobel Women's Initiative and campaigned globally for ____________________ equality. She died of cancer aged 71 on September 26, 2011.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai was born in 1940 in a village in Kenya. In 2004, she became the fast / first African woman to receiving / receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The judges valued "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and piece / peace”. She was also a member of Kenya’s Parliament. She served / saved as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 2003 and 2005.
Maathai left Kenya after high school to study biologist / biology in the USA. She got both them / her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and returned to Kenya. She became the first Kenyan woman to earn / learn a Ph.D. In 1971, she became a professor at the University of Nairobi. In 2002, Maathai accepted a position of / at Yale University's Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry.
Her environmental leaves / roots were planted in 1977. She founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization who / whose mission was to plant trees across Kenya to prevent sail / soil erosion. It has planted over 40 million trees to date and earned her the nickname of "The Tree Mother of Africa." This experience sparked her been / keen interest in protecting the environment and saving the planet.
Dr. Maathai became more / many involved in environmental and women's issues. Her politician husband divorced her because of this. He said she was too strong-minded with / for a woman. Amazingly, the divorce judge agreed and jailed / freed her! Dr. Maathai was a member of the Nobel Women's Initiative and campaigned Earth / globally for peace with justice and equality. She died of cancer aged 71 on September 26, 2011.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
a gilelav in Kenya
2.
her contribution to sustainable deenvotlmep
3.
She is also a reembm of Kenya’s Parliament
4.
Natural soRrescue
Paragraph 2
5.
study logybio in the USA
6.
Bachelor’s and Master’s segdree
7.
she became a efrospsro at the University of Nairobi
8.
Maathai ctacdepe a position at Yale University
Paragraph 3
9.
Her environmental roots were ntdaple in 1977
10.
a non-governmental organization whose mioinss was to plant trees
11.
prevent soil sorneio
12.
This experience ksparde her keen interest
Paragraph 4
13.
environmental and women's ssusie
14.
He said she was too strong-nddime for a woman
15.
campaigned blalgoly for peace
16.
gmaansicp globally for peace
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
peace”. She was also a member of Kenya’s Parliament. She served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 2003 and 2005.
( )
degrees and returned to Kenya. She became the first Kenyan woman to earn a Ph.D. In 1971, she became a professor
( 1 )
Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai was born in 1940 in a village in Kenya. In 2004, she became the first African woman to
( )
equality. She died of cancer aged 71 on September 26, 2011.
( )
campaigned globally for peace with justice and
( )
soil erosion. It has planted over 40 million trees to date and earned her the nickname of
( )
Dr. Maathai became more involved in environmental and women's issues. Her politician husband
( )
"The Tree Mother of Africa." This experience sparked her keen interest in protecting the environment and saving the planet.
( )
receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The judges valued "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and
( )
at the University of Nairobi. In 2002, Maathai accepted a position at Yale University's Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry.
( )
Maathai left Kenya after high school to study biology in the USA. She got both her Bachelor’s and Master’s
( )
agreed and jailed her! Dr. Maathai was a member of the Nobel Women's Initiative and
( )
non-governmental organization whose mission was to plant trees across Kenya to prevent
( )
Her environmental roots were planted in 1977. She founded the Green Belt Movement, a
( )
divorced her because of this. He said she was too strong-minded for a woman. Amazingly, the divorce judge
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
Peace first to Nobel the woman the Prize African receive
2.
contribution her valued judges The development sustainable to
3.
her both got She degrees Master’s and Bachelor’s
4.
earn Kenyan became a woman the Ph.D. to first She
5.
became a professor at the University of Nairobi In 1971 she
6.
planted 1977 environmental were in Her roots
7.
plant erosion soil prevent to Kenya across trees
8.
planted to over date 40 It million has trees
9.
woman He said she was too strong-minded for a
10.
of September cancer 2011. died She aged 71 on 26,
DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Wangari Maathai?
2.
Would you like to meet Wangari Maathai?
3.
What would you like to know about Wangari Maathai and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Wangari Maathai. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. WANGARI MAATHAI POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Wangari Maathai. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Wangari Maathai, her life and achievements. Write about what she did every day and what she thought about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to a Wangari Maathai expert. Ask her/him three questions about her life. Give her/him three of your thoughts on her. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Wangari Maathai expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
receive
a.
get
2
development
b.
progress
3.
served
c.
worked
4.
returned
d.
went back
5.
accepted
e.
took
6.
position
f.
job
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
mission
g.
aim
8.
to date
h.
until now
9.
sparked
i.
started
10.
involved in
j.
connected with
11
jailed
k
imprisoned
12
campaigned
l
fought
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
the first African woman to receive
a.
the Nobel Peace Prize
2
The judges valued her contribution
b.
to sustainable development
3.
Maathai left Kenya after high school
c.
to study biology
4.
She got both her Bachelor’s
d.
and Master’s degrees
5.
the first Kenyan woman to
e.
earn a Ph.D.
6.
Her environmental roots
f.
were planted in 1977
7.
plant trees across Kenya
g.
to prevent soil erosion
8.
This experience sparked
h.
her keen interest
9.
He said she was too
i.
strong-minded for a woman
10.
She died of
j.
cancer aged 71
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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