Read the text about elephant poaching and do activities 1, 2 and 3.
Countries around the world are meeting in Doha, Qatar, this week to discuss a one-time sale of ivory. Tanzania and Zambia want to sell the stockpiles of ivory they have built up over the past few decades. They have as much as 90,000 kilograms of elephant tusks. Neighbouring Kenya is against any relaxing of the ban on the ivory trade. It says such action could increase the illegal trade, which would be a serious threat to elephant numbers. The Kenyan Wildlife Service's Patrick Omandi said: “We totally believe that any experiments to allow partial lifting of (the) international ban in ivory trade stimulates elephant poaching....Indeed there has been an increase in poaching across the entire continent, with some countries losing their entire population.”
Elephant poaching has risen seven-fold in Kenya since 2007. In 2009, 271 Kenyan elephants were killed by poachers, compared with 37 two years earlier. A pair of elephant tusks can sell for up to $2,000 in Kenya. That‟s a huge sum of money for poor farmers. The temptation to poach has increased in recent years because of the lack of rain. Many crops have failed and there is widespread hunger across much of the country. Another reason poaching is increasing is because elephants are competing for land and food with humans. Mr. Omandi said: "Human- elephant conflicts are growing and the view by the communities is that elephants are a pest." African ivory is used to make rubber stamps and necklaces in Asian countries like China and Japan.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).
a. The world will vote on whether to end the ban on selling ivory. T / F
b. There is almost 90,000 kilograms of ivory stockpiled around the world. T / F
c. Kenya said the ban on ivory is relaxing. T / F
d. Some countries have lost all their elephants to poachers. T / F
e. Elephant poaching has increased seven times in two years. T / F
f. Two elephant tusks sell for around $2,000 in Kenya. T / F
g. Very dry weather has lead to an increase in elephant poaching. T / F
h. Many African communities think elephants are a nuisance. T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
1. stockpiles a. big
2 relaxing b. whole
3. serious c. enormous
4. totally d. nuisance
5. entire e. absence
6. risen f. opinion
7. huge g. supplies
8. lack h. completely
9. view i. loosening
10. pest j. increased
3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
1. a one-time a. ban on the ivory trade
2 the stockpiles of ivory they have b. elephants are a pest
3. Kenya is against any relaxing of the c. the entire continent
4. a serious threat to d. of money
5. an increase in poaching across e. fold in Kenya
6. poaching has risen seven- f. sale of ivory
7. A pair of g. of the country
8. a huge sum h. built up
9. widespread hunger across much i. elephant numbers
10. the view by the communities is that j. elephant tusks
ANSWERS
TRUE / FALSE:
a. F b. F c. F d. T e. F f. T g. T h. T
SYNONYM MATCH:
1. stockpiles a. supplies
2 relaxing b. loosening
3. serious c. grave
4. totally d. completely
5. entire e. whole
6. risen f. increased
7. huge g. enormous
8. lack h. absence
9. view i. opinion
10. pest j. nuisance
PHRASE MATCH:
1. a one-time a. sale of ivory
2 the stockpiles of ivory they have b. built up
3. Kenya is against any relaxing of the c. ban on the ivory trade
4. a serious threat to d. elephant numbers
5. an increase in poaching across e. the entire continent
6. poaching has risen seven- f. fold in Kenya
7. A pair of g. elephant tusks
8. a huge sum h. of money
9. widespread hunger across much i. of the country
10. the view by the communities is that j. elephants are a pes
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