My name is Lawrence Moore. More than five years ago, after my country got caught in a terrible civil war, I joined one group of soldiers when I was 15. I took part in many combats. I was hurt in the very first one and was treated in a hospital. There, for the first time, I felt that I belong to something.
We lost many of our men, but we also killed a lot of enemies. One night, one of my friends died in front of me.
I felt very bad, but I never stopped fighting. I said to myself that this is war. I myself killed so many on the battle field, but never any civilians. When I killed my enemies I felt good. But right now, I pray God to forgive me.
Like many other soldiers of my age, I never had any school education. When the war ended, I dreamt about finding a job. With no education and no training, there was no job for me. Meanwhile, I saw the leader's adolescent son riding a new and beautiful motorcycle. I was even arrested and freed by a foreign journalist.
When I think of the five years I spent in the bush, killing people with guns, taking drugs, smoking and being shot at, I feel very stupid. We were giving our lives for people who by tomorrow will not remember how they got where they are.
Now, the United Nations' convention on the children's rights, adopted in 1989, makes it illegal to use children into armed conflicts. Unfortunately, people do not respect this convention and many children are participating in many different civil wars on the African continent
Adapted from The State of the World's children 1996- New York Times, Department of Public Information, p.32
Vocabulary:
1- civil war: Guerre civile
QUESTIONS
I- Comprehension (8 points)
A- Read the text and choose the letter that is in front of the correct answer (2pts)
1- The boy joined one group of soldiers when he was ... years old.
a- fifteen years
b- less than fifteen
c- more than fifteen
d- not fifteen
2- In the sentence: "I was hurt in the very first one." 'one' refers to :
a- the last combat.
b- the second combat.
c- the very first combat.
d- the first and last combat.
3- When the boy killed his enemies, he was ...
a- troubled.
b- unhappy.
c- chocked.
d- happy.
4- After the war, the boy ....
a- got a job.
b- didn't get ajob.
c- refused to work.
d- worked in a hospital.
B- Read the text and write True (Tj or False(F) in front of each statement (2pts)
1- They treated Lawrence Moore in a health centre.
2- Lawrence Moore's group of soldiers didn't lose any of its men.
3- Lawrence Moore went to school.
4- The boy regrets having been a soldier.
C- Read the text and answer these questions (4pts)
1- Who is Lawrence Moore? (1 pt)
2- Why did Lawrence Moore become a soldier? (1 pt)
3- What did the boy want to do after the war? (1 pt)
4- How many years did the boy spend in the bush? (1 pt)
II- Vocabulary (2 points)
A- Find in the text the nouns which derive from each of these verbs. (1 pt)
1- to train (Paragraph 3)
2- to live (Paragraph 4)
B- Complete the following sentences with a noun or an adjective (1 pt)
1- People who make war are. (Paragraph 1)
2- According to the United Nations' convention, using children as soldiers is ... (Last paragraph)
III- Grammar (6pts)
A- Put these sentences into the simple future (1 pt)
1- Lawrence must go to school.
2- Can you help children in armed conflicts?
B- Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense (1 pt)
1- They (to make) war last year.
2- If Lawrence had known he (to go) to school.
C- Put these sentences into the comparative of superiority (1 pt)
1- He is (young) his rister.
2- Wars are (terrible) diseases.
D- Turn these sentences into :hpassive voice (1 pt)
1- Lawrence killed a lot - .aunties.
2- She will find a new job.
E- Complete with 'many' or 'much' (1 pt)
1- They did not get... money.
2- ... children die in wars.
F- Put these sentences into the negative form (1 pt)
1- Lawrence felt very good.
2- The boy takes drugs.
IV- Writing (4pts): Write a short essay
What are the consequences of wars on children? Give three ideas to justify your answer. (40 to 50 words)