Comprehension
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Last updated over 5 years ago
10 questions
1
Xenophobia- Nafeesa smiled at Nick. “Congratulations, Morgan,” she said, turning to him, “I heard that you have been chosen for the junior debating team and you have to speak in a debate against Greenvale High next week.”
- “Thanks, Nafeesa. Pity my dad is away at the moment. He is covering a refugee story in Ethiopia in North Africa. I really need him to be here to help me with the debate because the topic is about xenophobia and he knows so much about it.”
- “Zen-a-what?” asked Nick and Candy together.
- “Xenophobia. It’s a words which comes from the ancient Greek word, xenos, which means stranger. And you know what phobia means, don’t you?”
- “Yes,” said Candy. “A phobia is a fear of something!”
- “That’s right. So, xenophobia means a fear of strangers, or a deep dislike for foreigners,” explained Morgan.
- “So, what has that got to do with your debate, Morgan?” asked Candy, who because she was born in Taiwan, often felt like a foreigner.
- “Well, the topic for the debate is ‘South Africa should allow foreigners to live and work here’. Our team is proposing.”
- “ ‘Propose’ means to ask someone to marry you! Who is your team marrying?” said Nick, collapsing with laughter.
- “It means that we have to argue that foreign people or aliens should be allowed to come to South Africa,” explained Morgan, patiently.
- “And aliens are funny creatures from outer space. Of course we don’t want any of those here! I have seen them on TV.” Walking stiffly and speaking in a computer voice, he said, “Me Nicholas. I come flying saucer. I like earth.”
- “You are such a clown, Nick,” laughed Nafeesa.
- “An alien is a person who is not a South African and does not have the same rights as a South African has.”
- “You mean like Morgan? He is from Zimbabwe. He does not look like an alien to me. He looks just like a South African, don’t you, Morgan?” asked Nick.
- “No, Nick, Morgan is a refugee,” said Nafeesa. “He is allowed to be here because his father has been granted asylum. It is not safe for him to return home to Zimbabwe. We are talking about people who come here because they can get better jobs and better education here. Or because they can earn more money to send back to their families in other countries. There are many people who have come to live in South Africa because it is a beautiful country.”
- “That is right, Nafeesa. We have to debate whether those people should be allowed to work and bring their families to live here,” said Morgan.
- “Well, why shouldn’t other people come here?” asked Nick. “I mean, if they want to work, let them.”
- “Because they take away the jobs that South African people could do, and they take places in the hospitals and schools that South Africans should have,” argued Morgan. Morgan could see both sides of the argument. This was what debating was all about.
- “I see,” replied Nick. “In that case they should all be sent home to find jobs in their own countries.” Nick raised his voice.
- “But what about me, Nick?” asked Candy quietly. “I am from Taiwan and my parents live and work here. You do not want us to go away, do you?”
- “Well, no, but I mean what would happen if everyone from Taiwan came to South Africa? There would be no room for South Africans. Soon there would be millions of Chinese people all over the place and …” Nick stopped when he saw he was upsetting Candy.
- “That is right, Nick. Just keep to the topic. Do not attach the person. My dad always says to me when I start shouting during an argument: ‘Do not raise the level of your voice; raise the level of your argument.’ Anyway, this conversation is helping me plan the arguments for and against the motion. It’s going to be great fun. I am counting on you guys to support us on the floor.”
- “I am not sitting on the floor,” protested Nick.Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange
Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange?
Xenophobia
- Nafeesa smiled at Nick. “Congratulations, Morgan,” she said, turning to him, “I heard that you have been chosen for the junior debating team and you have to speak in a debate against Greenvale High next week.”
- “Thanks, Nafeesa. Pity my dad is away at the moment. He is covering a refugee story in Ethiopia in North Africa. I really need him to be here to help me with the debate because the topic is about xenophobia and he knows so much about it.”
- “Zen-a-what?” asked Nick and Candy together.
- “Xenophobia. It’s a words which comes from the ancient Greek word, xenos, which means stranger. And you know what phobia means, don’t you?”
- “Yes,” said Candy. “A phobia is a fear of something!”
- “That’s right. So, xenophobia means a fear of strangers, or a deep dislike for foreigners,” explained Morgan.
- “So, what has that got to do with your debate, Morgan?” asked Candy, who because she was born in Taiwan, often felt like a foreigner.
- “Well, the topic for the debate is ‘South Africa should allow foreigners to live and work here’. Our team is proposing.”
- “ ‘Propose’ means to ask someone to marry you! Who is your team marrying?” said Nick, collapsing with laughter.
- “It means that we have to argue that foreign people or aliens should be allowed to come to South Africa,” explained Morgan, patiently.
- “And aliens are funny creatures from outer space. Of course we don’t want any of those here! I have seen them on TV.” Walking stiffly and speaking in a computer voice, he said, “Me Nicholas. I come flying saucer. I like earth.”
- “You are such a clown, Nick,” laughed Nafeesa.
- “An alien is a person who is not a South African and does not have the same rights as a South African has.”
- “You mean like Morgan? He is from Zimbabwe. He does not look like an alien to me. He looks just like a South African, don’t you, Morgan?” asked Nick.
- “No, Nick, Morgan is a refugee,” said Nafeesa. “He is allowed to be here because his father has been granted asylum. It is not safe for him to return home to Zimbabwe. We are talking about people who come here because they can get better jobs and better education here. Or because they can earn more money to send back to their families in other countries. There are many people who have come to live in South Africa because it is a beautiful country.”
- “That is right, Nafeesa. We have to debate whether those people should be allowed to work and bring their families to live here,” said Morgan.
- “Well, why shouldn’t other people come here?” asked Nick. “I mean, if they want to work, let them.”
- “Because they take away the jobs that South African people could do, and they take places in the hospitals and schools that South Africans should have,” argued Morgan. Morgan could see both sides of the argument. This was what debating was all about.
- “I see,” replied Nick. “In that case they should all be sent home to find jobs in their own countries.” Nick raised his voice.
- “But what about me, Nick?” asked Candy quietly. “I am from Taiwan and my parents live and work here. You do not want us to go away, do you?”
- “Well, no, but I mean what would happen if everyone from Taiwan came to South Africa? There would be no room for South Africans. Soon there would be millions of Chinese people all over the place and …” Nick stopped when he saw he was upsetting Candy.
- “That is right, Nick. Just keep to the topic. Do not attach the person. My dad always says to me when I start shouting during an argument: ‘Do not raise the level of your voice; raise the level of your argument.’ Anyway, this conversation is helping me plan the arguments for and against the motion. It’s going to be great fun. I am counting on you guys to support us on the floor.”
- “I am not sitting on the floor,” protested Nick.Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange
Xenophobia is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange?
1
Morgan is part of the junior debating team
Morgan is part of the junior debating team
1
According to the passage , should foreigners be allowed to South Africa
According to the passage , should foreigners be allowed to South Africa
1
The South Africa human rights document protects South Africans only?
The South Africa human rights document protects South Africans only?
1
The word "propose" is a Homonym
The word "propose" is a Homonym
1
Morgan is not a Refugee
Morgan is not a Refugee
1
A refugee is a person who decided to leave his/her country because they no longer wanted to live there
A refugee is a person who decided to leave his/her country because they no longer wanted to live there
1
the debating team that Morgan is in will be debating against Greenvale high
the debating team that Morgan is in will be debating against Greenvale high
1
Zimbabwe is South Africa's neighbouring country?
Zimbabwe is South Africa's neighbouring country?
1
Candy does not feel like a foreigner
Candy does not feel like a foreigner