One man can change the world One man can change the world

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Nome: Potenziamento
Classe: Data:
Reading
One man can
change the world
Nelson Mandela has become one of the most famous
leaders of our time. But who is he?
1
People all over the world have called him Nelson Mandela for years, but Nelson
Mandela’s real name is Rolihlahla Mandela. He was born in a small village
called Mvezo in South Africa in 1918. A teacher at school gave him the name
‘Nelson’. At school Nelson was a very hard-working and successful student. He
went to university and in 1942 he became a lawyer.
2
The 1940s were a time of change in South Africa. In 1948, the government made some new laws – the
apartheid laws. People have written many historical books about these laws. These laws separated white and
black people. White people were free to travel and vote. They had good jobs and lived in nice houses. The
apartheid laws were terrible for black people, because they weren’t free. They lived in slums and they were
not free to travel everywhere in the country.
3
Nelson Mandela and many other black leaders protested against the apartheid laws. Mandela fought for
black people’s rights. The South African government sent him to prison on Robben Island, near Cape Town.
In prison Mandela wrote letters to fight apartheid. He became the most famous prisoner in the world. All
over the world, people protested against the South African government.
4
On 11th of February, 1990, after 27 years in prison, Mandela became a free man. When he left prison, he
was on TV all over the world. Mandela and the government started to talk, and apartheid finally ended in
1992. In 1994, South Africa had its first election for white and black people. Nelson Mandela became the
first black president of South Africa. He was president for five years.
5
Nelson Mandela has travelled abroad many times since he left prison. He has met a lot of famous people,
from pop stars to presidents, and he has worked with them to help African people. He has also written an
autobiography – The Long Walk to Freedom. The prison on Robben Island has become a museum since
Mandela was there. Visitors to the museum can see the terrible things that happened in the apartheid years.
The lives of millions of African people are better because of Nelson Mandela. He has taught us something
very important – one person in a prison on a small island can change the world.
1 Leggi il brano e abbina i titoli
ai paragrafi.
• Working with people all over the world
• Life in prison
• Terrible new laws in South Africa
• Early life
• Mandela becomes president
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High Spirits Digital Teacher’s Resource Book 3
Glossary
lawsleggi
apartheidapartheid (politica di segregazione
razziale istituita dal governo sudafricano
e rimasta in vigore fino al 1994)
freeliberi
vote (v)votare
slumsbaracche
rights diritti
prisonprigione
fight (v)combattere
electionelezione
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS • PHOTOCOPIABLE
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0
2 Rileggi il brano e completa il factfile.
Nelson Mandela
• Born in 1
(South Africa) in 2
3
• Became a
after he left university.
4
• Went to prison on
. Spent 5
• Became president of South Africa in 6
• Was president for 7
years.
• Wrote 8
.
.
years in prison.
.
3 Rispondi alle domande.
1 Who gave Mandela the name Nelson?
2 What laws separated white and black people?
3 Where did black and white people live after the apartheid laws?
4 What did Mandela do in prison?
5 When did the apartheid laws end?
6 What can visitors to Robben Island do now?
Focus on you
4 Rispondi alle domande in modo personale.
1 Why do you think Nelson Mandela is an important person?
2 What other famous political people have you studied?
3 What have they done to be famous?
Writing
Potenziamento
5 Completa il dialogo con le risposte di Mick.
It was the lost city of Ubar. It’s in the desert in Oman.
In 2003, he ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
He’s travelled all over the world and he even discovered a lost city.
I’m writing about an incredible person for my History project.
Yes, it was a big place two thousand years ago.
Ranulph Fiennes. He’s a British explorer.
Sean
Mick
Sean
Mick
Sean
Mick
Sean
Mick
Sean
Mick
Sean
Mick
Sean
Hi Mick. What are you doing?
1
Who are you writing about?
2
I’ve never heard of him. What has he done?
3
Really? Where was that?
4
Was it a big place?
5
Cool. What else has he done?
6
That’s amazing. I feel tired after rugby practice!
6 Scrivi un breve paragrafo (75 – 100 parole) su una persona carismatica o su un
personaggio che ha cambiato il tuo paese. Usa le domande come aiuto. ES
• Who is this person?
• Where is he / she from?
• Why is this person special / famous?
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS • PHOTOCOPIABLE
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• What has this person done?
• How has he / she changed your country?
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