Comprehension: Democratic Republic Of Congo Struggles to Control Minerals Trade

The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses vast quantities of minerals such as gold, diamonds and coltan, but the work of extracting them is hard and dangerous. The battle for control of the DRC's natural resources has been at the heart of the conflicts which have ravaged the country in recent years, with fraud and corruption meaning that the majority of mineral exports are beyond government control.

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. Cobalt is one of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s natural resource.

a. True

b. False

2. A third of the worlds known Coltan is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

a. True

b. False

3. Workers at the quarry in Rubaya earn twice as much as the average worker.

a. True

b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

Every day, thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo enter narrow tunnels, like this one, to work in the mines. Rich in copper, cobalt, coltan, uranium, gold and diamonds, the country possesses an abundance of natural resources, but accessing them can be hazardous. 

"Two weeks ago we found out people had died here. I don't know how many, but it was around a dozen who died, it was following the collapse of the holes where we bring out the minerals." 

It's hard to confirm incidents such as that one, as the authorities are tight-lipped over any accidents. At this large quarry in Rubaya, in North Kivu, miners are digging for Coltan, a mineral used in the production of mobile phones and laptops. Two thirds of the world's known reserves are in the DRC. 

"We treat the minerals; we're treating them well in order that we can take them to the market. It's coltan that we dig for here, but it's mixed with manganese." 

Workers earn up to ten dollars a day, double the average, and at the market, coltan can sell for several hundred dollars per kilo. Critics sometimes call it a 'blood mineral', as for decades the Congolese army and various rebel groups have been fighting to control its trade. Currently, the majority of exports are not controlled by the state. In an effort to keep track of the country's raw materials, an official trading centre has recently been built, but it's yet to open. 

"We'll try to concentrate all the trade in minerals here, but the centre's closed. As a result, there'll be lots of fraud. The minerals are scattered here and there, and there's no way to control them." 

The situation is so murky that in April, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative suspended the Democratic Republic of Congo for a year. The government says it wants to clear up the minerals trade, but that will be an enormous task, in a country where these precious resources are both a blessing and a curse. 

Answers:

1. a

2. b

3. a

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Comprehension: Congress Student Loan Fight Could Leave Graduates with More Debt

Graduating from university is a time to celebrate, but millions of Americans are also leaving full-time education this summer owing massive amounts of money, and in sore need of a job. Meanwhile, if Congress fails to act in the coming weeks, interest rates for student loans from the government are set to rise even higher.

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  
Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. Greg Dubé has a debt of $15,000.
a. True
b. False

2. The price of houses has gone down.
a. True
b. False

3. Renea Gooch is over thirty years old.
a. True
b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

Greg Dubé graduated this summer with a degree in chemical engineering. It’s an education that hasn’t come cheap, leaving him $150,000 in debt. He thought it would be an investment that would put him ahead in the job market but so far, things haven’t quite worked out that way. 

“I figured I would have a job where I would start right after graduation - maybe have a week off or two weeks off.  You don't see it on my face but it's stressful. It's something that I deal with more in my own time and it's something that I consider almost every night just reminding myself ‘OK, I have this amount, I need to make sure I do something about it.’” 

Greg’s one of thousands of graduates who question the fairness of the US student loans system, where private lenders can charge steep rates. 

 “The housing market is down to three, four percent, but student loans where we have no income or no considerable income at least not yet, we’re still being charged more than double that.” 

The bad news for students is that government-backed loans could also see a price hike next month when the current funding model expires. Republicans and Democrats are trying to forge a compromise that would see interest rates linked more closely to market rates. But some activists say that while the proposals would save the government money, many borrowers would be charged more. 

“Because of the economics of the situation right now, we would be accepting - allowing - the Federal Government to make 36 to 50 billion dollars off the backs of students over the course of the next ten years.” 

Renea Gooch knows the long-term cost of debt better than most, graduating with a degree in molecular biology at the height of the financial crisis in 2008, she says that even now that she’s got a good job; her debt burden is weighing her down.

 “I’m in my mid 30s, and I still live with roommates.  I’m not really seeing anyone and if I were there’s no way I could possibly afford to get married at the moment. I can’t really think about having children either which is kind of scary considering my age.” 

With the Federal Bank of New York finding that 30 year-old graduates with loans are less likely to have a mortgage than those without student debt, the worry is that if America can’t find better ways to pay for higher education, the whole economy could lose out. 

Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. a

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Comprehension: Race the Butt of South African Comedy

South African comedy is taking on a new role, poking fun at sensitive race issues, along with politicians' political and bedroom antics. The stand-up comics are breaking taboos, helping heal a country with a turbulent past.
Watch the video and answer the questions below.  

Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. The jokes are about many issues in South Africa.
a. True
b. False

2. Comedians are very careful NOT to be racist.
a. True
b. False

3. The irreverent comedy appeals to different types of people in South Africa.
a. True
b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

For years race has been a touchy subject in South Africa. But now irreverent comedy is tackling the country's persistent racial divides, making audiences laugh about issues they don’t dare to discuss in public. And it's increasingly popular with audiences, whether they are black or white, rich or poor. 

"We go from a gold mine on one day where people only speak Zulu and Afrikaans and a little bit of English to a billionaire's birthday party that night to a nightclub in Soweto the next day." 

"You know why Oscar's crying - because white people don't think of jail until they're in court." 

In a country still trying to come to terms with the legacy of apartheid, humour has a key role to play. The jokes take on politicians, as well as the cultural differences between white and black, coloured and Indian. Comedians are openly racist with all racial groups the butt of their jokes. 

"Maybe because of our history it confronts a lot of things that a lot of countries in the world, even going as far to say as the UK, don't really deal with." 

The jokes make fun of the same topics that for years caused violent confrontation - race, politics and religion. And laughing at those subjects brings some light relief, helping to heal a country not yet twenty years into democracy. 

"I have fought against white domination I have fought against black domination and I am fighting against your domination. I thank you."

Answers:
1. a
2. b
3. a

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Phrasal Verbs with Answers: to go (part 2)

This week,'to go' is the verb used to make our phrasal verbs. Do you know what they mean?

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Comprehension: Tourism Imperils Way of Life for Thai Sea Gypsies

Thailand's sea gypsies have roamed the seas off the Andaman Coast for generations but now say their traditional way of life and their homes are under threat from a tourism boom.

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. Nang Miden’s grandparents lived in Phuket.
a. True
b. False

2. There are at least seven families facing eviction.
a. True
b. False

3. The appeal against the eviction should only take a year to process.
a. True
b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

The men of the Rawai have been making their living from the sea around Phuket for as long as anyone can remember. Fishing is their main source of income, and as they demonstrate here, they are proficient both above and below the water. But back on shore trouble is brewing. These Chao Lay, or sea gypsies, are facing eviction from their land, despite the fact they've lived here for generations. They don't have title deeds. When the deeds were handed out they knew nothing about them, or what they meant, and now the land is owned by a developer. 

"They want to use the court to kick us out of here. It looks like they’ll build some apartments, because the land here is beautiful and it is right on the beach." 

78 year old Nang Miden has lived here his whole life. His parents and their parents called this area of Phuket home long before it was one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand. Nang's family is one of at least seven facing eviction, after a court ruled the land he lives on does not belong to him  

"I want to stay here. I don't want to go anywhere. I want them to help us. I lived here first. I was already living when the title deed was issued. I have lived here since it was a jungle; back then I had a small house." 

The families have launched an appeal, a process that could take several years. The government has told the ministry of justice to look into the sea gypsies’ complaints to see if there's a way of resolving their eviction. Experts insist the communities' link to the sea cannot be overestimated. Many of the Chao Lay say they can't sleep unless they can hear the breaking waves. 

"They live on the sea, from the sea, off the sea, and they developed this spiritual attachment to the sea since childhood. You see that, you know, the children they play in the water, you know, all day and their parents, the older generation, they fish from the sea. Even the ritual or the ceremony also signifies the importance of the sea." 

As more and more tourist resorts open along the coast, the battle for land looks set to intensify, leaving Thailand's Chao Lay at risk of being left without a place by the sea to call home. 

Answers:

1. a

2. a

3. b

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Comprehension: Young Greeks Get Mum's Cooking Straight to the Door

A new delivery service in Greece is helping young people who live alone receive food made by their mothers, in a bid to save money and keep them well-fed.

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. Matoula makes meals for her daughter.
a. True
b. False

2. 64.2 % of young people are out of work.
a. True
b. False

3. Sending money is difficult because of the state of the economy in Greece.
a. True
b. False


For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

There's nothing like mum's cooking.   And here in Greece, where family is the bedrock of society, a new delivery service is providing sustenance to young people who have flown the nest. Matoula cooks her son's favourite meals, packs them up in Tupperware boxes and has them delivered to his home. 

"With the service by "Vanakias" the food leaves from here and goes directly to the child. As you can imagine, mum's cooking arriving at the child's place is far more healthy and economical than sending money." 

As Greece struggles to adhere to tough austerity measures imposed by its creditors, young people are finding it increasingly difficult to strike out on their own. In February youth unemployment stood at a record 64.2 percent.

"I am unemployed. All the people I know are now unemployed. I am struggling on the streets because of this government which is passing all these measures." 

With jobs so scarce, many young people look for work abroad or live with their parents until well into their twenties. But for young people determined to live independently, the Vanakias company makes it that little bit easier. 

"Unfortunately, sending money is very difficult due to the economic crisis and the current situation. A mother can cut costs by preparing food she cooks everyday at home, placing it in food containers, and sending it with our service. The child is fed healthily and economically. You kill two birds with one stone. Money is saved and they get healthy food." 


Vanakias may only be a short-term solution to Greece's far broader problems, but even in the midst of the financial crisis, it's helping protect against disintegrating family ties and empty stomachs.

Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. a

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Idioms: Cats with answers

This week 'cats' are the theme of our idioms. Do you know what they mean?

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