Reading

1 Read this extract of a financial guide for kids. Then complete the sentences with the words from the box.

a.Things Fall Apart is a book of poems written by Chinua Achebe. ( )

b. The book was published after the independence of Nigeria, in 1958. ( )c. Students read Things Fall Apart in English classes only. ( )d. With his book, Achebe wanted to change the Western world’s perception of Africa. ( )

dynamic society to a Western audience who perceived African society as primitive, simple, and backward. Unless Africans could tell their side of their story, Achebe believed that the African experience would forever be “mistold” […]. Many European writers have presented the continent as a dark place inhabited by people with impenetrable, primitive minds; Achebe considers this reductionist portrayal of Africa racist.

A Brief History of NigeriaThe history of Nigeria is bound up with its geography. […] Nigeria is located above the inner

curve of the elbow on the west coast of Africa, just north of the equator and south of the Sahara Desert. More than two hundred ethnic groups – each with its own language, beliefs and culture – live in present-day Nigeria […]. This diversity of peoples is the result of thousands of years of history […].

The events in Things Fall Apart take place at the end of the nineteenth century and in the early part of the twentieth century. Although the British did not occupy most of Nigeria until 1904, they had a strong presence in West Africa since the nineteenth century. The British were a major buyer of African slaves in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

CHUA, J.; PAVLOS, S. CliffsNotes on Things Fall Apart. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing. 2001 (e-book).

IntroductionChinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is probably the most

authentic narrative ever written about life in Nigeria at the turn of the twentieth century. Although the novel was first published in 1958 – two years before Nigeria achieved its independence – thousands of copies are still sold every year in the United States alone […]. Teachers in high schools, colleges, and graduate schools use the novel as a textbook in many types of classes – from history and social studies to comparative literature and anthropology.

Literary PurposeWhen Things Fall Apart was first published, Achebe

announced that one of his purposes was to present a complex,

e. Nigeria is located between the west coast of Africa and the Sahara Desert. ( )f. Nowadays, just one language is spoken in Nigeria. ( )g. The British colonized Nigeria in the twentieth century. ( )h. The United Kingdom purchased slaves from Africa three centuries ago. ( )

2 Read the study guide again. Then answer the questions.

a. Is Things Fall Apart a popular book in the United States? ____________________________________________________________________________________

b. In Chinua Achebe’s opinion, why should Africans tell their own story?____________________________________________________________________________________

c. How did European writers present Africa in their works?____________________________________________________________________________________

d. How many different ethnic groups inhabit Nigeria?____________________________________________________________________________________

e. When does the plot of Things Fall Apart take place?____________________________________________________________________________________

f. When did the British start having a strong presence in Nigeria?____________________________________________________________________________________

Vocabulary3 Unscramble the letters to complete the sentences.a. Jill’s grandpa has several music instruments: a guitar, a piano, two saxophones and even a ___________.

J N O A Bb. What is your favorite kind of music? Mine is ___________.

Z A Z Jc. Most people can’t tell the difference between a ___________ and a sweet potato.

A M Yd. The _______________ and the bonobo are among the most intelligent primates.

Z E C I M H P N A Ee. The _______________ comes from an African tree that is cultivated in the tropics.

L A K O T N U

4 Complete the sentences with a word from the box.

a. There are African _______________ who still make traditional tribal _______________ nowadays.b. _______________ trade was the main reason for the African _______________ from the 15th to the

19th century.c. Most people in that city are of African _______________. They celebrate their _______________ in

music, cooking and religious traditions.d. According to recent studies, there are 43 _______________ spoken in Mozambique. Portuguese is the

official one.

Grammar5 Circle the correct particle to complete the phrasal verbs.a. Parents say it is very difficult to bring up / down children in today’s world.b. It’s really hot in here. Why don’t you take on / off your coat?c. Please don’t throw away / off these bottles. We can reuse them.d. Rhonda’s mom went on / through a long illness, but she’s healthy now.e. Fortunately, all the students could get off / out of the school lab when the fire started.f. It’s tough for shy people to speak up / out their minds.6 Complete the definitions with the base form of the phrasal verbs in

Act. 5.a. _______________: get rid of something that you no longer want or needb. _______________: say what you think instead of saying nothingc. _______________: remove a piece of clothingd. _______________: experience something bad or unpleasante. _______________: leave a placef. _______________: look after a child until he or she becomes an adult

7 Match the phrasal verbs underlined in the sentences with their meanings.

a. Mike didn’t cry during the funeral, but he fell apart when he got home.b. Everybody in town was looking forward to the African Heritage Festival in May.c. Why is it so difficult for teenagers to get up in the morning?d. Did you make up your own stories when you were a kid?

( ) invent( ) feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen( ) get out of bed after sleeping( ) lose control of one’s emotions

artists • descent • diaspora • heritage • languages • masks • slave