Al-Qasimi Academic College

EAP Department

Basic (Mechina) Course –By Abeer Abu Akel

12-7-2012

A GATHERING TO STRENGTHEN WAR OR AIDS

BY DAILY NEWS CENTRAL

The United Nations General Assembly had a three-day meeting. The main focus was to call for a stronger response to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. The gathering was no ordinary meeting. All 191 UN member states reviewed their group response to AIDS since 2001. In that year, they had a special session on the epidemic.

In the 2001 event, the member states adopted a declaration with time-bound targets. Their main objective was to reduce AIDS rates among young people. All members agreed that they need new commitments. They want to make sure that 2006 goes down in history. It should be the moment when there is a change regarding this pandemic.

In this meeting, the Swedish minister advised all participants to work together as partners for the most concrete and powerful outcome possible from the meeting. He said they knew what to do and had the tools. They just needed to give more time and energy to deliver the response they promised.

UN Secretary-General said that AIDS has spread in the last 25 years. It has been faster. It has gone further. It has had more catastrophic long-term effects. He explained that they can win against the disease. But they have to work together with determination. And they need to have unity of purpose. The private sector and civil society have to participate in the same way.

In addition, he mentioned the need for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. And he said they had a goal. The goal was to reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS among women, men, and children by 2015.

(Adapted from “World Leaders Gather to Strengthen War on Aids” health.dailynewscentral.com, June 1. 2006)

1. / What main purpose did the United Nations General Assembly have during a three-day meeting? (paragraph 1)
(i) / to gather for an ordinary meeting
(ii) / to call for a stronger response to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic
(iii) / to review their group response to epidemics
(iv) / to have a special session on the epidemic
(9 points)
2. / In paragraph 2, what did the 2001-event cause the member states to create?
(i) / They adopted a declaration with time-bound targets.
(ii) / They reviewed their group response to AIDS since.
(iii) / They decided to have a special session on the epidemic every year.
(iv) / They helped the sick to avoid the spread of the pandemic.
(9 points)
3. / In paragraph 2, we learn that the main objective of the 2001-event was (-)
(i) / to educate young people to protect from AIDS.
(ii) / To adopt new measures to avoid the pandemic.
(iii) / to make new commitments to reduce aids.
(iv) / to reduce AIDS rates among young people.
(9 points)
4. / In the 2001 event, what did all members agreed to make sure? (paragraph 2)
Answer: ………………………………………………………………………….
(9 points)
5. / The Swedish minister advised all participants in paragraph 3 to work together as partners for (-).
(i) / the most powerful plan to decrease the pandemic.
(ii) / the most concrete and powerful outcome possible from the meeting.
(iii) / the most concrete plan to give more time and energy to AIDS reduction.
(iv) / The most powerful plan to protect young people from AIDS.
(9 points)
6. / PUT A üBY THE TWO CORRECT ANSWERS
What did UN Secretary-General say about AIDS (paragraph 4)?
(i) / It has had more catastrophic long-term effects.
(ii) / It has killed millions of people.
(iii) / It has been faster and has gone further.
(iv) / It has devastated whole towns and communities.
(v) / It has killed more young people than ever before.
(vi) / It has killed more people than cancer.
(2*9=18 points)
7. / In paragraph 4, UN Secretary-General talked about evolution of AIDS in the last years. Copy the words that show this in the paragraph.
Answer: …………………………………………………………………………….
(9 points)
8. / In paragraph 4, UN Secretary-General explained that they can win against the disease, but they need to do three actions except (-)
(i) / They have to work together with determination.
(ii) / They need to have unity of purpose.
(iii) / They need to promote AIDS prevention campaigns among young people.
(iv) / The private sector and civil society have to participate in the same way.
(9 points)
9. / Based on the information in paragraph 5, what is the need for universal access that the UN Secretary-General mentioned?
Answer: ……………………………………………………………………………
(9 points)
10. / According to UN Secretary-General, what is his goal by 2015? (paragraph 5)
Answer: ……………………………………………………………………………
(10 points)

11.Reference:

What do the following pronouns refer to?

1.their (line 3)______

2. they (line 4)______

3. Their (line 5)______

4.He(line 10)______

5.It (line 12)______

6. He (line 13)______

12. Vocabulary

1. Write the meaning of the following words in Arabic:

Word / Meaning
1.  United Nations (n)
2.  Assembly (n)
3.  Main(adj)
4.  Response(n) =reaction
5.  Global (adj)
6.  Universal
7.  international
8.  pandemic(n)
9.  disease
10.  gathering (n)
11.  meeting
12.  member (n)
13.  adopted(v)
14.  declaration (n)
15.  time-bound (adj)
16.  target (n)
17.  goal
18.  objective
19.  purpose
20.  reduce(v)
21.  decrease =to reverse (v)=\ increase
22.  rate (n)= percentage
23.  commitment (n)
24.  history(n)
25.  minister(n)
26.  participant(n)
27.  partner(n)
28.  concrete(adj)
29.  powerful(adj)=strong
30.  outcome(n)
31.  result
32.  finding
33. 
34.  Possible(adj)
35.  to deliver(v)
36.  Spread (v)
37.  Spread (n)
38.  Catastrophic(adj)
39.  long-term (adj)
40.  effects (n)
41.  determination(n)
42.  unity (n)
43.  private (adj)
44.  sector(n)
45.  civil(adj)
46.  universal (adj)=global=international
47.  prevention (n)
48.  treatment(n)
49.  care (n)
50.  support (n)
51.  support (v)

2. Complete the following sentences using words from the above table:

1.AIDS is a ______that can ______fast among people.

2. Patients need the ______of their families to recover.

3. Doctors should explain the ______of the disease to patients.

4. English is a ______language. People in most countries use it.

5. The Israeli ______will visit Germany next week.

6.The Arab ______sector____ in Israel is considered to be a minority.

GOOD LUCK

Your English Teacher

Abeer Abu Akel

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