English For Today chapter 7: Occupations at Risk

Unit Seven

Occupations at Risk

After we have studied this unit, we will be able to

• read and understand texts through silent reading
• listen for information
• ask and answer questions
• write down the main ideas in our own words
• write short paragraphs

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Lesson 1: Pearls! Pearls! Pearls!

Keywords: mythology, ancient, dissolved, status, unparalleled, association, delicate

A. Look at the pictures and discuss in pairs:

Figure

Description: Left: a line drawing of a beaded necklace with three tiers of beads hanging from a knotted cord at the top. Right: a photograph of a multi-strand pearl necklace curving in a loop.

B. Read the text and answer the questions that follow:

Thousands of years ago, the first pearl was probably discovered while human beings were searching for food at the sea shore. Throughout history, the pearl with its shine has been one of the most highly valued gems.

Pearls have been mentioned many times in religious texts and mythologies from the earliest times.

The ancient Egyptians valued pearls so much that they were buried with them. It is said that the famous queen of Egypt, Cleopatra would dissolve a pearl in a glass and drink it as a sign of love and respect for the entire nation.

The Greeks thought of pearls as a sign of wealth and social position. The beauty of pearls was associated with love and marriage.

In ancient Rome, pearls were considered the greatest sign of wealth and social status.

At that time the young women of noble families loved to wear beautiful pearl necklaces.The brave knights used to wear them in the battles for good luck.

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Questions:

1. Do you think ‘pearls’ were discovered by accident? Why?
2. Why do you think pearls were valued so much in the past?
3. What good luck did the knights think pearls would bring them?

C. Read the text in B again and write the information in the table:

Lesson 2: The Ama Divers

Keywords: rare, descend, hazardous, rely

A. Read the text and answer the following questions:

Before the beginning of the 20th century, pearls were obtained from pearl oysters. These oysters were collected from the bottom of the ocean, lake or river.

To get enough pearl oysters, free-divers were often forced to descend to a depth of more than 100 feet in one breath. Because of the difficulty of diving, pearls at that time were of different quality as well as very rare.

In Asia some pearl oysters could be found on shoals at a depth of 5–7 feet from the surface. At times, the divers had to go 40 feet or even up to 125 feet deep to find enough pearl oysters. These deep dives were extremely hazardous to the divers.

Questions:

1. What is the text about?
2. Where did the people get the pearls from?

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B. Read about the Ama divers of Japan. Discuss in pairs the information that you have got from the text and answer the questions:

In some fishing villages along the coast of Japan, there are amazing groups of women known as ‘Ama divers’.These women worked and are still working as Ama. The word ‘Ama’ means ‘women of the sea or sea women’.They are independent divers. They make their living by diving. They can dive to the depth of the sea up to 25 metres. And they dive without using oxygen tanks or other breathing equipment.

The Ama divers rely on their own skills and breathing techniques. They use that skill and technique to push themselves down to the bottom of the sea and back to the surface again. They can hold their breath for up to two minutes. Careful watching, lung capacity and hunter instincts are the special qualities of Ama divers.

However, some of these young villagers are now going to the city in search of other jobs. The remaining Ama divers are now aged between 50 and 60. But there are still some who continue to dive even at their 70s. If the young people do not take up Ama diving, soon this profession will die out.

Questions:

1. Why are the Ama divers amazing?
2. How deep can the Ama divers go down into the sea?
3. What techniques and skills do the Ama divers use in diving?
4. Why do you think the young villagers are going to the city?

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Lesson 3: River Gypsies in Bangladesh (1)

Keywords: gypsy, ethnic, nomadic, roam, tarpaulin, tents, remedy, vend, heal, talisman

A . Look at the pictures and discuss with your partner what you see:

Figure

Description: Several small country boats with dome-shaped covers are moored on a river, some with masts and a few people standing in them. In the foreground at right, a single boat with a dome-shaped cover is drawn.

Figure

Description: Several dome-shaped tarpaulin tents are pitched on an open riverbank, with bushes and trees around them. Some people are shown near and inside the tents.

Read the text and answer the following questions:

River gypsies are an ethnic group of people in Bangladesh. They are known as “bedey” to local people. The gypsies have their own lifestyle and culture. They live in groups and do not own any land. Therefore, they live a nomadic life, travelling from one place to another. These people roam across our rivers and waters from May to December in small country boats. These boats are their houses and these people are a part of our waters. In winter, many water bodies dry up. At that time they return to the mainland and live in make-shift tarpaulin tents on open river banks. You can see their men relaxing in the tents. Toddlers play with dogs or other pets in the dust. Women often idle away time by picking off lice in twos or threes sitting in a row.

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Throughout the monsoon, they remain busy with fishing. They also dive for natural pearls in waters. Sometimes, they camp for a couple of weeks. Men catch snakes and entertain people with snake charming and sell herbal cures. Women go from door to door to selling bangles, cosmetics and other things. They also try to heal pains of old people by sucking out blood from their body.

Many villagers believe in the magical power of the gypsies. They can make an evil spirit leave someone’s body by magic or special powers.

Questions:

1. Who are river gypsies?
2. How do they live?
3. What do river gypsies do in winter?
4. What do river gypsy men do for a living?
5. What do river gypsy women do for a living?

B. Discuss with your partner and circle the right answer:

1. The term ‘ethnic’ is connected to

a. people. b. plants. c. animals. d. fishes.

2. River gypsies roam around on their boats about ........months a year.

a. six b. seven c. eight d. nine

3. River gypsies live in tents in

a. summer. b. winter. c. monsoon. d. spring.

4. The term ‘nomadic’ refers to a person who

a. stays permanently at a place. b. travels from place to place. c. lives in one's own house. d. lives in a rented house.

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C . Listen to the text and fill in the following gaps with right word/s:

U7, L3 C Listening text: 6

1 . The river gypsies are among the Nation's ---------------- groups. 2 . A 2007 report said --------------- percent live below the poverty line. 3 . Only 2 percent of gypsy children are given primary ---------- -----------. 4 . Most gypsy children travel with their parents for an ---------- 8 months of the year. 5 . So, they end up in a cycle of -----------------------.

D . In summer vacation last May, Sohan went to Lauhajang in Munshigonj to visit his maternal uncle. His elder cousin, Jihan studies Sociology at Dhaka University. One afternoon, Jihan took Sohan to a bedey camp to know about their life. They talked to a bedey woman who was cooking in front of her tent. Read the conversation and do the following activity:

Jihan : Good afternoon. Can I ask you a few questions ?

Woman : Good afternoon. Umm….. you see I'm busy cooking. I've to feed my son and then…

Jihan : Well, I won't take much time. Just a few questions if you please…. How long have you been here in this camp?

Woman : Four months. Since last January. And if it rains, we're going to rivers again next month.

Jihan : What do you do for a living?

Woman : We catch fish. Our men are snake charmers and we heal toothache and joint pains of old people.

Jihan : How do you heal people?

Woman : With traditional herbs and healing art.

Jihan : Well, if you don't mind, how much do you earn?

Woman : Not enough. About 3000 taka per month. Now, many people don't believe in our remedies. They go to doctors. So, we go to remote villages…

Jihan : What about your son? I guess he is already 5. Does he go to school?

Woman : Not yet. But I've heard about mobile boat-schools in rivers. I'll try to find one for my son.

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E . Suppose you were with Sohan. Ask the bedey woman some more questions. For example, you can ask questions to know about her family members, their names, age, work, their past living places, future plans, food habit, etc:

F . Have you ever seen any gypsies/bedey/snake charmers or any person selling things from door to door in your area? Write your experience about any one of them: