Unit 2 READING

1 Read the article. Then complete it with the sentences below. There is one sentence that you do not need to use.
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A less obvious hero


By Jamie Miller, Year 10

Before I started wearing glasses, Although it required a lot of effort,

I used to greet strangers in the Gertrude remained at a regular

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street thinking that they were my school until the age of 17. This
neighbours. I used to get lower was the 1970s and at that time in
grades at school because I made Ghana there was no specialized
mistakes copying the teacher’s help for children with vision loss.
notes from the board and I moved Gertrude struggled to continue
my chair closer to the TV in order her education. 3
to see it better. 1 I was lucky that a .
visit to the eye doctor and a pair of For me, I think staying at school
glasses fixed the problem. For me, while suffering from vision loss
anything is possible now that I was a heroic act. School alone is a
have a pair of glasses on my nose. challenge, but it must be
Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame’s story extremely hard when you can’t
is different. She was born and revise the material from the
brought up in Ghana. All seemed coursebook or read what the not knowing that their lives could
to go well when she started teacher writes on the board. be similar to the lives of other
school. 2 Gertrude’s life changed drastically children. This is worrying when
. when she was transferred to a you think that one-third of all the
At the age of 10, she needed her residential school for blind blind children in the world live in
first pair of glasses but, despite people. Finally she was able to sub-Saharan Africa. Without
that, her vision problems got meet other blind students who education they can’t get a job and
worse. By the time she turned 14, were dealing with the same overcome poverty. Luckily for
she was no longer able to read problems as her. 4 them, Gertrude works with
most of the text in her book – even . governments and different
when she was wearing glasses. Being surrounded by people who organizations fighting for their
shared the same problems and rights. For over 15 years she has
getting professional help had a been involved in Sightsavers, a
big impact on her future. The global organization that tries to
skills she developed helped her protect people’s sight by
get into university and then find providing eye operations and
a job. treatments. Sightsavers also
sub-Saharan Africa Unfortunately, not all children makes sure that disabled people
with vision loss from sub-Saharan are treated equally. Since January
Africa are as lucky as Gertrude 2019, Gertrude has been a
Oforiwa Fefoame. Only 57% of member of the United Nations
boys and 60% of girls who live in Committee on the Rights of
this region and suffer from major Persons with Disabilities. Who can
vision problems can read and better understand the
write by the age of 12; 5 discrimination of the disabled
than a woman who has grown up
and they remain in their homes with vision loss in Ghana?

a She learned to type and read braille and was shown how to use audio cassettes.
b I was lucky that a visit to the eye doctor and a pair of glasses fixed the problem.
c Although it was possible to provide blind children with the right education, not much was done for many years.
d Some teachers were eager to help her by reading out loud as they were writing on the board or by offering her special
after-school classes.
e Gertrude learned to read and write, and took part in activities with other classmates.
f 30% of children with vision loss have never attended school

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Unit 2 READING Basic

2 Choose the correct words to complete the b 

In the 1970s, schools in Ghana had specialized
sentences. All the words are underlined in the article. programmes for children with vision loss.
1 If you decide to take part in a … language course, 5 a W
 hen Gertrude transferred to a school for blind
you’ll have to live at school while studying. people, she immediately got her first job teaching
a disabled b residential c developing others to type and read braille.
2 Ellie went … at the age of fifteen. She hasn’t been able b 
When Gertrude transferred to a school for blind
to see since then. people, she was taught how to cope with being
a locked b lucky c blind blind.
3 Damian is very talented but despite that, he … to 6 a 6
 0% of 12-year-old girls from sub-Saharan Africa
achieve success. who suffer from vision loss never leave their
a struggled b greeted c surrounded homes.
4 People who suffer from … loss can’t improve their b 
60% of 12-year-old girls from sub-Saharan Africa
condition by wearing glasses. who suffer from vision loss can read and write.
a impact b vision c discrimination 7 a A
 ccording to the article, education for blind
5 As a child Mark was afraid of heights, but he has children in sub-Saharan Africa is important
recently … this fear. because it’s a chance for them to work and earn
a overcome b required c treated money in the future.
b 
According to the article, education for blind
6 My father was … by his grandparents because his
children in sub-Saharan Africa is important
parents were usually at work.
because it’s a chance for them to tell others about
a brought up b involved in c grown up
problems disabled people have.
7 In this film, a group of thieves were looking for
8 a F or over 15 years, Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame has
someone with … skills to open the safe in a bank.
worked as a teacher in a school for children with
a major b specialized c obvious
vision loss.
8 Elliott has changed … since we were children. He isn’t
b For over 15 years, Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame has
the same person.
helped the blind by working for Sightsavers.
a unfortunately b equally c drastically
9 In the 1900s, my mum’s family made a … effort to 4 Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.
move from Ireland to the USA. It was a difficult journey. 1 Why do you think Jamie started the article with
a heroic b regular c eager information about himself?
I think he did this to show that problems with vision 
10 The doctors couldn’t help my grandma so they … her happen to us, too. He also wanted to explain how hard it 
to another hospital where they had better equipment. was for him when he couldn’t see well.
a dealt b protected c transferred 2 Why do you think Jamie decided to write an article
3 Read the article again. Choose the correct about Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame? Why does he call
sentences. her a ‘less obvious hero’?
1 a Jamie Miller wears glasses. 
b Jamie Miller is blind. 
2 a Jamie started to wear glasses because he noticed 
that he couldn’t see people or things very well. 3 What else would you like to know about Gertrude that
b Jamie started to wear glasses because his friends wasn’t mentioned in the article?
and neighbours noticed he couldn’t see. 

3 a A
 t the age of 14, Gertrude noticed that she couldn’t

do her schoolwork even when she was wearing
4 Do you know anyone who has some kind of disability?
glasses.
If not, have you ever seen a film or TV show about a
b 
At the age of 10, Gertrude noticed that she couldn’t
person with a disability? How do they cope with it?
do her schoolwork even when she was wearing

glasses.

4 a I n the 1970s, schools in Ghana didn’t have any 
programmes to help children with vision loss.
For me, these exercises were … easy OK difficult

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Unit 2 READING Standard

2 Complete the sentences with one of the 5 When Gertrude transferred to a school for blind
underlined words in the article. You may need to children, …
change the word form. a she immediately got her first job teaching others to
1 If you decide to take part in a residential type and read braille.
language course, you’ll have to live at school while b it gave her a chance to see better.
studying. c she was taught how to cope with being blind.
2 Ellie went b at the age of fifteen. She 6 60% of 12-year-old girls from sub-Saharan Africa who
hasn’t been able to see since then. suffer from vision loss …
3 Damian is very talented but despite that, he a never leave their homes.
s to achieve success. b can read and write.
4 People who suffer from a v loss can’t c go to school.
improve their condition by wearing glasses.
7 According to the article, education for blind children
5 As a child Mark was afraid of heights, but he has
in sub-Saharan Africa is important because it’s a
recently o this fear.
chance for them to …
6 My father was mainly b u
a tell others about problems disabled people have.
by his grandparents because his parents were usually
b make friends who are like them.
at work.
c work and earn money in the future.
7 In this film, a group of thieves were looking for
someone with s skills to open the safe 8 For over 15 years, Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame …
in a bank. a 
has helped the blind by working for Sightsavers.
8 Elliott has changed d since we were b 
has been a member of the United Nations
children. He isn’t the same person. Committee on the Rights of Persons with
9 In the 1900s, my mum’s family made a Disabilities.
h effort to move from Ireland to the c 
has worked as a teacher in a school for children
USA. It was a difficult journey. with vision loss.
10 The doctors couldn’t help my grandma so they 4 Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.
t her to another hospital where they 1 Why do you think Jamie started the article with
had better equipment. information about himself?
3 Read the article again. Choose the correct way I think he did this to show that problems with vision 
to complete the sentences. happen to us, too. He also wanted to explain how hard it 
1 Jamie Miller … was for him when he couldn’t see well.
a 
is blind. 2 Why do you think Jamie decided to write an article
b 
wears glasses. about Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame? Why does he call
c 
goes to school in sub-Saharan Africa. her a ‘less obvious hero’?

2 Jamie started to wear glasses because …

a 
he wasn’t able to read a book without them.

b 
his friends and neighbours noticed that he couldn’t
3 What else would you like to know about Gertrude that
see well.
wasn’t mentioned in the article?
c 
he noticed that he couldn’t see people or things

very well.

3 … Gertrude noticed that she couldn’t do her 
schoolwork even when she was wearing glasses. 4 Do you know anyone who has some kind of disability?
a 
When she was 14 years old, If not, have you ever seen a film or TV show about a
b 
When she came to school, person with a disability? How do they cope with it?
c 
At the age of 10, 
4 In the 1970s, schools in Ghana … 
a didn’t have any programmes to help children with 
vision loss.
b didn’t accept students who suffered from vision loss.
c had specialized programmes for children with
vision loss. For me, these exercises were … easy OK difficult

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Unit 2 READING Challenge

2 Complete each sentence so that it means the 3 Your teacher has asked you to write about
same as the first. Use the underlined words in the Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame based on Jamie’s article.
article. You may need to change the word form. Write at least seven sentences explaining who Gertrude
1 If you are looking for a language course where you live is, what problems she had with her vision and what
at school while studying, go to this website and check her education was like. Compare her situation to the
their offer. situation of other blind children in sub-Saharan Africa.
If you are looking for a residential language Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame comes from Ghana …
course, go to this website and check their offer. 
2 Ellie hasn’t been able to see since an accident she had 
at the age of fifteen. 
Ellie went after an accident she had 
at the age of fifteen. 
3 Damian is very talented but despite that, he had a 
hard time achieving success.

Damian is very talented but despite that, he

to achieve success.

4 People who lose the ability to see can’t improve their
condition by wearing a pair of glasses. 
People who suffer from loss can’t 
improve their condition by wearing a pair of glasses. 
5 As a child, Mark was afraid of heights but he has 
recently managed to stop being so frightened. 
As a child, Mark was afraid of heights but he has 
recently this fear.
6 As a child my father was mostly cared for and taught 4 Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.
everything by his grandparents because his parents 1 Why do you think Jamie started the article with
were usually at work. information about himself?
My father was mostly I think he did this to show that problems with vision 
happen to us, too. He also wanted to explain how hard it 
by his grandparents because his parents were usually
was for him when he couldn’t see well.
at work.
2 Why do you think Jamie decided to write an article
7 In this film, a group of thieves were looking for
about Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame? Why does he call
someone who has developed professional skills to
her a ‘less obvious hero’?
open the safe in a bank.

In this film, a group of thieves were looking for

someone with skills to open the safe

in a bank.
3 What else would you like to know about Gertrude that
8 Elliott has changed a lot since we were children. He
wasn’t mentioned in the article?
isn’t the same person.

Elliott has changed since we were

children. He isn’t the same person.

9 In the 1900s, my mum’s family made a huge effort that
4 Do you know anyone who has some kind of disability?
required a lot of courage to move from Ireland to the
If not, have you ever seen a film or TV show about a
USA. It was a difficult journey.
person with a disability? How do they cope with it?
In the 1900s, my mum’s family made a

effort to move from Ireland to the

USA. It was a difficult journey.

10 The doctors couldn’t help my grandma so they
moved her to another hospital where they had better
equipment.
The doctors couldn’t help my grandma so they
her to another hospital where they
had better equipment. For me, these exercises were … easy OK difficult

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