You are going to read a magazine article about an African film festival.

For questions 1-6, choose the answer which you

think best fits according to the text.

The Sahara Film Festival

After a bumpy 225km drive from a meagre airstrip in Tindouf, south western Algeria, a sprawling single-story town
begins to emerge from the desert’s dust. As the sun climbs in the cloudless sky, visitors are rewarded with their first
glimpse of Dakhla refugee camp. It isn’t the most obvious setting for a film festival, but for seven years, just before the
glitz and glamour of Cannes, the Sahrawi people of Dakhla have hosted actors and film-makers from around the world
for this six-day event. This year, for the first time, direct flights were laid on from London, giving the opportunity for
overseas visitors to play a part in this extraordinary occasion. But despite the energy and excitement, the background to
the film festival is a serious one, as the Sahrawi people have been living for thirty years in this isolated desert outpost,
having been forced to flee their native Western Sahara.

Western Sahara, Africa’s last colony, was taken over by Morocco when the Spanish withdrew in 1976, despite a ruling
from the International Court of Justice. This was followed by a brutal 16-year war, during which time tens of thousands
of Sahrawis fled across the Algerian border to refugee camps. In 1991, a ceasefire agreement was drawn up, in which a
referendum on self-determination was promised to decide the fate of the country and its people. However, almost
twenty years later, the gears of diplomacy have turned slowly and nothing has happened. Meanwhile the refugees have
been left stranded in five refugee camps dotted around the vast, inhospitable desert.

Dakhla, home to nearly 30,000 of these refugees, is the most remote of these camps, being located 175 km from the
nearest city. Unlike its namesake, the beautiful coastal city in Western Sahara, this Dakhla has no paved roads and is
entirely dependent on outside supplies for food and water. Temperatures regularly top 120 degrees, there is minimal
vegetation and there are frequent sandstorms. Locally it is known as the Devil’s Garden. Despite these obvious
setbacks, the town is clean and well organised, with wide sandy streets. Houses and tents are grouped in neat family
compounds. There are hospitals, funded by aid agencies, and a good standard of education. For the duration of the
festival, an articulated lorry is parked in the central compound, and a multiplex-sized screen is mounted on its
side. Around it are stalls and tents housing workshops and exhibitions.

The aim of the festival is to raise international awareness on the plight of the refugees. However, it also offers a rare
chance for the refugees to go to the movies and experience some educational opportunities. It is hoped that it might
foster a new generation of Sahrawi film-makers, especially as this year, the festival also celebrated the opening of a
permanent film, radio and television school in a neighbouring camp.

The program of films for this year included over forty films from around the world. Films range from international
blockbusters to various works on and by the Sahrawi people. The themes mostly centre on experiences of struggle and
hope, but there were lighter moments, such as an animated film for the children and a flash of Rachel Weisz’s naked
bottom during the ancient Egyptian epic Agora which proved to be a highlight for many older boys. However, the
runaway favourite was ‘a Victime’, a documentary about Ibrahim Leibeit, a 19-year-old Sahrawi who lost his leg to a land
mine last year.

Films are screened at night, so the daytime is taken up with exhibitions, camel races and football matches. One
afternoon the London-based charity ‘Sandblast’ put on a joint workshop with a film-maker, giving refugees the
opportunity to learn about filmmaking and create their own video messages. These were put online so that their
extended families in Western Sahara, from whom they have been separated for more than 33 years, could watch them.
Helen Whitehead, a film-maker from London said, ‘Working together really broke down language and cultural
barriers. It was very rewarding, and we came across some real talent.’
More than 500 visitors flew into Tindouf on charter planes and braved the rough drive to the settlement. All the visitors
to the festival stay with Sahrawi families, sharing their homes and partaking of their food. Living with these displaced
people gives overseas participants an invaluable insight into the conditions in which the refugees live. Alongside the film
buffs there are real celebrities such as actors Victoria Demayo and Helena Olano. They are mostly B and C listers from
the Spanish film industry, although the real stars do take an interest. Director Javier Cardozo was a visitor last year, and
Penelope Cruz is a long-term supporter, but pulled out of attending the festival this year at the last minute. Will the
celebrity backing make a difference to the plight of the refugees? Possibly. Cardozo’s suggestion that the Spanish, as
the ex-colonial masters of Western Sahara, were responsible for the situation received significant coverage in the
Spanish Media and put some pressure on the government to take some action. However, although the campaign in
Spain is growing steadily, the focus of attention cannot only be on the Spanish government.

On the final day of the gathering, there is a dusty red-carpet ceremony in which the White Camel award for best picture
is presented to Jordi Ferrer and Paul Vidal for ‘El Problema’, their 2009 film about Western Sahara. Actors, activists and
festival organisers gather on stage in high spirits to show their solidarity with the refugees. But as the stalls are
dismantled and the trucks are driven away, the thoughts of the visitors turn to the people they are leaving behind. They
may never get the chance to see the world or fulfil their dreams of becoming actors or film-makers. For them, there is
nowhere to go. Dakhla is essentially a desert prison.

1 In the first paragraph, the writer emphasises:

the enthusiasm that the festival instils

the sensational nature of the festival
the festival’s increasing media attention

the festival’s unlikely location

2 According to the writer, the refugees have been in the desert for so long because:

International agencies do not know they are there

the Moroccan government disagree with the UN

a proposed vote is yet to take place

there is a war in their home country

3 What does the writer say about the original city of Dakhla?

It is by the sea.

It has good health and educational facilities.

It does not have proper roads

It gets food and water from aid agencies.

4 What is said about the films shown at the festival?

They mostly show the personal experiences of the Sahwari people.

All of the films are serious in content.

The variety of films suited a wide range of tastes

The international films were more popular than the local films

5 What was the British visitors’ response to the workshops?

They were surprised by the refugee’s film knowledge

The workshops enabled them to communicate with local people.

the workshops taught the visitors a lot about local culture.
They showed the local films to their families via the internet.

6 What point does the writer highlight in the final paragraph?

There is a contrast between the visitors’ freedom and the refugees’ confinement
The film festival only gives the refugees unattainable dreams
The visitors only care about the refugees for the duration of the festival
The festival is a poor copy of the more famous film festivals.

You are going to read four news reports about an abandoned baby. For questions 1 – 4, choose from the reviews A – D.
The reviews may be chosen more than once.

Article A
It has been alleged that the mother charged with attempted murder after dumping her new-born baby into a drain has
admitted to abandoning the baby boy. The woman remains in custody after bail was formally refused at Blacktown Local
Court.
The new-born baby was discovered by passing cyclists on a day when temperatures surpassed 40 degrees Celsius. Mr
Otte, who discovered the baby and only cycles the route once a month, said, ‘That baby had no chance if we and the
other people hadn't been there. Something made us find that baby today'.
The child was already undernourished, and dehydration would have taken effect and the baby would not have survived
the day.
Passersby outside court cried 'shame' as the accused woman’s relatives crossed the street in Blacktown.

Article B
A woman has been charged with the attempted murder of her new-born son, who was left in a drain on Tuesday before
being discovered the following Sunday. The incident has shocked us all. In the searing heat, the baby had little chance of
survival, and the mother must have been aware of this as she callously shoved him through the tiny gap, dropped him
into the darkness and left him to his fate. But although crimes like this are a rarity, they don’t happen in isolation.
Australia criminalises child abandonment, thus making it nigh on impossible for a depressed mother to give up her infant
without causing it harm. Meanwhile pregnant women are shuffled through the system, rarely seeing the same caregiver
twice. This model of care treats the pregnancy, but ignores the patient, and it is this ill-equipped, indifferent system that
makes a crime this one possible.

Article C
A mother has been charged with attempted murder after she allegedly abandoned her new-born son in a roadside drain,
police confirmed today. The baby had been alone in the deep drain for five days when, by a stroke of luck, cyclists
caught the faint sound of his muffled cries above the heavy noise of motorway traffic. Sweltering temperatures in
Sydney have settled around 30C over the past week and it is believed the week-old boy would have died had he not
been found. Karen Healy, National President of the Australian Association of Social said that this was a highly unusual
case, as parents who abandon their children tend to do so in high-traffic areas like churches or hospitals where the child
will be taken care of. This scenario, in which the mother clearly wanted the baby to be hidden and it was only by the
grace of God that the infant survived, suggests an element of shame or possible mental illness which was not heeded by
pre- and post-natal health providers. The 30-year-old mother is currently receiving therapy while she remains in police
custody.

Article D
A new-born baby boy has been rescued from an eight-foot drain beside a bike track in Australia after passing cyclists
heard the sounds of wailing. Graham Bridges, who was among the people who helped rescue the baby, walked the bike
track regularly and said it was usually very popular with riders on a Sunday morning. Inspector David Lagats said ‘We all
thought the worst but he's still alive. It was a long drop down, but he’s wrapped up pretty well, so that will have
cushioned his fall.’ The concrete moulding of the drain formed a layer of insulation which protected the baby from the
weather, which, during the week, reached temperatures of thirty degrees. The baby was taken to hospital in a stable
condition, thanks, in part, to the fact that new-born babies have reserves of fluids and body sugars which they can resort
to as they adapt to the new way of feeding. Lisa Charet, from the state department of family and community services
said she was concerned for the mother’s welfare. "We can give her the help and support that she needs. She must be
feeling enormously distressed if she feels that this is the only course of action available to her."

Which article:

D
a. differs from the others with regards to the threat to the baby’s health?

A
b. shares the same attitude to the mother as article B?

C
c. shares article B’s view that the mother was not entirely responsible for her actions?

A
d. shares article C’s attitude towards the baby’s rescue.

You are going to read four different opinions from leading scientists about the future of fuel. For questions 1-10, choose
from the writers A-D. The writers may be chosen more than once.

A
Howard Bloom, Author:

Even though most people are convinced that peak oil has already passed, to me, peak oil is just a hypothesis. There is a
theory that carbon molecules can be found in interstellar gas clouds, comets and in space ice, and if this is the case, our
planet could ooze oil for ever. And even if we stay earthbound, those who say we have raped the planet of all its
resources are wrong. There's a huge stock of raw materials we haven't yet learned to use. There are bacteria two miles
beneath our feet which can turn solid granite into food. If bacteria can do it, surely we creatures with brains can do it
better. As far as the near future of energy is concerned, I believe the most promising alternative fuels are biofuels, such
as ethanol. It's an alcohol made from waste products such as the bark of trees, woodchips, and other 'waste materials'.
And that's not the only waste that can create energy. My friend in the biomass industry is perfecting an energy-
generation plant which can run on human waste. We produce that in vast quantities, and it's already gathered in
centralised locations.

B
Michael Lardelli, Lecturer in Genetics at The University of Adelaide

Nothing exists on this planet without energy. It enables flowers and people to grow and we need it to mine minerals,
extract oil or cut wood and then to process these into finished goods. So the most fundamental definition of money is as
a mechanism to allow the exchange and allocation of different forms of energy. Recently, people have been using more
energy than ever before. Until 2005 it was possible to expand our energy use to meet this demand. However, since 2005
oil supply has been in decline, and at the same time, and as a direct result of this, the world's economy has been unable
to expand, leading to global recession. With the world's energy and the profitability of energy production in decline at
the same time, the net energy available to support activities other than energy procurement will decrease. We could
increase energy production by diverting a large proportion of our remaining oil energy into building nuclear power
stations and investing in renewable forms of energy. However, this is very unlikely to happen in democratic nations,
because it would require huge, voluntary reductions in living standards. Consequently, the world economy will continue
to contract as oil production declines. With energy in decline, it will be impossible for everyone in the world to become
wealthier. One person's increased wealth can only come at the expense of another person's worsened poverty.

C
Jeroen van der Veer, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell

People are understandably worried about a future of growing energy shortages, rising prices and international conflict
for supplies. These fears are not without foundation. With continued economic growth, the world's energy needs could
increase by 50% in the next 25 years. However, I do not believe that the world is running out of energy. Fossil fuels will
be able to meet growing demand for a long time in the future. Taking unconventional resources into account, we are not
even close to peak oil. The priority for oil companies is to improve efficiency, by increasing the amount of oil recovered
from reservoirs. At present, just over a third is recovered. We can also improve the technology to control reservoir
processes and improve oil flow. However, these projects are costly, complex and technically demanding, and they
depend on experienced people, so it is essential to encourage young people to take up a technical career in the energy
industry. Meanwhile, alternative forms of energy need to be made economically viable. International energy companies
have the capability, the experience and the commercial drive to work towards solving the energy problem so they will
play a key role. But it is not as simple as merely making scientific advances and developing new tools; the challenge is to
deliver the technology to people worldwide. Companies will need to share knowledge and use their ideas effectively.

D
Craig Severance, blogger

What will it take to end our oil addiction? It's time we moved on to something else. Not only are world oil supplies
running out, but what oil is still left is proving very dirty to obtain. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred precisely
because the easy-to-obtain oil is already tapped. If we don't kick oil now, we will see more disasters as oil companies
move to the Arctic offshore and clear more forests. The cheap petroleum is gone; from now on, we will pay steadily
more and more for our oil — not just in dollars, but in the biological systems that sustain life on this planet. The only
solution is to get on with what we will have to do anyway - end our dependence on it! There are many instances in
which oil need not be used at all. Heat and electricity can be produced in a multitude of other ways, such as solar power
or natural gas. The biggest challenge is the oil that is used in transportation. That doesn't mean the transportation of
goods worldwide, it's the day-to-day moving around of people. It means we have to change what we drive. The good
news is that it's possible. There are a wide range of fuel efficient cars on offer, and the number of all-electric plug-in cars
is set to increase. For long distance travel and freight, the solution to this is to look to rail. An electrified railway would
not be reliant upon oil, but could be powered by solar, geothermal, hydro, and wind sources. There is a long way to go,
but actions we take now to kick our oil addiction can help us adapt to a world of shrinking oil supplies.

Which writer:

C: Jeroen van der Veer

1. believes oil will be available for many more years
B: Michael Lardelli
2. believes that from now on, less oil is available
A: How ard Bloom
3. believes there are ways to obtain energy that we have not yet discovered
A: How ard Bloom
4. sees a great potential in natural fuels
B: Michael Lardelli
5. believes the fuel crisis will cause the poor to become poorer
B: Michael Lardelli
6. sees energy and the economy as intrinsically linked
D: Craig Severance
7. believes we should reduce our dependence on oil immediately
C: Jeroen van der Veer
8. believes that people need to be attracted to working in the energy industry
9. believes that it is unlikely that governments will invest a lot of money into alternative energy
B: Michael Lardelli

D: Craig Severance
10. believes that future oil recovery will lead to more environmental disasters

Life on Mars?
From the days of the ‘Martian canals’, once thought by many to have been made by an intelligent civilization but
later proved to be an optical illusion, to our current preoccupation with gathering data in the hope of providing us with
more information, our fascination with the Red Planet continues.
In the early days of space exploration, visits were restricted to ‘fly-bys’, such as those by the Mariner probes, whereby
craft would simply pass the planet, taking pictures and obtaining data as they went. The Viking ‘orbiters’ were next, and
later craft in the Viking series, known as ‘Landers’, began to probe the mysteries of its surface, equipped with
instruments which continued to relay data about the environment until they stopped working.
The more recent ‘Rovers’ move around the planet’s surface as they gather information. Current proposals include
missions to study terrain, climate, and soil components, in order to determine, amongst other things, whether the
planet can ever have supported carbon-based life forms. Scientists now believe that at some stage the planet cooled
dramatically, resulting in the near-loss of its atmosphere and, thanks to erosion features, mineral deposits and other
factors, it is also believed that liquid water once flowed there.
One of the most recent craft is Phoenix, a Rover which landed in November 2008. Named after the mythological bird,
Phoenix’s mission was to obtain samples from beneath the surface by digging into the arctic ice, while its high-resolution
camera provided geological data and other equipment scanned the atmosphere, measuring temperature and pressure
in a bid to discover whether the chemicals necessary for life might exist beneath the surface. The craft was expected to
send back data for three months, but managed to hold out for a further two.
An especially important part of the project was the need to maintain sterility of the equipment, in order to ensure that
any organic material collected was not contaminated by ‘hitchhiking’ terrestrial microbes.
In the future manned landings may be possible – and though it may seem an outrageously difficult undertaking, plans
have already been discussed for the ‘terraforming’ of the planet - giving it an atmosphere, oceans and a terrain similar to
earth, with the possibility of human colonisation.
1 A fly-by is a

A photograph of a planet.
B way of collecting information.
C type of spacecraft.

2 According to the writer, what is one of the factors that suggests that Mars once had liquid water?

A The wearing away of areas on its surface.

B The fact that there is ice on the planet.
C The fact that it once had breathable air.

3 How long did Phoenix remain active for?

A three months
B five months
C two months

4 What were the scientists connected with the Phoenix mission particularly concerned about?

A The danger that people might try to stow away on the spacecraft.
B The need to maintain the data-gathering equipment.
C The risk that equipment might transport organisms from Earth to Mars.

5 How does the writer feel about the possibility of human beings going to Mars?

A It might be hard, but it’s not impossible.

B It would be much too difficult a task.
C It will happen and has already been planned.