Texts for listening activities
Chapter 1 Activity 3
Learner’s Book page 3
Listening and speaking
The day Jackal fooled Lion
One morning Jackal was trotting through a dry river bed with big rocks on its banks. Suddenly, he saw
Lion coming from the opposite direction. Jackal was frightened. He knew that lion was angry with him
because of all the tricks he had played on him. He could see that lion was planning to take revenge.
Jackal quickly thought of a plan. He lay flat in the river bed, covered his head with his paws, and
looked up at the rocks. “Help!” he cried.
Lion was preparing to pounce on Jackal. When he heard Jackal’s cry he stopped. “Help!” cried Jackal
again. “These rocks are about to fall on us! We’ll both be crushed! Do something, mighty Lion! You are
so strong.”
Lion looked up in alarm. He put his strong shoulder against a big rock.
“Hold on!” cried Jackal. “I’ll go fetch a log to put under the rock. Then we’ll both be saved.” Jackal
ran off as fast as he could. Lion waited and waited.
We don’t know how long Lion held up the rock before he realised that Jackal had tricked him yet
again. However, we do know that Jackal must be sure to keep away from Lion in future.
Chapter 2 Activity 3
Learner’s Book page 17
Listening and speaking
New boy
Annette Stones
schoolboys, schoolboys,
always-play-the-fool boys,
sometimes-really-cruel boys:
will they pick on me?
big ones, small ones,
strong and tough and tall ones,
short, round-as-a-ball ones:
where do I fit in?
cheeky ones, bold ones,
always-good-as-gold ones,
we-won’t-do-what-we’re-told ones:
I’m like none of them.
loud ones, sad ones,
grinning, mad-cap, glad ones,
naughty, really bad ones:
who will be my friends?
new boy, new boy,
don’t-know-what-to-do boy,
feeling-rather-blue boy:
I wish the bell would ring!
English FAL Grade 7
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Chapter 4 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 42
Listening and speaking
How the eagle brought the sun back
There was a terrible darkness in the land. The people cried out “The gods have taken the sun away. We
must send the eagle to heaven to beg the gods to give our sun back”. The eagle set off for the long journey
to heaven, but he took his friend, the fly, with him. Fly crept under his wing.
When the eagle got to heaven, he begged the gods to give the sun back to the people on earth. “It is
so dark, so cold. Have pity on them,” he said. Then the gods went off to talk about the request. The fly
flew onto a bush near the gods and listened.
The gods decided to trick the eagle. “We will wrap up three presents: soil, leaves and the sun,”
they said. “The soil and leaves will be wrapped in bright paper. The sun will be in dull paper. Eagle will
definitely choose the bright wrapping.” The fly heard them planning this trick. He whispered the plan in
the eagle’s ear.
Then the gods gave the presents to the eagle and told him to choose one. The eagle pretended to
examine the gods’ three gifts carefully and at long last he chose the dull present. He opened it up. Of
course, fly was right, it was the sun. He hung the sun up in the sky to shine over the land.
Chapter 5 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 57
Listening and speaking
Are you a cloud spotter?
Clouds come in all shapes and sizes. People can “read” the information from clouds to predict what the
weather will be like.
For example, cirrus clouds are very high and far away in the skies – as far away as thirteen kilometres
from the ground. They usually mean that we will have good weather. They are white, long and wispy (like
thin, straight hair blowing in the wind). Because it is so cold up there, cirrus clouds are made up of ice
crystals.
Altostratus clouds form lower down in the atmosphere. They cover the sky about two to seven
kilometres high and are a grey colour. They are made up of water droplets and often bring rain.
Cumulus clouds are light grey and made up of water droplets. They are flat at the bottom and puffy
at the top. Although cumulus clouds form about one kilometre from the ground, their tops can reach to
about six kilometres high. They usually mean fair weather but if their tops look like cauliflowers, they
may bring showers of rain.
Chapter 6 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 70
Listening and speaking
The greening of Alexandra township
“Greening” is a word used to describe the activities of people who aim to look after the environment.
In Alexandra township, greening work is done by the community-based organisation Mveledzo. This
organisation aims to improve the environment of everyone who lives in Alexandra. Some people work for
this organisation as volunteers. It provides opportunities for people to learn new skills and to earn money.
One of Mveledzo’s main projects is called Buy a Bag. The organisation announces recycling
opportunities on Alex FM radio station and at council meetings. It buys bottles, paper and scrap metal
from community members at prices varying from 25 cents to 52 cents a kilogram. Bongani Sibisi is the
manager of Mveledzo. He says that paying people encourages them to get involved in recycling. A big
benefit is that this keeps the township clean.
Mveledzo works with a number of commercial organisations: Mondi collects the paper and
cardboard; Consol and EcoWash collect whole and crushed glass; scrapyards and mines take the metal.
All of them pay per kilogram for what they take away to recycle.
English FAL Grade 7
© Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Ltd. Permission is granted to photocopy this page.
Chapter 10 Activity 3
Learner’s Book page 131
Listening and speaking
Learner 1:Good morning. I am doing research for the Fitness Training Programme. We are an
organisation that is trying to encourage fitness and health. Do you mind if I ask you some
questions?
Learner 2:Okay, but I’m in a hurry. How long will it take?
Learner 1: About ten minutes. Will that suit you?
Learner 2: Fine.
Learner 1:The first question is, How old are you now?
Learner 2: I’m thirteen.
Learner 1:Thirteen. Let me circle the right answer. Second question: What school do you go to?
Learner 2: Makanye Park Primary.
Learner 1: Okay … Have I spelt it correctly?
Learner 2: Yes, that’s correct.
Learner 1:Let’s move on to the next question: Are you healthy?
Learner 2: Yes, I am very healthy.
Learner 1:Good. Now please answer the following questions with a yes, sometimes or no. Are you
ready?
Learner 2:Not really, I need to get going. How much longer is this going to take?
Learner 1:We’re almost finished, this is the last section. First question, Do you play any team sports?
Learner 2: No.
Learner 1:Let me tick the correct column.
Next question …
Chapter 11 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 144
Listening and speaking
Sisters at the sink
Margaret:I’m sick of washing up every night! It’s bad enough cleaning the whole place and cooking
every afternoon. But washing up while those boys watch TV is too much! What’s the time,
Johanna?
Johanna:It’s after seven already. Generations has started.
Margaret:And with all this mess to clear up we’ll never make it. It’s not fair! We’ve been working flat
out since we got home. That’s more than five hours.
Johanna:Five hours of hard labour! We should get paid overtime.
Margaret:You’re telling me!
Johanna:Why can’t Dad let us watch TV first and wash up later? Especially for Generations. Why
should our brothers watch all night while we sweat in here?
Margaret:
(sarcastic) Because they’re boys and boys get special treatment. Everyone knows that. They
are the privileged ones, we are the slaves.
Johanna:They’re privileged all right and I’m sick and tired of slavery. It’s discrimination!
Margaret:
Sex discrimination. They want equal rights – but not for women. It’s an old, old story.
Johanna:You know what the men in this family say: “Kitchen work is women’s work”. It’s no good
arguing with them. (sarcastic) Men know best.
(laughing) Good speech there – from the heart! But I suppose we’d better get on with the
Margaret:
dirty work.
English FAL Grade 7
© Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Ltd. Permission is granted to photocopy this page.
Chapter 12 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 158
Listening and speaking
The child literacy organisation called help2read announced that on 18 July they will start a reading
campaign. It will last for 67 days, excluding weekends, and will involve primary school children from
about 100 schools in Gauteng and Cape Town. The participating children will write and illustrate a
children’s story. Sixty-seven of the best stories will be chosen for publishing, so that they can be read and
enjoyed by all South African children. The organisation will also challenge learners in Grade 6 and Grade
7 to write a short story that is exactly 67 words long. A spokesperson from help2read said, “We believe
this covers the 67 minutes very well and also links to the overall campaign theme of ‘Make every day a
Mandela Day’, as our campaign will continue for 67 days.”
Chapter 13 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 174
Listening and speaking
Dangerous journeys
Every year thousands of children in southern Africa walk across borders and swim across rivers from one
country to another. Children as young as nine go on terrifying journeys because they hope to find a better
life in a new place. Many of them have terrible experiences.
A young boy from Zimbabwe told this story to the Save the Children organisation: “I left home
because I couldn’t find money to go to school. There is no one who is working at home. My father is dead.
I sold my goats and, with some of the money, I bought a bus ticket and beautiful new clothes and takkies.
I got to Beitbridge and did not know anyone. I found the Gumagumas who said they were here to help
people cross. Because I had money I said yes, but they took my money and my clothes and gave me the
old ones they had on. Their clothes were dirty and smelly and had lice.
The Gumagumas are a criminal gang who sometimes take everything that children own. Some
children cross the border completely naked.
Chapter 14 Activity 4
Learner’s Book page 195
Listening and speaking
Woman:Hello, you look lost. Do you need some help?
Lucky:Yes please! I’m sorry to bother you, but can you tell me how to get to the park near Simmonds
Street?
Woman:Certainly. We are in Miriam Makeba Street at the moment. Walk straight down. You will cross
two big streets, Bree Street and Jeppe Street. Carry on for about two kilometres until you get
to the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, which will be on your right. Do you understand so far?
Lucky:Yes, I just go straight down until I get to President Street.
Woman:That’s correct. Then, turn left into President Street. Carry on until you get to Simmonds
Street. You will see the park on your right.
Lucky:How far will I have to walk down President Street?
Woman:I think it is also about two kilometres. You will cross four streets on the way.
Lucky:Thank you so much for your help!
Woman:It’s a pleasure. I hope you find it easily.
English FAL Grade 7
© Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Ltd. Permission is granted to photocopy this page.
Chapter 16 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 218
Listening and speaking
Our disappearing rainforests
Television host:Good evening, viewers. Welcome to Earth News. Today our topic is the disappearing
rainforests. Our guest speaker is Professor Gumbo, who is a member of the
organisation, Friends of the Forest. Professor, why are you worried about rainforests?
Professor Gumbo:Well, rainforests are being chopped down at a frightening rate. They take centuries to
grow. We can’t get them back.
Television host:Why are people doing this?
Professor Gumbo:People cut down trees to make roads, to use the wood for furniture and paper, to
start farms, for animals to graze, to dig mines and to develop towns.
Television host:Why does that worry you?
Professor Gumbo:There is too much carbon dioxide in the air. This is bad for our health, and bad for
the planet. Trees use up the carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, which all living
things need to breathe. So, they clean the polluted air for us.
Television host:Right! Now I see why trees are important.
Professor Gumbo:There’s another reason for keeping rainforests safe. They contain so many different
types of plants and animals. Scientists test the plants all the time for medicines. One
of those plants could be a cure for cancer.
Chapter 17 Activity 2
Learner’s Book page 234
Listening and speaking
Cats have lived with people for thousands of years. They were useful because they kept our stores of food
free of rats and mice. But cats only became domestic pets a few hundred years ago.
There are some disadvantages to having cats as pets. Many people are allergic to cat hair. If you
sneeze and your eyes become red and itchy around cats, then you might be one of those people. It costs
money to spay cats. But cats should be spayed, otherwise they breed many kittens, and there are already
many homeless cats. Finally, cats kill a lot of innocent creatures that are useful in our environment. One
study estimates that there are 2,5 million cats in South Africa, that between them kill 47 million creatures
such as mice, frogs, birds and lizards.
On the other hand, cats can be very affectionate. They are easier to have as pets than dogs are
because they do not need to be taken for walks. If people have problems with mice or rats, cats can help to
control these by hunting them.
Chapter 18 Activity 5
Learner’s Book page 248
Listening and speaking
Study timetables help students to study successfully. First, write down all the names of the subjects
you are studying, for example English, Geography and so on. Then, under each subject, write the main
sections you need to study. So, in English you need to study language, reading texts, literature and how to
write texts. That is four sections. Next, make a list of the work that you must study under each section, for
example, for reading texts you need to study: newspaper articles, advertisements, questionnaires, poems,
short stories and plays. This is six texts. Then try to estimate how long it will take you to study each text.
Do this for all your subjects.
Give yourself three study sessions each day, of about 35 to 40 minutes each. In each session, try to
study one or two things from the list in each section. If you do not have enough sessions in your timetable,
then you can add some more on weekends.
It is also important to give yourself time to relax and to exercise. No one can study for hours without
a break!
Can you see how this plan will help you make sure that you have enough time to learn all your work?
English FAL Grade 7
© Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Ltd. Permission is granted to photocopy this page.