A.

Before reading the text below, answer the following question in no more than 50
words.
Whats your opinion about humanitarian organisations / charities?
B. Read the text below carefully.
Community Building
How to find community in a society whose members feel increasingly fragmented and
rootless? Its undeniable that for many people, being part of a community whether its with
physical neighbours or a bunch of people in a chat group means being a part of the web of
life.
All over the world, people are making connections with one another, building healthier
communities by making a difference in the lives of others and also their own. They long for a
sense of community most of them have never experienced. Thus, they are supporting
diversity, celebrating multiculturalism and challenging peoples desires to be citizens of a
territory larger than their own living room. Their mission is citizen activism - a belief that
democracy will work best when citizens take an active role. Real community-building is about
working together on common problems towards a brighter shared future.
It was precisely this idea of solidarity that provided the basis for the creation of a Welfare
State. Welfare means health, comfort and freedom from want. A Welfare State attempt to
give all this to everyone in the community, and it pays the cost out of taxes of various kinds.
Some people criticise the Welfare State for being too generous. Others claim that it is not
generous enough. There are those who object that it is badly organised and wastes public
money. The welfare services still cannot protect all people against want. That is why there
are so many charities - private organisations founded to support an immense variety of
causes
which
get
no
support
(or
not
enough)
from
the
state.
There are a large number of charities (also called voluntary agencies) in Britain and in the
U.S. Some are run by a handful of people and have an army of helpers. Oxfam for example
is very big. Most of its money is spent abroad, in Africa, Asia and South America. Each
charity has a special interest and a particular job to do. The National Coalition for the
Homeless, for example, tries to find homes for the homeless people. Help the Aged helps
old people. As well as the big charities there are thousands of smaller ones.
Nearly a quarter of all adults in Britain do something each year for a voluntary agency and in
the U.S. millions of people also give a few hours of their time each week to voluntary work.
Shaffe, Carolyn Creating Community Anywhere.

1. Find evidence of the following statements in the text.

1.1. In todays society there is a gradual sense of division among its people.
1.2. A truly multicultural community is being created everywhere.
1.3. The welfare services were created to improve the health and the standard of living of
every citizen.
1.4. Many British and American people devote a lot of their time to social activism.
2. Complete these sentences according to the ideas contained in the three first
paragraphs of the text. Use your own words as far as possible.
2.1. A community can be constituted __________________________________________
2.2. Many people have never _________________________________________________
2.3. A certain amount of tax payers money ______________________________________

3. What do the underlined words in the text refer back to?

3.1. this
3.2. it
3.3. those
3.4. which
4. Now do the following tasks. Use your own words as far as possible.
4.1. Explain the meaning of the expression being part of a communitymeans being a part
of the web of life.
4.2. Say why people criticize the Welfare State.
4.3. Describe the purpose of the charities mentioned in the text.
C. Rewrite the sentences below starting them as suggested. Do not change the
meaning.
1. All over the world people are making connections; they want to build healthier
communities.
All over the world people are making connections so that ____________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Democracy doesnt work well because citizens dont take an active role.
But if citizens ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
3. The Welfare State attempts to give health and comfort to its citizens. However, it cannot
protect all people against want.
In spite of _________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. In my opinion the Welfare State is badly organised and has been wasting public money
Richard said.
Richard claimed _____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5. People are building healthier communities all over the world.
Healthier communities _______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

D. Choose either 1 or 2 and write about 120 words on it.

1. Answer the question from the text: How to find community in a society whose members
feel increasingly fragmented and rootless?