Eindexamen Engels vmbo-gl/tl 2023, tijdvak 1: vragen en antwoorden

Traveller information

RUGBY fans from the West country set to travel to Twickenham for Saturday’s clash between Bath and Bristol can get the train to Paddington, despite engineering works. Services between London Paddington and the South West will make additional stops at Westbury for rugby supporters travelling by train before and after the game. Planned signalling work will be postponed and start the following day.

GWR operations manager Rob Mullen said: “We’re pleased to have been able to work with Network Rail to keep the railway open for fans looking to travel to the clash on Saturday, but I would advise those travelling from further afield to check their journey as a series of weekend engineering work starts in the area. We will be upgrading the signalling at Bathampton which will help improve the reliability of the railway and forms part of a Railway Upgrade Plan.”

gazetteandherald.co.uk, 2019

Hug a tree…

Go out into the nearest garden, park or field, select a sizeable tree, stand against the trunk and reach your arms around its girth. Feel good? Of course it does; you can touch the texture of the bark, smell the earthiness around its roots, look up into the sculptural shapes of the branches against the sky and see the colours and light created by the foliage. Quite apart from bringing you closer to nature, your actions could help save some of Britain’s most important living landmarks. One of my regular dog walks takes me past a huge oak (Quercus robur) and a magnificent black walnut (Juglans nigra) planted in the 1720s and noted as one of the finest specimens in Britain. I was amazed to learn that, unlike many historically important buildings and gardens, our ancient trees have little protection and no status. Considering many are hundreds or even thousands of years old, this is shocking. That’s why Country Living has teamed up with the Woodland Trust to launch a campaign called Very Important Trees, in a bid to create a register for the protection of those of special interest.

Country Living, 2017

When it rains cats and dogs, in come the mice

1 Squeaks behind the skirting board? The skitter of tiny feet on your laminate floor at night? Toothmarks in unexpected places? Hard cheese, you’ve got mice.

2 “There are a lot of them for the time of year,” says Zeno Hoffmans, a consultant at pest control company De4 Nederland. “We haven’t had a cold winter with hard frosts, so everything simply stays alive

• it’s like having an autumn that goes on for four months. Also it has been quite wet, and mice don’t like wet weather, so they’ll creep in at ground level, and work their way up the building.”

3 Once mice find enough to eat, they’re unstoppable. “A pair with an adequate food supply can produce 2,800 offspring in a year. They have six to twelve babies six times a year, and they all mate with their parents and siblings. It’s like an inverted pyramid.”

4 …

5 Another tip: store food in 6-1 . If mice can munch their way through insulating foam, they’ll make short work of a cardboard box. Don’t leave crumbs lying around toasters and 6-2 , put dirty dishes straight in the dishwasher, and vacuum regularly, particularly behind the stove and cupboards if you can, though that’s obviously not possible if you have 6-3 . And even the squeakiest of squeaky-clean kitchens may offer another food source for mice: 6-4 . Mice love pet food, it’s nutritious to boot, and there’s a reliable supply because it gets topped up every day or so. If I were a mouse, I’d make a beeline for the kitchen.

adapted from parool.nl, 2020

How Jamaican bobsledders train for the Olympics

1 For a couple of Jamaican bobsledders hoping to qualify for the Olympics, the inspiration for outside-the-box training came from a classic sports movie. When gyms in England were closed, Shanwayne Stephens and Nimroy Turgott hit the streets of Peterborough, threw open the doors of a Mini Cooper and started pushing. And pushing. And pushing some more, with Beijing and the Winter Olympics in 2022 their intended destination.

2 “Obviously we’ve had to create new ways to get our training done,” Stephens told the BBC. Besides pushing a car, they also created a small gym in Stephens’s backyard. “We normally have resistance training where we push sleds, but we’ve not had access to sleds, so we thought why don’t we just go out and push the car around for a bit.”

3 The Mini, which Stephens said has a weight similar to the sled, belongs to Stephens’s fiancee, and the two are under orders not to crash it. Stephens, 29, is a gunner with the RAF Regiment and part of its elite athlete program. He moved to England when he was 11; Turgott, 27, came to Stephens’s Peterborough home to train in January.

4 “We do get some funny looks. We’ve had people run over, thinking the car’s broken down, trying to help us bump-start the car,” Stephens told Reuters. “When we tell them we’re the Jamaica bobsleigh team, the direction is totally different, and they’re very excited.”

5 The two hope to do better than the 1988 team from Jamaica did in Calgary, where it crashed and did not officially finish in the four-man competition. “Those guys set a legacy, and a movie came out of it. For me personally, I want to surpass that level, and even go beyond that,” Turgott said.

6 11 the women’s team from Jamaica qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 2018, the men failed to do so. “The last Olympics, we missed it by one slot,” Turgott said, “and now we are using that experience as our motivation moving forward.”

adapted from washingtonpost.com, 2020

Bears and wolves to coexist in UK woods for first time in 1,000 years

adapted from an article by Steven Morris

1 For the first time in more than 1,000 years native bears and wolves are coming snout to muzzle with each other among towering oaks and ashes in a slice of British woodland. European brown bears, thought to have become extinct in the British wilds in medieval times, and grey wolves ─ which roamed free until the 17th century ─ are to coexist in a project near Bristol.

2 The idea of the scheme, called the Wild Place Project, is to give visitors a glimpse into life in the woods and forests that used to cover much of the UK. It is also intended to initiate a debate about rewilding schemes, which could reintroduce animals such as lynxes ─ and perhaps wolves and bears.

3 From Thursday 25 July, members of the public will be able to observe bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines from the safety of a raised walkway as the animals pad and prowl around a large wooded paddock. For the moment, the four species are being kept apart but the idea is that within weeks or months the four bears and five wolves will be allowed to share one 10,000 square metre paddock.

4 Over recent weeks the bears have been getting accustomed to the woodland. From Wednesday the wolves will be brought into an adjoining paddock. It will then be up to the animal keepers to decide when to allow the wolves in with the bears. “The keepers want to be sure the bears are settled,” said Justin Morris, the chief executive of Bristol Zoological Society, the organisation behind the Wild Place Project. “They should be fine. These animals would coexist in the wild. This is their habitat. You see the bears up the trees and realise how perfectly evolved they are to live here.”

5 The idea of the project is that it will be good for both species to live side by side. “For them it will be enriching. It will be interesting for them to be in a space with another species. They’ll work out where they want to be,” said Morris. Another fascinating aspect to observe will be how the woodland and its current inhabitants, such as hedgehogs and birds, will react to the presence of bears and wolves. The animals will be fed by their keepers but the bears are bound to forage for leaves and berries.

6 Morris said he hoped it would further the discussion on reintroducing species that have disappeared. “I’m keen that the Bristol Zoological Society proactively engages with questions such as climate change and rewilding. I really hope this exhibit gives us that opportunity to do that.” He also said the project put the ancient British woodlands, which now only cover 2% of the country, centre stage, as they are often overlooked when zoos concentrate on more exotic locations such as the African savannah. “We’re giving British ancient woodland the same status as those habitats,” Morris said.

7 Will Walker, an animal manager at the Wild Place Project, admitted to having a few nerves as he watched a couple of the younger bears clambering up a tree. He said: “That’s given me a few scares ─ they weigh 100kg or more and are climbing 10 metres into the tops of these massive oaks and ashes. Obviously they are designed for that and aren’t going to fall out but that has worried me. They’ve been fine.” Walker also said it would be a tense moment when the bears and wolves came face to face. “We know they don’t compete for the same foods but putting two large species together is always going to be a bit nerve-racking.”

guardian.com, 2019

Smokejumpers

adapted from an article by Jonathan Ore

1 When fires spark in some of the most inaccessible swaths of Canadian wilderness, elite firefighters known as smokejumpers are called into action. They parachute out of planes to quickly reach fire sites that do not have roads or bridges for traditional ground-based fire crews, suppressing them before they grow out of control. “Yeah, it’s an exciting way to get to work,” James Bergen, wildfire officer for the North Peace Smokejumpers says. “There’s very few jobs out there that you get to wake up in the morning and not really, honestly, know where you’re going to be that afternoon.”

2 The practice of sending firefighters into remote locations by fixed-wing aircraft began in the United States in the 1930s. Canada’s first smokejumping squad was founded in 1949. People who wish to enlist must have at least one year of firefighting experience under their belt before taking a two-week training course to learn how to jump out of planes and rapidly get into action once on the ground.

3 The North Peace Smokejumpers wear heavy heat-resistant Kevlar suits and operate in teams of up to 13 aboard a DC-3 or DHC-6 plane. Spotters accompany the team aboard the plane to scout out the safest landing spot. Team members then leap out of the plane, at an altitude of about 1,500 feet, landing near the site of the fire. The 60 to 90 seconds they spend in the air provide a moment of serenity before they land in the drop zone and get to work.

4 Despite the dramatic descent, Bergen describes it as “crazily safe,” adding that there are safeguards built into the system. Cargo drops carrying gear, such as hoses, water pumps and chainsaws, arrive shortly afterward. Most deployments last between two to four days but can stretch out to a couple of weeks depending on how long it takes to get a fire under control. Teams are equipped with first aid, tents and sleeping bags for long deployments.

5 Bergen says fire crews manage to suppress most wildfires before they flare out of control. “In the last couple of years here, it’s those six per cent of fires that got extremely large,” he estimated. “But in the meantime, I mean, we’re already over a thousand fires in British Columbia (B.C.) this year, and no one’s even heard of them.” However, B.C. recently experienced two record-breaking wildfire seasons in a row, and numerous fires have already torched swaths of the north and interior.

6 Sarah Henderson, a senior scientist with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, says the province is starting to conduct studies to learn what communities are being exposed to the most smoke, and whether they

24 . “I like everybody to protect themselves from wildfire smoke but there’s certain populations who really should take extra care: anybody with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, or even conditions like diabetes,” she said.

7 Even with protective gear and specialized training, smokejumpers must also do whatever they can to avoid being engulfed by smoke. Bergen says smokejumpers usually tackle a fire at its tail, rather than its head, to avoid billowing smoke. “It does affect your ability to breathe. But we try our very best to stay out of that heavy wall of smoke.”

8 With 17 years and counting as a smokejumper, Bergen has now mostly transitioned into a management role. He still tries to get into the field at least once a year, however. “When the fire gong goes off, whatever other stuff you’re working on ─ paperwork or, you know, people’s time diaries or the hum of government ─ that all 26 and you get to go do what it is you really love.”

cbc.ca, 2019

When the friend who has your back is a horse

1 Kristie Stokes sits high and proud on the reins as she guides Melody, a 1,000-plus-pound draft horse1), around the barn. In her pink helmet, pink sweatshirt, and pink boots, Kristie follows a course set by her instructor, who offers instructions, and often encouragement, in the center. Kristie, who has special needs, sees Melody each week at Dream Catchers, a therapeutic horseback riding center. For the last three years, she’s visited the 22-acre ranch for the physical and mental benefits of horsemanship ─ structured around programs from speech therapy to psychotherapy. Those benefits, experts say, stem from the trust between horse and rider, a relationship like the one Kristie has with Melody.

2 Dream Catchers is one of a growing number of therapeutic riding centers across the country. Serving more than 800 participants since its founding in 1993, the center has been a respite for many seeking the mix of patience, honesty, and camaraderie that, advocates say, only a horse can provide. That relationship can empower, teach, build trust with, and help heal participants ─ even if their partner is a 1,000-pound animal. “When you come to that animal with all of your junk, with all of your past issues, with who you are physically, that horse doesn’t care,” says Rhonda Hamlin, a mental health specialist. “What he cares about is, can I trust you?”

3 Served by a full staff and small cavalry of almost 300 volunteers, the ranch is a collection of barns, fences, and pastures. Around 80 to 100 participants visit each week. The program’s 15 horses ─ and two therapy dogs ─ all required careful selection, for not every horse can be a therapy horse. It takes the right mix of personality and physicality ─ a blend of patience, sensitivity, and steadiness.

4 When Ms. Hamlin works with new clients, she first takes them to the pasture and lets them watch. Often, she says, a horse will come near, greeting a participant’s outreached hand near its nose ─ a “horse handshake.” Somehow, she says, 30 . This is often the start of a special bond.

5 Dream Catchers has breeds ranging from miniature horses to medium- sized Welsh ponies to large draft horses like Melody. A connection in size matters because a horse’s gait resembles a human’s. That resemblance helps a participant build core strength and improve posture. Once a rider finds his or her horse, it’s all about growing their relationship.

6 “Horses are prey animals, which means they’re extremely ─ even if imperceptibly ─ sensitive to their environment. They can pick up a person’s feelings or emotions even before the person themself kind of acknowledges them,” says Ms. Hamlin. “So in a rough sense, I can use them as a barometer and know immediately what’s happening with a client just by watching what the horse does.” That enhanced perception also requires participants to be honest, according to Ms. Hamlin. It can spot duplicity. If a rider presents himself or herself one way but is feeling another, the horse will stay away.

7 Unlike a human, who may hold a grudge, horses remain in the present, Ms. Hamlin adds. That quality allows riders to feel accepted more easily by horses than by humans, she says. Whenever participants make a mistake, she reminds them that the horses will always be willing to start over.

8 Karen Stokes, mother of Kristie, says she sees the change in her daughter when they come to the ranch. Kristie smiles more, talks more, and parades around her confidence. But for Kristie, a visit to Dream Catchers is just a visit to Melody ─ or “Mel,” as she calls her. “I’m happy when I see her,” she says.

adapted from csmonitor.com, 2020

noot 1 a 1,000-plus-pound draft horse = een groot en sterk trekpaard

Riders in the storm

adapted from an article by MIKE CORDER

1 NEELTJE JANS, Netherlands (AP) ─ Call them riders in the storm. While much of northern Europe hunkered down Sunday and hoped that Storm Ciara would blow over quickly with its hurricane-force winds, an intrepid band of cyclists made the most of the conditions to take part in the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships, an annual ride that is announced three days before a storm is expected.

2 The ingredients were simple: A basic bicycle with no gears, no featherweight carbon race frame, no drop handlebars, strong legs, steely resolve and wind. Lots of wind. Yet completing the 8.5-kilometer (5.3-mile) course along the coast of Zeeland province in the southern Netherlands and across a storm water barrier as heavy winds blasted riders with sand from nearby beaches was anything but simple, even for experienced riders. Organizers provided vomit buckets at the end. 36 , the gale- force winds became too strong even for this punishing event. Organizers brought the race to an early end after 250 of the 300 riders had finished.

3 While the idea of plowing headfirst into a major storm on a bicycle may sound like madness, it’s surprisingly popular in the Netherlands, where many people commute to work by bicycle despite wind or rain. Some 11,000 people expressed interest online in taking part but organizers only had a maximum of 300 places available.

4 This was, organizers say, as close as you can get in the largely pancake- flat Netherlands to tackling an Alpine stage in a bike race. “We call this the Dutch mountain,” organizer Robrecht Stoekenbroek told The Associated Press. “It’s like climbing a 10% slope on the worst bike you can imagine.”

5 With red-and-white wind socks snapping in the wind, riders hunched over their handlebars in a desperate attempt to remain as aerodynamic as possible. Many competitors wore tight Lycra cycling clothes. Crossing the Oosterscheldekering storm barrier, riders weaved across the cycle path as they struggled to maintain their balance.

6 Many participants, who rode one-by-one against the clock, weren’t too interested in their times. It was simply about completing the event. “This is a bucket list thing,” Edwin van Gaalen said, as he leaned, gasping for breath, on his handlebars after finishing. He paused to further explain. “When you’ve done it once, you want to do it twice. And more and more and more. You have to take part in this to feel the wind, to feel the experience, to get it all,” he said.

apnews.com, 2020

TRAVEL BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS TRAVEL WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Every National Geographic expedition is grounded in our legacy of exploration, the promise of an authentic travel experience, and a commitment to giving back. With unique travel experiences that aim to inspire people to care about the planet, and access to National Geographic’s grantees1) and active research sites, our travellers go further and deepen their knowledge of the world.

WWW.TRAVELWITHNATGEO.COM

noot 1 National Geographic's grantees = projecten die gesponsord worden door National Geographic

Tips to ditch single-use plastic

41-1 Plastic cutlery can’t be easily recycled in Australia. Because the items are flat, sorting machines often mistake them for paper. If you grab lunch out of the office, it’s likely you’ll be offered plastic cutlery. You can simply say no. Bamboo utensils are great, but having a set of cutlery at work is even better. Grab cutlery and a plate and have them ready at your desk to avoid plastic or Styrofoam containers.

41-2 Plastic bags fill our tips, kill wildlife and break up into smaller particles causing ongoing environmental harm. Check out our guide to the best alternatives to plastic bags. In short, hessian is the best option. If you have a stack of ‘green’ bags from the supermarket, make sure you use them for at least 2 years. Also, don’t put your fruit and vegetables in plastic bags. Just let them loose in the trolley, at the register and in your shopping bag.

41-3 Supermarkets package many items in plastic, including fresh produce. Try local markets, co-ops, bulk food stores and independent grocers instead. Spending your Saturday or Sunday morning strolling around local farmers markets is not only a great pastime but also a convenient way of finding local produce. By purchasing locally grown food in season, we’re eating foods at their most flavoursome, the most abundant, and the least expensive. If the thought of getting up early on weekends to make it to the farmers market isn’t your cup of tea, finding a local produce box system might be the way to go.

41-4 Materials like nylon and polyester shed microfibers when washed. This means, your clothes release millions of tiny plastic pieces into our drains. Look for cotton and wool instead. Aside from materials, consider buying second-hand clothes. That is always the better choice, as this saves unwanted clothing from the tip. You can do better than the 1 in 5 Australians who throw clothes in the bin after 1 wear.

cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au, 2019

Monsters Skunk ape

The Skunk Ape, also known as the Florida Bigfoot, is a humanoid creature said to inhabit the U.S. states of Florida, North Carolina and Arkansas, although reports from Florida are most common.

Does it exist? Reports of the skunk ape were particularly common in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1974, sightings of a large, foul- smelling, hairy, ape-like creature, which ran upright on two legs were reported in suburban neighborhoods of Dade County, Florida. Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell has written that some of the reports may represent sightings of the black bear (Ursus americanus) and that other sightings are hoaxes or misidentification of wildlife. The United States National Park Service considers the skunk ape to be a hoax.

Dewey Lake Monster

The Dewey Lake Monster is the name given to a legendary creature said to be approximately 10 feet (3.0 metres) tall and weighing about 500 pounds (230 kilograms), which first gained wide notoriety in June 1964 after several reported sightings near Dewey Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan.

Does it exist? Former Cass County Sheriff, Paul Parrish, was quoted as saying “it was one of the strangest times” in his “33 years of southwestern Michigan law enforcement.” He added: “We investigated it long and hard, but were never able to come up with whatever it was. But some good, honest, legitimate people” reported it.

Mogollon Monster

The Mogollon Monster is a legendary creature that has been discussed in accounts from central and eastern Arizona along the Mogollon Rim. It is most often described as a Bigfoot or ape-like creature, but descriptions vary.

Does it exist? Reports of footprints, video, and hair samples have been documented by enthusiasts, but no conclusive evidence has been found to date. Professor emeritus of biology, Stan Lindstedt, of Northern Arizona University, dismisses the idea that a large homonid creature would remain hidden in such a large area of the country. “I put that in the category of mythology that can certainly make our culture interesting, but has nothing to do with science.”

from Wikipedia

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