Text: Population growth and food supply.

About two thirds of the world’s population live in what are largely called developing countries. Of course
strictly speaking all countries are developing, but the term is used to describe those which are inevitably
poor. Although, the rich countries have only about 34% of the world’s population, they earn about 90% of
the world’s income. They also possess about 90% of the world’s financial resources, and more than 80%
of the world’s protein including 70% of its meat and they eat it.

Thanks to an impressive success of agricultural revolution, man’s food-growing capacity is now hundreds
of times larger than it was at the turn of the century, and we are feeding now more people than at any time
in history. Nonetheless, the number of hungry and malnourished people is also larger than at any time in
history. Admittedly, total food production has increased since 1961 in most parts of the world. In short,
world and regional production have barely kept up with population growth.

There appear to be five food problems. First, there is the problem of quantity- of every human being
getting enough calories to provide him with the energy to work and progress. Second, there is that of
quality- of everyone getting enough protein, vitamins and necessary minerals. Next, there is the matter of
distribution: we have to find satisfactory ways of transporting, storing and issuing food. Then, there is the
problem of poverty; many people in developing countries do not have money to buy food in sufficient
quantity. And last, we must find ways of avoiding ecological side effects. In other words, we must be able
to grow enough food without further degrading our land, water and air.

People, Vol. 14. N°1. 1987

 I. READING COMPREHENSION (08 marks)
A. Match the five food problems to their explanations according to the text. (2.5 marks)

Concepts Explanation
1. A1.Avoiding ecological side
a. Ev a. Everyone needs enough protein, vitamins and necessary minerals.
effects.
2. Po 2. Poverty b. Ev b. Every human being needs enough calories to provide him with energy.
3 Qu 3.Quality c. Ev c. Everyone must grow enough food without degrading our land, water
and air.
4 Dis4.Distribution d. M d. Many people don’t have enough money to buy food in sufficient
quantity.
5 Qu5.Quantity. e. Ev e. Everyone must find satisfactory ways of transporting, storing and
issuing food.

1=……………. 2=……………… 3=………………. 4=………………... 5=……………………

B. Identification; read the text and mention whether the following sentences are true or false
( (2marks)

6. Developed countries are more populated than developing countries……………………..

.......................................................................................................................................................................................
7. Man produces more food now than before the agricultural revolution………………………….
.......................................................................................................................................................................................

C. Referencing: read the text and mention what or who do the words in bold refer to (1.5 mark)

8. They (paragraph 1): ................................................................................

9. It (paragraph 2): .....................................................................................
10. We (paragraph 3): ..................................................................................

D. Vocabulary: read the text and find the synonyms of the following verbs (2 marks)
11. win (paragraph 1): .............................................................................
12. give (paragraph 3): ............................................................................

II. COMMUNICATIVE and LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE (07 marks)

E. Multiple choice question; underline the right words to complete the sentences. (1 mark)

13. Every human being needs enough calories providing / to provide / provide him with energy.

14. Developing countries are largely / large / larged more populated than developed ones.
 F. Dialogue completion; Assane and his friend Leyti are having a conversation related to population
growth and poverty; complete the dialogue with the right questions and answers. (2marks)
Assane: I don’t believe Africa will get developed one day!
Leyti: 15…………………………………………………………………………………………………..?
Assane: Because its population is getting larger and larger!
Leyti: 16……………………………………………………………………………………………………..?
Assane: How come you ask me the link between a large population and poverty!
Leyti: I don’t understand what you mean by that. Can you explain me?
Assane: 17……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Leyti: It has never crossed my mind that a large population can result to poverty and hunger. Thank you so
much my pal for getting me know all tha things.
Assane: 18…………………………………………………………………!

G. Use the link words from the list to complete the following sentences: despite - that’s why – however
– because of (2marks)
19. Many children are suffering from kwashiorkor……………………the bad quality of food they eat.
20. People are still suffering from poverty…………………the existence of many natural resources in Africa.
21. The African leaders can’t take care of the children…………..…………….…...they ask for assistance form
UNICEF .
22. The WFO is very involved in the fight against hunger………………………… it has a lot of difficulties to
reduce it in developing countries.

H. Verb tenses; complete the text with the right tense (2marks)
Halima ………………………..….23 (to travel) to Somalia two years ago. Before leaving for that country,
she………………….…………………….24 (to watch) poignant pictures on TV but the reality was even worse.
Since then, she………..……………………….25 (to look) for ways to help the populations...………………….26
(to get) out of that situation.

III. WRITING: choose one topic and write about 200 words (5 marks)
Topic 1: More and more people are dying from hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. What are the
causes and consequences? Give some solutions.
Topic 2: You are a president of a developing country which is suffering from hunger. Write a letter to the director
of World Food Organization (WFO) to ask for food assistance.
Topic 3: Ali believes that Africa can reach food sufficiency, but his friend Soda does not share his point of view.
Write down their conversation by explaining how Africa can get independently secure in food.