By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams and tests that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the University Entrance Examination.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
A group of 15 to 20 local skaters and much of Myanmar’s youth culture have been captured in the documentary, Youth of Yangon. The filmmakers show the new Myanmar, as youthful voices are being heard for the first time.
Ali Drummond, a Myanmar language student at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies and a professional skateboarder from the UK, worked with his filmmaker friend James Holman on their first movie, Altered Focus: Burma.
With youthful curiosity and two small camcorders they set off into an unknown land to capture what they could. The result shows the beginning of a subculture, as well as being a travelogue of two skaters.
“We had no idea what to expect,” Holman said.
Because they love skateboarding, the young film-makers were able to see into the lives of Myanmar’s youth.
“You can go to any country in the world and when you meet another skateboarder, language barriers are irrelevant as you share this passion for a common activity,” Holman said. “Neither of us could speak Myanmar, but because we all loved skateboarding, it didn’t matter.”
The filmmakers’ first film, Altered Focus: Burma, was well-received, so they decided to return to Myanmar to shoot the follow-up, Youth of Yangon. They went back in September last year.
“I think now more than ever, the Burmese youth have a voice. They have the ability to try new things like skateboarding,” Holman said. “The opening up to the West and the easing of sanctions helps to allow people to express themselves more and open up their minds to other ideas.”
Ye Wint Ko, one of the skateboarders featured in the film, is establishing the Myanmar Skate Federation.
“Skateboarding in Myanmar is important because there are many kids interested in it,” Wint Ko said. “But they don’t have enough space to skate. We now have the freedom to skate, but the streets are not yet good enough and we still don’t have many skate parks.”
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story. Then, answer the following reading comprehension questions.
1. What was Ali Drummond and James Holman’s first film about?
a. Skate parks in Myanmar.
b. Young people in Myanmar studying Western culture.
c. It a travelogue that also showed Young people in Myanmar becoming interested in skateboarding.
2. What was Ali and James’ first film called?
a. A Travelogue of Two Skaters.
b. Altered Focus: Burma.
c. Youth of Yangon.
3. Who is Ali Drummond?
a. A Myanmar language specialist and a skateboard collector.
b. A skateboard seller and a linguist.
c. A Myanmar language student and a professional skateboarder.
4. Who is establishing the Myanmar Skate Federation?
a. Ali Drummond.
b. Ye Wint Ko.
c. James Holman.
5 What did Ye Wint Ko say about skateboarding in Myanmar?
a. He said there aren’t enough skate parks.
b. He said there are now too many skaters in Myanmar.
c. He said that British filmmakers had made skating popular.
Section 2
Read through the story again. Then, decide whether the following statements are true or false.
6. Youth of Yangon is a follow up to Altered Focus: Burma.
…………………………
7. Youth of Yangon is a documentary.
…………………………
8. Wint Ko feels that there is not enough space to skateboard in Myanmar.
…………………………
9. James Holman is a professional skateboarder from the UK.
…………………………
10. Altered Focus: Burma was filmed with mobile phones.
…………………………
Section 3
Read the following sentences. Then, specify whether each of the underlined words in each sentence is used as a noun, verb, adjective, adverb or preposition.
11. There aren’t many skate parks for us to use.
…………………………
12. The two skaters’ travelling experiences are also shown in the film.
…………………………
13. Many kids in Myanmar are interested in skateboarding.
…………………………
14. The young filmmakers understand the lifestyles of teens in Myanmar.
…………………………
Section 4
Write down the noun forms of the following words used in the story.
15. important ………………
16. decided ………………
17. professional ………………
18. good ………………
19. expect ………………
Section 5
Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
In what would be a unique event of its …..20….. in Yangon, support for a screening of the film was …..21….. by the British Council in Myanmar. The screening also gave local skateboarders a chance to talk .....22….. the media and to discuss …..23….. provision of facilities with government representatives. The Pansodan Gallery volunteered space …..24….. the screening.
20.
a. kindly
b. kind
c. kindness
21.
a. given
b. gave
c. give
22.
a. on
b. above
c. with
23.
a. these
b. none
c. the
24.
a. for
b. from
c. within
Vocabulary
- camcorder (n): a small video camera that records pictures and sound
travelogue (n): a film, broadcast or piece of writing about travel
barrier (n): a problem, rule or situation that prevents somebody from doing something, or that makes something impossible:
sanction (n): an official order that limits trade, contact, etc. with a particular country
