Literary activist

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.

Sasin Chalermlarp is secretary-general of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation and probably the best-known Thai conservationist at the moment. Last year he led a 300 kilometre walk to campaign against the construction of Mae Wong Dam. He also led a sitting protest for the same cause in Bangkok.

Sasin has also made his mark in the literary scene. His book, Pom Tam Ngarn Hai Phi Seub (I Work For Brother Seub) won second prize in the non-fiction category at the 2014 Seven Book Awards. Sasin recently chatted with Life about his reading list and how he intentionally imitates the style of his literary idol Seksan Prasertkul.

Which book is currently at your bedside?

I do not have time for books, if you’re talking about reading for leisure. My reading list is mostly reports concerning water management, forest conservation and the Mae Wong Dam project. But currently I’m reading Songkram Narm, a Thai translation of Water Wars. It’s a very good piece of non-fiction written by Dianes Raines Ward about water management conflicts around the world.

What are two books that inspired you as a conservationist and as a writer?

Pleng Ekkaphob (Song of The Universe) by Seksan Prasertkul, who was the first secretary-general of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation. I read this book time and again, especially at the moment when I was deciding to quit my teaching job at a university to work as a full-time conservationist. The book is a memoir and a travelogue. Seksan successfully brings readers into nature and makes us feel what he feels. As a writer, I’m not ashamed to declare that I use Pleng Ekkaphob as a model for my writing. I try to imitate Seksan’s narrative style, his prose, even the use of space between words, only my version is not half as good as his.

Has any particular book ever let you down?

Believe it or not, Pan Mah Bah (Company of Mad Dogs), by one of my favourite writers, Chad Kobjitti, was surprisingly disappointing. There’s nothing wrong with the book, which has become a cult classic for people of my generation, I just read it at the wrong time. I should have read it when I was 18 years old, not in my 40s.

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Exercises

Section 1

Read the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.

1. Which writer does Sasin Chalermlarp intentionally imitate?

a. Sunthorn Phu.
b. Anchalee Kongrut.
c. Seksan Prasertkul.

2. How far did Sasin walk last year to campaign against the construction of Mae Wong Dam?

a. 300 kilometres.
b. 30 kilometres.
c. 3 kilometres.

3. When did Sasin’s book win second prize in the non-fiction category at the Seven Book Awards?

a. When he was leading a sitting protest in Bangkok.
b. When he was teaching at a university.
c. In 2014.

4. According to the story, who is probably the best-known Thai conservationist at the moment?

a. Seub Nakhasathien.
b. Sasin Chalermlarp.
c. Chad Kobjitti.

5. How old is Sasin Chalermlarp?

a. He is in his thirties.
b. He is in his forties.
c. He is in his sixties.

Section 2

Read the story and decide whether the following statements are true or false.

6. Sasin supports the construction of Mae Wong Dam.

………………..

7. Sasin said that Chad Kobjitti is one of his favourite authors.

………………..

8. Sasin now mostly reads books about business projects and economics.

………………..

9. Pleng Ekkaphob was written by Seksan Prasertkul.

………………..

10. Sasin is secretary-general of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation.

………………..

Section 3

Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct words from the choices given.

As a conservationist, what do you think of e-books …..11….. a means to save trees?

“I never look at paper made from trees as wasteful or …..12….. unfriendly. The …..13….. industry is a pioneer for its sourcing pulp from …..14….. sources. We should focus on the real waste — trees that …..15….. being cut down for junk mail, leaflets or even …..16…..”

11.

a. at
b. an
c. as

12.

a. environmentally
b. environment
c. environmental

13.

a. publishers
b. publicity
c. publishing

14.

a. sustenance
b. sustains
c. sustainable

15.

a. are
b. is
c. am

16.

a. newsreaders
b. news
c. newspapers

Section 4

Find words used in the story that are synonyms of the following words.

17. perhaps ……………………..

18. copy ……………………..

19. author ……………………..

20. audience ……………………..

Section 5

Specify whether each of the following words is used in the story as a verb, noun, adjective or adverb.

21. currently ……………………..

22. moment ……………………..

23. ashamed ……………………..

24. become ……………………..

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