Library in a truck - Reading piece and questions for Gr 4

Read the piece and answer the questions that follow

Primary Schools in the rural areas of South Africa (these are parts in the countryside and far away from cities) do not always have libraries but thanks to a Japanese initiative, they will soon be helped.

            

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This idea has pledged to bring 'mobile libraries' to 4500 schools with more or less 2 million learners.

SAPESI (The South African Primary Education Support Initiative) started in 2006 and with the help of the Japanese, the 32 vehicles they now have will increase to a 100 buses and  1 million books.

The vehicles that the Japanese donate, will be converted into libraries.  Each of them will have books in all 11 official languages of SA and will be for children aged 6 to 11. (or for adults that are learning to read).

Tadashi Hasunuma began the project and he praised the South African government for increasing the primary school network.

Japan has moved this method to deal with their own problem of getting books to children in rural schools and it has been very successful.

Can you answer the following questions?

• Name the 11 official languages in SA.
• Look up the meaning of the following words in the dictionary - pledged, boost, initiative, converted, mobile, rural
• What is the name of the organisation that is working with the Japanese to help with this project?
• Which areas in SA will these buses service?
• What is Japan donating?
• Find synonyms (words with the same meaning) for the following - vehicle, pledge, assistance, demonstrate
• How does it make you feel to know that not all schools in SA have enough books?
• Do you think this is a good or a bad idea and why do you say that?

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• Do your own research or find videos to find out more about 'mobile libraries'