English Department s1

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

National 4 Homework Book 2 Holiday in Scotland

Exercise 1

The exercises which follow are all based on an article about the attractions of Scotland for tourists.

Before you move on to exercises 2 – 4, read over the entire article – you will need to have a good understanding of the whole thing in order to complete your homework over the coming weeks. A section of the passage appears at the start of each exercise.

What is the article about? ______

Who is the article written for? ______

Why has the writer written this article? ______

List 4 places mentioned in the article ______

List 4 activities suggested for tourists in the article ______Exercise 2

1. Scotland’s greatest attraction for visitors is, perhaps its magnificent scenery – clear sparkling blue lochs, majestic, craggy mountains some over 4000 feet high, extensive heather covered moors, rolling hill and dense forests appeal greatly. It’s a land of space and peace, where the nature-lover will find species such as the pine martin, wild cat, osprey and sea eagle, extinct elsewhere in the British Isles. 2 Vast stretches of land and water make Scotland a sportsman’s paradise. Anglers can fish clean waters of loch, river or sea for trout and salmon, with fair chances of good catches at thousands of locations. 3 Staff at the STB’s Headquarters also point out that golfers, too, are well-catered for with more than 400 courses, many in beautiful coastal settings. Walkers have an expensive choice of hills to climb while mountaineers can aim for many snow-capped peaks. 4 Riding and pony-trekking are popular, particularly in the south, and those with keen eyes can have a shot at grouse or deer (in season under the watchful eye of the gamekeeper, of course.) Tourists can enjoy summer Highland games where they can see Highland dancing, pipe bands and Scottish events such as caber tossing.

1(a) According to the writer what is Scotland’s greatest tourist attraction? ______1(b) How high are some of Scotland’s mountains? ______1(c) Which animals and birds are extinct elsewhere in Britain? ______

2 Write down two words from paragraph 2 which show the large scale of Scotland’s attractions ______

3 Write down three sports mentioned in paragraph 3 ______

4 ‘STB’ (paragraph 3). What do you think the letters stand for?

Scottish Timeshare Bureau Scottish Troutfishers’ Board Scottish Tourist Board Scottish Traffic Bureau

5 Why do gamekeepers have to be watchful? ______Exercise 3 5 Edinburgh and Glasgow have good museums and art collections while history lovers will enjoy seeing many ruined abbeys and castles, battlefields and stately homes as well as places connected with famous Scots such as Robert Louis Stevenson, David Livingston, Rob Roy, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. People with Scottish ancestry will enjoy visiting their families’ original home areas and acquiring details of family history. 6 Holiday makers can travel through the whisky trails of the north, perhaps sampling pure malt whisky and those fascinated my bagpipes, kilts or haggis will have no difficulty in finding them. South-east of Edinburgh lies an area of rolling hills, wooded river valleys and prosperous sheep farms which is ideal for exploring by foot, on horseback, bicycle or car. 7 The four great Border abbeys of Dryburgh, Jedburgh, Kelso and Melrose, each once the heart of a thriving community, now stand silent and empty, but are well worth viewing. The Borders contain a prospering textile industry and you can watch frequent sheep sales at Kelso, Jedburgh and Hawick and then visit museum and bust woollen mills in Galashiels and Innerleithen. The Tweed Valley has close links with Sir Walter Scott and his romantic mansion at Abbotsford is close to Galashiels.

1. Write down two reasons why people with Scottish ancestry might enjoy visiting Scotland. (a)______(b)______

2. In paragraph 6, the writer uses the word ‘pure.’ Write down a word from earlier in the passage that almost means the same as this. ______

3. Look again at the word ‘thriving’ (paragraph 7). What do you think it means? Tick the answer you think is best. failing flourishing surviving disappearing charming 4. Dryburgh, Jedburgh, Kelso and Melrose no longer function as abbeys. Write down two words which indicate this is so. (a)______(b)______

5. Read the following statements and tick to show whether each is true, false or cannot tell from the passage.

True False Cannot tell Five great abbeys can be seen in the Scottish Borders The Borders is an area with many social problems The Borders is the centre of a busy textiles industry Selkirk is a border town Sir Walter Scott’s mansion is near Galashiels Exercise 4

8 Edinburgh is a mecca for tourists, and its huge summer Festival attracts enormous crowds. Historical sight which also draw huge numbers include the Palace of Holyrood House and Edinburgh Castle. Joining these two is the Royal Mil, lined by imposing buildings, including St Giles’ Cathedral, as well as museums and specialist shops. Georgian architecture survives on a large scale in the New Town’s graceful crescents. 9 Even Glasgow, although it does not attract the numbers which visit Edinburgh, is located at the edge of a varied landscape. Glasgow stands within easy reach of a deeply indented coastline and long fingers of land stretching far into the sea, often enfolding small islands. Away from the coast are trout-filled streams and deep lochs surrounded by tree-covered hills and vast tracts of moorland. To the North are the Trossachs, a beautiful range of rugged mountains, studded with forests and lochs. 10 The Highlands have some of Scotland’s most beautiful areas, with the snow- capped Cairngorm mountains, Loch Ness and, perhaps surprisingly, some fine sandy beaches. Grouse on heather-covered moors and red deer on forested hillsides provide game – but only for very wealthy sportsmen, sadly. The landscape is full of Iron Age forts and Bronze Age burial grounds. 11 The north-east has wonderful scenery: rugged mountains, deep lochs and pine forest characterise this area, and much of it is unpopulated. Small farming and fishing villages nestle along a beautiful coastline. I have very happy memories of hospitality given by friendly, kindly people here. No tour of this area would be complete without a visit to Aberdeen, famous for its beautiful old granite buildings, and its modern importance as the centre of the North Sea Oil Industry. 12 But any Scottish destination repays a visit: visit soon, visit often. Adapted from an article in Holiday Which.

1. Look at paragraph 8. What is the name of the link between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House? ______

2. Apart from Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House, what other significant building is mentioned in paragraph 8? ______

3. Write down one difference between Glasgow and Edinburgh mentioned in paragraph 9. ______

4. Why, according to the passage, should Glasgow attract more visitors? ______

5. What do you think particularly impresses the writer about the north-east? ______

6a. Think about the passage as a whole. The writer stresses positive aspects of Scotland. What do you think he leaves unmentioned? ______

6b. Give a reason for you answer to 6a. ______The Bear

Exercise 5

The exercises which follow are all based on extracts from a novel about a young girl called Lyddie who lives in America during the 1800s.

Before you move on to exercises 6 – 9, read over the entire passage about Lyddie – you will need to have a good understanding of the whole thing in order to complete your homework over the coming weeks. A section of the passage appears at the start of each exercise.

What happens in the passage? ______

What do you find out about Lyddie? ______

What do you think will happen next in the story? ______

Exercise 6 1 The bear had been a real danger, though at the time they had all laughed. No, Mama had never laughed, but Lyddie and Charles and the babies had laughed until their bellies ached. Lyddie still thought of them as the babies. She probably always would. Agnes had been four and Rachel six that November of 1843 – the year of the bear. 2 It had been Charles’s fault, if fault there was. He had fetched in wood from the shed and left the door ajar. But the door had not shut tight for some time, so perhaps he’d shut it as best he could. Who knows? 3 At any rate, Lyddie looked up from the pot of Oatmeal she was stirring over the fire, and there in the doorway was a massive black head, the nose up and smelling, the tiny eyes bright with hunger. 4 ‘Don’t nobody yell,’ she said softly. ‘Just back up slow and quiet to the ladder and climb up to the loft. Charlie, you get Agnes, and Mama, you take Rachel,’ She heard her mother whimper. ‘Shhh,’ she continued, her voice absolutely even. ‘It’s alright so long as nobody gets upset. Just take it nice and gentle, ey? I’m watching him all the way, and I’ll yank the ladder up after me. ‘

1. Write down an expression which shows that the children laughed a lot about the bear. ______

2a. Why might it be Charles’s fault that the bear gets into the cabin? ______

2b. Why might it not be Charles’s fault? ______

3. What is Lyddie doing when the bear appears? ______

4. Write down three things Lyddie notices about the bear. (a)______(b)______(c)______

5 Look at paragraph 4. Compete the following sentences about Lyddie’s instructions to the family. (a) Everyone is to be ______and move ______. (b) They are to climb the ______up to the ______. (c) Mama is to take______and Charles is to take______.

6. How can you tell that the mother is afraid? ______

7. Write down an expression which shows that Lyddie gives the instructions very calmly. ______

Exercise 7 5 They obeyed her, even Mama, though Lyddie could hear her sucking in her breath. Behind Lyddie’s back, the ladder creaked, as two by two, first Charles and Agnes, then Mama and Rachel, climbed up into the loft. Lyddie glared straight into the bear’s eyes, daring him to step forward into the cabin. Then when the ladder was silent and she could hear the slight rustling above her as the family settles themselves onto the straw mattresses, she backed up to the ladder and, never taking her eyes off the bear, inched her way up to the loft. At the top she almost fell backwards onto the platform. Charles dragged her onto the mattress beside her mother. 6 The racket released the bear form the charm Lyddie seemed to have placed on him. He banged the door aside and rushed in towards the ladder, but Charles snatched it. The bottom rungs swung out, hitting the beast in the nose. The blow startled him for a moment, giving Lyddie a chance to help Charles haul the ladder up onto the platform and out of reach. The old bear roared in frustration and waved at the empty air with his huge paws, then reared up on his hind legs. He was so tall that his nose nearly touched the edge of the loft. The little girls cried out. Their mother screamed, ‘Oh Lord, deliver us!’ 7 ‘Hush,’ Lyddie commanded. ‘You’ll just make him madder.’ The cries were swallowed up in anxious gasps of breath. Charles’s arms went around the little ones, and Lyddie put a firm grip on her mother’s shoulder. It was trembling, so Lyddie relaxed her fingers and began to stroke. ‘It’s alright,’ she murmured. ‘He can’t reach us.’ But could he climb the supports? It didn’t seem likely. Could he take a mighty leap and…? No, she tried to breathe deeply and evenly and keep her eyes fixed on those of the beast. He fell to all fours and, tossing his head, broke off from her gaze as though embarrassed.

1. How does Lyddie try to keep the bear’s attention away from the family? ______

2. Which two things tell Lyddie that the family is up in the loft? (a)______(b)______

3. Write down one word which shows Lyddie climbs the ladder slowly. ______

4. Explain fully how Lyddie and Charles get the chance to pull up the ladder. ______

5. ‘It’s all right,’ she murmured. ‘He can’t reach us.’ (paragraph 7) What two thoughts does Lyddie have which show she is not as confident as she sounds? (a)______(b)______

Exercise 8 8 He began to explore the cabin. He was hungry, obviously, and looking for the source of the smell that had drawn him in. He knocked over the churning jug and licked at it, but Lyddie had cleaned it too well that morning and the bear soon gave up trying. Before he found the great pot of oatmeal hanging over the fire, he had turned over the table and the benches and upended the spinning wheel. Lyddie held her breath, praying that he wouldn’t break anything. Charles and she would try to mend things but he was only ten and she thirteen. They hadn’t their father’s skill or experience and they couldn’t afford to replace any of the household goods. 9 Next the beast knocked over a jar of butter. He smacked it across the floor where it hit the overturned bench but did not shatter. 10 At last he came to the oatmeal, bubbling over the fire. He thrust his head deep into the pot and howled with pain as his nose met the boiling porridge. He threw back his head, but in doing so jerked the pot off the hook, and when he turned, he was wearing it over his head like a black pumpkin. The bear was too stunned, it seemed, to simply lower his neck and let the pot fall off. He danced about the room in pain on four, then two legs, the pot covering his head, the boiling oatmeal raining down his thick neck and coat.

1. Give two reasons why Lyddie prays the bear won’t break anything. (a)______(b)______

2. Write down three things the bear disturbs as he explores the cabin. (a)______(b)______(c)______

3. Why does the bear howl with pain? ______

4. Why doesn’t the bear simply let the pot fall off its head? ______

Exercise 9 11 He knocked about, searching for the way out, but when he found the open door, managed to push it shut. Battering the door with his pot-covered head, he tore is off its leather covered hinges and loped out into the darkness. For a long time they could hear him crashing through the bush until, at last, the quiet November night gathered about them once more. 12 Then they began to laugh. Rachel first, throwing back her dark curls and showing the spaces where her pretty teeth had been only last summer. Then Agnes joined in with her shrill four-year-old shout, and next Charles’s not yet manly giggle. 13 ’Whew,’ Lyddie said. ‘Lucky I’m so ugly. A pretty girl couldn’t a scared that old rascal!’ 14 ‘You ain’t ugly!’ Rachel cried. But they laughed louder than ever, Lyddie the loudest of all, until the tears of laughter and relief ran down her thin cheeks, and her belly cramped and doubled over. When had she laughed so much? She could not remember. Adapted from Lyddie by Katherine Paterson

1. Which three words tell us the bear makes a great deal of noise because it cannot see properly? (a)______(b)______(c)______

2 Give two reasons for the children’s laughter. (a)______(b)______

Think about the passage as a whole.

3. In paragraph 1, we are told that the story takes place in 1843. Write down three pieces of information which suggest that it happened a long time ago. (a)______(b)______(c)______

4. Read the following statements and then tick to show whether each is true, false or cannot tell from the passage.

True False Cannot tell When he stood up, the bear’s nose almost touched the loft. The father of the family had gone hunting Agnes had dark hair with curls Afterwards, everyone laughed except the mother

Hari Exercise 10

The exercises which follow are all based on extracts from a novel about a young Indian boy called Hari who lives in a small village called Thul. In this part of the story he has just arrived in the large city of Bombay. It is his first visit to a city of this size.

1. Which country does this story take place in?

______

2. Who is the story about?

______

3. Where is Hari from?

______

4. Where does the story take place?

______

Before you move on to exercises 11 – 15, read over the entire passage about Hari – you will need to have a good understanding of the whole thing in order to complete your homework over the coming weeks. A section of the passage appears at the start of each exercise.

What happens in the passage? ______

What do you find out about Hari? ______

What do you think will happen next in the story? ______

Exercise 11 1 Hari suddenly remembered that he had in his pocket a piece of paper with the Bombay address of the family who had offered him a job once. The relief of remembering that he had an address in Bombay and knew people who might help him flooded him like a wave from the sea, cool and friendly and refreshing. 2 Turning to the nearest stall owner, a man who was selling balls if ice in which he sprinkled colour and essence – rose, banana, orange and lime – before handing it to excitingly clamouring children, Hari asked him if he knew the address on the piece of paper. 3 ‘Oh ho,’ laughed the man. ‘Very good address you have there, boy. You must be a prince in disguise.’ He held out a bright green ice ball to a child, pocketed some coins and then told Hari, Go straight on up the road. It will take you to the top of Malabar Hill and there you will find your palace, just short of the Hanging Gardens. Perhaps there is a princess waiting for you with a garland,’ he laughed, and winked. 4 Hari did not like his laughter or his joke and walked off with as much dignity as he could, his face serious as always but his heart pounding with excitement.

1. Why do you think Hari is relieved when he remembers that he has the family’s address? Give any two reasons. (a)______(b)______

2. Which word in paragraph 1 tells us that his relief is overwhelming? ______

3. Which three words in the same paragraph tell us that his relief is a very pleasant emotion? (a)______(b)______(c)______

4. Look again at paragraph 3. Which of the following sentences best describes the stall-owner’s manner towards Hari?

He is contemptuous He is admiring He is teasing He is envious He is sarcastic

5. Explain as clearly as you can why Hari does not like the stall-holder’s words. ______

Exercise 12 5 His hopes did not last very long. It was evening: the sun sank rose-red into the bay. The lights came on as he climbed and the whole hill glittered like a great mound of jewels against the sky, quite outshining the stars. Looking back he could see the road swooping down and around the bay, lined with a double row of electric lights. Was this the famous Queen’s necklace of which he had heard? He supposed it must be. As he gazed, the neon advertisements above him winked in and off and flared green and blue and orange. His heart beat with excitement and dread. 6 It was night when he at last found the building he was looking for. He had of course thought that the family he knew lived in it alone but it was as crowded with strangers as a bus depot or a wharf. A man stood at an inner door letting people in and then shutting it so that they disappeared abruptly. Then, as suddenly, the door was flung open again and quite a different crowd poured out. Hari could not understand it but when he asked the man if the family he knew lived there, the man said, ‘Get in – tenth floor,’ and then he was pushed into a tiny cell along with a dozen other people. The door was shut on them, the man pressed a button in the wall and the little wooded cell shot upwards with a sickening lurch. Before Hari could get over the shock, it had come to a stop, the door was flung open and the man waved him out. ‘Number one hundred and two,’ he said, shut the door and disappeared.

1. Look again at paragraph 5. Give two reasons why the road is called ‘the Queen’s Necklace’. (a)______(b)______

2. Which other expression in the same paragraph links up with the idea of ‘the Queen’s Necklace’? ______

3. Why do you think Hari feels both ‘excitement’ and ‘dread’ (paragraph 5)? (a) He feels excitement because______(b) He feels dread because______

4. ‘A man stood at an inner door…’(paragraph 6) (a) To what is this door the entrance? ______

(b) Give two pieces of evidence from paragraph 6 to support your answer to 4(a) (i)______(ii)______

Exercise 13 7 Now Hari was in the heart of the building. He looked about him and saw nothing but shut doors. He went up close to them to study the numbers and finally saw one that had 102 on it in brass letters. He banged and hammered on it for quite a while before it was opened by a tall man in white trousers and a high-collared white coat. ‘Why are you banging, idiot – don’t you see the bell?’ he shouted. 8 Hari looked up to see if there was a bell hanging from the lintel but there was nothing there. ‘No,’ he said in a low voice, ‘where is it?’ 9 ‘Here, fool,’ said the man angrily and, putting his finger on a white button beside the door frame, made it scream suddenly and shrilly. ‘Who are you and what do you want?’

1. How can you tell from paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 that Hari is not used to life in the big city? ______

2. How do you think Hari reacts to the sound of the doorbell (paragraph 9)? ______

3. Write down three separate words from paragraph 9 which support your answer to 2. (a) ______(b)______(c)______

Exercise 14 10 ‘I want to meet the Sahib,’ Hari whispered staring past the man into the brightly lit room with its carpeted floor, large pieces of furniture and bright pictures and mirrors and flowers. He became conscious of his dirty feet in their dusty sandals and wondered how he could ever step into that room in such a condition. 11 The man at the door had no intention of letting him do so. ‘The Sahib? Who sent you to meet him? Have you a letter? 12 Hari felt in his pocket for the bit of paper. ‘Here, I have his name and address.’ 13 ‘Who gave it to you?’ 14 ‘He gave it to me.’ 15 ‘Don’t tell lies.’ 16 ’It is true. When he came to Thul, I washed and cleaned his car for him, and he told me to come and see him when I came to Bombay.’ 17 ‘Thul?’ The man frowned: the name seemed to mean something to him Hari watched his face hopefully but what he said was another blow.

1. Why does Hari whisper (paragraph 10)? ______

2. The writer could have said ‘looking’ instead of ‘staring’ (paragraph 10). Why is ‘staring’ better? ______

3. Which three of the following words best describes the attitude towards Hari of the man who answers the door?

polite hostile suspicious interested abrupt sympathetic

4. What, in your opinion, is the relationship between the man who opens the door and ‘the Sahib’ (paragraphs 10 -11)? ______

5. When the man frowns, Hari watches his face ‘hopefully’(paragraph 17). What does Hari hope the frown means? ______

Exercise 15 18 ‘The Sahib is not here. He has gone to Thul, where you come from – he left this morning. They have all gone – for their summer vacation. When they come back the Sahib will go abroad. He is a big business man, don’t you know? He has business in England, in America. He will not come back for another month.’ He studied Hari closely. ‘So you come from Thul, do you? The cook has told me about it – a jungly place, they say. What are you doing here?’ 19 I am looking for work,’ Hari whispered. ‘I wish to stay.’ 20 This seemed to annoy the man, even frighten him. ‘Go, go away,’ he shouted. ‘There is no work for you here – the Sahib has plenty of servants already. He doesn’t need another one – not a boy from Thul certainly. Go – there is no work and nowhere for you to stay,’ he repeated harshly and, stepping back, shut the door firmly.

1. Why do you think the man seems frightened when Hari says that he is looking for work (paragraph 20)? ______

2. What do you think the man’s attitude towards Thul is? ______

3. Write down two expressions from paragraphs 18 – 20 which supports your answer to 2. (a)______(b)______

4. Look at the following possibilities for what might happen next in the story. For each one, show whether you think it is likely or unlikely, and give a reason.

(a) Hari will ring the doorbell and demand to be put up for the night. This is likely / unlikely because ______

(b) The man will call Hari back, apologise and take him in. This is likely / unlikely because ______

(c) Hari will look for somewhere else to stay. This is likely / unlikely because ______

Hillside Haven Exercise 16

The exercises which follow are all based on a magazine article about a man who owns a nature park.

Before you move on to exercises 17 – 21, read over the entire article – you will need to have a good understanding of the whole thing in order to complete your homework over the coming weeks. A section of the passage appears at the start of each exercise.

Who is the passage about? ______

Write three things you find out about the owner of the park (a)______(b)______(c)______

What is the name of the park? ______

Where is it located? ______

Write down 3 animals you could see at the park. (a)______(b)______(c)______

Exercise 17 When Malcolm Moy found himself the proud owner of a large and unusual collection of wildfowl, he decided to realise his oldest dream and build a nature reserve to house them. Since then his Argyll Wildlife Park has gone from strength to strength. Claire Laurent tells its remarkable story.

1 There’s no such thing as a typical day at the Argyll Wildlife Park, for any job that involves caring for hundreds of animals and dealing with thousands of curious human visitors is by definition unpredictable. 2 As you pay the entrance fee and collect a bag of food for the birds, it becomes apparent that, at this nature reserve, you’re meant to mix with as many of the animals as is safely possible, not just observe them from afar. 3 The park is set in Argyll’s beautiful, rugged countryside on a low cliff overlooking Loch Fyne, just outside Inveraray. 4 Established five years ago, Argyll Wildlife Park is the concept of just one man – 41 year old Malcolm Moy. 5 ’When the idea first came to me.’ He explains, ‘I visualized how I’d like the reserve to look, then tried to plan the layout in a way that I felt visitors to the park would appreciate, too. I used my instincts rather than trusting to a firm of surveyors. 6 It seems that Malcolm’s instincts have served him well – no concrete walkways here, just natural paths through woods and open space. The original stock of 700 wildfowl, which Malcolm brought from Norfolk, has expanded to incorporate many species of Scottish mammals ands some of the rarest birds in Europe. The birds obviously appreciate their new habitat – many of them are now breeding happily in captivity and even wild herons, renowned for their desire for privacy, are nesting. 7 The ease with which the wildlife at the park has adapted to its surroundings is a tribute to Malcolm’s experience and expertise. Originally a poultry farmer, his knowledge of wild birds and their habitats developed during his years as a summer warden with the Norfolk Naturalist Trust.

1. ‘There’s no such thing as a typical day at the Argyll Wildlife Park…’ Write down another word from paragraph 1 which suggests that life at the park can be different from day to day. ______

2. In paragraph 2, the writer suggests that the Argyll Wildlife Park differs from other nature reserves in one particular way. Explain how, in her opinion, it differs. ______

3. ‘The birds obviously appreciate their new habitat’ (paragraph 6). Write down two examples from the passage which are given to illustrate this. (a)______(b)______4. What two occupations did Malcolm have before he came to Argyll? (a)______(b)______

5. Explain in your own words how either of these could prove useful to him in his work at the park. ______Exercise 18 8 Even so, it was an uphill struggle to clear the 60 acres of parkland that he had chosen for his site. The task took over a year, with Malcolm – assisted only by an industrial digger – shouldering the brunt of the work. ‘Twenty pounds had to be excavated for the wildfowl and two miles of fox-proof, vermin – proof fencing was erected,’ he explains. ‘It was quite a job!’ 9 The size of the park wasn’t the only problem he had to face. Moving 700 wildfowl from Norfolk to Scotland proved anything but straightforward. The whole operation had to be done as quickly as possible to avoid causing the birds unnecessary stress. Malcolm recalls the day of the move vividly. ‘It poured with rain and when the deriver stopped at Loch Lomond to check on the birds, William the whistling swan escaped and flew straight out across the loch. He stayed in the wild for a fortnight, but eventually gave himself up. I think he missed the home comforts!’

1. What information are we given in the passage to show that building the park was a difficult job for Malcolm to tackle? Give two examples. (a)______(b)______

2. When the wildfowl were being moved to Scotland, the operation had to be carried out quickly. In your own words, explain why. ______

3 Why do you think the writer tells the story of William the whistling swan? ______

Exercise 19

10 From its humble beginnings, the Argyll Wildlife Park is now recognized as having one of the finest collections of wild geese in Europe. Some, such as the Né Né or Hawaiian geese are, are endangered species; so is William the whistling swan who, with his mate, has now settled down and bred successfully. 11 Once the wildfowl were established, the park increased its stock to include a number of different wild birds, particularly owls, who find the woodland setting suited to their needs. 12 All the birds are kept in large enclosures, as much for their own protection as for the protection of other animals that are their natural prey. ‘Owls have to be enclosed - eagle owls, for example, can kill cats or lambs. It is, anyway, illegal to release animals that have been bred in captivity; they have never learned to hunt and they won’t be able to survive in the wild.’ 13 Public demand to see a wider variety of wildlife has led to the introduction of a collection of Scottish mammals. These include the notorious Scottish wildcat which, while looking like your friendly fireside tabby, is extremely dangerous and must be kept enclosed. ‘These are pure Scottish wildcats,’ says Malcolm. ‘The species has come increasingly under threat in this country because the male wildcats often mate with domestic cats producing a cross-breed.’ 14 Other native residents of the park include Scottish wild boar which were introduced two years ago. They, too, are kept in a large enclosure because of their ferocity.

1. Explain in your own words why the park is particularly suited to owls. ______

2. The birds are kept in ‘large enclosures’ (paragraph 12). The writer gives a number of reasons for this. In your own words, give two of these reasons. (a)______(b)______

3. The writer calls the Scottish wildcat ‘notorious’ (paragraph 13). Tick the one from the following list which best explains what the writer means. the wildcat is noted for being very tame the wildcat has a reputation for being very dangerous the wildcat is a native of the Highlands the wildcat is popular with visitors to the park the wildcat looks like any other cat

4. In paragraph 13, Malcolm says that the Scottish wildcat has come under threat. What other word, used earlier in the passage, means that a species is under threat of extinction? ______Exercise 20

15 The daily routine at Argyll Wildlife Park is not for the faint hearted. ‘Whoever is looking after the park for the day takes the feed round in the morning and checks that all the animals are okay,’ explains Malcolm. ‘We also make sure there’s been no overnight flooding and, as there is a problem with wild mink getting in we check the traps that have been set for them. Next it’s time to fill the bags that visitors use to feed the wildfowl. At least that way we know the birds are getting the right sort of food. Then there’s a round of checking fences and cleaning out enclosures.’ 16 The park is then ready to open its gates to the public who, once they’ve spent two hours or so taking in the many sights, invariably stop for a cup of tea or to browse in the gift shop. 17 Lesley, who runs this side of the business from a newly-built tea-room, is the first to admit that she is overwhelmed by the public interest in the wildlife park. ‘We hope to expand in order to cope with the increasing number of visitors – 35,000 this year compared to 11,000 when we first started.

1. The people who look after the park have a number of duties to carry out each day. From what you have read in the passage, make a list of five duties which have to be carried out each day before the park is opened to the public.

(a)______(b)______(c)______(d)______(e)______

2. What evidence is given in the passage to show that the park has become a popular place for visitors? ______Exercise 21

18 For Robert, Malcolm’s son, one of the perks of the job is being able to share his love of nature with others. ‘Conservation is not just the importance of saving something from extinction, it’s also about showing people wildlife and encouraging a respect for it,’ he says. 19 ‘I particularly like showing off the Scottish mammals, because there’s a good chance that people might actually see these animals in the wilds of the Highlands,’ he explains. ‘Ninety-nine per cent of our visitors have never seen a wild badger, and to come here and watch a family of these lovely creatures running about is really exciting.’ 20 Work on any necessary paperwork is fitted around the needs of the animals. If the park is quiet, Malcolm can slip away and update his books, but more often than not this job is done in the evening, 21 It is time he gives willingly, because animals have been an important part of his life since boyhood. For Malcolm Moy, the Argyll Wildlife Park is much more than a business venture. It is his life, a culmination of his dream of conservation and desire to share his love of wildlife with others.

1. Malcolm’s son, Robert, enjoys working at the park. What does he enjoy most about it? ______

2. In paragraph 18. Robert speaks about conservation and suggests that the word can mean two different things. In the spaces below, explain each of the two meanings as fully as you can in your own words. (a)______(b)______

3 Explain clearly why Malcolm thinks his work at the park is ‘…much more than a business venture.’ (Paragraph 21). ______

4. Think about the whole passage and the title, ‘Hillside Haven’. Now explain as fully as you can the connection between the title and what the passage is about. ______