Reading skills: " Lion Lights"

Read the text and choose the correct option.

Lion Lights

As night falls on the plain of Kenya, a group of Maasai tribesmen pick up their spears and go to sit near their cattle. Their job is to protect the cattle from the Maasai’s greatest enemy, the lion. However, thanks to one boy’s clever invention, this nightly task is slowly becoming a thing of a past.

Richard Turere is a 13-year-old Maasai boy who grew up helping his father take care of their cattle. “We depend on our cattle to survive. They give us milk and meat, but the lion used to come at night and feed on them,” explains Richard. However, one night when Richard was watching over the cattle, he noticed that the lions were staying far away from him. Richard was holding a torch and it seemed like the lions were scared of the moving light.

The next day, Richard started work on an invention. First, he installed bulbs in a circle around his family’s land. Then, he connected these bulbs to a special car battery. This battery could charge itself during the day with a solar panel. Richard made the bulbs flicker on and off at night to trick the lions into thinking that somebody was holding a torch.

Since Richard installed his ‘lion lights’ two years ago, his family has not lost any cattle because of lion attacks. In fact, his invention was such a success that many other Maasai families came to ask him to build lion lights around their land. Today, around 75 of these systems have been installed around Kenya.

Richard’s invention isn’t just helping the Maasai; it’s also helping the lions. The Kenya Wildlife Service estimates that there are just 2,000 lions left in the country. 15 years ago, there were around 15,000. One of the main reasons why lions throughout Africa have become endangered is because locals kill them to protect their livestock. Thaks to Richard’s invention, in Kenya at least, this is no longer necessary. The lion lights are allowing man and beast to live in peace.

As well as becoming famous in his own community, Richard has earned praise around the world. He even gave a speech about his invention to a conference in California, USA. Also, he won a scholarship to one of Kenya’s top school. “One day I want to be a pilot!” says Richard. Clearly, this incredible boy has a very bright future.

In the introduction the write says that _______________

Read the paragraph from the text and choose the correct option.

The next day, Richard started work on an invention. First, he installed bulbs in a circle around his family’s land. Then, he connected these bulbs to a special car battery. This battery could charge itself during the day with a solar panel. Richard made the bulbs flicker on and off at night to trick the lions into thinking that somebody was holding a torch.

The power for Richard’s invention comes from _____________

Read the paragraph from the text and choose the correct option.

Richard’s invention isn’t just helping the Maasai; it’s also helping the lions. The Kenya Wildlife Service estimates that there are just 2,000 lions left in the country. 15 years ago, there were around 15,000. One of the main reasons why lions throughout Africa have become endangered is because locals kill them to protect their livestock. Thaks to Richard’s invention, in Kenya at least, this is no longer necessary. The lion lights are allowing man and beast to live in peace.

Richard’s invention is important because ________________

Read the paragraph from the text and choose the correct option.

As well as becoming famous in his own community, Richard has earned praise around the world. He even gave a speech about his invention to a conference in California, USA. Also, he won a scholarship to one of Kenya’s top school. “One day I want to be a pilot!” says Richard. Clearly, this incredible boy has a very bright future.

After he invented the lion lights, Richard __________________

Read the question and choose the correct answer.

Before Richard’s invention, what did the Maasai have to do each night?

Read the question and choose the correct answer.

Why it is important that the bulbs in Richard’s invention flicker?

Read the question and choose the correct answer.

 Why are there so few lions in Kenya today?

Read the statement and decide if it’s True or False.

Richard Turere, a boy from Kenya came up with a clever invention to help protect his cattle from lion attacks during the night.

Read the statement and decide if it’s True or False.

Richard grew up helping his father look after their cattle.

Read the statement and decide if it’s True or False.

One day being on night watching Richard realized that lions would stay away when he was holding a torch.

Read the statement and decide if it’s True or False.

So, Richard installed a light bulb near his house and made it flicker.

Read the statement and decide if it’s True or False.

Richard’s ‘lion lights’ not only helped his family or the Maasai tribes but the endangered lions too as the animal no longer attacks the cattle and locals are no longer killing it.