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Natural Classic

I’m a very keen reader, but selecting the book with a natural‑his‑

tory theme, which has influenced me most, was some challenge, until

I thought back to my childhood. Then it was easy.

Where the book came from is a mystery, and I have never met any‑

one who has heard of it. It is Rita Richie’s The Golden Hawks of Geng‑

his Khan. I read it when I was about 10 years old and I remember to this

day the effect it had on me.

Set in 1218, it is a story of a rich boy whose parents are dead. He

is growing up in the splendid city of Samarkand and has a fascination

for hawks, those magnificent hunting birds. There is a great deal of

mystery surrounding his past, but he is led to believe that a band of

Mongols killed his father to steal a rare type of bird — the golden

hawk. Determined to get these birds back, he runs away from Samar‑

kand and joins a group of people travelling to the country of Mongolia.

What follows is a grand adventure centered on the city of Karakorum,

where the great Mongol chief Genghis Khan was then based.

The book combines adventure, mystery, honour, friendship, dan‑

ger, suffering — all seen through the eyes of the young hero, Jalair.

I still find this fantasy a thrilling read. Jalair’s great love for the birds

was enviable and inspiring. But most of all it was the sense of place

that stayed with me. The book gives the reader an idea of the vast open

spaces of central Asia and its huge skies, without the use of the long

descriptive passages that would bore a child. There are no boundaries.

The emptiness of the Gobi Desert, the Tian Shan mountains and the

excitement of riding through forests and over rolling hills fascinat‑

ed me.

The book gave me more than hawks, horses and a desire for wild

places. It also gave me a set of values. The Mongols in The Golden

Hawks were totally uninterested in possessions, a characteristic that

is absolutely essential for people who spent their lives travelling from

place to place. They were never mean. Generosity, good will and opti‑

mism were highly valued, hard work was enjoyed and the rest was pure

fun. They simply loved life.

Two years ago, I fulfilled a life‑long ambition and went riding in

Mongolia’s mountains. I was not disappointed.

tasks

task 1

For each of the questions 1–10 decide which of the statements are

true or false on the basis of what is stated or implied in what you have

rear and put a “+” if a statement is true and a “–” if a statement is

false next to the corresponding number on your answer sheet.

task 2

For each of the questions 11–15 decide which of the answers (a, b,

c or d) best complete the statements