Name___________________________________ Number ___ Class ____ Date ___/___/___

A. Read the text carefully.

Toronto: Multicultural city

Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world, with about 50% of the population being
foreign-born.

10

15

20

25

As a Londoner who has also visited Toronto, I feel the multicultural nature of London can be
overstated. Toronto has more immigrants as a percentage of its population than London (50%
versus 30% in London). London isnt even top in Europe Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Vienna
all have a higher proportion of foreign-born residents. I think white British is still the majority
ethnicity in all but one of Londons boroughs (Newham).
You can genuinely travel the world in one city in Toronto, and go from India to Greece to
Vietnam all in one afternoon. Whereas in London you just sometimes get a vague feeling that
one group may be quite numerous in one area. Torontos main Chinatown is enormous and
has a whole community living and working in it Londons is a small street with some
Chinese restaurants where few of Londons Chinese community actually live or work. Also,
Londons enclaves are relatively fluid and no group really predominates anywhere, except
white English people. For example, Brixton is usually thought of as a Black area, but even
here Afro-Caribbeans and Black Britons dont constitute a majority. London doesnt have
anything approximating Koreatown, Corso Italia, Portugal Village, etc. despite sizable
communities of Koreans, Italians and Portuguese calling London home.
Another thing about London is that it is more transient than North American cities. Young
people and students from all over Europe and the wider world will use London as a base for a
while but move on later in life. This makes London very diverse in the 20-30 age bracket but
more monocultural the older people get. Immigrants go to Toronto and other North American
cities to settle and set down roots, meaning you get diversity right up to people in their 80s or
90s. Those immigrant communities who do settle permanently in London will assimilate into
just being British after a couple of generations, whereas in Canada and the US people hang on
to their ethnic identities for generations giving Toronto sizable Irish and Scottish
communities, despite their families having been in the country for four generations.

http://wiki.answers.com
accessed in January 2014

Transient-staying somewhere only a short time

A.1. Find synonyms for the following words/expressions in the first 3

paragraphs of the text. (4p.x5)

1. exaggerated
2. born in a different country
3. districts in a city
4. imprecise
5. substantial

A.2. Say who or what the following information refers to. (4p.x6)
a. about 50% (l. 1)
d. it (l. 11)
b. its (l. 4)
e. here (l. 15)
c. 30% (l. 5)
f. This (l. 20)
A.3. Use your own words to explain these statements as used in the text.
(10p.x2)
a. Another thing about London is that it is more transient than North American
cities. (l. 18)
b. Those immigrant communities who do settle permanently in London will
assimilate into just being British after a couple of generations (ll. 23-24)
A.4. Answer the questions. (13p.x3)
6.1 Which is Londons most predominant ethnic group?
6.2 Does the same happen in Toronto? Support your answer by quoting from the text.
6.3 Why does London become more monocultural the older people get?
B. Vocabulary and Grammar
B.1. Complete this short text with the words given. (2p.x10)
The world has witnessed demographic (1) _____ due to the differences in (2) _____
between developed and developing countries and the consequent need for people to (3)
_____ in search of better living conditions. Also cultures tend to mix because of the
advance in (4) _____ and (5) _____. This interaction often provokes a sense of (6) ______
and confusion, and minorities tend to cling to their (7) _____. Tolerance towards cultural
(8) ______ and respect for (9) _____ are the keys to make life in a multicultural society a
truly (10) ______ experience for all its citizens.
a) emigrate

b) human rights

f) communications

c) insecurity

g) traditional values

d) differences

h) wealth

e) enriching

i) transportation j) changes

B.2. Complete the text with these expressions/words: flight attendant, check-in,
airport, boarding gate, seat, excess luggage fee, boarding pass, duty-free,
flight announcement, carry-on luggage (2p.x10)
As usual Alex arrives late at the (1)____. On the (2)_____ board he sees that all
passengers have to go to gate 19 but only after(3)____. Alex feels relieved because he is
only taking(4)_______. Last time his sister took so much luggage with her that she had
to pay an(5)_______. Because Alex is late, he wont have time to buy anything at
the(6)____ shop. He must run to the(7)_____ where he has to present his(8)_______ to
the(9)_________ who shows him his(10)_________.

B.3. Read the text and write the verbs in brackets in the correct tense. (2p.x12)
Joo and Rita(1) _______(spend) their last Summer holidays in Toronto.
They(2)________(stay) at Ritas grandparents who(3) ____________(live) there for
many years. They(4) ___________(leave) Portugal 18 years ago because her
grandfather(5) ___________(be) offered a well-paid job in Canada.
He(6)_______(work) for a great company since he has arrived there
and(7)________(not/intend) to come back to Portugal soon! At the moment, they(8)__________(plan) a visit to London because one of these days they(9) ________(walk)
along a street near their house when they (10)________(meet) an old friend who invited
them to visit him in London! As they(11)__________(never/be) there before,
they(12)_______(not/think) twice before accepting the invitation!
C. WRITING
Write about 100 words on the following. (33p.)
Invictus is not just about the struggle of the South-African rugby team to win the
rugby World Cup: it is a story, and indeed a lesson, of reconciliation, forgiveness and
hope.

Good work!