By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams and tests that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the University Entrance Examination.
Read the following story by Anchalee Kongrut from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Businessman Chak Cherdsatirkul, 30, is the owner of Kaomai Lanna Resort in Chiang Mai province’s Sun Pa Tong district. He planned to turn 70 rai near the resort into a bird sanctuary named Protective Wing. The property, which belongs to his family, had been left undeveloped since 1997.
Chak was thinking of a simple, natural landscape design — a wetland for migratory birds. He was inspired by his trip, three years ago, to the Buraco das Aranas (Sinkhole of the Macaws), a renowned bird sanctuary and tourist attraction in Brazil. This famous sanctuary was once a cave that collapsed to become a giant sinkhole. The owner of Buraco das Aranas, Modesto Sampio, cleaned up the cave and released a pair of red and green macaws. The birds multiplied and their offspring built nests between the sandstone cliffs.
However, Chak’s project to turn his land into a bird sanctuary grew more ambitious when his architect friends heard about it.
“My friends proposed something more challenging, exciting and fun,” Chak said. “Instead of just creating a natural landscape for birds, I was challenged to create a space where birds can live safely and bird watchers can visit.”
The project will be entered for the renowned global Holcim Awards in 2015. The Holcim Awards Competition is an architectural design competition organised by Holcim Ltd, one of the world’s leading building materials companies.
The design of Chak’s bird sanctuary was created by Jariyawadee Lekawatana of Architect Kidd and Assistant Professor Singh Intrachooto, a celebrated architecture lecturer at Kasetsart University. The design simulates natural bird habitats, as well as including a small hotel and birdwatching towers. The construction materials come from nature.
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. Where is Kaomai Lanna Resort located?
a. In Phuket.
b. In Chiang Rai.
c. In Chiang Mai.
2. What inspired Chak to set up the bird sanctuary?
a. Principles advocated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
b. His trip to a bird sanctuary and tourist attraction in Brazil.
c. His friend’s advice.
3. What was the difference between Chak’s original plan and the architects’ version?
a. The architects planned to create a natural landscape for birds.
b. The architects planned to create a space where birds could live safely and bird watchers could visit.
c. The architects proposed an area where birds can breed during the winter.
4. How long had the property been left undeveloped?
a. It had been underdeveloped since 1997.
b. It had been underdeveloped for three years.
c. The story does not say.
5. Which of the following best describes Holcim?
a. It is a resort in Chiang Mai province.
b. It is an architectural design competition.
c. It is one of the world’s leading building materials companies.
6. Who is a Kasetsart University architecture lecturer?
a. Jariyawadee Lekawatana.
b. Singh Intrachooto.
c. Chak Cherdsatirkul.
7. How did a cave in Brazil become a famous bird sanctuary?
a. It collapsed and become a giant sinkhole.
b. It received a gold medal from the Holcim Awards in 2014.
c. The owner cleaned up the cave and released a pair of red and green macaws, and their offspring built nests there.
8. Where will Chak’s bird sanctuary be located?
a. In Chiang Mai province’s Sun Pa Tong district.
b. At Kasetsart University.
c. In Brazil.
Section 2
Read the story and decide whether the following statements are true or false.
9. Jariyawadee Lekawatana works for Holcim Ltd.
………………..
10. Buraco das Aranas is also known as Sinkhole of the Macaws.
………………..
11. Chak’s plan was to turn 70 rai near the Kaomai Lanna Resort into a bird sanctuary.
………………..
12. Chak is in his forties.
………………..
Section 3
Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct words from the choices given.
The project will be …..13….. of two zones. The major site is …..14….. two birdwatching towers, wetlands and the main habitat for birds will be located. …..15….. second site will be smaller. It will be a rehabilitation area …..16….. smuggled exotic birds. The construction will start in 2015, and the first phase of the bird sanctuary will be open …..17….. the public soon afterwards.
13.
a. combine
b. consist
c. comprised
14.
a. how
b. where
c. what
15.
a. The
b. A
c. An
16.
a. for
b. from
c. forward
17.
a. on
b. to
c. after
Section 4
Read the following sentences. Then, underline one grammatically correct word in each from the choices given.
18. The sanctuary was designed by/among/around an architect and a lecturer.
19. It is one of the worlds/world/world's leading companies.
20. His friends proposed something more challenge/challenging/challenged.
Section 5
Write down the noun forms of the following words used in the story.
21. proposed ………………………
22. ambitious ………………………
23. natural ………………………
24. safely ………………………
Vocabulary
- brainchild (n): an idea or invention of one person or a small group of people
sanctuary (n): an area where wild birds or animals are protected and encouraged to breed
wetland (n): an area of wet land
migratory (adj): connected with, or having the habit of, regularly moving in large numbers from one place to another
sinkhole (n): a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer
offspring (n): the young of an animal or plant
celebrated (adj): famous for having good qualities
habitat (n): the place where a particular type of animal or plant is normally found
