Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Write to Freedom
Caspar Walsh knows a lot about youth crime. He spent his own youth committing offences such as fraud and
robbery and was in and out of institutions for young offenders during his teens. At the age of 18, he decided that
he didn’t want to end up spending the rest of his life in prison. He turned away from the life he used to lead, finding
solace in writing about his experiences. Now over a decade later, he is dedicating his life to helping other young
people in a similar situation through a project which encourages self-expression through the written word and
through connecting with nature.
The Write to Freedom charity, which began in 2007, runs a ‘wilderness and writing’ course created by Caspar
during which young men in prison spend four weekends camping out in Dartmoor National Park. Caspar believes
that through spending time in nature, troubled youngsters will have the opportunity to reflect on their lives. Putting
their feelings down on paper will help this process. The hope is that, with the support of mentors to guide them,
they will be able to make positive changes to their lives. After completing the course, students can apply to become
mentors on the same project.
But how do angry young men react when they suddenly find themselves in the solitude of nature after spending
most of their lives in an urban environment? Fear and mistrust are often the first feelings. Some of them want to
challenge the new set of rules that they aren’t used to, refusing to switch off their mobile phones, for example,
when asked to. However, after spending the weekend walking in the fresh air, making fires, and sleeping under
the stars, these feelings are usually replaced by more positive ones. While some participants simply appreciate
the chance to get away from prison life, others feel they acquire some useful life skills and learn more about
themselves during the course.
Writing is an unfamiliar activity for the students, many of whom have limited literacy skills as a result of truancy
and a general lack of interest in school. However, they are often surprised to find that once they start writing,
whether about themselves, their own dreams, or fictional stories, they find it enjoyable and empowering. Putting
their ideas and thoughts down on paper gives them the feeling that they are capable of achieving their aims.
Organisations like Write to Freedom are growing in number, but many more are needed. Apart from the huge
financial cost of imprisoning a young person, which is about £55,000 a year in the UK, prison is often not the
answer for young offenders. In many cases, young people who have committed crimes are, with the right help
and guidance, capable of living productive lives in society. The Write to Freedom project is one small step towards
making that happen.
1 Find these words and phrases in the article above. Then choose a synonym (A–H) for each one.
1 wilderness H A the ability to read and write
2 reflect on D B situations
3 solitude E C giving confidence
4 unfamiliar F D think about
5 literacy A E being alone
6 truancy G F strange
7 empowering C G failure to attend school
8 cases B H wild, uninhabited area
5 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Do not change
the word given. Use two to five words, including the word given.
1 I’ve never studied so hard before!
USED
I’m so hard!
2 You really should ask your mum and dad for more pocket money!
HIGH
It’s asked your mum and dad for more pocket money!
3 The film starts in five minutes.
A
We have only got the film starts.
4 Stella started to play the piano three years ago.
PLAYING
Stella has three years.
5 Why did you ignore my advice?
ATTENTION
Why didn’t you my advice?
6 Eleanor said she’d never read such a boring book!
THE
Eleanor said it was had ever read!
7 I wanted to keep playing football, but it was getting late.
TOO
It was keep playing football.
Writing
6 Write an answer to BOTH the questions 1–2 below. Write your answer in 140–190 words in an
appropriate style.
1 In your English class, you have been talking about learning. Now your English teacher has asked you to
write an essay.
Write your essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.
‘Having a teacher is always the best way for students to learn.’ Do you agree?
Notes
Write about:
2
You see this notice in an English-language magazine for teenagers.
Articles Wanted!
We are planning a special feature on world languages and we need your help! What advice would
you give someone who wanted to learn your language? What is difficult about it and what is easy?
How could they make the quickest progress? The best articles will be published next month.
Speaking
7 Interview: In pairs, ask and answer these questions. Write about 40-60 words per answer.
Total score: