Pre-Reading

1
Passage 2
Pre-Reading
Background Notes
Text Analysis
In-Task Activity
2
If only I could

• A Game

3
Write a personal entry for each heading

• Your school (including your university)
• Your friends
• Your habits, e.g. smoking, exercise, eating, etc.
• Your hobbies, e.g. playing the piano, collecting
  stamps, etc.
• Your skills, e.g. languages, carpentry, etc.

4
Please share in turns

• What would I change if I had my life again?

5
Population Geography Capital Religion
around 8,591,629
on the east coast of Africa
Mogadishu
Islam
6
Population Geography Capital Religion
around 8,591,629
on the east coast of Africa
Mogadishu
Islam
7
Somalia has a market economy.
It is one of the worlds poorest and least
developed countries?
Agriculture is the most important sector in its
economy.
8
Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in
Somalia since 1977. In 1991, the northern portion
of the country declared its independence as
Somaliland although de facto independent and
relatively stable compared to the tumultuous
south, it has not been recognized by any foreign
government.
9
Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian
effort (primarily in the south) was able to
alleviate famine conditions, but the UN withdrew
in Operation United Shield by March 3, 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order had
still not been restored.
10
1000 Somali Shillings
11
The 1000 Somali shilling note is laminated to
protect its colors, a mixture of orange, purple,
tan, and green, from fading.
12

• On one side, women weave baskets their images
  are purple, and the baskets around them are
  orange. Some of them seem to be full, perhaps
  with food.

13

• On the opposite side of the note is a two-part
  picture

the main Somali harbor, orange and purple, along
the top
the Central Bank of Somalia, in green, along the
bottom of the bill
14
In 1993
lt
20 cents (2 dimes)
The value of this note in 1993, when the boy who
possessed them was twelve, was less than 20 cents.
15
the front
the back
16
1 dollar 100 cent
1 half-dollar 50 cent
1 quarter 25 cent
1 dime 10 cent
1 nickel 5 cent
1 penny 1 cent
17
In 1993
lt
20 cents (2 dimes)
The value of this note in 1993, when the boy who
possessed them was twelve, was less than 20 cents.
18
By April 2001
lt
1 nickel
By April 2001, when the boy would have become
eighteen, the 1000 shillings dropped to less than
a nickel in value,
19
, primarily because the colors no longer
protected the shillings from being counterfeited.
20
War and famine dropped the value, too.
21
Despite its low value versus the US dollar,
VS.
22
In 1993
would have bought
the boy who possessed the bill enough rice for
several days, had rice been available in
Mogadishu.
23
would have bought him
a meal in the small café not far from the US
Embassy where the Marines stood constant guard,
a meal he could have eaten at a leisurely pace
while sitting in the shade and sipping cool water
if the café had still opened its doors for
business.
24
The café that would have allowed the boy entrance
was not open, and rice was not for sale locally,
not to a single boy buying for himself or his
family.
the reality
25
The boy never spent his 1000 shillingscouldnt
easily spend them, given the scarcity of goods
and services.
But he kept the shillings in his pocket, kept
them as a partial promise.
26
When rice was again for sale, the boy could live
on 1000 shillings for days.
When the café again opened, he could purchase
food and the leisure time in which to enjoy it.
27
(No Transcript)
28
The promise of the bill was reason enough to keep
it, a ticket for admittance into a future time
better than the present.
29
the US Embassy
The boy took the shillings with him to the US
Embassy. He also took his revolver-unloaded, but
only he could know this.
30
He paced in the shade across the street from the
main gate
31
The crowds parted around him, when there were
crowds on the street,
but he was ignored by everyone but the Marines.
32
What does the damned boy wanna do?
The Marines on guard, both twenty and veterans of
the Gulf War, never took their eyes away from the
boy.
33
They watched him for an hour before they made the
first call up the chain of command.
They called again after another hour.
34
The Marines, who would later serve together in
Yugoslavia and Haiti before their discharge,
sought advice and counsel and were given an
absolute
If he points the gun at you, if he threatens you
with it, defend yourself.
35
The 1000 shilling note was in the boys
front-left pocket when the Marines outside the
embassy shot him in the chest.
36
The 1000 shilling note was in the boys
front-left pocket when the Marines outside the
embassy shot him in the chest.
37
The Marine who found the 1000 shillings took the
note home and laminated it.
38

patriotism
The president sends troops around the world.
The names of dead Americans but not dead enemies
are read.

39
Why ?

• Why subjunctive mood?
• Why did the boy keep the worthless shilling?
• Why did the boy go to the US Embassy?
• Why does the author compose this story?

40
In 1993
would have bought
the boy who possessed the bill enough rice for
several days, had rice been available in
Mogadishu.
41
would have bought him
a meal in the small café not far from the US
Embassy where the Marines stood constant guard,
a meal he could have eaten at a leisurely pace
while sitting in the shade and sipping cool water
if the café had still opened its doors for
business.
42
When rice was again for sale, the boy could live
on 1000 shillings for days.
When the café again opened, he could purchase
food and the leisure time in which to enjoy it.
43
However, the reality was
The café that would have allowed the boy entrance
was not open, and rice was not for sale locally,
not to a single boy buying for himself or his
family.
So the subjunctive mood means the misery in
Somalia then.
44
Better future
???
the US Embassy
45
But the US Marine, one of his hopes, stopped his
life and his better future.
Why is the US troop sent to the world?
46
Best Wishes to Somalia and its People!
47
????
??
????
??????