Johnson Kinyago, a sun-dried Masai herder, has two sons. “One is a genius—he can identify every animal and find water anywhere. So he’s with the goats,” he says proudly. “The other is stupid so he’s in school.” At a cattle market in Laikipia in northern Kenya, other Masai elders nod their approval. Herding is for bright sparks, school for “thickies,” all of them say. Only 35% of Masai children attend school. The reason is that pastoralists depend on their children’s labor, so even if persuaded of the merits of school, few could spare their ablest offspring. The result is an illiteracy rate of over 90%, leaving the Masai vulnerable to abuse from their more worldly neighbors.
With their stretched ear lobes, their ochre-stained warriors, and gap-toothed brides, the Masai live much as they have for centuries, but in a world which has changed radically. When their—illiterate—forebears made peace with the first British settlers, they unwittingly signed away 90% of their land. The remaining arid patch no longer supports their swollen population. During a recent three-year drought, more than 89% of their animals died, and the proud Masai are now humiliatingly dependent on food aid.
@ 【題組】49 What immediate effect does the high illiteracy rate have on the Masai?
(A)Foreign countries change Masai’s fighting strategies.
(B)The Masai change their life style and their ideas of beauty.
(C)The Masai believe in their tradition even more.
(D)The Masai are easily taken advantage of.
Jean took advantage of the lunch hour to finish her homework.杰妮利用午飯的時間做完了家庭作業。He took advantage of the good weather to go for a walk.他趁著天氣好, 出去散散步。The little children did not know how much to pay for the candy, and John tookadvantage of them.小孩子們不知道糖果要付多少錢, 因此約翰就佔他們的便宜。
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