PART I: WRITTEN RECEPTION (70 points)

(ACCESS TO INFORMATION FROM WRITTEN TEXTS)

Read the article below and then answer questions 1–7.
A glossary of the <u>underlined</u> words (numbers 1–6) is provided below the article.

SMALL PARKS, BIG <u>IMPACT</u>¹

I Walk down the streets of any modern city, and you are likely to see many tall buildings standing close together. The large parks and gardens of these cities are mostly gone, and have been replaced by major building projects. According to architect Sandra Morley, this is not surprising. "Over the past 20 years, urban populations around the world have increased significantly," she 5 says. "So cities have no choice. They need to build on all available land, and this often comes at the expense of green spaces."
II In recent years, however, it has become clear that cities should have as many green spaces as possible. "Studies have shown that plants and especially trees have a cooling effect on air temperature," says Morley. "This is crucial in these times of climate change, when summers can be 10 very hot. In addition, such spaces contribute to our <u>well-being</u>² because spending time in them helps us feel calm."
III Many large cities have therefore been looking for any space that they can <u>transform</u>³ into a green area. The lack of suitable places has led them to introduce some creative solutions, such as putting gardens on roofs of tall buildings. Recently, another solution has become popular in 15 cities all over the world: small parks known as "pocket parks." These small green areas with trees and plants are created in the empty spaces that can still be found in a city. You might see one, for example, in a <u>parking lot</u>⁴ that is no longer used, or in a narrow space between two office buildings.
IV There are many types of pocket parks. Some have just a few trees and plants and a bench or two. Others might also have picnic tables or a small playground. "The idea is to have green spaces 20 near people's homes and workplaces," says Morley. "This <u>enables</u>⁵ them to sit in the sun with a cup of coffee or meet their neighbors outdoors after work."
V Pocket parks are planned and built by the city council or by organizations that believe such parks can help improve people's quality of life. Sometimes, <u>residents</u>⁶ too are involved in planning the parks. For example, they might decide what facilities their neighborhood park should have. 25 "Local people might also be involved in looking after the park, and they often do this work together," says Morley. "So these parks can become much more than green spaces. They can also help build stronger communities."

GLOSSARY

<small>בטופס המקורי המילון מופיע גם בספרדית, ברוסית, בצרפתית, באמהרית ובערבית.</small>

<u>QUESTIONS</u> (70 points)
Answer questions 1–7 in English according to the article. In questions 4 and 7, circle the number of the correct answer. In the other questions, follow the instructions.