MINISTRY OF DEFENCE LANGUAGES EXAMINATIONS BOARD

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE LANGUAGES EXAMINATIONS BOARD

OPERATIONAL SLP2 ENGLISH BASE PAPER (ANSWERS) PAPER A Reading Task 1 Task 2

Military Reading Civilian Reading

Time allowed Time allowed

40 minutes (Roman & Cyrillic scripts) 50 minutes (non-Roman scripts)

Candidates should attempt all the questions. All answers must be written in English. All notes, rough work and answers must be written on the examination paper. Do not turn this page over until instructed to do so

University of Westminster & Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board

SLP2 All Languages Reading Answers **/07-08/OP/Paper A Page 1 of 3

Task 1 Military Reading Read the text and answer the questions in English. The text is about Sri Lanka. Child Soldiers in Sri Lanka The United Nations has accused the Sri Lankan armed forces of helping to recruit children as soldiers. The UN says it has found evidence that some people in the security forces are supporting and sometimes involved in the abduction of these children from their families. The children are used in fighting by a group called the Karuna faction. The Karuna faction is a group of Tamil Tiger rebels who changed sides and who now fight for the government. Allan Rock, a UN Special Representative, carried out a 2-week investigation into the situation and has published a report of what he found. The report says the group has taken 135 children since May. There is evidence that the numbers are increasing rapidly. In a statement, the UN said that the Tamil Tigers are also continuing to recruit under-aged combatants. For a long time child rights groups and the UN have accused the Tigers of recruiting children. However, this is the first allegation of this kind against the government and the armed forces. Tamil Tigers have been fighting the government since 1983. They are demanding a separate homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, and say the government for many years has discriminated against them. They say that the government does not give Tamils equal rights in Sri Lanka. More than 65,000 people were killed in the conflict before the cease-fire in 2002. This year renewed fighting has killed more than 2,000 people, even though both sides say that they are supporting the cease-fire. Questions 1. According to the UN, what have the Sri Lankan armed forces been doing? 2. Who are the Karuna faction? (Give details) 3. What does Allan Rock's report say? 4. What did the UN say in a statement? 5. Why are these new allegations unusual? 6. What is the Tamil long term aim? 7. What do the Tamils say about the way the government has been treating them? 8. What claim is made by the two sides in the conflict? Answers 1. Helping to recruit children as soldiers. 2. A group of Tamil Tiger rebels who changed sides (½) and now support the government. (½) 3. Either: The report says the group has taken 135 children since May. Or: There is evidence that the numbers are increasing rapidly. 4. The Tamil Tigers also continue to recruit under-aged combatants. 5. First such allegation against the government and the armed forces. 6. A separate homeland for Tamils. 7. Discriminating against them/not giving them equal rights. 8. Both sides claim to be supporting the cease-fire. University of Westminster & Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board


Task 2 Civilian Reading Read the text and answer the questions in English. The text is about events in Iraq. Up to 150 people kidnapped from Iraq ministry Gunmen wearing Iraqi police commando uniforms have kidnapped up to 150 staff and visitors from the Ministry of Education in Baghdad. The event is the largest abduction since the start of the US occupation. Iraq's Education Minister instantly ordered all universities to close until security had been improved. He asked the Prime Minister and Ministry of Defence to respond rapidly to this "national catastrophe". In a statement he said that between 100 and 150 people, a mixture of Shiites and Sunnis, had been taken by the gunmen. Police and eyewitnesses said around 80 gunmen closed off streets surrounding the ministry building in the Karradah district. The four guards at the Ministry did not resist and were not harmed. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen handcuffed all the men in the building, and put them onto trucks. Some of the gunmen wore masks. All of the gunmen had blue camouflage uniforms of the type worn by police commandos. As well as kidnappings there has been a series of killings and other attacks on Iraqi academics. The result is that thousands of professors, lecturers and researchers are fleeing to neighbouring countries to escape the situation in Iraq. Academics are now the target of this kind of attack. Observers think that this is because the academics are publicly speaking against the Insurgency. As Iraq becomes more fundamentalist, saying what you think in public becomes more dangerous. The government has responded to this latest incident by deploying extra officers around universities to deter further violence. Questions 1. What is significant about this latest raid? 2.& 3. What two things did the Education Minister do immediately after the raid? 4. How did the guards respond to the attack? 5. How were the gunmen dressed? 6. How are the academics responding to the increase in kidnappings and attacks? 7. Why are Iraq’s academics being targeted? 8. What is the government’s response to this latest incident? Answers 1. Largest abduction since the start of the US occupation. 2. Ordered all universities to close (until security improvements are made). 3. Asked the Prime Minister (and Ministry of Defence) to respond rapidly. 4. They put up no resistance. 5. Some wore masks (½ mark). All wore blue camouflage uniforms (of the type worn by police commandos). (½ mark) 6. They are fleeing to neighbouring countries. 7. They spoke out publicly against the insurgency. 8. They deployed extra officers around universities. University of Westminster & Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board



OPERATIONAL SLP2 DUTCH PAPER A

Tapescripts

Task 1 Task 2

Military Listening Civilian Listening


SLP2 Dutch Tapescripts DU/07-08/OP/Paper A Page 1 of 5

Task 1 Military Listening (English version) This item is about a recent visit made by Prince Charles to a military facility. Prince Charles has recently visited a new training facility for the Nigerian Army. The Training facility has been set up to train Nigerian peacekeepers. The United Kingdom has provided some of the money required to pay for the building. Nigerian, British and American military personnel jointly deliver the training at this new training facility. The facility provides training for Nigerian troops before deploying on peacekeeping missions. The Nigerian personnel receive training in a wide range of subjects that are essential for these peacekeeping operations. During his visit Prince Charles was invited to inspect a battalion of Nigerian soldiers preparing to deploy to Darfur. 29 Nigerian staff, 13 British and 10 American personnel are currently teaching the battalion. The soldiers are learning how to patrol, how to ensure base security and how to conduct vehicle check points. The Nigerian Commandant of the training facility told Prince Charles that the training was very important for Nigerian military personnel. The soldiers need to be well trained if they are to cope with the difficult conditions on the peacekeeping operation in Darfur. He was also very pleased that the Prince had taken the time to visit the training facility during his Africa visit. 199 words Questions 1. What has Prince Charles just visited? 2. What was the role of the United Kingdom in the building of this facility? 3. Which nationalities deliver training at the facility? 4. What are the Nigerians being trained for? 5. What was Prince Charles invited to do during his visit? 6. Name 2 of the specific tasks that the soldiers are currently being trained for. 7. Why does the Commandant say that the training is particularly important for the Nigerian soldiers? 8. Why was the Commandant very pleased? Answers 1. A new training facility for the Nigerian Army. 2. The UK provided some of the money required to pay for the building. 3. Nigerian, British and American. 4. Peacekeeping operations. 5. Inspect (a battalion of Nigerian) soldiers (½ mark) / preparing to deploy to Darfur (½ mark). 6. How to patrol / how to ensure base security / how to conduct vehicle check points. (2 required for 1 mark) 7. It is important for the Nigerian soldiers to be able to cope with the difficult conditions on the peacekeeping operation in Darfur. 8. He was pleased that the Prince has taken the time to visit the training facility during his Africa visit. University of Westminster & Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board


Task 1 Military Listening (Dutch Version) Prins Charles heeft onlangs een nieuw trainingskamp van het Nigeriaanse leger bezocht. Het trainingskamp is opgezet om Nigeriaanse vredesbewaarders te trainen. Het Verenigd Koninkrijk heeft voor een gedeelte van het geld gezorgd dat nodig was voor het gebouw. Nigeriaans, Brits en Amerikaans militair personeel leveren gezamenlijk de training in het nieuwe trainingskamp. Het kamp biedt training aan Nigeriaanse troepen voordat ze uitgezonden worden op vredesmissies. Het Nigeriaanse personeel krijgt training in een reeks van onderwerpen dat noodzakelijk is voor deze operaties als vredesbewaarders. Tijdens zijn bezoek werd prins Charles uitgenodigd het bataljon Nigeriaanse soldaten te inspecteren dat zich aan het voorbereiden was voor uitzending naar Darfur. Er zijn op dit moment 29 Nigeriaanse, 13 Britse en 10 Amerikaanse peroneelsleden bezig met het trainen van het bataljon. De soldaten leren hoe ze moeten patrouilleren, hoe ze de veiligheid van een basis kunnen verzekeren en hoe ze controleposten moeten handhaven. De Nigeriaanse commandant van het trainingskamp vertelde prins Charles dat de training erg belangrijk was voor het Nigeriaanse militaire personeel. De soldaten zullen goed getraind moeten zijn om met de moeilijke omstandigheden van een vredesmissie in Darfur om te kunnen gaan. Hij was ook erg blij dat de prins tijdens zijn bezoek aan Afrika de tijd had genomen het trainingskamp te bezoeken. 210 words



Task 2 Civilian Listening (English Version) The passage concerns a Briton, Mirza Tahir Hussain, and events in Pakistan. A Briton who spent 18 years on death row in Pakistan is on his way back to the UK, the Foreign Office confirmed. Mirza Tahir Hussain, from Leeds, was due to be hanged under Islamic law for murdering taxi driver Jamshed Khan in 1988. But on Thursday his death sentence was changed to life imprisonment on the order of Pakistan's president. Since then he has been freed because he has already spent 18 years in prison, which was the length of his sentence. Hussain always said he was innocent and insisted he acted in self defence. He was just 18 when he left West Yorkshire in December 1988 to visit relatives in Pakistan. Three days after flying out from Heathrow, Hussain took a train from his aunt's home to the town of Rawalpindi, where he took a taxi to his family in a nearby village. Hussain maintains the driver tried to attack him. The taxi driver pulled out a gun and, during a struggle, the weapon went off and he was fatally injured. Hussain drove off in the taxi and turned himself in to the first policeman he saw. Speaking in London, his brother Amjad said the whole family was absolutely delighted that he was free. "My brother is overjoyed and he thanks everyone who supported him," he said. Questions 1. How long had Hussain been on death row? 2. What was he convicted of? 3. What happened on Thursday? 4. What did he always insist on? 5. Why did he fly to Pakistan in 1988? 6. According to Hussain, how did the incident start? 7. What did he do after the incident? 8. Who does Hussain wish to thank? Answers 1. 18 years 2. Murdering a taxi driver (in 1988) 3. His death sentence was changed 4. That he acted in self defence / That he was innocent 5. To visit relatives 6. He says the taxi driver tried to attack him 7. He drove off in the taxi and turned himself in to the first policeman he saw 8. Everyone who supported him University of Westminster & Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board


Task 2 Civilian Listening (Dutch Version) Een Brit, die 18 jaar in een dodencel in Pakistan zat, is op weg terug naar het Verenigd Koninkrijk, dat bevestigde het Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Mirza Tahir Hussain uit Leeds was door de Islamitische wetgeving veroordeeld tot de dood door ophanging voor de moord in 1988 op taxichauffeur Jamshed Khan. Maar op donderdag werd het doodsvonnis op bevel van de Pakistaanse president omgezet tot levenslange gevangenschap. Sinsdien is hij vrijgekomen omdat hij al 18 jaar, de totale duur van zijn vonnis, in de gevangenis had gezeten. Hussain heeft altijd gezegd dat hij onschuldig was en dat hij uit zelfverdediging had gehandeld. Hij was slechts 18 jaar toen hij in December 1988 vanuit West Yorkshire familie in Pakistan ging bezoeken. Drie dagen na vanuit Heathrow te zijn opgestegen, stapte Hussain bij zijn tante op de trein naar de stad Rawalpindi, waar hij een taxi nam naar zijn familie in een nabijgelegen dorp. Hussain houdt vol dat de chauffeur hem probeerde aan te vallen. De taxichauffeur trok een pistool en tijdens een worstelpartij ging het pistool af en raakte hij dodelijk gewond. Hussain reed in de taxi weg en gaf zichzelf over aan de eerste politieagent die hij zag. Zijn broer in Londen, Amjad, zei dat de hele familie het absoluut fantastisch vond dat hij vrij was. ‘Mijn broer is dolblij en wil graag iedereen bedanken die hem gesteund heeft’, zei hij. 231 words




OPERATIONAL SLP2 DUTCH PAPER A

Speaking Examiners’ Pack Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Transacting Business (Social) – 10 minutes approx. General Conversation – 10 minutes approx. Situational Interpreting – 10 minutes approx.

Time allowed

30 minutes approx.

Contents Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

Cover sheet Task 1 Transacting Business – Examiners’ Brief Task 1 Transacting Business – Service Colleagues’ Check List & Candidates’ Brief Task 2 General Conversation – Examiners’ Brief Task 3 Situational Interpreting (English Version) – Service Colleagues’ Brief Task 3 Situational Interpreting (Dutch Version) – Examiners’ Brief

University of Westminster Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board

SLP2 Dutch Examiners’ Pack DU/07-08/OP/Paper A Page 1 of 5

Task 1 Transacting Business Examiners’ Brief Scenario: A meeting between a military officer and an aid worker to discuss rebuilding programmes. Candidate Greeting. We want to discuss the building programme.

Examiner Yes. We need to start as soon as possible.

Service Colleague They need to start as soon as possible.

We need to know what the priority is.

We need help in rebuilding the hospital. It was totally destroyed and patients are outside in tents.

First they need help in rebuilding the hospital. It was totally destroyed and patients are outside in tents.

How many people can you supply and what equipment have you got?

All the people in the village will help, but we have nothing, no machines and no real materials. We want to know what you can do to help.

All the people in the village will help, but they have nothing, no machines and no real materials. They want to know what you can do to help.

We can supply some equipment to help you and some men for two weeks.

We won’t be able to do everything in that time.

They won’t be able to do everything in that time.

We would like to arrange a meeting for our engineers. When would you be free?

Next Monday at 11am.

Next Monday at 11am would be good time for a meeting.

Thank you.

You’re welcome.



Task 1 Transacting Business Candidates’ Instructions You have been sent as the only Dutch speaker available to transact business. You play the role of the British military officer and the examiner will play the role of the foreign aid worker. When the transaction has finished you should then brief the service colleague in the room. Scenario: A meeting between a military officer and an aid worker to discuss rebuilding programmes. Read the memo and make notes. You will be allowed to take this paper with you out into the examination room. From: Your CO To: You Re: Rebuilding programme As you know we have agreed to help in the rebuilding programme after the hurricane. Please meet with a civilian representative of the rebuilding planning committee to discuss logistics. In particular we need to find out: • • • • •

How urgent the programme is. What is the top priority and why. The number of people who can work and the nature of any equipment they might have. We can supply equipment and some people for two weeks. Find out what their reaction is. Please arrange a meeting with our engineers. Confirm date.

Please take note of any other information you think may be of interest. Report back on your return.

Task 2 General Conversation Candidates conduct a general conversation with the examiner. Conversation topics may include the candidate’s work, family and interests, as well as simple items of military or general interest. University of Westminster Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board


Task 3 Situational Interpreting (English Version) Service Colleagues’ Brief Your task as Service Colleague is to explain the conduct of the Situational Interpreting to the candidate, and then take part in the scenario. You should read the following instructions to the candidate: In this task you will be the interpreter, the examiner will play the part of the native speaker, and I will represent the British military. Scenario: Meeting between a British officer and local police officer following incidents at a polling station during elections. The British officer begins. Officer:

Thank you for coming to this meeting. We need to talk about the incidents yesterday.

Police Officer:

Yes, I feel that your men had no idea what they were supposed to be doing. The whole situation got out of control.

Officer:

Our mission was to guard the area outside the building and to provide support to the police if necessary.

Police Officer:

Yes, but you didn’t come to the support of the police. There was a large angry crowd outside the building and you did nothing.

Officer:

There was no radioed request by the police. Also it only took you 20 minutes to bring the situation under control and our men were checking to see if anyone else was approaching.

Police Officer:

Do you need a radioed request before you act? Could you not see that we needed your support?

Officer:

We didn’t think it was a good idea to leave our position. That would make the whole area vulnerable to attack from all sides. You need to see the whole situation.

Police Officer:

I will be making a report about this incident to my commanding officer.

Officer:

So will I. Goodbye.



Task 3 Situational Interpreting (Dutch Version) Scenario: Meeting between a British officer and local police officer following incidents at a polling station during elections. Officier:

Dank u dat u gekomen bent. We moeten praten over de incidenten van gisteren.

Politie Officier:

Ja, ik denk dat uw mannen geen idee hadden wat ze precies moesten doen. De hele situatie liep uit de hand.

Officier:

Onze opdracht was het gebied buiten het gebouw te bewaken en de politie hulp te bieden als dit nodig was.

Politie Officier:

Ja, maar jullie kwamen niet om de politie te helpen. Er stond een grote en boze menigte buiten het gebouw en jullie deden niets.

Officier:

Er werd door de politie geen verzoek over de politieradio verstuurd. Het kostte jullie slechts 20 minuten om de situatie weer onder controle te brengen en onze mannen waren bezig te controleren of er nog anderen aankwamen.

Politie Officier:

Heeft u een verzoek over de politieradio nodig voordat u in actie komt? Kon u niet zien dat we hulp nodig hadden?

Officier:

We dachten dat het geen goed idée was onze posities te verlaten. Dat zou het hele gebied kwetsbaar maken voor aanvallen van alle kanten. U moet naar de hele situatie kijken.

Politie Officier:

Ik zal hierover een rapport opmaken voor mijn hoofdcommandant.

Officier:

Dat zal ik ook doen. Tot ziens.



MINISTRY OF DEFENCE LANGUAGES EXAMINATIONS BOARD

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