Ejercicio Option A - II · Inglés PAU País Vasco Extraordinaria 2022

FAIRTRADE

The things we buy come from many different places. A lot of these products are made by people who work extremely hard for very little money, while big companies make huge profits. That is why Fairtrade was created, as a system that helps farmers and artisans get paid reasonably. The traded products of this global organisation are environmentally friendly, of good quality and are sold at proper prices.

Coffee is one of the biggest Fairtrade products. There are about 25 million coffee farmers around the world. Many of them make so little money that they have to leave their farms and migrate to other countries or use their farms for illegal crops. Farmers who grow Fairtrade coffee get enough money to send their children to school and buy food for their family. Caitlin Blacklaws, nowadays a Fairtrade activist, worked in Guatemala as a volunteer some years ago. While she was there, Caitlin got in touch with local coffee farmers. “Before that I didn’t know what Fairtrade was, but learning about local people’s lives made me get involved. A farmer who doesn’t sell his coffee through Fairtrade can’t send his children to school. They have to stay on the farm and work with him,” she explains.

Alysha, from India, had to leave school when she was 14 and started making carpets. She states that Fairtrade saves poor people from starving and gives them a decent salary for their hard work. “It has helped me become respected by others. Now that I earn good money, I can have a dignified life. From time to time, I can even afford some little luxuries such as a nice dress or a necklace. I also have a bank account, and people appreciate me as an active member of the community”.

As an ethical consumer, it can be difficult to know what to buy. Of course, the Fairtrade logo will help you, but you also have to think about where you are shopping and who is selling. Some companies sell Fairtrade products because they believe in the system, but others do it because ethical shopping has become cool and they may also offer other products that aren’t produced ethically. Moreover, many crafts that are ethically produced don’t have a logo. So, keep it simple: buy from sources with a good reputation and ask about where things come from before you buy them.

OPTION A

II.- Are these statements True or False? Justify your answers based on information from the text, rewriting the original sentences in your own words or quoting properly. (Choose 2 out of the 3 statements) (2 marks)

1.

Although big companies make lots of money with the things we buy, many producers earn very little money.

True

False

2.

Poor people would starve and wouldn't receive the salary they deserve without Fairtrade, according to Alysha.

True

False

3.

All ethically produced products have a logo that certifies it.

True

False