Read the article by a journalist about the Faroe Islands, and then answer the following questions. My great-grandfather came from the Faroe Islands, and this year, I decided to find out about his birthplace. I booked to go on a group trip. Usually I do lots of research before a holiday, but this time, not having to plan the whole trip beforehand was a real plus. I've travelled a lot, often alone, so I'm quite independent. This time though, I was glad to have the chance to meet other travellers. There were eight of us in our group, including our guide. During the short drive to our hotel, he gave us some facts and figures. The Faroe Islands are located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Norway and Iceland, although their nearest neighbour is in fact Scotland. We learned that the islands have belonged to Denmark since 1814, having previously been part of Norway from 1035. But in 1948, they became largely independent, able to govern most aspects of their life apart from a few, such as their currency. They now have their own trade policy, but their justice system is something they can't change. While I was listening, I quickly realised that having a knowledgeable guide was an obvious advantage of coming on a trip like this! Apparently, many young people used to leave the Faroe Islands to study abroad, for example, and few returned. But recently, this trend has been reversing, and the population reached 50000 for the first time in April 2017. Another way in which the islands have changed is in terms of transport. For many years, there's been an airport on the main island, and a helicopter service between all the islands. Before my visit, I had thought that with people living on 17 different islands, they would have to rely on ferries to get from one to another. These days though, I discovered they don't have to, as road tunnels have been built to connect several islands. You definitely don't go to the Faroe Islands for sunshine - it rains on average 300 days a year. On our first day, we were meant to go on a boat trip to spot sea birds on the cliffs, but the wind was too strong, making this impossible. Instead, we went to another island and walked to a lighthouse for incredible views. Going on long walks isn't something that l'd normally do on my own, so I valued being able to do this with the group. While we were walking along the narrow paths, our guide told us that in April 2019, the island was shut to tourists for a few days. The only visitors allowed in were volunteers, who took part in what was known as the Closed for Maintenance weekend, arranged by an organisation called Visit Faroe Islands. 105 volunteers helped to repair paths and put up signs to mark routes, and many of them stayed with local people in their homes. I wished I'd been part of that experience! I loved taking photographs of the houses on the island, including the ones around the harbour in the tiny capital city. Some of my group were amazed by how colourful these houses were, though I'd seen pictures of them before. It was the grass roofs on others which I hadn't expected to see. Apparently, these protect them from the cold and rain. All in all, this holiday gave me the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience, which I probably wouldn't have had if I'd been travelling alone. If you can, I recommend that you visit the Faroe Islands. And do it sooner rather than later, before everyone else discovers them! 1 Which country are the Faroe Islands closest to? 2 When did the Faroe Islands get their own government? 3 Which parts of life on the Faroe Islands are controlled by Denmark? Give two details. . 4 What happened in April 2017? 5 How has the transport system on the Faroe Islands been improved in recent years? 6 Why did the writer's group have to change plans on the first day? 7 What was the name of the volunteering event held in 2019 ? 8 What surprised the writer about some of the houses on the Faroe Islands?

Answer:

1.Award 1 mark for each detail up to a maximum 2 marks:
- toothpaste
- make up
2.a million / 1000000
3.(from) 1810
4.machine operator
5.(wooden) fence(s)
6.Green (route)
7.(in the nearby) woods /education centre
8.Art Week

Knowledge points:

Solution: