Fordsburg
Activity 1
Complete the gaps in these sentences:
Fordsburg is a residential area of Johannesburg with a very ______ flavour all of its own.
who were in the area looking to find their _______
The fighting continued for over 2 months and was more like a ______ war.
The _______ of this community is the Oriental Plaza,
. . .where the shops proudly announce that they don't have ______ prices.
. . . but to see such a mix of races and nationalities living and working side by side in _______.
. . . in a time of racial segregation but in fact now represents the success of racial _________.
Activity 2
Answer these questions:
1. How did the town first develop?
2. When did the revolt start?
3. When did it finish?
4. What is the nickname of Fordsburg?
5. How many shops can you find in the Oriental Plaza?
6. Why was this plaza built?
7. What do you have to do if you want to buy something in the Plaza?
8. What is The Square?
9. Is it far from the Plaza?
Transcript
Fordsburg is a residential area of Johannesburg with a very distinct flavour all of its own. It still has many of the original buildings from when it first grew up as a town for the white gold miners who were in the area looking to find their fortune. It was these miners who were responsible for the revolt of 1922 when they went on strike and started running riot through the town, ending up with violent clashes with the police. The fighting continued for over 2 months and was more like a civil war. On the 14th March the residents were told to leave town as the goverment forces were moving in to destroy the rebel headquarters but most people in fact stayed. Planes dropped bombs on the town and fierce fighting went on for 5 days before the rebels finally surrendered.
It later became the home of the Indian community and now has the nickname 'Little India'. The centrepiece of this community is the Oriental Plaza, built during the Apartheid era as an excuse to displace the Indians who were occupying other areas. It is now a hugely succesful centre with around 350 stores and bars and restaurants, where the shops proudly announce that they don't have fixed prices. You have to barter, or haggle, with the vendor until you find a price you are both happy with. If you are not used to this it can be quite unusual but even so a lot of fun. Remember that if you haggle over the price it isn't being offensive to the vendor – it's part of the shopping experience!
Surely the thing which strikes you the most is the wonderful mix of smells coming from the stalls and stores selling all kinds of Indian and Asian dishes. The Square is the area where the locals go to eat. It's within walking distance of the Oriental Plaza and you really could think you were in India. It's a great place, not just because of the wide range of top quality food available, but to see such a mix of races and nationalities living and working side by side in harmony. The area was built in a time of racial segregation but in fact now represents the success of racial integration.
This student worksheet is free to download and print for use in the classroom or for self-study. It is meant to be used in conjunction with the listening file which is available in mp3 format. However, the transcript can be used not only to check answers but also for reading comprehension and vocabulary exercises.
