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Jean Pierre Niño Rodriguez

Universidad de los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia
202012865

INSTRUCTIONS

The class tomorrow (18 November) will be asynchronous. You will read the reading from week 6 from
the reading and writing textbook and answer the questions on it. Send the answers to me in a single
email/word document by 8am on November 18. I have attached screenshots for anyone who has had
issues acquiring the book. Delivery of the answers in time will count as your attendance for this class.

A. The general picture

1. What’s the topic of the text?

a. Natural disasters and their consequences for human wellbeing.
b. The application of the human security approach to natural disasters.
c. Similarities between natural disasters and human-made disasters.

B. The general picture

1. Choose the main idea of the text.

a. Manmade and natural disasters should be addressed with a more humanistic approach such
as the human security perspective to ensure people’s security in those hazards.
b. When it comes to facing natural disasters, the most suitable perspective to face natural
disasters is the human security approach due to its wide and long application in diverse
areas of humanitarian assistance.
c. The implementation of the human security approach to natural disasters can bring many
advantages since its primary focus is the human being in times of crisis.

2. The following sentences were taken from a specific paragraph. Decide if they express the main
idea (MI), a supporting idea (SI) or a supporting detail (SD) of that paragraph.
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Jean Pierre Niño Rodriguez
Universidad de los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia
202012865

1. “Since its appearance in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 1994 Human
Development Report, the concept of human security has rapidly emerged in international
politics, with the establishment of the Commission on Human Security in 2001.” (P.2)
a. Main idea
b. Supporting idea
c. Supporting detail

2. “An important distinction when applying human security to natural disasters concerns the
role of the military and the nature of civil-military relations.” (P.9)
a. Main idea
b. Supporting idea
c. Supporting detail

3. “And as the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant shows, natural disasters can
also induce human-made disasters.” (P.13)
a. Main idea
b. Supporting idea
c. Supporting detail

Writer’s Purpose and Intended Audience

Information read.

Writer’s Purpose and Intended Audience (exercises)

1. Who is NOT the intended audience of this text?

a. The general public with no specialized knowledge.
b. Governments of developed and developing countries.
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Jean Pierre Niño Rodriguez
Universidad de los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia
202012865

c. The United Nations and relief agencies.

2. What’s the author’s purpose in paragraph 5?

a. To describe the similarities that human made disasters and natural disasters share and their
connection to human security.
b. To prove that human made disasters and natural disasters have more similarities than we
may think, and that both have implications for human security.
c. To show how human made disasters and natural disasters infringe the freedoms from want
and fear of the individuals.

3. What is the author’s purpose in paragraph 6?

a. To demonstrate the usefulness of the human security approach in case of natural hazards
b. To clarify additional benefits that the human security approach has in different areas
c. To discuss the main problems faced when dealing with the relief efforts after natural
disasters.

Making Inferences

Inferences. Decide which of the following statements are inferred to be true (IT), inferred to be false (IF),
or cannot be inferred (CI). Mark the corresponding box.

1. At the time of a natural hazard, a demographic factor such as age implies a risk factor for the
individuals involved in the disaster. RTA: IT
2. Because human security has worked well in other fields, it should be applied in natural disasters.
RTA: IT
3. New concepts that have not been fully proved cannot be applied to natural disasters. RTA: IF
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Jean Pierre Niño Rodriguez
Universidad de los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia
202012865

4. The authors seem to imply that natural disasters strike developed countries harder than
developing countries. RTA: IT
5. Environmental knowledge or theories and other sciences like social sciences can provide
important input to make sure that human security works better for natural disasters. RTA: CI
6. Animal encroachment is a threat to humans, and therefore it should be included in the human
security approach. RTA: IF