Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas

Colégio de Aplicação

Setor de Língua Inglesa

Teachers: Erika Coachman, Joana Soares e Meiriane Aguiar

ENGLISH TEST (5,0)

Name: ______________________________________________________ Class: ________

1. Comprehension: District 9 x Green Book

District 9 is Neil Blomkamp's 2009 film that tells the story of an alien spacecraft that
lands on Earth in the early 1980's. The aliens, however, have not arrived to destroy Earth or
to render Earth's people aid; they have landed on Earth as refugees, escaping from their dying
planet. Hoping to make sure the aliens aren't causing trouble and hoping that they can adapt
the alien's technology, the people of Earth create a company, Multi-National United to look
over them and their daily musings. However, when an agent from the aforementioned
Multi-National United contracts an unknown virus that profoundly affects him, he must hide.

In its broad contours, District 9 is based on events from the apartheid era, particularly those
in District Six, Cape Town. The movie, as with many of Blomkamp's films, is based on one
of his short films (in this case, Alive in Joburg). Themes include racism, xenophobia, and
acceptance. In essence, though, the film serves as an allegory to events of the past.

Upon release, the film was met with tremendous critical acclaim. Says Sara Vilkomerson of
The New York Observer wrote, "District 9 is the most exciting science fiction movie to come
along in ages; definitely the most thrilling film of the summer; and quite possibly the best
film I've seen all year." At the time of writing, the film holds a 90% approval rating on review
aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. It was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, but
lost out to Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker.
[https://www.gradesaver.com/district-9]

Glossary: aid - ajuda, trouble - problema, musings - reflexões, aforementioned - mencionado acima, release -
lançado, acclaim - aclamação, thrilling - emocionante, review aggregator - agregador de críticas

1.1. What theme relates to a current political issue in the world and how does the
director use genre to reveal it? (0,5)

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1.2. Why is South Africa chosen by the director as the setting of the film? (0,5)

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1.3. Connectors/Linking words are very important because they indicate the
relationship between ideas in sentences and paragraphs. They have different functions
and positions in the sentences. TWO linkings words are underlined during the text.
Describe which meanings they bring to each sentence. (0,5)

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1.4. Based on Green Book context, analyze this interview fragment below and dialogue
with District 9 metaphor of the apartheid in a brief paragraph. (1,0)

Discrimination study in the “Deep South"

In the 1950s, a U.S. civil rights organization set out to investigate restaurant discrimination.
As part of this effort, the organization interviewed an African-American man who related his
experiences:

Every time I’m downtown I see invisible signs on the door of every restaurant, saying
“Negroes, Keep out!” I make up my mind to have a good meal, and I walk for blocks, looking
at every eating place I see, and wondering … And then I get cold feet and end up at a
cafeteria - or else get a sandwich in a drug store.
[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-jim-crow-north-new-york-civil-rights_b_5613150]

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2. Grammar

2.1. According to District 9 scenes, use used to in the affirmative or negative form to
describe past habits in these sentences below: (0,5)

a) work on Alien technology: ______________________________________________

b) sell Aliens weapons: ___________________________________________________
c) love cat food: _________________________________________________________
d) search on dumps for an important Alien item:
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2.2. Based on previous English classes, we already know two modals that express
suggestions or advice, and obligation. Use it to create sentences regarding the context
mentioned in the interview (1.4 activity). (1,0)

Advice 1: be careful where they drink water.

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Advice 2: describe where African American stay overnight on a trip.

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Duty 1: sit in separate sections at any public entertainment.

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Duty 2: not be allowed to play any game with each other.

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2.3. Use the Simple Past in the affirmative and negative, then choose the correct option
according to the movie District 9. (0,5)

a) Wikus - leave his wife a handmade rose.

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b) Christopher’s son - hate creating Alien technology.

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c) MNU - defend Alien’s right.

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2.4. Based on District 9 metaphor, ask questions in the Simple Past, then answer using
the same verb tense. (0,5)

a) Aliens - symbolize minorities as black people? Yes, they were representing black
people.

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b) What - Wikus transformation implies? A different perspective of a wealthy man to an

unequal society.

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c) Where - Wikus find Alien weapons? At a hidden Nigerian place at District 9.

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