Online Current English

SP Worksheet 16 Texts | Grade 8 | 20 September 2023

Text 1 (Source: adapted from www.goodthingsguy.com 11/09/23):

Why so Blue? The Story behind the Springboks’ “Encourage-mint” Green Kit
BY BRENT LINDEQUE
1. In July 2023, the rugby world was taken aback when the South African Springboks unveiled their new
“away” kit in a surprising shade of mint green.
2. For a team that has always donned the iconic green and gold, this change was met with mixed
reactions from fans and social media pundits alike. But as the saying goes, there’s always more than
meets the eye, and the story behind this minty change goes beyond aesthetics.
3. SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer expressed immense pride in what Nike had provided and the
positive feedback from the team regarding their new gear. He explained that the new jersey aimed to
honour the Springboks’ traditions while introducing subtle nuances to set it apart. Indeed, the design
and construction of the jersey remained faithful to the Springbok legacy, but its colour had undergone
a refreshing transformation.
4. “We are immensely proud of what Nike has provided and the feedback from the team has been great
since they were kitted with the training gear recently,” Oberholzer explained.
5. So, why did the Springboks depart from their iconic green and gold?
6. The answer lies in the desire to be inclusive and accommodating to all rugby fans, including those
with colour vision deficiencies. World Rugby, the governing body of international rugby, introduced a
new policy to address the needs of colour blind and vision-impaired fans. This policy, set to come into
full effect in 2025, has already made its mark at the Rugby World Cup.
7. During the tournament, teams were asked to switch their traditional colours for kits that offered better
contrast, making it easier for fans with colour vision deficiencies to distinguish between the teams on
the field.
8. While the Springboks have embraced this change, there’s no denying that it sparked passionate
debates among South African social media users. Some praised the mint green kit as fresh and
modern, while others jokingly suggested it resembled the branding of Checkers Sixty60, FNB, or even
Listerine.
9. However, amid all the fashion critiques, one important message emerged – the need to rally behind
our national team.
10. Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick affirmed that the change in the “away” kit didn’t bother the team at
all, despite the initial backlash. The players understood the importance of accommodating all fans and
ensuring that rugby remains a sport for everyone to enjoy.
11. In the grand scheme of things, the mint green colour may indeed be vastly different from the
cherished green and gold, but it symbolises kindness in action. Perhaps we should affectionately
rename it the “encourage-mint” kit, highlighting the Springboks’ commitment to inclusivity and their
belief that rugby should be a sport where everyone feels welcome.
12. In the end, while the jerseys may change, the spirit of the Springboks remains unyielding.
13. As they continue to compete on the world stage, their unwavering dedication to the game and its fans
will always be the true source of South African pride. So, whether you’re a fan of the minty makeover
or not, let’s remember that the Springboks will always be a symbol of unity, strength, and the power of
sport to bring people together.
Photo cred: Nike

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 Online Current English
SP Worksheet 16 Texts | Grade 8 | 20 September 2023

Text 2 (adapted from www.colourblindawareness.com):

About Colour Blindness
1. Colour (color) blindness (colour vision deficiency, or CVD) affects approximately 1 in 12 men (8%) and
1 in 200 women. Worldwide, there are estimated to be about 300 million people with colour blindness,
almost the same number of people as the entire population of the USA!
2. There are different causes of colour blindness. For most colour blind people their condition is genetic,
usually inherited from their mother, although some people become colour blind as a result of other
diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis or it can be acquired due to ageing or from taking
drugs and medications.
3. There are different types of colour blindness and in extremely rare cases people are unable to see
any colour at all, but most colour blind people are unable to fully ‘see’ red, green or blue light.
4. The most common forms of colour blindness are collectively known as ‘red/green colour blindness’.
Although ‘red/green colour blindness’ is a common term, there are different types and severities.
There is a huge myth that people with colour blindness
 only can’t ‘see’ red and green
 only confuse red with green, or
 see reds as greens and greens as reds
5. None of these statements is true!
6. Being ‘red/green colour blind’ means people with it can easily confuse any colours which have some
red or green as part of the whole colour. So someone with red/green colour blindness is likely to
confuse blue and purple because they can’t ‘see’ the red element of the colour purple.
7. Problems can arise across the entire colour spectrum potentially affecting perception of all reds,
greens, oranges, browns, purples, pinks and greys. Even black can be confused as dark red, dark
green or dark blue/purple.
8. The effects of colour vision deficiency can be mild, moderate or severe and people with severe forms
often think that their condition is mild and doesn’t really affect them. Approximately 40% of colour blind
pupils leave school unaware that they are colour blind, 60% of colour blind people are likely to
experience problems every day and yet often not realise the full impact.
9. Statistically speaking most people with a moderate form of red/green colour blindness will only be able
to identify accurately 5 or so coloured pencils from a standard box of 24 pencil crayons (although they
may correctly guess more using their sub-conscious coping strategies). As they rely heavily on coping
strategies, colour blind people often think they have correctly identified a colour because it appears to
them as the same colour as other things which they know to be a specific colour. However, coping
strategies aren’t always reliable. A common surprise for colour blind people is the discovery that
peanut butter ISN’T green (it’s brown).

Text 3 (Source: www.facebook.com/madamandevecartoon):

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