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BEFORE READING:
Put the following sentences in order to give a definition of “World heritage Site”:
a. as being of international c. recognized by UNESCO ____
importance ____ d. and therefore, deserving special
b. A natural or man-made site, area, protection. ____
or structure ____
Here are Algeria’s seven World Heritage Sites. Where are the sites exactly situated? Match the places on the list with the sites:
M’sila Batna Ghardaia Setif Algiers Tipaza Djanet
1. The Casbah ………………. 2. Tassili N’Ajjer ………………… 3. The Banuu Hamads’ Qalaa ……………….
4. Timgad ……………….. 5. The M’zab Valley ………………… 6. Djemila …………………..
7. Two archeological parks and the Great Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania (Kabr Erroumia) ……………..
Match each Heritage Site with its picture
Why do you think these sites were declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites?
READING:
No country in North Africa has as much access to the Mediterranean and the Sahara as Algeria. That made it open to many
ancient civilizations, which made of it one of the richest countries in terms of heritage sites as Tipaza, Djemila, Tassilin’Ajjer,
Timgad, the M’zab Valley, and the Qalaa of Banu Hammad.
First, the Tassili n’Ajjer has the most prestige. It has more rock paintings and engravings than any other prehistoric Saharan
sites and it contains the most remains of the prehistoric civilizations. They have yielded as much information as we need to know
that the Algerian Sahara was one of the cradles of civilization. It had as few exchanges with the Phoenician and the Roman
civilizations as the other Saharan sites. That is why it contains the fewest traces of these ancient civilizations.
In the North of Algeria, the Casbah of Algiers undoubtedly holds the most important position among the historic sites. There
is little knowledge about its earliest times, when it was founded by the Phoenicians as one of their trading posts, it was known to the
Carthaginians and the Romans as Icosium. Emir Bulughin had rebuilt the town into an important trading port called Al-Jaza’ir. Until
then, Algiers had less influence on international commerce than the other Algerian maritime cities because it had fewer harbors.
Therefore, in spite of being considered a trading post by both Phoenicians and Romans, only the least amount of merchandise
transited through it.
After the Turkish Baba Aruj brothers had gained control of the city in 1516, Algiers thrived as a relatively independent city
under the nominal control of the Ottoman Empire. This was reflected on its architecture by building mosques, palaces similar to
those in Asia Minor and erecting the famous whitewashed military fortification known as the Casbah the heart of the city of Algiers
Although the heritage sites are of a huge value in the world, they are still in danger because of many factors like earthquakes,
wars, armed unrest, and pollution.
1) Choose the correct answer
The text is about: * The importance of preserving the world heritage sites
* The World Heritage Sites
* The Algerian Seven Heritage Sites
2) Answer the following questions according to the text?
a- What did the access to the Mediterranean and the Sahara do for Algeria?
b- Why did Algiers have less influence on international commerce as compared with other maritime cities?
c- Did the Ottomans leave their traces on the city of Algiers? Justify.
3) Say whether the following statements are true or false.
1. Algeria has fewer W.H.S. than the other countries of the region ………..
2. Only the smallest amount of goods transited through the port of Algiers during the Phoenician and Roman periods ………..
4) Who or what do the underlined words refer to in the text?
It (2§) = …………………………………. That (1§) = ………………………….
They (2§) = ……………………………….. its (4§) = …………………………...
5) Find from the text the opposite of the following words:
a. Lost (4§) ≠ …………………………… b. poorest (1§) ≠ …………………….
POST-READING:
Use the clues below to write a paragraph about the importance of world heritage sites and how we can protect
them.
- World Heritage Sites / to promote / cooperation among nations
- They / to be / considered being of outstanding value to humanity
- They / to present / the accomplishments of cultures past and present, and of their diversity, innovation, social relations,
values and beliefs.
- They / to help / in promoting tourism / to attract people from other nations / economic progress
How to protect them?
- People / should / to volunteer to protect sites /
To join programs
- to travel / to practice sustainable tourism
- to respect local culture and customs
- not to damage sites / not to litter them /
/ to keep the place clean
