Page 42 - index
P. 42
2020 מועד אביב - 41 - פרק ראשון- אנגלית
Text II (Questions 18-22)
(1) During the time of year known as the "wild rice moon", members of the Native
American Ojibwe nation can be seen along the marshy shores of northern Minnesota's
lakes, steering their canoes through clusters of wild rice plants. Using carved cedar
"knocking" sticks, they swipe at the tall plants to make the rice fall into their boats.
(5) Going out "ricing" on the lakes has been a tribal practice for generations. According to
tradition, the Ojibwe, following a sign in the sky, moved westward from the Atlantic
coast to a place where "the food grows on the water" – the northern inland lakes of
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. There they found flowing fields of manoomin, or
wild rice. Seen as a special gift from the creator of the universe, manoomin not only
(10) became a staple in the Ojibwe diet but also assumed cultural and spiritual importance,
featuring in various ceremonies and rituals.
Over time, as European settlers encroached upon the lands of the Ojibwe, a battle
ensued over the legal rights to wild rice. In an 1837 treaty, the Ojibwe ceded nearly 14
million acres of Wisconsin and Minnesota but retained privileges to hunt, fish, and
(15) gather wild rice upon those lands. Federal and Supreme Court cases have since upheld
these rights.
In recent years, however, wild rice has been the focus of a heated controversy
between University of Minnesota scientists and Ojibwe leaders. The former have
produced a genetically modified variant of wild rice for large-scale commercial farming.
(20) The project is causing outrage among many of the Ojibwe. For them, wild rice is not
just another crop, like wheat or potatoes, but something sacred that should not be
tampered with. They vehemently oppose the artificial introduction of DNA from other
plants into wild rice, fearing that modified varieties might contaminate the wild type if
spread by wind or by birds.
(25) The Ojibwe struggle for the exclusive rights to wild rice is but one example of the
worldwide battle for control over natural resources that have, throughout history, been
the collective property of indigenous peoples.
Questions
18. An appropriate title for this text would be -
(1) The History of the Ojibwe Nation
(2) The Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Rice
(3) The Importance of Wild Rice to the Ojibwe Nation
(4) Rice: A Special Gift From the Creator of the Universe
)© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר
. בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה- כולה או חלקים ממנה- או ללמדה,אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי
