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2017 ‫מועד ספטמבר‬ - 41 - ‫ פרק ראשו ן‬- ‫ אנגלית‬

Text II (Questions 18-22)

(1) The Channel Islands are a group of small islands in the English Channel, the body
of water between England and France. The Channel Islands are British Crown
Dependencies, an unusual political status. Island residents are citizens of the United
Kingdom, and the UK government is responsible for their defence and foreign policy,

(5) but each island has its own independent legislature, courts, and officials.

The tiny island of Sark is particularly noteworthy. It was western Europe's last
remnant of feudalism – a system that flourished in the Middle Ages, under which the
king or queen would grant land to a nobleman in return for loyalty and military service.
In 1565, Queen Elizabeth I granted the island to the first Seigneur, Hellier de Carteret,

(10) whose descendants continued to inherit the title and the land. While feudalism had
virtually disappeared from Europe by the 17th century, in Sark the system remained
long after. Not until 2008 did the island's voters agree to replace it with a more
representational government and to hold the island's first general election. Even now,
one aspect of feudalism remains: the current Seigneur is still considered the head

(15) of the island and still pays the British monarch £1.79 in annual rent – the sum agreed
upon in 1565.

Sark is unusual in other ways. The only motor vehicles allowed on the island are
tractors and special vehicles for people with disabilities. Even the local ambulance and
fire engine are pulled by tractors. People travel mostly on foot, by bicycle, or by horse-

(20) drawn carriage, and the island can be reached only by boat, not by plane. Consequently,
there is little air pollution.

The island has taken steps to limit light pollution as well. There are no public
streetlights and few lights on the exterior of buildings; residents carry flashlights when

they go out at night. As a result, Sark has exceptionally clear, black, star-lit skies,
(25) which have won the island the recognition of the International Dark Sky Association

and have made it a top destination for astronomers and amateur stargazers alike.

Questions

18. An appropriate title for this text would be -

(1) The Channel Islands: A Favourite Destination for Travellers
(2) Feudalism on Sark Island
(3) Sark: A Tiny but Interesting Island
(4) British Crown Dependencies: A Brief History

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