Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees
A scientist from Kenya noticed that the rivers were drying up. Her answer was simple: plant trees. Her idea grew into a movement and won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them.
A woman came home to Kenya and saw a big problem.
The rivers were .
Her answer was simple: plant a tree.
Then another one. Then millions more.
This is the story of Wangari Maathai.
Hello, and welcome to Bright Lives English. Real stories. Real English.
Today's level is B1.
In this story, listen for five new words.
. When you something, you see it, or you become aware of it.
She that something was wrong.
. When a river or a stream , it slowly loses all its water.
The streams were .
. A is a very young plant. It has just grown from a seed.
She taught women how to grow .
. The past is .
When you someone powerful, you do not accept their bad behavior.
She powerful people.
. When you , you have a good effect on people or on a situation.
You don't have to be big to .
Ready? Let's begin.
Wangari Maathai was born in 1940, in a small village in Kenya.
As a child, she drank clean water from a stream near her home.
She loved to watch the frogs' eggs in the water.
Wangari was an excellent student.
She won a scholarship to study in the United States.
In 1971, she became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate.
But when she returned home, she that something was wrong.
The streams she remembered were .
Many forests had been cut down.
Women told her they had to walk further and further to find and clean water.
Wangari had a simple idea: why not plant trees?
Trees would protect the soil and the water.
And they would give people wood for cooking.
In 1977, she started the Green Belt Movement.
She taught women how to grow .
She paid them a small amount of money for each tree that .
Not everyone was happy.
Wangari powerful people to protect forests and parks.
She was arrested. She was even attacked.
But she to be silent.
Over the years, the movement planted tens of millions of trees across Kenya.
In 2004, Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize.
She was the first African woman to receive it.
Wangari often told a story about a forest fire.
All the animals ran away, except one small hummingbird.
The hummingbird flew to the river again and again.
Each time, it carried one drop of water to the fire.
The bigger animals laughed.
"What do you think you are doing?"
The hummingbird answered: "I am doing the best I can."
Wangari died in 2011.
But her trees are still growing.
Let's review our five words.
She that something was wrong.
The streams were .
She taught women to grow .
She powerful people.
And she .
Wangari's story teaches us something: you don't have to be big to .
Want more practice? Go to brightlivesenglish.com for the transcript, word cards and a quiz.
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See you in the next true story!
Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
notice verb
to see something, or to become aware of it
“She noticed that something was wrong.”
dry up phrasal verb
(of a river or stream) to slowly lose all its water
“The streams were drying up.”
seedling noun
a very young plant that has just grown from a seed
“She taught women how to grow seedlings.”
stand up to phrasal verb
to refuse to accept bad behaviour from someone more powerful (past: stood up to)
“She stood up to powerful people.”
make a difference phrase
to have a good effect on people or on a situation
“You don't have to be big to make a difference.”
firewood noun
wood that people burn to cook or keep warm
“Women had to walk further and further to find firewood and clean water.”
survive verb
to continue to live, especially after a difficult time
“She paid them a small amount of money for each tree that survived.”
refuse verb
to say or show that you will not do something
“But she refused to be silent.”
Step 4
Story Challenge
9 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
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Take it further
Before you watch: Look at the title. How can planting trees help people? Write down two ideas, then watch and check.
Think about it: What is one small thing you can do this week to make a difference where you live?
Speaking challenge: Retell the hummingbird story in your own words. Record yourself and listen back.
