A way forward

Budi glanced around the room. Most of the village had turned out for the meeting
and every spot on the bamboo mats was taken. Mothers fanned sleeping children,
fathers sat cross-legged and shared jokes with neighbors. Budi’s nephew Ari had
turned up, even though his young daughter was sick with dengue fever.
Budi cleared his throat. As the village head, it was time for him to start the meeting.
‘Thank you for coming. We all know why we are here. We have had a new offer from
the logging company. In exchange for access to our forest, they will bring doctors from
the city and set up a full-time medical clinic. The time has come for us to debate their
offer,’ he said.
There was a brief silence before Wawan, a visiting activist from a global conservationist
group, spoke up.
‘I’d like to repeat what I have said before: you should not trade your precious trees
to this company. We have a duty to protect this forest—for the sake of the Earth and
the animals that depend on it for survival!’
‘That’s easy for you to say,’ muttered Ari. He coughed, and spoke again, this time with
more confidence. ‘You can go back home, to your city doctors. I am tired of seeing my
children shivering with fever because we have no medical care. I say we accept the
offer, for the sake of our children and our elderly.’
An older man sniffed loudly in response. ‘Hmph! You think you can speak for your
elders? You need to think about what you are asking for. You can take your child to
a doctor, even if it is a long way. It’s not easy, but it is possible. But once the forest is
gone, it’s not possible to get it back. Our traditional way of life will be gone forever.’
Diah, one of the mothers, stopped fanning her child to speak up. ‘There are no jobs
in tradition. My husband had to move to the city to find a job. Wouldn’t it be better
for our children if he could find work here in the village with the logging company?
Don’t we have a right to jobs?’
Wawan angrily pushed his spectacles up. ‘What about the endangered animals that
live in this forest? Don’t they have rights too?’
Soon, villagers began speaking all at once.
‘Enough!’ cried Budi and silence descended on the room again. ‘It’s time for us to make
a decision together,’ he said.

• Why does Wawan switch from the pronoun you in his first sentence to we in his second? (paragraph 5)
  to show that it is his duty to represent the animals
  to put forward the view of the global conservationist group
  to shift from speaking to just Ari to addressing the whole group
  to highlight that he and the villagers should have a common interest

•  Ari’s decision to side with the loggers seems like
  a logical one—the villagers need jobs.
  an emotional one—his sick daughter needs a doctor.
  a rational one—the village is more important than trees.
  an impulsive one—he wants to get home to his children.

• When the older man says, You need to think about what you are asking for, he is suggesting that Ari is too willing to sacrifice
  nature for convenience.
  animals for jobs.
  medicine for the forest.
  routine for profit.Soon, villagers began speaking all at once. (second-last paragraph)What does this suggest about the meeting?Constructive discussion is taking place among the locals.The villagers are strongly opposed to Wawan’s argument.Opinion is still divided and agreement might be difficult.The villagers have no respect for Budi as the village head.

• What best sums up the argument proposed by those who are against logging?
  Endangered animals will be harmed.
  The traditional way of life is better.
  The doctors in the city are accessible.
  Destruction of the forest is irreversible.

• What criticism of Wawan is likely to be made by others at the meeting?
  that no one there agrees with his point of view
  that he has no personal stake in the issues
  that his concerns in the matter are entirely selfish
  that he works for the logging company and cannot be trusted