End Child Marriage Junior Schoastic

What is the central idea of the article?

• Memory Banda’s sister was forced to marry at age 11, and it affected the sisters’ relationship.

• Most people in Malawi live in poverty.

• Banda is trying to stop child marriage in Malawi by encouraging girls to stay in school.

• Banda refused to attend an initiation camp and fulfilled her goal of getting an education.

Which question is answered in the section “Roots of the Problem”?

• Why do many parents in Malawi believe child marriage is in the best interest of their family?

• On which continent are rates of child marriage the highest?

• Do any laws exist to protect children in Malawi?

• At what age did Banda’s sister get married?

When Banda refused to go to an initiation camp, some women in her village considered her decision _______.

• disrespectful

• dishonest

• questionable

• beneficial

How did things change for Banda in 2009?

• Malawi raised the legal age for marriage to 18, so she did not have to get married.

• Banda graduated from college.

• Banda’s sister was forced to get married.

• Banda started working for the Girls Empowerment Network.

Based on the article, which of the following could help break the cycle of poverty in Malawi?

• families sending daughters to initiation camps

• girls getting married at a young age

• boys getting married at a young age

• allowing girls to complete their education

According to the sidebar “Malawi at a Glance,” a common way to measure a nation’s wealth is through its _______.

• population size

• gross domestic product

• average marriage age

• main languages spoken

What does customary mean in this sentence? “To prepare for marriage, it’s customary for families to send their daughters to initiation camps.”

• unusual

• innovative

• traditional

• outdated

Which of the following is a solution presented in the sidebar “Malawi’s Child Marriage Crisis”?

• urging families to leave rural parts of Malawi

• offering girls scholarships and school supplies

• continuing to promote traditional beliefs about child marriage

• banning child marriage in Asia

How does a lack of education contribute to the problem of child marriage?

• A) Girls who drop out of school to marry are more likely to have daughters who do the same.

• B) People need an education to learn about their country’s cultural beliefs.

• C) Many men in Malawi lack jobs and don’t earn enough to support their families.

• D) Women with college educations are more likely to encourage their daughters to marry at a young age.

Which statement is supported by the article?

• Long-held beliefs in Malawi cannot be changed.

• Only government action can end child marriage.

• Child marriage can lift families out of poverty

• Traditions are important to people in Malawi.