Post-Reading: Greta Thunberg: “You Are Stealing Our Future”

What is the main purpose of Greta Thunberg’s speech?

• To explain Sweden’s role in climate change

• To warn world leaders about economic growth

• To raise awareness about the critical state of the climate crisis and call for urgent action

• To ask world leaders to help her family

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

To raise awareness about the critical state of the climate crisis and call for urgent action.

The primary purpose is not only to inform but to urgently call on world leaders to take immediate action against the climate crisis. Her speech combines emotive language and strong criticism to demand change.

Who is the speech directed at?

Answer explanation

The speech is directed at world leaders or governments who are responsible for policy decisions.

Greta says we are facing a climate __________.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

crisis

Why did Greta start speaking out about climate change?

• She wanted to be famous.

• She was asked by a politician.

• She wanted adults to act and protect the future.

• Her teacher gave her a project.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

She wanted adults to act and protect the future.

Greta felt that adults and world leaders were not doing enough to protect the environment.

What does Greta want world leaders to do?

• Talk more about climate change

• Reduce economic growth

• Take immediate action to stop climate change

• Start school climate programmes

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

Take immediate action to stop climate change.

Her speech is a call to urgent action.

Complete the sentence using the correct words from the speech:
"Our civilisation is being ______ for the opportunity of a very small number of people..."

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

sacrificed

What is a synonym for the word “sacrificed” in the sentence:

“Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury.”

• protected

• given up/offered up

• forfeited

• abandoned

Answer explanation

The correct answers are:

given up/offered up

abandoned

forfeited

What is the antonym of luxury in the sentence:

“Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people… can live in luxury”?

Answer explanation

An antonym for luxury is poverty, deprivation or hardship in the context of this sentence.

Thunberg argues that the inaction of world leaders is leading to the ______ of future generations.

• suffering
• happiness

• prosperity

• anxiety

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

suffering

She repeatedly emphasises that their inaction is harming young people’s future.

The phrase “pull the emergency brake” is an example of _____ language.

• figurative
• literal

Answer explanation

The correct answer is:

figurative

It’s a metaphor to suggest drastic, immediate action, and it is meant figuratively—no literal brake is pulled.