Wangari Maathai — Questions and answers

Read the full story

What was special about Wangari Maathai receiving the Nobel Peace Prize?

Choices

  1. She was the first African woman and the first environmentalist to get it. ✓
  2. She had planted exactly 30 million trees all by herself.
  3. She received the award from the King of Sweden.
  4. She built the Oslo City Hall where the ceremony took place.

Answer: She was the first African woman and the first environmentalist to get it.

From page 1

Where did Wangari Maathai grow up, and what did she learn to respect from her early life?

Choices

  1. In a big city, learning about new technologies.
  2. In the fertile highlands of Kenya, learning to respect nature and the earth. ✓
  3. In America, studying at a university.
  4. In Germany, learning different languages and cultures.

Answer: In the fertile highlands of Kenya, learning to respect nature and the earth.

From page 2

What big change did Wangari Maathai see in Kenya when she came back from studying?

Choices

  1. Everything was exactly the same as she remembered it.
  2. The landscapes were even lusher and greener than before.
  3. The land was becoming barren with fewer trees and soil erosion. ✓
  4. There was plenty of clean water and food everywhere for everyone.

Answer: The land was becoming barren with fewer trees and soil erosion.

From page 3

What was the main goal of The Green Belt Movement started by Wangari Maathai?

Choices

  1. To teach women how to cook new and healthy recipes.
  2. To give out toys to children in local villages.
  3. To empower rural women by helping them plant and care for trees. ✓
  4. To build big new houses for people in the city.

Answer: To empower rural women by helping them plant and care for trees.

From page 4

What large construction project did Wangari Maathai successfully stop in Uhuru Park?

Choices

  1. Building a new school for children.
  2. Planting more flowers and bushes.
  3. Constructing a 60-story skyscraper. ✓
  4. Making a new public swimming pool.

Answer: Constructing a 60-story skyscraper.

From page 5

What happened to the Green Belt Movement during the 1990s?

Choices

  1. It only stayed within Kenya and did not grow.
  2. It stopped planting trees and focused on building roads.
  3. It grew beyond Kenya and inspired similar projects all over Africa. ✓
  4. Wangari Maathai decided to stop working on it completely.

Answer: It grew beyond Kenya and inspired similar projects all over Africa.

From page 6

What important new role did Wangari Maathai take on in 2002?

Choices

  1. She became a famous movie star.
  2. She won a seat in Parliament and became an Assistant Minister. ✓
  3. She started a new school just for gardening.
  4. She opened a large restaurant in Nairobi.

Answer: She won a seat in Parliament and became an Assistant Minister.

From page 7

What important message did Wangari Maathai share in her Nobel Lecture about peace?

Choices

  1. That peace only comes from having strong armies.
  2. That peace is linked to taking care of nature and sharing resources fairly. ✓
  3. That peace means everyone gets to fly airplanes.
  4. That peace is just about singing songs together.

Answer: That peace is linked to taking care of nature and sharing resources fairly.

From page 8

What did Wangari Maathai continue to do even after winning the Nobel Prize?

Choices

  1. She stopped working and retired to a quiet life.
  2. She started a new hobby of painting and drawing.
  3. She continued to travel and speak about environmental justice and equality. ✓
  4. She decided to build a large castle for herself.

Answer: She continued to travel and speak about environmental justice and equality.

From page 9

By the time Wangari Maathai passed away, how many trees had the Green Belt Movement helped plant?

Choices

  1. Over 10 million trees.
  2. Just a few thousand trees.
  3. Over 50 million trees. ✓
  4. Exactly 30 million trees.

Answer: Over 50 million trees.

From page 10