| LESSON 2A READING AND VOCABULARY |

The Amman International Book Fair is a renowned event which people visit from across the world. The event is organised by the Jordan Publishers Union with the Ministry of Culture and usually takes place at the Jordan International Exhibition
Centre. The Centre has the capacity to have exhibits from around 4,000 publishers and around 150,000 people have visited the two-week event in recent years
The prestigious event shows how important the publishing industry is to the country and how it can help improve society, as well as being able to make an international audience aware of Jordan’s achievements in publishing. It also allows visitors to learn about the books and culture of around 20 other countries whose publishers take part in the Fair. The countries are from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the USA, Canada, Italy, China and India.
At the Fair, you can see Arabic and international books on many different subjects, including children’s books and poetry. Previous events have also included exhibitions on Islamic writing and works of art from different countries. There are also events for children such as storytelling and classes in calligraphy.
The Fair also remembers Mustafa Wahbi Al Tal, whose legacy is the beautiful poetry that Jordanians still enjoy today, around 120 years after he was born.
Matilda: I volunteered at a book fair last year. It was an awesome experience and I made a lot of
interesting new friends.
Fred: There are so many brilliant books to buy. I save up to buy a ticket every year!
Habib: I went one year and it was very interesting, but too crowded.
Ali: I’m sorry it was too crowded for you. It’s true you have to queue a lot at a book fair, but it doesn’t have to be boring.
There are so many fascinating people to talk to.
1. Who organizes the Amman International Book Fair?
The event is organized by the Jordan Publishers Union in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.
2. Where is the book fair usually held?
It typically takes place at the Jordan International Exhibition Centre.
3. What is the capacity of the exhibition centre in terms of publishers?
The centre has the capacity to host exhibits from around 4,000 publishers.
4. How many people have attended the event in recent years?
Around 150,000 people have visited the two-week event.
5. Why is this event important for Jordan’s international image?
It makes an international audience aware of Jordan’s achievements in publishing and shows how the industry helps improve society.
6. Which countries are mentioned as participants in the fair?
The text mentions around 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the USA, Canada, Italy, China, and India.
7. What specific subjects or genres of books can visitors find there?
Visitors can find Arabic and international books on many subjects, including children’s books, poetry, and Islamic writing.
8. What kind of interactive events are available for children?
Children can participate in storytelling sessions and calligraphy classes.
9. Whose legacy does the fair honor, and what was his profession?
The fair remembers Mustafa Wahbi Al Tal, who was a famous poet.
10. What did the different visitors (Matilda, Fred, Habib, and Ali) say about their experiences?
-
Matilda loved volunteering and making friends.
-
Fred saves up every year to buy books.
-
Habib found it too crowded.
-
Ali acknowledged the queues but noted that talking to fascinating people makes it interesting.

|
Word |
Meaning In English |
Meaning In Arabic |
Example |
|
Renowned |
Famous, Well Known |
مشهور |
The City Is Renowned For Its Ancient Ruins. |
|
Event |
Something That Happens, Usually Planned |
حدث |
The Event Attracted Thousands Of Visitors. |
|
Publishers |
Companies Or People Who Produce Books |
ناشرون |
The Publishers Released A New Children’s Book. |
|
Exhibition |
Public Display Of Items |
معرض |
The Art Exhibition Opens Tomorrow. |
|
Capacity |
The Maximum Amount That Can Be Held |
السعة |
The Hall Has A Capacity Of 2,000 Seats. |
|
Exhibitors |
People Or Companies Showing Items |
عارضون |
Exhibitors Came From Around The World. |
|
Prestigious |
Respected And Admired |
مرموق |
She Won A Prestigious Writing Award. |
|
Industry |
A Business Area |
صناعة |
The Publishing Industry Is Growing Fast. |
|
Achievements |
Successes Or Accomplishments |
إنجازات |
He Was Awarded For His Achievements In Science. |
|
Culture |
Beliefs, Arts, And Customs Of A Society |
ثقافة |
Jordan Has A Rich Culture. |
|
Countries |
Nations |
بلدان |
Many Countries Participated In The Event. |
|
Poetry |
Poems; Literary Art |
شعر |
She Loves Reading Arabic Poetry. |
|
Exhibitions |
Displays Of Art Or Products |
معارض |
The Museum Holds Exhibitions Every Month. |
|
Storytelling |
Telling Stories |
سرد القصص |
Storytelling Is An Important Tradition. |
|
Calligraphy |
Decorative Handwriting |
الخط العربي |
He Practices Arabic Calligraphy Daily. |
|
Legacy |
Something Left Behind By Someone |
إرث |
His Legacy Continues To Inspire Artists. |
|
Born |
Brought Into Life |
وُلد |
He Was Born In 1901. |
|
Volunteer |
Someone Who Works Without Payment |
متطوع |
She Volunteered At The Festival Last Year. |
|
Awesome |
Extremely Good |
رائع |
The Show Was Awesome! |
|
Experience |
Something That Happened To You |
تجربة |
Working Abroad Was An Unforgettable Experience. |
|
Interesting |
Enjoyable; Catching Attention |
ممتع / مثير للاهتمام |
The Documentary Was Very Interesting. |
|
Brilliant |
Excellent |
رائع / ممتاز |
He Had A Brilliant Idea. |
|
Crowded |
Too Full Of People |
مزدحم |
The Market Was Crowded Today. |
|
Boring |
Not Interesting |
ممل |
The Class Was Boring. |
|
Fascinating |
Extremely Interesting |
ساحر / جذاب |
Space Exploration Is Fascinating. |
|
International |
Involving Different Countries |
عالمي |
It’s An International Event. |
|
Visitors |
People Who Come To See A Place |
زوار |
Visitors Arrived Early To See The Fair. |
|
Aware |
Knowing About Something |
على علم بـ |
People Should Be Aware Of The Rules. |
|
Improve |
To Make Better |
يحسن |
Reading Every Day Will Improve Your Vocabulary. |
|
Society |
A Group Of People Living Together |
مجتمع |
Education Strengthens Society. |
|
Learn |
Gain Knowledge |
يتعلم |
Students Learn New Skills Daily. |
|
Including |
Containing; Having As Part |
بما في ذلك |
Many Countries, Including Jordan, Attended. |
|
Subjects |
Topics |
مواضيع |
The School Offers Many Subjects. |
|
Previous |
Earlier |
سابق |
The Previous Event Was Bigger. |
|
Works |
Pieces Of Art Or Writing |
أعمال |
The Gallery Displays Works By Local Artists. |
|
Beautiful |
Very Pleasing |
جميل |
The Sunset Was Beautiful. |
|
Still |
Continuing Until Now |
ما زال |
He Still Lives In The Same House. |
|
Enjoy |
Take Pleasure In |
يستمتع |
They Enjoy Reading. |
|
Around |
Approximately |
حوالي |
Around 500 People Joined The Competition. |
|
Ticket |
Pass For Entry |
تذكرة |
I Bought A Ticket For The Show. |
|
Year |
12-Month Period |
سنة |
He Travels Every Year. |
|
Queue |
Wait In Line |
يقف في الطابور |
We Had To Queue For Two Hours. |
|
Fair |
Public Gathering |
معرض |
The City Fair Is Very Popular. |
|
Book |
Written Work |
كتاب |
I Borrowed A Book From The Library. |
|
Centre |
A Main Place Or Building |
مركز |
The Event Is Held At The Exhibition Centre. |
|
People |
Humans |
ناس |
Many People Visited The Fair. |
|
Help |
Make Something Easier |
يساعد |
He Helped His Friend With Homework. |
|
Important |
Very Significant |
مهم |
It Is Important To Study. |
|
Take Part |
Participate |
يشارك |
Many Teams Take Part In The Contest. |
|
Different |
Not The Same |
مختلف |
People From Different Cultures Attended. |
|
Children |
Young People |
أطفال |
The Park Is Full Of Children. |
|
Art |
Creative Work |
فن |
She Studies Art At University. |
|
Learn About |
Get Information On |
يتعلم عن |
We Learn About History At School. |
|
Improve |
Make Better |
يحسن |
Reading Improves Your Writing. |
|
Enjoy |
Like; Take Pleasure In |
يستمتع |
They Enjoy Visiting Fairs. |
|
Crowded |
Full Of People |
مزدحم |
The Street Was Crowded. |
|
Publishers |
People Who Publish Books |
ناشرون |
The Publishers Released New Titles This Year. |