PART I. MYSTERY, MAGIC and MIRACLES. page 11

Transcription

1 PART I MYSTERY, MAGIC and MIRACLES page 11

2 1 Voodoo spirit: soul deity: god welfare: happiness opposition: resistance went underground: happened in secret Vodou is an ancient religion which originated in Western Africa. In the African Fon language, it means spirit or deity. In English, it became known as voodoo. African slaves brought voodoo to Haiti in the 16th century. There, it accepted some characteristics of the Catholic religion. For example, it accepted the Christian God as the deity. Voodoo teaches that the spirits of dead relatives bring protection, health, and welfare to humans. Finding health with the help of spirits is central to voodoo. Prayers, singing, dancing, and drum playing are all part of voodoo ceremonies. During these, believers often enter a trance, give advice that comes from spirits, perform athletic shows, or try to cure diseases. The purpose of these ceremonies is to connect with the spirits and bring welfare to the world. When Haiti was a French colony, there was strong opposition to voodoo ceremonies by the French. Therefore, the ceremonies went underground, but voodoo followers did not stop practicing their religion. Today in Haiti, two-thirds of the population is Catholic, but many people also participate in voodoo ceremonies. page 12

3 Pre-Reading Discussion Get into small groups and discuss the following questions: Do you believe in magic and magical powers? Why/ Why not? Give examples. Have you ever heard about black magic (voodoo)? What do you know about it? Now share your responses with the whole class. Then, read the text and find out more about black magic! Reading Comprehension 1. What is voodoo? 2. The word originated in paragraph 1 probably means: a) started b) disappeared c) was banned 3. True or False? Voodoo is a combination of an ancient Western African religion and Catholicism. 4. What does the word these in paragraph 2 refer to? 5. True or False Voodoo is a positive belief. 6. Why did voodoo ceremonies in Haiti go underground? Post-Reading Language Study (Prepositions) Fill in the blanks in the paragraph by using prepositions (such as in, on, with, etc.): Voodoo is the combination (a) a traditional African tradition and Catholicism. It was born (b) Western Africa and brought (c) Haiti by African slaves in the 16 th century. Voodoo followers believe that the spirit of their relatives bring them health. In voodoo ceremonies, followers try to connect (d) the spirits by praying, singing, dancing, and playing the drums. page 13

4 2 Witchcraft in Massachusetts minister: priest fortuneteller: medium who tells what will happen display: show, exhibit symptom: sign extreme: great seizure: attack, spasm epilepsy: illness that causes strong shaking victim: target witchcraft: magic magistrate: judge establish: create, found try: take to court convict: find guilty literate: able to read community: group, public hysteria: panic, mania Massachusetts seemed a fine place to be in the spring of But was it really? What was happening in Salem Village? The minister of the church in Salem Village was Samuel Parris. An Indian woman named Tituba was looking after his children. During the winter of 1692, parents discovered that the girls had been playing silly games, one of which was to pour the white of an egg into a glass of water. They would then use it as a fortuneteller s crystal ball. Parris daughter and niece got sick, displaying symptoms of extreme stomach pain and seizures similar to epilepsy. Soon, several other girls in the village became sick with similar symptoms. Dr. William Griggs, the village doctor, announced that they were victims of witchcraft. People began to panic. The magistrate accused Tituba and two older women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne, of practicing witchcraft. Soon a special court was established. By September, the court had tried and convicted 27 people. Nineteen had been executed by hanging, one crushed by rocks, and several others died in prison. In just a few months, a literate, well-educated, deeply religious community had fallen into hysteria. page 14

5 Pre-Reading Discussion Have you seen films or heard stories with witches in them? Which of the following do they normally use? Discuss with a partner and circle your answers. broom crystal ball cauldron tarot cards black hat voodoo doll Check with other students. Then, read the text to learn some historical facts about witches! Reading Comprehension 1. True or False? To an outsider, Massachusetts in the spring of 1692 might seem to be a peaceful place. 2. True or False? The minister s daughter and niece were both epileptic. 3. What does the word they in paragraph 3 refer to? 4. Why did people begin to panic? 5. What were the 27 people convicted of? Post-Reading Discussion A grandfather wishes to take his 12-year-old grandson to the Salem Witch Museum. Read the information about the museum and answer the questions that follow: Salem s Most Visited Museum The Salem Witch Museum takes you back to Visitors are given a dramatic history lesson using stage sets with life-size figures, lighting and a summary of the Witch Trials of Our new exhibit, Witches: Evolving Perceptions, examines the stereotypical witch, aspects of witchcraft in the 17th century, modern witchcraft and the phenomenon of witch hunts. Do you believe in witches? Don t answer until you visit us! Admissions Adult $9.00 Senior Citizen $7.50 Children (6-14 years) $6.00 Hours of Operation 10 am - 5 pm daily; 10 am to 7 pm in July and August. Open year round. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year s Day. a) Would you recommend this trip to the grandfather & grandson? Why/Why not? b) How much would admissions cost for the two? c) Can they visit the museum at 9 o clock in the morning on a weekend? d) What is the new exhibit about? Explain in your own words. page 15

6 3 The Power of Witchcraft imagine: think of actually: really, truly widespread: common degree: stage produce evil: cause bad serve: help, work for devil: Satan discover: learn, realize confession: declaration It is difficult for those of us living in the 21st century to imagine an age in which people actually believed witchcraft worked, but in the 17th century, both in Europe and America, many did. The practice of witchcraft was widespread. There were three degrees of witchcraft. The first was white magic, which was used for good purposes. Carrying a rabbit s foot or nailing a horseshoe over the door was a form of white magic. The second degree was black magic, which was used to produce evil. The third degree was Pact, when a witch believed he or she should serve the devil. In 17th century Massachusetts, all three degrees of witchcraft were practiced. The power of witchcraft is not related to whether it actually works. If you discover that someone is melting your wax image over a slow fire and you believe that it will make you sick, there is a possibility you may get sick. Witchcraft works on the mind. The real victim of the 1692 tragedy was Salem. It lost control of itself, forcing some of its finest citizens to make false confessions, and sending more than 19 of them to their deaths. page 16

7 Pre-Reading Discussion Do you think witchcraft or black magic works? If yes, how? Discuss in small groups. Now let s read the text and find out more about the power of witchcraft. Reading Comprehension 1. What does the word many in paragraph 1 refer to? 2. True or False? In the 1600s, many Westerners believed in witchcraft. 3. Explain the three degrees of witchcraft in your own words. 4. The word wax image in paragraph 3 probably means: a) a drawing on wax paper b) a small statue made of wax 5. What does the word it in paragraph 4 refer to? 6. Why does the author say that the real victim was Salem? Post-Reading Language Study (Relative Pronouns) Fill in the blanks in the paragraph with relative pronouns (who, which, that, where, when): Today, a memorial stands across the street from the original Salem Village Meeting House, (a) many of the witch examinations took place. The Salem Witchcraft Victims Memorial, (b) honors witchcraft victims, was designed by a committee. It was opened in 1992, (c) was the 300th anniversary of the witch prosecutions. The memorial reminds people that each generation must fight intolerance and witch hunts with honesty, clear vision and courage. page 17

8 4 Making Pictures Talk phonograph: first machine to play sound vibration: small rapid movements cylinder: round machine part that turns individual: single primitive: earliest satisfactory: good enough popular: well-liked dialogue: conversation accompany: play along with synchronize: match different things to move together sound quality: clearness of sound reproduce: copy In 1890, Thomas Edison started to work on ways of putting sound and moving pictures together. The problem was that the phonograph and moving pictures employed two entirely different technologies. Sound was recorded in a continuous stream of vibrations on a cylinder covered with wax. Movies are a string of individual still photographs that the human eye and mind recognize or interpret to be moving. In 1900, people could hear sound and watch early motion pictures; when combined, the primitive level of both technologies was not satisfactory. For decades numerous inventors tried and failed to blend sound and pictures. In the meantime, silent films exploded in popularity. Dialogue was printed on the film, and live musicians accompanied the movies on musical instruments. The marriage of sound and motion pictures seemed far in the distance. There were two problems: 1) synchronization or matching sound and picture, and 2) sound quality. In those days, sound reproduction was terrible. Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone demonstrated that sound could be converted into an electric signal. Lee de Forrest developed a new system that converted electric sound into light which could be printed and read on film. When these were put together, motion pictures had found their voice. page 18

9 Pre-Reading Discussion In groups, make a list of Top 5 Inventions in history. Top 5 Inventions in History Now let s read the text. Is this invention on your list? Reading Comprehension 1. According to the text, what was the most important problem in making pictures talk? a) Finding a phonograph and a string of photographs. b) Putting sound and moving pictures together. c) Writing a good dialogue and recording sound. 2. True or False? Inventors tried to blend sound and pictures for many years, but they failed because they had to work with two different technologies. 3. The word demonstrated in paragraph 3 probably means: a) denied b) changed c) showed 4. The word converted in paragraph 3 probably means: a) combined b) changed c) showed 5. What does the word these in paragraph 3 refer to? Post-Reading Word Study Fill in the blanks with the words from the list: popular satisfactory synchronized The first film that (a) talking and acting was The Jazz Singer. Since then, the cinema industry improved a lot. The big thing today is 3D (Three Dimensional) films. They are very (b). For instance, Avatar (2009) became a box-office hit soon after it was released. Creating a 3D film is not very difficult. However, it is difficult to make people watch it with the same comfort as a 2D film. Most people do not find 3D experience (c). In fact, they think 2D is better. page 19

10 5 Einstein and Time propose: suggest pace: speed track: path, road phenomenon: an unusual event or fact gravity: the force that causes things to fall towards the Earth operate: work, function appearance: the way somebody looks Albert Einstein proposed the idea that time does not run at the same pace for every observer. If a person holding a clock is riding a train, the clock will run a tiny bit slower than a similar clock held by his friend who is standing still beside the track. The difference is caused by the speed of the train. The phenomenon can also be caused by gravity. A clock on the sun - with its stronger gravity - would not run quite as fast as a clock on the Earth. Einstein s theory is very important for travel in space. A clock in a rocket speeding through space would operate slower than a similar one on the earth. An astronaut riding on that spaceship would not notice the clock s slowdown because her body processes would have slowed down at the same rate. When she returned from a long space voyage, she would find that she was much younger in appearance and physical condition than her twin sister left behind on earth. L.R. Shepherd, a British physicist, calculated that if a crew could speed up their spaceship to just under the speed of light, 186,000 miles per second, they could easily get to the star Procyon (10.4 light years away). When they got back to earth, they would have aged three years. Those who sent them on the mission would be twenty-one years older. page 20

11 Pre-Reading Discussion In groups, make a list of Top 5 Scientists in history. Top 5 Scientists in History Now share your list with other groups. Do you have any common names? Who are they? Reading Comprehension 1. The word run in paragraph 1 probably means: a. walk fast b. function c. finish 2. The word still in paragraph 1 probably means: a. running b. moving c. not moving 3. What theory is described in paragraph 1? 4. What does the word one in paragraph 2 refer to? 5. True or False? A clock in a rocket travelling in space would function faster than a clock on the earth. 6. The word crew in paragraph 3 probably means: a. mechanic b. team c. scientist Post-Reading Word and Language Study (If Clauses) A. Fill in the blanks with the words from the list: proposed phenomenon operate pace a. The theory of relativity was by the German physicist Albert Einstein. b. When people read very slowly, they might not understand what they are reading. A slow does not always mean better understanding. c. An earthquake is a natural that may have serious effects. d. In order to make more money, businesses have to effectively. B. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets: a. If you (go) to space and spent three years, you (age) less than your friends who did not go. b. If I (be) very rich, I (travel) to space. c. If time travel (is) possible, our ancestors (visit) us. page 21

12 6 The Leaning Tower of Pisa premier: most important obtain: gain, get wealth: a large amount of money location: place architecture: style of building magnificent: very beautiful marble: a kind of stone that is polished tilt: having one side higher than the other identity: the name construction: process of building consist of: be formed of silt: sand, mud wide: big distance from one side to the other narrow: not wide remove: move something away reopen: open again fascinating: very interesting The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the finest examples of medieval Italian architecture, and one of Italy s premier attractions. During the medieval period, the Italian city-state of Pisa obtained wealth and power from its location on the Mediterranean coast. They turned this wealth into architecture. In Piazza del Duomo, they built magnificent buildings in white marble. The Tower of Pisa was one of them. It tilted to the south from the beginning in The identity of the original architect is not clear, but there were many who worked for 200 years to build the tower. Construction stopped twice at the fourth and seventh levels in order to correct the tilt to the south, which is shocking to people who see it for the first time. The tilt happened because the tower was built on earth consisting of water and silt. This is not a problem for a wide structure such as a cathedral, but the tower is narrow and it therefore tilted. The tilt became dangerous in the 20th century, and the tower had to be closed in In the 1990s, engineers thought of a plan to correct the problem. Each day over several months, they removed small amounts of soil from the north face. Consequently, the tower righted itself 18 inches, and it was reopened to visitors. This has given 300 years more life to the fascinating Leaning Tower of Pisa. page 22

13 Pre-Reading Discussion What 5 things do you think about when someone mentions Italy? In your groups, make a list of Top 5 Things about Italy. Top 5 Things about Italy Now share your list with other groups. Do you have any similarities in your lists? What are they? Reading Comprehension 1. When was the tower of Pisa built? 2. What does the word its in paragraph 2 refer to? 3. What does the word them in paragraph 2 refer to? 4. True or False? No one knows the real architect of the Tower of Pisa. 5. What is shocking to first-time visitors of the tower? 6. Why did the tower start to tilt? 7. The word consequently in paragraph 4 probably means: a. nevertheless b. previously c. as a result Post-Reading Word Study The following paragraph describes the Library of Celsus in Ephesus, an important archaeological site in Turkey. Fill in the blanks with a word from the list: marble magnificence construction fascinating silt Under the hot July sun, dozens of tourists walk up a wide (a) road to the largest library of the ancient world. This is the grand Library of Celsus in Ephesus, an ancient Greek city located in present-day Turkey. The (b) of the library started in 110 AD and ended in 135 AD. The Library of Celsus was remarkable for its beauty and size. The city of Ephesus lost its (c) when the harbor was filled up by (e). Today, the ruins are a (f ) attraction in Turkey. page 23

14 7 Hanukkah: Festival of Lights humiliate: to make (someone) feel very ashamed blasphemy: great disrespect shown to God expel: to force (someone) to leave a place dedicate: to make a place for honoring candelabra: an object with several branches for holding candles (see photo on top of the page) miracle: an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by God page 24 Each year in December, Jewish families around the world celebrate Hanukkah - the Festival of Lights. The holiday remembers a time of great threat to the Jewish faith. In 168 BCE, Jerusalem was occupied by the forces of Antiochus Epiphanes and his Syrian allies. As a way of humiliating the Jewish people, the invaders wanted to set up a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the Great Temple. The Jews thought this to be blasphemous. Antiochus insult provoked a war against him and also a Jewish civil war between traditionalists, such as Judas Maccabeus and so-called Hellenistic Jews. The latter were those who chose to collaborate with the Greeks in culture, language, and even religion. The war was bloody. There was much loss of life on all sides. Finally, after three years, Judas defeated the Greek and Syrian armies. Antiochus was expelled, Jerusalem was recaptured in 164, and the Temple was rededicated. According to tradition in the Jewish commentary known as the Talmud, at the time of the Rededication, only a small amount of holy oil could be found for burning in the Menorah, the seven-branched Temple candelabra. However, it is said that this small amount burned for eight days until new oil could be obtained. During Hanukkah, Jews remember these events, gifts are exchanged, children play holiday games. The eight days of Hanukkah are a reminder of the victory, the rededication of the Temple, and the miracle of the Menorah oil.

15 Pre-Reading Game What celebrations do you know from our country or from abroad? In your group, choose one and write down 5 clues (or keywords) about it. Then, read your clues aloud and see if the other groups can guess the celebration you have chosen. Five Clues about (Your Chosen Celebration) Now let s read the text to learn about the Jewish Festival of Lights. Reading Comprehension 1. When is Hanukkah celebrated? 2. What does the word this in paragraph 1 refer to? 3. The word provoked in paragraph 2 probably means: a. proved b. caused c. ended 4. The text refers to Antiochus insult. How did Antiochus insult the jews? a) Jerusalem was occupied by the Greeks. b) Invaders set up a statue of Greek god Zeus in the Great Temple. c) Syrian soldiers occupied the Great Temple. 5. What does the word latter in paragraph 2 refer to? a. Judas b. Hellenistic Jews c. Antiochus 6. Who were Hellenistic Jews? 7. True or False? When Judas defeated the Greek and Syrian armies, he executed Antiochus. Post-Reading Word Study Fill in the blanks with the words from the list: blasphemy dedicated miracle The candles of the Menorah are (a) to the importance of the Hanukkah. The Menorah is usually placed in front of a window, so people can see it and remember the (b) of the Hanukkah oil. It would be considered as (c) to use the Menorah for other purposes, for example, to decorate a dinner table. page 25

16 8 Discovery of Penicillin discover: find out wounded: injured tissue: groups of cells in organisms defense: protection damage: hurt or break germ: microbe contaminate: mix with unwanted material airborne: carried in the air mold: fungus dissolve: break up, disappear isolate: separate from others substance: material Sir Alexander Fleming was a scientist who discovered that penicillin kills bacteria. He was born to a hard-working Scottish farm family in Fleming worked at St. Mary s Hospital, London. The research laboratory at St. Mary s was among the best in Britain at the time. Treating wounded soldiers during World War I brought much progress in medical research. The normal practice for treating wounds was to put an antiseptic solution on top of the injured tissue. Fleming noted that this caused the number of white-blood cells, the body s natural defense mechanism, to go down. In other words, antiseptics used in treating infected wounds did more damage than good. Antiseptics killed more white blood cells than they killed germs. In September 1928, Fleming was experimenting with a common form of bacteria named staphylococcus. He was explaining to his assistant that the dishes holding the bacteria had been contaminated with airborne mold. Suddenly, he stopped talking. He said, That s funny... They looked and saw that the colonies of the bacteria around the mold had dissolved. Fleming was able to isolate the substance which destroyed the bacteria. He called it penicillin. For many years, it was hard to produce in large amounts, but eventually it worked. It was the first general antibiotic medicine. page 26

17 Pre-Reading Discussion What medical advances have shaped human history? In groups, make a list of Top 5 Medical Advances in human history. Top 5 Medical Advances in Human History Share your list with other groups. Do you have any similarities in your list? What are they? Now let s read about Sir Alexander Fleming and his great contribution to medicine. Reading Comprehension 1. True or False? Antiseptics were good for treating injured soldiers. 2. What does the word this in paragraph 2 refer to? 3. The word funny in paragraph 3 probably means: a. laughable b. surprising c. boring 4. What does the following sentence imply? They looked and saw that the colonies of the bacteria around the mold had dissolved. a) The bacteria ate the mold away. b) Colonies destroyed the bacteria. c) Mold got rid of the bacteria. 5. What does the word it in paragraph 3 refer to? 6. According to the reading passage, how did Fleming discover penicillin? Post-Reading Word Study Fill in the blanks with words from the reading text: advanced defense germs contaminated substances antibiotic a. Many doctors say that we should not take a/n when we have a common cold, because our bodies might develop resistance. b. When you are on an airplane, you should be careful about on your tray. It might be with the salmonella virus. c. Even though the field of medicine is very these days, the best against diseases is washing our hands frequently with soap and water. d. Some researchers argue that chemical in antibacterial soaps may be harmful. page 27