New Surfing the world - Scuolabook

Maria Grazia Dandini

New Surfing the World

LINGUE

8

SIMBOLI FONETICI - PHONETIC SYMBOLS SIMBOLI simboli (vocali)

i�  ε � ɑ� ɒ ɔ� υ u� � �� ə

esempi bee [ bi� ] it [ t ] bed [ bεd ] and [ �nd ] car [ kɑ�r ] box [ bɒks ] ball [ bɔ�l ] book [ bυk ] blue [ blu� ] cup [ k�p ] bird [ b��d ] a [ə]

he [ hi� ] is [ z ] hen [ hεn ] cat [ k�t ] large [ lɑ�d� ] clock [ klɒk ] fork [ fɔ�k ] foot [ fυt ] goose [ �u�s ] duck [ d�k ] girl [ ��l ] the [ ðə ]

please [ pli�z ] pig [ p� ] pen [ pεn ] hat [ h�t ] park [ pɑ�k ] dog [ dɒ� ] horse [ hɔ�s ] full [ fυl ] fool [ fu�l ] nut [ n�t ] sir [ s��r ] mother [ �m�ðər ]

tree [ tri� ] pin [ pn ] yes [ jεs ] man [ m�n ] father [ �fɑ�ðər ] not [ nɒt ] wall [ wɔ�l ] look [ lυk ] shoe [ ʃu� ] up [ �p ] word [ w��d ] Saturday [ �s�təde ]

name [ nem ] boat [ bəυt ] eye [ a ] cow [ kaυ ] boy [ bɔ ] dear [ dər ] care [ kεər ] boor [ bυər ]

plate [ plet ] go [ �əυ ] five [ fav ] how [ haυ ] noise [ nɔz ] ear [ ər ] chair [ tʃεər ] moor [ bυər ]

table [ tebl ] goat [ �əυt ] fly [ fla ] mouse [ maυs ] oil [ ɔl ] here [ hər ] there [ ðεər ] poor [ pυər ]

train [ tren ] those [ ðəυz ] nine [ nan ] house [ haυs ] toy [ tɔ ] near [ nər ] where [ wεər ] sure [ ʃυər ]

win [ wn ] year [ jər ]

wind [ wnd ] yes [ jεs ]

woman [ �wυmən ] yellow [ �jεləυ ]

away [ ə�we ] you [ ju� ]

pen [ pεn ] boat [ bəυt ] table [ tebl ] day [ de ] car [ kɑ�r ] girl [ ��l ] fish [ fʃ ] veil [ vel ] thank [ θ�ŋk ] that [ ð�t ] sit [ st ] zero [ �zərəυ ] ship [ ʃp ] leisure [ �lε�ər ] chain [ tʃen ] jewel [ �d�u�əl ] hand [ h�nd ] man [ m�n ] nail [ nel ] king [ kŋ ] rat [ r�t ] leaf [ li�f ] loch [ lɒx ]

pencil [ pεnsl ] book [ bυk ] tree [ tri� ] dog [ dɒ� ] black [ bl�k ] go [ �əυ ] floor [ flɔ�r ] very [ �vεr ] thick [ θk ] this [ ðs ] sun [ s�n ] zoo [ zu� ] shirt [ ʃ��t ] measure [ �mε�ər ] chair [ tʃεər ] jug [ d�� ] head [ hεd ] match [ m�tʃ ] name [ nem ] ring [ rŋ ] room [ ru�m ] leg [ lε� ] och [ ɒx ]

pot [ pɒt ] boy [ bɔ ] train [ tren ] door [ dɔ�r ] cat [ k�t ] good [ �υd ] foot [ fυt ] vowel [ vaυəl ] thin [ θn ] then [ ðεn ] stone [ stəυn ] noise [ nɔz ] shoe [ ʃu� ] pleasure [ �plε�ər ] chin [ tʃn ] judge [ d��d� ] hammer [ �h�mər ] mouth [ maυθ ] nose [ nəυz ] sing [ sŋ ] very [ �vεr ] full [ fυl ] Buchan [ �b�xən ]

stop [ stɒp ] husband [ �h�zbənd ] pot [ pɒt ] kind [ kand ] clock [ klɒk ] egg [ ε� ] off [ ɒf ] seven [ sεvn ] mouth [ maυθ ] with [ wð ] place [ ples ] pens [ pεnz ] fish [ fʃ ] treasure [ �trε�ər ] church [ tʃ��tʃ ] age [ ed� ] hat [ h�t ] him [ hm ] pen [ pεn ] song [ sɒŋ ] around [ ə�raυnd ] pull [ pυl ]

(dittonghi)

e əυ a aυ ɔ ə εə υə (semivocali)

w j (consonanti)

p b t d k � f v θ ð s z ʃ � tʃ d� h m n ŋ r l x(1)

SEGNI

� �

(accento alto) (due punti)

r

˜

(tilde)

è l’accento tonico principale, e viene collocato prima della sillaba su cui cade; posti dopo il simbolo d’una vocale, indicano che essa è lunga; posto in fine di parola, denota la presenza di una ‘r’ di collegamento; posto sopra una vocale, ne indica il suono nasale(2).

Note: (1) Questo suono si trova nelle parole gaeliche (irlandesi e scozzesi). Note: (2) I suoni nasali ricorrono soltanto in parole d’origine francese.

Da Il Ragazzini 2010, Zanichelli editore S.p.A., Bologna, 2009.



Copyright © 2010 Zanichelli editore S.p.A., Bologna [6303] New Surfing the World è la versione mista (libro + risorse multimediali/digitali online) di Surfing the World, di cui conserva il progetto didattico e culturale. I diritti di elaborazione in qualsiasi forma o opera, di memorizzazione anche digitale su supporti di qualsiasi tipo (inclusi magnetici e ottici), di riproduzione e di adattamento totale o parziale con qualsiasi mezzo (compresi i microfilm e le copie fotostatiche), i diritti di noleggio, di prestito e di traduzione sono riservati per tutti i paesi. L’acquisto della presente copia dell’opera non implica il trasferimento dei suddetti diritti né li esaurisce. Le fotocopie per uso personale (cioè privato e individuale, con esclusione quindi di strumenti di uso collettivo) nei limiti del 15% di ciascun volume, dietro pagamento alla S.I.A.E del compenso previsto dall’art. 68, commi 4 e 5, della legge 22 aprile 1941 n. 633. Tali fotocopie possono essere effettuate negli esercizi commerciali convenzionati S.I.A.E. o con altre modalità indicate da S.I.A.E. Per le riproduzioni ad uso non personale (ad esempio: professionale, economico, commerciale, strumenti di studio collettivi, come dispense e simili) l’editore potrà concedere a pagamento l’autorizzazione a riprodurre un numero di pagine non superiore al 15% delle pagine del presente volume. Le richieste per tale tipo di riproduzione vanno inoltrate a Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle Opere dell’ingegno (AIDRO) Corso di Porta Romana, n. 108 20122 Milano e-mail [email protected] e sito web www.aidro.org L’editore, per quanto di propria spettanza, considera rare le opere fuori del proprio catalogo editoriale, consultabile al sito www.zanichelli.it/f_catalog.html. La fotocopia dei soli esemplari esistenti nelle biblioteche di tali opere è consentita, oltre il limite del 15%, non essendo concorrenziale all’opera. Non possono considerarsi rare le opere di cui esiste, nel catalogo dell’editore, una successiva edizione, le opere presenti in cataloghi di altri editori o le opere antologiche. Nei contratti di cessione è esclusa, per biblioteche, istituti di istruzione, musei ed archivi, la facoltà di cui all’art. 71 - ter legge diritto d’autore. Maggiori informazioni sul nostro sito: www.zanichelli.it/fotocopie/

Realizzazione editoriale: – Redazione: Silvia Doffo – Segreteria di redazione: Rossella Frezzato – Progetto grafico, impaginazione, ricerca iconografica: Miguel Sal & C., Bologna – Cartine: Roberto Marchetti Contributi: – Rilettura dei testi: Fiachra Stockman – Revisione dei dati: Rossella Frezzato – Stesura di Impara a imparare: Bruna Tagliabue Copertina: – Progetto grafico: Miguel Sal & C., Bologna – Realizzazione: Roberto Marchetti – Immagine di copertina: Jarvis Gray/Shutterstock + Artwork Miguel Sal & C., Bologna L’autrice desidera ringraziare Silvia Doffo per la sua pazienza, disponibilità e professionalità. Per meglio contestualizzare il mondo anglofono e illustrare strutture ed elementi della lingua inglese sono state utilizzate in questo libro alcune immagini di prodotti in commercio. In nessun caso tali immagini vanno interpretate come una scelta di merito da parte dell’editore né, tanto meno, come un invito al consumo di determinati prodotti. Prima edizione: febbraio 2010

L’impegno a mantenere invariato il contenuto di questo volume per un quinquennio (art. 5 legge n. 169/2008) è comunicato nel catalogo Zanichelli, disponibile anche online sul sito www.zanichelli.it, ai sensi del DM 41 dell’8 aprile 2009, All. 1/B.

Zanichelli editore S.p.A. opera con sistema qualità certificato CertiCarGraf n. 477 secondo la norma UNI EN ISO 9001:2008



LINGUE

Impara a Imparare

p. VIII

The British Isles CHAPTER 1 The UK: the Country and the People

p. 4

The British Countryside Government and Politics The British Monarchy

p. 6 p. 8 p. 10

HISTORY FILE 1 The Crown and the Parliament The Britons Britain’s Economy

p. 12 p. 14 p. 18

CHAPTER 2 The UK: One State, Four Countries

p. 22

England The Southeast The Southwest

p. 23 p. 24 p. 26

HISTORY FILE 2 Ancient Britain The Midlands

p. 28 p. 30

HISTORY FILE 3 The Industrial Revolution East Anglia The North London Getting around in London London Sights Multicultural London Wales Culture and Tradition Scotland Northern Ireland

p. 32 p. 34 p. 35 p. 38 p. 40 p. 42 p. 46 p. 48 p. 50 p. 52 p. 56

1one CHAPTER 3

The UK: Society and Lifestyle

p. 60

HISTORY FILE 4 Life and Society in the Past Houses and Gardens

p. 62 p. 64

HISTORY FILE 5 Houses and Palaces Over the Centuries Education in England

p. 66 p. 68

HISTORY FILE 6 The English Language Language and Religion

p. 70 p. 72

HISTORY FILE 7 The Church The Essence of Britishness Multicultural Britain Festivals and Traditions

p. 74 p. 76 p. 78 p. 80

CHAPTER 4 The Republic of Ireland

p. 82

Irish Life The Past The Gift of the Gab

p. 84 p. 86 p. 88

IV Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

The United States of America CHAPTER 1 The Country and the People

p. 92

Landscapes and Urban Skylines Government and Politics

p. 94 p. 98

HISTORY FILE 1 The Birth of a Nation The Americans

p. 102 p. 104

HISTORY FILE 2 The Civil Rights Movement US Economy

p. 112 p. 114

CHAPTER 2

2

two

Different Regions, Different Cultures

p. 118

CHAPTER 3

The Northeast New York City Manhattan Sights The Midwest

p. 120 p. 124 p. 126 p. 128

Society and Lifestyle

p. 154

Sport and Food

p. 156

HISTORY FILE 3 The Conquest of the West The South

p. 132 p. 134

HISTORY FILE 4 North and South The Southwest The West San Francisco Land of Contrast

p. 138 p. 140 p. 144 p. 150 p. 152

HISTORY FILE 5 The Fifties: the Affluent Society and the Cold War Language and Religion Education Music American Visual Arts in the 20th Century

p. 158 p. 160 p. 162 p. 166 p. 168

HISTORY FILE 6 The Sixties and the Vietnam War p. 170 p. 172 American Holidays and Festivals The American Dream p. 174

V Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010 Indice_esecutivo.indd V

10-06-2010 16:32:35

Canada, Australia, New Zealand

3

The Challenges of Our Time

4

CHAPTER 1 Canada: the Other North America

p. 176

Modern Canada

p. 182

CHAPTER 2 Australia: Where East Meets West

p. 184

The Making of Australia The Aboriginal People In the Outback Exciting Sydney Experience Australia

p. 186 p. 188 p. 190 p. 192 p. 194

CHAPTER 3 New Zealand: A Greener Land

p. 196

Past and Present

p. 200

Poverty, Old and New Hunger and Loneliness Food and Health Save the Planet Licence to Kill Youth Violence Youth Culture For a Better World Inequality Social Cohesion Racial Profiling A Post-Racial Society?

p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p.

Gl i Glossario Fonti delle illustrazioni

p. 228 p. 236

VI Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

204 206 208 210 212 214 216 218 220 222 224 226

www.online.zanichelli.it/newsurfingtheworld PART 1 - THE BRITISH ISLES CHAPTER 1 The UK: the Country and the People MP3 - W. Shakespeare, from Richard II (p. 4) MP3 - Britain’s national anthem: God Save the Queen (p. 10) Expansion - The British Empire (p. 11) Expansion - The Commonwealth (p. 11) Expansion - The British Parliament (p. 13) CHAPTER 2 The UK: One State, Four Countries MP3 - R. Kipling, What Say the Reeds at Runnymede? (p. 25) Expansion - Ancient Britain (p. 29) MP3 + Expansion - W. Shakespeare, from Macbeth (p. 30) Expansion - Changes in 19th century society (p. 33) MP3 - W. Wordsworth, Daffodils (p. 35) MP3 + Expansion - S.T. Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (p. 36) Expansion - The Beatles (p. 36) MP3 - W. Wordsworth, Upon Westminster Bridge (p. 47) Expansion - More on London (p. 47) MP3 + Expansion - D. Thomas, Do not Go Gentle into That Good Night (p. 51) MP3 - R. Burns, My Heart’s in the Highlands (p. 53) Expansion - More on Scotland (p. 55) Expansion - More on Northern Ireland (p. 59) CHAPTER 3 The UK: Society and Lifestyle Expansion - More on British life in the past (p. 63) Expansion - Gardens and allotments (p. 65) Expansion - Victorian houses (p. 66) Expansion - The English language (p. 71) Expansion - The Church in the UK (p. 75) Expansion - The English pub (p. 77) Expansion - Italian immigrants to the UK (p. 79) MP3 - J. McCrae, In Flanders Fields (p. 81) CHAPTER 42 The Republic of Ireland MP3 - W.B. Yeats, Had I the Heavens’ Embroidered Cloths (p. 88) MP3 - S. Heaney, Scaffolding (p. 89) PART 2 - THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CHAPTER 1 The Country and the People MP3 - K. L. Bates, America the Beautiful (p. 92) MP3 - US national anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner (p. 93) Expansion - Four great presidents of the USA (p.101, 130) Expansion - Colonial life in North America (p. 103) Expansion - The Jews and the Chinese communities in the USA (p. 109) MP3 - L. Hughes, I, Too (p. 110) MP3 - We Shall Overcome (p. 113) Expansion - The Civil Rights Movement (p. 113) Expansion - Bubbles burst! (p. 115)

CHAPTER 2 Different Regions, Different Cultures Expansion - Tornadoes and hurricanes (p. 119) Expansion - New England and The Pilgrim Fathers (p. 120) Expansion - Prohibition and gangsters in Chicago (p. 128) MP3 - W. Whitman, Pioneers! O pioneers! (p. 133) Expansion - The Indian wars (p. 133) MP3 + Expansion - W. Whitman, O Captain! My Captain! (p. 133) MP3 - Ol’ Man River (p. 135) Expansion - Walt Disney World (p. 135) MP3 - I’m on My Way (p. 137) MP3 - Glory, glory, Hallelujah (p. 138) Expansion - Little Rock Nine (p. 139) Expansion - The Colorado River (p. 140) Expansion - A cowboy’s life (p. 143) Expansion - California’s economy (p. 147) Expansion - Dust Bowl and Route 66 (p. 148) Expansion - Los Angeles and Hollywood (p. 149) Expansion - Living with bears in Alaska (p. 152) CHAPTER 3 Society and Lifestyle Expansion - The Fifties (p. 158) MP3 - Some differences in pronunciation between BrE and AmE (p. 160) Expansion - Rock and Pop music (p. 167) MP3 - B. Dylan, Blowin’ in the Wind (p. 171) Expansion - The Sixties (p. 171) Expansion - The American Dream (p. 175) MP3 - W. Whitman, I Hear America Singing (p. 175) MP3 - L. Hughes, Let America Be America Again (p. 175) PART 3 – CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND CHAPTER 1 Canada: The Other North America MP3 - O Canada! (p. 179) Expansion - Multicultural Canada (p. 182) Expansion - Canadian literary and cultural life (p. 183) CHAPTER 2 Australia: Where East Meets West Expansion - James Cook at Round Hill Head (p. 186) Expansion - Australia’s cultural life (p. 187) CHAPTER 3 New Zealand: a Greener Land Expansion - New Zealand’s culture and multiethnic society (p. 201) PART 4 – THE CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME Expansion - Poverty, Old and New (p. 204) Expansion - Hunger and Loneliness (p. 206) Expansion - Food and Health (p. 208) Expansion - Save the Planet (p. 210) Expansion - Licence to Kill (p. 212) Expansion - Youth Violence (p. 214) Expansion - Youth Culture (p. 216) Expansion - For a Better World (p. 218) Expansion - Inequality (p. 220) Expansion - Social Cohesion (p. 222) Expansion - Racial Profiling (p. 224) Expansion - A Post-Racial Society? (p. 226) VII

Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010 Indice_esecutivo.indd VII

18-06-2010 9:02:32

Impara a Imparare Come si legge un testo

Impara a Imparare

P

rova a riflettere sul modo in cui leggi un elenco del telefono, la locandina di un concerto, un romanzo, un sito web o un capitolo di storia prima di una verifica. Sicuramente utilizzi modi e tempi diversi, a seconda dell’uso che fai del testo e delle informazioni che ti servono.

• Quando leggi rapidamente un testo per capirne il senso generale, utilizzi una tecnica di lettura chiamata skimming (da skim: scremare, muoversi velocemente in superficie). Per esempio, quando leggi un giornale, non leggi dalla prima parola all’ultima, ma lo scorri velocemente per sapere quali sono gli articoli che ti interessano.

• Quando invece cerchi informazioni precise, utilizzi un’altra tecnica di lettura veloce, lo scanning (da scan: ricercare attentamente qualcosa). Usi questa tecnica, per esempio, quando leggi la pagina dei programmi televisivi per cercare se c’è un film thriller. Ti possono aiutare in questa ricerca le key words o key sentences, che ti permettono di soffermarti solo sull’informazione che cerchi.

2. Vai a pagina 111, esercizio 15. Reading. Individua la key sentence nel penultimo paragrafo dell’articolo: “King and Kerner: An Unfinished Agenda”.

• Spesso le varie tecniche di lettura si combinano insieme: dopo avere dato un’occhiata veloce al testo cerchi le informazioni che ti servono e quando hai individuato le parole chiave continui con una intensive reading: leggi il testo più lentamente e attentamente, fino a trovare informazioni più precise. Esercizi del tipo True/False, domande di comprensione e completamento tabelle sono tutte attività che richiedono una combinazione di scanning e di intensive reading.

3. Vai a pagina 186. Leggi il brano e trova le informazioni per poter rispondere alle domande dell’esercizio 1. Reading. In questa fase diventa essenziale possedere una vasta conoscenza lessicale e una solida base grammaticale. Per esempio, devi conoscere la parola though e il tempo verbale del past perfect per rispondere in modo corretto alle domande.

• Il ruolo di Internet per la ricerca di informazioni è ormai indiscusso. Sicuramente per lo studio della lingua inglese ti saranno utili i siti della BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk), che ha un’importante sezione per l’apprendimento dell’inglese come seconda lingua: basta cercare all’interno del sito Learning English. Per le notizie oltre oceano puoi fare riferimento alla CNN o al “New York Times” (http://www.cnn.com e http://www.nytimes.com). Questo libro ti suggerisce diversi siti da visitare: prendine nota e salva le pagine tra i preferiti del tuo browser. Saranno sempre a disposizione per ulteriori approfondimenti.

4. Quando cerchi informazioni con un motore di ricerca è fondamentale scegliere bene le parole chiave. Vai a pagina 156, esercizio 3. WWW. Prova a digitare solo la parola Boston. Poi digita Boston basketball team, cioè le parole chiave. Confronta adesso i risultati ottenuti e valuta dopo quanti tentativi hai trovato quello che cercavi. Se vuoi cercare delle pagine che contengano l’espressione Boston basketball team, devi sempre usare le virgolette, così: “Boston basketball team”, altrimenti troverai le parole Boston, basketball e team ma non necessariamente insieme.

Inoltre, nel sito www.online.zanichelli.it/newsurfingtheworld troverai brani aggiuntivi con esercizi e materiali audio per approfondire gli argomenti trattati nel testo principale. I materiali online sono indicati sul libro con questa icona:

Impara a Imparare

1. Vai alle pagine 6 e 7. Prima di leggere i testi leggi i titoli, i sottotitoli e osserva le immagini. Poi passa a una lettura veloce. Prova ora a rispondere alle domande dell’esercizio 1. Reading.

5. Ora vai a pagina 97, esercizio 3. WWW. Quali parole chiave useresti per trovare nel più breve tempo possibile le informazioni richieste?

EXPANSION - Rock and Pop music

VIII VIII Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Come si legge una foto, una cartina, un grafico o una tabella

L

e informazioni non si ricavano solo dai testi scritti. Una foto, una cartina, un grafico o possono dirti più cose di un brano o un articolo.

• Quando vedi una foto, osservala con attenzione. Poi cerca quello che non è immediatamente visibile, per esempio il periodo dell’anno in cui è stata scattata la foto, to, i gesti e le espressioni del viso delle persone, il punto di vista del fotografo. Confrontaa quello che vedi con quello che già conosci sull’argomento o sul tema della foto. 5. Cosa vedi nella foto? Che relazione pensi ci sia tra le persone? Cosa stanno facendo e dove si trovano? Che periodo dell’anno è? Cosa vuole comunicare il fotografo? Che titolo metteresti a questa foto? Poi vai a pagina 209, leggi i due brani e verifica se il titolo che hai dato alla foto è adeguato. guato.

• Una cartina è la rappresentazione grafica di un luogo e dà informazioni utili, per esempio, sui rilievi e il sistema idrografico dei paesi che stai studiando (carte oro-idrografiche), sugli stati e le loro divisioni amministrative (carte politiche), su come è fatta una città o un distretto (carte topografiche), su aspetti specifici di un territorio (carte tematiche), su luoghi interessanti per chi viaggia (carte turistiche). 6. Cerca nel libro alcuni esempi di queste cartine. 7. Vai a pagina 125. Osserva la cartina di Manhattan: che tipo di cartina è? Poi prova a rispondere alle domande di 2. Map Reading.

• Quando le informazioni riguardano numeri e percentuali, vengono meglio rappresentate con un grafico o una tabella.

8. Scrivi per ciascuna immagine qui sotto la definizione corrispondente: pie chart, grid chart, bar graph. 9. Osserva il grafico a. Cosa rappresentano le colonne (vertical bars)? E i numeri dell’asse verticale (vertical axis)? In quale anno la percentuale di crescita è stata più bassa? 10. Osserva il grafico b. Cosa indica la legenda? Qual è la religione meno diffusa in Gran Bretagna? E quella più diffusa? A cosa corrispondono i numeri? 11. Osserva l’immagine c. Quali informazioni ricavi dalla tabella? Riesci a interpretarle?

Population by religion (April 2001)

a GDP Growth rate (2006 – 2009)

Christian

71.8

Muslim

2.8

Hindu

1.0

Sikh

0.6

Jewish

0.5

Buddhist

0.3

other religion no religion

0.3

religion not stated

b. .................................................................................. c. ..................................................................................

c

15.0

3,5 3,0

a. ..................................................................................

7.7

ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE USA

2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 0,0

2006

2,88%

2007

3,05%

2008

0,70%

Total population African Americans Hispanics Asians Whites (non Hispanics)

2010 309,000,000 13.7% 16.0% 5.3% 65.0%

2050 439,000,000 15.0% 30.0% 9.0% 46.0%

Impara a Imparare

b

IX Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Come si prendono appunti

P

rendere appunti è importante quando studi. Prendi appunti quando l’insegnante spiega, quando ascolti una conferenza o un brano registrato. Gli appunti poi possono essere utilizzati per esporre oralmente il contenuto di un brano, di una lezione o per scrivere un riassunto o una relazione. • Cerca di prevedere il contenuto del brano che stai per ascoltare o del testo che stai per leggere. Rifletti sul lessico che ti puoi aspettare di trovare, e sui temi possibili.

12. Vai alle pagine 68 e 69. Il titolo, le immagini, il warm up ti aiutano a farti un’idea del contenuto del brano registrato nell’esercizio 7. Listening. Leggi bene le indicazioni dell’esercizio. Secondo te, di cosa potranno parlare gli studenti? Prova a fare delle ipotesi sul contenuto della conversazione. Poi ascolta il brano e verifica le tue ipotesi.

• È importante riuscire a identificare ciò che ti serve e tralasciare il resto. Fai attenzione alle parole chiave e scrivi solo quello che è attinente al tema principale. Se scrivi tutto quello che senti o leggi, i tuoi appunti risulteranno prolissi e confusi.

6. LISTENING

TRACK 14

Listen to the recording and make notes on American Indians language, lifestyle, beliefs, relationship with the Whites, contribution to our culture.

• Fai attenzione ai connettori. First, secondly, finally comunicano una successione di punti; moreover, in addition, then aggiungono informazioni supplementari; but, though, however, on the other hand introducono un diverso aspetto o punto di vista. • Usa abbreviazioni e non ti preoccupare dell’ortografia e dello stile. Tralascia articoli e preposizioni: la frase sarà ugualmente comprensibile.

• Scrivi i tuoi appunti lasciando spazio attorno, in modo da poter aggiungere ulteriori dettagli. Puoi riassumere le informazioni in forma di diagramma, grafico o mind map e usare colori o evidenziatori per accorpare gli appunti che appartengono allo stesso tema. • Rileggi gli appunti. Riorganizzali e confrontali con un compagno. Elimina le frasi inutili. Se ci sono dei punti oscuri, segnali con un punto interrogativo e riascolta il brano o rileggi il testo finché non li hai chiariti.

13. Vai a pagina 201, esercizio 3. Reading e prendi appunti sullo stile di vita in New Zealand, basandoti sul testo “People and lifestyle”.

Impara a Imparare

• Prendere appunti può servirti per scrivere un breve testo, come vedrai meglio nella sezione a pagina XII.

14. Per il momento considera soltanto di quante e quali fonti disponi per poter svolgere l’esercizio 4. Reading di pagina 201. Non dimenticare il materiale iconografico! Che appunti prenderesti su queste immagini? b

h

l

d

l d’

ll l k

f h

ld’ b

X Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Come si usa un dizionario

P

er migliorare la conoscenza di una lingua straniera è importante disporre di almeno due dizionari, uno bilingue e uno monolingue, costantemente aggiornati e possibilmente dotati di CDrom. Cercare una parola in un dizionario richiede sempre una certa fatica e potresti trovare utile cercarla direttamente dal computer, soprattutto se ci stai già lavorando. Inoltre, sul CDrom puoi ascoltarne la pronuncia corretta.

178

canyon ⏐ capital

porta.

canyon / knjən/ n. ( geogr. ) canyon, canõń.

canyoning / knjəniŋ/ n.

U

( sport ) tor-

caoutchouc / kaυtʃυk/ n.

U

( ind. ) cauc-

rentismo.

ciù.

• Per cercare più facilmente le parole in un dizionario, fai riferimento alle guide words che trovi in alto nella pagina. • Il dizionario è uno strumento indispensabile per controllare l’ortografia di quello che scrivi. 15. Traduci in inglese queste parole: “ricevere”, “credere”, “straniero”, “rima”, “ritmo”. Poi controlla sul dizionario se le hai scritte in modo corretto.

• Di fianco ad ogni parola inglese viene riportata la sua pronuncia fonetica. Per poter capire questi simboli devi familiarizzare con l’alfabeto fonetico riportato all’inizio di ogni dizionario e che qui puoi trovare in II di copertina. 16. Come pronunci la parola plumber? E Catholic? Controlla sul dizionario se la tua pronuncia è corretta.

aboard /əbɔd/ ( naut., aeron. ) A avv. a bordo: to go a., salire a bordo; imbarcarsi; to take a., prendere a bordo; imbarcare B prep. a bordo di: a. the «Queen Mary», a bordo della «Queen Mary» • All a.!, ( naut. ) tutti a bordo!; ( ferr. ) in carrozza!, in vettura!

♦book /bυk/ n.

1 libro: a history b., un libro di storia; a recipe b., un libro di ricette; picture b., libro illustrato 2 ( letter. ) libro ( sezione di un’opera ): the B. of Genesis, il Libro del Genesi; B. II, Secondo libro 3 quaderno; registro: b. of complaints, registro dei reclami; exercise b., quaderno (di scuola);

book /bυk/ v. t. 1 prenotare; fissare; riservare: to b. a table at a restaurant, prenotare un tavolo al ristorante; to b. a seat on a flight, prenotare un posto in aereo; to b. early, prenotare per tempo; I’ll b. the conference room on the second floor, prenoto la sala conferenze al secondo piano 2 scritturare: to b. a band, scritturare un’orchestra da ballo 3 contestare una contravvenzione a; multare: I was booked on a charge of speeding, sono stato multato per eccesso di velocità 4 ( calcio ) ammonire per iscritto: to get booked, essere ammonito 5 ( fam. ) arrestare 6 ( antiq. ) annotare; registrare • ( slang USA ) to b. it, filar via; ( anche ) studiare sodo, sgobbare; contarci, scommetterci: You can b. it, contaci!; puoi scommetterci!

to

17. Traduci in italiano queste frasi. a. I booked a room at the hotel. b. The acting company was booked for a month.

c. He wrote a book about vampires. d. You can download e-books from our site.

• Una lingua si evolve costantemente e un buon dizionario deve riflettere questi cambiamenti. I tuoi dizionari sono aggiornati? 18. Osserva queste parole: le hai mai sentite prima? Prova a ordinarle secondo l’area tematica a cui pensi che appartengano e poi cercane il significato in un dizionario bilingue. Di quante parole sei riuscito ad individuare l’area tematica? Adesso cerca in un dizionario monolingue le corrette definizioni in inglese. crowd-surfing

stage-diving

cyber-bulling

copy-protect

bhangra

food miles

fat camp

BFF

gardening leave

mobe

emo

anime

• A volte non è necessario utilizzare il dizionario. Quando incontri parole che non conosci, prova prima a cercarle nel Glossario alla fine del libro.

Da Il Ragazzini 2010, Zanichelli editore, Bologna, 2009

Impara a Imparare

• Per tradurre bene devi capire se la parola che stai cercando è un nome , un verbo o un aggettivo. Inoltre cerca nel dizionario un esempio che si avvicini al significato che cerchi.

XI Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Come si scrive un testo

Q

uando prepari un testo scritto, devi prima di tutto avere chiaro cosa stai scrivendo e a chi. Non pensare in italiano, ma cerca di ricordare espressioni e costruzioni inglesi che hai letto o sentito usare.

• Scrivi frasi scorrevoli, chiare, non troppo lunghe o contorte. Non usare slang o abbreviazioni, a meno che tu non stia scrivendo un messaggio personale a un tuo amico. Per esempio ’cause lo trovi usato nelle canzoni e nelle email personali, ma quando scrivi devi usare la forma corretta estesa: because. Non scrivere tutto di seguito. Leggeresti mai un libro senza una pausa? Suddividi il contenuto in paragrafi e vai a capo al termine di ognuno. Quando hai finito controlla l’ortografia. Non scrivere in stampatello! • Quando scrivi una lettera a un amico, usa un linguaggio informale e amichevole. a. Inizia la lettera con Dear (o Hello) + il nome del destinatario. b. Saluta e scrivi una frase di contatto, come What’s up? How is it going? c. Nel corpo della lettera esponi il tema che vuoi raccontare. d. Metti un saluto finale e firma.

19. Vai a pagina 51 e scrivi la lettera dell’esercizio 6. Writing secondo lo schema qui sopra.

• Per scrivere un breve saggio o una composizione discorsiva su un argomento, è anche necessario preparare prima uno schema, o una mappa del tema che vuoi esporre, come questa: Titolo (Questo lo puoi decidere alla fine).

Introduzione (Scrivi una breve presentazione, nella quale descrivi in modo chiaro l’argomento che stai per esporre).

Esponi uno dei punti della tua argomentazione. Aggiungi qualche dettaglio o esempio per chiarire il concetto.

Continua aggiungendo altri punti per completare l’argomento. Aggiungi qualche altro dettaglio.

• Per riassumere un brano devi prima leggerlo attentamente. Sottolinea le key sentences in ogni paragrafo. Tralascia i dettagli. Collega le frasi in un unico testo, utilizzando dei connettori che rendano scorrevole il discorso, per esempio: then, because, after, before, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, so, since, due to, as a result, in other words.

20. Vai a pagina 117, esercizio 6. Writing. Dopo aver individuato nell’esercizio precedente (5. Reading) i sei punti principali trattati nel testo, cerca all’interno dei paragrafi corrispondenti le key sentences e prova a fare il riassunto.

Impara a Imparare

• Quando devi scrivere un testo ti puoi trovare davanti ad appunti presi da fonti diverse. Cerca di organizzarli raggruppandoli per argomento ed elimina le informazioni ripetute o superflue.

21. Ritorna a pagina 201. Hai già preso appunti negli esercizi 13 e 14 a pagina X. Fai la stessa cosa con gli altri materiali che ti servono per svolgere l’esercizio 4. Writing e segui le istruzioni qui sopra.

Ricordati di presentare anche punti di vista diversi, in modo da poter considerare l’argomento da una visione più ampia. Usa however, though, but, on the other hand oppure according to.

Se ti viene chiesto di esprimere la tua opinione, scrivila al termine del saggio, e comincia con I think oppure In my opinion.

Tira le conclusioni, facendo una breve sintesi di quello che hai detto. Puoi introdurre l’ultimo paragrafo con In conclusion o To sum up.

22. Grazie agli appunti che hai organizzato nell’esercizio 21 e con l’aiuto della mappa qui sopra, ora puoi scrivere il tuo testo sugli Aborigeni in Australia e i Maori in New Zealand, come richiesto nell' esercizio 4. Writing di pagina 201.

XII Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Come comunicare in modo efficace

T

i puoi trovare a parlare in inglese in due tipi di situazioni: quelle nelle quali interagisci con una o più persone, come una conversazione o una telefonata, e quelle nelle quali nessuno ti interrompe, come quando esponi una relazione, un progetto o quando lasci un messaggio in una segreteria telefonica. • Nei dialoghi o nelle discussioni ricordati di usare l’ordine corretto delle parole sia nelle domande, sia nelle risposte. Cerca di usare un’intonazione chiara e una pronuncia comprensibile. Usa un lessico appropriato. Non tradurre dall’italiano. Oltre ad ottenere una frase probabilmente confusa e scorretta, impieghi più tempo che non a rispondere direttamente. Se dimentichi o non conosci una parola, non chiedere in italiano “Come si dice...?”. Cerca di usare sempre la lingua inglese, anche per chiedere spiegazioni o chiarimenti: Can you repeat? What do you mean by...? I’m not sure if I understand... .

22. Vai a pagina 130 e fai l’esercizio 6. Speaking. È stato facile? 23. Ora vai a pagina 222, esercizio 3. Speaking. Questa volta ti si chiede anche di esprimere un’opinione personale e confrontarla con i tuoi compagni in una spoken interaction più complessa.

• Quando devi fare una presentazione, cerca di avere sempre presente l’argomento (non andare fuori tema), lo scopo del tuo discorso (informare, convincere ecc.), il tempo che hai a disposizione. a. Usa frasi chiare e comprensibili, ma nello stesso tempo utilizza un lessico adeguato e non elementare. b. Evita di imparare un discorso a memoria perché non sarai in grado di ricordarti tutto e ti troverai in difficoltà ad un certo punto. Inoltre, se recitato a memoria, quello che vuoi dire risulterà noioso e poco interessante per chi ti ascolta. c. Una mappa dei punti che formano la tua presentazione è fondamentale. Se hai la possibilità di usare un soft ware di presentazione, la tua presentazione risulterà più efficace. Altrimenti memorizza una scaletta e visualizzala mentre esponi. d. Cerca di portare un oggetto o un’immagine, che ti permetta di rendere la presentazione più chiara e vivace. e. Fai degli esempi per rendere il discorso meno astratto e rendere più vario quello che dici. f. Non parlare sempre con la stessa intonazione e guarda le persone con cui stai parlando: puoi anche coinvolgerle e chiedere loro conferma su alcuni punti. g. Preparati prima. Verifica i tempi e accertati di riuscire a toccare tutti i punti che ti sei prefissato.

rchy

3. 4. 1. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in the Gold State Coach to St Paul’s. during

God Save the Qu

T

Part 1 - The British

Find out more about the British Monarchy at www.royal.gov.uk and www.youtube.com/ theroyalchannel and report to the class.

Isles

3. WWW

10

the ceremonial processi

on from Buckingham

Palace

een!

he Queen is the officia l Head of of their independenc State, as well as Head e. The Queen then of the Church of Englan gives her speech in En d, of the Army, and the House of Lords of 16 and Commonwealth states. the MPs go there to hear it. However, in reality power belongs to Parliam Queen’s speech is written Actually, the ent. In Britain for her by the they say Government. s that ‘the monar ch reigns but does not rule’ ru . The Queen appoin ts the Prime Minister. There is The Queen opens no law preventing and dissolves her Parliament. Every from choosing anybo autumn, at the dy she likes to run State O the Government, but Opening of Parliam in practice she has ent, there is to a tradit traditional ceremony. choose the leader of the strongest party The Queen’s in ‘servantt’ knocks at the House of Commons becaus the door of the House e otherwise of Com the Commons would Commons asking permission for her not support the to enter an Government. and tell them what her Government is plann planning to do in the The Queen also declar coming year. But es war and the Com makes peace, but only Commons don’t let her in, as a symbo after a decision l taken by Parliament. She has the final say

Do you know Britain ’s national anthem? Where did you hear it? How do you like it? How do you like your country’s anthem?

2. READING Read about the Englis h Monarchy and make a list of points in favour of or against it.

on whether a bill becom es law, but no Monarch has refuse d the ‘Royal Assen t’ since 1708. The Royal Family perform many representational duties , while the Government actual ly runs the country. In spite of many chang es in British society, lots of traditi onal ceremonies continue to take place. Occasions such as the State Openi ng of Parliament, the Queen’s official birthd ay, royal weddings, or ceremonies like the Changing of the Guard attract tourist s and foreign money into the country. They are often broadcast on TV.

Although the British Queen no longer has a political or execut ive role, she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation. The Monarchy is quite popular with the major ity of the British people. It is the symbo l of the country and represents stabili ty and continuity. Governments chang e, it stays. It also represents the unity of the nation above and beyond party politics. At present the attitud es of the British people towards the Royal Family are divided. Some people complain about how much the Royal Family costs the country and wonde r whether it is worth it. The members of the Royal Family used to be seen only on formal occasions and to be admired and respected. Now their private lives are often shown by the media to be quite ‘imperfect’ and they no longer figure as models to follow. However, most people appreciate their new attitude more in touch with people and real life: the Royal Family have opened some palace s to the public, started to pay taxes on their properties and have even opened a website.

5. OPEN FORUM Read the article below . Choose the comm ents you mostly agree discuss them with your class. Then make with and a survey of the class: majority think that Harry should or shoul does the dn’t have gone to war?

I

n May 2007 Prince Harry, the third-in-line to the throne, who was not allowed to was serving in the go to Iraq with his Army, regiment, the Blues decision that broke and Royals. It was a long tradition of a military British royals servin Prince Harry was g in the military in very disappointed war zones. and threatened to quit the Army.

Should Harry have gone to war?

Prince Harry is considering his

military

future after being banned from We asked the question above frontline duties to various people and below is a selection of their answers. YES

He’s a brave chap and he needs to prove himself among his fighting peers. He’s clearly not allowed to be a soldier and it’s absolutely disgraceful. The decision not to send Prince Harry to Iraq is sensible. Harry would have been targeted by terrorists. They would have liked nothing more than to capture him and then cut his ears off, let alone his head, on live TV. YES He should have gone to Iraq. It’s crazy letting him join up if he can’t be a real soldier. He shouldn’t be a soldier at all. NO It’s right that he’s not going. The risk to his fellow officers and the men serving with him would be completely unacceptable. NO

3. WWW Find out more about the British Monarchy at www. royal.gov.uk and www.youtube.com / theroyalchannel and report to the class.

YES

NO

4. WRITING Monarchy or Repub lic? Write a few paragraphs about the form of government that you prefer.

YES

NO EXPANSION - The British Empire, the Commonwea lth

When Harry is in the army he is just a soldier, not a prince. And regardless of who he is outside the army, he should be allowed to go to Iraq if he wants to. The Prince would become a target in Iraq and the people close to him would be put at very serious risk. My son is serving in Iraq. Is his life any less precious than Harry’s? I think not. Harry wants to do the right thing, so everyone should shut up about it and let him go. The lives of all humans are equally precious. If it has been judged that Harry should not go to Iraq for his safety, then the rest of our troops should be withdrawn too.

NO

None of the young men and women from this country should be in Iraq. Not the highest in our society or the lowest should have gone there. Think those lives squandered. Bring of all them all home.

11

Impara a Imparare

1. 2.

2. The British Monarch y official website.

th the People

1. WARM UP!

MP3

the C Coun untry try and nd

God save our gracio us Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen ; Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen .

Chaptter 1 - The UK UK:

The British Mona

XIII Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

Part

1

THE BRITISH ISLES T

he British Isles are a group of about 800 islands off the north-west coast of mainland Europe. The two largest islands are Great Britain and Ireland. There are two independent states in the British Isles – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The first, which is also referred to as the UK or Britain for short, is made up of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. It is composed of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. ‘Great Britain’ is a geographical expression which refers to the largest island and includes England, Scotland and Wales. The terms ‘Great Britain’ and ‘England’ are often mistakenly used for ‘United Kingdom’, and this may offend people from the other three countries.

MAP READING Look at the map and find out the names of 1.

the seas that surround the British Isles

2.

the sea between Great Britain and Ireland

3.

the islands to the north-west of Scotland

4.

the long lake near Inverness

5.

the river which flows through Glasgow

6.

the firth between Scotland and England

7.

the central mountain chain in England

8.

the biggest lake in Northern Ireland

9.

the island between Ireland and Great Britain

10. the river running between Wales and England 11. the mountain chain in Wales 12. the region in the south-west of England 13. the islands to the extreme south-west of England 14. the island off the southern coast of England opposite Portsmouth 15. the two groups of islands to the extreme north of Great Britain

Fishing boats in harbour at Dingle, Ireland.

2 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

p1_ch01_ok.indd 2

29-01-2010 17:07:4

A rock stack in the Orkney Islands.

Edinburgh Castle.

Standing stones, Callanish, Outer Hebrides.

Belfast’s wheel and City Hall.

Clifford’s Tower, York.

The University of Cambridge.

Guernsey

Cherbourg

Channel Islands

View of the Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara Bay, Co. Galway.

FRANCE

Jersey

Exeter Cathedral.

3 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010 p1_ch01_2-21.indd 3

11-06-2010 11:13:14

Chapter

1

MP3

The UK:

the Country and the People

This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle, […] This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands; This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England. From Richard II, Act 2, Scene 1, by William Shakespeare

Part 1 - The British Isles

1. WARM UP! 1.

Read the title of this section: what is the UK?

2.

Read and listen to the lines by William Shakespeare: how does the poet describe his country? What does it look like?

3.

Explain the difference between the UK, Britain, England and Great Britain. Is Shakespeare really referring to what we now call England?

4.

Do you think that living on an island has a great influence on people’s character? How could this affect the history and social structure of a country? Do you think the climate of a country affects people’s lifestyles?

5.

Have you ever been to the UK? What have you seen or heard about it?

1. White cliffs of Dover.


p1_ch01_ok.indd 4

29-01-2010 17:07:41

History of the kingdom

AREA

243,610 square kilometres

POPULATION

about 61 million

CAPITAL CITY

London

CURRENCY

Pound sterling (£)

MAJOR TOWNS

Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield

GOVERNMENT

Constitutional monarchy

LANGUAGE

English is the official language. In Wales some people also speak Welsh. Scottish Gaelic is spoken in some parts of Scotland, and in Northern Ireland some people also speak Irish Gaelic.

CLIMATE

It is generally mild except in the North of Scotland. There is rain all year round and in some areas it is often windy. The weather can change very quickly with sunshine and rain coming and going every day.

LAND

England is mostly a country of hills and plains, while Scotland and Wales have more mountains. The highest are Ben Nevis in Scotland (1,343 metres) and Snowdon in Wales (1,085 metres). The Pennines are sometimes called “the backbone of England” because they run down the middle of the country. The longest rivers are the Severn (354 km) and the Thames (346 km).

2. WRITING Read the FACT FILE about the UK and write a similar one about Italy.

T

he name Britain comes from the Latin Britannia, the name that the Romans gave to the whole island. The term Great Britain was first used under King James I who ruled the two kingdoms of Scotland and England. By the Act of Union of 1707 England, Wales (which had been under the control of the English monarch since the 13th century) and Scotland joined to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain governed by the Parliament in London. In 1801 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created by the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland. Following Irish independence (see p. 86), in 1922 its name changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British flag, correctly known as the Union flag but commonly called the Union Jack, has been used since 1603 when Scotland and England were united. It combined the red cross of England with the white diagonal cross on a blue background of Scotland. In 1801, when Ireland became part of the United Kingdom, the red diagonal cross of Ireland was added.

How to get there

I

f you drive, cycle or travel by train you have to cross the Channel to get to Britain. You can choose to travel over it (by boat) or under it (by train). The most frequent ferry service is between Calais and Dover. It takes about an hour and a half. When the weather is good you have a beautiful view of the white cliffs of Dover on the southeastern coast of England. The Channel Tunnel under the English Channel was opened in 1994. It is 50 km long and comprises two single track and single direction railway tunnels: road vehicles are loaded onto special trains (shuttles). High-speed Eurostar trains connect London with Brussels and Paris on the Continent. They leave from the recently restored St Pancras Station in north-east London (see p. 40). If you fly to Britain, you will land at one of the many airports in the country. Heathrow is the main British airport and one of the busiest in the world. It is about 25 km west of London.

3. READING Read the two texts on the right and answer the questions. 1.

Where does the name Britain come from? How did the UK develop?

2.

How is the British flag usually called? When was it first used? What do its lines and colours represent?

3.

What are the main ways of getting to Britain?

4.

What is the Channel Tunnel? How long is it? Can you actually drive under the sea?

5.

Which is the main British airport? Where is it?

2. Heathrow Airport, London.

Chapter 1 - The UK: the Country and the People

FACT FILE


18-06-2010 9:03:48

The British Countryside 1. READING The main topic of these two pages is the British countryside. Go quickly through the four texts:

Welcome / Fàilte

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

One text is more general, while the others are more specific: which one?

‘A green and pleasant land’

The Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is for everyone to explore and enjoy: find out about the many outdoor activities on offer, from cycling to boating, wildlife watching, kayaking and surfing. We offer a wide choice of accommodation, from elegant country house hotels and small family run B&Bs to self-catering accommodation and camp-sites.

www.lochlomond-trossachs.org

We look forward to seeing you! Part 1 - The British Isles

2.

Form groups of three students and read the first three texts. Read one each and underline the key sentences in each paragraph. Then pull your information and write down five questions for each text. Finally exchange questions and answers with the other groups.

This is an area of contrasts, from rolling lowland landscapes in the south to high mountains in the north, and has many lochs and rivers, forests and woodlands. It is also a living, working landscape which has been influenced by people for generations.

Write down a list of words related to the countryside in your exercise book.

What kind of texts are they?

2. READING

Only 40 minutes from Glasgow and 90 minutes from Edinburgh, why not visit us and enjoy some of the finest scenery in Scotland!

3. VOCABULARY

1.

A

lthough Britain is mainly an industrial country, it is famous for its countryside. Because it rains so often, the countryside is usually green and there are many wild flowers in spring and summer. There are ten beautiful National Parks where plants and wild animals are specially protected and where you can walk along long-distance paths, many of which are hundreds of years old. You can also drive through the parks of course on modern roads. Today in Britain there is growing concern about the preservation of the countryside which is threatened by the rapid growth of towns, new roads and motorways. In the future more areas may become National Parks in order to protect their beauty. Britain is dotted with beautiful, peaceful villages. Many of them are so old that they still bear their original Anglo-Saxon names. Often they have a church dating back several centuries as well as a village pub almost as old. In days gone by the villages may have been owned by a lord who lived nearby in a castle or manor house. In the middle of many villages there is a grassy area known as ‘the green’. Long ago, travelling traders stopped at the green to show their wares, villagers sometimes kept their geese there, and markets were held there. These days most of the people who live in villages work in the towns.

NOUNS

ADJECTIVES

VERBS (base form)

rain

green

rain

flowers

wild

protect

...............................................................

............................................................... ...............................................................


11-06-2010 11:17:29

4. SPEAKING Exchange questions and answers with your class. 1.

What is a National Park?

2.

How many National Parks are there in Italy?

3.

What is the countryside like in your region?

4.

Can you describe a typical village?

5.

Are there many visitors to your region? National or foreign? What are they attracted by?

6.

How can you help protect the countryside?

7.

Can you think of some projects for the preservation of the countryside and the artistic heritage in Italy?

St Barnabus Church, Snowshill, Cotswolds.

The Cotswolds

T

he Cotswolds is a national heritage site of great value. This area has a magnetic attraction for anyone with a love for rural peace and the English countryside. Here you can find some of the finest landscape in England and a harmonious blend of towns and villages in the gently rolling countryside. Besides its beauty, the Cotswolds is an example of harmony between man and his environment, because this is a living landscape, where people earn their

livelihood by farming, running small industries, tourism and providing services from traditional to high tech. Income from tourism, rural crafts and the whole range of local shops and services contributes to the way the area is maintained. The Cotswolds has been declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), where development is restricted and plans are made in order to preserve its beautiful landscape and its special character for the benefit of future

generations. Many organisations and individuals are now actively working to look after this area, including farmers, voluntary groups, and local authorities. Practical conservation projects include dry-stone walling, tree planting and footpath renewal.

Play your part During your visit to the Cotswolds, there are many ways in which you can help to protect the countryside for future generations. Here are just a few: Use the local small shops and pubs, restaurants and tearooms, and buy local produce

Leave the Cotswolds clean and tidy and use the recycling points

Go by bus, bike or on foot - and see more!

Stay a little longer

Protect wildlife and drystone walls

Respect the privacy of residents

5. WWW Visit the websites of the two areas mentioned and find more information about them. 7 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

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Government and Politics 1. WARM UP! 1.

What is a constitutional monarchy?

2.

What is a parliamentary democracy?

3.

What does a modern parliament do?

4.

Who rules Britain? Who rules Italy?

5.

Who is the present Head of State in the UK? And in Italy?

6.

In Italy, who made the rules for running the country? When?

2. READING Read the texts and take notes about the following: form of government, electoral system, formation of government, political parties, Parliament. Then make a comparison between the UK and Italy. 1. The Houses of Parliament (Westminster Palace) seen from the Thames.

A constitutional monarchy

T

he United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. That means that a King or Queen is the official head of state but their powers are limited by laws. Britain does not actually have a constitution, a single written document which lays down the rules for running the country. The principles and procedures by which the country is governed are based on Acts of Parliament, traditions and unwritten rules which have been built up over the centuries. The UK is also a parliamentary democracy. This means that the government is controlled by a Parliament elected by the people. The country is officially governed by Her Majesty’s Government in the name of the Queen. The present Queen is Elizabeth II. In recent years the UK has taken steps to devolve powers to Scotland and Wales. The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff opened in 1999. The North Ireland Assembly was recalled in May 2007. The UK is a member of the EU (European Union), of the G8, the G20 and of the UN Security Council.

Elections

G

eneral elections in Britain are held every 5 years and all people over 18 can vote. They use a simple majority system of voting which is commonly called ‘first past the post’. The country is divided into constituencies, areas with more or less the same populations. In each of these the candidate who gets the highest number of votes wins a seat in the House of Commons. This system favours the large parties over the small ones. British people show little interest in politics. Only a small percentage of the population belongs to a political party or takes part in any political activity. Only 61% voted at the general elections in 2005.


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The Government

T

he leader of the party that wins most seats becomes Prime Minister and forms the Government. He is the Head of Government and also appoints the Cabinet, a committee of about twenty ministers who are responsible for government policy. The largest minority party forms the Opposition, whose job it is to check what the Government does and to oppose its policy when necessary. They form a Shadow Cabinet, where each member shadows the work of a government minister. 2. The chamber of the House of Commons.

Political parties

T

here are several political parties in Britain, but the major ones are only three. The Conservative Party (the Tories) is the major right-wing party which developed from the former Tory party of the 17th century. Its supporters are traditionally from the richer sections of society, especially landowners and business people. The Labour Party was established in 1900. It was originally supported by the working classes, socialist groups and the Trade Unions. In the last twenty years it has moved towards the centre and has found more support among well-educated and professional people. The Liberal Democratic Party (the Lib Dems) is the third largest party. It is successful in local elections, but comparatively few representatives sit in Parliament because of the ‘first past the post’ system. It was formed in 1988 from the union of the old Liberal Party (that had developed from the Whigs in 1832 and was the party of social and political reform) and the Social Democratic Party.

The British Parliament

P

3. The Queen's speech in the House of Lords and the Lord Speaker peaker Baroness Hayman.

benches. The other MPs who sit behind are called backbenchers. The House of Lords includes two different types of members, the Lords Spiritual (the senior bishops of the Church of England) and the Lords Temporal. They are not elected by the population at large but are appointed by the government. In the past the Lords Temporal were members of the aristocracy who had inherited their right to sit in the Lords. This automatic right was removed in1999. Now there are 747 Lords, 629 Life Peers appointed by the Queen but nominated by the Prime Minister, 92 Hereditary Peers and 26 Bishops. Women were admitted to the House of Lords only in 1958; there are now 143 of them. Until July 2006 the House of Lords was presided over by the Lord Chancellor. Then the position was undertaken by the Lord Speaker, who is “appointed” by the members of the House of Lords. Baroness Hayman won the first election for the position. When presiding over debates, the Lord Speaker sits on a special seat called the Woolsack, because it is filled with British wool, which symbolizes the wealth of the country. The main task of the Lords is to debate bills and suggest amendments. They are allowed to delay a bill for a maximum of two sessions, after which it can become law in spite of their objections. The House of Lords is also the highest Court of Appeal.


arliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch and two chambers which are called the House of Lords (or Upper Chamber) and the House of Commons (or Lower Chamber). They meet together only on special occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. Parliament makes new laws, raises taxes and discusses major issues affecting the country. A bill can be proposed by the Government or by one of the two Chambers. When a bill has been debated and approved both by the Commons and the Lords, it receives the Royal Assent and becomes a law or Act of Parliament. Parliament works in the Palace of Westminster, commonly known as the Houses of Parliament. The proceedings of both Houses are broadcast on radio and TV, either live or recorded. The House of Commons has 646 Members of Parliament (MPs for short) who are elected in a general election. 520 are men and 126 are women. Each of them represents a geographical area, called a constituency. It is presided over by the Speaker, who is elected by the MPs. The House of Commons is small. It has only 437 seats so when all the MPs are there some have to stand or sit on the steps. There are rows of seats facing each other and red lines running along each side of the chamber, to hold back the MPs during ‘hot’ debates. The Government and its supporters sit on one side of the Speaker’s chair, while the Opposition and smaller parties sit on the other side. Ministers and ‘shadow’ ministers sit on the front


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The British Monarchy

God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen; Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen.

MP3

1. WARM UP!

1. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in the Gold State Coach during the ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to St Paul’s.

God Save the Queen!


T

he Queen is the official Head of State, as well as Head of the Church of England, of the Army, and of 16 Commonwealth states. However, in reality power belongs to Parliament. In Britain they say that ‘the monarch reigns but does not rule’. The Queen opens and dissolves Parliament. Every autumn, at the State Opening of Parliament, there is a traditional ceremony. The Queen’s ‘servant’ knocks at the door of the House of Commons asking permission for her to enter and tell them what her Government is planning to do in the coming year. But the Commons don’t let her in, as a symbol

of their independence. The Queen then gives her speech in the House of Lords and the MPs go there to hear it. Actually, the Queen’s speech is written for her by the Government. The Queen appoints the Prime Minister. There is no law preventing her from choosing anybody she likes to run the Government, but in practice she has to choose the leader of the strongest party in the House of Commons because otherwise the Commons would not support the Government. The Queen also declares war and makes peace, but only after a decision taken by Parliament. She has the final say

1.

Do you know Britain’s national anthem?

2.

Where did you hear it?

3.

How do you like it?

4.

How do you like your country’s anthem?

2. READING Read about the English Monarchy and make a list of points in favour of or against it.

on whether a bill becomes law, but no Monarch has refused the ‘Royal Assent’ since 1708. The Royal Family perform many representational duties, while the Government actually runs the country. In spite of many changes in British society, lots of traditional ceremonies continue to take place. Occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament, the Queen’s official birthday, royal weddings, or ceremonies like the Changing of the Guard attract tourists and foreign money into the country. They are often broadcast on TV.


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2. The British Monarchy official website.

5. OPEN FORUM Read the article below. Choose the comments you mostly agree with and discuss them with your class. Then make a survey of the class: does the majority think that Harry should or shouldn’t have gone to war?

I

n May 2007 Prince Harry, the third-in-line to the throne, who was serving in the Army, was not allowed to go to Iraq with his regiment, the Blues and Royals. It was a military decision that broke a long tradition of British royals serving in the military in war zones. Prince Harry was very disappointed and threatened to quit the Army.

Should Harry have gone to war? Prince Harry is considering his military future after being banned from frontline duties We asked the question above to various people and below is a selection answers. YES

He’s a brave chap and he needs to prove himself among his fighting peers. He’s clearly not allowed to be a soldier and it’s absolutely disgraceful.

NO

The decision not to send Prince Harry to Iraq is sensible. Harry would have been targeted by terrorists. They would have liked nothing more than to capture him and then cut his ears off, let alone his head, on live TV.

YES

He should have gone to Iraq. It’s crazy letting him join up if he can’t be a real soldier. He shouldn’t be a soldier at all.

NO

It’s right that he’s not going. The risk to his fellow officers and the men serving with him would be completely unacceptable.

NO

None of the young men and women from this country should be in Iraq. Not the highest in our society or the lowest should have gone there. Think of all those lives squandered. Bring them all home.

3. WWW Find out more about the British Monarchy at www.royal.gov.uk and www.youtube.com/ theroyalchannel and report to the class.

YES

When Harry is in the army he is just a soldier, not a prince. And regardless of who he is outside the army, he should be allowed to go to Iraq if he wants to.

NO

The Prince would become a target in Iraq and the people close to him would be put at very serious risk.

4. WRITING

YES

My son is serving in Iraq. Is his life any less precious than Harry’s? I think not. Harry wants to do the right thing, so everyone should shut up about it and let him go.

NO

The lives of all humans are equally precious. If it has been judged that Harry should not go to Iraq for his safety, then the rest of our troops should be withdrawn too.

Monarchy or Republic? Write a few paragraphs about the form of government that you prefer. EXPANSION - The British Empire EXPANSION - The Commonwealth

of their

Chapter Ch t 1 - Th The UK: UK the th Country C t and d th the P People l

Although the British Queen no longer has a political or executive role, she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation. The Monarchy is quite popular with the majority of the British people. It is the symbol of the country and represents stability and continuity. Governments change, it stays. It also represents the unity of the nation above and beyond party politics. At present the attitudes of the British people towards the Royal Family are divided. Some people complain about how much the Royal Family costs the country and wonder whether it is worth it. The members of the Royal Family used to be seen only on formal occasions and to be admired and respected. Now their private lives are often shown by the media to be quite ‘imperfect’ and they no longer figure as models to follow. However, most people appreciate their new attitude more in touch with people and real life: the Royal Family have opened some palaces to the public, started to pay taxes on their properties and have even opened a website.

11 1 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010 p1_ch01_2-21.indd 11

11-06-2010 11:18:45

History File

1

B

The Crown and the Parliament

ritain is the oldest democracy in the western world, and the British u Parliament has often been called ‘the Mother of Parliaments’. The word ‘parliament’ (from the French word ‘parler’) was first used in England in the 13th century to describe an assembly of nobles called together by the king. From the Magna Carta of 1215, through the fight between the Crown and Parliament in the 17th and 18th century, to the Reform Acts of the 19th century, power has gradually shifted from the Monarch to Parliament.

B

1. English glish Parliament liament in front ront of the King, c. 1300. 300.

22. The Magna Carta.

Feudalism and the Magna Carta


1

A

fter the conquest of England in 1066, the Normans introduced the feudal system into the country. The King was the owner of all the land, but it was distributed among his vassals, the barons (great lords), in return for goods and services, including military service. The barons did the same with their own vassals, the knights, who became the local lords, with the peasants working their lands. At this time the power of the king was absolute. However, in 1215, at Runnymede, the powerful barons made the king sign a document, called the Magna Carta which, for the first time, set a limit to the king’s power. It established that the king may levy and collect taxes only with the consent of his royal council and that “no free man shall be arrested, put in prison, or lose his property, or be outlawed or banished, or harmed in any way

[...] unless he has been judged by his equals under the law of the land” (see also page 25). The Royal Council represented a first form of parliament, though the king was still the real ruler. Later the Council came to include common men from urban and rural areas as well. Two knights from each county, two burgesses from each borough and two citizens from each city (called ‘the commons’ and all elected) sat with members of the clergy and the aristocracy in what was later called the Model Parliament (1295). Later Parliament was divided into two Houses: the House of Lords, made up of members of the aristocracy and the clergy, and the House of Commons, with representatives from the new merchant class and smaller landowners. No law could be made, nor any tax levied, without the consent of both Houses as well as that of the Sovereign.


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2

The civil war

I

n 1603 King James of Scotland became King James I of England. He was the first Stuart king. He believed that the king ruled by divine right and his will was the only law. So when he became King of England he dismissed Parliament and tried to rule without it. During the Stuart period the conflict between Monarch and Parliament increased and led to the Civil War (1642-1649) between the royalist ‘Cavaliers’, who supported the King, and the puritan ‘Roundheads’, who supported Parliament. The Monarchy was defeated by general Oliver Cromwell in 1649. The House of Lords was abolished as most of it had sided with the king. King Charles I was put on trial, sentenced to death and beheaded. Britain became a ‘Commonwealth’, or republic with Cromwell as ‘Lord Protector’. Eleven years later a new Parliament restored the Monarchy with the Stuart King Charles II. The Cavaliers won most seats in it and took revenge on their enemies.

3. John Weesop, An Eyewitness Representation of the Execution of King Charles I of England, 17th century. Private Coll.

3

I

n the late 1670s England’s first two political parties were formed in the House of Commons, the Tories and the Whigs. They were formed respectively by the Cavaliers and the Roundheads. The Tories were the party of the landed aristocracy, loyal to the Church and King. The Whigs were the party of rich businessmen, merchants and landowners: they thought that Parliament should have more power than the King and believed in religious freedom and political reforms. Neither party was really democratic and aristocracy was well represented in both of them. The Catholic King James II was so unpopular that in 1689 Parliament offered the crown to his daughter Mary and her Protestant husband William of Orange. For the first time it was parliament that chose the monarch. This important political change was called the ‘Glorious Revolution’(1689). The religious and political problems were settled with the Bill of Rights and the Toleration Act. The former limited the King’s power and turned Britain into a constitutional monarchy in which whi h ch c real power layy with with monarch. latter allowed parliament, not the mona arc rch. h. The llat atte terr allo oweed more mo ore religious freedom religi g ouss fr free eedo dom (see (seee also als lso o p.75). p..75 75)). ).

The modern system of government

4

I

n 1707 the Treaty of Union brought Scotland into the new Kingdom of Great Britain with a new Parliament in London. A few years later, with King George I, the House of Hanover became the British Royal Family. The King was German and did not speak English, and this had important effects on the British system of government. The Hanoverian kings left all decisions to the Cabinet presided over by the Prime Minister. This favoured the development of the modern system of Cabinet Government: now Government was in the hands of the King’s ministers who were responsible to Parliament. The two groups that had been formed in Parliament, the Whigs and the Tories, alternated in the government of the country and party politics became the basis of government. Sir Robert Walpole was Britain’s first Prime Minister (from 1721 to 1742), the first to live at 10, Downing St. In the 19th and 20th centuries a series of Reform Acts extended the electoral franchise to most men (1884) and finally to women (1928); the supremacy of the House of Commons was eventually established (1911); and, at the end of the century, devolved Parliaments/Assemblies were created in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

EXPANSION - The British Parliament

4. The arrival of William of Orange in England. Detail. Brixham, Royal Collection.


The Bill of Rights


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The Britons 1. READING Read the two texts on this page and answer the questions below. Then describe and explain the pictures. 1.

Why do the English often use their unofficial flag?

2.

Who is John Bull? What does he look like?

3.

Who might be the personification of the Italian character?

British identity

O

fficially the people living in the United Kingdom are British – British citizens with UK passports. However, in the last few decades more and more people have questioned their British identity and most of them prefer to be identified by their regional cultural identity. Welsh, Scottish and Irish people feel their identity very strongly and do not like being called ‘English’, or sometimes even British. The English themselves have seldom made any distinction between the terms ‘British’ and ‘English’. But now that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been granted a limited degree of autonomy by Parliament, the English may need to define what it means to be English. They have neither an anthem nor a flag since the present national anthem ‘God Save the Queen’ and the Union flag both represent the whole of the UK. Many English people, especially fans in sports grounds, have unofficially adopted the ‘Red Cross of St George’ as their flag and Elgar’s ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ as their anthem.

1. England Rugby World Cup team victory parade.

J

ohn Bull is a popular character who was used in British political cartoons in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He is usually portrayed as a stout man in a tail coat with breeches and a Union Jack waistcoat. He wears a top-hat and is often accompanied by a bulldog. He is a jovial farmer who believes in common sense, good manners and fair play, and is the epitome of ’a good chap’. The character was created in 1712 to represent the Kingdom of Great Britain, but it was not widely accepted in Scotland and Wales as he was viewed there as English rather than British. 14 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

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Flaunting the Union Flag?

2. LISTENING

TRACK 1

Listen to some comments about the Union flag and fill in the table below.

I

n July 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered all government buildings to fly the Union flag 365 days a year. He said it represented what the country had in common and the values it held dear, a sense of civic responsibility, a belief in fairness. He said that all “those things that unite us” were reflected in the symbols of the Monarchy, Parliament and the Union Jack.

SPEAKER

FOR/AGAINST

REASON WHY

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

2. Wearing Union Jack socks.

What does it mean to be British?

3. OPEN FORUM

A

Read the opinions of some Britons about this topic. Take the role of one of the speakers and discuss with your class. Then give your opinion about what it means to be Italian.

There is nothing truly special about being British – the UK is just one country out of twenty or so in the European Union. We British people should start feeling more ‘European’ rather than British.” (Paul, UK)

“

British, even though I am of Chinese origin. Being British is more than just having a passport, it’s about caring about what happens to this great country, be it crime, the NHS or immigration.” (Michelle, UK)

“

“

I was born in Afghanistan and came to Britain (legally) as a child with my parents – I am a British Afghan. I am proud to be British and proud to be an Afghan. I value the cultural and religious diversity of the British society.” (Safia, London)

“

When people ask me where I am from I say I am

To be British is to be multicultural. The four nations that make up Britain, each with their own cultures, the many people that conquered us in our ancient history and the many we conquered in more recent times have all contributed to our multicultural culture and multilingual language.”(James, UK)

“

I am English and British and in many ways proud of this. I do however consider myself more of a European and see this as the future rather than clinging to the past. Much of what once differentiated Britons from other races is now almost irrelevant in a modern multi-cultural world. ‘Britishness’ needs to evolve and to take on the best of immigrant cultures rather than highlighting the differences between white Britons and the new British subjects.” (Keith, England)

“

I’m Scottish and have never considered myself British. The term British to me is an outdated term that should have died with the Empire. The world has changed so much in the last 100 years that there should not be a place left for outdated institutions such as the monarchy, the House of Lords or for the Union Jack.” (Duncan, Scotland)

“

To be British is to adopt some of the cultures that exist in this land and not simply set up enclaves. At the very least there must be a respect for British laws and customs.” (John, Liverpool)


poll carried out by the Daily Telegraph in 2007 found that fewer than one third of today’s teenagers think of themselves as British rather than English, Scottish or Welsh. Moreover the ethnic diversity of British society means it is difficult to define what makes someone British.


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4. READING Read the text below and underline the words and expressions in each paragraph that define a typical feature of the English character. Then write down a whole sentence about each of them.

3. Chatting in Brick Lane, London.

What are the English like?


O

n the surface the English usually appear reserved and unflappable. They do not like any excess of emotion and feelings should be shown with moderation. The proper way to behave in all situations is by using tact and diplomacy as well as showing modesty and indifference to almost everything. Appearance is very important. The English are famous for being polite and having good manners. The first rule children come across at an early age is the importance of saying ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Sorry’. Supplication, gratitude and, most important of all, apology are central to English intercourse, which is why English people seem to express them endlessly. The English are said to ‘keep a stiff upper lip’ (to avoid the visible tremble which betrays emotion). This characteristic pose involves keeping the head held high (pride), the upper lip stiff (control of emotions) and the best foot forward (determination). In this position, conversation is difficult and intimacy of any kind almost impossible. But it portrays the presence of that attribute which the English think they are expected to project – absolute self-control. There are , however, specific occasions on which it is considered proper to show one’s feelings openly, for instance, sporting events, funerals or welcoming home someone thought to have been dead. At times like these it is permissible to show a certain amount of emotion, but only if one looks suitably embarrassed afterwards.

The English also believe in minding their own business. The queue is one of the few places where they may talk to each other without having been formally introduced. The others are when taking the dog for a walk, or any serious catastrophe, such as an accident or being trapped in a tunnel in an underground train. However it is firmly understood that any friendships made remain outside with the dogs or stop when rescue arrives. When it comes to physical contact, the English are deeply reserved. They do shake hands with each other, but as little as possible and their preferred handshake is brief and vigorous. The standard greeting “How do you do” and the reply “How do you do” signal the end of the ritual and hands should be withdrawn from contact. The English have a well developed sense of individual personal freedom. They are fond of their rights, including the right to preserve one’s personal space. This is an area surrounding each individual which it is not good manners to invade. People will leave a step between them and the next person on an escalator even if it’s crammed. This has nothing to do with a morbid fear of body odour, it is more an extension of the ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ belief. Think of it as an invisible moat. Learn to shake hands at a distance. The English value customs and traditions very much. For their public and private ceremonies they like parading in gilded coaches, wearing embroidered clothes or bright-coloured


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4. Wellington boots.

4. WRITING After reading the text about the English, write some rules of behaviour for an English young boy. (e.g. Show your feelings with moderation.) 5. VOCABULARY Make a list of the adjectives which are used in the text to describe the English. Then write a list of adjectives which you would use to describe the Italians. uniforms, with brass bands playing traditional music. Eighteenth century wigs are still worn by the judiciary! Tradition represents continuity, it gives them a sense of permanence in an age of change and should be preserved – red pillar boxes, marmalade, the pint, Wellington boots, as well as the Monarchy itself! The English consider themselves to be among the most civilized nations in the world. Civilized not so much in terms of culture, perhaps, as in social behaviour. They consider themselves to be law-abiding, courteous, tolerant, decent, generous, gallant, steadfast and fair. They also take pride in their self-deprecatory sense of humour which they see as the ultimate proof of their magnanimity. And they consider themselves superior to all other nations. The English are used to being seen as stereotypes and prefer it that way. They don’t mind in the least that England is seen as peopled by amateur detectives, football hooligans, silly-ass nobility and suitable servile peasants, all meeting for a pint of warm beer at an old style pub.

6. SPEAKING Exchange questions and answers with your class. 1.

Do you agree with the Guide’s description of the English?

2.

How have the Italians been described by foreigners?

3.

Do you think that stereotypes help the integration of people from different countries?

Adapted from «The Xenophobe’s Guide to the English», Oval Books, 2000

7. LISTENING

TRACK 2 TRACK 2

Listen to a radio programme about the English and find out 1.

the title of the programme

2.

the profession of the people interviewed and where they aree from

a)

FROM

Dave Back

b) Joe Douglas c)

Elizabeth Callender

d) Mary Goodfellow 3.

which of the people interviewed maintains that the English are

a)

reserved

D. BACK

J. DOUGLAS

b) independent c)

shy

d) not showing their emotion (with a stiff upper lip) e)

tolerant

f)

polite

g) open and friendly

E. CALLENDER

M. GOODFELLOW


PROFESSION


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Britain’s Economy 1. WARM UP! 1.

What is Britain’s most important economic sector?

2.

Can you think of any goods made in Britain?

2. READING Read the text below and pick up the main idea in each paragraph. Then divide the text into five parts and give each of them a title.

Economic profile

B


ritain’s economy is the second largest economy in Europe and the fifth in the world. The capital, London, is the world’s leading financial centre. A sharp increase of the unemployment rate took place in 2008, as the UK economy was rapidly deteriorating and the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate fell to −1,8% (Jan. 09). Agriculture is a minor economic activity, which employs only 1% of the working population. However over threequarters of the land in the islands is used for agriculture. The main crops that are grown are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, sugar beets, fruit and vegetables. The farms are equipped with modern machinery and are highly efficient and productive. Around two thirds of production is devoted to livestock and one third to arable crops. Mainly cattle and sheep are

2. £1 coins.

raised and over half the farms are devoted to dairy farming. The UK is also one of the world’s leading fishing nations and its fishing fleet brings home fish of every kind, d, ranging from mackerel and herring to sole, and fish farming (especially salmon and shellfish in Scotland) is growing. Britain used to be a major coal producer, but in the late 1960s she became a producer of oil and gas thanks to the fields in the North Sea. However, since its peak in 1999, production has fallen sharply. British industry changed a lot in the past fifty years as the manufacturing industry has seen a steady decline since the 1960s. All the traditional industries (textile, shipbuilding, iron and steel, mechanical engineering) have declined, while new hi-tech industries have developed, particularly in south-east England, and they employ a large number of highly-qualified workers. They produce high-quality goods (such as electrical machinery, electronic goods, chemicals, paper, scientific and optical instruments) and digital technology. Food and drink constitutes one of the major British industries, particularly convenience and frozen foods (readymade meals, desserts, snacks, etc.), bread, whisky, beer, and soft drinks. The creative industries including

1. Abram Games, The Financial Times, Walking Newspaper.

advertising, film and television production, product design, book and music publishing, as well as fine art and antique markets have seen some of the largest growths in the UK economy in the last two decades. A large proportion of people (about 75%) work in the service sector, which includes financial services (banking, insurance, securities, etc.), wholesale and retail trade (stores, shopping centres, local shops, etc.), business services (advertising, market research, exhibition and conference facilities, etc.), transport and communications, and tourism. Foreign trade is important for the British economy. Britain has always been a trading nation importing food and raw materials and exporting manufactured goods. Today Britain exports mainly services and imports manufactured goods. Her foreign trade is mainly with member states of the EU, followed by the USA, the Commonwealth and other developed countries.


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3. WRITING Read the charts below and write three paragraphs about them. Then look for the corresponding data for Italy and write a fourth paragraph. GDP Composition by sector (2006) 3. Combine harvesting.

agriculture

1%

industry

26%

services

73%

GDP Composition by occupation (2006)

agriculture

4. Steel factory.

1%

industry

18%

services

81%

GDP Growth rate (2006 – 2009)

3,5 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5

2006

2.88%

2007

3.05%

2008

0.70%

1,0 0,5 0,0

5. Blackface sheep.

4. VOCABULARY

1. advertising

11. hi-tech industries

21. mechanical engineering

2. business services

12. high quality goods

22. oil/gas fields

3. convenience foods

13. highly mechanized

23. (highly) qualified

4. creative industries

14. income

24. raw materials

5. crops

15. inequality

25. retail (trade)

6. dairy farming

16. inflation

26. service sector

7. financial services

17. interest rates

27. shipbuilding

8. fish farming

18. labour force

28. unemployment

9. foreign trade

19. livestock

29. wholesale (trade)

10. GDP

20. manufacturing industry

5. WWW Find out more about Britain’s economy at www.statistics.gov.uk and report to the class.


Find the Italian correspondents of the following words and explain their meaning.


11-06-2010 11:19:41

6. Canary Wharf, London.

Part Pa art rt 1 - T The he B Bri British riti ri t sh sh IIsles ssles sl les es

ord UK economy in its longest recession on rec ernment

est recession on record, as gov The British economy is mired in its long k 0.4% drop in gross domestic product figures out this morning showed a shoc hopes . The figures confounded widespread (GDP) in the third quarter of the year of rters qua th after five consecutive that the economy had returned to grow . ously expected a small increase in GDP nim una recession. Economists had almost six n bee now l show there have never unti Quarterly records go back to 1955 and quarters of contraction in a row. r and euro as dealers digested the bad The pound fell sharply against the dolla about r than the same quarter last year and news. The figure left output 5.2% lowe 6% lower overall in this recession. Alistair Darling reiterated his view that Straight after the figures were released, al of the year. “We’re facing the worst glob growth will return to Britain by the end ious caut ain rem we s. We’ve always said that financial crisis and recession in 60 year c uncertainty.” he said. […] omi econ as a result of the high degree of or k, with the once powerful service sect All sectors of the economy were wea The rter. qua third uction down 0.7% over the shrinking by 0.2% and industrial prod or, sect es trad or mot hotels, restaurants and biggest drag on the economy were the . 1.1% tion industry, down by which declined by 1%, and the construc deputy governor Paul Tucker warned land Eng of The numbers come after Bank ’s c” and the true picture of the economy any recovery was likely to be “anaemi . until next spring or summer health would not become apparent ld “head er said he hoped today’s figures wou Barb TUC general secretary Brendan emely “extr ains rem ” on an economy which off the growing signs of complacency like feel not ld wou nical recovery today, it fragile”. “Even if we had achieved a tech dole the join will r jobs or afraid that they a recovery to the thousands losing thei oyment will continue rising. It takes mpl une n queue in the months ahead whe return of big bank bonuses for a real more than a statistical read out and the recovery,” he said. Adapted from «The Guardian», October

23, 2009

6. READING Read the article on the left and complete the following sentences in your exercise book. 1.

In the third quarter of 2009 the GDP ... .

2.

Economists were ... .

3.

Since 1955 ... .

4.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, output was ... .

5.

Recession was ... .

6.

Over the third quarter, the weakest sectors of the economy were ... .

7.

A real recovery was not visible yet. Economy was still ... .

8.

Unemployment ... and thousands of people were ... .

20 0 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

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29-01-2010 17:08:19

7. VOCABULARY

10. SPEAKING

Read the article below. From each word in square brackets form another word appropriate to the context. Then read your modified text to the class.

Exchange questions and answers with your class.

Up to 11,000 jobs could be cut from UK’s [finance] services industry over the three months, according to forecasts by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry). The employers’ group said that based on analysis of its latest Financial Services Survey, there will be finance sector job [lose] of between 10,000 and 11,000 in the period from early March to the [begin] of June. The survey reported that the sector endured a [pain] first quarter of 2008, with higher operating costs and a sharp fall in profitability and gave a gloomy outlook of rising borrowing costs for the [come] six months. Ian McCafferty, CBI’s chief [economy], commented: “This is a very serious crisis. Some have suggested it’s the worst financial crisis since the Second World War. I think one of the key [character] is that it will go on for quite some time to come.” Almost 50 per cent of the companies [question] for the CBI’s survey reported a fall in business volumes that was worse than expected. Close to 20 per cent said that [profit] was down, while 25 per cent had cut jobs during the quarter. [Employ] expectations for the coming three months were the bleakest since December 2002. Moreover, owing to the lack of trust in the financial markets that has plagued companies, banks have been more unwilling to lend and lending has slowed [drama]. Almost 10 per cent of respondents predicted that lending to [industry] and [commerce] companies would decline in the next quarter. Adapted from «The Times», March 31, 2008

8. SPEAKING With reference to the article above decide whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F). 1.

T

F

11,000 jobs were cut in the UK in the past three months.

2.

T

F

The CBI survey refers to financial services only.

3.

T

F

Borrowing costs will rise in the next six months.

4.

T

F

It’s the worst financial crisis in more than 100 years.

5.

T

F

The crisis is going to last.

6.

T

F

Nobody expected such a fall in business volumes.

7.

T

F

50% of the companies interviewed have already cut jobs in the first quarter of 2008.

8.

T

F

Employment expectations for the next quarter are slightly optimistic.

9.

T

F

Companies do not trust the financial markets.

10. T F Banks are going to lend more money to industrial companies. 9. VOCABULARY Read the cuttings of the two articles on the right and underline the words with a negative meaning.

Which of the articles on these pages was the first to be published? When?

2.

Which was the latest? When?

3.

What was the time span between them?

4.

How did the UK economy change in the meanwhile?

House prices fell by a record 15.9% in 2008 House prices plunged by 15.9 per cent during 2008, the biggest annual drop on record, and are set to fall even further over the coming 12 months. According to Nationwide, the building society, the disruption in the financial markets worsened throughout 2008 and had larger implications for the real economy than they anticipated a year ago. They estimate that house prices will fall another 15 per cent over 2009 as people continue to have difficulty in securing mortgages and saving deposits. www.timesonline.co.uk, January 6, 2009

M&S cuts 1,000 jobs as fashion sales dive High street fashion retailers were the first big losers of 2009 as Britain returned to work yesterday to face the worst employment prospects in a generation. Marks & Spencer will announce massive job losses tomorrow after dire Christmas trading – nearly a thousand posts will go in stores and several hundred more from head office and support functions. Unemployment is now rising at a faster rate than during the 1990s recession. www.timesonline.co.uk, January 6, 2009


CBI warns 11,000 City jobs axed by June

1.

21 2 Maria Grazia Dandini NEW SURFING THE WORLD © Zanichelli 2010

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