Unit
All in the past
6
Unit 6?All?in?the?past
Teaching suggestions and answer keys
Starting point
1 Work in pairs. Discuss why the people in the pictures are important.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) was a resolute opponent of colonialism and British rule in India. He also resisted racial prejudice, but his greatest claim to fame was his belief in non-violent action. His main weapon was “passive resistance”, a refusal to obey the authorities. He also tried to keep the Muslims and Hindus of India from fighting.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is seen as the great example of the Renaissance man, not only a great painter (Mona Lisa, The Last Supper), but a sculptor, engineer and scientist. His notebooks show the range of his ideas and knowledge, including ideas for flight and the helicopter.
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) was a great mathematician and scientist who changed the way we see the universe. He was also a strong advocate of the moral and peaceful use of science. Einstein is best known for his theories of special relativity and general relativity. He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics and is often regarded as the father of modern physics.
Christopher Columbus (c1451–1506) was a navigator, and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean led to general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere.
2 Choose the type of history you think is most important.
? I choose social history as it is the history of the majority of people. The Marxist school of history believes the social / economic framework to be the most significant factor in historical
change.
? T he sort of history that is important to us is largely a matter of what is significant to us now. Our world is organized into states and our daily lives are dominated by technology so I think it is natural
for us to emphasize political history and the history of science.
3 Work in pairs. Talk about the qualities which make someone an important historical figure.
The number of people their lives affected then and now / their achievements / their morality / the size of their ambition / outstanding human virtues or vices
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All?in?the?past?Unit 6
Active reading (1)
1 Work in pairs and choose the best answer to the questions.
1 Who was Winston Churchill?
(a) Head of the British Army.
(b) President of the US.
(c) British Prime Minister.
2 Which of these events is Churchill most famously associated with?
(a) World War I.
(b) World War II.
(c) The English Civil War.
3 Which of the lines did Churchill say in a speech?
(a) I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.
(a quote from Winston Churchill in 1940 on becoming Prime Minister)
(b) Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.
(a quote from John Kennedy on inauguration as US President, 1961)
(c) In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
(a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.)
2 Read the first paragraph of the passage and predict what the passage is likely to be about.
The passage is .
(a) an extract from a biography of Churchill
(b) a pen portrait of Churchill
(c) a comparison of important historical people
Winston Churchill
Background information
The book is by Mo Mowlam, an intellectual and popular senior politician who died in 2009 as a result of brain cancer.
Culture points
Lord Randolph Churchill (1849–1895) was a British statesman. He was the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. He was the father of the future wartime Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Winston Churchill, who wrote the first major biography of Lord Randolph.
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206Clementine Churchill (1885–1977) was the wife of Sir Winston Churchill and a life peeress in her own right. She did do charity work, but basically she devoted herself to looking after her husband and bringing up their five children.
Arthur Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy. When Adolf Hitler continued his aggression, Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, and Chamberlain led Britain through the first eight months of World War II.
Language points
1 … to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of
human crime. (Para 2)
1 … to fight against an evil dictatorship worse than any that has existed before in human history, despite all
the terrible men there have been in the past.
2 But self-belief was something he maintained despite rather than because of his family. (Para 4)
You might think that coming from such a great family was what gave Churchill his self-confidence, but actually his family did nothing to encourage him.
3 His father Lord Randolph Churchill … and his mother, Jennie … were both cold and distant
people. (Para 4)
Cold and distant people refer to those who are not willing to show or give affection, very formal and unemotional.
4 … Winston’s father predicted his child would “degenerate into a shabby, unhappy and futile
existence”.
Winston’s father predicted that Winston would get worse as he grew older and would have an uninteresting, unrespectable, sad and pointless life.
5 This was the onset of his first major bout of depression, a curse he called his “black dog”. (Para 8)
Black dog here is a metaphor. Depression is seen as dark / black, and it follows one around as does one’s dog. It is also capable of biting / causing pain. Black dogs are also associated with the Devil.
6 She kept him together, but he got himself out of it, in true Churchillian fashion. (Para 8)
Clementine helped her husband a lot at that bad time to function from day to day, but it was his typical personal mental strength that brought him back to normal.
7 But by 1930, Labour was in power and he was on the backbenches, a nobody and a has-been. (Para 9)
Someone on the backbenches refers to a member of Parliament without a government position (ministers sit on the front row of seats / benches and their followers and supporters behind them). A nobody, and
a has-been refers to a person of no importance in politics, and someone with only a past, not present or
future.
8 He largely sat out the 1930s at his country retreat Chartwell. (Para 9)
The expression sat out is a metaphor from sport: Some players sit on a bench as reserves. Churchill was like this politically and no one asked him to leave his seat and come and play / take part. He did not need to be in London much and could stay at home in the countryside.
All?in?the?past?Unit 6 9 The billboards said “Cheer Churchill, Vote Labour”, and that’s what people did. (Para 12)
During elections large posters are put up. The Labour Party, Winston’s opponents in the election, did not attack him personally. They said it was correct to like and admire Winston, but not to vote for his party which did not have good policies, and people agreed.
10 That was the irony. The very democracy that Churchill was prepared to lay down his life to defend
was the same democracy that knew the difference between the needs of peace and the needs of war.
(Para 12)
It seems ironic that after fighting so hard and bravely to keep Britain a democracy, Churchill was removed from power by a democratic vote. But the British knew that a great war leader may not be a good peacetime one.
11 If Britain – its eccentricity, its strength of character, its big-heartedness – had to be summed up in one
person, it was him. (Para 13)
Britain has always valued individuals who behave in their own unique way, people who are not easily persuaded to do what they don’t want to, and who accept others in a spirit of generosity. In this way, Churchill can be seen as being the model Briton.
Reading and understanding
3 Number the events in the order they happened.
5The allied forces declared victory in World War II.
3Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty.
4Churchill became Prime Minister.
1Churchill fought in the Boer War.
6Churchill lost the general election.
2Churchill elected to the British Parliament.
4 Choose the best way to complete the sentences.
1 In the summer of 1940, Britain (a).
(a) was likely to be attacked by another country
(b) was surrounded by enemies
(c) was intending to attack another country
(d) had been attacked by another country
2 Churchill suggested that Britain (b).
(a) would win a terrible victory
(b) needed to fight a difficult war
(c) must prevent a terrible crime
(d) was a democratic country
3 Winston’s father thought he was (c).
(a) an intelligent and handsome boy who would be rich
(b) a strong and brave boy who would fight for his country
(c) a weak, miserable boy, unlikely to be successful
(d) a hard-working boy who would follow in the family tradition
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4 The writer suggests that as an MP Churchill (d).
(a) promoted the interests of trade unionists
(b) was not interested in law and order
(c) disliked the attitude of the suffragettes
(d) used the army to suppress people who wanted to change society
5 The writer suggests that Churchill’s early ambition was (a).
(a) to be an important military man
(b) to play with soldiers
(c) to win a war
(d) to live in a palace
6 Winston fought as an ordinary soldier because (c).
(a) he was married to a younger woman
(b) he became depressed
(c) he felt guilty about a battle that went wrong
(d) he wanted to write about the war
7 In 1940 Churchill (b).
(a) agreed with Neville Chamberlain
(b) inspired people to believe they could win the war
(c) declared that the King wanted him to be Prime Minister
(d) won a victory at Agincourt
8 At the end of the passage, the writer suggests that Britain (d).
(a) no longer needed democracy
(b) had forgotten all about Churchill
(c) summed up the character of Churchill
(d) had survived the war thanks to Churchill
5 Choose the best summary of the passage.
3 Churchill came from a famous family and was a soldier and politician. When Churchill became Prime
Minister in 1940, Britain was at war. Churchill made speeches that inspired the nation, and led the country to victory. Although he was considered a great military leader, Churchill lost the general election after the war. Dealing with unfamiliar words
6 Match the words in the box with their definitions.
1 willing to accept someone else’s beliefs or way of life without criticizing them (tolerant)
2 a system of government in which people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them
(democracy)
3 willing to support, work for or be a friend to someone, even in difficult times (loyal)
4 being famous and admired for a special skill or achievement (renowned)
5 the things that you will do or the type of person that you will become in the future (destiny)
6 a peaceful and private place where you can go in order to rest (retreat)
7 to frighten or hurt someone who is smaller and weaker than you (bully)
All?in?the?past?Unit 6
7 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 6.
Churchill believed that he was (1) destined to lead his country. He fought as a soldier in World War I and led the country to victory in World War II. It seems ironic that a leader of such (2) renown as Churchill could not count on the (3) loyalty of voters in 1945. However, in a (4) democratic country, electors cannot be (5) bullied, and he had to (6) tolerate political defeat after military victory, and went once more to his country (7) retreat, Chartwell.
8 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words and expressions in the box.
1 His achievements were so great that they can never be bettered. (surpassed)
2 The situation can only get worse; it will never improve. (degenerate)
3 Although he was a rich man, his clothes were of poor quality and in bad condition. (shabby)
4 He exchanged his position as a general for that of an ordinary soldier. (swapped)
5 At the beginning of World War II the King turned to Churchill to lead the country. (onset)
6 Churchill drank a lot of alcohol. (liquor)
7 Churchill wanted to do something to show he was sorry for his mistake at the battle of Gallipoli. (make
amends)
9 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.
1 If a government is a monstrous tyranny, is it (a) terrible and oppressive, or (b) democratic and tolerant?
2 If something is lamentable, is it (a) surprising, or (b) disappointing?
3 If you pack someone off, do you (a) protect them, or (b) send them away?
4 If someone talks with a stammer, do they talk (a) in a confident way, or (b) with difficulty?
5 Does double up as mean (a) to do two jobs at the same time, or (b) to do a job more than once?
6 Is a dispatch (a) a report that you send, or (b) something you experience?
7 Is sanity (a) a mental illness, or (b) the ability to think and speak reasonably?
8 If you suffer a bout of flu, does the flu last (a) a short time, or (b) a long time?
9 Does unswervingly describe someone whose feelings (a) often change, especially if circumstances
change, or (b) are constant, even if circumstances are difficult?
10 If you brandish something, do you (a) hide it in a pocket, or (b) wave it in the air?
11 Does infuriating describe someone who (a) makes you angry, or (b) is very easy to get on with?
12 Is eccentricity(a) strange and unusual behaviour, or (b) normal behaviour?
Reading and interpreting
10 Look at the sentences from the passage and answer the questions.
1 In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone on the brink of invasion. At that crucial time, one man,
Winston Churchill, defined what it meant to be British.
In what way do you think Churchill personified Britain?
The leader of a country represents it. Churchill’s determination to win and strength of character
summed up the nation’s feelings.
2 You ask what is our policy? … You ask what is our aim?
Who asks these questions? Who answers them? What effect does this have?
The people who ask these questions are the members of Parliament he was addressing, and beyond
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them the British people wondering what their new government would do. By answering them Churchill shows his leadership. The questions also give the speech form and rhythm.
3 … with all our might and with all our strength …
Might and strength have similar meanings, why are both words used?
The use of these two words which are similar in meaning creates emphasis (as do the two alls), and so expresses determination as well as a warning that it will be a total struggle. There is also perhaps a reassurance that the country has considerable resources.
4 People talk of 1066, of the Armada, of Trafalgar. But 1940 was the most important year in British
history. It was the year of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz.
The first set of battles covered more than 700 years of British history. The second set all happened in 1940. What is the effect of putting these lists together?
It shows how much was packed into that one year of total crisis. It was equal to all that went before.
5 If Britain–its eccentricity, its strength of character, its big-heartedness–had to be summed up in one
person, it was him.
Does a nation have a character? What is the writer saying about Britain and about Churchill?
The writer thinks a country has certain values its people believe in and therefore try to show. These are the qualities he thinks are treasured by the British, ones which Churchill had in full. It is possible that patriotism gives each country a rather exaggerated sense of its own virtues, but it is also true that different cultures do emphasize different aspects of life
Developing critical thinking
11 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 How much influence can one person have on the history of their country?
? T he forces of history are stronger than individuals. China would have been united by someone else if there had been no Qin Emperor. Britain had other potential leaders than Churchill. Some people meet the demands of history.
? T hings are not inevitable. Germany did not have to have a leader like Hitler. President Bush could have responded to the 9/11 attack differently. Individuals do have an effect.
2 What characteristics does a national leader need to have?
Strength of will, imagination, a vision of what the country should be trying to achieve, an understanding of what people want and an ability to communicate.
3 Does a national leader need to have similar characters as those of people they lead, or should they be
very different?
I think a bit of both. The leader must seem to be in tune with the people, or there will be no support
or cooperation: A pacifist cannot lead an aggressive society. But if the leader is too like the people, one wonders who is leading and who following. A great leader needs to see more than the people and understand other values as well.
4 Are some leaders more or less respected internationally than in their own countries, and why?
Yes, it can happen. If a leader spends a lot of time on foreign affairs and peace-making, it may impress the international world, but inside the country people may say the government is neglecting domestic
All?in?the?past?Unit 6 issues. An aggressive leader may seem very objectionable to other countries but delight many of his /
her own people as it is fairly easy to stir up anti-foreign feeling.
Talking point
Discuss the different viewpoints. Which do you agree with most?
1 To be great, a person needs to make a big change in the country.
Yes, we need a separate category for those who really change things- Confucius, the First Emperor,
Chairman Mao. China would not be China if they had not lived. / I see your point- but if someone wrote
the best poem ever, but no one read it, wouldn’t they be in some way great too? Do you have to be
noticed to be great?
2 Ordinary people can be great in their own way.
It all depends on our definition of greatness. If it involves having a big impact, no they cannot. If it means doing one’s best in one’s situation, yes, you can be a great parent, a great teacher and so on.
3 It’s easier for wealthy or important people to become great.
That does not seem to work when you start listing great people: Napoleon, Jesus, Beethoven, Mao,
Einstein, Shakespeare- but it is true China has a tradition of great poets and writers coming from the
gentry class.
4 It’s a person’s determination and strength that makes them great.
Yes, this is the viewpoint I sympathize most with. Whichever definition of greatness we prefer, to be great means to have a vision and make every effort to realize it. You cannot be a great tennis player,
composer, general or scientist unless you are devoted to your career. By strength of course I mean
mental strength.
Active reading (2)
1 Work in pairs and answer the questions.
1 Can you think of photographs or films which show important historical events?
There are many photographs from past wars. I can recall some of the Long March very clearly. There
are well-known pictures like the assignation of President Kennedy and the First Moon Landing too. As
for films: The Opium War, The Last Emperor, Pearl Harbour etc.
2 Which is more powerful in portraying historical events, the camera or the pen?
Well-written history is powerful, but I suspect most of us are more impressed by a large-screen
production of great scenes from history. The music and action carry one along, though books are more
thoughtful.
3 How accurately do you think films represent historical events?
I think they try hard in terms of clothes, weapons and background, but they need to tell an interesting
story so they simplify and make characters easier to understand.
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4 Does it matter if a historical film is not factually accurate?
? No, films are only for entertainment. Rose and Jack did not exist. The story of the Titanic is true, but we need a human interest story to make it attractive to viewers.
? Yes, it is important for a historical film to be factually accurate, especially when the events are not so long ago and involve human life and death. We owe it to victims to tell stories truthfully.
2 Work in pairs. Choose the best answer to the questions.
1 What is a historical fact?
(a) Anything that happened in the past.
(b) Something significant that happened in the past.
Comment: (a) is true in a sense, but most facts like that are of no interest or can be easily forgotten. To really become part of history the fact must be worth recalling.
2 What does a historian do?
(a) Establish accurately what happened in the past.
(b) Decide which facts are important and interpret their significance.
Comment: Historians need true facts, which are not much use until they are interpreted and used. So (a) has some truth, but (b) far more.
The historian and his facts
Background information
The passage is an extract from the book What is History by the British historian Edward Hallett Carr (1892 –1982). It is based on a series of lectures he gave in Cambridge in 1961.
Carr was best known for his 14-volume history of the Soviet Union, in which he provided an account of Soviet history from 1917 to 1929, for his writings on international relations, and for his book What Is History?, in which he laid out historiographical principles rejecting traditional historical methods and practices.
The book discusses history, facts, the bias of historians, science, morality, individuals and society, and moral judgments in history. It originated in a series of lectures given by Carr in 1961 at the University of Cambridge.
Language points
1 … the most effective way to influence opinion is by the selection and arrangement of the
appropriate facts. (para 1)
Facts are neutral and it is the way they are presented and the context in which they occur which influence how they are understood, for example, putting a man on the Moon could be presented as a feat of human daring, a miracle of science, a militaristic attempt to dominate from space, a wicked waste of money etc.
2 The facts speak only when the historian calls on them: It is he who decides to which facts to give
the floor, and in what order or context. (para 1)
The expression to give the floor is a metaphor from a debate or trial: The facts are controlled by the
All?in?the?past?Unit 6
historian (judge) who decides which ones to allow to appear and be heard.
3 Professor Talcott Parsons once called science “a selective system of cognitive orientations to
reality”. (para 1)
A selective system of cognitive orientations to reality means a choice of which ways in which to look at
the world.
4 The belief in a hard core of historical facts existing objectively and independently of the
interpretation of the historian is a preposterous fallacy … (para 1)
The idea that history is a set of definite facts we can all agree on with a clear interpretation is nonsense.
History is a way of looking at the past and is coloured by our own opinions and desires.
5 Its present status, I suggest, is that it has been proposed for membership of the select club of
historical facts. (para 2)
The expression proposed for membership of the select club is a metaphor from an elite club to which
members are elected after being proposed by one or two members. Dr Kitson has suggested the event of
1850 he mentioned is important. Historians must now decide if they agree.
6 Alternatively, nobody may take it up, in which case it will relapse into the limbo of unhistorical
facts about the past … (para 2)
The expression relapse into a limbo means fall back into a half-existing state. In this context, it means
that the story will remain a fact / something which happened, but not a historical fact anyone cares
about.
Reading and understanding
3 Answer the questions.
1 What is the relationship between archaeology and history?
Archaeology is an auxiliary science of history, for example, it supplies facts which can then be
interpreted by historians, eg pottery is dug up and dated so we know a certain group lived there at a
certain time. This may or may not affect our view of the past.
2 Why does the writer say it is not true that “facts speak for themselves”?
There are an infinite number of facts about the past. They only matter if we pay attention to them and see them as significant.
3 How and why are historians selective?
Historians present us with facts which they think give us an understanding about the past, and choose
ones which support their ideas.
4 What is the difference between a fact about the past and a fact of history?
A fact about the past is anything which ever happened; a fact of history is a fact which historians debate
the meaning of and regard as significant for understanding the tale of humanity.
4 Check (?) the true statements.
Historians only need to record facts accurately.
Historians need to know how to determine the origins of historical facts.
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√Historians select the facts they need to support their interpretation.
√Historians decided that Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon was a significant historical event.
√P eople continue to believe in the existence of facts without a historian’s interpretation, even though such a belief is ridiculous.
The event at Stalybridge Wakes in 1850 is a well-established historical fact.
Dealing with unfamiliar words
5 Match the words in the box with their definitions.
1 a written or spoken comment about something that you have seen, heard or felt (observation)
2 wood used for building houses or making furniture (timber)
3 secondary, not principal or main (auxiliary)
4 a small piece of a larger object that has broken, often into a lot of pieces (fragment)
5 very detailed and complicated (elaborate)
6 the process of choosing one person or thing from a group (selection)
7 not important and not worth worrying about (petty)
8 a serious disagreement (dispute)
9 to make a formal suggestion (propose)
6 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in Activity 5.
1 His proposal proved popular and the meeting accepted it unanimously.
2 It’s the elaboration / elaborateness of the decoration that makes the building special.
3 The evidence was very fragmentary and it was difficult to get a complete picture.
4 The historian selects the important facts and arranges them to fit his theory.
5 Restoration is an auxiliary science which helps art historians find out the age of a painting and the artist.
6 The pettiness of his arguments meant that they weren’t important or worth taking seriously.
7 These ancient timbered buildings were constructed of wood from the nearby forest.
8 They disputed the truth of the theories for a long time.
9 They observed that there was more than one interpretation of the facts.
7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.
1 Does decipher mean to (a) read a text easily, or (b) work out the meaning of a secret or obscure text?
2 Is an inscription(a) something written or carved on something to record an important event, or (b)
something recorded or spoken?
3 Is a motto (a) a short statement of what someone believes, or (b) an extended argument?
4 Is orientation likely to mean (a) a way of doing something, or (b) an attitude or belief?
5 Is a fallacy likely to be (a) a mistaken belief, or (b) something that’s obviously true?
6 If you eradicate something, do you (a) establish it, or (b) remove it completely?
7 Is a seconder someone who (a) comes second in a race, or (b) supports a proposition at a meeting?
8 If someone or something relapses, does it (a) return to its previous state, or (b) disappear?
9 If someone does something gallantly, do they do it (a) daringly and successfully, or (b) bravely, but
unsuccessfully?
All?in?the?past?Unit 6
Reading and interpreting
8 Look at the sentences from the passage and answer the questions.
1 What is a historical fact?
Why does the writer ask this question? Does he expect the reader to answer it?
By asking this question, the writer doesn’t expect the reader to answer it, instead, he wants the reader to
start thinking about it and follow his argument.
2 According to the common-sense view …
Who holds “the common-sense” view? Does the writer agree with it?
Ordinary people hold the “common-sense” view, but the writer regards it as na?ve.
3 … it is not with facts like these that the historian is primarily concerned.
What sort of facts is the writer referring to?
The writer refers to straightforward matters of things which happened in the past.
4 To praise a historian for his accuracy is like praising an architect for using well-seasoned timber …
Is the writer talking to students of history or architecture?
The writer is talking to students of historians – the architects are only part of an analogy.
5 The facts speak only when the historian calls on them: It is he who decides to which facts to give the
floor, and in what order or context.
“To give someone the floor” means to allow them to speak at a meeting. How does the historian “call on” the facts? Whose role is more important, the historian or the facts?
The historian chooses which facts to refer to / recount in his book. Without his use of them they are
silent. Thus the historian is more important than the facts.
6 … a fact is like a sack – it won’t stand up till you’ve put something in it.
What image does this give you? What does a fact need to be useful?
The sack is lying formless on the ground. It is filled with, for example, rice and now has a shape and
stands up. In a similar sense, a fact lies neglected and formless until a historian fills it with meaning by
using it in an argument.
7 The fact that you arrived in this building half an hour ago on foot, or on a bicycle, or in a car, is just as
much a fact about the past as the fact that Caesar crossed the Rubicon.
Why does the writer use this example?
He seeks to make his point clearer by means of an extreme example: A matter of very minor interest
even to oneself is said to have the same status as one of the great pivotal events of world history. It
shows that being a fact is not in itself very important. Someone has to choose the facts we recall – and
that is the historian’s job.
Developing critical thinking
9 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 How important do you think historical accuracy is in works of art (film, books, plays, paintings etc)?
? A painting of an important moment in history needs to create a mood and make the importance clear. The true details are not important – may even be unsuitable. If Napoleon had a cold at a great
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battle, the painter won’t show him sneezing unless he is trying to mock the man. As a great general, Napoleon must be shown planning and leading.
? I can see that describing any event means we interpret it, but I think an artist as much as a historian has a duty to keep to facts. If someone in history had lots of love affairs, it is false to show them as the prefect husband.
2 Which do you find more memorable: attending a history lesson or watching a film about a historical
event?
Definitely, watching a film about a historical event is more memorable. Even if you have learnt something in a history class and believe it, if you see a film which shows events differently, it will be hard to remember the true version.
3 Do you know any historical events that are interpreted differently by different people, and why?
A Western capitalist historian might think China in the nineteenth century was out-of-date and
unreasonably blocking trade. In the interests of economic growth Chinese ports had to be opened up and the taking of Hong Kong was part of progress. A Chinese historian is likely to talk about the horrors of opium addiction and the immorality of greedy merchants who in modern terms were simply international drug dealers. This occurs because of nationalism and also victims like to remember and evil-doers forget.
4 Does knowledge of history affect how you feel about the present and future?
Yes, I think most people in China feel proud of much of our early history and achievements, but shocked at what happened during the last days of the Qing Dynasty. History warns us that we need to be strong because the weak usually suffer.
5 What current events do you think will become important historical events?
The election of an African-American President, discoveries in genetics, China’s space programme etc. Talking point
Work in pairs. Read the quotations about history and discuss which you like best, and why?
Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past. George Orwell, British novelist and essayist
I like the Orwell quote: It is so neatly balanced and it is true. If you control the way people see history, you can control (or at least influence strongly) how they act and what will happen. Those in power today can control how history is written.
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Winston Churchill, British statesman and writer
This is an impressive warning – if we do not learn from history we will keep on making the same mistakes. At least in the last world economic crisis governments learnt from the Great Depression and adopted different policies from then.
History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it. Winston Churchill, British statesman and writer
This one is very amusing – Churchill the historian can give Churchill the statesman a good image!
All?in?the?past?Unit 6 Hegel says somewhere that all great events and personalities in world history reappear in one fashion or another. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. Karl Marx, German philosopher, socialist and economist
? The 19th-century German philosopher Hegel saw history as a progressive realization of hidden principles driving humanity forward from primitive beginnings to high civilization. Marx in his comment was particularly criticizing the French Second Empire of Napoleon III, to which Marx was deeply opposed.
In his eyes, Napoleon I’s empire may have had glory, but Napoleon III’s was corrupt and dishonorable.] I don’t really think that is particularly true – is the French Revolution a tragedy and the Russian one a farce?
Surely not.
? Yes, it’s true that if you try to repeat something it usually is not as good.
That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons
that history has to teach. Aldous Huxley, British novelist and critic
Huxley is very cynical. I like the paradoxical style. Of course, he may be right – no two sets of events are
ever similar enough for the lessons from one to apply to the other.
Language in use
thanks to …
1 Rewrite the sentences using thanks to …
1 Because of Churchill’s leadership and example, we showed courage and determination.
Thanks to Churchill’s leadership and example, we showed courage and determination.
2 Because of their loyalty to king and country, young Winston was brought up to serve the UK.
Thanks to their loyalty to king and country, young Winston was brought up to serve the UK.
3 At school he was bullied because of his lisp, stammer and ill-health.
At school he was bullied thanks to his lisp, stammer and ill-health.
4 Because of his dispatches from the Boer War, he returned to England as a hero.
Thanks to his dispatches from the Boer War, he returned to England as a hero.
5 Because of school holidays playing in Blenheim Palace, he had always wanted to be a general.
Thanks to school holidays playing in Blenheim Palace, he had always wanted to be a general.
6 He lost his job as First Lord of the Admiralty because of the disaster at Gallipoli.
He lost his job as First Lord of the Admiralty thanks to the disaster at Gallipoli.
7 Because of his wife Clementine, he managed to control his depression.
Thanks to his wife Clementine, he managed to control his depression.
8 Because of his prediction about Germany, King George VI invited him to form a government.
Thanks to his prediction about Germany, King George VI invited him to form a government.
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218unpacking complex sentences
2 Look at the sentences from the passage The historian and his facts and answer the questions.
1 To praise a historian for his accuracy is like praising an architect for using well-seasoned timber or
properly mixed concrete in his building.
(a) What is the main verb?
The main verb is is.
(b) What is like praising an architect?
To praise a historian.
(c) What kind of historian and architect are compared?
Good, efficient historians and architects are compared.
2 It is precisely for matters of this kind that the historian is entitled to rely on what have been called the
“auxiliary sciences” of history – archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics, chronology, and so forth.
(a) What is the main verb?
The main verb is is (the first one).
(b) What are examples of the auxiliary sciences of history?
archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics, chronology.
(c) Why is the historian entitled to rely on them?
Because they are scientific fields with reliable results.
3 In spite of C. P. Scott’s motto, every journalist knows today that the most effective way to influence
opinion is by the selection and arrangement of the appropriate facts.
(a) What is the main verb?
The main verb is knows.
(b) What do journalists want to know?
The most effective way to influence opinion.
(c) How do they do this?
By the selection and arrangement of the appropriate facts.
(d) Does C. P. Scott’s motto support this way of doing things?
No, C. P. Scott, a famous newspaper editor, said “Comment is free, but facts are sacred.” The motto doesn’t support this way of doing things..
4 The fact that you arrived in this building half an hour ago on foot, or on a bicycle, or in a car, is just as
much a fact about the past as the fact that Caesar crossed the Rubicon.
(a) What is the first fact? How many alternative first facts does it have?
The first fact is about how you arrived. There are two alternatives: You arrived on a bicycle or in a car.
(b) What is the main verb?
The main verb is is.
(c) What is as much a fact about the past as Caesar crossing the Rubicon?
How you arrived.
5 It may be that in the course of the next few years we shall see this fact appearing first in footnotes, then
in the text, of articles and books about 19th-century England, and that in 20 or 30 years’ time it may be
a well-established historical fact.
(a) What’s the main verb?
The main verb is may be.
All?in?the?past?Unit 6 (b) When will this fact first appear?
In the course of next few years.
(c) Where will it first appear?
It will first appear in footnotes of articles and books about 19-century England.
(d) Where will it appear next?
The text of articles and books about 19-century England.
(e) What will happen next?
It will be regarded as a well-established historical fact.
(f) When will it happen?
In 20 or 30 years’ time.
collocations
3 Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.
1 swap This word usually means to replace one thing with another.
(a) So what happens when a student in China swaps places with a student in the US?
The Chinese student goes to America and the American student comes to China.
(b) If two families each has a house, what happens when they agree to do a house swap?
Family A goes to live in Family B’s house and vice versa.
(c) What happens if you take an item of clothing back to a shop and swap it for another size or colour?
You hand back the first one and the shop gives you another one of different size / colour without any further payment.
2 loyal When you’re loyal to someone, you’re willing to work for someone or be their friend even in
difficult circumstances.
(a) What kind of person is a loyal customer?
One who always uses the products or services of a particular business, eg the customer only buys
drinks / coffee in Starbucks.
(b) Why do shops offer customers a loyalty card?
To encourage customers to keep on coming back.
(c) If you have mixed loyalties towards two people or organizations, do you want to be loyal to both or
neither?
Both.
3 dispute A dispute is a serious disagreement, especially one between groups of people that lasts for a
long time.
(a) What kind of facts are beyond dispute?
The facts no one argues against.
(b) If something is in dispute, do people agree or disagree about it?
People disagree about it.
(c) If something is open to dispute, do people agree or disagree about it?
People disagree about it – it is a matter of opinion.
4 observation This word refers to the process of watching someone or something carefully, in order to
find out about it. An observation is a comment about something you have seen, heard or felt.
(a) If someone makes an interesting observation about someone or something, what do they do?
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They make an interesting comment about it which attracts the listener.
(b) If you enter hospital under observation, what are the doctors trying to do?
The doctors are watching you to see how your problem develops.
(c) What would a soldier do from an observation post?
To keep watch on what is happening nearby.
5 petty This word usually means small, unimportant or minor.
(a) What kind of crime is a petty crime?
Such crimes as shoplifting sweets, not paying your bus fare etc.
(b) Do you think petty cash is a large or small amount of money?
Petty cash is a small amount of money, eg cash kept in an office for paying any small charges such as extra postage.
(c) Is a petty officer in the navy likely to be of high or low rank?
A petty officer in the navy is likely to be of low rank.
4 Translate the paragraph into Chinese.
The historian is not required to have the special skills which enable the expert to determine the origin and period of a fragment of pottery or marble, to decipher an obscure inscription, or to make the elaborate astronomical calculations necessary to establish a precise date. These so-called basic facts which are the same for all historians commonly belong to the category of the raw materials of the historian rather than of history itself. The second observation is that the necessity to establish these basic facts rests not on any quality in the facts themselves, but on a priori decision of the historian. In spite of C. P. Scott’s motto, every journalist knows today that the most effective way to influence opinion is by the selection and arrangement of the appropriate facts. It used to be said that facts speak for themselves. This is, of course, untrue. The facts speak only when the historian calls on them: It is he who decides to which facts to give the floor, and in what order or context. It was, I think, one of Pirandello’s characters who said that a fact is like a sack – it won’t stand up till you’ve put something in it. The only reason why we are interested to know that the battle was fought at Hastings in 1066 is that historians regard it as a major historical event. It is the historian who has decided for his own reasons that Caesar’s crossing of that petty stream, the Rubicon, is a fact of history, whereas the crossing of the Rubicon by millions of other people before or since interests nobody at all. The fact that you arrived in this building half an hour ago on foot, or on a bicycle, or in a car, is just as much a fact about the past as the fact that Caesar crossed the Rubicon.
历史学家不需要掌握特殊的技能去确定陶瓷或大理石残片的起源与断代、解读一段意义隐晦的铭文的含义、或是为确定一个准确的日期而进行繁复的天文计算。这些所谓的基本事实对所有的历史学家来说都是一样的，它们是历史学家可用的原始素材，而非历史本身。我要说的第二点是，之所以有必要确定这些基本的事实并不取决于事实的可靠性，而是取决于历史学家事先做出的判断。尽管C.P.司各特的那句箴言深入人心（注：司各特的箴言comments are free, but facts are sacred.“事实不可歪曲，评述大可自由”），但是现在每一名新闻记者都知道要影响大众舆论，最有效的方式就是对特定的事实进行选择和剪接。人们以前常说事实不言自明。这种说法显然是错误的，历史事实只是在历史学家用到时才会不言自明。哪些事实可以现身说法，以及这些事实以什么样的顺序或是在什么样的情景中出现
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都是由历史学家来决定的。 我记得皮兰德娄笔下的一个人物曾经说过：事实就像一个麻袋——不塞点东西进去就立不起来。我们之所以对1066年发生在黑斯廷斯的战役感兴趣的唯一原因就是历史学家把这一战役看作是一个重大的历史事件。历史学家们依照自己的推断，认为凯撒穿越那条小河——卢比孔河——是一个史实，但没有人对在他之前或是之后几百万其他人穿过这条河的举动感兴趣。你半个小时之前或徒步、或骑车或开车来到这幢大楼，这件事和当年凯撒渡过卢比孔河一样都是一个关于过去的客观事实。(?这一段长句较集中。第二句的定语从句译成汉语时可拆分成并列句。注意 a priori decision和the appropriate facts 的译法。)
5 Translate the paragraphs into English.
为保证校园的安全，校方最近发布了一项新的规定，禁止小商贩进入校园。校长呼吁学生在这件事上与学校合作。学生们表示强烈反对，几百名学生在学校的BBS上表达了他们的愤怒。他们说，因为校园离市中心很远，校内商店里的货品又不多，把小贩赶出校园就无异于把学生扔到孤岛上。有些人提出，正是在这样的事情上，学校应该听取学生的意见和需求。有些学生认为，这项规定能让校园更安全的想法是错误的。
学生的反应让校长感到震惊，为弥补过失，他宣布学校将重新考虑这项规定。他对学生说，他们完全有权力过上方便、舒适的生活，但校园的安全也同样重要。他还提议在校园里建一个大超市，在宿舍楼附近开一些便利店(convenience store)，这样就能大大方便学生们的生活。(it’s for matters of this kind; get sth wrong; make amends; be entitled to)
To make the campus safer, the university authorities recently released a new regulation that forbids any vendors from entering the campus, and the president called on the students to cooperate with the university
on this matter. But the students’ opposition was strong, and hundreds of them expressed their anger on
the university BBS. They said that to keep vendors off campus is like deserting the students on an island,
as the university was far away from the downtown and the shops on the campus did not provide enough commodities. Some claimed that it was precisely for matters of this kind that university should listen to students’ opinions and needs. Some students thought the university had got it wrong in believing that this regulation will ensure safety on campus.
Shocked by the students’ reaction, the president tried to make amends for his mistake by announcing that
the university will look into this new regulation again. He told students that they were entitled to live a convenient and comfortable life, but safety is just as much an important concern as that. He proposed to
build a big supermarket within the campus and some convenient stores near dormitory buildings, which would certainly make students’ life much easier.
Reading across cultures
Bringing history to life
1 Read the passage and answer the questions.
1 What are the two types of museums described in the passage?
Traditional and living museums.
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2 What are the characteristics of the two museums?
In the traditional museum, historical items are put in display cases and visitors read the information labels to learn about them. Whereas the living museum provides recreations of the past, for example, visitors can meet people from the past, watch them at work and ask questions about their lives. They can even try their hand at crafts like iron-making or woodworking as well as watching experts at work.
3 What can people do at Cinderbury?
They can experience life of someone in the Iron Age 2,000 years ago.
4 What does staying at Cinderbury do for visitors?
Visitors not only learn about the past, but experience it, so staying at Cinderbury help them gain a deeper insight.
5 What’s special about Williamsburg?
The whole city is a living museum.
6 What is the writer’s opinion of traditional museums and living history museums?
Traditional museums may offer more accurate accounts of history than living ones, but they are dull.
Living history museums are much more interesting and fun.
2 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 Which well-known tourist sites in China would you describe as open-air or living museums?
For example, Shenzhen Splendid China Folk Cultural Village (深圳中国民族文化村),China Nationalities Museum (中华民族园), Grand View Garden (大观园), Chuandixia Village (川底下村) etc.
2 What appeal might acting out historic events have for you?
I love historical films and soap operas, so I would probably enjoy dressing up and pretending to
be part of a scene from history. (Taking part in reenactments of historical events, largely famous battles, is a popular European and American hobby. Participants enjoy collecting information on the past, creating authentic costumes and acquiring appropriate replicas of weapons. The reenactments are pleasurable in themselves, but can also, of course, be a tourist attraction with a special market as part of the event.)
3 Which museums might be more popular for Chinese tourists – traditional museums or living history
museums?
Living history museums sound very attractive. I think being able to handle things and ask questions is much more interesting for most of us than just looking at glass cases.
4 Can you think of a traditional museum where you could bring history to life?
Perhaps one could have an army camp with actors dressed like the terracotta army. Suzhou could have people dressed in Ming dynasty clothes relaxing in the gardens, writing poetry and so on. That would make it even better for tourists!