Αγγλικά - Προχωρημένοι (Β Γυμνασίου): Ηλεκτρονικό Βιβλίο

LESSON 15 • ACTING UP!…

			Magazine: Theatre Story: Coetzee's novels

Lesson 15

Greek drama

1.1	How much do you know about ancient Greek drama? Do the puzzle to find the hidden word.

Competitions among Greek playwrights were held for centuries as part of religious celebrations
dedicated to ..............., the god of wine.
The chorus danced and sang in the ..............., a round area at the foot of the theatre.
Greek plays were performed in large, outdoor, semicircular ............... that held as many as
15,000 people.
All actors wore ............... over their faces.
Female roles were performed by ............... actors.

1.2	Which great ancient Greek playwrights do you know?

Elizabethan drama

William Shakespeare was a famous British playwright who is
known as one of the greatest dramatists and finest poets of all times.
His plays exemplify the drama written during the time of Queen
Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603). Shakespeare wrote tragedy,
comedy and history. He wrote about the lives and actions of kings,
queens and other highborn characters.

What else do you know
about Shakespeare?
Do you know any of his plays?

UNIT 5

LESSON 15 • ACTING UP!…

2.1

Read the sentences below about William Shakespeare. Guess whether they are True (Τ) or
False (F).

1. Shakespeare died on his birthday.
2. Shakespeare could speak Latin at the age of 8!
3. Shakespeare didn’t go to university.
4. His wife was 8 years older than him.
5. He wrote a play that takes place in Athens.

2.2	Now listen to see if you guessed right.

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2.3	Listen again and complete the gaps.

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William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died in (1) ……… . His father’s name was (2) ………
and his mother’s (3) …………… . He often helped his father in the (4) …………… . He married
Anne Hathaway when he was only (5) ……… . A few years later, he went to (6) …………… to work
as an actor and playwright. (7) …………… of his plays exist today. In August 1596, his son
Hamnet (8) ……… . In Shakespeare’s days everyone loved his plays, even the (9) ……………
often went to see them. All actors in those days were (10) ……… .

The story of Romeo and Juliet

3.1	Do you know what happens in Shakespeare's well-known drama “Romeo and Juliet”?

3.2	Read the summary of the story to find out if you were right.

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Long ago in the city of Verona, lived two noble families,
the Capulets and the Montagues. For as long as anyone could
remember, there was much hatred between the two families.
Romeo, the son of Montague, was the only one who wanted
to make peace.
One day, Romeo heard there was going to be a feast at the
house of Capulet. He decided to go, but in disguise so that no
one would know who he was. When Romeo arrived there, he
looked around the room, and caught sight of a girl so beautiful
that he could think of nothing else. When he found out that she
was Juliet, Capulet's daughter, he was stunned. Juliet also fell in
love with the young man. When she heard that he was Romeo,
the only son of Montague, she could hardly believe her
misfortune. "My only love sprung from my only hate!" she said.
Later that night, Romeo was walking past the Capulets’
garden when he suddenly stopped. "Can I go forward when
my love is here?" He decided to climb over the wall and meet

Juliet. Then he saw her standing on the balcony. Juliet had not
seen him. "Romeo, Romeo!" she said to herself. "Why are you
Romeo? Refuse your name and I'll no longer be a Capulet".
Romeo was filled with joy.
Romeo and Juliet confessed their love to each other and
married in secret the very next day. While Romeo was coming
back from the secret wedding, he came across Tybalt, Juliet's
cousin, who had been arguing with Romeo's friend Mercutio.
In the fight that followed, Tybalt killed Mercutio and then fell
dead from Romeo's sword. Romeo had to escape from the city
of Verona. Juliet's parents told her that she should marry
another man. Filled with despair, Juliet went to the priest who
had married them to ask for help. He had a plan. He would
give her something to drink, which would make her sleep for
forty hours. Her family would think she had died. Meanwhile,
the priest would send a letter informing Romeo, who would
then take Juliet away with him.
IN EA CIVITATE
QUAM LEGES

Adapted from: The Random House Book of Shakespeare Stories

UNIT 5

LESSON 15 • ACTING UP!…

3.3	Answer the questions. Why did Romeo wear a disguise? Why do you think Romeo was stunned to find out that Juliet was Capulet's daughter? Why did Romeo stop as he was walking past Juliet's garden? Why did Juliet want to refuse her name and Romeo's too?

3.4	How does the story end? Listen to find out.

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Language focus

4.1	Look at the examples below.

Agatha Christie wrote the “Mousetrap”.

The “Mousetrap” was written by Agatha Christie.

Andrew Lloyd Webber directs the musical “Cats”

The musical “Cats” is directed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

How can an active sentence change into a passive
sentence?

Which is the object of the active sentence? What
happens to it?
What happens to the active verb?
Which is the subject of the active sentence? What
happens to it?

4.2

Which of the examples above do you think are more formal?

Grammar Reference, p. 173

The ancient Greek theatre

You have gathered the notes below on the ancient Greek theatre. Use them to
finish the short paragraph in the box for your school magazine.

Ancient Greeks performed plays in an outdoor theatre as part of religious festivals.
Playwrights never put more than three actors on stage.
Men played both male and female roles.
Actors wore special shoes called ‘kothorni'.
They didn't show violence on stage.
They used masks to show the emotions of the characters.

THE ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE

Attending a tragedy or a comedy in 5th century BC Athens was in many ways a different experience from attending a play

in Athens in the 21st century.
In ancient Greece, plays were performed in an outdoor theatre as part of religious festivals. …………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

UNIT 5

LESSON 15 • ACTING UP!…

Writing a biography

6.1	Odysseas Elytis is one of the most significant Greek poets. Read his biography and talk about what you learnt about his life and work. Do you know anything else about him?

6.2	Read the questions below and answer them as you go through the text again. What is the main idea of each paragraph? Which words show when and in what order the events happened? Underline them. What are the main characteristics of a biography? Compare your answers with your partner's.

6.3

There is going to be a section dedicated
to famous poets in your school's English
magazine. Choose the poet whose
biography you want to include in the
magazine.

Write down notes and make a plan. Think
about what kind of information will be
interesting for the reader. The following
questions can help you:

Where did the person grow up?
What was his / her family like?
What was his / her childhood like?
What / When did he study?
What inspired this person to become
the important figure he / she did?
Why do you admire him / her?
What has he / she accomplished?

6.4	Write the biography.

6.5

Reread your work and think about the following:

Did you include enough facts in your
biography to make the reader understand the
importance of this person's life?
Did you tell the events in chronological order?
Did you use linking words to make the order
clear?
Are the grammar, spelling and vocabulary
correct?

If not, rewrite your biography to improve it.

Odysseas Elytis

Odysseas Elytis was the
pen-name for Odysseas
Alepoudelis. He was born
in Herakleion, Crete in
1911. In 1914, his family, which originally came
from Lesvos, moved to Athens, where Elytis began
to study law after leaving school.
After some years, however, he broke off his
studies and devoted himself entirely to his literary
and artistic interests. He got to know the poet
Andreas Embirikos, who became his lifelong friend.
As time went by, he was inspired by Embirikos and
the Greek-Byzantine cultural tradition. In 1935, he
published his first poems in the magazine ‘Nea
Grammata’. He also took part in the first
international Surrealist exhibition arranged that year
in Athens.
Experiences from the war lie behind the work
that made Elytis famous. He is known as one of the
most prominent poets of the Greek resistance and
struggle for freedom. After the war, Elytis was busy
with various public assignments and he published
very little in the following ten years.
The poetic cycle ‘To Axion Esti’, which began in
1948 but did not appear until 1959, is recognised
as Elytis’s greatest work. It has been translated into
several languages and in 1960 was awarded the
National Prize in Poetry. It was set to music by
Mikis Theodorakis in 1964.
Odysseas Elytis was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 1979. He died in 1996.

Useful tips

Make notes before you write.
Cover important events in this person’s life.
Read your notes and decide on an order for them.
Put different information in different paragraphs.
Don’t forget to use linking words such as: then, later,
after that, during this time, because of this, as a result,
finally.
Check your biography or ask your partner to check it.

UNIT 5

LESSON 15 • ACTING UP!…

A tribute to a leading theatre director

The man in the picture was a Greek theatre
director widely known and praised throughout
Europe for his lively and successful staging of
ancient Greek plays. He founded the experimental
Art Theatre (Theatro Technis) in 1942. He also put
on works by famous European playwrights such as
Bertolt Brecht and Luigi Pirandello. In 1962, his
production of ‘Birds' (‘Ornithes') by Aristophanes
won first prize at an international festival in Paris. Do
you recognise him?

Project time: Stage it!!!

4.1	Look at the examples below.

A group of South African students are coming to your school for an exchange visit. As part of a cultural
evening, your class has decided to produce a play based on Homer’s ‘Iliad’.

Work in groups to select 4 or 5 scenes from Homer’s ‘Iliad’, which run 3-5 minutes reading time
each. Ask your Literature teacher for help.
Rewrite the scenes in English. Be sure to preserve the original meaning of the scenes.
Assign roles among yourselves. If you need extras*, ask students from other groups or classes to
help you.
You should attempt to memorise your part and speak your lines with feeling that is both appropriate
and convincing.
You may use simple props and costumes if you wish, but they are not required. Clear body
language is the best prop of all! Be creative!
When you rehearse your scene, try to remember never to have your back towards the audience in
order to be audible and visible.
Decide on the piece of music you would like to accompany your scene. Think in terms of what
emotion(s) you want this music to arouse in your audience. Ask your Music teacher for help.
Make a poster to advertise your play and invite other classes to your performance. Your poster
should be professional in appearance and include the following: the name of your play, the names
of the actors, the date and time of the performance, suitable artwork and a short description of
the plot.
Act out your scenes in front of the audience in the order they appear in the ‘Iliad’.
Ask someone to videotape your performance.

* an extra: a person who plays a minor part in a film or play (e.g. in a crowd scene)

UNIT 5

SELF-ASSESSMENT

Unit 5

1. Vocabulary

1.1	Cross the odd word out.

1. clay, stone, metal, landscape
2. harp, flute, drummer, violin
3. realism, cubism, scenery, pop art
4. stage, percussion, reviews, set
5. violence, brutality, joy, suffering
6. folk, band, classical, jazz
7. painter, composer, audience, actor

... / 7

1.2	Complete the sentences with a suitable word from the box below.

critic interpret choir inspired
compose came across playwright

Shakespeare was a …………………. and a poet.
Can you ………….. the meaning of this song?
The effects of the war …………… Picasso to
create Guernica.
We’re going to …………… a song for the school
music competition.
She works as a ……………. of plays and films,
and writes reviews.
He …………. an old book of poems in a drawer.
I’m a member of the school …………… so I’ve
learnt lots of new songs.

... / 7

2. Language focus

Read the letter below and turn the active
sentences into passive and the passive
sentences into active.

Dear Mrs. Weber,
I am writing to give you information about the art
exhibition which takes place in our school every
May to raise money for charity.
1. All the works of art are created by the students.
………………………………………………………………...
2. Music is performed by the school orchestra.
………………………………………………………………...
3. The art teachers give short speeches.
………………………………………………………………...

4. Last year, the drama club students performed
a play.
………………………………………………………………...
5. This year, we will hold a party after the
exhibition.
………………………………………………………………...
6. Refreshments and snacks are always provided.
………………………………………………………………...
7. We sell posters of famous paintings every year.
………………………………………………………………...
8. Books were sold last year.
………………………………………………………………...
9. So far, the money has been given to the local
hospital.
………………………………………………………………...
10. This year, we will offer the money to the
Children’s Home.
………………………………………………………………...
We are looking forward to seeing you there this May.
Yours sincerely,
The President of the students’ committee.

... / 10

3. Everyday English

Complete the exchanges with phrases from
the box.

a. I think b. your opinion of c. do you feel
d. my view e. do you think of f. your view

•	A	What (1) ……………………. the musical?
	B	Personally, (2) ………………… it’s great! I’m sure it’ll be a success.
•	A	What’s (3) ………………… on buying pirated CDs?
	B	I know many people do it, but I disagree.
•	A	How (4) …………… about the painting exhibition?
	B	It’s very interesting, although I’m not keen on modern art.
•	A	What’s (5) ……………… the show?
	B	Well, in (6) ……………., it’s extraordinary!

... / 6

UNIT 5

SELF-ASSESSMENT

4. Writing

Write a short biography of a person you admire. It can be a famous pop star, athlete or even a family
member (about 100 words) ..............................................................................................................................................................…

.............................................................................................................................................................…

... / 10

Work by yourself and tick the sentences that are true for you. You can discuss your answers in class.

Reading

When reading in English,

I read the title of the text and look at the pictures to guess what it is about.
I read through the text once quickly to understand the main idea.
I read the text and focus on the information I want to find.
I listen carefully for the information I need to find.
I don’t worry about unknown words. I go on reading and try to guess the meaning from the
context.
other ………………………………….

In Units 1-5 you read a lot of texts and did different types of reading activities. Did you enjoy them?
Why / Why not? What can you do to improve your reading skills? Share your answers in class.

Reflecting on your Learning

Tick the sentences that are true for you.

At the end of Lessons 13, 14 and 15, I think I can

talk about works of art, music and the theatre
identify and talk about styles of painting
and types of music
talk about famous artists
ask for and give an opinion

describe processes and talk about rules
write a biography
do research on artists and movements
dramatise a scene

UNIT 5