UNIT 1 NEVER GIVE IN, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER

Section One Pre-reading Activities .................................................................................................... 2

I. Audiovisual supplement ......................................................................................................... 2 II. Cultural background .............................................................................................................. 2 Section Two Global Reading .............................................................................................................. 4

I. Structural analysis of the text................................................................................................. 4 II. Rhetorical features of the text .............................................................................................. 4 Section Three Detailed Reading ........................................................................................................ 5

I. Questions ............................................................................................................................... 6 II. Words and expressions ......................................................................................................... 7 III. Sentences ............................................................................................................................. 9 Section Four Consolidation Activities .............................................................................................. 11

I. Vocabulary ............................................................................................................................ 11 II. Grammar ............................................................................................................................. 13 III. Translation .......................................................................................................................... 16 IV. Exercises for integrated skills .............................................................................................. 18 V. Oral activities ....................................................................................................................... 19 VI. Writing ............................................................................................................................... 20 Section Five Further Enhancement ................................................................................................. 21

I Text II ..................................................................................................................................... 21 II MEMORABLE QUOTES .......................................................................................................... 24

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Section One Pre-reading Activities

I. Audiovisual supplement

From Into the Storm

Watch the movie clip and answer the following questions.

Script:

Churchill: Now that the French have surrendered, we must assume that their navy will soon be in

German hand. That must not happen. We must keep control of the Mediterranean. Without access to the Suez Canal, our oil supplies will be cut off, which would of course be disastrous. I’ve told the French they must continue to fight, sail their ships to a British port, or scuttle the entire fleet. If they accept none of these choices, I’ve ordered Admiral Somerville, to bombard the French fleet in the port of Oran. We have to show the world, and in particular the United States, that we mean to fight on.

Questions:

1. What consequence would it be if the German took over the French navy?

Answer: The German would control the Mediterranean, deprive Britain of its access to the Suez Canal, and cut off the British oil supplies, which would be disastrous.

2. What was Churchill’s plan if French did not accept his choices? Why would he do so?

Answer: He ordered Admiral Somerville to bombard the French fleet in the port of Oran. He wanted to show the world and in particular the United States that Britain meant to fight on.

II. Cultural background

1. World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, the most widespread war in history, lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved most of the world’s nations which formed two opposing military alliances, the Allies and the Axis.

The war began on 1 September 1939, with the invasion of Poland by Germany and Slovakia, and subsequent declarations of war on Germany by France and most of the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth.

From late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or subdued much of continental Europe. Britain and the Commonwealth remained the only major force continuing the fight against the Axis in North Africa and in extensive naval warfare.

Churchill’s speech at Harrow as was adapted in the text was delivered in this historical context.

2. Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War (WWII) and led his country from the brink of defeat to victory. He served as Prime Minister twice (1940 – 1945 and 1951 – 1955) and is widely regarded as one of the great wartime leaders. He is a noted statesman and orator, historian, writer, and an artist. To date, he is the only

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British prime minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the first person to have been recognized as an honorary citizen of the United States.

Winston Churchill was born to an aristocratic family, with renowned ancestors and a politician father. As a prolific writer, he wrote a novel, two biographies, three volumes of memoirs, and several histories in addition to his many newspaper articles. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 “for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values”.

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Section Two Global Reading

I. Structural analysis of the text

This text is an inspiring speech made by Winston Churchill, Great Britain’s then Prime Minister, when he visited Harrow School on 29 October, 1941. The whole speech can be divided into three parts.

Part I (Paragraph 1): Some opening remarks, in which Churchill summarized the events that had happened since his last visit to Harrow.

Part II (Paragraphs 2 – 5): The body of the speech, in which Churchill drew the lessons to be learned from the past year.

Part III (Paragraphs 6 – 8): The concluding part, in which, by changing a word in the additional verse of the school song, Churchill expressed his conviction that the entire nation was blessed with the chance to display its courage to the full in what was, as he elsewhere put it, its finest hour.

II. Rhetorical features of the text

As a representative piece of oration by the great orator Churchill, this speech was made eloquent and encouraging by employing many rhetorical devices. With generally short (in length) and simple (in structure) sentences, the message conveyed by the speech was highlighted by constant repetition, e.g. “Never, Never, Never” in the title, and strengthened by the use of antonyms, e.g. “ups/downs” and “short/long”.

Practice:

Find more examples of repetition and pairs of antonyms in the speech.

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