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PRAY...

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. John F. Kennedy

сентябрь-октябрь 1september.ru 2019 АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК INSIDE

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Сдвоенные номера выходят 1 раз в 2 месяца “Pray Tell Me.” How to Conduct Издание основано в 1992 г. a Lesson about Religions ...... 4 Главный редактор: Grammar Nonsense: Stative Verbs ...... 6 Елизавета Паремузова METHODS OF TEACHING Консультанты: Bibliotherapy ...... 8 Erin Bouma Корректура: Teacher's Toolkit: Elllo and More ...... 12 М.Гардер FOCUS ON LANGUAGE Набор, верстка: World Religions Vocabulary ...... 14 Г.Струкова Lexical Lab ...... 17 Topic Vocabulary ...... 18 ИЗДАТЕЛЬСКИЙ ДОМ “ПЕРВОЕ СЕНТЯБРЯ” Генеральный директор LESSON PLANS Н.Соловейчик Religious Intolerance on the Rise ...... 19 Главный редактор Faith and Religion ...... 26 А.Соловейчик Коммерческая деятельность TEXTS FOR READING К.Шмарковский (финансовый директор) Modern Spirituality ...... 30 Реклама, конференции и техническое Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh ...... 32 обеспечение П.Кузнецов On Prayer ...... 34 Административно-хозяйственное 8 Things about Jesus Christ Superstar ...36 обеспечение Religious Motifs А.Ушков in the English Literature ...... 38 Common English Sayings ЖУРНАЛЫ ИЗДАТЕЛЬСКОГО ДОМА: Английский язык – Е.Паремузова, from the Bible ...... 41 Библиотека в школе – Е.Иванова, Fire of Pure Being ...... 42 Дошкольное образование – Д.Тюттерин, Lincoln in the Bardo ...... 44 Искусство – А.Митрофанов, История – А.Савельев, 5 Easter Traditions Литература – С.Дмитренко, No Longer Practiced ...... 46 Русский язык – Л.Гончар, The Rasputin Enigma ...... 48 Школьный психолог – М.Чибисова Gagarin ...... 60 TESTS Учредитель: ООО “Издательский дом “Первое сентября”” Зарегистрировано ПИ № ФС77-58393 от 18.06.14 Five-Minute Tests ...... 49 в Роскомнадзоре Подписано в печать: по графику 10.08.19, фактически 10.08.19 Отпечатано в АО “Первая Образцовая типография” PREPARING FOR EXAMS Филиал “Чеховский Печатный Двор” ул. Полиграфистов, д. 1, Московская область, г. Чехов, 142300 “On a Wing and a Prayer” ...... 49 Сайт: www.chpd.ru. E-mail: [email protected] CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES Тел.: 8(499)-270-73-59 Цена свободная Заказ № Практика устной речи ...... 52 Тираж 900 экз. (бумажная версия) The Rise and Fall of Tea Clippers ...... 56 21000 экз. (электронная версия) Religious Talks ...... 58 Адрес редакции и издателя: FOR YOUNG LEARNERS ул. Киевская, д. 24, Москва, 121165 Тел.: (495) 637-8273 The Time to Rhyme ...... 59 E-mail: [email protected] www.1september.ru This sign indicates that additional materials can be found in Subscriber’s Personal Account on www.1september.ru.

Unless otherwise indicated images in this issue are from shutterstock.com https://www.facebook.com/digital.september/ English 3 September– Editorial October 2019

Welcome to the autumn issue of English! and critical thinking into a neat 45-minute lesson plan. This Well, when we were launching our triptych, named after is the art of making things happen by simply pulling the the famous novel Eat. Pray. Love, we seem to have over- right strings. looked what preparing the second issue in the series would The texts for the reading section cover much more than imply… Obviously, being caught up with the gleaming per- usual and comprise a rather unique set of texts that, we be- spectives of writing about food, we didn’t give a thought to lieve, in no other circumstances would appear on the pages what we were actually going to do when it comes to talking of the one journal. The subsection opens with an essay by about praying. a contemporary American writer on modern spirituality. To say that we have spent the previous months in pro- It’s followed by two interrelated materials devoted to an found meditations, addressing all imaginable and unimagi- outstanding fi gure in British and Russian culture – Metro- nable gods and deities, is to say nothing. But luckily, our politan Anthony of Sourozh. On the following spreadsheet prayers (and promises not to ever do this again) were heard you’ll have a chance to learn about the world-renowned and our authors were granted with inspiration to design top- daring and successful attempt to “translate” a religious sto- ic-related materials appropriate for teaching English. ry into the language of pop culture. Self-mockery aside, religion and religious matters are Then, further, the “strangerer”: indeed among the topics to be avoided in the classroom. • a literary text touching the sophisticated world of Firstly, not every class demonstrates the required level of Greek mythology and worship through the prism of clas- tolerance to guarantee security and respect to those who ex- sical studies; press their views. Secondly, religion is a very private mat- • an essay by David Wansbrough about a rather contro- ter, and no one should ever be made to talk about their reli- versial person, Grigori Rasputin; gious views (if they do not volunteer themselves). Finally, • an overview of religious motifs in the English litera- religion and faith are more than emotionally charged topics. ture and a glimpse of the long-forgotten ways to celebrate And we know, for learning to happen the aff ective fi lter of Easter. the students should be neither very high nor very low. In the light of this, fi nding materials for a religion-related The issue rounds up with a story by Evgeny Kunitsyn issue indeed turned out to be a certain quest. What we have about a person who to some extent was perceived if not as managed to collect, though, seem to carry a good potential a god, but as a certain deity in Soviet times; one whose im- for exploration in the lessons. ages were engraved on buildings, after whom squares were As you will soon discover, the Focus on Language sec- named and who was the fi rst man to travel in space – the tion is much bigger this time. This happened because we habitat of gods. felt it our duty to complement the usual pages with cards Until the very last moment, we were uncertain about the providing a more exhaustive list of religion-related vocabu- connection between the topic of prayer and language teach- lary that would cover terms and notions from all world re- ing. But luckily, we found one. In all the materials we read ligions. through, there was one repeated idea – it is not only who The LexicalLab corner contains a set of activities for a you are addressing that matters, but how you are doing it. video that explores the notion of the Protestant work ethic. In other words, it is the choice of words that really mat- What is more, it is in this material that an important idea is ters. And isn’t it the aim of language studies? To enable our voiced: you do not need to be a religious person to have a learners to choose the most suitable words for the given strong ethic. context? The topic naturally unfolded to a much grander issue We think it is. That is why we made it our motto for this – ethical values, which we very often come in touch with issue – praying not for life to be easier, but for us to be through our beliefs. This point of view is fabulously de- stronger. Because in the latter, there’s some room left for us veloped in the lesson plan designed by Irina Kostyukovich to take action as well. especially for our journal. We highly recommend that you take your time and appreciate the way the author interwove By Elizaveta Paremuzova, such themes as stereotypes, judgementalism, intertextuality Editor-in-Chief

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OFFER! После этого в течение одного рабочего дня будет активирована электронная подписка на весь период действия бумажной. SPECIAL SPECIAL English PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 4 September– “PRAY TELL ME.” October 2019 How to Conduct a Lesson about Religions

Level: Intermediate – Upper-Intermediate treasures cherished by humanity regardless of Age: 15+ each one’s own faith. One of the spontaneous Aim: activate vocabulary; help students con- threads that immediately sprang up on the web verse about religions and faiths. when the news fi rst appeared was this very Duration: 2 lessons, 45 minutes each, or one modern one: #prayfornotredame. 90-minute period. Equipment: Web access if possible; news When we talk about various religions, we items and illustrations. may mention that the common cultural herit- Materials: carefully selected basic texts; any- age transcends all diff erences. Today’s tour- thing suggested by students. ists probably do not perceive Notre Dame as a specifi cally Catholic Church but rather as a Note to the teacher. It is very important monument to humanity’s creative skills. to remember that this is a lesson of English, When working with the Glossary allow NOT a lecture on religion. We should begin some time for group research, or distribute with the usual vocabulary work and guide our short texts to read and discuss. Some of the students’ discussions to activate the relevant results will be quite unexpected! A lot of help lexis, and to understand that any such conver- is needed to conduct any talk on such topics sation requires some basic knowledge, a lot of because students simply do not know how to tact and mutual tolerance. To be diff erent does discuss them. That is why the familiar vocabu- not mean to be bad. Thus if some students say lary work will help. You may use Wikipedia and that they or their family defi nitely follow a reli- Google or any other search engine to get the gion while others may say that they have none, texts, videos and audios. Here are a few sim- everybody should be able to express their ple pointers. views freely, with due consideration for others. Religion, though the noun naturally has an Glossary. This can be done as a class ac- explanation in any dictionary, was not recog- tivity. nized as a concept until the sixteenth or sev- If you start with a few defi nitions, you and enteenth centuries. It is generally understood your students may fi nd a lot of new informa- to mean a set of cultural norms, traditions and tion. Ask them to compose a short list of the beliefs characteristic for a country or a nation. words they think should be used in this unit. The most widespread religions of the world Have them write the words down on the board are Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Each of and in their notebooks. You may get a rather them includes a number of variations which de- disjointed set of words which are loosely con- pend on the country they are practised in. Your nected with the topic. For instance: students can make lists of countries where the Religion, pray, prayer, church, believe. main religions are practised and thus see the Long-term EL teaching shows me that most diff erences for themselves. students cannot give any concise defi nition Religiously (adverb) often means conscien- of the noun religion, are hazy about prayer, tious: She followed the diet religiously. They and quite often they cannot come up with the religiously watched “The Game of Thrones”. corresponding noun for the verb believe. Our Faith is often used as a synonym for reli- job is cut out for us. We can make sure that gious belief, but it is also often used in a neu- they have the basics and stay away from, say, tral context: He had no faith in his own skills. the diff erences between ministers, priests, Pray (verb) means either to ask God for prelates, cures, chaplains and so on. But we something, to say a prayer, or it is used as an should tell our listeners that, if needed, they emphasis: Pray, tell me about your problems. should consult dictionaries and reference Since it is pronounced in the same way as books or sites so as not to off end anyone who the noun prey, we should mention it to stu- practises a certain faith. dents and ensure that they know the diff erence As I am writing this, I see the unfolding between these two words. news about Notre-Dame de Paris, the fi re, The noun prayer is widely used, mostly in the devastation, as well as the world’s reac- the traditional meaning of either saying the tions to the substantial damage to this iconic customary words to honor God, or to ask Him building. It has been a symbol of Paris for for something. From the linguistic point of view, 800 years; besides being a UNESCO site it is it presents a lot of leeway since we can discuss probably one of the top ten most photographed not only the religious aspects but also various churches on the planet. Judging by the notes idioms and set phrases. With a kind word and from many country leaders, such a disaster a prayer, to not have a prayer, an answer to elicits everybody’s expressions of compas- one’s prayers, thoughts and prayers, let your sion and support. It is truly one of the cultural students fi nd some others. Have you spotted a typo? Highlight and photo it or take a PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT English screenshot and send us a message. Thanks for your help! 5 September– October 2019

One of the always interesting and ever tough topics is the existence of evil. Good versus evil is one of the constant themes in literature, movies, art in general. If there is a benevolent omniscient al- mighty God, why does evil exist? Why do bad things happen to good people? And why do good things happen to bad people? Explain to your young audience that these are the eternal questions to which mankind has not completely found the answer, yet. That is why many literary and real-life stories are devoted to the eternal struggle, beginning with the most ancient texts and up to our own age. What is the whole Harry Potter cycle if not that same fi ght of good versus evil? When we read such a story or watch a fi lm, we subconscious- ly expect a happy ending. True, it does not always happen in real life, probably that is why writers and fi lmmakers use their imaginations to ensure that at least in the fi ctional world it give just one example, during my long stay in is possible. the USA I was repeatedly asked by students Innocence is another concept, as well as about the churches in my hometown. I truth- sin. These notions are widely used not only in fully answered that there were none, at the the religious or spiritual sphere, but in every- time. The reaction was staggering: “But what day life, too. Sinful pleasure may refer simply do you do on Sundays?!” True, it is possible to to eating something very tasty, like ice-cream! reply that there are plenty of things to do at the This will immediately introduce a humorous weekend besides the traditional family outing note into any serious talk. Guilt-free eating is to church. But as an ELT specialist I am well another idea which is a bit hard to explain to aware of the fact that for most American fami- teenagers, especially to young men. But from lies it is practically a must, even if they do not those comic modern approaches to food you actively practise any religion. I learned to give can easily transfer to a mention of the deadly the following simple answer to the query: “We, sins. in Russia, have many customs and traditions The subject is all-encompassing and the which we follow at home, and some are linked possibilities are endless. There are plenty of to religion.” avenues for research if you and your students Every country, every nation may follow their feel comfortable with the whole theme. The own set of traditions and rituals. If the need to concept of God may be enough for one lesson. conduct such a lesson or lessons arises, we You may start with the ancient gods of Homer should be well-prepared to guide our students’ and proceed to Christianity, or begin your his- conversation and discussions and help them torical foray with the familiar Arabian Nights understand that there are many various prac- where magic rules. Be sure to choose wise- tices and ways of living in the world. ly, that is stick to what you know well. Young Above all, it falls on us teachers to be open people may ask lots of questions; we should and tolerant. I have had experiences when a be able to answer at least some of them, and student would declare, “Let everybody use their direct their interest to reliable sources of infor- own sector of the Internet, stick to their own mation if you cannot, or just wish to have them religion! We do not want to know about yours conduct their own research. and we do not want to let you study ours!” Such In most modern questionnaires there is attitudes naturally stem from their own narrow often a question on religious affi liation, for in- background, their families. I can give no real stance, when one is applying for a job. Though clear answers or advice on such situations, but several generations in the former USSR were warn you that you might face them. I have faith raised virtually without any religion, com- that, if we manage to teach even one group how mon sense dictates that it is better to write to be tolerant and respect each other, we will something, even though the item is marked make our contribution to making the world a as optional. “Russian Orthodox” is totally ac- better and safer place for all children. ceptable. Tell your students nobody will ever dream of asking them for details about their By Nina M. Koptyug, Ph.D., faith. It is an established cultural tradition. To Novosibirsk English PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 6 September– GRAMMAR NONSENSE: October 2019 Stative Verbs A lot of grammar nonsense comes from labels that thanks to the McDonald’s slogan, but then the slogan no we use and that we assume are suffi cient explanation in doubt came from advertisers picking up on usage. Here are themselves to generate their own correct examples. Then, some other common examples: when students attempt to produce examples in accordance So if I’m understanding this right … with these labels only to fi nd out that they sound ‘strange’ It’s costing me an arm and a leg! to a teacher, they then often start asking questions about I’ve been meaning / wanting… to do it for ages examples that fail to fi t the labels. Teachers then respond I’m thinking of … leaving. in one of three ways: there’s the easy (woolly liberal) ‘Oh, He’s having … a crisis of confi dence. that’s an exception’, the more dogmatic ‘It’s wrong/bad Ignore me, I’m just being silly. English’, or there’s the extended ‘subtle’ explanation that So what is a stative verb? tries to encompass these more complex uses. Of these three options, our preference would be ‘the exception’, THE PROBLEM OF CIRCULARITY because at least this is less likely to bring about feelings Part of the problem with using the term ‘stative verbs’ of failure in students. Exceptions are down to the idiosyn- or ‘verbs that express a state’ is that it suggests the verbs cracies / curiosities / stupidities of the English language are somehow infused with this sense all the time. In fact, (delete as appropriate). They’re essentially linguistic ver- at best we can say that some verbs when they express the sions of the ‘it’s-not-you-it’s-me’ break-up line, which meaning of a state do not usually have a continuous form. may be annoying and disappointing, but at least isn’t lay- But even then, does the example of cost above contradict ing the blame at your uselessness in the way that the ‘it’s that? Or is it not a state here? Which brings us to the rather bad English’ response is. Nor will it bore you to death and bigger problem of what the hell a ‘state’ is anyway? ultimately confuse students like the extended explanation Think about your Facebook status: job, relationship, almost always does. friends, likes, etc. Certainly, we would normally only say the following in the present simple: USAGE ABOVE MEANING I’m unemployed. However, it may be the case that sometimes we’d be bet- I have a girlfriend. ter off just avoiding the label in the fi rst place. Students need I hate my brother. to accept ambiguity to be successful in language learning I love swimming. (and perhaps in life!). I think one of the key elements of a But the following could also be expressions of these same lexical view of language is that the meanings we give to any ‘states’: pieces of vocabulary or grammar can only ever be partial – I’m not working. and rather than giving more explanation, more ‘meaning’, I’m seeing someone. more labels, we would be better off simply giving more ex- I’m not speaking to my brother ever again. amples of usage (and getting students to read and listen more I’m really loving my swimming. to language in use). So why are these verbs not seen as stative? Because they are used in the continuous form which is a mark of being THE CASE OF STATIVE VERBS non-stative! And so we enter a rather circular and pointless Take stative verbs. For those of you not familiar with version of grammar rules – rather than a generative one. We this particular description, ‘stative’ is a label that tends to be don’t use stative verbs with the present continuous because given to a group of verbs that (supposedly) don’t use the pre- stative verbs are verbs which aren’t used in the present consent continuous tense. So here are a few explanations from tinuous! coursebooks which shall remain nameless: Do we actually need a new rule? 1. Some verbs express a state – not an activity – and are Interestingly, one of the grammar explanations quoted usually used in the present simple only. For example: like, above also gives the following example as an example which know, think, agree, understand, love. is diff erent to the explanation about stative verbs: 2. We cannot normally use some verbs (stative verbs) Frazer comes from Scotland in the continuous form. For example: agree, belong, cost, NOT Frazer is coming from Scotland. know, like, love, matter, mean, need, seem, understand, want. The fi rst thing to say about this is that the example is 3. We don’t use stative verbs (be, have, like, love, hate, clearly not wrong if seen in terms of the verb come (there want) in the present continuous. is no further explanation of why it’s wrong). The fi rst sen- Of course, as you may well be aware, many of these verbs tence explains the permanent fact of his birthplace/nation- can actually be used (and are used!) in the continuous form. ality, the second could be telling us where he is travelling I’m loving it has become incredibly widespread, perhaps from. Come therefore can be used to express a ‘state’, but PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT English 7 September– October 2019

PRESENT SIMPLE FOR PRESENT AND COMPLETE ACTIONS/STATES I think part of the issue here is also that we forget the ‘present and complete’ use of the present simple as in He takes on Stones ... He shoots and scores. Neither the past simple nor the present continuous fi t here when commentating on events you are watching and the same is true when we say things like I know / I understand / I agree. They happen at this moment, but we see them as complete in the moment. I’ve never seen it listed as a stative verb! Why not? Essen- It won’t solve everything, but maybe it’s one less problem! tially, it’s because the way come is used here is in keeping This is not to say, of course, that our meanings for the with the normal meanings which we attach to the present present simple and present continuous are unambiguous and simple and the present continuous. However, isn’t the same will never lead to student ‘errors’. However, we would sug- true of other ‘stative’ verbs? Rather like we discussed with gest that more explanation and extended lists of meanings reported speech, we seem to have actually created a new will not actually help. In the end, usage that corresponds category of rule where none is needed. If we take the idea with what the vast majority of people say can only come that the present simple expresses ideas about now that we from learners experiencing the language of the vast majority consider permanent or complete, or facts about ourselves, of people! In terms of study and learning, students are also compared to continuous forms which are essentially tempo- probably better off trying to expand the meanings they are rary and unfi nished or in progress, then both the ‘stative’ and able to make in English through learning more vocabulary. the continuous use of all the verbs so far mentioned fi t these meanings more or less without creating any new categories By Hugh Dellar for students to worry about. Source: https://www.lexicallab.com English METHODS OF TEACHING 8 September– BIBLIOTHERAPY October 2019 Maria has both pedagogical and psychological degrees, and calls herself a certifi ed book- worm. She has led many goal-setting workshops and is interested in teaching people to refl ect on their lives and take more control of their dreams. She has been teaching passionately for 14 years, incorporating elements of social-emotional learning into her lessons of English during private sessions as well as at school.

One of the greatest problems of educational systems is While almost half of mental health disorders (e.g., bipolar that students lack motivation. This issue is constantly dis- disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, eat- cussed in TED talks, books, and articles as well as at teaching disorders) typically have their initial onset before the ers’ meetings and in private whining conversations. Teenag- age of 14, these teenagers’ parents hardly ever detect the ers’ attention is especially hard to grasp: their hormones are problems and seek professional psychiatric help in the early going crazy, their minds are equally far from either history stages (Friedman and Kutash, 1992). They also contend that or irregular verbs, and they just see no point in sitting at the “Services [of mental health fortifi cation] should be provided desk while they could be discussing something really inter- in the least restrictive setting that is appropriate to meet a esting – themselves, their relationships and the latest gossips. child’s needs” (p. 126), and that often, schools are the least One of the solutions is to start talking about these mat- restrictive settings. Through the process of bibliotherapy ters in the classrooms to incorporate discussions on social teenagers would be given an opportunity to understand their issues and emotional needs of our students in the process of own personalities, reduce the feeling of solitude (Cook et al., learning. Having done that we would achieve several goals – 2006), develop coping strategies for stress and anxiety (Wis- meet the expectations of the society not just to give our stu- dom & Barker, 2006), relive some of their past experiences dents academic knowledge but also to foster the younger or potential breakdowns in a safe environment from the per- generation (help kids build empathy and sympathy, ability to spective of the detached observer (Shrodes, 1955), become infer, knowledge of a wide range of emotions and reactions); more perceptive and more aware of others’ needs and states motivate our students to speak in the classroom; learn and (Russell & Shrodes, 1950a). constantly revise the needed vocabulary. An immediate objection comes to mind – we are teachers, So, How Does It Work? not psychologists! Is it our job to talk about emotions? Will 1. Providing role models. Overwhelmed by diff erent kinds we be able to handle such discussions? And what should we of educational activities (school, study groups, hobby clubs, even talk about? Fair questions. So, let me tell you about the language tutors), teenagers don’t have enough time to ob- process of bibliotherapy, which allows language (or litera- serve adults in informal relationships. People learn through ture) teachers steer the lessons more towards the teenagers’ imitating, but they cannot imitate the behavior of their teach- needs. ers (because of the overly formal atmosphere of school), and The term fi rst appeared in 1916, and its idea was grounded parents rarely spend enough time with the adolescents, as it in principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): what we is at this period of child’s development that they usually shift think and talk about infl uences our behavior (Butler, Chap- the perception of a role model from the parent’s fi gure to… man, Forman, & Beck, 2006; Friedberg et al., 2014). And No one. In the process of bibliotherapy students can gain well-chosen books have the power to change our opinions lots of role models and discuss which actions are preferable on issues such as bullying, special needs, mental illness, rein diff erent situations and why (Pardeck & Pardeck, 1984). lationships with parents or friends, growing up and so on. 2. Experiencing fi ction as reality. When a student reads a So, bibliotherapy is the process of reading in order to text, they identify with the characters, whose ideas and ex- identify with the characters of the book and observe their periences become a “segment of [the reader’s] experienced emotions and behaviors to further one’s emotional and men- world”, not just some fi ction (Shrodes, 1955, p. 29). Thus, tal health (Gavigan, 2012; Heath, Sheen, Leavy, Young, & when a student reads a story and engages in discussions Money, 2005; Jack & Ronan, 2008; Pardeck, 1994). about it, they are both a spectator and a participant in the story, making the process of bibliotherapy an active interper- Two types of bibliotherapy can be distinguished: sonal pursuit (Gladding & Gladding, 1991; Shrodes, 1955). (a) clinical bibliotherapy – which addresses more severe emotional needs (e.g. sexual abuse, trauma, domestic vio- What exactly can we do as teachers in order to enhance lence, suicide, mental illness) and should be provided only our students’ social-emotional health: by professional therapists, and 1. Defi ne the issue you want to work on and fi nd a suitable (b) developmental bibliotherapy – which discusses stories book OR fi nd any book you like and defi ne what kind of social- that help with common adjustment problems (e.g. friendship emotional competencies you can discuss after each chapter. issues, conflict with peers, bullying) and may be hosted by 2. Read the story :) teachers. 3. Create the tasks and materials to work with the text. METHODS OF TEACHING English How to Find a Book If you already know your students, you probably have some ideas of what competencies they would benefi t from, 9 so you can just google “books for teens about ...”. If not – September– there are some common hardships of adolescence that you October 2019 could choose as your topic. So, to boost your students’ self, increase their emotional A brief list may look as follows: vocabularies, ask them about their attitude towards diff erent Teenagers want to belong to a group and suff er from being characters, situations and actions (Turner, 2013). rejected. To boost their self, make parallels between the books and Their bodies go through radical changes and they suff er their lives and act out how the situation would have been dif- from negative body image. ferent if they had changed diff erent aspects of their behaviors They don’t know what career path to choose and suff er (Gibson, 2007). from the pressure to make up their minds. To boost social awareness point your students’ attention They need a role model and can’t fi nd one. to how diff erent their reactions are towards the same issue They want to live life to the fullest, but they also remem- or action, and read books about people with diff erent back- ber that the world is full of dangers, and they struggle with grounds and cultures (Bal and Veltkamp, 2013; Nomura and prioritising. Akai, 2012). They face bullying. To boost responsible decision, ask your students to They feel like children but face the growing demands to compare the characters’ behaviors to what they would act as adults. have done in a given situation, and evaluate the outcomes considering other people’s emotions as well (Kidd and How to Make Any Young Adult Book Suitable Castano, 2013). According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, The boosting of relationship skills can happen within the and Emotional Learning (CASEL), there are fi ve core com- classroom management process – students learn to listen to petencies that an emotionally successful person should have. each other, to disagree politely, and to ask for help in appro- These competencies are self-awareness (the ability to recog- priate wordings. nise your own emotions and values), self-management (the skill to regulate your own emotions), social awareness (the Questions and Tasks ability to empathise with others, and to understand social Here are some questions and tasks that might help building behavioral norms), relationship skills (the capacity to listen social-emotional competencies. well and communicate clearly) and responsible decision- Before Reading making (the habit of making appropriate choices in solving Show your students the cover of the book and a couple emotional problems). of reviews. Let them choose the book by themselves and explain their choice. Show pictures of diff erent settings from the book and ask students to describe the atmosphere of the places. Extract some direct speech quotes from the book and ask students to agree or disagree and explain their attitude. Retell a couple of situations from the story and ask students to write down how they would behave in the situation.

While Reading I ask my students to read each chapter a couple of times in preparation for our lessons. The fi rst one is just an exten- sive reading to get the gist of the text, form an emotional response, and most importantly to realize that even without understanding some words or even sentences students can still understand texts in the original. I ask them not to look up the meaning of the words or use the dictionary. Then they read for the second time, underlining the words or doing some tasks. After this second time, they may look some words up. If some parts of the story are still hard to get, they may read the text for the third time, or they can read it right before the lesson to revise the details of the text. Ask your students to fi ll in a table while reading the story The headings may vary. I usually have “character(s)”, “characters’ traits”, “evidence from the text [where they put which exact words in the text made them think that a character has this particular trait] and simply “new words and phrases”. English METHODS OF TEACHING 8. Gavigan, K. (2012). Caring through comics – Graphic novels and bibliotherapy for grades 6–12. Knowledge Quest, 40(4), 10 78-80. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy. September– gvsu.edu/docview/1032543822?pq-origsite=summon October 2019 9. Gladding, S. T., & Gladding, C. (1991). The ABCs of bibliotherapy for school counselors. The School Counselor, 39(1), 7-13. Retrieved from https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.gvsu. Use graphic organisers to study the main characters edu/stable/23901529?pq-origsite=summon a. What’s in the character’s head (his/her thoughts), 10. Heath, M. A., Sheen, D., Leavy, D., Young, E., & Money, K. b. What’s in the character’s eyes (what he/she has his/her (2005). Bibliotherapy: A resource to facilitate emotional heal- sights set on), c. What’s in the character’s mouth (what ing and growth. School Psychology International, 26(5), 563- he/she says), d. What’s in the character’s heart (what he/ 580. doi:10.1177/0143034305060792 she cares about), e. What’s in the character’s hand (what 11. Jack, S. J., & Ronan, K. R. (2008). Bibliotherapy: Practice and tools/power he/she wields), f. What’s in the character’s research. School Psychology International, 29(2), 161-182. gut (what motivates him/her), g. What’s under the charac- doi:10.1177/0143034308090058. ter’s feet (what beliefs he/she stands on). 12. Kidd, David Comer and Emanuele Castano. 2013. “Read- Make a Venn diagram to compare two characters. ing Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind.” Science Highlight actions or emotions of diff erent characters with 342, no. 6156: 377-380, http://science.sciencemag.org/content/342/6156/377. diff erent colours. 13. Mathers, A. D. (2014). Emotional awareness, honesty, & Rewrite a scene from the point of view of a diff erent char- strength: Why teen books are excellent bibliotherapy tools. acter. Canadian Children’s Book News, 37(3), 4-5. Change all the action verbs so that the action remains the 14. National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). Blueprint for same but the atmosphere changes (for example, he walked change: Research on child and adolescent mental health. behind –> he trudged behind). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/advi- Discuss how students would feel and act in the described sory-boards-and-groups/namhc/reports/blueprint-for- situations, whether they know somebody who would act change-research-on-child-and-adolescent-mental-health. like the character from the book, which character(s) they shtml#ch-ii identify with and why, and whether they support the sig- 15. Nomura, Kohei, and Seiki Akai. 2012. “Empathy With Fic- tional Stories: Reconsideration Of The Fantasy Scale Of nifi cant decisions made by the characters. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index.” Psychological Reports 110, no. 1: 304-314. https://dx.doi.org/10.2466/02.07.09.11. After Reading (the Whole Book) PR0.110.1.304-314) Discuss the message of the book. 16. Pardeck, J. A., & Pardeck, J. T. (1984). Young people with Create an alternative ending to the story. problems: A guide to bibliotherapy. Westport, CT: Greenwood Make a project of a theme park of the character’s life and Press. development. 17. Pardeck, J. T. (1994). Using literature to help adolescents Make a playlist refl ecting the character’s emotions. cope with problems. Adolescence, 29(114), 421+. Re- Make a collage of the character’s emotions. trieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/ps/i. Film a book trailer (check out this one do?p=AONE&u=lom_gvalleysu&id=GALE|A15622147&v= 2.1&it=r&sid=summon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvVG9k3_Yfk) 18. Russell, D. H., & Shrodes, C. (1950a). Contributions of research in bibliotherapy to the language-arts program part i. Bibliography: The School Review, 58(6), 335-342. 1. Adelman, H. S., & Taylor, L. (1998). Reframing mental health 19. Shrodes, C. (1955). Bibliotherapy. The Reading Teacher, 9(1), in schools and expanding school reform. Educational Psychol- 24-29. ogist, 33(4), 135–152. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost. 20. Sullivan, A. K., & Strang, H. R. (2003). Bibliotherapy in the com.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/ classroom: Using literature to promote the development of 2. Bal, P. Matthijs, and MartijnVeltkamp. 2013. “How Does Fic- emotional intelligence. Childhood Education, 79(2), 74-80. tion Reading Infl uence Empathy? An Experimental Investiga- Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.gvsu. tion on the Role of Emotional Transportation.” Plos ONE 8, edu/docview/210384283?pq-origsite=summon no. 1: 1-12. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0055341 21. Tartagni, D. (1976). Bibliotherapy with adolescents. The 3. Core SEL Competencies. https://casel.org/core-competencies/ School Counselor, 24(1), 28-35. Retrieved from https:// 4. Cook, K. E., Earles-Vollrath, T., & Ganz, J. B. (2006). Biblio- www-jstor-org.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/stable/23896876?pq- therapy. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42(2), 91-100. doi origsite=summon&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents :10.1177/10534512060420020801 22. Turner, Linda M. 2013. “Encouraging Professional Growth 5. Fisher, P. A. (2003). The prevention of antisocial behavior: Be- among Social Work Students through Literature Assign- yond effi cacy and eff ectiveness. In A. Biglan, M. C. Wang, & ments: Narrative Literature’s Capacity to Inspire Professional H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Preventing Youth Problems (5-31). Growth and Empathy.” British Journal Of Social Work 43, no. Springer, Boston, MA. 5: 853-871. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs011 6. Friedman, R. M., & Kutash, K. (1992). Challenges for child 23. Wisdom, J. P., & Barker, E. C. (2006). Getting out of de- and adolescent mental health. Health Aff airs, 11(3), 125–136. pression: Teens’ self-help interventions to relieve depressive doi: 10.1377/hlthaff .11.3.125 symptoms. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 28(4), 1-11. 7. Gibson, Donna M. 2007. “Empathizing With Harry Potter: The Use of Popular Literature in Counselor Education.” Jour- http://doi.org/10.1300/J019v28n04_01 nal Of Humanistic Counseling, Education & Development 46, no. 2: 197-210. https://dx.doi/10.1002/j.2161-1939.2007. Borzenko Maria, tb00036. London Gates Education Group ǙȆǻǸȊȓȁȆȇȓȊǼȀȉȊǸȅȎȀȆȅȅȆǻȆȆǹȋȏǽȅȀȗ

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λπνƁóðôðóσòþôýυψχφñφêωùτôðā ξφïσëτχúτôððóφíωòāôσùσψφëëýíστöψāπτχöð÷ðñσö ξφïσëτχúτôððñωχψφëôσðùσψφëëýíσĀöψāωíφψöφëτχτôðāωψöσôφëòτôôφìφφêχσïøσ ÙτāöτòþôφψöþφψωûτψöëòāτöψāôσφψôφëτòðøτôïððÝƥχτìƥφöëýíσôôφυÙτõσχöσóτôöφóφêχσïφëσôðāìλφψñëý English METHODS OF TEACHING 12 September– TEACHER’S TOOLKIT: October 2019 Elllo and More Why? Exercises – Online, interactive, over 50 downloadable Did you know that listening occupies 45 per cent of the study packs (printable worksheets, lesson plans). time adults spend communicating? Assessment Activities – Vocabulary quiz – gap-fi ll; Do your students fi nd it to be one of the most challenging comprehension quiz – multiple-choice questions. skills? Mobile App – Ello English Russell Stannard, a multi-award-winning educational technologist and the founder of www.teachertrainingvideos. Talk English com, recommends fi ve free websites with listening material https://www.talkenglish.com/ that also include scripts and exercises and can be used in “Learn English speaking online to improve your spoken the classroom or for independent learning: Elllo, Talk English, English. Speak English fl uently with free spoken English les- ESL Fast, Listen A Minute, Breaking News English. sons using over 10,000 free audio fi les!” Educational Material – listening, speaking and gram- How to Use mar materials. The sites are free and there is no sign-up. Listening materials: audio and video fi les – very short con- Students can listen and read along, do the exercises on- versations (about a minute), slow and clear pronunciation, line and get feedback, or download educational material North American accent; scripts, exercises; vocabulary sup- and work offl ine. port (for videos). Teachers might like to use lesson plans and print out ma- Organisation of the Content – lessons on diff erent topics. terials to use in class or recommend their students to work Age – adults and young adults. alone. Levels – three levels: basic, intermediate, advanced.

Short Description Elllo – English Listening Lesson Library Online http://www.elllo.org/ “Learn English Naturally! Listen to over 2,500 free lessons featuring speakers from around the world. All lessons come with an audio or a video, a quiz and a script.” Educational Material Listening materials: audio fi les – short natural conversations (3-5 minutes), audio and/or video talks; native and non- native speakers; scripts, vocabulary support, exercises. Views (1,500 lessons) – natural conversations, an audio and/or a video, a script, an interactive quiz, vocabulary support, exercises; Mixer (150 lessons) – six people answer the same question; a quiz, a script, and a fl ash slide show with/without captions; Scenes (two seven-part series) – audio lessons; captions, vocabulary support, a quiz; Games. SixPix (75 lessons) – listen to a short audio segment and choose the best picture that matches the audio; a quiz; News Center (26 lessons) – listen to a short animated news segment and take a quiz; academic English; STeP (19 lessons) – listen to academic English and take a quiz; a script; One Minute English (1,000 lessons) – very short video talks (most less than a minute); scripts, quizzes; One Minute Grammar (20 lessons) – very short video talks (most less than a minute), speakers use grammar points many times; a script, a quiz, grammar support; Grammar Talks (50 lessons) – short conversations (about 2-7 minutes) that focus on various grammar points; a script, a quiz, grammar support. Organisation of the Content – lessons on diff erent topics. You can search for lessons by ‘Topic’, ‘Country’, ‘Level’ or ‘Media.’ Age – adults and young adults. Levels – seven levels: low beginner, mid beginner, high beginner, low intermediate, mid intermediate, high intermediate, advanced. METHODS OF TEACHING English 13 September– October 2019

Exercises – online, interactive and downloadable. Assessment Activities – a comprehension quiz – multiple-choice questions. Mobile App – Hello!

ESL Fast https://www.eslfast.com/ “A huge free online English learning resource, thousands of conversations, short stories, and essays with audio and exercises for listening, speaking, reading.” Educational Material – listening and speaking materials: very short texts and conversations (less than a minute), slow and clear pronunciation, North American accent; scripts, exercises (for listening materials). Organisation of the Content – by topic. Age – young learners – adults. Levels – two levels: beginner (six levels), intermediate. Exercises – online, interactive. Assessment Activities – cloze test, reordering jumbled sentences, dictation; a comprehension quiz – multiple-choice questions. Mobile App – ESL Fast Speak: easy conversations on diﬀ erent topics.

Listen A Minute https://listenaminute.com/ “English lesson plans: Free EFL/ESL lesson handouts (479 so far), online activities and handouts for teaching and learning listening.” Educational Material – listening materials: very short texts (less than a minute), slow and clear pronunciation, Brit- ish accent; scripts, exercises. Organisation of the Content – lessons on diﬀ erent topics. Age – adults and young adults. Levels – “easier” listening. Exercises – online and downloadable, interactive. Assessment Activities – gap-ﬁ ll, multiple-choice questions, spelling, unjumble the words, text rebuilding; write questions, interview others, guided writing, project.

Breaking News English https://breakingnewsenglish.com/ Option: Make Your Own Exercises with Textivate “Breaking News English Lessons – 2,750 FREE Easy https://www.textivate.com, a website which generates a wide News English lesson plans. EFL/ESL graded news lessons, range of interactive activities based on your own text and/or news in 7 levels, current events.” matching items. Educational Material – listening and reading materials (2,750 lessons so far, a new lesson is posted every day): Do try these websites and share your ideas with us: graded news stories, 5-speed listening, 4-speed reading, [email protected] British and North American accent; 27-page lessons, 2-page mini-lessons; scripts, exercises. Bibliography Organisation of the Content – lessons on diﬀ erent topics. 1. Raphael Ahmed. Five essential listening skills for English Age – adults and young adults. learners. Levels – seven levels: level 0 (elementary+), level 1 https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/five-es- (elementary/low pre-intermediate), level 2 (low pre-interme- sential-listening-skills-english-learners diate), level 3 (pre-intermediate), level 4 (intermediate), level 2. Russell Stannard. 5 great free websites for learning Eng- 5 (intermediate+), level 6 (upper-intermediate). lish. Exercises – online and downloadable, interactive; ques- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJcdZS1AVcU tions. 3. https://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/ Assessment Activities – Gap-ﬁ ll, multiple choice, text rebuilding, text unjumble (online activity made with Texti- Marina Vorontsova, vate). Moscow School in the South-West #1543 English F OCUS ON LANGUAGE 14 September– WORLD RELIGIONS VOCABULARY October 2019

Abraham – the fi rst of the Old Testament patriarchs and Christianity – a monotheistic system of beliefs and prac- the father of Isaac; according to Genesis, God prom- tices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of ised to give Abraham’s family (the Hebrews) the land Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasiz- of Canaan (the Promised Land); God tested Abraham ing the role of Jesus as savior by asking him to sacrifi ce his son clergy – the entire class of religious offi cials in Christianity Adventism – any Christian religion that believes the sec- confession – the act of a penitent disclosing sinfulness be- ond coming of Christ is imminent fore a priest agnosticism – a religious orientation of doubt Conservative Judaism – beliefs and practices of conserv- ahimsa – a Buddhist and Hindu and especially Jainist doc- ative Jews, who keep some requirements of Mosaic law trine holding that all forms of life are sacred and urging but adapt others to suit modern circumstances the avoidance of violence conversion – a change of religion Allah – a Muslim name for the one and only God convert – change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief alms – money or goods contributed to the poor covenant – an agreement between God and his people angel – a spiritual being attendant upon God crucifi xion – the act of executing by a method widespread Anglicanism – the faith, doctrine and practice of the An- in the ancient world, with the victim’s hands and feet glican Church are bound or nailed to a cross animism – the doctrine that all natural objects have souls cult – a system of religious beliefs and rituals apocalypse – a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys Dalai Lama – the chief lama and once ruler of Tibet the powers of evil deity – a supernatural being worshipped as controlling the apostle – an ardent early supporter of a cause or reform world ascetic – someone who practises self-denial as a spiritual denomination – a group of religious congregations with discipline its own organization atheist – someone who denies the existence of god Dharma – in Hinduism, a cosmic law underlying right be- atonement – the act of making amends for a sin or wrong- haviour and social order; in Buddhism, the nature of re- doing ality regarded as a universal truth taught by the Buddha Bahaism – a religion founded in Iran in 1863 diaspora – people who have spread or been dispersed from baptism – a sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and their homeland rebirth diocese – a district that is under the jurisdiction of a bishop baptize – administer a sacrament signifying spiritual re- divine – being or having the nature of a god birth dogma – a religious doctrine proclaimed as true without Bible – the sacred writings of Christianity proof bishop – a senior member of the Christian clergy ecclesiastical – of or associated with a church blasphemy – the act of depriving something of its sacred enlightenment – the beatitude that transcends the cycle of character reincarnation Brahminism – the religious beliefs of ancient India as pre- episcopal – denoting or governed by or relating to a bishop scribed in the sacred Veda, Brahmanas and Upanishads or bishops Buddha (often the Buddha) – the founder of Buddhism eschatology – the branch of theology that is concerned (c.563–c.483 BC) with death, judgement, and the fi nal destiny of the soul Buddhism – the teaching of the Buddha that life is per- Eucharist – a Christian sacrament commemorating the meated with suff ering caused by desire, that suff ering Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment ob- evangelical – of or pertaining to or in keeping with the tained through right conduct and wisdom and medita- Christian gospel tion releases one from desire, suff ering and rebirth evangelicalism – a Christian movement that stresses the caliph – the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state importance of personal conversion and faith as the Calvinism – the theological system of John Calvin and his means of salvation followers emphasizing omnipotence of God and salva- faith – a strong belief in a divine power or powers tion by grace alone fundamentalism – the interpretation of sacred texts as lit- canonize – declare (a dead person) to be a saint eral truth caste – a hereditary social class among Hindus Gnosticism – a religious orientation advocating gnosis as cathedral – the principal Christian church building of a the way to release a person’s spiritual element; consid- diocese ered heresy by Christian churches Christian Science – the religious system based on the goddess – a female deity teachings of Mary Baker Eddy emphasizing spiritual gospel – the written body of teachings accepted by a reli- healing gious group FOCUS ON LANGUAGE English guru – a Hindu or Buddhist religious leader and spiritual teacher hajj – a pilgrimage to Mecca that is a religious duty for 15 Muslims September– halal – conforming to Muslim dietary laws October 2019 Hare Krishna – a religious sect founded in the United States in 1966 messiah – any expected deliverer heresy – a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion Methodism – the religious beliefs and practices of Meth- heterodox – characterized by departure from accepted odists characterized by concern with social welfare and standards public morals Hinduism – a body of religious and philosophical beliefs monastic order – a group of people living under a reli- and cultural practices native to India and based on a gious rule caste system; it is characterized by a belief in reincarna- monk – a male religious living in a cloister and devoting tion, by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and himself to contemplation, prayer and work natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects monotheistic – believing that there is only one god of one eternal truth, and by a desire for liberation from Mormonism – the doctrines and practices of the Mormon earthly evils Church based on the Book of Mormon icon – a conventional religious painting in oil on a small Moses – (Old Testament) the Hebrew prophet who led the panel Israelites from Egypt across the Red Sea on a journey idol – a material effi gy that is worshipped known as the Exodus; Moses received the Ten Com- imam – the person who leads prayers in a mosque mandments from God on Mount Sinai Jainism – religion founded in the 6th century BC as a revolt mosque – a Muslim place of worship that usually has a against Hinduism; emphasizes asceticism and immor- minaret tality and transmigration of the soul; denies existence Muhammad – the Arab prophet who, according to Islam, of a perfect or supreme being was the last messenger of Allah (570–632) Jesus Christ – a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem Muslim – a believer in or follower of Islam and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the mystic – someone who believes in realities beyond human basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC – AD 29) comprehension jihad – a holy struggle by a Muslim for a moral or politi- nirvana – the beatitude that transcends the cycle of rein- cal goal carnation Judaism – the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its nun – a female religious spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefl y in the orthodox – adhering to what is commonly accepted Torah and in the Talmud Orthodox Judaism – beliefs and practices of a Judaic sect karma – the eff ects of a person’s actions that determine his that strictly observes Mosaic law or her destiny paganism – a religion outside of mainstream monotheism Koran, also Quran – the sacred writings of Islam revealed parable – a story told by Jesus to convey his religious mes- by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at sage Mecca and Medina parish – a local church community kosher – conforming to Jewish dietary laws pilgrim – someone who journeys to a sacred place as an Krishnaism – worship of Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu act of devotion laity – lay people; members of a religious community who pilgrimage – a journey to a sacred place are not clergy polytheistic – worshipping or believing in more than one god Last Judgment – (New Testament) day at the end of time pope – the head of the Roman Catholic Church following Armageddon when God will decree the fates predestination – previous determination as if by destiny of all individual humans according to the good and evil or fate of their earthly lives profane – not concerned with or devoted to religion Lutheranism – teachings of Martin Luther emphasizing prophecy – a prediction uttered under divine inspiration the cardinal doctrine of justifi cation by faith alone prophet – someone who speaks by divine inspiration Mahayana Buddhism – one of two great schools of Bud- Protestantism – the theological system of any of the dhist doctrine emphasizing a common search for uni- churches of western Christendom that separated from versal salvation especially through faith alone; the the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation dominant religion of China, Tibet and Japan purgatory – a temporary state of the dead in Roman Cath- martyr – one who suff ers death because of their beliefs olic theology Mary – the mother of Jesus Puritanism – the beliefs and practices characteristic of Mecca – the holy city of Islam located in Saudi Arabia Puritans meditation – contemplation of spiritual matters Quakers – a Christian sect founded by George Fox about Mennonitism – system of beliefs and practices including 1660 belief in scriptural authority; plain dress; adult baptism; rabbi – spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation foot washing; restriction of marriage to members of the Ramadan – the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, dur- group ing which strict fasting is observed from dawn to sunset English FOCUS ON LANGUAGE 16 September– October 2019

Rastafarianism – a religious cult based on a belief that tenet – a religious doctrine proclaimed as true without Ras Tafari (Haile Selassie) is the Messiah and that Af- proof rica (especially Ethiopia) is the Promised Land theocracy – a political unit governed by a deity Reform Judaism – beliefs and practices of Reform Jews theological – of, relating to or concerning the study of re- reincarnation – the doctrine that a person may be reborn ligion successively theology – the rational and systematic study of religion Roman Catholicism – the beliefs and practices of the Theravada Buddhism – one of two great schools of Bud- Catholic Church based in Rome dhist doctrine emphasizing personal salvation through Sabbath – a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most your own eff orts; a conservative form of Buddhism that Christians; kept by Jews from Friday evening to Sat- adheres to Pali scriptures and the non-theistic ideal of urday evening self-purifi cation to nirvana; the dominant religion of saint – a person who has died and has been canonized Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos Saktism – a Hindu sect worshiping Shakti and Cambodia salvation – the act of delivering from sin or saving from Tibetan Buddhism – a Buddhist doctrine that includes el- evil ements from India that are not Buddhist and elements sect – a subdivision of a larger religious group of preexisting shamanism secular – not concerned with or devoted to religion Torah – (Judaism) the scroll of parchment on which the secularization – removal of religion as a control or infl u- fi rst fi ve books of the Hebrew Scripture are written; is ence over something used in a synagogue during services shaman – one acting as a medium between the visible and transcendent – beyond and outside the ordinary range of spirit worlds human experience sharia – the code of law derived from the Koran and from transubstantiation – the Roman Catholic doctrine that the teachings and example of Muhammad the whole substance of the bread and the wine changes Shiah Islam – one of the two main branches of orthodox into the substance of the body and blood of Christ when Islam consecrated in the Eucharist Shintoism – the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lack- Trinitarianism – Christian doctrine stressing belief in the ing formal dogma; characterized by a veneration of na- Trinity ture spirits and of ancestors Trinity – the union of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost Shivaism – a Hindu sect worshiping Shiva in one Godhead shrine – a place of worship associated with something sa- Unitarianism – Christian doctrine that stresses individual cred freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity Siddhartha – founder of Buddhism; worshipped as a god untouchable – a person that belongs to the lowest social (c 563–483 BC) and ritual class in India Sikhism – the doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded Veda – (from the Sanskrit word for `knowledge’) any of in northern India in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and the most ancient sacred writings of Hinduism written combining elements of Hinduism and Islam in early Sanskrit; traditionally believed to comprise Sufi sm – Islamic mysticism the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, and the Sunni Islam – one of the two main branches of orthodox Upanishads Islam voodoo – a religion practised chiefl y in Caribbean countries synagogue – the place of worship for a Jewish congregation Wicca – the polytheistic nature religion of modern witch- syncretism – the union of diff erent systems of thought or craft whose central deity is a mother goddess; claims belief origins in pre-Christian pagan religions of western Eu- synod – a council convened to discuss ecclesiastical busi- rope ness Yahweh – a name for the God of the Old Testament as Talmud – the collection of ancient rabbinic writings on transliterated from the Hebrew consonants YHVH Jewish law and tradition (the Mishna and the Gemara) Zen Buddhism – a school of Mahayana Buddhism assert- that constitute the basis of religious authority in Ortho- ing that enlightenment can come through meditation and dox Judaism intuition rather than faith; popular in China and Japan Taoism – philosophical system developed by Lao-tzu and Zoroastrianism – system of religion founded in Persia in Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and nonin- the 6th century BC by Zoroaster; set forth in the Zend- terference with the course of natural events Avesta; based on the concept of struggle between light temple – a place of worship (good) and dark (evil) Ten Commandments – the biblical commandments of Moses Source: https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/1445080 FOCUS ON LANGUAGE English 17 September– October 2019

PROTESTANT WORK ETHIC B2 If you have a strong Protestant work ethic, you just have this deep-______4 desire to work hard, to try to ______5 BEFORE WATCHING success through hard work, and ______6 , and discipline. Read the defi nitions of the words ‘ethic’ and ‘Protestant’. In the 16th century there was major schism in the Christian Ethic church, and this led to the ______7 of the Protestant church An ethic is a framework or guiding principle, and it’s often moral. in Northern Europe. And one of the deep ______8 of this was People with a strong work ethic believe that hard work is a good the idea that working hard was important. You don’t need to be a thing in and of itself. Protestant to have the Protestant work ethic. I’m an ______9. A social ethic might include “treating people as you want to be Watch the video again and check your answers. treated.” Used in the plural, ethics refers to the moral rules that you live by. You can use it generally, as in: “my ethics don’t include cheat- FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY ing.” Or you can use it specifi cally, as in: “Slander and the running of In his explanation, Hugh uses the word ‘schism’. Read the defi ni- negative ads do not seem to contradict the senator’s political ethics.” tion of this word. Schism Protestant The sound of the word schism reminds some people of the A member of the parts of the Christian Church that separated from sound of a piece of paper being torn in two; which makes sense – the Roman Catholic Church during the 16th century. when a group has a big fi ght and the group is torn in two, that’s a schism. What might ‘Protestant work ethic’ mean? Do you think one Although the Spanish club could have a schism over taco night should necessarily be a religious person to have the Protestant versus tamale fest, schism often refers to splits in the church. You work ethic? might have heard of the Great Schism of 1074, when the eastern Watch the video and check your answers. Christian church, headquartered in Byzantium (now Istanbul), broke Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZPF7ITYtng away from the western one headquartered in Rome.

FOCUS ON VOCABULARY Consult your History teacher to ﬁ nd out if there has ever been Read the transcript of the video and try to remember the phrases schism in the Russian Orthodox church. Find out the time and the Hugh used. reasons of the event. I was ______1 to a friend yesterday and he asked me how I manage to produce three of these videos every week. Don’t See the answers and the transcript of the video I have too much else to do? How do I ﬁ nd the time to do it? I in the additional materials. made a ______2 joke about possessing a machine which ______3 time for me. But then I said: “Actually, the reality Sources: video by Hugh Dellar, Lexical Lab is I just have a very strong Protestant work ethic.” Activities by English

IN THE GREATER SCHEME B2 tant. It’s certainly less important than vocabulary and the ability to OF THINGS ______7 yourself.” If you say ‘in the greater scheme of things’ or ‘in the grand scheme BEFORE WATCHING of things’, you mean ‘______8 everything’. Have a look at the defi nition of the word ‘intelligible’. So, you know, we all need money. But in the greater scheme of Intelligible – able to be understood. things, money is less important than happiness. Discuss with a partner what makes one intelligible in a foreign lan- Watch the video again and check your answers. guage? (i.e. grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation etc.) FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS Watch the video and learn about Hugh’s opinion. 1. Do you fi nd it easy/diffi cult to express yourself in English? And Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG_LdPEnzSg what about your fi rst language? What do you fi nd easier – to express yourself in writing or in speaking? Why? FOCUS ON VOCABULARY 2. Think of your own language learning experience. What learn- Try to remember the words Hugh used in the video and fi ll in the ing strategies help you master grammar, vocabulary and pro- gaps. nunciation? What learning strategies do you fi nd not working Yesterday, in class I was quite surprised to hear one of my amaz- for you? ing students ______1 about the fact that she didn’t like her 3. Think of at least 2 things that seem important to you now but accent. She’s got a very ______2 accent and it’s very diffi - which can be less important in the greater scheme of things. Share cult to ______3 where she is actually from. She’s complete- with your partner. ly ______4 to almost everybody who’d meet her. And she speaks very clearly with an excellent ______5 of grammar See the answers and the transcript of the video and vocabulary. in the additional materials. We were discussing why she felt like this and the problems people have with ______6 and with accent. And I said: “Listen, in Sources: video by Hugh Dellar, Lexical Lab the end, in the greater scheme of things, accent is really not impor- Activities by English English FOCUS ON LANGUAGE 18 September– TOPIC VOCABULARY October 2019

B1 the belief in a god or gods, or a particular religion system of beliefs in a god or gods

B2 belief something that you believe is true or real

B2 the belief that someone or something is faith good, right, and able to be trusted

B2 the feeling of not liking a group of people prejudice or unfair treatment of them because they are of diﬀ erent race, sex, religion, etc.

B2 the part of a person that is not their body, spirit which some people believe continues to exist after they die

C1 to show respect for a god by saying prayers worship or performing religious ceremonies

C1 something that you say or do that shows blasphemy you do not respect God or a religion

C2 deity a god or goddess (= female god) LESSON PLANS English 19 Religious Intolerance on the Rise September– October 2019

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 4. TOLERANCE A report from the U.S. State Department highlighted the Students A strongly believe everyone in the world will be rise of religious intolerance worldwide. U.S. Secretary of tolerant of others one day; Students B strongly believe this State John Kerry gave reporters a summary of the “Interna- will never happen. Change partners again and talk about tional Religious Freedom” report. He said: “[It] shines light your conversations. on the challenges people face as they seek nothing more than basic religious freedom and the right to worship as they 5. FREEDOMS wish.” Kerry said a particularly worrying trend was the in- Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put creased discrimination against Jews and Muslims around the the most important at the top. Change partners often and world. The report highlighted a rise in anti-Islamic sentiment share your rankings. in Europe and Asia, and an increase in anti-Semitism in oth- religious freedom er parts of the world. Kerry warned that, “when countries choice of who to marry undermine or attack religious freedom, they threaten their freedom to travel country’s own stability.” freedom of speech The report opened with a quote from President Barack freedom to join a union Obama, who said religious freedom was, “an essential part of freedom to be creative human dignity, and without it our world cannot know lasting freedom to work anywhere peace”. The report outlined how nations were repressing reli- freedom to wear anything gious freedom. It said: “Numerous governments imposed… undue and inappropriate restrictions on religious groups and 6. FREEDOM abused their members, in some cases as part of formal gov- Spend one minute writing down all of the diff erent words ernment law and practice.” The report also warned that deny- you associate with the word ‘freedom’. Share your words ing freedom of worship increased the danger of political and with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the societal instability. It said such a policy “undercuts society’s words into diff erent categories. ability to counter and combat the biased and warped interpretations of religion that violent extremists propagate.” BEFORE READING / LISTENING 1. TRUE / FALSE WARM-UPS Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false 1. RELIGION (F). Students walk around the class and talk to other students a. The Vatican in Rome has published a report about reli- about religion. Change partners often and share your fi nd- gious freedom. T / F ings. b. John Kerry talked about challenges for people to worship freely. T / F 2. CHAT c. Kerry said there was an increasing intolerance against In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words Muslims and Jews. T / F from the article are most interesting and which are most d. Kerry said attacking religious freedom did not aff ect a na- boring. tion’s stability. T / F report / highlighted / intolerance / challenges / discrimina- e. The report opened with words from a Hindu teacher. tion / religious freedom / human dignity / lasting peace / re- T / F strictions / instability / interpretations / extremists f. Obama said there could be no lasting peace without reli- Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and gious freedom. T / F partners frequently. g. The article mentions three nations where there is no religious freedom. T / F 3. DISCRIMINATION h. The report suggests religious intolerance creates extrem- What exists in your country? Complete this table and share ism. T / F what you wrote with your partner(s). 2. SYNONYM MATCH Against… What kind / How How to fi ght and Match the following synonyms from the article. bad? reduce it? 1. highlighted a. encounter race / colour 2. summary b. refusing sex 3. face c. security age 4. trend d. overview religion 5. stability e. needless 6. essential f. spread income level 7. lasting g. pointed out dialect 8. undue h. vital English LESSON PLANS “Numerous governments (12)______quote …undue and inappropriate restrictions on 20 religious groups and abused their members, September– in some (13)______as part of formal imposed October 2019 government law and practice.” The report also warned that (14)______freedom dignity 9. denying i. long-term of worship increased the danger of political 10. propagate j. shift and societal instability. It said such a policy “undercuts society’s ability to (15)______counter 3. PHRASE MATCH and combat the biased and warped (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.) interpretations of religion that (16)______cases 1. It shines light on the extremists propagate.” 2. a particularly 3. a rise in LISTENING 4. undermine or Guess the answers. Listen to check. 5. they threaten their country’s 1) highlighted the rise of religious ______6. an essential part a. intolerance the world over 7. how nations were repressing b. intolerance world and wide 8. the danger of political and c. intolerance worldwide 9. biased and warped d. intolerance world wild 10. violent 2) challenges people face as they seek nothing more than ______a. anti-Islamic sentiment a. basics religious freedom b. of human dignity b. basic religious freedom c. own stability c. basically religious freedom d. interpretations of religion d. bases religious freedom e. worrying trend 3) Kerry said a particularly worrying trend was the in- f. challenges people face creased discrimination against ______g. extremists a. Jews and Muslim h. attack religious freedom b. Jew and Muslim i. religious freedom c. Jews and Muslims j. societal instability d. Jew and Muslims 4) a rise in anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia, and GAP FILL an increase ______A report from the U.S. State Department a. in anti-Semitism has (1)______the rise of religious sentiment b. on anti-Semitism intolerance worldwide. U.S. Secretary c. an anti-Semitism of State John Kerry gave reporters a d. and anti-Semitism (2)______of the “International wish 5) When countries undermine or attack religious freedom, Religious Freedom” report. He said: they threaten their ______“[It] (3)______light on the summary a. country’s own stability challenges people face as they seek nothing b. country zone stability more than basic religious freedom and c. country-sewn stability the right to worship as they (4)______.” stability d. countries own stability Kerry said a particularly worrying 6) religious freedom was an essential part ______(5)______was the increased highlighted a. of human dignities discrimination against Jews and Muslims b. of human dignify around the world. The report highlighted c. of human dignity a rise in anti-Islamic (6)______in undermine d. of human dignifi ed Europe and Asia, and an increase in anti- 7) without it our world cannot ______Semitism in other parts of the world. Kerry a. know lasting peace warned that, “when countries (7)______shines b. know last in peace or attack religious freedom, they threaten c. no lasting peace their country’s own (8)______.” trend d. no last in peace The report opened with a (9)______lasting 8) Numerous governments imposed undue and ______from President Barack Obama, who said a. inappropriate restrictions religious freedom was, “an essential part b. in appropriate restrictions of human (10)______, and without it violent c. inappropriateness restrictions our world cannot know (11)______denying d. inner pro-rata restrictions peace”. The report outlined how nations 9) denying freedom of worship increased the danger of po- were repressing religious freedom. litical ______It said: a. and society all instability LESSON PLANS English b. and so site tall instability c. and societal instability d. and social instability 10) the biased and warped interpretations of religion that 21 September– ______October 2019 a. violent extremists prop a gate b. violent extremists proper gate 2. What did John Kerry give reporters? c. violent extremists propagate a) a piece of his mind d. violent extremists pro pay gate b) a summary of the report c) chocolates LISTENING d) his autograph Listen and fi ll in the gaps. 3. What trend did Kerry say was worrying? A report from the U.S. State Department has a) the increase in cult religions (1)______religious intolerance b) the falling number of worshippers worldwide. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gave c) the discrimination against Jews and Muslims (2)______the “International Religious d) the rise in atheism Freedom” report. He said: “[It] shines light on the challeng- 4. Where was anti-Islamic feeling on the increase? es people (3)______more than basic religious a) Europe and Asia freedom and the right to worship as they wish.” Kerry said b) the USA a (4)______was the increased discrimi- c) South America nation against Jews and Muslims around the world. The d) Africa report highlighted (5)______sentiment 5. What do countries threaten by reducing religious free- in Europe and Asia, and an increase in anti-Semitism in dom? other parts of the world. Kerry warned that “when countries a) printers of holy books (6)______religious freedom, they threaten b) their independence their country’s own stability.” c) their own stability The report opened with a quote from President d) places of worship Barack Obama, who said religious freedom was, 6. What did Obama say was non-existent without religious “(7)______human dignity, and with- freedom? out it our world cannot (8)______”. a) diversity The report outlined how nations were repressing reli- b) long-lasting peace gious freedom. It said: “Numerous governments im- c) churches posed…undue and (9)______on reli- d) prayers gious groups and abused their members, in some cases as 7. According to the report, who was repressing religious part of formal government law and practice.” The report freedom? also (10)______of worship increased a) ordinary people the danger (11)______instability. It b) the media / press said such a policy “undercuts society’s ability to coun- c) terrorist groups ter and combat the biased and warped interpretations of d) numerous governments (12)______propagate.” 8. Who are some governments abusing? a) members of religious groups COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS b) refugees 1. Who compiled the report? c) women and children 2. What did John Kerry give reporters? d) terrorists 3. What trend did Kerry say was worrying? 9. What would denying freedom of worship lead to? 4. Where was anti-Islamic feeling on the increase? a) more wars 5. What do countries threaten by reducing religious free- b) fewer religious holidays dom? c) political and societal instability 6. What did Obama say was non-existent without religious d) falling numbers of worshippers freedom? 10. Who spreads twisted versions of religion? 7. According to the report, who was repressing religious a) religious leaders freedom? b) extremists 8. Who are some governments abusing? c) newspapers 9. What would denying freedom of worship lead to? d) some national leaders 10. Who spreads twisted versions of religion? ROLE PLAY MULTIPLE CHOICE – QUIZ Role A – Religious Freedom 1. Who compiled the report? You think religious freedom is the most important. Tell a) a Buddhist organisation the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong b) the World Council of Churches with their freedom. Also, tell the others which is the worst of c) the Vatican these (and why): freedom of speech, freedom to marry who d) the U.S. State Department you choose or freedom to wear what you want. English LESSON PLANS highlighted quote summary human face numerous 22 September– trend abused October 2019 sentiment denying threaten violent Role B – Freedom of Speech You think freedom of speech is the most important. Tell RELIGION SURVEY the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong Write fi ve GOOD questions about religion in the table. Do with their freedom. Also, tell the others which is the worst of this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his these (and why): religious freedom, freedom to marry who / her own paper. you choose or freedom to wear what you want. When you have fi nished, interview other students. Write down their answers. Role C – Freedom to Marry Who You Choose You think freedom to marry who you choose is the most STUDENT 1 STUDENT 2 STUDENT 3 important. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things ______that are wrong with their freedom. Also, tell the others which Q.1. is the worst of these (and why): freedom of speech, religious freedom or freedom to wear what you want. Q.2.

Role D – Freedom to Wear What You Want You think freedom to wear what you want is the most im- Q.3. portant. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their freedom. Also, tell the others which Q.4. is the worst of these (and why): freedom of speech, freedom to marry who you choose or religious freedom. Q.5.

AFTER READING / LISTENING 1. WORD SEARCH Now return to your original partner and share and talk Look in your dictionary / computer to ﬁ nd collocates, other about what you found out. Change partners often. meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘reli- Make mini-presentations to other groups on your ﬁ nd- gious’ and ‘freedom’. ings.

religious freedom RELIGION DISCUSSION Student A’s Questions (Do not show these to student B.) a) What did you think when you read the headline? b) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘religion’? Share your fi ndings with your partners. c) Why aren’t people tolerant toward other religions? Make questions using the words you found. d) What role does religion play in your life? Ask your partner / group your questions. e) Do you accept and respect people from all religions? f) Why do some countries see religion as something danger- 2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS ous? Look back at the article and write down some questions you g) Why are there so many diff erent religions? would like to ask the class about the text. h) Why is there an increase in discrimination against Jews Share your questions with other classmates / groups. and Muslims? Ask your partner / group your questions. i) Does greater religious freedom lead to a more peaceful society? 3. GAP FILL j) What do you like and dislike about religion? In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activ- Student B’s Questions ity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…? (Do not show these to student A.) a) Did you like reading this article? Why/not? 4. VOCABULARY b) Is religious freedom “an essential part of human dignity”? Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool c) What do you think of people who do not believe in God? unknown words and use dictionaries to fi nd their mean- d) Which countries do you think repress religion or reli- ings. gions? e) If all religions promote peace, love and respect for all, 5. TEST EACH OTHER why is there so much hate in the world? Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall f) Is fi ghting a war in the name of God a contradiction? how they were used in the text: g) Does religion bring the world together? Have you spotted a typo? Highlight and photo it or take a LESSON PLANS English screenshot and send us a message. Thanks for your help! 23 September– October 2019 h) What would Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad, Buddha, etc. of human (7)____, and without it our world cannot know think of our world today? lasting peace”. The report outlined how nations were i) Are religious people happier than non-religious people? (8)____ religious freedom. It said: “Numerous governments j) What questions would you like to ask the author of the imposed…undue and inappropriate restrictions on religious report? groups and abused their members, in some (9)____ as part of formal government law and practice.” The report also DISCUSSION warned that (10)____ freedom of worship increased the Write your own questions. danger of political and societal instability. It said (11)____ Student A’s Questions a policy “undercuts society’s ability to counter and combat (Do not show these to student B.) the biased and warped interpretations of religion that violent 1. ______extremists (12)____.” ______2. ______Put the correct words from the table below in the above ______article. 3.______1. (a) highlighted (b) heightened ______(c) highs (d) highly 4. ______2. (a) summation (b) summons ______(c) summary (d) summersault 5. ______3. (a) gas (b) was ______(c) has (d) as 6. ______4. (a) wishing (b) wish ______(c) wishes (d) wishy-washy 5. (a) at (b) to Student B’s Questions (c) by (d) in (Do not show these to student A.) 6. (a) instability (b) stable 1. ______(c) stability (d) stabilise ______7. (a) digress (b) dignity 2. ______(c) digestion (d) digraphic ______8. (a) repressing (b) repressed 3. ______(c) repressive (d) represses ______9. (a) cases (b) causes 4. ______(c) castes (d) cassis ______10. (a) deniable (b) denied 5. ______(c) denying (d) deny ______11. (a) thus (b) much 6. ______(c) so (d) such ______12. (a) rotavate (b) propagate (c) motivate (d) surrogate MULTIPLE CHOICE – LANGUAGE A report from the U.S. State Department has (1)____ SPELLING the rise of religious intolerance worldwide. U.S. Secre- Paragraph 1 tary of State John Kerry gave reporters a (2)____ of the 1. tghhighdiel the rise “International Religious Freedom” report. He said: “[It] 2. the eeshnalglc people face shines light on the challenges people face (3)____ they 3. a crriyaluatpl worrying trend seek nothing more than basic religious freedom and the 4. increased mditiinonscari right to worship as they (4)____.” Kerry said a particu- 5. a rise in anti-Islamic etntnsime larly worrying trend was the increased discrimination 6. nthaerte their country’s own stability against Jews and Muslims around the world. The report highlighted a rise (5)____ anti-Islamic sentiment in Eu- Paragraph 2 rope and Asia, and an increase in anti-Semitism in other 7. an lstsneaei part parts of the world. Kerry warned that “when countries un- 8. human itdingy dermine or attack religious freedom, they threaten their 9. oprtarepaniip restrictions country’s own (6)____.” 10. giyendn freedom of worship The report opened with a quote from President Barack 11. ibedas and warped interpretations Obama, who said religious freedom was, “an essential part 12. violent sirtmesxte English LESSON PLANS Circle the correct word (20 pairs). A report from the U.S. State Department has highlighted / 24 heightened the rise of religious intolerance worldwide. U.S. September– Secretary of State John Kerry gave reporters a summation / October 2019 summary of the “International Religious Freedom” report. He said: “[It] shines doubt / light on the challenges people Number these lines in the correct order. face as / has they seek nothing / anything more than basic ( ) worship as they wish.” Kerry said a particularly worry- religious freedom and the right to worship as they wish / ing trend was the increased discrimination against Jews wishing.” Kerry said a particularly worrying trendy / trend and Muslims was the increased discrimination for / against Jews and ( ) how nations were repressing religious freedom. It said: Muslims around the world. The report highlighted a rise in “Numerous governments imposed…undue and anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia, and an increase in ( ) the danger of political and societal instability. It said anti-Semitism in other parts of the world. Kerry warned that such a policy “undercuts society’s ability to “when countries mine / undermine or attack religious free- ( ) an increase in anti-Semitism in other parts of the world. dom, they threaten their country’s own stability / instability.” Kerry warned that “when countries The report opened / opener with a quote from President ( ) around the world. The report highlighted a rise in anti- Barack Obama, who said religious freedom was, “an essence Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia, and / essential part of human dignity / dignifi ed, and without it ( ) light on the challenges people face as they seek nothing our world cannot know lasting / lasted peace”. The report more than basic religious freedom and the right to outlined how nations were repressing religious freedom. It ( ) was, “an essential part of human dignity, and without it said: “Numerous governments imposed…undue / duly and our world cannot know lasting peace”. The report out- inappropriate restrictions on / at religious groups and abused lined their members, in some causes / cases as part of formal ( ) as part of formal government law and practice.” The government law and practical / practice.” The report also report also warned that denying freedom of worship in- warned that denying / denial freedom of worship increased creased the danger of political and societal instability. It said such ( ) undermine or attack religious freedom, they threaten a policy “undercuts society’s ability to counter and combat their country’s own stability.” the biased and warped interpretations of religion that violent ( ) of State John Kerry gave reporters a summary of the extremes / extremists propagate.” “International Religious Freedom” report. He said: “[It] shines Talk about the connection between each pair of words in ( ) The report opened with a quote from President Barack italics, and why the correct word is correct. Obama, who said religious freedom ( ) inappropriate restrictions on religious groups and Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u). abused their members, in some cases _ r_p_rt fr_m th_ _.S. St_t_ D_p_rtm_nt h_s h_ghl_ght_d ( ) counter and combat the biased and warped interpreta- th_ r_s_ _f r_l_g___s _nt_l_r_nc_ w_rldw_d_. _.S. S_cr_t_ tions of religion that violent extremists propagate.” ry _f St_t_ J_hn K_rry g_v_ r_p_rt_rs _ s_mm_ry _f th_ ( 1 ) A report from the U.S. State Department has highlight- “_nt_rn_t__n_l R_l_g___s Fr__d_m” r_p_rt. H_ s__d: “[_t] ed the rise of religious intolerance worldwide. U.S. Sec- sh_n_s l_ght _n th_ ch_ll_ng_s p__pl_ f_c_ _s th_y s__k n_ retary th_ng m_r_ th_n b_s_c r_l_g___s fr__d_m _nd th_ r_ght t_ w_rsh_p _s th_y w_sh.” K_rry s__d _ p_rt_c_l_rly w_rry_ Put the words in the right order. ng tr_nd w_s th_ _ncr__s_d d_scr_m_n_t__n _g__nst J_ws 1. the Highlighted worldwide intolerance religious _nd M_sl_ms _r__nd th_ w_rld. Th_ r_p_rt h_ghl_ght_d _ of rise. r_s_ _n _nt_-_sl_m_c s_nt_m_nt _n __r_p_ _nd _s__, _nd 2. face on the It challenges shines people _n _ncr__s_ _n _nt_-S_m_t_sm _n _th_r p_rts _f th_ w_rld. light. K_rry w_rn_d th_t: “Wh_n c__ntr__s _nd_rm_n_ _r _tt_ 3. highlighted The rise sentiment report. a anti- ck r_l_g___s fr__d_m, th_y thr__t_n th__r c__ntry’s _wn Islamic in st_b_l_ty.” 4. parts anti-Semitism in of in An the other Th_ r_p_rt _p_n_d w_th _ q__t_ fr_m Pr_s_d_nt B_r_ck increase world. _b_m_, wh_ s__d r_l_g___s fr__d_m w_s, “_n _ss_nt__l p_ 5. threaten country’s stability They their own. rt _f h_m_n d_gn_ty, _nd w_th__t _t __r w_rld c_nn_t kn_w 6. human Religious an of was part dignity free- l_st_ng p__c_”. Th_ r_p_rt __tl_n_d h_w n_t__ns w_r_ dom essential. r_pr_ss_ng r_l_g___s fr__d_m. _t s__d: “N_m_r__s g_v_ 7. how Outlined freedom religious repressing rnm_nts _mp_s_d…_nd__ _nd _n_ppr_pr__t_ r_str_ct__ns were nations. _n r_l_g___s gr__ps _nd _b_s_d th__r m_mb_rs, _n s_m_ 8. government As law part and of practice c_s_s _s p_rt _f f_rm_l g_v_rnm_nt l_w _nd pr_ct_c_.” formal. Th_ r_p_rt _ls_ w_rn_d th_t d_ny_ng fr__d_m _f w_rsh_p 9. societal danger instability of political Increased _ncr__s_d th_ d_ng_r _f p_l_t_c_l _nd s_c__t_l _nst_b_l_ty. and the. _t s__d s_ch _ p_l_cy: “_nd_rc_ts s_c__ty’s _b_l_ty t_ c__ 10. The religion of interpretations warped and nt_r _nd c_mb_t th_ b__s_d _nd w_rp_d _nt_rpr_t_t__ns _f biased. r_l_g__n th_t v__l_nt _xtr_m_sts pr_p_g_t_.” LESSON PLANS English Punctuate the text and add capitals. a report from the us state department has highlighted the rise of religious intolerance worldwide us secretary of state 25 john kerry gave reporters a summary of the “international September– religious freedom” report he said “[it] shines light on the October 2019 challenges people face as they seek nothing more than basic religious freedom and the right to worship as they wish” ACADEMIC WRITING kerry said a particularly worrying trend was the increased Religious intolerance is one of the biggest dangers to our discrimination against jews and muslims around the world security. Discuss. the report highlighted a rise in anti-islamic sentiment in eu- ______rope and asia and an increase in anti-semitism in other parts ______of the world kerry warned that “when countries undermine ______or attack religious freedom they threaten their country’s own ______stability” ______the report opened with a quote from president barack ______obama who said religious freedom was “an essential part of ______human dignity and without it our world cannot know lasting peace” the report outlined how nations were repressing re- HOMEWORK ligious freedom it said “numerous governments imposed… 1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION undue and inappropriate restrictions on religious groups and Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary abused their members in some cases as part of formal gov- or Google’s search fi eld (or another search engine) to build ernment law and practice” the report also warned that deny- up more associations / collocations of each word. ing freedom of worship increased the danger of political and societal instability it said such a policy “undercuts society’s 2. INTERNET ability to counter and combat the biased and warped inter- Search the Internet and fi nd out more about religion. Share pretations of religion that violent extremists propagate” what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

Put a slash ( / ) where the spaces are. 3. RELIGION AreportfromtheU.S.StateDepartmenthashighlightedth Make a poster about religious tolerance. Show your work eriseofreligiousintoleranceworldwide.U.S.Secretaryo to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have simi- fStateJohnKerrygavereportersasummaryofthe”Intern lar things? ationalReligiousFreedom”report.Hesaid:”[It]shineslight- onthechallengespeoplefaceastheyseeknothingmorethanb 4. RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE asicreligiousfreedomandtherighttoworshipastheywish.” Write a magazine article about religious intolerance. In- Kerrysaidaparticularlyworryingtrendwastheincreaseddis- clude imaginary interviews with people who have been sub- criminationagainstJewsandMuslimsaroundtheworld.There- jected to religious intolerance. porthighlightedariseinanti-IslamicsentimentinEuropean- Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. dAsia,andanincreaseinanti-Semitisminotherpartsoftheworld. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from Kerrywarnedthat, “whencountriesundermineorattackreligio your partner(s). usfreedom,theythreatentheircountry’sownstability.”Therepo rtopenedwithaquotefromPresidentBarackObama,whosaidre- 5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? ligiousfreedomwas,”anessentialpartofhumandignity,andwith Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news outitourworldcannotknowlastingpeace”.Thereportoutlined- story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next hownationswererepressingreligiousfreedom.Itsaid:”Numero lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. usgovernmentsimposed…undueandinappropriaterestriction- sonreligiousgroupsandabusedtheirmembers,insomecasesasp 6. LETTER artoﬀ ormalgovernmentlawandpractice.”Thereportalsowarne Write a letter to an expert on religious intolerance. Ask him/ dthatdenyingfreedomofworshipincreasedthedangerofpoliti- her three questions about religion. Give him/her three of calandsocietalinstability.Itsaidsuchapolicy“undercutssociet- your ideas on how people can be more tolerant. Read your y’sabilitytocounterandcombatthebiasedandwarpedinterpreta letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) tionsofreligionthatviolentextremistspropagate.” will answer your questions.

FREE WRITING Source: Write about religion for 10 minutes. Comment on your https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1305/130522- partner’s paper. religious_freedom.html; http://www.christianpost.com/ ______news/kerry-blasphemy-apostasy-anti-semitism- ______troubling-trends-in-intl-religious-freedom-report-96277/; ______http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index. ______htm#wrapper ______See the answers in additional materials. ______English LESSON PLANS 26 September– FAITH AND RELIGION October 2019

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1. Warm-Up (3-4 minutes) The lesson is the third one in the series which usually takes Aims: four lessons which are aimed at initiating a discussion/shar- To introduce the theme of the lesson and focus the stu- ing opinions and ideas about such controversial and extreme- dents’ attention on the aims. ly delicate issues as religion and faith. A teacher has to be To boost curiosity and tune the students into the topic. very careful with topics like these as some students can be particularly sensitive or reluctant to talk about these aspects The teacher invites students to listen to abstracts from two of life. It is necessary to take into account the students’ back- songs and identify the message behind each of them. Then ground and it can be strongly recommended to introduce the the teacher encourages the students to share ideas. topic as the one focused on tolerance, mutual respect and common values that people of all nationalities and religions Let It Be by Paul McCartney. share. No attempts of criticism towards any kind of religion Possible answers: God, faith, religion, humility, peace, pa- can be missed and allowed by the teacher. I wouldn’t advise tience and tolerance, etc. On knees of gods, there is no need to have such classes unless there is an atmosphere of trust to get disappointed, to worry about something as God will and respect in the group as at such lessons, ethic issues pre- help you. vail. The topic might be too private for the students and the teacher, though the insights in case the lesson is successful Losing My Religion by R.E.M. shouldn’t be underestimated. Possible answers: religion, God and our belief in God, The students have already been introduced to the topical doubts, losing hope, etc. vocabulary and watched the video on TEDEd at the fi rst and second lesson from the series. Though there can be some students who will not associate https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-five-major-world-reli- the song with religion, the teacher asks them to explain their gions-john-bellaimey#watch opinion. The video contains a short questionnaire for the students to check their comprehension. 2. Working with the audio and a printed text: facts and The homework for the third lesson was to read about re- context. What makes us jump at conclusions? (15 min- ligion in Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Unit- utes) ed-Kingdom/Religion Aims: To practise listening and reading for specifi c information. Level: B2/B2+ To encourage students to dig deeper and analyze the con- Time: 45 minutes text and the text they really hear/see, working with facts Materials: handouts, PPT presentation, two videos, white- and vocabulary rather than with the fi rst association with board a familiar word. Learning outcomes: by the end of the lesson students will be able to speak on the contexts common for diff erent reli- The students are asked to remember and put down the key gions, using topical vocabulary and presenting information words from the lyrics that drove them to conclusions in the to the group and comment on the statistics illustrating at- warm-up. The teacher splits the students into two groups by titude to religion and data on diff erent religions represented off ering them to draw a card with R.E.M./The Beatles and in this country. plays the videos of the songs (the teacher needs to ensure Negotiating the agenda (optional): discussion of the les- that the video will not insult feelings of any of the stu- son plan which can be done in diff erent formats to focus the dents and is appropriate to the students’ age, otherwise, students’ attention on the aims of the lesson and motivate make use only of the audio). It can be done in succession/ the students to cooperate highlighting the teacher-students simultaneously if the equipment allows it. mutual involvement and responsibility for the result. Can be When the video fi nishes, the teacher elicits the words that skipped in case it’s just a formality. (1-2 minutes) hint on the fact / prove that the song is about religion.

1. Introduction of the topic (listening). The Beatles 2. Working with the text: facts, context and vocabulary. Possible answers: Mother Mary, words of wisdom, there is What makes us jump at conclusions? (listening and still a light that shines on me, etc. reading for specifi c information). 3. Refl ection (speaking). R.E.M. 4. Working with pie charts (writing a paragraph and Possible answers: the whole song reminds a monologue ad- commenting on a pie chart). dressed to God, losing my religion, choosing my confessions, 5. Refl ection. brought me to my knees, etc. 6. Homework. Students might answer orally or put the words on posters. Have you spotted a typo? Highlight and photo it or take a LESSON PLANS English screenshot and send us a message. Thanks for your help! 27 September– October 2019

The teacher thanks the students and asks them to read all or they responded in a way that seemed like ‘well, maybe the QR code with their mobiles to read the stories be- I’m gonna – maybe I’m – maybe something’s gonna hap- hind the songs. (The QR code can be on the board/on the pen here!’ and I think I’ve probably said this seven thou- walls/in the handouts). https://www.qr-code-generator. sand times, but the phrase ‘losing my religion’ is a southern com phrase which means that something has pushed you so far that you would lose your faith over it. Something has pushed Story of Song you to the nothing degree, and that’s what this is about. Now, Paul wrote this song in 1969 some people still think that it’s a song about religion; it’s not. while there was violence in Ire- It’s just a song about having a crush.” land, wars happening in Vietnam and around the world. He wrote The text can be read out by one or several students, or about sad and angry people who students can be asked just to scan the text and answer the are fi ghting one another all over questions. the world. But originally the song The teacher asks the students to answer the questions in was inspired by a dream McCart- groups and present the songs’ fact fi les to the class: ney had when he was anxious and LET IT BE worried. His mother, who had been 1. Give a short summary of the song (3-4 sentences). (1 per- dead for a decade at that time, vis- son) ited him in his dreams and said: 2. Who is Mother Mary? (Paul’s mother) (1 person) “Everything will be ok, let it be”. 3. What tragic political events was the song related to? (Vio- The repetition of “Let it be” in the lence in Ireland) (1 person) song is to emphasize and remind 4. Is there a word about God? (not a word about God/reli- people not to think about sad or bitter things too much, and gion/faith) (1 person) to just accept the things that happen to us especially if we 5. What lexis/phrases in the lyrics made it a symbol of faith cannot change them. for millions of people all around the world? (a quasi-re- It was a sweet dream that got McCartney to write this ligious song), give evidence from the text proving your song. He was paranoid and anxious at that time, and seeing point of view. (1 person) his deceased mom in his dreams brought him much peace when he needed it. It was The Beatles’ fi nal single before McCartney announced his departure from the band.

Story of Song So many interpretations for Los- ing My Religion. Is this song really about loss of faith? The phrase “losing my religion” is an expression from the southern region of the US that means losing one’s temper or “at my wit’s end,” meaning as if things were going so bad you could lose your faith in God. “Losing your religion” over a person could mean that you’re losing faith in that particular person. Mi- chael Stipe said: “Okay. This song is beloved around the world. It is. It wasn’t our fault; it just happened, and it’s one of those freak things and we’re really proud of it. When you have a crush on somebody, and you think that they understand that but you’re not sure, and you’re drop- ping all kinds of hints, and you think that they’re responding to these hints but you’re not sure; that’s what this song is about: thinking that you’ve gone too far, you’ve dropped a hint that is just the size of Idaho, and they responded in a way that maybe confused you, or they haven’t responded at English LESSON PLANS 28 September– October 2019

Aim: To focus the students’ attention on ethical issues, tolerance and values shared by all religions and common for people all over the world.

LET IT BE Possible answers: common situations and feelings for people of all nations, religions and races; no aggression, only humility and consolation in the words, the combination of music and lyrics which sound serene, sincere and give hope, a positive answer full of hope and that’s why it sounds convincing.

LOSING MY RELIGION Love is the feeling that all people share and experience and love is very often associated with God, the state of hopeless- ness and despair makes people address God, a lonely and suff ering person often addresses God. People of diff erent nations and religions go through a period of disappointment when they might doubt their faith and the feeling of guilt which comes together with these doubts is extremely painful and that’s why memorable (bearing in mind the direct LOSING MY RELIGION translation of the expression “losing my religion”). People 1. Give a short summary of the song (3-4 sentences). (1 per- seek for support, protection and consolation and often fi nd son) it in religion. 2. Who is the man addressing? (1 person) There can also be critical answers, which have to be ac- 3. What is the idea behind the song? (1 person) cepted without any aggression. 4. Is there a word about religion? (1 person) The teacher thanks the students for allowing to talk about 5. What lexis/phrases in the lyrics made it a symbol of faith such private matters and elicits a conclusion that the songs for millions of people all around the world? (a quasi-re- became so popular and are so eagerly mistaken for the ones ligious song), give evidence from the text proving your connected with religion due to the fact that they are devoted point of view. (1 person) to issues and values common and understandable by any religion in the world and by people who are far from being The groups present the fact-fi les. The teacher elicits the religious: love, compassion, peace, consolation, a need for answers, paying particular attention to the fi nal one – pos- emotional security and support, consolation and the need to sible answers: be accepted and appreciated. LET IT BE “Mother Mary” is confusing as it is associated with Vir- 4. Working with pie charts (writing a paragraph) (12 gin Mary, the situations described in the song (in my hour minutes) of darkness, when I fi nd myself in times of trouble, when the Aims: broken-hearted people living in the world agree, and when To revise the structure of a paragraph. the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me). The To practise the use of target vocabulary. answers are written down on the board/poster/slide by one or several students. The teacher demonstrates the pie chart without the legend (names of religions) and elicits suppositions about the popu- LOSING MY RELIGION larity of diff erent religions in Russia. “Losing my religion”, repeated many times, ”I heard you” The teacher asks the students to name elements of a para- (as if herd the words of God) “confessions” and the symbols graph structure and introduces the task in the handout. The in the video itself. students are asked to fi ll in the gaps in the paragraph compar- ing two pie charts. Students are encouraged to share their ideas. Then each student gets a handout with the gapped text and fi lls in the gaps with target vocabulary, in 2 minutes the stu- 3. Refl ection in Groups. Why do the words and phrases dents check their variants in pairs and then some students are listed on the board and situations described in both songs asked to comment on the pie chart (the legend is on) without seem to be connected with faith for so many diff erent using the text (the comments might be divided among 3-4 people? (5 minute) LESSON PLANS English 29 September– October 2019 students). It can also be done in the format of a snowball Religions in Russia game. Some students who might have problems with para- 2012-2013 graph structure can be given another task – to assemble split The pie charts show the changes in the proportions of sentences into a text. major religious c______f______s in Russia between 2012-2013. Religions in Russia The most noticeable feature of the charts is the rise in the number of f______rs of major religions: O______x C______y and I______m. Whereas in 2012 there were 75% of O______x C______ns and 5% of M______ms among Russian citizens, in 2013 the percentage of O______x C______ns increased up to 77% while 6% of people living in Russia followed I______m. However, the number of a______s also rose considerably (5% in 2012 and 7% in 2013). At the same time, other religions: C______sm, P______sm and B______sm became less popular with 4% of citizens involved in 2012, which dropped to 1% in 2013. The same tendency can be observed among people who do not belong to any c______ions: 10% and 9% Religions in Russia 2012 correspondently. The pie charts clearly demonstrate that O______x C______y and I______m are traditionally and his- torically the most widespread in Russia though all major r______s c______f______s are represented in this country.

5. Refl ection (4-5 minutes) (Optional during the lesson, can be done at home or during the break not to turn into a mere formality). Aim: Teacher/Students: to refl ect on real outcomes of the lesson and give feedback on the lesson. Students: to have a possibility to assess one’s own knowledge and skills and share possible aspects one is • Orthodox • Muslims not confi dent of as well as evaluate the impor- • Other religions • Atheists tance of such discussions. • Not belonging to any religious groups Teacher: to highlight once again that tolerance and respect towards religions and beliefs of other people Religions in Russia 2013 and thank the students for trust and sharing their ideas.

6. Homework (1-2 minutes) Students are given a task to prepare a short overview of any of the world religions (10-15 sentences), introducing the religion they choose in a clear and simple way, making use of the target vocabulary. PPT or a poster could be a perfect visual aid to show the symbols and fundamental issues of each religion. The second task is to write a paragraph on the pie charts chosen by the teacher (Religions in Great Britain could be a possible option).

By Irina Kostyukovich, Gymnasia, Protvino • Orthodox • Muslims • Other religions • Atheists See the presentation in additional materials. • Not belonging to any religious groups English TEXTS FOR READING 30 September– MODERN SPIRITUALITY October 2019

The question of what it is that constitutes modern spiritu- body the presence of God then, yes, you will see God in your ality makes people all over the world invest their time and places of worship. But, obviously, God does not live in the energy in a never-ending search. One of our aims in this is- building. sue was to give the voice to as many visions as possible. So I say that like it is an obvious fact, but many people ex- here is an essay by Benjamin Riggs, an American writer who pect to fi nd God in church. And unfortunately, many pastors, refl ects on the spiritual life of modern America. priests, rabbis, and spiritual teachers try to live up to this unrealistic expectation, which turns the whole thing into a *** spectacle rather than a practice. It turns the service into a A couple of weeks ago, I attended a church service. I don’t form of entertainment: exhilarating music, emotional calls to often attend church, but there are a few in my area that I pop prayer, lofty rhetoric. into from time to time. Church, in my opinion, is meant to equip us with the tools It was the Sunday before the inauguration and the sermon, we need to make the journey to our innermost core – where as you might imagine, was about loving our enemies and we discover the ground of meaning. It is intended to encour- welcoming the stranger in our midst – a timely message to be age and support us along the path. And fi nally, it invites us to sure. It was a good sermon, but there was one note missing gift ourselves back to the community, to share our life with and its absence was conspicuous. those around us. The point of religion is to transform our The missing note was “how to” – how do we love our lives – to enable us to embrace our humanity, to be whole enemies and how do we welcome the stranger in our midst? and useful members of the human race. In this respect, reli- I have spent the last fi ve years writing a book, Finding gion in America is, by and large, failing us. God in the Body: A Spiritual Path for the Modern West, and In order for religion to be transformative, it must invite ironically, I failed to mention the role of the church in this us into the transcendent. American religion often neglects modern spirituality that I describe. I am speaking of church this responsibility because it is eaten up with fundamentalist in the generic form, not specifi cally of Christian churches. I thinking, particularly down here in the South where I live. am referring to the temple, synagogue, mosque, and even the Fundamentalism reads scripture like it is a newspaper or a meditation group. history book. And so the transcendent is stuck in the past. When I realized that I overlooked the role of the church in This obliterates the possibility of transformation in the here- a modern spirituality, just as the preacher forgot to mention and-now. the “how to” in his sermon, I felt compelled to explore this Fundamentalism says that the transcendent realm is off question: Why do people go to church, synagogue, temple, limits to everyone except the embodiment of transcendence or to the mosque? When they show up at a meditation group, that sits on the altar of their faith. what are they looking for? Christian fundamentalism, for example, says, “Well yeah, Roughly 166 million American adults (69 percent) attend Jesus and God were one, but you ain’t Jesus, my dear boy. church at least once a month. So, obviously, there is more You’re damaged goods. You had best pray that God might than one answer to that question. But for many people – not have mercy on you.” all, but a lot – the honest answer is, “I don’t know. It’s just The best fundamentalism can do is off er moral guidance what you’re supposed to do, right? It feels like something is and encourage us to love our neighbor – and that really is missing, like life is pointless or meaningless. And our culture at its best. It cannot get us to love our enemies because it tells us that God is the source of meaning and you fi nd God doesn’t have access to the power required to do so. And it at the temple, synagogue, mosque, or the church. So here we cannot answer the deeper problem of meaninglessness be- are. That’s where you fi nd God, right?” cause it alienates us from the ground of meaning. I don’t know. I don’t go to church very often. Only you For religion to be transformative it cannot be read in the can answer that question. Do you? Do you fi nd God in past tense. It has to be intimately and immediately concerned church or at the temple? Do you fi nd meaning in your place with the reality of our day-to-day lives. If it is going to trans- of worship? form us, it must be read as mythology, not history. I suspect the answer is no. In my opinion, it’s not the point Mythology invites us to internalize. It invites us to in- of a church. We don’t fi nd God in a building. We fi nd God volve ourselves in the story. In fact, when we read scripture within ourselves, which is why Paul asked the people of as myth it stops being a story and becomes our journey. As Corinth, “Do you not know that your body is the Temple?” I wrote in Finding God in the Body, “At the heart of every Back in ancient Israel the temple was the house of God. So myth is a central fi gure – a hero that invites us to participate Paul was basically asking, “Do you not know that God lives in our journey. Initially, our participation is subliminal and in the body, not the building?” vicarious. We get caught up in their trials and tribulations, If we show up expecting to fi nd God, we will be disap- but eventually realize we are caught up in their journey be- pointed. That is, unless we are in our bodies, unless we are cause their journey is a metaphor for our journey. Their sto- present while we are at church. If the people in the pews ries are presented to us as our way, our truth, and our life. or on the yoga mat, meditation cushion, or prayer rug em- When we realize that their path to freedom is our path to TEXTS FOR READING English 31 September– October 2019 freedom, our vicarious identifi cation with their journey dis- to off er. Spirituality in the West has been divorced from prac- solves into the immediacy of our own adventure.” tice for so long that we have raised generations of teachers And when our adventure comes calling, we need practices that have nothing but words to teach. This was my primary that enable us to answer that call. motivation for writing Finding God in the Body. I wanted This is another great failing of Western religion. But this to put forward a mythos, an internalized worldview that not failing goes well beyond the realm of fundamentalism. Well- only invited people to search within themselves but gave meaning pastors around the county are quick to share hope- them the practices they needed to make the journey. ful, uplifting messages of love and service, but fail to answer Transformation requires action. To think otherwise is na- the all-important question: How?! How do I love my enemy? ïve. It takes practice. When I am mad, exactly how do I return love? And what We cannot overcome anger unless we practice love – that the hell does that look like? What does it look like to love a is unless we pray for those we resent on a daily basis. We person that is a stranger to me? Maybe not even a stranger have to pray that the people we despise most will be free in name, but someone that is strange to me in their thinking? of suff ering, that they will fi nd the causes and conditions of For example, what does it mean for me to love someone happiness – and we have to mean it. We cannot overcome who believes Barack Obama is a disgrace and that Donald stress and busyness unless we work with our busy minds – Trump is a moral leader? It certainly doesn’t mean disengag- that is unless we practice meditation. We have to watch our ing or even avoiding confrontation. It means entering those minds and when they drift off in thought, we have to bring confrontations with the best of intentions, intellectual hon- them back to the sensation of the breath, back to the present esty, and respect. It means being present but never degrad- moment. ing. But where do we fi nd the strength to do that, not once, Yes, God lives within us, but unless we do the work re- but on a daily basis – because that is in fact what it means quired to move beyond our fear and anger, the light of God to not only walk the spiritual path but to be a citizen in a is obstructed. It cannot shine out through our actions into the democratic society? world. We might feel enlivened on Sunday mornings, but we Religion must answer that question, but it must do so will be worn down by Wednesday. without giving us the answer. Jesus and the Buddha, both of Everybody agrees that we should love our enemies, but them, walked the path for us – but not in place of us. They how? How do we love those that arouse anger? Only prac- blazed a trail, but it is up to us to pick up the spiritual tools tice can answer that question. Self-examination, prayer, and they gave us and walk that path for ourselves. meditation enable God to be born into the world through our When we leave church, we should never leave empty- actions, not just during opportune moments but in the midst handed. We should know how to pray, how to meditate. The of calamity. spiritual teacher’s job is not to tell us what to believe. Their Without practice, when our buttons are pressed, God is job is to show us how to believe. And this is where the major- stillborn. God is just a theory, something we talk about. ity of spiritual teachers – even the most well-meaning – fail Remember, church is for the man or woman struggling. us. Occasionally, the suff ering person will be those who have Church is not there to tell us about God. It is there to ar- been in the pews or on the cushion or the yoga mat for years, range the meeting. The word religion comes from the Latin but most often it will be the new person because suff ering word religare, meaning, “to bind together or to unite.” It is is what brings us to the spiritual path. We have to be there synonymous with the words yoke and yoga – an actionable for them, to show them another way. We have to off er them path or way to wholeness. Jesus off ered a yoke and the Bud- tools. We have to give them a yoke, a yoga, a path. dha off ered a yoga, but modern religion off ers only a doc- It’s not about what we can take away from church but trine. And spiritual teachers have become more concerned about what we can bring to it. But we can’t bring something with defending and advancing that doctrine than with pass- we don’t have. If we are going to be of service to others – ing on spiritual practices. As a result, we remain disembod- you know, if we are going to off er practices – then we have ied, alienated from the ground of our being – just sitting in to be practicing. And when we are practicing not just with church wondering why we are here. our personal freedom and happiness in mind, but with the In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed that we may be one with intention of preparing ourselves to be of service to others, it God, just as he was. But that prayer is not magically realized takes ego out of the equation. It takes us out of our self and because it was uttered by Jesus. Without a yoke, that prayer brings us onto the bodhisattva path. In fact, it turns church goes unanswered. We have to look deep within the body – into a practice. And that is the role of the church in a modern that is what contemplation is; contemplation is that which spirituality. is done in the temple, in the body – and we have to enter the temple and abide in the presence of God. That requires By Benjamin Riggs practice. Many spiritual teachers feel overwhelmed by this respon- Source: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2017/01/the- sibility. Why? I suspect it’s because they don’t have practices role-of-the-church-in-a-modern-spirituality/ English TEXTS FOR READING 32 September– METROPOLITAN October 2019 ANTHONY OF SOUROZH

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, the senior bishop in the Russian Orthodox Patriarchal GLOSSARY: Church and the head of the Russian Church in Great Britain and Ireland, was the single most palpable: so obvious that infl uential voice of the Orthodox tradition in the British Isles. it can easily be seen or A charismatic fi gure, with a palpable spiritual presence, he was cast more in the mould of a known, or (of a feeling) so staretz (a holy man of great spiritual insight and wisdom) than a career bishop responsible for strong that it seems as if it the administration and pastoral oversight of a diocese. With his striking dark looks, and beauti- can be touched or physi- fully spoken English – reprised through a French rather than a Russian accent – he would hold cally felt an audience in the palm of his hand. His gifts of communication were legendary: he never used in the mould of: if some- notes or prompts, and whether he was preaching in the Russian Cathedral at Ennismore Gardens one is from or in a particu- in London, diving a lecture on the Orthodox tradition at a conference, discussing Christianity with lar mould, they have the a group of students, or giving spiritual direction to an individual, he always radiated a sense of characteristics typical of a personal depth and boundless faith. certain type of person He could also be disarming. His conversation on BBC television in 1970 with the atheist Mar- diocese: an area controlled ghanita Laski would have been memorable enough for his respect of her intellectual integrity, and by a bishop his undeniable charm. But it was the more remarkable for his wit, intellectual toughness, and his reprise: to repeat a song, unconventional arguments. Instead of trying to justify his faith, for example, he told Laski that he performance, or set of ac- knew that God existed, and was puzzled how she managed not to know. This unexpected turn in tions the conversation was typical of him and it threw her off guard. radiate: to show an emo- The hallmarks of his ministry throughout his 50 years in Great Britain were pastoral sensitiv- tion or quality ity, penetrating insight as a spiritual director, and an eirenic missionary outlook. He took the view integrity: the quality of that everyone was welcome in the Church – Russian, African or indigenous Briton. And, while being honest and having he was congenitally opposed to proselytising, he attracted hundreds of English converts over the strong moral principles years. More signifi cantly he indelibly stamped the spirituality and theology of the Orthodox tradi- that you refuse to change tion upon the British religious consciousness, infl uencing many thousands of British lives through hallmark: a typical char- personal contacts and his writings, chiefl y on prayer. At the height of his fame, Gerald Priestland, acteristic or feature of a the renowned BBC religious correspondent, called him “the single most powerful Christian voice person or thing in the land”. penetrating: showing a Metropolitan Anthony had strong aversions and predilections. Despite making a signifi cant very good understanding contribution to the World Council of Churches at Delhi in 1961 he was allergic to institutional eirenic: aimed at peace ecumenism. And while he deeply respected individual Catholics he was less than enthusiastic indigenous: naturally ex- about Roman Catholicism. Conversely, he warmed to Evangelical religion. In the early 1980s he isting in a place or country requested a meeting with the Evangelical Alliance, and on arrival stunned them right from the start rather than arriving from by, in the argot of Evangelicalism, “giving his personal testimony”. He told them that when he was another place a young teenager living in France, and a convinced atheist, he was reading St Mark’s Gospel in his congenitally: existing at room when he was aware of a personal presence which he was convinced was Christ. or from birth This dramatic story of conversion highlights Metropolitan Anthony’s existential approach to proselytize: to try to per- faith. He said in a published interview in 1988, “I don’t know anything of metaphysical language. suade someone to change What we [the Orthodox] say about Christ is experiential.” While many labelled him as a mystic, their religious or political he eschewed this designation, and preferred to talk of Christianity in the language of ascesis and beliefs or way of living to disclosure. He genuinely believed that Eastern Orthodoxy was the simplest way to faith. The com- your own bination of simplicity in his personal life (he was completely indiff erent to money and ecclesiasti- indelible: indelible mem- cal haute couture) and his passionate commitment to the Gospel were the inner springs of his spir- ories or actions are impos- ituality. He once said that he had never preached Russian Orthodoxy in his life, but only Christ. sible to forget, or have a This Christian for all Christians was nevertheless strongly attached to Russia. During the So- permanent infl uence or viet era, his BBC Radio talks, and his books and sermons, penetrated deep into Russian culture eff ect and were proudly accepted as the authentic voice of “Holy Russia”. When he visited the Soviet aversion: a feeling of Union in person, he was overwhelmed by excited crowds eager to hear his words and just to see strong dislike or of not him. Metropolitan Anthony’s stature among the people of Soviet Russia was enhanced by the wishing to do something fact that he remained loyal to the Patriarchate but maintained total political independence. This predilection: if some- unique position of a see in the Russian Diaspora was the lynchpin of the Metropolitan’s realpolitik one has a predilection for throughout the Soviet years. something, they like it a lot The end of the Soviet empire in the early 1990s opened a new chapter in his relationship to ecumenism: the principle Russia: with the easing of travel restrictions by President Boris Yeltsin, a fresh infl ux of émigrés or aim of promoting unity TEXTS FOR READING English 33 September– October 2019 among the world’s Chris- tian Churches argot: words and expressions that are used by small groups of people and that are not easily understood by other people eschew: to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up designation: an offi cial title or name ascesis: (also askesis) the practice of severe self-discipline, typically for religious reasons found their way to his door. He welcomed them with open arms and devoted the last few years of disclosure: the act of mak- his life trying to facilitate these post-Soviet Russians into the diocese as best he could. ing something known or One of Metropolitan Anthony’s favourite quotations was Nietzsche’s aphorism that chaos gives the fact that is made known birth to a star. It could stand as a summary of his own life. He was born André Bloom, at Laus- see: (religion) a place anne in Switzerland in 1914. His father was a Russian imperial diplomat of Dutch extraction and where there is a cathedral his mother was the half-sister of the modernist composer Alexander Scriabin (and also related to and where a bishop or Vyacheslav Molotov). While the young André admired his father, they were not really close. His archbishop has authority mother, on the other hand, was the dominant infl uence in his life until her death when he was 40 the lynchpin of: the most years of age and already well established in Britain. important member of a The young André missed the cataclysmic events of 1917 for at that time he was living with group or part of a system, his parents in Persia. After sundry adventures and hardships they ended up living in Paris. His that holds together the experiences as a refugee were mainly negative: his parents were living separate lives and he was other members or parts or the victim of bullying at school. After his dramatic conversion it was not to the priesthood he fi rst makes it possible for them turned but to medicine. He trained initially at the Sorbonne and then in the French Medical Corps to operate as intended with the outbreak of war. realpolitik: practical poli- During the German occupation he worked as a doctor, but joined the Resistance. He took tics, decided more by the secret monastic vows and was fi rst professed as a monk in 1943, when he adopted the name of urgent needs of the coun- Anthony after the founder of monasticism. And then, quite unexpectedly, he was ordained priest in try, political party, etc., 1948 and came to Britain to pastor the predominantly White Russian émigrés in London. His rise than by morals or princi- through the ecclesiastical ranks was meteoric. He became a bishop in 1957, archbishop in 1962 ples and the Patriarch of Moscow’s exarch of Western Europe in 1963; and in 1966 was elevated to infl ux: the fact of a large Metropolitan – the highest-ranking bishop in the Russian tradition outside the offi ce of Patriarch. number of people or things But, like most people of genuine charisma, Metropolitan Anthony was a powerful and perplex- arriving at the same time ing fi gure. Conservative in theology and politics, he was nevertheless totally free of sexism even sundry: several diff erent; to the point of daring to question the theological warrant for an exclusively male priesthood. A various personalist through and through, he was an inspired visionary but had a poor grasp of administra- ordain: to offi cially make tive detail and diocesan strategy. He liked to be in control but ideologically was deeply committed someone a priest or other to lay participation in the Church and always talked of hierarchy in terms of service rather than religious leader, in a reli- power. He put his money where his mouth was too, and set up a democratically elected Assembly gious ceremony and Council to run the aff airs of the diocese of Sourozh in Britain which, in concert with him, it perplexing: confusing, often has done so until the present time. because you do not know Charismatic leaders, however, whether saints or savants, grow old and inevitably judgement how to solve something falters as health and vigour fade. Towards the end of his life Metropolitan Anthony simply had falter: to lose strength or more on his plate than he could manage and people expected too much of him. But one thing re- purpose and stop, or al- mains clear: he once said that no one could turn towards eternity if he has not seen in the eyes or in most stop the face of at least one person the shining of eternal life. Metropolitan Anthony was not infallible, infallible: never wrong, despite what the hagiographers will say, but he shone. failing, or making a mistake By Andrew Walker hagiographer: a writer of Source: http://masarchive.org/Sites/Site/A-E-Walker.html the lives of the saints English TEXTS FOR READING 34 September– ON PRAYER October 2019

Archbishop Anthony me one more chance, or if the Devil was quicker at off ering Seven Oaks his help!” Nov. 1970 I will give you another example, somewhat cruder perhaps than St. Augustin’s prayer: a man who used to come to I suppose that generation after generation has been ask- see me, in one of our midnight services of Easter, at London, ing the same kind of questions about praying in the modern stood in the middle of a thick joyful crowd; I came out of world because the world is modern and quite contemporary the sanctuary, greeting the people with the Easter greeting, for each generation and probably almost as bewildering for “Khristos voskrese,” that is ‘Christ is risen,’ and the people the one as it is for the other, so what I have got to say is not replied: “Voistinu voskrese,” ‘He is risen indeed.’ The man particularly new in the sense that the problem has always was standing there, I was probably shouting with enthusiasm been there. I would like to make a few introductory remarks because, well, for one thing I believe it is true and I fi nd it concerning the contemporary state. terribly exciting that it should be true and the man looking Prayer is rooted in God, then whatever age, whatever cen- at me – he reported the thing to me later – “No wonder he is tury we live in, we have got a solid basis for a prayer that shouting like that: he is paid for it”. Then he heard the crowd is always contemporary, and always eternal, always stable answering, and he shrugged it off thinking that must be the and always perfectly adjusted to the time in which we live, old, and then as he was idle and had no much interest for because God is stable, God is eternal and yet is always con- what was going on, as he was looking around he saw that temporary. The world may grow old, He does not wax old; he was surrounded by quite a lot of young people who were He is always new, unpredictable, new as young as ever. The shouting as passionately as the old or the paid minister, and second remark which I would like to make is this: it is a com- then a thought came to him, dreadful indeed: and what if that mon place to say that people do not pray and that people do were true! He went on listening to the others, and then sud- not know how to pray. denly he caught himself shouting also that Christ was risen May I follow two American writers, Mr. and Mrs. Wadle, indeed, and then the thoughts became a fear – he reported and suggest that people pray a great deal more than they that to me – he said, you know, when I heard myself shout imagine without knowing, but also, and that is a much more back I thought, but Goodness, if I recognize the truth of that I important point, that they do not always pray to God. must change my life, and then he thought he must fi ght a last If we do not reduce prayer simply to liturgical prayers or to fi ght. “I turned then”, he said, “the Devil and said, ‘Devil, well-set methods of addressing the Lord, if prayer begins in you have been with me all the time, help, help me out,’” and the heart, in our very depth, if prayer as spoken is nothing but then with a disgust very profound and heartfelt he looked at the articulation, cry of all our being towards what we wish for, me and said, “And the dirty brat, he didn’t help me”. long for, what we beg for, is it not a true and perhaps a sinister That is another example of the way in which we do pray; remark, that we pray all the time, when with all our heart of this one prayed with all his heart, all his conviction in one longing we desire something either good or bad? direction, while he felt that he could not resist the witness of At times what we desire, what we wish for is good, the the people around him, the sense which the people gave him good is what is in accordance with the will of God, but how of the reality of God, the resurrected Christ, the meaning of often while we tell God, “help”, with all our being we cry to what it stood for, and at the same time all his past life and someone else “help”, to temptation, all my being responds indeed what he foresaw of trouble if he fell into the hands of to temptation, with all my longing I wish for the temptation the Living God, told him, well, turn to the only one who has to overcome my unfaithful struggle; at the same time I may ever dared be the adversary of Christ on earth, and he did. turn to God and pray lips services, “O God, help”, while my This is a crude example perhaps, an example which is not heart is not set on obeying His will, when all my longing is of the pious and religious type, but look at yourself and ask to the opposite, and this longing of mine, all this cry of all yourself whether it does not apply to you; whether between my nature is also a prayer, but addressed to the power of the morning and the evening, all the time you do not pray darkness. In a mild way perhaps we fi nd it expressed in a in one direction and then in the other and so often in two prayer by St. Augustine, when he had discovered how evil directions at the same time, in a sort of schizophrenic way, his ways were, in early days, when intellectually he had al- responding to temptation and to the call of Christ simulta- ready changed his mind and yet when, by force of habit, the neously in an absurd way at the same time asking for two longing of his whole self, he continued in the same ways, he incompatible things, the one with your mind, with your best prayed to the Lord, he reports it in his own confession, “O, intentions, and the other with all the drag there is in you. God, grant me chastity, yet, not just now”. Well, this is one And that applies to everyone because if you think of your- of the ways in which our prayer is divided: on the one hand, self as I think of myself, there is probably not a moment in intellectually, with our reason, with the amount of common the day when our mind is not talking. Most of the day we are sense and faith which we possess, we cry to God “Help”, but doing a running commentary of what we are doing, “I get up, with more than our reason, with heart and body with all our I move, I wash, I eat, I do that, and all the time I tell myself self we still say “if only God did not help at once, if He gave what I am doing as though I could not observe it without TEXTS FOR READING English 35 September– October 2019

words. At other times I speak to myself in two persons; you is always the same: it begins at the moment when I ask my- know perfectly well the way in which we imagine dialogues, self: where is my heart? What is of value to me; it starts at the you have just have an argument with someone, you had noth- moment when I assign worth to something, because worship ing to say because you were not quick enough, but an hour is a word derived from worth. later! Oh, an hour later! The conversation continues and then When I assign worth to one thing, when my heart is bent you are so brilliant, so convincing. The same happens also on it, then my prayer is directed in one way, otherwise it is with God; we turn to God lazily when it is morning or eve- directed in another way. Worship therefore gives a scale of ning prayers, and then later we are in full swing of conversa- values, it does not begin by going down on our knees, and tion, turning to God, turning to the Devil, turning to God, if our scale of values is authentic, sincere, then our prayer turning to the Devil... So do not imagine that modern man can be directed towards its aim with intensity, wholeheart- does not pray; the only thing is that he does not do what he edness, recollection of mind, with unity of all the powers imagines prayer is. of our will and so forth. If we do not know what our val- What prayer is, well, we all know: the devout exercise ues are, there will never be a wholehearted prayer, and our that consists in coming down on our knees, folding our prayer will just move haphazardly along the various lines hands, closing our eyes devoutly and occupying our mind as which it fi nds. we can while we are in God’s presence. I remember a little So that the fi rst problem is to ask ourselves in whatever boy who used to come to church bowed in a most pious and contemporary situation we are, what are my values, what are reverend pray, stood on his knees for a while, then got up and the things that truly matter? I do not think we can honestly sat meekly; and the vicar admired his composure and asked say simply “God comes fi rst” and that is all. I think we must him, what do you do the time you are on your knees? And work it out in more concrete terms. Indeed, at some moment the boy said: I count from 1 to 30, and then I know it is over. God should come, but before we come to this, there are val- Well, that is very much what we call praying, and is it not the ues of good and evil that must be sorted out, and a direction very contrary of what prayer is? must be given which is Godwards. But at times we would You know what Christ says: where your treasure is, your say that the good, human good, comes top, and God, yes, but heart is; that is where prayer begins. Where is my heart? If my I do not know Him enough for Him to supersede in my heart, heart is bent on getting what the Devil off ers, then my mind in my mind, in all the sense of life which I possess, every is there, and my prayer is there; if my heart is somewhere other values. That is also true; it may not be true for one else, then my mind is there also and my prayer is there, real or the other of us, but basically there are values of increas- prayer, and it is quite horrifying to think how much lip ser- ing purity, truth, holiness, that we must single out and try to vice we off er to God and earnest heartblood we bring forth reach towards the highest, the truest, the most authentic of to the adversary. Now I have been insisting on that for a long them. time because I think it is terribly important because prayer, worship, whether it is in our modern time or in the modern Source: http://masarchive.org/Sites/texts/1970- time in 2000 years, the contemporary epoch, 160 years ago, 11-00-1-E-E-T-EM04-021OnPrayerAtSevenOaks.html English TEXTS FOR READING 36 8 THINGS ABOUT September– October 2019 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

In the 1970s, an opera about Jesus of Nazareth helped blaze the trail between rock‘n’ roll and musi- GLOSSARY: cal theater. Though Jesus Christ Superstar’s radical songs divided religious groups, they conquered blaze the trail: to the Billboard charts. The show also ushered in Broadway’s “British invasion” of the 1970s and 1980s, fi nd a new path or setting the stage for such mega-hits as Cats and Les Miserables. In 2018, a live version starring John method; begin a new Legend as Jesus and Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene aired on NBC. Here’s everything you need to undertaking. For ex- know about the show. ample, His research blazed a trail for new 1. IT BEGAN AS A CONCEPT ALBUM BECAUSE NO PRODUCER WANTED TO PUT IT kinds of genetherapy. ON STAGE This expression was Lyricist Tim Rice and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who met in 1965 when they were 20 and fi rst used literally in 17, respectively, enjoyed their fi rst taste of shared success with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor the 18th century for the Dreamcoat in 1968. Next, the duo focused on another Biblical fi gure: Jesus of Nazareth. The pair practice of marking a envisioned a daring new rock musical that would retell – from Judas’s perspective – the story of forest trail by making Christ’s betrayal and execution. But Lloyd Webber and Rice couldn’t fi nd anyone who was willing blazes, that is, marking to produce the project as a stage show – Lloyd Webber recalled that they were told it was “the worst trees with notches or idea in history.” So they transformed it into an 87-minute, two-disc concept album instead; it was chips in the bark. released in 1970. usher in something: The apparent setback may have been a blessing in disguise. Both men have argued that, by writ- to be at the start of a ing Superstar as an album at the onset, they were able to streamline the score more eff ectively than period when important they otherwise could have. “Doing it on record,” Rice said, “made it shorter, cut out the book, made changes happen, or to it more contemporary, made it more rock, gave it more energy, and identifi ed it more with a younger cause important chang- audience. All those things the record gave us. We didn’t really appreciate that at the time because, es to start happening largely thanks to Andrew, we were trying to write for the theatre, not for records. But doing it that envision: to imagine way around worked so well, because in addition to making the work itself better, it promoted the something happening, work so well, so when it fi nally hit the stage, everybody knew the entire score.” The show made its or think that something Broadway debut in 1971. is likely to happen betrayal: cruel or 2. A BOB DYLAN LYRIC INSPIRED THE MUSICAL’S DEPICTION OF JUDAS dishonest behaviour That lyric was “Did Judas Iscariot have God at his side?” from the 1964 song With God on Our towards someone who Side. Lloyd Webber later said the line was “Tim’s starting point for the text ... clearly Iscariot was not trusts you an unintelligent man, and how much was the whole thing in the end an accident of what was necessary recall: to remember given the politics of the day?” something Rice has described the Bible’s characterization of Iscariot as a “cardboard cut-out fi gure of evil,” setback: a problem and he set out to humanize Judas in Superstar. that makes something happen later or more 3. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER WROTE PART OF THE TITULAR SONG ON A NAPKIN slowly than it should In a 2015 interview, the composer said he couldn’t recall exactly when the now-iconic mel- a blessing in dis- ody first came to him: “What I do remember though, is that I forgot it.” Then, one day in 1969, guise: an unfortunate he was walking down London’s Fulham Road when the tune popped back into his head. “I was event or situation that passing a restaurant ... called Carlo’s Place, and I knew the owner a little bit ... I went into the results in an unforeseen restaurant and said ‘Can you give me a piece of paper?’” He recalled. “I was so frightened I’d positive outcome lose it.” But instead of getting a piece of paper, Lloyd Webber was handed a napkin – and he the onset of some- quickly jotted down the main theme of Jesus Christ Superstar, arguably the show’s most rec- thing: the beginning ognizable anthem, on it. of something, usually something unpleasant 4. THE MELODY OF I DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM WAS TAKEN streamline: to make FROM AN UNRELATED SONG CALLED KANSAS MORNING an organization or pro- Kansas Morning, an ode to the Sunfl ower State, was co-written by Rice and Lloyd Webber and cess simpler and more published in 1967. (“I love the Kansas morning,” the song went. “Kansas mist at my window.”) Later, eff ective while composing Superstar, the musicians refi tted their old ballad with new lyrics, and Mary’s Act I score: a printed piece solo was born. of music Webber has admitted that the melody does sound like a theme from Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin cardboard cut-out Concerto in E Minor (1845). “Probably because of my family background,” the composer said. “I just figure: a person or absorbed that.” character in a book, TEXTS FOR READING English

5. YVONNE ELLIMAN WAS CAST AS THE ORIGINAL MARY MAGDALENE AFTER 37 LLOYD WEBBER HEARD HER SINGING AT September– A NIGHTCLUB October 2019 While rounding up vocalists for the concept album, Lloyd Webber visited the historic Pheasantry fi lm, etc. who does not Club in Chelsea to see if a jazz singer performing seem natural or real there would be a good fi t for Pontius Pilate. “I decid- pop: to move quickly ed he was quite wrong for the part,” Lloyd Webber and suddenly, especial- told The Daily Mail in 2012, “but his warm-up act – ly out of something Photo: DutchMen / Shutterstock.com a gorgeous 17-year-old Hawaiian girl called Yvonne jot something down: Elliman accompanying herself on the guitar – was extraordinary. Everything I had wanted for Mary to write something Magdalene was there in front of me.” He called Rice, who “agreed that we had found our Mary.” Elli- quickly on a piece of man would become the album’s only singer to reprise her role on Broadway, with the 1971 arena tour paper so that you re- of the show, and in Jesus Christ Superstar’s 1973 fi lm adaptation. member it be absorbed in 6. LLOYD WEBBER HATED THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION something: to give all The original, two-disc concept Superstar album was released in September 1970, and by February your attention to some- 1971, it hit number one on the Billboard charts. Soon, American fans began staging unauthorized live thing that you are doing performances in churches and theaters around the country – so producer Robert Stigwood proposed reprise: a repeat of putting on an offi cial Jesus Christ Superstar concert tour. The fi rst performance took place at Pitts- something or part of burgh’s Civic Arena on July 12, 1971. something, especially a The next logical step was to take the show to Broadway, and Superstar opened there in October. piece of music The production, directed by Tom O’Horgan, was panned by many critics – including The New York pan: to criticize some- Times’s Clive Barnes, who wrote, “I must ... confess to experiencing some disappointment … It all thing severely rather resembled one’s fi rst sight of the Empire State Building. Not at all uninteresting, but somewhat resemble: to look like unsurprising and of minimal artistic value.” or be like someone or Lloyd Webber himself absolutely despised it. “Never in my opinion was so wrong a production something mounted of my work,” he later said, calling the show a “brash and vulgar interpretation.” despise: to feel a Still, despite his misgivings, Superstar ran for more than 700 shows and got nominated for fi ve strong dislike for Tony Awards (though it failed to win any). someone or something because you think that 7. IT OFFENDED RELIGIOUS GROUPS that person or thing is “In terms of controversy ... Jesus Christ Superstar is Christina Aguilera fl ubbing the national an- bad or has no value them before the Super Bowl,” entertainment journalist Tim Cain once wrote. “Controversy ... swirled brash: showing too around it when it was released.” much confi dence and The show was protested by the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of too little respect B’nai B’rith. American evangelist Billy Graham also wasn’t a fan: He accused the musical of border- controversy: a lot of ing “on blasphemy and sacrilege” and said he objected “to the fact that it leaves out the Resurrection. If disagreement or argu- there is no Resurrection, there is no Christianity.” (Though he did acknowledge that “if the production ment about something, ... causes young people to search their Bibles, to that extent it may be benefi cial.”) Elsewhere, South usually because it af- Africa’s Publications Control Board temporarily banned Superstar in that country, lest it “off end the fects or is important to religious convictions or feelings of certain sections of the population.” The show also managed to ir- many people ritate the British National Secular Society, which picketed Superstar’s opening night on the West End. flub: to fail or make But a few organizations did rise to its defense. For example, in 1971, the Vatican’s radio station a mistake, especially aired the concept album in its entirety, along with some remarks from Lloyd Webber, Rice, and various when performing religious fi gures. “Nothing like this has ever been broadcast on [Vatican Radio] until now,” announced swirl: if ideas or sto- one papal spokesman, “but we feel that this is a work of considerable importance.” ries about somebody or something swirl, they 8. POPE PAUL VI WAS TREATED TO A PRIVATE, ADVANCE SCREENING OF THE 1973 are often heard but may MOVIE VERSION not be based on fact or Jesus Christ Superstar has twice been adapted to fi lm. The fi rst movie came out in 1973, and a may not always say the straight-to-video remake was released in 2000. The former was directed by Academy Award nominee same thing Norman Jewison (who also directed 1987’s Moonstruck). He arranged a special screening for Pope sacrilege: (an act of) Paul VI, who gave the fl ick a nice review. According to Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the picture, treating something the Pope said, “Mr. Jewison, not only do I appreciate your beautiful rock opera fi lm, I believe it will holy or important with- bring more people around the world to Christianity, than anything ever has before.” out respect By Mark Mancini air: to broadcast some- Source: http://mentalfl oss.com/article/501993/facts-about-jesus-christ-superstar-andrew-lloyd- thing or be broadcast webber-tim-rice on radio or television English TEXTS FOR READING 38 RELIGIOUS MOTIFS IN THE September– October 2019 ENGLISH LITERATURE

It was a sincere religious feeling that inspired the early And my nose coldet, English poets. There is a heartwarming legend telling how the And my tunge foldet… fi rst poem was born. At the Monastery of Whitby there was a custom for diners to take a harp and sing after each feast. There is a prose version in modern English: Caedmon (died ca 680), a humble herdsman, was a stutter When my eyes get misty, and my ears are full of hissing, and would not dare to sing. When he saw it was his turn to and my nose gets cold, and my tongue folds, and my face receive the harp, he hastily left the hall, went back to his ani- goes slack, and my lips go black, and my mouth grins, and mals, lay on the straw and fell asleep. And lo! An angel visited my spittle runs, and my hair rises, and my heart trembles, his dream with the remarkable words: Rise and sing! and my hands shake, and my feet get stiff – all too late! when Thus, the fi rst English hymn was created. It sounds sol- the bier is at the gate. Then I shall pass from bed to fl oor, emnly even in modern version: from fl oor to shroud, from shroud to bier, from bier to grave, and the grave will be closed up. Then my house rests on my Now we must praise of heaven’s kingdom the Keeper nose, I don’t give a damn for the whole world. Of the Lord the power and his wisdom. What makes this poem unusual is the absence of any concern for future life. This cheerful medieval cynicism is far It is only natural that English poetry started with a hymn, from deep passionate enigmatic vision of death that we fi nd a song of praise which is not lyrical, as any personal expres- in others. sions would have been out of place in early days of Christi- anity. Only the Protestant Reformation led to more freedom William Dunbar, or Dumbar, (c. 1465 – c. 1530) was a of writers who found it possible to combine traditional wor- great Scottish poet who wrote many devout religious works, ship with expressing one’s intimate feelings in the relation- the most famous of which is A Battle on the Dragon Black. It ship with God. boasts one of the fi nest opening lines in all medieval poetry It was Charles Wesley (1703–1791) whose hymns spread which has entered the English lexicon ever since. The rest Methodist theology, not only within Methodism, but in most of the poem is strongly optimistic, too. It takes as its theme Protestant churches. the Resurrection, and casts Christ as a crusading knight. It’s Wesley wrote: quite an exciting piece of poetry though its Middle English is rather challenging for the modern reader. Where shall my wondering soul begin? How shall I all to heaven aspire? Done is a Battell on the Dragon Blak A slave redeemed from death and sin, Done is a battell on the dragon blak, A brand plucked from eternal fi re, Our campioun Chryst confoundit hes his force, How shall I equal triumphs raise, The yettis of hell ar brokin with a crak, Or sing my great deliverer’s praise. The signe trivmphall rasit is of the croce. The diuillis trymmillis with hiddous voce, Wesley’s contribution, along with the Second Great Awak- The saulis ar borrowit and to the blis can go. ening in America brought a new style called gospel, and a Chryst with his blud our ransonis dois indoce: new explosion of sacred music writing, testimonial music for Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. revivals, camp meetings, and evangelistic crusades. African Americans developed a rich hymnody from spir- Dunbar was an ordained priest of the pre-Reformation ituals during times of slavery to the modern, lively black church, but he also wrote noble courtly pieces for the King’s gospel style. entertainment and also produced comic pieces which often Gratitude, love, awe – these are sentiments typical of made use of scurrilous elements and uninhibited language. religious poetry. One of the strongest motifs is the belief in resurrection and salvation. You should not fear death as In his poetic career, John Donne (1572–1631) made a it will be a way to a better world – that was the belief of dramatic shift from erotic and love poetry of a womanizer Christians. and libertine to most devout writings of an Anglican priest Still, despite the prevailing understanding of the Middle and later the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Ages as a period of intense devoutness, some amazing lyrics A Hymn to God the Father is one of John Donne’s most were composed, usually sung or recited, that are even to the masterly holy poems. His Hymn does not set out to praise modern ear, fresh, unselfconscious and direct: God so much as engage him in a daring debate.

How Death Comes A Hymn to God the Father Wanne mine eyhen misten, Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun, And mine heren hissen, Which was my sin, though it were done before? TEXTS FOR READING English 39 September– October 2019

Demanding God should swear is rather cheeky, but that is John Donne, great and unique. He finds it ac- ceptable to talk to God as he used to talk to his lady- lovers in early verses. It sounds a little like a joke when he asks God to swear by himself just like people swear by God. “I have a sin of fear” is a masterly inversion of the phrase we might expect (“I have a fear of sin”). Similarly, the poem’s opening lines seem to refer to the Original Sin as Adam and Eve started the whole sin game: Donne is weak for following them, but in a sense he is only human and not stronger than they. No doubt, Donne is punning on his name as his name rhymes with “done”: “John Donne, Anne Donne, Un-done” – that was bitterly said after the young couple found themselves in serious trouble after their eloping and marriage without Anne’s guardian’s consent. Donne’s soul-searching self-analysis meant that he had, in T. S. Eliot’s phrase, come to “know the anguish of the mar- Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run, row” and the “ague of the skeleton”. Like many others, he And do run still, though still I do deplore? was much possessed by death. But he realised that his fear When thou hast done, thou hast not done, of God could be allayed, even extinguished, by putting his For I have more. trust in God. A Hymn to God the Father, like many hymns, is a plea: a plea for a guarantee that this trust will not prove to Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won have been misplaced. Others to sin, and made my sin their door? The thoughts of death and immortality have always Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun disturbed poets, especially such a brilliant poet as Emily A year or two, but wallow’d in, a score? Dickinson (1830–1886) who belonged to New England When thou hast done, thou hast not done, Calvinist church and seems to have been obsessed with the For I have more. subject.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, My last thread, I shall perish on the shore; And Mourners to and fro But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son Kept treading – treading – till it seemed Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore; That Sense was breaking through – And, having done that, thou hast done; I fear no more. And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum – Donne is not trying to sing God’s praises uncritically: rath- Kept beating – beating – till I thought er, he is eager to get God’s answers and promises. Donne’s My mind was going numb – argument might be paraphrased as follows: “Will you forgive my sins, which I was responsible for, though many And then I heard them lift a Box have committed them before me? If you will forgive me for And creak across my Soul those sins, then your work will not be done – for I have more With those same Boots of Lead, again, sins to confess when we’ve done those. Will you forgive me Then Space – began to toll, when I have led others to sin, and even introduced them to the world of sin, acting like a door to welcome them in? Will As all the Heavens were a Bell, you forgive me for the sin which, barring a couple of years of And Being, but an Ear, abstinence, I practised for twenty whole years? Again, if you And I, and Silence, some strange Race, will forgive me for those sins, then you should know: there Wrecked, solitary, here – are more. I also have another sin – that of fear, or speciﬁ cally, And then a Plank in Reason, broke, fear of death. But if you, God, can swear that when I die, I And I dropped down, and down – will see your son, Jesus Christ, shining and there to save me, And hit a World, at every plunge, then all is all right: I fear no more.” And Finished knowing – then – English TEXTS FOR READING 40 September– October 2019

Nothing is direct in Dickinson’s poetry, especially when she deals with the subject that haunts her. What do the words “Finished knowing” mean? Do they mean stopped knowing something, or ended up by knowing something? This is really ambiguous. Does the speaker gain or lose knowledge at the end of the poem? And if she does gain knowledge, then the knowledge of what? “I felt a Funeral in my Brain” is one of Emily Dickinson’s most puzzling poems as its meaning could be interpreted in two very divergent ways. The ambiguities aren’t simply Their parchment, plate and pyx in locked cases, a matter of diff erence in meaning, but of sheer opposition. And let the rest rent-free to rain and sheep. Whose funeral is it anyway? She imagined her own death Shall we avoid them as unlucky places? more than once, and every time death meant immortality. Obviously religious faith – and, indeed, religious doubt Or, after dark, will dubious women come – has loomed large in English poetry, whether it’s in the To make their children touch a particular stone; devotional lyrics of John Donne and George Herbert or the Pick simples for a cancer; or on some modern, secular musings of Philip Larkin in Church Going. Advised night see walking a dead one? Philip Larkin (1922-1985) can be considered our con- Power of some sort or other will go on temporary. His celebrated poem Church Going is a medita- In games, in riddles seemingly at random; tion on the role of the church in a secular age, written by But superstition, like belief, must die, a person who described himself as an “Anglican agnostic”. And what remains when disbelief has gone? The speaker of the poem visits a church on one of his bicycle Grass, weedy pavement, brambles, buttress, sky. rides and stops to have a look inside – though he isn’t sure why he stopped. The title carries a double meaning: both go- A shape less recognisable each week, ing to church (if only to look around, rather than to worship A purpose more obscure. I wonder who there), and the going or disappearing of churches, and the Will be the last, the very last, to seek Church, from British life. This place for what it was; one of the crew That tap and jot and know what rood-lofts were? Church Going Some ruin-bibber, randy for antique, Once I am sure there’s nothing going on Or Christmas-addict, counting on a whiff I step inside, letting the door thud shut. Of gown-and-bands and organ-pipes and myrrh? Another church: matting, seats, and stone, Or will he be my representative, and little books; sprawlings of fl owers, cut For Sunday, brownish now; some brass and stuff Bored, uninformed, knowing the ghostly silt Up at the holy end; the small neat organ; Dispersed, yet tending to this cross of ground And a tense, musty unignorable silence, Through suburb scrub because it held unspilt Brewed God knows how long. Hatless, I take off So long and equably what since is found My cycle-clips in awkward reverence, Only in separation – for marriage, and birth, And death, and thoughts of these – for which was built Move forward, run my hand around the font. This special shell? For, though I’ve no idea From where i stand, the roof looks almost new – What this accoutered frowsty barn is worth, Cleaned, or restored? Someone would know: I don’t. It pleases me to stand in silence here; Mounting the lectern, I peruse a few Hectoring large-scale verses and pronounce A serious house on serious earth it is, “Here endeth” much more loudly than I’d meant. In whose blent air all our compulsions meet, The echoes snigger briefl y. Back at the door Are recognised, and robed as destinies. I sign the book, donate an Irish sixpence, And that much never can be obsolete, Refl ect the place was not worth stopping for. Since someone will forever be surprising A hunger in himself to be more serious, Yet stop I did: in fact I often do, And gravitating with it to this ground, And always end much at a loss like this, Which, he once heard, was proper to grow wise in, Wondering what to look for; wondering, too, If only that so many dead lie round. When churches fall completely out of use 1954 What we shall turn them into, if we shall keep A few cathedrals chronically on show, By Olga Sventsitskaya TEXTS FOR READING English COMMON ENGLISH 41 September– SAYINGS FROM THE BIBLE October 2019 The Bible has infl uenced and transformed many lives, the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, leaving a mark forever on the lives of millions. The cultural neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” infl uence of the Bible impacted even the English language, Go the extra mile from Matthew 5:41 that says, “And specifi cally with the King James Version. whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him The King James Version of the Bible has a special history twain” (KJV). because it was a common English version that was popular Good Samaritan from Luke 10:30-37, the Parable of the for many centuries, spanning from when it was fi rst printed Good Samaritan. in 1611 to still being used extensively up through the 20th He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword from Mat- century. thew 26:52, “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy The following common English phrases fi nd their origins sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall in Scripture, mostly from the King James Version. perish with the sword.” Bite the dust from Psalms 72:9, “They that dwell in the How the mighty have fallen from 2 Samuel 1:19, “The wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the the dust.” (KJV) mighty fallen!” The blind leading the blind from Matthew 15:13-14, “Let Let there be light from the creation account in Genesis 1. them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the The love of money is the root of all evil from 1 Timo- blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” thy 6:10 and is actually usually misquoted. Here is the ESV By the skin of your teeth from Job 19:20. The Geneva translation, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of Bible translated Hebrew literally, which read, “I have es- evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered caped with the skin of my teeth.” away from the faith and pierced themselves with many Broken heart from Psalms 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto pangs.” them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a Nothing but skin and bones from Job 19:19-20, “All my contrite spirit” (KJV). intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against Can a leopard change his spots? from Jeremiah 13:23 me. I am nothing but skin and bones.” (KJV), “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard The powers that be from Romans 13:1 (KJV), “Let every his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power do evil.” but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” Cast the fi rst stone from John 8:7, “And as they continued Pride comes before a fall from Proverbs 16:18, “Pride to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” without sin among you be the fi rst to throw a stone at her.’” (KJV) Drop in a bucket from Isaiah 40:15 declaring God’s sov- Put words in one’s mouth from 2 Samuel 14:3, “And ereignty and power over the nations, “Behold, the nations are come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of Joab put the words in her mouth.” the balance: behold, he takes up the isles as fi ne dust” (ESV). Rise and shine is from Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine, for your Eat, drink, and be merry from Ecclesiastes 8:15, “be- light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” cause a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, The root of the matter from Job 19:28 (KJV), “But ye and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the Root of the his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under matter is found in me?” the sun.” Scapegoat from the Old Testament Law (Leviticus 16:9- Eye for eye, tooth for tooth from Matthew 5:38, “Ye have 10 specifi cally) where a goat is chosen by lot to be sent into heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth the desert to make atonement for sin. for a tooth.” See eye to eye from Isaiah 52:8 (KJV), “Thy watchmen Fall from grace from Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: no eff ect unto you, whosoever of you are justifi ed by the law; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again ye are fallen from grace.” Zion.” Fly in the ointment from Ecclesiastes 10:1 (KJV), “Dead Sign of the times from Matthew 16:3 (KJV), “And in the fl ies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; for wisdom and honour.” but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” For everything there is a season from Ecclesiastes 3. Ec- Strait and marrow from Matthew 7:14, “But small is the clesiastes 3 is also the motivation for the song “Turn! Turn! gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few Turn!” by the Byrds. fi nd it.” Forbidden fruit from Genesis 3:3 when Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat from the tree of the Knowledge Source: https://unlockingthebible.org/2012/03/37-com- of Good and Evil. “But of the fruit of the tree which is in mon-english-sayings-from-the-bible/ English TEXTS FOR READING 42 September– FIRE OF PURE BEING October 2019

Spirituality and the search of higher wisdom may take quite various forms. Working with college GLOSSARY: and university students you might fi nd it useful to explore an excerpt from Donna Tartt’s fi rst novel, induce: to cause a par- The Secret History (published in 1992). The novel, initially entitled The God of Illusions, tells the ticular condition story of a closely knit group of six classics students at Hampden College, a small, elite Vermont col- prophetic: saying what lege based upon Bennington College, where Tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986. will happen in the future The Secret History is an inverted detective story narrated by one of the students, Richard Papen, Dionysian: relating to who refl ects years later on the situation that led to a murder – this having been confessed to at the the sensual, spontane- outset, but with all other events being revealed sequentially. The novel explores the circumstances and ous, and emotional as- lasting eff ects of Bunny’s death on the academically and socially isolated group of Classics students pects of human nature of which he was a part. frenzy: the state of be- In 2013, John Mullan wrote an essay for The Guardian titled Ten Reasons Why We Love Don- ing so excited, nervous, na Tartt’s The Secret History, which includes “It starts with a murder,” “It is in love with Ancient or anxious that you can- Greece,” “It is full of quotations,” and “It is obsessed with beauty.” not control what you are doing * * * reveler (also reveller): Once the cups were set out, and Henry had poured the tea, somber as a mandarin, we began to talk someone who dances, about the madnesses induced by the gods: poetic, prophetic, and, fi nally, Dionysian. drinks, sings, etc. at a “Which is by far the most mysterious,” said Julian. “We have been accustomed to thinking of party or in public, espe- religious ecstasy as a thing found only in primitive societies, though it frequently occurs in the most cially in a noisy way cultivated peoples. The Greeks, you know, really weren’t very diff erent from us. They were a very Bacchae: The priestess- formal people, extraordinarily civilized, rather repressed. And yet they were frequently swept away es or female devotees of en masse by the wildest enthusiasms – dancing, frenzies, slaughter, visions – which for us, I suppose, the Greek god Bacchus would seem clinical madness, irreversible. Yet the Greeks – some of them, anyway – could go in and piety: strong belief in a out of it as they pleased. We cannot dismiss these accounts entirely as myth. They are quite well docu- religion that is shown in mented, though ancient commentators were as mystifi ed by them as we are. Some say they were the the way someone lives results of prayer and fasting, others that they were brought about by drink. Certainly, the group nature sacrifi ce: the act of giv- of the hysteria had something to do with it as well. Even so, it is hard to account for the extremism of ing up something that is the phenomenon. The revelers were apparently hurled back into a non-rational, pre-intellectual state, valuable to you in order where the personality was replaced by something completely diff erent – and by ‘diff erent’ I mean to help someone else something to all appearances not mortal. Inhuman.” chilling: frightening I thought of the Bacchae, a play whose violence and savagery made me uneasy, as did the sad- temptation: the wish ism of its bloodthirsty god. Compared to the other tragedies, which were dominated by recognizable to do or have some- principles of justice no matter how harsh, it was a triumph of barbarism over reason: dark, chaotic, thing that you know you inexplicable. should not do or have “We don’t like to admit it,” said Julian, “but the idea of losing control is one that fascinates con- tilt: a sloping position trolled people such as ourselves more than almost anything. All truly civilized people – the ancients or a move in a particular no less than us – have civilized themselves through the willful repression of the old, animal self. Are direction, especially up we, in this room, really very diff erent from the Greeks or the Romans? Obsessed with duty, piety, or down loyalty, sacrifi ce? All those things which are to modern tastes so chilling?” bas-relief: a type of art I looked around the table at the six faces. To modern tastes they were somewhat chilling. I imagine in which shapes are cut any other teacher would’ve been on the phone to Psychological Counseling in about fi ve minutes had from the surrounding he heard what Henry said about arming the Greek class and marching into Hampden town. stone so that they stand “And it’s a temptation for any intelligent person, and especially for perfectionists such as the an- out slightly against a fl at cients and ourselves, to try to murder the primitive, emotive, appetitive self. But that is a mistake.” surface, or a work of art “Why?” said Francis, leaning slightly forward. done in this way TEXTS FOR READING English 43 September– October 2019

Julian arched an eyebrow; his long, wise nose gave his profile a forward tilt, like an Etrus- subdue: to reduce the can in a bas-relief. “Because it is dangerous to ignore the existence of the irrational. The more force of something, or cultivated a person is, the more intelligent, the more repressed, then the more he needs some to prevent something methods of channeling the primitive impulses he’s worked so hard to subdue. Otherwise those from existing or devel- powerful old forces will mass and strengthen until they are violent enough to break free, more oping violent for the delay, often strong enough to sweep the will away entirely. For a warning of valve: device that opens what happens in the absence of such a pressure valve, we have the example of the Romans. and closes to control the The emperors. Think, for example, of Tiberius, the ugly stepson, trying to live up to the com- fl ow of liquids or gases, mand of his stepfather Augustus. Think of the tremendous, impossible strain he must have or a similar structure in undergone, following in the footsteps of a savior, a god. The people hated him. No matter how the heart and the veins hard he tried he was never good enough, could never be rid of the hateful self, and finally the that controls the fl ow of floodgates broke. He was swept away on his perversions and he died, old and mad, lost in the blood pleasure gardens of Capri: not even happy there, as one might hope, but miserable. Before he to live up to some- died he wrote a letter home to the Senate. ‘May all the Gods and Goddesses visit me with more thing: to be as good as utter destruction than I feel I am daily suffering.’ Think of those who came after him. Caligula. something Nero.” savior: a person who He paused. “The Roman genius, and perhaps the Roman fl aw,” he said, “was an obsession with saves someone from order. One sees it in their architecture, their literature, their laws – this fi erce denial of darkness, un- danger or harm; in reason, chaos.” He laughed. “Easy to see why the Romans, usually so tolerant of foreign religions, Christianity, the Savior persecuted the Christians mercilessly – how absurd to think a common criminal had risen from the is a name for Jesus. dead, how appalling that his followers celebrated him by drinking his blood. The illogic of it fright- fi erce: strong and pow- ened them and they did everything they could to crush it. In fact, I think the reason they took such erful drastic steps was because they were not only frightened but also terribly attracted to it. Pragmatists drastic: severe and sud- are often strangely superstitious. For all their logic, who lived in more abject terror of the supernatural den or having very no- than the Romans? ticeable eff ects “The Greeks were different. They had a passion for order and symmetry, much like the superstitious: based on Romans, but they knew how foolish it was to deny the unseen world, the old gods. Emotion, or believing in supersti- darkness, barbarism.” He looked at the ceiling for a moment, his face almost troubled. “Do tions (= beliefs based you remember what we were speaking of earlier, of how bloody, terrible things are sometimes on old ideas about luck the most beautiful?” he said. “It’s a very Greek idea, and a very profound one. Beauty is ter- and magic rather than ror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it. And what could be more terrifying and science or reason) beautiful, to souls like the Greeks or our own, than to lose control completely? To throw off abject: extreme and the chains of being for an instant, to shatter the accident of our mortal selves? Euripides speaks without hope of the Maenads: head thrown back, throat to the stars, ‘more like deer than human being’. To quiver: to shake slight- be absolutely free! One is quite capable, of course, of working out these destructive passions ly, often because of in more vulgar and less efficient ways. But how glorious to release them in a single burst! To strong emotion sing, to scream, to dance barefoot in the woods in the dead of night, with no more awareness shatter: to (cause some- of mortality than an animal! These are powerful mysteries. The bellowing of bulls. Springs of thing to) break suddenly honey bubbling from the ground. If we are strong enough in our souls, we can rip away the veil into very small pieces and look that naked, terrible beauty right in the face; let Good consume us, devour us, unstring bellow: to shout in a our bones. Then spit us out reborn.” loud voice, or (of a cow We were all leaning forward, motionless. My mouth had fallen open; I was aware of every breath or large animal) to make I took. a loud, deep sound “And that, to me, is the terrible seduction of Dionysiac ritual. Hard for us to imagine. That fi re of seduction: the attractive pure being.” quality of something English TEXTS FOR READING 44 September– LINCOLN IN THE BARDO October 2019

Lincoln in the Bardo is one of those books that, being of unique cultural, literary and lin- GLOSSARY: guistic value, will, unfortunately, never fi nd their place in the language classroom. Still, this lavish: large in quantity in no way means that we should turn a blind eye on the texts that might be inaccessible to and expensive or impres- our students. Remembering that we should shoot for the Moon and only then we will stand a sive in the throes of some- chance to hit the stars, the English journal off ers a review of the novel from the The Guirdian, thing: experiencing or do- which might help your high school students have a glimpse at what contemporary English ing something that is diffi - literature may be about. cult, unpleasant, or painful inter: to bury a dead body * * * crypt: a room under the Since the days of the beats, the Bardo Thodol has been known in the west as The Tibetan Book fl oor of a church where of the Dead. A more accurate if less catchy title is “Great Liberation on Hearing in the Intermediate bodies are buried State”. Waking life, dreams, meditation and in particular the period between death and rebirth are germ of something: a all “bardos”, states of consciousness sandwiched between other states of consciousness. We are small amount, usually one that develops into some- always in transition, from dreams to wakefulness, from life to death. When someone dies, Tibetan thing large or important Buddhists believe that they enter the bardo of the time of death, in which they will either ascend mourn: to feel or express towards nirvana, and be able to escape the cycle of action and suff ering that characterises human great sadness, especially life on earth, or gradually fall back, through increasingly wild and scary hallucinations, until they because of someone’s death are born again into a new body. The Bardo Thodol is intended to be read to them during this jour- teeming: fi lled with the ney, an instruction manual to assist them on their way. activity of many people or George Saunders has long been accepted as one of the masters of the American short story. In things this, his fi rst novel, the Lincoln trapped in the bardo is Willie, the cherished 11-year-old son of the horde: a large group of great civil war president. As his parents host a lavish state reception, their boy is upstairs in the people syncretic: combining dif- throes of typhoid fever. Saunders quotes contemporary observers on the magnifi cence of the feast, ferent religions, cultures, trailing the terrible family tragedy that is unfolding. Sure enough, Willie dies and is taken to Oak or ideas Hill cemetery, where he is interred in a marble crypt. On at least two occasions – and this is the limbo: an uncertain situa- germ of historical fact from which Saunders has spun his extraordinary story – the president visits tion that you cannot control the crypt at night, where he sits over the body and mourns. and in which there is no The cemetery is populated by a teeming horde of spirits – dead people who, for reasons progress or improvement that become an important part of the narrative, are unwilling to complete their journey to the purgatory: the place to afterlife and still hang around in or near their physical remains. This is not a straightforwardly which Roman Catholics be- Tibetan bardo, in which souls are destined for release or rebirth. It is a sort of syncretic limbo lieve that the spirits of dead people go and suff er for the which has much in common with the Catholic purgatory, and at one point we are treated to a evil acts that they did while Technicolor vision of judgment that seems to be drawn from popular 19th-century Protestant- they were alive, before they ism, compounding the head-scratching theological complexity. Like Dantesque damned souls, are able to go to heaven the spirits manifest with hideous deformities, physical analogues to their various moral fail- head-scratching: of a ings, or the concerns that keep them tethered to the world of the living: a woman who can’t question, situation, etc.: let go of her three daughters is oppressed by three glowing orbs; a miser is “compelled to such as might cause one fl oat horizontally, like a human compass needle, the top of his head facing in the direction of to scratch one’s head in whichever of his properties he found himself most worried about at the moment”. The novel puzzlement, thought, etc.; is told through their speeches, the narrative passing from hand to hand, mainly between a specifi cally baffl ing, perplexing. trio consisting of a young gay man who has killed himself after being rejected by his lover, hideous: extremely ugly or an elderly reverend and a middle-aged printer who was killed in an accident before he could bad consummate his marriage to his young wife. tethered: tied to a post or fi xed to the ground with a Willie, like other children, is expected to pass on quickly to the afterlife proper, instead of rope or chain remaining in the cemetery, but because of his father’s grief he is tempted to stay. Children who orb: something in the don’t move on are tormented by a sort of horror movie amalgamation, their bodies becoming shape of a ball (the glowing welded to their surroundings by painful and hideous demonic growths. The narrating trio – Bev- orb of the sun) ins, Vollman and the Reverend Early – make it their business to save Willie from this appalling miser: someone who has a strong wish to have money fate, and much of the action centres on their attempts to infl uence Lincoln to let his son go. The and hates to spend it polyphonic narrative of the spirits is interleaved with constellations of artfully arranged quota- torment: to cause a person tion from primary and secondary sources about Lincoln’s life, which Saunders uses to show that or animal to suff er or worry observers can be unreliable about the motivations and mental state of the president, and that amalgamation: the action, even such questions as whether the moon shone or not on a particular night can be distorted by process, or result of com- memory. bining or uniting TEXTS FOR READING English 45 September– October 2019

appal: to cause someone to be extremely upset or shocked interleave: to combine different things so that parts of one thing are put between parts of another thing constellation: any of the groups of stars in the sky that seem from earth to form a pattern and have been given names torrent: a sudden large or too large amount, especially one that seems to be uncontrolled grotesquerie: grotesque quality or grotesque things collectively vernacular: the form of a language that a particular group of speakers use naturally, especially in informal situations The torrent of quotation, set against the torrent of spirit voices, gives Lincoln in the Bardo the sfx: sound eff ects feel of the parts of the Bardo Thodol where the soul is beset by wrathful demonic hordes. This ca- inauthentic: not in fact what it is said to be cophony, and the grotesquerie of the deformed spirits, lends the novel a texture that is superfi cially consistent with some- unlike the work that has made Saunders popular, stories that often play off the tension between a thing: in agreement with casual vernacular voice and a surreal situation. Lincoln in the Bardo feels like a blend of Victorian other facts or with typical gothic with one of the more sfx-heavy horror franchises. But in many ways, Oak Hill cemetery or previous behaviour, or has a lot in common with the theme parks and offi ce spaces readers have come to expect from the having the same principles author of Pastoralia and Civil War Land in Bad Decline. The spirits (I hesitate to call them ghosts, as something else since they don’t manifest to living people) are trapped in a space that is fundamentally inauthentic compassion: a strong feel- and unreal, much like a theme park. Unable to accept the fact of death, they have endless euphe- ing of sympathy and sad- misms for their condition (coffi ns are “sick boxes”, and so on) and employ all sorts of mental ness for the suff ering or bad luck of others and a wish to gymnastics to avoid confronting the reality of their situation. help them Saunders is not usually thought of as a religious writer, though his concern with the inauthentic- infuse: to fi ll someone or ity of a certain kind of human experience seems consistent with the Buddhist doctrine that worldly something with an emotion phenomena are a sort of veil or illusion masking the truth. One of his great strengths is compassion, or quality a quality that infuses his wilder conceits, making them land emotionally in a way that wouldn’t conceit: a clever or surpris- necessarily be true of another ludic postmodernist. In Lincoln in the Bardo, the immense pathos ing comparison, especially of the father mourning his son, all the while burdened with aff airs of state, gives these sections of in a poem the book a depth that isn’t always there when Lincoln is off stage. The busy doings of the spirits ludic: lively and full of fun are entertaining, and Saunders voices them with great virtuosity, but the tug of Lincoln’s grief is tug: a sudden strong pull on something sometimes too strong for them not to feel like a distraction. glib: speaking or spoken One of the novel’s conceits is that by occupying the same space, the spirits can experience a in a confi dent way, but dissolution of interpersonal boundaries, understanding and feeling sympathy for each other in a without careful thought or mystical way. It is hard to be specifi c without spoiling the plot, but Saunders uses this device to honesty imply a cause for Lincoln’s later signing of the emancipation proclamation, a move that seems glib reductive: considering or and reductive, a blemish on a book that otherwise largely manages to avoid sentiment and cliche. presenting something in a This is a small quibble. Lincoln in the Bardo is a performance of great formal daring. It perhaps simple way, especially a won’t be to everyone’s taste, but minor missteps aside it stands head and shoulders above most way that is too simple contemporary fi ction, showing a writer who is expanding his universe outwards, and who clearly blemish: a mark on something that spoils its appear- has many more pleasures to off er his readers. ance quibble: a complaint or Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/ criticism about something mar/08/lincoln-in-the-bardo-george-saunders-review that is not very important English TEXTS FOR READING 46 September– 5 EASTER TRADITIONS October 2019 NO LONGER PRACTICED

Will you be going to church for Easter? a little late, the sun rose in a mist, or you were negligent at Decorating Easter eggs? the precise moment when all attention should have been giv- Eating hot cross buns? en – and so far as your experience goes the question of the These are old Easter traditions that are still common today. dancing sun is still an unsolved problem. You will think of it But how about watching the sun dance? this Easter, and the memories it revives will do you good. (2) Heaving someone into the air? Rolling down a hill? In England, the custom survived into the 20th century. Here are ﬁ ve Easter traditions in Britain and America that London’s Daily Mail reported in 1919: have generally been abandoned. There are even now peasantry in Derbyshire and York- shire who go to watch the sun dance on certain hills there, where the tradition still holds strong. (3)

2. LIFTING OR HEAVING The custom called “Lifting,” and in some counties “Heaving,” was one of the sports formerly in use at Easter, and is not yet laid aside in some of our distant provinces. At Warrington, Bolton and Manchester, on Easter Monday the women, forming parties of six or eight each, still continue to surround such of the opposite sex as they meet, and either with or without their consent, lift them thrice above their heads into the air, with loud shouts at each elevation. On Easter Tuesday the men in similar parties do the same to the women. By both parties it is converted into a pretence for ﬁ ning or extorting a small sum of money. (4)

This Easter tradition, which had died out by the early 20th century, has been revived by the Blackheath Morris in Greenwich, London.

3. TAKING OFF SHOES AND BUCKLES If lifting sounds too energetic, you can try this Easter tradition instead. In Yorkshire, on Easter Sunday, it is said to be a custom The Sun upon an Easter Day, for the young men in the villages…to take off the young girls’ The Atchinson Daily Globe (Kansas), March 31, 1888 buckles, and on Easter Monday the young men’s shoes and buckles are taken off by the young women. On the Wednesday 1. WATCHING THE SUN DANCE they are redeemed by little pecuniary forfeits, out of which The Bath Chronicle reported in 1832: an entertainment, called a tansy cake, is made, and the jollity On the Easter-morn it was formerly a custom for the peo- concluded with dancing. ple to rise early and walk into the fi elds to see the sun dance, At Rippon, some years ago, where this custom prevailed, a superstition then fi rmly believed in, and which, by looking it is reported no traveller could pass the town without being at it steadfastly for a time, it might be fancied to do. (1) stopped, and if a horseman, having his spurs taken away, unless redeemed by a little money, which was the only means According to a late-19th-century Milwaukee paper, this to get them returned. (5) Easter tradition also existed in the United States. Who can forget the story learned at mother’s knee of the 4. ROLLING DOWN THE HILL dance of the sun on Easter morn? And how many can remem- Speaking of lower extremities, the tradition of rolling ber the excursion to a neighboring hill to verify the tale? down Greenwich hill on Easter Monday prevailed in the 18th Somehow the conditions were never just right – you were just century. The Times in 1790 suggested why this was popular. TEXTS FOR READING English 47 September– October 2019

The Egg Dance by Pieter Aertson, 1552 The diversion of the day has not varied for many years – within the space between the two circles. Entering the inner the young people rolling down the hill, and the girls con- circle, they waltz three times around the central egg, and all sequently showing their legs, which made the company this must be done without breaking or greatly disturbing any laugh. (6) of the shells. When an egg is broken or knocked more than 12 inches 5. EGG DANCING from its position, the dancers give place to the next cou- There were many variants of the egg dance, in which the ple. The broken eggs are not replaced, but the displaced goal was to dance among eggs while damaging as few as ones are set in order. When each couple has had a turn possible. You can still sometimes see Morris dancers doing and none has accomplished the feat of dancing without an egg dance blindfolded. If you would like to attempt an breaking any eggs, all change partners and the trial be- Easter egg dance, here are instructions from the late 19th cen- gins again. tury. The fi rst couple who go through the dance without break- The egg dance is an old Easter game. To prepare for ing or disturbing the eggs win a fi rst prize, possibly a dainty this particular frolic, take 13 eggs, blow the contents from bon-bon box, shaped like an egg; the second successful cou- the shells, color eight shells red, gilt four and leave one ple receiving second prizes, and the third are rewarded with white. Hard-boiled eggs can, of course, be used, if one coloured eggs. (7) fi rst takes the precaution to cover the carpet with linen crash. SOURCES: Now, for the dance, place the 13 eggs on the fl oor, in 1. The Bath Chronicle (Bath, England), April 26, 1832, p. 4. two circles, one within the other. The outer circle, formed 2. Yenowine’s Illustrated News (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), of the red eggs, placed at equal distance apart, should April 1, 1893, p. 6. measure about eight feet in diameter, the inner circle, 3. Daily Mail (London, England), April 17, 1919, p. 4. formed of the gilded eggs, should be four feet in diameter, 4. The Bath Chronicle, April 26, 1832, p. 4. and the white egg must be placed in the center of the in- 5. The Sunday Times (London, England), March 30, 1823, p. 1. ner circle. 6. The Times (London, England), April 6, 1790, p. 3. The eggs having been arranged, the company is divided 7. Eleanor Lexington, “Easter Frolics,” Morning Oregonian into couples and each in turn try the dance. (Portland, Oregon), April 5, 1896, p. 12. The fi rst couple take position within the outer circle, that is, between the red eggs and the gilded ones, and to waltz By Shannon Selin, music they dance around the circle three times, keeping author of historical fi ction English TEXTS FOR READING 16+ 48 September– THE RASPUTIN ENIGMA October 2019

We are all very complex. Whatever Rasputin’s obvious faults, he was loved by the common people, and when he was murdered it was the ordinary folk, according to contemporary accounts, who stopped work all over Russia and mourned him as their spokesman. Rasputin’s virtue was that he hid nothing about his character. Let us hope that the thoughts we conceal behind prissy demeanours will never be revealed. What is the reality? Rasputin condemned the decadent ar- istocracy. (Could there be anyone more eff ete than his boast- ful purported murderer Felix Yusupov?) Rasputin also saw the cold brutality of the socialists who were abstract intellectual idealists. We get our view of him from resentful nobles and infl uentual soviet propaganda. Even that Hollywood image of a giant is still imprinted. (In fact we know from photos that he was average height but had unusually powerful shoulders.) We think of that time as an age without spin. But when Rasputin pointed out decadence and criticised the Court and its advisors, and warned about the revolutionaries, who was left to record an alternative reality? But those country people he met during his very long wanderings around Russia and on foot to Jerusalem had a diff erent impression. Hostile abbots and clergy changed their opinions when the ragged Rasputin knocked on monastery doors and without speaking worked with prodigious strength at tasks before silently sharing refectory soup. He was observed in austere night-long religious practices before con- tinuing his journey. Rasputin shocked society in his last months because he except for the joke about blessing yourself: check hat, but- was driven mad by a sense of impending disaster. He claimed tons, ID papers in one top pocket and roubles in the other. We to have seen the future. Other than the Empress few listened sort of crossed ourselves and my friend said a bit of a prayer. to his horrifi c vision. He then became as dissolute as his long Something like, ‘God, please listen when Rasputin speaks up time AKRANKA body double had been in public. for us and Russia.’ The tragedy was that his nemesis Pyotr Stolypin, the one We meant it because we had long ago given up hope of who might have understood his vision, had already been living but we were hungry and tired and wet and bruised and murdered by aristocrats. Rasputin then drank and whored as sick and had no strength to fi ght. We got it! We came out of openly as the secret service agents impersonating him. cover shouting like crazy men. I would have condemned him too but for a strange en- A couple of years later in Berlin we were all drinking and counter. talking about the worst fi ghts we’d been in. Then a guy from another unit told us the same story, then another guy and an- In the late 1970s I hitchhiked south from Sydney’s Blue other. Rasputin had visited so many in tight places and made Mountains to perform in a Melbourne recital. There I met us feel as if us sinners were a holy army.” a stubby tough-guy, a heavily accented Russian poet who’d I retold this to my best friend Father Vladimir Rodzy- jumped ship and lived in Australia for thirty years working anko, a very wise thinker known in America as Bishop Basil. on the wharves. (He had stainless steel and gold teeth punc- Vladimir was manly and strong, elderly and dignifi ed, but tuating his jaws.) He got drunk and told a story. “The boys his tears became sobs. At last he spoke. “So I am not the only and me were surrounded by fascists. Fuckin’ massive panz- sinful fool who sees Rasputin, the Servant of God.” ers in front coming straight at us. Artillery had us shitting ourselves. We couldn’t even run off to the forest. In those Friends, let us leave judgement on Rasputin as an open days we slept for minutes in shell holes because we were all question. exhausted. My comrade woke and surprised us all. He told us Rasputin just came to him and said, ‘Tell the lads this By David Wansbrough fi ght is for Holy Russia’. We were all Soviet kids and didn’t believe religious nonsense. None of us knew how to pray Picture from kp.ru PREPARING FOR EXAMS TESTS English 49 September– October 2019

“ON A WING F ive-Minute Tests AND A PRAYER” 1 A

1. Six sentences in the text are incomplete. Choose from the list A-G the Use the word given in capitals to one which best fi ts each gap (1-6). There is one extra letter which you don’t form a word or a proper tense of a need to use. verb that fi ts in the sentence A. and buried on the nearby Mount of Olives Am I My Brother’s Keeper? B. the privacy that is inherent in notes placed in the Wall Am I (1)______(RESPONSE) C. and people of other faiths D. is considered holy due to its connection to the Temple Mount for how I treat my fellow man? E. and stems from the Jewish tradition that the Divine Presence rests upon – this expression symbolizes the the Western Wall (2)______(WILLING) of people F. and inserted in the Wall to accept (3)______(RESPONSE) G. and that all prayers ascend to Heaven through the Temple Mount for the welfare of others or for their PLACING NOTES IN THE WESTERN WALL (4)______(BEHAVE) [in this case Placing notes in the Western Wall refers to the practice of placing slips of “brother” means (5)______(EVE- paper containing written prayers to God into the cracks of the Western Wall, RY)] – in the Bible when Cain mur- a Jewish holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem. dered Abel, God asked Cain where his It is claimed that occurrence of such a phenomenon dates from the early brother (6)______(BE) and he an- 18th century (1)______. There is, however, a dispute as to whether it is permissible according to Jewish law to insert slips of paper into the crev- swered, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” ices. Some argue that the practice debases the holiness of the Wall and that 2 the placement of notes should be discontinued. I Over a million notes are placed each year in what has become a custom, Think of the word which best fi ts not only for tourists, but also for high-profi le dignitaries visiting Israel from abroad. The notes are collected twice a year (2)______. each space. Use only one word in HISTORY each space. The earliest account of the placing of prayer notes into the cracks and It is interesting (1)______Mos- crevices of the Western Wall involved Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar (d. 1743) who cow has its (2)______Wailing instructed a destitute man to place an amulet between the stones of the Wall. Wall. It is located in Spaso-Glini- The rationale behind placing prayer notes in the Wall has been traced to the teachings that the Divine Presence has never moved from the Western shevsky Lane. It is small, only 15 х 3 Wall, (3)______, which the Western Wall adjoins. meters but (3)______still contains MODERN-DAY PRACTICE notes stuck (4)______the stones. It Today, more than a million prayer notes or wishes are placed in the West- (5)______built in 2001 as a present ern Wall each year. Notes that are placed in the Wall are written in just about from the former Mayor of Moscow. any language and format. Their lengths vary from a few words to very long requests. They include poems and Biblical verses. They are written on a wide 3 I variety of papers, including colored paper, notebook paper and even bubble- gum wrappers, using a variety of inks. Use the word given in capitals to Rabbi of the Western Wall receives hundreds of letters yearly addressed form a word or a proper tense of a to “God, Jerusalem”; he folds these letters and places them, too, in the Wall. verb that fi ts in the sentence. Online services off er petitioners the opportunity to send their notes to the Western Wall via e-mail, fax, text messaging and Internet; the note is then Prayer Can Help People Handle printed out (4)______. The Israeli Telephone Company has established Diffi cult Emotions, Study Suggests such a fax service, as have a number of charitable websites. Those who choose to pray, fi nd NOTABLE PERSONS WHO HAVE PLACED NOTES personalized comfort during hard IN THE WALL times, according to a University of The tradition of leaving notes for God in the Western Wall has also been adopted by Christian pilgrims (5)______. Foreign dignitaries who have Wisconsin-Madison (1)______publicly placed a message in the Western Wall include Pope John Paul II F (SOCIOLOGY). The 75 per- F English TESTS PREPARING FOR EXAMS 50 September– October 2019

Five-Minute Tests cent of Americans who pray on a (2)______(WEEK) basis do so to manage a range of negative situations and emotions – illness, (3)______(SAD), trauma and (4)______(ANGRY) – but just how they ﬁ nd relief (5)______(GO) unstudied by researchers.

4 I (in 2000) and Pope Benedict XVI (in 2008 and again in 2009), who released Complete the table. their content to the media.

Noun Adjective U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton deposited a note in 2005. In July 2008, U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama placed a written prayer in the Wall. 1 faith After Obama and his entourage departed, his note – written on hotel sta- 2 trust tionery – was removed from the Wall by a seminary student who sold it to 3 religion the Maariv newspaper. The newspaper published the note, prompting criti- 4 sacrifi ce cism from other news sources and from the Rabbi of the Western Wall for 5 holiness violating (6)______. In July 2012, U.S. presidential candidate Mitt 6 temptation Romney placed a written prayer in the Wall. His note was later moved to a diff erent location in the Wall for privacy reasons and to avoid a repeat of the 5 I incident with Obama’s note in 2008. On May 22, 2017, Donald Trump became the fi rst sitting U.S. President to Complete these sentences using the visit the Wall; he also inserted a note. Trump’s Vice President, Mike Pence, correct form of one of the words visited the Wall and deposited a prayer note on January 23, 2018, at the con- from the table. clusion of his four-day visit to Israel. 1. I can’t rely on Mr. Evans. He is a 2. Use the word given in capitals to form a word or a proper tense of a verb man with a (1)______disposi- that fi ts in the sentence. tion. “On a wing and a prayer” is an idiom that stems from World War II. The 2. I’ve lost all (2)______in that fel- term describes doing something diffi cult or dangerous while (1)______low. He holds nothing (3)______. (RELY) on divine help or luck. The phrase (2)______(INSPIRE) by 3. I guess we’ve got to take his story Hugh G. Ashcraft Jr., an American pilot of the B-17 The Southern Comfort. Returning from a (3)_____(BOMB) run over Germany in a (4)______on (4)______. (CRIPPLE) plane, Ashcraft told his crew, “Those who want to, please 4. This work must be done at any per- pray.” News reports called them the crew that “prayed” their plane back. sonal (5)______. This inspired a line in the 1942 movie The Flying Tigers uttered by John 5. I need a (6)______account of Wayne’s character: “She’s coming in on one wing and a prayer.” In 1943 a the course of events. song entitled Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer (5)______(WRITE) by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh. The term (6)______(EVOLVE) to 6. He seems to be immune to the take on a (7)______(FIGURE) meaning. (7)______of gambling. 7. She taught me to revere the 3. Match the idioms in list A with their meanings in list B. (8)______icon. 1. on a wing and a prayer 2. not have a prayer 3. an act of faith By Youdif Boyarskaya, 4. an act of God School No. 814, Moscow 5. baptism of fi re 6. bear one’s cross See the answers 7. a blessing in disguise in additional materials. 8. as ugly as sin PREPARING FOR EXAMS English

A. to have no chance of succeeding B. a fi rst experience of something that is diffi cult or unpleasant 51 C. something that seems terrible but actually produces good September– results October 2019 D. an act of nature such as a storm/earthquake/hurricane E. with only the slightest chance of success 7. Use the word given in capitals to form a word or a proper F. to endure one’s diffi culties tense of a verb that fi ts in the sentence. G. a deed that shows trust in someone or something Just when I was feeling particularly sorry for (1)______H. unattractive (SELF) for being broke and lonely, an editor from a women’s magazine asked if she could pay to send me to Bali to write 4. Complete these sentences using the idioms from list A. a story about Yoga vacations. 1. Our dog is ______but we love him. When I got to Bali (which is, to be brief, a very nice place) 2. It was______when the man decided to quit his the teacher who (2)______(RUN) the Yoga retreat asked job and do something diff erent. us, “While you (3)______(BE) all here, is there anybody 3. The accident was ______when the rocks who would like to go visit a ninth-generation Balinese medi- crashed onto the highway. cine man?” (another question too obvious to even answer), 4. My new job was ______and I had to learn it and so we all went over to his house one night. The medicine very quickly. man, as it turned out, was a small, merry-eyed, russet-col- 5. The man was very sick and it was ______ored old guy with a mostly toothless mouth, whose resem- when he passed away. blance in every way to the Star Wars character Yoda cannot 6. My job is terrible but I must ______and con- (4)______(EXAGGERATE). His name was Ketut Li- tinue to do it. yer. He spoke a scattered and thoroughly entertaining kind of 7. Work as hard as you can! Don’t count on ______. English, but there was a translator available for when he got stuck on a word. Our Yoga teacher (5)______(TELL) us 5. Use the word given in capitals to form a word or a proper in advance that we could each bring one question or problem tense of a verb that fi ts in the sentence. to the medicine man, and he would try to help us with our NEW STUDY EXAMINES THE EMOTIONAL troubles. I (6)______(THINK) for days of what to ask AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PRAYER him. My initial ideas were so lame. I was rightly ashamed Prayer brings (1)______(OPTIMIST), hope, and a of myself for these thoughts: who travels all the way around range of positive feelings. the world to meet an ancient medicine man in Indonesia, Much like (2)______(MEDITATE), prayer can and only to ask him to intercede in boy trouble? So when the old should calm your mind, so you can have a greater control man asked me in person what I really (7)______(WANT), over your (3)______(IMPULSE) actions. Prayer gives I found other, (8)______(TRUE) words. “I want to have you time to refl ect and stop (4)______(YOU) from making a lasting experience of God,” I told him. “Sometimes I feel (5)______(HARM) decisions. like I understand the divinity of this world, but then I lose it because I get distracted by my petty desires and fears. I 6. Read the text and think of the word which best fi ts each want to be with God all the time. But I don’t want to be a space. Use only one word in each space. monk, or totally give up worldly pleasures. I guess what I SCHOOLGIRLS’ BID TO STOP DAILY PRAYERS want to learn is how to live in this world and enjoy its de- IN SCHOOLS WILL BE REVIEWED AFTER lights, but also devote myself to God.” Ketut said he could GAINING SUPPORT answer my question with a picture. He showed me a sketch Two schoolgirls (1)_____ launched a petition demanding he (9)______(DRAW) once during meditation. It was an the removal of the obligation (2)_____ state schools to hold androgynous human fi gure, standing up, hands clasped in religious acts of worship (3)_____ gained support. The pair prayer. But this fi gure had four legs, and no head. Where the say they (4)_____ delighted a committee of AMs* will ask head should have been, there was only a wild foliage of ferns the Welsh Government to consider (5)______school wor- and fl owers. There was a small, smiling face (10)______ship goes (6)______human rights laws. (DRAW) over the heart. “To fi nd the balance you want,” Under English and Welsh law, an act of worship takes Ketut spoke through his translator, “this is what you must (7)______at schools each day. Rhiannon Shipton and Lily become. You must keep your feet grounded so (11)______McAllister-Sutton, both 15 and from Ysgol Glantaf in Car- (FIRM) on the earth that it’s like you have four legs, instead diff , say they are not anti-religion but do not see (8)______of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must they, or other nonbelievers, should (9)______forced to join stop (12)______(LOOK) at the world through your head. acts of worship. You must look through your heart, instead. That way, you They got 1,333 signatures for their petition (10)______will know God.” reads: “We call on the National Assembly for Wales to urge From “Eat. Pray. Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert the Welsh Government to pass a law that removes the obligation on schools to hold acts of religious worship.” By Youdif Boyarskaya, School No. 814, Moscow *An AM is a member of the Welsh Assembly. AM is an ab- breviation for àssembly member’. See the answers in additional materials. English CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES 52 ПРАКТИКА УСТНОЙ РЕЧИ September– October 2019 Дополнительные задания для УМК “Starlight 4” TEACHER’S NOTES

ACTIVITY 26. To Be Going to Do Something верить правильность составления вопросов со всем классом (см. вопросы). Если возникает необходи- Цель: использование грамматической конструкции to мость, следует повторить вопросы несколько раз для be going to do something в разговорной речи. закрепления. Как выполнять: Приведите пример вопросов на доске: Расскажите учащимся, что сейчас они будут вы- Is there a fridge in the fl at? полнять задание на говорение. Каждый учащийся Объясните ученикам, что первые 2 вопроса задают- получит по одной карточке, которую он не должен ся по-другому. показывать своему партнеру. Продемонстрируйте Раздайте карточки. пример карточки. Скажите, что на ней изображены Спросите у ребят, могут ли они задать вопрос к люди и описаны их планы на будущую неделю. За- пунктам 1 и 2 без подсказки учителя. дача учащихся – расспросить друг друга о людях, пла- Если учащиеся не могут догадаться, подскажите ны которых непонятны из таблицы, и заполнить ее до им: конца. Расскажите, что в таблице есть условные обо- How much is the rent? How many rooms are there? значения: крестик обозначает, что персонаж не будет Также учителю необходимо напомнить ученикам, выполнять это действие, галочка – будет. что вопросы с использованием глаголов have got/has Продемонстрируйте пример выполнения задания, got являются правильными в данной ситуации. (How выбрав одного из учеников. many rooms has it got?) Обратите внимание учеников на пример диалога, Объясните учащимся, что они не должны видеть приведенный на карточке. карточки друг друга. Расскажите ученикам, что пре- Раздайте карточки и определите время выполнения жде всего они должны заполнить колонку в таблице о работы: 7-10 минут. той квартире, которая у них на карточке. Учащиеся начинают работать в парах, задавая друг Продемонстрируйте пример выполнения. другу вопросы о людях. Каждый заполняет пустые кле- Определите время выполнения первого этапа: 3 ми- точки в таблице сразу, как услышит ответ на свой вопрос. нуты. Пока учащиеся работают, контролируйте процесс. Далее учащиеся продолжают работать в своих Вы можете ходить по классу и помогать учащимся группах, задавая друг другу вопросы, которые они при возникновении вопросов. приготовили. Ученики записывают ответы в анкету. Анкета должна быть заполнена полностью. ACTIVITY 27. How Much/How Many. Определите время выполнения: 7-10 минут. There is/There are После выполнения данного здания предложите учащимся в группе решить между собой, в какой из Цель: использование грамматических конструкций квартир они хотели бы жить. Они должны прийти к how much/how many, there is/there are в разговорной общему мнению и обосновать, почему они выбрали речи. ту или иную квартиру. Как выполнять: Каждая группа рассказывает о том, какую квар- Разделите учеников на группы по три человека. тиру они выбрали, и называют причины своего вы- Объясните ученикам, что сейчас они будут выполнять бора. необычное задание. Каждая из групп в классе хочет снимать квартиру на всех, и каждый из учеников в Вопросы, которые должны составить ученики: группе должен рассмотреть разные квартиры. 1. How much is the rent? Расскажите, что учащиеся получат карточки. В 2. How many rooms are there? группе у каждого будет своя собственная карточка. 3. Are there any tables? Продемонстрируйте пример карточки. Объясните 4. Is there any furniture in the bedroom? учащимся, что на карточках изображены схемы квар- 5. Is there a bath? тир, которые им предложены. 6. Are there any chairs? Расскажите ученикам, что каждый из них получит 7. Is there a fridge? по одной анкете, которую они будут заполнять, зада- 8. Is there a garden? вая друг другу вопросы. 9. Is there a shop near the fl at? Объясните ученикам, что они будут работать в сво- 10. Is there a park near the fl at? их группах, составляя вопросы с выражениями there 11. Is there a TV in the fl at? is/there are для пунктов 3-12. Учителю следует про- 12. Is there a parking near the fl at? Have you spotted a typo? Highlight and photo it or take a CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES English screenshot and send us a message. Thanks for your help! 53 September– October 2019 HANDOUTS

ACTIVITY 26. To Be Going to Do Something STUDENT A Look at what Jack, Mona, and Tom and Sara are going to do next weekend. Take turns to ask and answer yes/no questions and ﬁ ll in the gaps in the table.

Is Jack going to walk in Yes, he is. No, he isn't. the park next weekend?

Jack Mona Tom and Sara

Walk in the park

Read a book

Go swimming

Help grandparents

Watch TV

Play football

Go shopping

ACTIVITY 26. To Be Going to Do Something STUDENT B Look at what Jack, Mona, and Tom and Sara are going to do next weekend. Take turns to ask and answer yes/no questions and ﬁ ll in the gaps in the table.

Is Jack going to walk in Yes, he is. No, he isn't. the park next weekend?

Jack Mona Tom and Sara

Walk in the park Read a book Go swimming Help grandparents Watch TV Play football Go shopping English CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES 54 September– October 2019 HANDOUTS

ACTIVITY 27. How Many/How Much. There Is/There Are

Flat A Flat B Flat C 1. Rent 2. Rooms 3. Tables 4. Furniture in the bedroom 5. Bath 6. Chairs 7. Fridge 8. Garden 9. Shop 10. Park 11. TV 12. Parking

FLAT A FOR RENT: three-bedroom ﬂ at in South Street. Near a supermarket and a park. $800 a month. CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES English 55 September– October 2019 HANDOUTS

FLAT B FOR RENT: one-bedroom ﬂ at with a big living room. Near a park. $700 a month.

FLAT C FOR RENT: two-bedroom ﬂ at with a garden. Near a park and some shops. $750 a month.

By Olga Krylova, Gymnasium No. 1514, Moscow to be continued English CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES 56 September– THE RISE AND FALL October 2019 OF TEA CLIPPERS This article reveals the main reasons for the popularity and decline of the tea clippers on the tea route.

I. PRE-READING TASK 1. Do you believe that a tea clipper is: – a special container to store tea leaves? – a sort of pastry to be served with tea? – an insect that damages tea leaves? – a fast sailing ship to bring tea to Britain?

2. Fill in the table. Before reading the text ﬁ ll in the ﬁ rst and the second columns of the table, answering these questions: What do you know about tea clippers? What would you like to know about tea clippers?

I know I’d like to know I’ve found out

II. Read the text to fi nd out what a tea clipper is. Tea is considered to be one of the most popular beverag- es in the UK. The British drink more tea than any other nation in the world. According to the research by the UK Tea Council, they drink 165 million cups of tea daily or more than 60 billion cups a year! The English are very proud of being “tea people” and they often say: “If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited, it will Catherine of Braganza calm you”. It seems that the British people drank tea all the time. But it wasn’t always so. It was the Portuguese princess, Cath- erine of Braganza, the wife of the British King Charles II, who introduced tea to Britain in the 17th century. At fi rst, it was an aristocractic drink. Only in the 18th century did tea become the national drink: millions of English- men, from humble servants up to the Queen, enjoyed it. All in all, they chose to drink their favourite beverage 6 times a day. The traditional time of tea drinking in England is as follows: • The fi rst time was a cup of strong tea at 6-7 o’clock in the morning to wake up. • The second time tea with milk was served at 8 a.m. for breakfast. • The third time at 11-12 a.m. for lunch. • The fourth time when the English drank tea was in the middle of the working day, as a short break. It was also called afternoon tea or “low tea” as it was served on low tables (similar to today’s coff ee tables) with low lounge chairs and sofas. • The fi fth time was at 5 o’clock in the evening, their famous “fi ve-o’clock tea”. Charles II CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES English 57 September– October 2019 It was the age of the tea clipper ships. A time when speed was the king of the ocean and the tea clippers ruled.

THE FALL OF TEA CLIPPERS: THE INTRODUCTION OF STEAMSHIPS The decline in the use of clippers started in 1869. There were two reasons why it happened. The fi rst one was the opening of the Suez Canal. This new route reduced the distance between China and Britain to 3,300 miles, but made impossible for a sailing ship depending on the wind to move Chinese Tea Clipper through it. • The last time, the sixth one, was at 7-8 p.m., the time for The second reason was the introduction of steamships. “high tea” with cold meat, pies, salad and pickles. The The new construction off ered larger shipping capacity, al- term “high tea” meant that tea was served on high chairs lowed for a smaller crew and a more exact arrival time. With around a table. a steam engine, a ship could move in the absence of wind and successfully navigate the Suez Canal to get to China. THE RISE OF TEA CLIPPERS: The clippers simply couldn’t compete with steamships. The THE NEED FOR SPEED number of tea clippers sailing to China was greatly reduced. By 1864 tea had become a favourite beverage of the Brit- Many ships were sold or moved to general cargo services. ish people. Tea drinking came out of homes into the streets So, it meant the end of tea clippers and the opening of the of England. There were tearooms in almost every town and age of steam fl eets. village of the country. City hotels began serving afternoon The reign of the tea clippers was brief but glorious. Tea tea, as well. clippers dominated the world’s oceans for only two decades The demand for tea boomed in England. Moreover, tea (1850–1869). But this time can be called the Golden Age consumers believed that the fresher the tea leaves were, the of Tea Clippers. The speed at which those ships travelled better the resulting drink was. So, tea traders were sure they made lots of merchants wealthy and the tea trade prosper- needed small, fast, sleek ships for such a high-profi t product ous. as tea. During the 17th and 18th centuries, trade ships were enor- III. AFTER-READING TASK mous, strong, and very slow. They set sail from Britain in 1. Fill in the third column of the table, answering the ques- January and arrived in China in September, then loaded up tion: that year’s tea harvest and set off again with hope to arrive What new information about tea clippers have you back in Britain by the following September. It took them learned from the text? more than a year to make the round trip from England to China and back. If anything went wrong with wind or weath- 2. Make up a cinquain (a fi ve-line poem) to the text. er, the trip lasted even longer. Line 1 – one word for the topic Tea clippers, very fast sailing ships, were designed spe- Line 2 – 2 adjectives to describe the topic cifi cally to bring tea to Britain. The term “clipper” refers to Line 3 – 3 verbs to describe the actions relating to the topic a type of hull construction. A clipper ship had a long, slim Line 4 – a phrase of 4 words to describe the feelings relating wooden hull on an iron frame which “clips” or “cuts” the wa- to the topic ter, thus gaining speed. Also clippers had the most advanced Line 5 – one word that is another name for the topic rigging of their time. The fi rst British tea clipper, Storno- way, was built in Aberdeen in 1850. Over the next ten years, Sources: British shipbuilders produced nearly 30 clipper ships. Six of 1. Кэмпбелл Дж. Чайные клипера. – Л.: Судостроение. them (Ariel, Black Adder, Cutty Sark, Sir Lancelot, Taeping, 1985. 197стр. and Thermopylae) became famous due to their speed. Tea 2. Балакин С. Чайные клипера. – Ocean-media.su/chainy- clippers sailed three times faster than the older trade ships. e-klipera/15.10.2015 It took them 97-130 days to sail roundtrip from London to 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_in_the_United_King- China and back. dom There was even rivalry between clippers for the title of 4. https://www.wikihow.com/Serve-Low-Tea the fastest ship. Clipper races took place in the beginning 5. https://www.tea.co.uk/tea-a-brief-history of the tea season. The Great Tea Race of 1866 was the most 6. https://www.tea.co.uk/tea-clippers famous one. To be the fi rst ship to dock in London with the new crop of tea meant to make more money by selling the By Irina Bakhtinova, tea the fi rst. The fresher the tea leaves were, the quicker School No. 4 named after G.K. Zhukov, they were sold. Krasnoznamensk, Moscow Region English CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES 58 September– RELIGIOUS TALKS October 2019

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 10. forbidden fruit j. to stop being held in fa- “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent vor by others – especially him.” (Voltaire) How would you interpret this phrase? Do because of some wrong or you agree with it? foolish action Is it possible to be a decent human being with high moral 11. to play the devil’s ad- k. to waste something good standards without being religious? vocate on someone who does not Would you say that science and religion are compatible? know its value Can a scientist believe in God? Do you think that religion has a role to play in the modern 12. to preach to the converted l. a person who insists on world? proof before he or she will Can a person believe in God without going to church? believe something What’s your attitude to the Russian Orthodox Church as an institution? Key: 1. e; 2. h; 3. a; 4. k; 5. c; 6. b; 7. l; 8. g; 9. j; 10. f; 11. d; 12. i. Would you agree that a person in our country is (to some extent) shaped by Orthodox Christianity, whether or not Fill the gaps using the idioms above. he/she is a believer? I’m afraid you’re ______with What do you think of introducing Religion as a subject at your good advice – he won’t listen. school? The fi rst project in my new job was a ______ How well do you know other religions, apart from Chris- and I had to learn the ropes very quickly. tianity? What is your attitude to them? The boy has a ______attitude about school It is sometimes said that the path to faith lies through pain and rarely does his homework. and suff ering, because a happy man has no need of God. It was a ______when the man What do you think? lost his old job. He now has a new and more fulfi lling one. The politician ______after he was in- IDIOMS volved in a scandal. Match the idioms on the left with the defi nitions on the I was ______when I told my right. friend that he needed to buy a robot vacuum cleaner. 1. baptism of fi re a. something that seems ter- I told my friend that she should look at herself and her bad rible but actually produces points rather than ______and criticizing her good results friend. 2. to bear/carry one’s cross b. a worry-free or carefree The man was a ______and he attitude usually did not trust anyone. 3. a blessing in disguise c. to be quick to blame, criti- The boys wanted to enter the old building. It was cize or punish others ______to them. Taking care of the disabled grandfather is quite an ordeal 4. to cast pearls before swine d. to argue against a proposi- but I must ______and continue to do it. tion which one may actually The citizens believe in ______agree with – done purely to ____. They want the criminal to be sentenced to death for test the validity of the propo- killing the girl. sition 5. to cast the fi rst stone e. a fi rst experience of some- ROLE PLAY thing that is diffi cult or un- Student A: pleasant You are a scientist. You believe in the Big Bang Theory. 6. devil-may-care attitude f. someone or something that Spend a minute thinking of reasons why science is the best one fi nds attractive partly be- explanation for life on earth. Your partner will start the con- cause it is illegal or immoral versation. 7. doubting Thomas g. if someone does something wrong then he or she should Student B: be punished by having the You don’t believe science can explain this wonderful uni- same thing done to them verse. The world was clearly designed by someone. Spend a minute thinking of reasons to support your argument. Start 8. an eye for an eye, a tooth h. to endure one’s diffi culties the debate by asking your partner what he/she thinks of the for a tooth Big Bang Theory. 9. to fall from grace i. to try to persuade someone who already agrees with you By Yulia Shcherbinina FOR YOUNG LEARNERS English 59 THE TIME TO RHYME September– October 2019

МОРСКОЕ ПРИКЛЮЧЕНИЕ информацию. Что он пытается подать сигнал СОС, но Наверное, вам покажется, что это сказка fairy tale ничего не получается fail [feIl]. Что кроме черствого ['feqrIteIl]. Однако мы с моей подругой Абигейл Abigail stale [steIl] хлеба провианта на борту не осталось – все ['xbIgeIl] на самом деле пережили удивительное мор- смыло за борт, и что истощились даже запасы пресной ское приключение, и теперь намерены о нем поведать. воды. По-видимому, его тоже охватила паника. Над все- Поведать подробно, ничего не сокращая curtail [kW'teIl]. ми нами возобладал prevail [prI'veIl] страх. Что остава- Мы решили плыть на парусном судне из Англии во лось делать? Я начал молиться. Францию через Ла-Манш. Друзьям во Франции мы от- Удивительно, но спустя несколько минут буря уле- правили по почте mail [meIl] письмо о нашем скором глась так же неожиданно, как и началась. Мы кое-как, прибытии, купили на распродаже sale [seIl] оптом и в с многочасовой задержкой, добрались до места назна- розницу retail ['rJteIl] необходимые для путешествия чения. Эта история оставила неизгладимый след trail вещицы и стали собираться в дорогу. Выбранное нами [treIl] в нашей памяти, и мы очень счастливы, что оста- судно перевозило пассажиров и разные грузы. Пробира- лись в живых! ясь по палубе между тюками bale [beIl] и ведрами pail [peIl], мы с трудом нашли свою каюту. Несколько из этих bale [beIl] тюк ведер были наполнены улитками snail [sneIl], а другие cocktail ['kPkteIl] коктейль оставались пустыми. “Пустые ведра не к добру,” – сказа- curtail [kW'teIl] сокращать, уменьшать ла моя спутница, а я лишь посмеялся над ее суевериями. fail [feIl] не получаться, терпеть Как потом оказалось, зря. неудачу Корабль поднял паруса sail [seIl], и почти сразу после fairy tale ['feqrIteIl] сказка этого мы вышли в открытое море. Однако не прошло и хрупкий, непрочный получаса, как погода начала портиться, а еще через час frail [freIl] начались настоящие шторм и буря gale [geIl]. Небо по- gale [geIl] буря темнело, волны вздымались подобно спинам огромных hail [heIl] град китов whale [weIl] и захлестывали корму. Неумолимо на- jail [GeIl] тюрьма чал барабанить град hail [heIl]. mail [meIl] почта Нашу каюту стала заполнять вода, и каюта показалась nail [neIl] ноготь нам тюрьмой jail [GeIl]. С трудом мы выбрались из нее nail [neIl] гвоздь на накренившуюся, раскачивающуюся, залитую дождем nightingale ['naItINgeIl] соловей палубу. Я смотрел на бледное pale [peIl] лицо Абигейл и pail [peIl] ведро кричал что-то, как мне тогда казалось очень важное, а сей- pale [peIl] бледный час даже не вспомню, что именно. Мы цеплялись ногтями prevail [prI'veIl] преобладать nail [neIl] за перила rail [reIl], отделявшие нас от пучины rail [reIl] перила вод. Казалось, гвозди nail [neIl] не выдержат, скрипящие рельсы на все лады перила вот-вот оторвутся от опор, и мы уле- rail [reIl] тим за борт, в бушующее море. Каким же непрочным frail retail ['rJteIl] продаваться в розницу [freIl] казалось наше суденышко в тот момент! sail [seIl] парус На борт волнами выбрасывало десятки больших рыб. sale [seIl] распродажа Они сверкали чешуей scale [skeIl], били хвостами tail scale [skeIl] чешуя [teIl] и представлялись моему воспаленному воображе- scale [skeIl] шкала нию союзниками разбушевавшейся стихии – сильными snail [sneIl] улитка и беспощадными. Завеса veil [veIl] из брызг окружала stale [steIl] черствый наше суденышко, из-за нее казалось, что мы отрезаны tail [teIl] хвост от всего мира. А волны за бортом выли и стенали wail trail [treIl] след, волочить [weIl] все громче. Вдруг мне показалось, что где-то ря- veil [veIl] вуаль, завеса дом запел соловей nightingale ['naItINgeIl], и от этого я wail [weIl] выть, стенать испугался еще больше. кит Как же нам хотелось повернуть время вспять и ку- whale [weIl] пить билет не на судно, а на поезд, что едет из Англии во Францию в туннеле под Ла-Маншем. Мы бы не столкну- Ксения Зайцева лись с грозной стихией, а неспешно пили кофе и потяги- вали коктейли cocktail ['kPkteIl] под приятный перестук колес с рельсами rail [reIl]. Рассказ из книги Капитан, находившийся в рубке неподалеку от нас, “Запоминаем английские слова. кричал, что шкалы scale [skeIl] тех немногих приборов, Новый подход”, которые есть в его распоряжении, показывают неверную издательство АСТ, Lingua English TEXTS FOR READING 60 September– GAGARIN October 2019

On 9 April 2019 Yuri Gagarin would have turned 85 years shevsky. They also erected a beautiful monument to this great old. man near the main entrance of Lipki. Some events happening in human life never fade away. In Yuri also said that he was fond of piano music, but never the evening of 12 April 1961 our M/S Baltika set sail from saw any announcements in the local press. I could easily help Riga to London with 300 English passengers. And in the after- him fi nd some performances. noon we heard over the radio an unbelievable sensational an- A conservatory student of the piano faculty lived in our nouncement – the launch into space of the fi rst cosmonaut and house. He explained to me that two Sundays every month the his safe landing. His name was Yuri Gagarin. We translated the best conservatory students gave free public concerts. Those news into English for our passengers. concerts were not widely known and the piano programme “Who and what is Mr. Gagarin?” they wanted to know. was revealed just on the eve of the performance. Concerts took The name sounded typical Russian. It could belong to ei- place in the big hall of the conservatory. No tickets were re- ther nobility or rank-and-fi le people. My memory went back to quired people could take any vacant seat. many years ago to recapture the fi rst occurrence when I heard The conservatory was situated a stone’s throw from the In- that surname. dustrial College. Gagarin promised to attend the concert with I remembered a friendly basketball game in my secondary some of his friends. He was as good as his word and brought school in Saratov between our team and the team of Saratov the entire brass section with him. Industrial Technical College. Their captain was a quick-mov- I went to study in Saint Petersburg and traveled to Saratov ing lad, who often ran to the basketball hoop and threw well- only in summer. But I did not see Yuri. By then, he was busily aimed balls into the basket. engaged with Saratov Flying Club. His friends said that he was The fans screamed, “Gagarin, Gagarin!” very successful and fl ew the trainer aircraft Yak-18. Still I was in doubt – was he the very Yuri Gagarin who And all mankind learned that on April 12, 1961 the 27-year- was the captain of the basketball team? However more and old cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin climbed into a small metal cap- more details about the life of the cosmonaut soon appeared sule Vostok and was launched into space. Gagarin became an in the media. He had studied in 1951–1955 at Saratov In- international celebrity. He said his historical phrase: “Poekha- dustrial Technical College, and in his spare time used to go li!” (‘Off we go!’). to Saratov Flying Club to master parachuting and also to fly The fi rst cosmonaut’s mission lasted just 108 minutes and the aircraft. was fraught with drama: a break in data transmission, glitches Gagarin graduated from the college (Metalurgy-Foundry involving antennas, a retrorocket and the separation of modules. Department) with a red diploma, was called up and sent to The cosmonaut dictated on tape the situation on board, un- military pilot school in Orenburg. He became a military pilot derstanding that, if worse comes to worst, specialists could and after fi nishing the school, he was sent to work in the north improve future spaceships. But he was lucky and to eject as he of Russia. planned and parachute onto a fi eld near the Volga River, not far I managed to congratulate him on the victory, he smiled and from his college. It only took 45 minutes to reach the landing we shook hands. I could not ask him then about life in Saratov, spot by car. He was at fi rst taken for an American spy by the because numerous fans surrounded him, and I left. farm workers who saw him landing. But soon they understood The next day was Sunday and I went to Lipki, the city park who he was, helped take off his fl ight suit and connected him located in the centre of Saratov. It was a good tradition that in by telephone with Moscow. He was greeted with the full pomp the afternoon a brass orchestra played light music. At once I fi rst at Vnukovo Airport then on Red Square by First Secre- saw Yuri sitting near the podium and listening to the music. He tary Nikita Khrushchev and Soviet offi cials. His family was saw me as well and invited me to sit nearby. brought to Moscow and also met their hero son. “They have a very good trumpet player. I also play this in- The foreign press wrote that the handsome Russian man strument at our college. We organize evening dances on Satur- with the big smile had become a poster boy for the Communist day. I invite you to our evening party,” he said. world. Yuri turned out to be a very interesting interlocutor and nar- After his short orbital fl ight, Yuri Gagarin spent almost two rator. He was born in a small village of Klushino near the town years visiting all the countries and cities he had seen from of Gzhatsk. He had a big family: mother, father, three sisters space. The fi rst country was Czechoslovakia, then Poland. In and a brother. After he fi nished his sixth form he went to Lyu- his traveling party were two Russian journalists and Ye.Karpov, bertsy to study at a technical school and then entered Saratov who was responsible for preparing future cosmonauts. College. His next trip was to Finland. He was heartily welcomed by He liked Saratov very much, especially its clean streets. He the leaders of the countries and ordinary people. Once our Bal- enjoyed all kinds of music and frequented the Opera House. tika cruise arrived in London, we discovered that it coincided There were many institutes. with Gagarin’s visit, fi rst to Manchester, then to the British We all found it very interesting to study novels by Nikolay capital. Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II invited her Soviet cos- Chernyshevsky at literature classes. Saratov was his native monaut guest for breakfast at Buckingham Palace. The whole town and was the place where he died. On Chernyshevsky large square and all approaches to the palace were overcrowd- Street, they preserved the writer’s museum-house, Saratov Op- ed. As the press reported later, the Queen was delighted with era House and the local university were named after Cherny- Gagarin’s manners and sense of humour. TEXTS FOR READING English Monument to Yu.Gagarin. Saratov 61 September– October 2019

Gagarin and stuck a portrait with the smiling face of the fi rst cosmonaut on each bottle. We knew that Yuri returned home to the USSR and graduated from the Air Force Academy named after Zhukovsky and that he was now a family man with two daughters. And he was in charge of preparing future cosmonauts. He entered the room and recognized me. We shook hands. Together with Yuri, a lot of people entered the museum room trying to speak to him. I managed to ask him only one question: “Which country you have visited impressed you most of all?” “Sri Lanka” he replied at once. I continued my work on Baltika and it was there that we heard over the radio the shocking news that Yuri Gagarin was killed in a jet training accident. It happened on 27 March 1968. The following year we were cruising in the Indian Ocean and had to call at Colombo, the biggest port of Sri Lanka. I recol- lected the words of the cosmonaut’s valued visit. The ship’s agent told me that three famous Russians had visited his country: Tsar Nicholas I, Anton Chekhov and Yuri Gagarin. As a guest of honour, the Sri Lankan government asked Gagarin to plant a tree in the botanical garden. The park was set up in the 14th century and is located in Kandy. It is located about 100 km from the port. The botanical garden is a traditional place for walking, having picnics, and observing the beautiful fl owers. Yuri Gagarin had a talent to socialize both with VIPs and We found Gagarin’s tree easily. A beautiful young girl in with common people. His next country was Cuba. Castro re- a white dress and a handsome young man in a light suit were ceived Gagarin on Revolutionary Square, where one million strolling in front of us. “After Gagarin planted his tree on a people gathered. The Cuban leader spoke for more than three green lawn this place became a magnet for young people in hours thanking Yuri for visiting Cuba. Fidel decorated the fi rst love after signing their marriage contract,” we were told. cosmonaut with the Order of Playa Girón, the highest order of And here is the tree. It was one and a half meters tall with Cuba. The next country was Brazil. a light trunk and three ramifi ed crowns. Below them on the During his good-will trips, Yuri gave thousands of auto- trunk there was a wooden plate with inscriptions in English graphs. In 1961–1963, the name Yuri was very popular among and Singalese: “The fi rst cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin planted this young people; for many years mothers would give this name tree December 9, 1961”. I copied the Latin name of the tree in to their newborn sons. my notebook: Saraca Thaipingenais. Once our ship called at Gibraltar. On the High Street we The name of the fi rst cosmonaut is well-known to all man- saw a small shop with Gagarin’s portrait on its door. We came kind. In 1968, Gagarin’s native town Gzhatsk (Smolensk across the same kind of stores in the Canary Islands: Tenerife oblast) was renamed Gagarin in his honour. Many cities in and Gran Canaria. Russia have Gagarin Streets. In Moscow, a tall monument was Gagarin served as the people’s ambassador. He inspired erected in honour of Yuri Gagarin on Leninsky Prospect. Ga- people in big and small countries to read more and study garin Library hosts a permanent exhibition on literature de- the Russian culture and language. He visited India, Ceylon, voted to the fi rst cosmonaut. Greece, Egypt, and Austria. Everywhere he went, he made The most important landmarks are in Saratov. There he was friends and left good impressions. a student of the Industrial College, joined Saratov Local Flying In 1965, I was once more in close proximity. He was invited School, and that was where he was called to the Army and sent to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Saratov Industrial College to Orenburg to become a military pilot. and the opening of the Gagarin Museum (accommodated thus Gagarin returned to earth from space on the left bank of the far in one room). Its director, Vladimir Rossoshansky, was a Volga River not far from his college. His landing site became former history teacher and asked me to translate some arti- a place of pilgrimage for all those living in Saratov and visi- cles about Yuri Gagarin from the English-language media for tors from other regions and countries. All cruising river ships him. He invited me to the museum to meet our dear guest. I calling at Saratov include a visit to Gagarin People’s Museum. was looking forward to seeing Gagarin and wanted to tell him And recently, Saratov Airport was renamed after Gagarin. about his great popularity among foreign passengers and people of diff erent countries. By Evgeny Kunitsyn, In the French port of Le Havre, a local football stadium was former purser m/s Baltika named after Yuri Gagarin. They produced wine called, Yuri Photo courtesy of the author. ǚǨǘǤǢǘǭǥǘǮǠǦǥǘǣǴǥǦǛǦǧǨǠǦǨǠǪǝǪǥǦǛǦǧǨǦǝǢǪǘ«ǮǠǬǨǦǚǘǷǰǢǦǣǘ»

ǫȏȀȊǽȃȔȎȀȌȈȆǺȆǻȆǺǽȂǸ ǰȂȆȃǸȎȀȌȈȆǺȆǻȆǺǽȂǸ

ȆȊȈȋǹȃǽȁǺǻȆǼ ȆȊȈȋǹȃǽȁǺǻȆǼ ɻʂʖʅɻʄʅɺʅʊʎɿʉɼʂʖ ɻʂʖɹʈɼʌʊʎɿʉɼʂɼʀʏʁʅʂʒ

əɼɸɿʄɷʇʒ ɦʅɹʒʏɼʄɿɼʁɹɷʂɿʋɿʁɷʍɿɿ ɦɼʇɿʅɻɿʁɷ

ǧȆǼȊǺǽȈǾǼǸȖȑȀǽǼȆȂȋȄǽȅȊȓ͗ǺȉǽȄȋȏǸȉȊȅȀȂǸȄ

ǰȂȆȃǸȎȀȌȈȆǺȆǻȆǺǽȂǸ͗ȕȊȆȇȃȆȑǸǼȂǸǼȃȗ ȇǽǼǸǻȆǻȆǺȅǸȂȆȊȆȈȆȁ

϶ʂʊʎʏɿɼɿɻɼɿɿʆɼɻɷɺʅɺɿʎɼʈʁɿɼʄɷʌʅɻʁɿ ϶ʈʅɹʇɼʃɼʄʄʒɼʉɼʌʄʅʂʅɺɿɿɿʃɼʉʅɻɿʁɿ ϶ʇɷɾʇɷɸʅʉʁɿʊʇʅʁʅɹɿɹʄɼʁʂɷʈʈʄʒʌʃɼʇʅʆʇɿʖʉɿʀ

ǨǽǻȀȉȊȈȀȈȋȁȊǽȉȔȇȈȀȅȀȄǸȁȊǽȋȏǸȉȊȀǽ ȇȈȀȆǹȈǽȊǸȁȊǽȅȆǺȓǽȂȆȄȇǽȊǽȅȎȀȀ

ǰǮǚǨǬ

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ȆȊǼǽȉȗȊȀǼȆȋȈȆȂȆǺȇȆȃȖǹȆȁȊǽȄǽȐȂȆȃȔȅȆȁȇȈȆǻȈǸȄȄȓ

ȄȀȃȃȀȆȅǸȇȆȃȔǿȆǺǸȊǽȃǽȁǺȄǽȉȗȎ

ɡɷɽɻʒʀʊʎɷʈʉʄɿʁʆʅʂʊʎɷɼʉʆʅʂʄʒʀʁʅʃʆʂɼʁʉɿʉʅɺʅɹʒʌʃɷʉɼʇɿɷʂʅɹ

ξωêòðñσøðāôσψσυöτ πτχöð÷ðñσö ξτχψφôσòþôýυíðõòφó ðëψêφχôðñτöτïðψφë

ǦȇȋǹȃȀȂȆǺǸȅȆȋȈȆȂȆǺ

ɫɼʈʉɿɹɷʂʓϪɹʅɾʃʅɽʄʅʈʉʓʅʆʊɸʂɿʁʅɹɷʉʓ ʇɷɾʇɷɸʅʉʁʊʊʇʅʁɷɹʄɼʁʂɷʈʈʄʅɺʅ ʃɼʇʅʆʇɿʖʉɿʖʃɼʉʅɻɿʎɼʈʁʊʕʈʉɷʉʓʕ ʆʇɼɾɼʄʉɷʍɿʕʆʅɻɼʂɿʉʓʈʖʅʆʒʉʅʃ ʈʁʅʂʂɼɺɷʃɿʆʅɹʈɼʃʆʇɼɻʃɼʉɷʃɿʈʋɼʇɷʃ ʏʁʅʂʓʄʅʀɽɿɾʄɿ

ǬǽȉȊȀǺǸȃȔ͗ȉǸȄȓȁȄǸȉȉȆǺȓȁ ȀȇȈǽǼȉȊǸǺȀȊǽȃȔȅȓȁȆȊȂȈȓȊȓȁ ȇǽǼǸǻȆǻȀȏǽȉȂȀȁȌȆȈȋȄ

ǤǸȊǽȈȀǸȃȓǺȉǽȍȋȏǸȉȊȅȀȂȆǺ ȇȋǹȃȀȂȋȖȊȉȗ

ǦǪǢǨǳǪǳǡǫǨǦǢǨǬ

ρχτêφëσôðτñσσëöφχσóψφêòĀíτôðτσëöφχψñðϊõχσëðÛσñφôσφõτùσöð PRAYER FOR GOOD HUMOR By Sir Thomas More Grant me, oh Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest.

Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humor to maintain it.

Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, but rather ﬁ nds the means to put things back in their place.

Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumbles, sighs, and laments, nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.”

Grant me O Lord, a good sense of humor, Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy, and to be able to share it with others. Amen.

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