Lesson 1 a TOWN VIOLATED
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Lesson 1 A TOWN VIOLATED By John Grisham, TIME 28 August 2017, p42 (500 words ; each section in bold type is 100 words, the others around 150 each ) 1 Charlottesville is a quiet town with 50 though I seriously doubt even one in a 2 friendly people, good schools, lots 51 thousand has read the Constitution or 3 of churches, parks and a bustling, 52 could name the Southern commander 4 growing community that more or less 53 at the Battle of Shiloh. They waved 5 revolves around one of the country's 54 their rebel battle flags, oblivious to 6 great public universities. Volunteerism 55 the fact that Robert E. Lee told his 7 is rampant, and dozens of nonprofits 56 men to put them away. They flaunted 8 hustle about, solving problems and 57 their swastikas. They wore helmets 9 helping those in need. The town is 58 and shields and riot gear, and they 10 surrounded by the estate and horse 59 rampaged. Their unapproved but well- 11 country of central Virginia, where 60 coordinated torch-lit parade through 12 history and traditions are important. 61 campus Friday night surprised officials 13 Change is important too. The town 62 at the university. 14 has a vibrant music, theater, art and 63 Free speech and a glorified heritage 15 literary culture where creativity is 64 were irrelevant. Make no mistake 16 encouraged. Food and wine are taken 65 about it—the hate groups were here 17 seriously, with dozens of vineyards and 66 to provoke violence and get attention. 18 trendy restaurants. 67 When a few Klansmen showed up a 19 The downtown pedestrian mall is 68 month ago, they attracted hundreds 20 filled with these restaurants, as well 69 of counterprotesters who drowned 21 as coffee shops, bars, outdoor cafés, 70 them out. With an impressive show of 22 music halls, bookstores, galleries. It's 71 peaceful resistance, Charlottesville 23 peaceful, calm, lovely, civilized. It's 72 proved it has no tolerance for hate. 24 Charlottesville. 73 That incident was well reported 25 The weekend of Aug. 12, Charlottes- 74 and no doubt inspired the Unite the 26 ville was violated. 75 Right brain trust to plan an even bigger 27 These same downtown streets 76 event. They issued the call, and their 28 where I work and have lunch and dinner 77 comrades carne from far and wide to 29 and meet friends were taken over by 78 make trouble. They now claim they 30 hooligans and white supremacists who 79 were provoked while trying to assemble 31 for some reason chose Charlottesville 80 peacefully, but the real provocation 32 as their battleground. 81 was their hate-filled message. 33 Who were these people? And why 82 Tensions are now easing, and the 34 our town? 83 streets are quiet again. Funerals are being 35 Now that we've seen them, and 84 planned. Physical wounds are 36 from a distance much closer than any 85 healing. Emotional wounds will take 37 of us could have imagined, we may 86 longer. We hope and pray our town 38 have a clearer understanding of their 87 returns to normal—it will if left alone. 39 motives. Ostensibly, they came here 88 But twice this summer, Charlottes- 40 to "Unite the Right," a nefarious idea 89 ville has proved that in the face of 41 that devolved into a call to action. 90 intimidation and hate, silence is not an 42 They were upset because of the city 91 option. 43 council's controversial decision to 44 remove a Confederate monument from 45 a city park. 46 These dime-store warriors arrived 47 in Charlottesville over the weekend 48 determined to glorify the Confederacy 49 and defend their version of free speech, Lesson 2 Etruscan Places by D H Lawrence, first published 1932. This edition: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks09/0900381h.html TARQUINIA (extract 1, 542 words) 1 It is an hour or more to Cività Vecchia, which is a 47 Those poor rats at Ladispoli had seen me and B. 2 port of not much importance, except that from 48 go to the sea and sit on the sand for half-an- 3 here the regular steamer sails to Sardinia. We 49 hour, then go back to the train. And this was 4 gave our things to a friendly old porter, and told 50 enough to rouse their suspicions, I imagine, so 5 him to take us to the nearest hotel. It was night, 51 they telegraphed to Cività Vecchia. Why are 6 very dark as we emerged from the station. 52 officials always fools? Even when there is no war 7 And a fellow came furtively shouldering up to 53 on? What could they imagine we were doing? 8 me. 54 The hotel manager, propitious, said there was a 9 'You are foreigners, aren't you?' 55 very interesting museum in Cività Vecchia, and 10 'Yes.' 56 wouldn't we stay the next day and see it. 'Ah!' I 11 'What nationality?' 57 replied. 'But all it contains is Roman stuff, and 12 'English.' 58 we don't want to look at that.' It was malice on 13 'You have your permission to reside in Italy--or 59 my part, because the present regime considers 14 your passport?' 60 itself purely ancient Roman. The man looked at 15 'My passport I have--what do you want?' 61 me scared, and I grinned at him. 'But what do 16 'I want to look at your passport.' 62 they mean,' I said, 'behaving like this to a simple 17 'It's in the valise! And why? Why is this?' 63 traveller, in a country where foreigners are 18 'This is a port, and we must examine the papers 64 invited to travel!' 'Ah!' said the porter softly and 19 of foreigners. 65 soothingly. 'It is the Roman province. You will 20 'And why? Genoa is a port, and no one dreams 66 have no more of it when you leave the Provincia 21 of asking for papers.' 67 di Roma.' And when the Italians give the soft 22 I was furious. He made no answer. I told the 68 answer to turn away wrath, the wrath somehow 23 porter to go on to the hotel, and the fellow 69 turns away. 24 furtively followed at our side, half-a-pace to the 25 rear, in the mongrel way these spy-louts have. 26 In the hotel I asked for a room and registered, 27 and then the fellow asked again for my passport. 28 I wanted to know why he demanded it, what he 29 meant by accosting me outside the station as if I 30 was a criminal, what he meant by insulting us 31 with his requests, when in any other town in 32 Italy one went unquestioned--and so forth, in 33 considerable rage. 34 He did not reply, but obstinately looked as 35 though he would be venomous if he could. He 36 peered at the passport--though I doubt if he 37 could make head or tail of it--asked where we 38 were going, peered at B.'s passport, half excused 39 himself in a whining, disgusting sort of fashion, 40 and disappeared into the night. A real lout. 41 I was furious. Supposing I had not been carrying 42 my passport--and usually I don't dream of 43 carrying it--what amount of trouble would that 44 lout have made me! Probably I should have 45 spent the night in prison, and been bullied by 46 half a dozen low bullies. Lesson 3 Barbara Trapido (1982) Brother of the more famous Jack , pp23-24 Chapter 5 1 I leave the kitchen and find Jane Goldman alone in her vegetable garden, 2 stringing onions. She asks me to Join her at it when I approach, which I do. She 3 says apologetically that it looks a little William Morrisy, but that it makes sense if 4 you don’t want them to rot. To me, straight out of the outer reaches of the 5 Northern Line, it looks positively Robinson Crusoe and I tell her so. 6 ‘But I’m good at knots and weaving,’ I say, recommending myself. Mrs 7 Goldman gives me a friendly smile. 8 Jake is a very urban person too,’ she says. ‘If you mention the Northern Line 9 to him he goes quite starry-eyed. He likes to see Coke tins in gutters. He likes to 10 be five minutes’ walk from the Hampstead Everyman. He finds this hopelessly 11 countrified.’ 12 ‘It’s very nice here,’ I say. ‘Your house. It’s very nice.’ 13 ‘And very dirty,’ she says. ‘Do you mind the dirt, Katherine?’ I am surprised by 14 the question. It requires a quick decision from me and with a sudden instinct to 15 emulate her, I commit myself against the grain to the ideology of dirt. 16 ‘It’s very nice dirt,’ I say. She looks up at me, trying to make me out. 17 ‘It saves us from people, this house does,’ she says. ‘I’m very fond of it. Tell 18 me where you met John.’ 19 ‘In Dillon’s Bookshop,’ I say. 20 ‘How wonderfully high-brow,’ she says. ‘I met him in Woolworths when I was 21 about your age. It’s very flattering, I think, to be noticed by him. He says he likes 22 the quattrocento profile.’ But Jacob, who has picked his way along a row of her 23 inverted Jam Jars, is there behind her.