Aims: to practise reading skills to expose learners to the passive voice to practise writing skills, in particular creating coherence and cohesion

Transcription

1 Teaching notes and key This resource includes tasks with different aims for different levels. Version 1 Level: elementary/pre intermediate (A2/B1) Aims: to practise reading skills to expose learners to the passive voice to practise writing skills, in particular creating coherence and cohesion Timing: 1 hour, 10 minutes, excluding follow up task (20+ minutes) Materials: the photos on p.4 below, or the accompanying PowerPoint slide, downloadable from Text version 1, on p.5 below Text version 1, cut into strips and separated into odd paragraphs and even paragraphs Tasks version 1, on p.9 below Version 2 Level: intermediate (B1/B2) Aims: to practise reading skills to identify active and passive constructions and understand the reasons for using them Timing: approximately 45 minutes Materials: the photos on p.4 below, or the accompanying PowerPoint slide, downloadable from Text version 2, on pp. 6 7 below answers on p.8 below Tasks version 2, on p.9 below Procedure and answers Lead in (for both versions) Invite the learners to tell you what New Year means to them. Ask what they know about Chinese New Year. Introduce the theme by showing a video of the dragon dance (plenty are available on YouTube) or by displaying the photos of Chinese New Year celebrations on p.4 below or on the accompanying PowerPoint slide Page 1 of 9

2 Worksheet version 1 (Elementary/Pre intermediate A2/B1) Task 1 Reading for gist (A2/B1) This task is based on Text version 1, on p.5 below. You could ask stronger learners to think of their own heading for each paragraph. Weaker learners can choose from the list provided. Answers: f, d, e, c, g, b, a. Task 2 Reading for detail (A2/B1) This task is based on Text version 1, on p.5 below. Allow learners to read the text again. Clarify any queries they may have. Chinese New Year Take the text back in or ask learners to turn it over while they test each other on the information contained in it. Encourage them to use their own words where possible. Answers: 1. In February days. 3. To remove last year s bad luck. 4. The dragon. 5. To frighten off bad spirits. 6. Red, gold and peach blossom. Task 3 Writing (B1) This task is based on the cut up strips of Text version 1. Take away the text, if you haven t already done so. Put the students into two groups, A and B. Hand out the strips of text: even numbers to group A and odd numbers to group B. Also hand out the blank strips of paper for students to write on. The students in each group must work together to recreate the missing strips of text. The aim is not to remember the exact wording of the original but to use their understanding of the text and their knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary to write something which makes sense in the context. They only need to understand the passive constructions, not necessarily to use them. Take back the strips of text. Ask groups A and B to get together and assemble their strips of writing. They should now adjust what they have written so it makes sense and flows smoothly. Optional: give back the original text from tasks 1 and 2. Stress that the differences between the learners own version and the original are not necessarily incorrect just different! Follow up Grammar (B1/B2) With stronger intermediate learners, you could move on to task 2 below, analysing the uses of the active/passive constructions in the original text Page 2 of 9

3 Worksheet version 2 (Intermediate B1/B2) Task 1 Reading This task is based on Text version 2, on pp.6 7 below. Hand out the text and ask learners to guess what could go in the gaps. Now hand out the list of sentences and ask them to choose the best one to complete each gap. Point out that the options are not in the correct order! Encourage learners to discuss in pairs or small groups why they have made those choices. Do not give answers at this stage. Task 2 Grammar This task is based on the answers to task 1, on p.8 below. Hand out the answers to task 1 and ask learners to complete the Active/Passive column. Discuss the reasons as a whole class before learners complete the Reason column. The ancient Chinese horoscope has been used for years A/P P Reason We can assume that Chinese people have used it. We are more interested in the horoscope and its connections with the New Year than in the people. Chinese New Year starts A There is no person doing this action. and Chinese families clean their homes A They clean the rooms themselves they do not ask someone else to do the cleaning for them. Dragons are associated P The previous sentence was about dragons. The passive makes dragons the subject of this sentence, creating lexical cohesion (logical flow of information). Again, we can assume that it s the Chinese people who make the association. they hang up plastic firecrackers Kumquat trees and tangerines also bring good luck people eat delicious treats such as nian gao A A A People is the subject of the preceding clause. Here, using the active keeps people as the subject. This paragraph is about colours and symbols, so the trees and fruit are made the theme (the subject) of the sentence. The sentence flows better if the definition of nian gao comes at the end rather than in the middle. The active form makes this possible Page 3 of 9

4 Vancouver Chinese New Year parade Hubert Figuière Chinese Lanterns Juliana Phang Chinese New Year 2008 Scazon Page 4 of 9

5 Text version 1 1. The ancient Chinese horoscope has been used for years to analyse a person s character and predict their future. It works on a twelve year cycle and a different animal represents each year. Last year, 2012, was the year of the dragon and 2013 is the year of the snake. 2. Chinese New Year starts on the first day of the Chinese calendar, usually in February. It lasts for 15 days and is one of the world s most colourful celebrations. 3. The celebrations are based on bringing luck, health, happiness and prosperity throughout the year, and Chinese families clean their homes to rid them of last year s bad luck. 4. Spectacular processions take place in Chinese cities, with dancing dragons and lions parading through the streets. Dragons are associated with long life, good luck and prosperity. Inside the dragon costumes there can be as many as fifty martial arts dancers, who twist and turn the dragon s long body. 5. It is believed that loud noises scare away evil spirits, so drums are played during the processions and people light noisy firecrackers. In some cities, people are not allowed to light real fireworks so they hang up plastic firecrackers as decorations. 6. Red and gold are important symbols of happiness and people decorate their homes and shops with peach blossom, which is believed to be lucky. Kumquat trees and tangerines also bring good luck because of their bright colour. Odd numbers are unlucky, so tangerines are always given in pairs. 7. At New Year, children receive little red envelopes containing money. Their family name and a good luck message are written on the envelope in gold. Chinese New Year is a time for visiting family and friends. There are many feasts and people eat delicious treats such as nian gao, a sticky rice cake Page 5 of 9

6 Text version 2 An animal each year (1)... to analyse a person s character and predict their future. It works on a twelve year cycle and a different animal represents each year. Last year, 2012, was the year of the dragon and 2013 is the year of the snake. Two weeks of celebrations (2)... on the first day of the Chinese calendar, usually in February. It lasts for 15 days and is one of the world s most colourful celebrations. Good luck for the year The celebrations are based on bringing luck, health, happiness and prosperity throughout the year, and (3)... to rid them of last year s bad luck. Dragon parades Spectacular processions take place in Chinese cities, with dancing dragons and lions parading through the streets. (4)..., with long life, good luck and prosperity. Inside the dragon costumes there can be as many as fifty martial arts dancers, who twist and turn the dragon s long body. Loud noises It is believed that loud noises ward off evil spirits, so drums are played during the processions and people light noisy firecrackers. In some cities, people are not allowed to light real fireworks so (5)... as decorations Page 6 of 9

7 Bright colours Red and gold are important symbols of happiness and people adorn their homes and shops with peach blossom, which is believed to be lucky. (6) because of their bright colour. Odd numbers are unlucky, so tangerines are always given in pairs. A time for family and friends At New Year, children receive little red envelopes containing money. Their family name and a good luck message are written on the envelope in gold. Chinese New Year is a time for visiting family and friends. There are many feasts and, (7)......, a sticky rice cake. Complete each space in the text with the best sentence from the following choices: a. Chinese families clean their homes / Chinese families homes are cleaned b. they hang up plastic firecrackers / plastic firecrackers are hung up c. people eat delicious treats such as nian gao / delicious treats such as nian gao are eaten d. Chinese people have used a horoscope for years / The ancient Chinese horoscope has been used for years e. Chinese New Year starts / Chinese New Year is started f. People associate dragons / Dragons are associated g. Kumquat trees and tangerines also bring good luck / Good luck is also brought by kumquat trees and tangerines Page 7 of 9

8 Active/Passive Reason An animal each year The ancient Chinese horoscope has been used for years to analyse a person s character and predict their future. It works on a twelve year cycle and a different animal represents each year. Last year, 2012, was the year of the dragon and 2013 is the year of the snake. Two weeks of celebrations Chinese New Year starts on the first day of the Chinese calendar, usually in February. It lasts for 15 days and is one of the world s most colourful celebrations. Good luck for the year The celebrations are based on bringing luck, health, happiness and prosperity throughout the year, and Chinese families clean their homes to rid them of last year s bad luck. Dragon parades Spectacular processions take place in Chinese cities, with dancing dragons and lions parading through the streets. Dragons are associated, with long life, good luck and prosperity. Inside the dragon costumes there can be as many as fifty martial arts dancers, who twist and turn the dragon s long body. Loud noises It is believed that loud noises ward off evil spirits, so drums are played during the processions and people light noisy firecrackers. In some cities, people are not allowed to light real fireworks so they hang up plastic firecrackers as decorations. Bright colours Red and gold are important symbols of happiness and people adorn their homes and shops with peach blossom, which is believed to be lucky. Kumquat trees and tangerines also bring good luck because of their bright colour. Odd numbers are unlucky, so tangerines are always given in pairs. A time for family and friends At New Year, children receive little red envelopes containing money. Their family name and a good luck message are written on the envelope in gold. Chinese New Year is a time for visiting family and friends. There are many feasts and, people eat delicious treats such as nian gao, a sticky rice cake Page 8 of 9

9 Tasks version 1 Task 1 Write the best heading above each paragraph. a. A time for family and friends b. Bright colours c. Dragon parades d. Two weeks of celebrations e. Good luck for the year f. An animal each year g. Loud noises Task 2 What can you remember? Test your partner. 1. When is Chinese New Year? 2. How long does it last? 3. Why do people clean their homes thoroughly? 4. Which creature symbolises long life and wealth? 5. Why do people light firecrackers? 6. What are the important colours and symbols at Chinese New Year? Tasks version 2 Task 1 Choose the best sentences to complete the paragraphs. Task 2 Your teacher will give you the answers to task 2. Which sentences are active and which are passive? Write A or P on the answer sheet. Explain why the active/passive is used in each sentence. Write notes in the reason column of the answer sheet. Task 3 Write some questions to test your partner on how much they know about Chinese New Year Page 9 of 9