English for today Class Eight, Unite 7,Different people, different occupations
Unit Seven
• read and understand texts through silent reading.
• listen for information.
• ask and answer questions.
• write down the main ideas in our own words.
• write short paragraphs.
• listen for information.
• ask and answer questions.
• write down the main ideas in our own words.
• write short paragraphs.
Lesson: 1 | Pearls! Pearls! Pearls!
Key
words: mythology ancient dissolved status unparalleled
association delicate
A.
Look at the pictures and discuss in pairs.
B.
Read the text and answer the questions that follow.
Thousands
of years ago, the first pearl was probably discovered while human beings were
searching for food at the sea shore. Throughout history, the pearl with its
shine has been one of the most highly valued gems.
Pearls
have been mentioned many times in religious texts and mythologies from the
earliest times.
The
ancient Egyptians valued pearls so much that they were buried with them. It is
said that the famous queen of Egypt Cleopatra would dissolve a pearl in a glass
and drink it as a sign of love and respect for the entire nation.
The
Greeks thought of pearls as a sign of wealth and social position. The beauty of
pearls was associated with love and marriage.
In
ancient Rome, pearls were considered the greatest sign of wealth and social
status.
At that
time the young women of noble families loved to wear beautiful pearl
necklaces.The brave knights used to wear them in the battles for good luck.
Questions
1
Do you think 'pearls' were discovered by accident? Why?
2
Why do you think pearls were valued so much in the past?
3
What good luck the knights thought would pearls bring them?
C. Read the text in B again
and write the information in the table.
Who
|
When/
where
|
||
The
ancient Egyptians
|
wore
|
pearls
|
|
The
Greeks
|
|||
The
ancient Romans
|
|||
The
brave knights
|
|||
Lesson: 2 | The Ama divers
Key
words: rare descend hazardous rely
A.
Read the text and answer the questions.
Before
the beginning of the 20th century, pearls were obtained from pearl oysters.
These oysters were collected from the bottom of the ocean, lake or river.
To
get enough pearl oysters, free-divers were often forced to descend to the depth
of more than 100 feet in one breath. Because of the difficulty of diving,
pearls at that time were of different quality as well as very rare.
In
Asia some pearl oysters could be found on shoals at a depth of 5-7 feet from
the surface. At times the divers had to go 40 feet or even up to 125 feet deep
to find enough pearl oysters. These deep dives were extremely hazardous to the
divers.
Questions
1
What is the text about?
2
Where did the people get the pearls from?
B.
Read about the Ama divers of Japan. Discuss in pairs the information that you
have got from the text and answer the questions.
In
some fishing villages along the coast of Japan, there are amazing groups of
women known as 'Ama divers'.These women worked and are still working as Ama.
The word 'Ama' means 'women of the sea or sea women'.They are independent
divers. They make their living by diving. They can dive to the depth of the sea
up to 25 metres. And they dive without using oxygen tanks or other breathing
equipment.
The
Ama divers rely on their own skills and breathing techniques. They use that
skill and technique to push themselves down to the bottom of the sea and back
to the surface again. They can hold their breath for up to two minutes. Careful
watching, lung capacity and hunter instincts are the special qualities of Ama
divers.
However
some of these young villagers are going to the city for other jobs. The
remaining Ama divers are now aged between 50 and 60. But there are still some
who continue to dive even at their 70s. If the young people do not take up Ama
diving, soon this profession will die out.
Questions
1
Why are the Ama divers amazing?
2
How deep can the Ama divers go down into the sea?
3
What techniques and skills do the Ama divers use in diving?
4
Why do you think are the young villagers going to the city?
Lesson: 3 | River gypsies in Bangladesh (1)
Key
words: gypsy ethnic nomadic roam tarpaulin tents remedy
vend heal talisman
A.
Look at the pictures and discuss with your partner what you see.
B.
Read the text and answer the following questions.
River
gypsies are an ethnic group of people in Bangladesh.They are known as bedey to
local people. The gypsies have their own lifestyle and culture. They live in
groups and do not own any land. Therefore, they live a nomadic life, travelling
from one place to another. These people roam across our rivers and waters from May
to December in small country boats. These boats are their houses and these
people are a part of our waters. In winter, many water bodies dry up. At that
time they return to the mainland and live in make-shift tarpaulin tents on open
river banks. You can see their men relaxing in the tents. Toddlers play with
dogs or other pets in the dust. Women often idle away time by hair doing,
picking off lice in twos or threes sitting in a row.
Throughout
the monsoon, they remain busy with fishing. They also dive for natural pearls
in waters. Sometimes, they camp for a couple of weeks. Men catch snakes and
entertain people with snake charming and sell herbal cures. Women go from door
to door to sell bangles, cosmetics and other things. They also try to heal
pains of old people often by sucking out blood from
their
body.
Many
villagers believe in the magical power of the gypsies. They can make an evil
spirit leave someone's body by magic or special powers.
1
Who are river gypsies?
2
How do they live?
3
What do river gypsies do in winter?
4
What do river gypsy men do for a living?
5
What do river gypsy women do for a living?
B.
Discuss with your partner and circle the right answer.
1.
The term 'ethnic' is connected to
a
people.
b
plants,
c
animals.
d
fishes.
2.
River gypsies roam around on their boats about......months a year.
a
six
b
seven
c
eight
d
nine
3.
River gypsies live in tents in
a
summer.
b
winter,
c
monsoon.
d
spring.
4.
The term 'nomadic' refers to a person who
a
stays permanently at a place.
b
travels from place to place
c
lives in one's own house.
d
lives in a rented house.
C.
Listen to the teacher/CD and fill in the following gaps with right word/s.
U7, L3 C
Listening text: 6
1 The river gypsies are among the Nation's…………groups.
2 A
2007 report said…………percent live below the poverty line.
3
Only 2 percent of gypsy children are given primary………… ………….
4
Most gypsy children travel with their parents for an………… 8 months of the year.
5
So, they end up in a cycle of………….
D.
In summer vacation last May, Sohan went to Lauhajang in Munshigonj to visit his
maternal uncle. His elder cousin, Jihan studies sociology at Dhaka University.
One afternoon, Jihan took Sohan to a bedey camp to know about their life. They
talked to a middle aged bedey woman who was cooking in front of her tent. Read
the conversation and do the following activity.
Jihan
: Good afternoon. Can I ask you a few questions ?
Woman
: Good afternoon. Umm..... you see I'm busy cooking. I've to
feed my son and then...
Jihan
: Well, I won't take much time. Just a few questions if you
please.... How long have you been here in this camp?
Woman
: Four months. Since last January. And if it rains, we're going to rivers again
next month.
Jihan
: What do you do for a living?
Woman
: We catch fishes. Our men are snake charmers and we heal toothache
and joint pains of old people.
Jihan
: How do you heal people?
Woman
: With traditional herbs and healing art.
Jihan :
Well, if you don't mind, how much do you earn?
Woman
: Not enough. About 3000 taka per month. Now many people don't believe in our
remedies. They go to doctors. So we go to remote villages...
Jihan :
What about your son? I guess he is already 5. Does he go to school?
Woman
: Not yet. But I've heard about mobile boat-schools in rivers. I'll
try to find one for my son.
E.
Suppose you were with Sohan. Ask the bedey woman some more questions that you
would like to. For example, you can ask questions to know about her family
members, their names, age, work, their past living places, future plans, food
habit, etc.
F.
Have you ever seen any gypsies/bedey/snake charmers or any person selling
things from door to door in your area? Write your experience about anyone of
them.
Lesson: 4 | River gypsies in Bangladesh (2)
Key
words: survive used to inherit mainstream petty trick
integral part community settle urbanise (v) urban (adj)
A.
Look at the pictures. Discuss with your partner and say who they are, where
they are, what they are doing, etc.
B.
Read the text and answer the following questions.
River
gypsies in Bangladesh are having various problems. First, Bangladesh is getting
urbanised very rapidly. Gypsy people are losing their customers in urban
population. Hence, their income is threatened. Secondly, 24,000 kilometres of
previous waterways has shrunk into only 6,000 kilometres in the country in dry
seasons.
Scientists
believe that Bangladesh will be worst affected by global climate change. The
unpredictable rain and drying out of rivers have made boat movement heavily
restricted. Thirdly, many river gypsies are changing their lifestyle in the
context of changed reality. They are thinking of living permanently on land.
The authority feels that river gypsies need help to survive in the mainstream
population. Therefore, the government is offering voting rights, permanent
housing and bank-loan facilities. However, changes do not come overnight.
Traditionally,
river gypsies are used to water life. They have inherited from their
forefathers necessary life skills to survive in waters. They have no education
and training to adapt to mainstream modern society. So the authority feels the
need to bring them under formal education network. But they have no permanent
living place. Gypsy children are born and brought up on roaming boats.
Therefore, they cannot go to conventional schools. And hence, mobile
boat-schools are coming up for gypsy children. Some voluntary organisations are
running special schools on boats to educate river gypsy children in some areas.
Questions
1
What are the main problems that river gypsies are facing?
2
What is the effect of global climate change in Bangladesh?
3
Why are many river gypsies thinking of changing their lifestyle?
4
Why can't river gypsy children go to conventional schools?
5
Who are running special schools for river gypsy children? Why?
C.
Listen to the teacher/CD and tick the best answer.
I U7, L4 C
Listening text: 7
1
Bedeys catch snakes during the winter/rainy/summer season.
2
Females of the bedey families contribute to the family income/education/ health
with petty trades.
3
They sometimes go vending far from home by rickshaw/ on foot/ by cart.
4
Many bedeys have settled near the riverbanks/lakesides/seashore.
5
Bedeys are an integral part of our history and literature/culture/tradition.
D.
Imagine there is a boat-school in your area to teach river gypsy children.
Write a short composition about how you can help the gypsy children with
learning.
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