The theme of Unit 7 is Heroes
Read the following quotes and sayings about “Courage and Bravery”. And then share your understandings with your partner.
“A man with outward courage dares to die. A man with inward courage dares to live.” — Lao-Tzu
“Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.” — Winston Churchill
Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 Who is the bravest?
(a) A 12-year-old boy who throws himself over his younger sister to protect her from a dangerous dog.
(b) A woman who attacks a burglar who is pointing a knife at her husband.
(c) A husband who donates a kidney to his wife.
2 Which statement do you agree with?
(a) Men are braver than women.
(b) Women are braver than men.
(c) Both men and women are equally brave.
3 Which statement do you agree with?
(a) Some people are born braver than others.
(b) Brave people lack imagination.
(c) Courage depends on circumstances.
4 Which of these people do you admire most?
(a) Mountain rescue teams.
(b) Firemen.
(c) Nurses.
5 Which quality do you value most in people?
(a) Courage.
(b) Honesty.
(c) Loyalty.
Culture and Language:
Somerset House：Somerset House is a large Neoclassical building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. During the summer months, 55 fountains dance in the courtyard, and in winter you can skate on the magnificent ice rink. Somerset House also hosts open-air concerts and films, contemporary art and design exhibitions, family workshops and freeguided tours of spaces usually hidden to visitors.
It is hard to overstate the position of Shakespeare in British culture. His plays are taught at schools, performances are a regular feature of life all over the country, quotations from his plays are used in ordinary speech, and his works can be found in many forms: films, cartoons, comic books, and sound recordings. Of course, Shakespeare’s verse is not easy for modern audiences – a film like Shakespeare in Love is far more accessible than a full performance of Hamlet.
The Globe, with which Shakespeare was particularly associated, was in Southwark. An American, Sam Wanamaker, had a dream of building a faithful replica of the long vanished theatre as a tribute to Shakespeare. His energy and powers of persuasion bore fruit and the new Globe was opened in 1997. It has become a major tourist attraction, a venue for Shakespeare performances and a centre of research into the dramatist and his works.
Work in pairs. Look at the photos and discuss the questions.
1 What’s unusual about the men in the photos?
2 How easy or difficult is it for people with disabilities to lead a normal life?
3 How easy or difficult is it for these men to cycle with prosthetic limbs?
Language and Culture
Ottobock is a leading German manufacturer of aids for the disabled.
Scotland as a consequence of its northerly position on the edge of the Atlantic has a very wet, windy and at times cold climate. The cyclists have been lucky.
Throw the bike in the ocean is a humourous comment reflecting the fact they will be rather tired of their bikes by the end of the long journey.
Holding up means “managing”; “surviving”.
Cultural notes:
La Guardia Airport , a waterfront airport, one of several in New York – is named after a mayor of the city and is used mostly for flights around the USA or to Canada.
The Hudson River is a major waterway running into New York from the north, named after an English explorer during the time of Shakespeare.
