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Elevwebb, individlicens, 12 mån

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Lärarwebb, individlicens, 12 mån

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VIEWPOINTS 3

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Eller för dig som vill arbeta helt digitalt:

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Digitalt läromedel, elevlicens, 6 mån

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Digitalt läromedel, elevlicens, 12 mån 40-68661-9 Digitalt läromedel, lärarlicens, 12 mån 40-68662-6

Linda Gustafsson är lärare i engelska, svenska och italienska på Malmö latinskola. På fritiden läser hon gärna klassiker, brittiska deckare eller modern fantasy och science fiction, helst av Neil Gaiman och Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

uno wivast

Viewpoints 3 är ett läromedel för Engelska 7 på gymnasiet och komvux. Läromedlets andra upplaga består av tre komponenter som tillsammans förser eleven och läraren med allt som behövs för att klara kursen:

linda gustafsson

VIEWPOINTS 3

Uno Wivast är lärare i engelska och svenska på Katedralskolan i Lund. Uno har ett stort intresse för kultur och myter i den amerikanska filmen och läser gärna Virginia Woolf och William Faulkner.

ISBN 978-91-40-69368-6

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VIEWPOINTS 3 linda gustafsson

uno wivast


Gleerups Utbildning AB Box 367, 201 23 Malmö Kundservice tfn 040-20 98 10 e-post info@gleerups.se www.gleerups.se

Viewpoints 3 © 2019 Linda Gustafsson, Uno Wivast och Gleerups Utbildning AB Gleerups grundat 1826 Redaktör Will Maddox, Sanna Lundberg Bildredaktör Katarina Weström Formgivning och omslag Sten Melin Grafisk Form Omslagsbild Street performers in Sydney, Australia Andra upplagan, första tryckningen ISBN 978-91-40-69368-6 Kopieringsförbud! Detta verk är skyddat av upphovsrättslagen! Kopiering är förbjuden utöver lärares rätt att kopiera för undervisningsbruk om skolkopieringsavtal finns mellan skolhuvudmannen och Bonus Copyright Access. För information om skolkopieringsavtalet hänvisas till utbildningsanordnarens huvudman eller Bonus Copyright Access. Den som bryter mot lagen om upphovsrätt kan åtalas av allmän åklagare och dömas till böter eller fängelse i upp till två år samt bli skyldig att erlägga ersättning till upphovsman/ rättsinnehavare. Prepress WikingTryck AB, Malmö 2019 Tryck & bind Livonia Print, Lettland 2019


Förord Viewpoints 3 är ett läromedel för kursen Engelska 7 på gymnasiet och komvux. Den nya upplagan har uppdaterats med flera nya autentiska texter, texttyper och teman. Texterna är som tidigare utvalda för att ge eleverna intresseväckande läsning som dessutom tränar genrekunskap, analysförmåga och ordförråd. Till skönlitteraturen ligger fokus på djupare litterär analys. Läromedlets fem teman tar upp aktuella samhällsfrågor samt politiska, existentiella och vetenskapliga frågor. Det gör att texterna och temana kan knytas till olika gymnasieprogram, och de utgör en bred bas för diskussioner om dåtid, nutid och framtid. Till texterna finns läsförståelsefrågor samt diskussions- och analysfrågor. Därefter följer textnära ordövningar och övningar som är inriktade på funktionell grammatik som tränar elevernas förmåga att se vad som är grammatiskt och stilmässigt lämpligt i kontexten. Varje text har också extra tal- och/eller skrivövningar för att träna eleverna i att använda och reflektera över språket och vikten av språklig variation. Skrivuppgifterna har nivågrupperats i Regular och Advanced bl.a. beroende på vilken arbetsinsats de kräver av eleven. Till de flesta texter finns också glosor markerade i fetstil som sedan återkommer i ordövningar och färdiga glosprov. De markerade orden har valts med tanke på att dessa ord används frekvent i talad och skriven engelska, eller att de är viktiga i förståelsen av texten. Viewpoints 3 har uppdaterats med ett avsnitt om Wider themes som dels hjälper eleverna att se vilka litterära särdrag man kan hitta i de skönlitterära texterna inom ett tema, dels ger uppslag till vilka andra texter, filmer osv. som kan utöka temat. Diskussions- och skrivövningar ger elever möjlighet att analysera texterna djupare eller jämföra olika verk utifrån samma litterära särdrag. I slutet av boken återfinns förutom ett avsnitt om källhantering, också ett nytt fristående grammatikavsnitt som bland annat tränar eleverna i att använda ett formellt och akademiskt språk. Avsnittet med model texts har även setts över för att ge eleverna en ännu bättre känsla för vad som kännetecknar de genrer och syften som är aktuella i Engelska 7. Elevwebben (Student’s Web) har uppdaterats med material som fungerar som en brygga mellan bokens innehåll och internet. Här finns engelsk-svenska ordlistor och ljudfiler till alla texter, samt Live reading och Live listening som länkar till autentiskt material med tillhörande övningar. I boken finns symboler som visar när det är lämpligt att arbeta med övningarna i elevwebben. Precis som tidigare finns även kompletterande språk- och grammatikövningar på såväl elev- som lärarwebben. På lärarwebben finns även hörövningar, läsförståelseövningar, färdiga prov och facit, vilket hjälper läraren i arbetet med att bygga elevernas språkliga kompetens. Viewpoints 3 är ett läromedel som tar vid och bygger vidare där Viewpoints 2 slutar och ger eleverna en stabil plattform till fortsatt användning av engelska i arbets­livet och vid högre studier. Vi hoppas att ni ska finna både nytta och nöje med att arbeta med nya Viewpoints 3! Författarna


CONTENTS VISIONS 1. A Great Speaker............................................................ 8 from First Inaugural Address by Barack Obama

Reading: Extract from First Inaugural Address (speech); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Negotiating Writing: Speech; Investigative essay Language: Collocation (1); Open cloze

2. The Unpredictable Future................................. 22 from ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Reading: ‘Ozymandias’ (poem); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Discussing fiction Writing: Review; Literary analysis Language: Word formation (1); Reconstruction; Multiple-choice cloze

3. Digesting Mars & Long Sleeping in Space............................................................................. 30 from Packing for Mars by Mary Roach and ‘Could humans hibernate?’ by Vladyslav Vyazovskiy

Reading: Extract from Packing for Mars (non-fiction/popular science), ‘Could humans hibernate?’ (article/Internet) ; Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Picture-based discussion on space Writing: Scientific article; Investigative essay Language: The passive voice (1); Rephrasing

THE COST OF CARELESS LIVING 1. A Fatal Misstep........................................................... 48 from A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury

Reading: A Sound of Thunder (fiction/short story); Live reading (Student’s Web) Speaking: Small actions for a better world Writing: Argumentative essay; Literary analysis Language: Multiple-choice cloze; Word formation (2)

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2. Political Actions................................................................ 66 from ‘I Woke Up’ by Jameson Fitzpatrick

Reading: I Woke Up (poem); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Radio phone-in on youth identity Writing: Argumentative essay Language: Adjectives ending in -ic or -ical; Adjectives used as nouns

3. The Consumer is Always Right ... Right?.....72 from ‘It may not be possible to slow down fast fashion – so can the industry ever be sustainable?’ by Mark Sumner and ‘The global “food experiment” and the future of NZ nutrition’ by Ben Warren

Reading: ‘It may not be possible to slow down fast fashion’, ‘The global “food experiment”and the future of NZ nutrition’ (articles/Internet) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Suggestions for a sustainable school Writing: Speech Language: Verbs from adjectives; Adjectives from verbs; Translation

LIFE ON THE EDGE 1. The African Girl...........................................................86 from Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Reading: Extract from Little Bee (fiction/novel); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Taking a stand on border controls Writing: Formal letter and informal letter; Discussion essay Language: Error spotting; Formal and informal language (1); Reconstruction

2. Living on the Edge........................................................102 from ‘Slab City: Inside California’s Renegade Desert Community’ by Ruth Fowler

Reading: ‘Slab City: Inside California’s Renegade Desert Community’ (article/newspaper); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Discussion on freedom Writing: Reportage; Discussion essay Language: Rephrasing; Collocation (2)


3. The Rebel Spy Girl................................................. 112 from Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott

Reading: Extract from Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy (fiction/novel); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Important historical events Writing: Formal letter; Short story Language: Formal and informal language (2); The passive voice (2)

ILLUSIONS 1. An Inevitable Meeting....................................... 124 from Troll Bridge by Neil Gaiman

Reading: Troll Bridge (fiction/short story) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Book trailer Writing: Discussion essay; Literary analysis Language: Translation; Phrasal verbs

2. Beyond the Tangible............................................ 140 from In a Black Out by Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam

Reading: In a Black Out (song); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Analyse and present song lyrics Language: Collocation (3); Odd one out

3. What Have You Done Since High School? ............................................................. 144 from The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

4. The Realm of Gaming......................................... 162 from ‘Why violence in video games isn’t really a problem’ by Stephanie Lind

Reading: : ‘Why violence in video games isn’t really a problem’ (article/Internet); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Picture-based discussion on digital activities Writing: Argumentative or informative speech; Discussion essay Language: Antonyms and synonyms; Rephrasing

THE CONCEPT OF TIME 1. Hindsight...................................................................... 174 from ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Reading: ‘The Road Not Taken’ (poem); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Analyse and present a poem Writing: Discussion essay Language: Rephrasing; Open cloze; Translation

2. The Arrow of Time................................................. 182 from A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Reading: Extract from A Brief History of Time (non-fiction/popular science) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Instructional video Writing: Summary; Scientific article Language: Antonyms with prefixes; Direct and indirect speech; Error spotting; Translation

Reading: Extract from The Glass Menagerie (play/ drama); Live reading (Student’s Web) 3. Our Perception of Time.................................... 196 Produce and develop: Drama scene from Peripateia by Vandana Singh Writing: Reportage; Application Language: Collocation (4); Reconstruction; Reading: Extract from Peripateia (fiction/short Translation story); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Produce and develop: Story endings Speaking: Revolutionary inventions Writing: Investigative essay Language: Three in, one out; Effective sentences

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WIDER THEMES

MODEL TEXTS *

Postcolonial Theory......................................................... 208

Argumentative essay...................................................... 234

Science Fiction................................................................... 210

Discussion essay................................................................. 236

Gender Theory.................................................................... 212

Investigative essay............................................................ 238

Aspects of Speculative Fiction................................. 214

Letter of application........................................................ 240

Postmodernism.................................................................. 216

Literary analysis.................................................................. 242 Scheme for analysing literature............................... 244

GRAMMAR Word formation – prefixes and suffixes.............. 220 Collocations.......................................................................... 223 Linking words....................................................................... 226 Formal and informal language.................................. 229 The passive voice............................................................... 231

Review ..................................................................................... 246 Scientific article................................................................. 248 Speech...................................................................................... 250 Appendix 1: Working with sources......................... 252 Appendix 2: More useful language for speaking situations........................................................... 254 Appendix 3: Literary terms and rhetorical devices..................................................................................... 256 *Note: More model texts are available in the accompanying Student’s Web.

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VIEWPOINTS VISIONS OVERVIEW A GREAT SPEAKER Reading: Extract from First Inaugural Address (speech); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Negotiating Writing: Argumentative speech; Investigative essay Language: Collocation (1); Open cloze THE UNPREDICTABLE FUTURE Reading: ‘Ozymandias’ (poem); Live reading (Student’s Web) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Discussing fiction Writing: Review; Literary analysis Language: Word formation (1); Reconstruction; Multiple-choice cloze DIGESTING MARS & LONG SLEEPING IN SPACE Reading: Extract from Packing for Mars (non-fiction/popular science), ‘Could humans hibernate?’ (article/Internet) Listening: Live listening (Student’s Web) Speaking: Picture-based discussion on space Writing: Scientific article; Investigative essay Language: Rephrasing; The passive voice (1)

VISIONS


VISIONS  The Unpredictable Future


Before reading >>If you were offered the chance to travel to Mars and live in a space colony for ten years would you: a. accept without hesitation? b. decline immediately? c. ask for thinking time?

Give reasons for your answer.

>>What everyday tasks do you think an astronaut might have difficulty with while out in space? Brainstorm!

Digesting Mars In the first of two texts about space exploration, American author Mary Roach discusses two key issues for any astronaut: food and toilet habits. This is an extract from her best-selling popular science book Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. I will tell you sincerely and without exaggeration that the best part of lunch today at the NASA Ames cafeteria is the urine. It is clear and sweet, though not in the way mountain streams are said to be clear and sweet. More in the way of Karo syrup. The urine has been desalinated by osmotic pressure. Basically it swapped molecules with a concentrated sugar solution. Urine is a salty substance (though less so than the NASA Ames chili), and if you were to drink it in an effort to rehydrate yourself, it would have the opposite effect. But once the salt is taken care of and the distasteful organic molecules have been trapped in an activated charcoal filter, urine is a restorative and surprisingly drinkable lunchtime beverage. I was about to use the word unobjectionable, but that’s not accurate. People object. They object a lot. “It makes me sick to have urine in the refrigerator,” said my husband Ed. I had finished running yesterday’s output through the charcoal and the osmosis bag, and had placed it, in a glass bottle, on the door of the fridge pending lunch down in Mountain View. I replied that everything objectionable had been filtered out, and that astronauts don’t mind drinking treated urine. Ed made a flaring motion with his nostrils and said that circumstances would have to be “postapocalyptic” for him to consider it. My lunch date at Ames is Sherwin Gormly, a waste-water engineer who helped design the rig to recycle urine on the

Note: Key words in bold

void completely empty space NASA US agency for space exploration/ research Ames NASA center in Silicon Valley, California Karo syrup AmE, trademark a brand of corn syrup desalinate remove the salt from (a liquid) osmotic pressure that pressure is applied to desalinate a liquid rehydrate restore water (to the body) charcoal black substance from burnt wood restorative formal making you feel strong and healthy beverage formal drink unobjectionable inoffensive, agreeable pending formal until, awaiting treat here apply a process to something to give it particular qualities flare here make/ become wider postapocalyptic after a world- wide catastrophe rig equipment

VISIONS  Digesting Mars

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weapons-grade suitable for making nuclear weapons megalomaniacal having a strong desire for power and control despot tyrant

critter AmE, informal creature Johnson Space NASA centre in Center Houston, Texas wingnut AmE, informal mad or crazy person sprout produce, grow crazies here (individual) hairs growing out of control lunar relating to the moon downstream here at a later stage in the process blast here force something to move quickly and loudly in a certain direction lander spacecraft designed to land on a planet/the moon coast here move without using power launch set in motion; here send into space nutritionist expert on the science of food wondrous literary exciting, marvelous ranching running a ranch (=large farm)

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VISIONS  Digesting Mars

International Space Station. He has been referred to in the press as “the urine king”. This doesn’t bother him: What bothered him was being known, briefly, as the guy who said that the moon might be a good place to store weapons-grade plutonium out of reach of megalomaniacal despots. It wasn’t a serious suggestion; just Gormly idly speculating. That’s what they do down at Ames. In case you didn’t pick this up from Norbert Kraft, the NASA of Ames is a different critter from the NASA of Johnson Space Center. “We’re a think tank here at Ames,” says Gormly. “We’re kinda the wingnuts.” Gormly is dressed in cargo pants and a lavender Henley shirt. There’s nothing especially radical about cargo pants and lavender shirts, but in four trips to Johnson Space Center, I never saw either. Gormly is fit and tan. You’d have to inspect him closely to guess his age correctly; some gray creeping into the blond crewcut, the eyebrows just starting to sprout crazies. We’re not scheduled to land on Mars until sometime in the 2030s, but it’s always at the back of the collective NASA mind. The things dreamt up for a lunar base these past five years were dreamt with an eye on Mars. Much of the most innovative stuff comes out of Ames. Not that it will all fly. “Nothing we do,” says Gormly, “becomes a space reality until it goes through some filters downstream.” You probably want to run anything Sherwin Gormly gives you through some filters. Landing a spacecraft on Mars is yesterday’s challenge. Space agencies have been blasting landers to Mars for three decades. (Remember, once a craft reaches space, there’s no air drag to slow it down; it keeps traveling through the vacuum of space without needing more rocket power, aside from small course corrections. Space ships basically coast to Mars. The fuel they’d need is for landing and for the return blast back.) Rockets powerful enough to accelerate an 800-pound lander to Mars are a whole other animal from a rocket that can do so while carrying five or six humans and two-plus years’ worth of supplies. Back in the sixties, when aerospace scientists assumed that the follow-up to a moon landing would be a manned Mars mission, some fantastical Ames-style creativity was afoot. An obvious alternative to launching 8,000 pounds of food is to grow it – or some of it – on board in greenhouses. But in the early sixties, meat ruled the dinner plate. The space nutritionists, for a brief and wondrous moment, turned their minds to the possibility of zero-gravity ranching. “What type of animal should be taken


along to Mars or Venus?” asked animal husbandry professor Max Kleiber at the 1964 Conference on Nutrition in Space and Related Waste Problems. Kleiber held an accommodating view of animal husbandry; he included rats and mice in his calculations along with cattle and sheep. He left the unpretty logistics of zerogravity slaughter and manure management to others, for Kleiber was a metabolism man. He simply wished to know: Which beast provides the greatest number of calories for the lowest launch weight and feed consumption? To serve beef to two or three Mars astronauts, “a steer of 500-kilogram body weight has to be hauled into space.” Whereas the same number of calories could be derived from just 42 kilograms of mice (about 1,700 of them). “The astronauts,” stated the paper’s conclusion, “should eat mouse stew instead of beef steaks.” Present at the same conference was D. L. Worf, of the Martin Marietta Company (before Lockheed got there). Worf was big on thinking outside the box, and then eating it. “Food may be processed by many of the same techniques that are used to fabricate structures and shapes from plastic.” Worf did not limit this thinking to food containers but included spacecraft structures normally jettisoned or left behind when preparing to return home. In other words, instead of abandoning the Lunar Module on the moon, the Apollo 11 crew could have broken off pieces to take along and eat on the way home. Thereby needing to carry less food in the first place. Worf envisioned a return-trip menu that included Fuel Tank, Rocket Motor, and Instrument Casing. Leave room for dessert! “Transparent sugar castings as a substitute for windows” also made Worf’s idea list. You wouldn’t complain about a breakfast of Worf’s egg albumin office paper if you’d sampled Dr. Carl Clark’s paper cuisine. Clark, a Navy biochemist, was quoted in a 1958 Time article on longduration spaceflight, recommending that astronauts add shredded paper – the ordinary wood pulp variety – as a “thickener” to a main course of vitamin- and mineral-enriched sugar water. Whether Clark viewed the shredded paper as an aid to palatability, regularity, or document security, I can’t say. “If the imagination is allowed to wander” – and with D. L. Worf it surely should be – astronauts could also eat their dirty clothes. Worf estimated that “a space crew of four men will, for a 90-day flight regime, dispose of approximately 120 pounds of clothing, if laundry facilities are not available.” (Thanks in large part to

husbandry farming accommodating helpful, easy to work with manure waste matter from animals metabolism chemical processes which help the body to use food for energy and growth steer young male cow raised for beef

derive get, obtain

fabricate construct, produce

jettison throw away

envision imagine

casing covering, case

casting shaped object

egg albumin water-soluble protein found in egg white shred cut/tear into thin strips wood pulp substance used to make paper enrich make better by adding something palatability how pleasant something tastes

regime here programme

pound 1 pound = 0.454 kilograms

VISIONS  Digesting Mars

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victuals dated food

balk at refuse to do something USDA United States Department of Agriculture Keratin protein found in hair, nails, feathers etc. muse say thoughtfully

hydrolysis

chemical reaction in which one substance reacts with water to produce another

edible can be eaten

palatable pleasant to taste

constituent part, component hydrolyze break down by chemical reaction with water (hydrolysis) MSG

monosodium glutamate (chemical which improves flavour)

amino acid

one of the substances in the body that combine to make proteins

feces formal, AmE sp. solid waste from the body ominous indicating that something bad might happen carbon chemical element found in coal, oil and all living things patty flat, round piece of minced food whereupon literary after which in attendance formal present

ill advised not sensible or wise

cache a (hidden) store of things kasha a cereal eaten in Russia seal shut, close (up)

tile flat square piece

shielding protection

hydrocarbon chemical substance made of hydrogen and carbon hull body, exterior (part)

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VISIONS  Digesting Mars

Sherwin Gormly, they now are.) For a three-year Mars mission, that’s 1,440 pounds of dirty wash/victuals. Worf reported that several companies were already spinning textiles from soybeans and milk proteins and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has “prepared [textile] fibers from egg whites and chicken feathers that would be highly acceptable as food under the controlled environment of a spacecraft.” Meaning, I think, that a man who is willing to dine on used clothing is a man unlikely to balk at chicken feathers. But why go to the added expense of shopping at USDA experimental research stations? “Keratin protein fibers such as wool and silk,” muses Worf, “could be converted to food by partial hydrolysis …” Onboard hydrolysis is the point where astronauts start to get uncomfortable. Hydrolysis is a process by which proteins, edible if not necessarily palatable, are broken down into still edible but typically less palatable constituents. Vegetable protein, for instance, can be hydrolyzed to make MSG. Pretty much any amino acid arrangement can be hydrolyzed, including those of the recyclable that dares not speak its name. A four-person crew will, over the course of three years, generate somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand pounds of feces. In the ominous words of sixties space nutritionist Emil Mrak, “The possibility of reuse must be considered.” Sometime in the early 1990s, University of Arizona microbiologist Chuck Gerba was invited to a Martian strategy workshop whose topics included solid-waste management. Gerba told me that he recalls one of the chemists saying, “Shoot, what we could do is hydrolyze the stuff back to carbon and make patties out of it.” Whereupon the astronauts in attendance went, “We are not eating shit burgers on the way back.” Moralewise, this brand of extreme recycling is ill advised. The current Mars thinking is to deposit caches of food ahead of time, using unmanned landers. (The strategy of leaving caches on Mars came up during an interview with some Russian cosmonauts. My interpreter Lena paused and said, “Mary, what did you say about kasha on Mars?”) A better way to recycle astronautical by-product would be to seal it into plastic tiles and use it as shielding against cosmic radiation. Hydrocarbons are good for this. Metal spacecraft hulls are not; radiation particles break down into secondary particles as


they pass through. These fragmented bits can be more dangerous than the intact primary particles. So what if you’d be, as Gerba crowed, “flying in shit!” Beats leukemia. Gormly and I have been talking about psychological barriers to progress. As it turns out, we’re not the only Californians drinking treated urine this afternoon. (In solidarity, Gormly treated a batch of his own.) The citizens of Yellow, I mean Orange, County are drinking it right along with us. The difference, says Gormly, is that Orange County pumps theirs into the ground for a while before they call it drinking water again. “There is absolutely no technical justification for what they’re doing. It’s psychosocial and political,” he says. People are not ready for “toilet to tap.” Even here at Ames. As Gormly stood in line to pay for his sandwich, the man ahead of us asked what was in the bottle. “It’s treated urine,” said Gormly, straight-faced but obviously enjoying himself. The man glanced at Gormly, looking for something that might confirm the hope that Gormly had made a joke. “No, it’s not,” he decided and walked away. The cashier was going to be tougher. “What did you say was in the bottle?” She looked like she might be wanting to call security. This time Gormly said, “Life support experiment.” Confronted with science, the woman backed down. One of the things I love about manned space exploration is that it forces people to unlace certain notions of what is and isn’t acceptable. And possible. It’s amazing what sometimes gets accomplished via an initially jarring but ultimately harmless shift in thinking. Is cutting the organs out of a dead man and stitching them into someone else barbaric and disrespectful, or is it a straightforward operation that saves multiple lives? Does crapping into a Baggie while sitting 6 inches away from your crewmate represent a collapse of human dignity or a unique and comic form of intimacy? The latter, by Jim Lovell’s reckoning. “You get to know each other so well you don’t even bother turning away.” Your wife and kids have seen you on the toilet. So Frank Borman sees you. Who cares? Worth it for the prize at the bottom of the box.

crow say with pride or triumph batch an amount of something Orange County a county in California justification explanation, excuse

unlace undo accomplish achieve, do

initially at first, in the beginning jarring upsetting, disturbing stitch sew, attach/join (by sewing) Baggie trademark clear plastic bag used to store food reckoning opinion, judgement

From Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

VISIONS  Digesting Mars

35


Analyse and interpret a) Interpreting the text Check your understanding of the text by marking ALL the correct alternatives. 1. Which statement(s) is/are correct? a) b) c) d)

Before you can drink urine you only have to remove organic molecules. If you drink urine your body will suffer from dehydration. Mary Roach says that treated urine tasted fairly good. You can desalinate urine by running it through a charcoal filter.

2. It says in the text that people at Johnson Space Center are more practically minded and grounded in reality than people at NASA Ames. a) True

b) False

3. In the 1960s professor Max Kleiber claimed that astronauts “should eat mouse stew instead of beef steaks” because … a) b) c) d)

mice wouldn’t be as expensive as beef or pork. mice would be easier to prepare and cook. mice multiply rapidly. mice would provide a greater relative number of calories.

4. D.L. Worf had a vision that participants on a long-duration spaceflight would be able to eat non-food items. Which item or items did Worf claim could be used as food? a) b) c) d)

shredded paper dirty clothes spacecraft structures food containers

5. Why would it be a good idea to store the crew’s by-products in plastic tiles? a) b) c) d)

It would decrease the risk of bacteria being spread. It would decrease the level of cosmic radiation inside the spacecraft. It might be used as fertilizer when growing vegetables. It would protect the hull from outside damage.

6. The author says that manned space explorations have a positive impact on people’s mindsets since … a) they make us question what we consider to be appropriate and feasible. b) we should all drink treated urine. c) they might make people think of how to deal with some of our environmental problems. d) we just have to colonize space in order to survive.

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VISIONS  Digesting Mars


b) Analysing the text Examine the text with the help of the following questions. Make sure to use examples and quotes from the text to support your answers. 1. In three points, explain what you think is the core message of the text. 2. Mary Roach’s writing style differs from that usually found in an academic science text. Identify three features in Digesting Mars which indicate that this is a popular science text rather than an academic one. 3. Are there any features in Digesting Mars that you would see in an academic text?

Working with language Words from the text Complete sentences 1–10 with a word or phrase from the box. You may need to change the form of some words in order to make them fit into the sentences. Note: Not all the words/ phrases will be used.

hull edible cache

nutritionist pending treat

seal rehydrate coast

balk accomodating jettison

1. To regulate the students’ daily intake of food two

palatable despot initially

were employed at the school.

2. They decided to certain parts of the plan after coming to the conclusion that they had set their ambitions too high. 3. Everyone knows that these berries are 4. The ship’s

.

was severely damaged in the collision with the harbour wall.

5. Our management views on the matter.

appeared to endorse the idea but suddenly changed their

6. The doors and windows of the abandoned building have been urban explorers out. 7. The water was not properly 8. Despite one or two hiccups he 9. I find this wine highly 10. As my surgery was

in order to keep

and that’s why thousands of people fell ill. through last year’s national test. though somewhat expensive for my taste. I had to stay at home.

Now read about sleeping in space on the next page, or go straight to the language exercises on page 44. VISIONS  Digesting Mars

37


Note: Key words in bold seek to formal try to do something neuroscience scientific study of the nervous system hibernation a state of deep sleep

38

Long Sleeping in Space Another major challenge of space travel is the vast distances that need to be covered. Travelling to Mars can take at least eight months alone, while any astronaut seeking to explore space beyond the Red Planet would have to give up years of their life to do it. In the following article from the independent news source The Conversation, a professor of neuroscience discusses whether or not humans could go into a state of hibernation in order to deal with long-distance space travel.

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space


On cold, dark days it is tempting to imagine shutting yourself away until the warmer weather returns. Many animals do just that by entering a state known as torpor, which reduces their bodily functions to a minimum and uses fat stores in their body for energy. Could humans ever hibernate in the same way? Aside from providing a convenient way to avoid winter, one reason to find out might be the advent of long-distance space travel. A journey to our nearest planet Mars would take around eight months using current technology. If we one day hope to visit another star system, even if we could travel at the speed of light, the journey would take years. Being able to go into a state of longterm torpor would make such distances considerably less tedious for the astronauts and conserve vital resources. As a neuroscientist, I am currently part of a team of experts organised by the European Space Agency to work out whether and how we might be able to put humans into a state of stasis. It’s still an open question but, at least in theory, we can’t exclude that it might be possible.

Body temperature and metabolism

torpor a state of being inactive mentally or physically advent (of) here arrival, coming into existence tedious boring (for too long) stasis a period/state of inactivity, when nothing changes metabolism

chemical process in the body that makes food become energy

hugely very much, widely hedgehog small wild animal with spikes on its back prolonged here extended, continuing for a long time mammal warm-blooded animal whose babies drink its milk primate group of mammals that includes humans, apes and monkeys

Torpor appears to have evolved to effectively fill the gaps during those periods of the year when there is no need for certain animals to be out in the world, for example when food is scarce. Technically it refers to a regulated state of reduced metabolism, meaning the chemical reactions in an organism’s body that keep it alive slow down. Heart rate, breathing and energy consumption all dramatically decrease and body temperature can also fall. When and for how long animals enter torpor can vary hugely, from many months of the year, to just a few hours a day over a period of a few months. Some animals, such as mice and hummingbirds, enter a state of torpor on a daily basis if they need to save energy. Others, such as hedgehogs and bears, go into prolonged periods of torpor, usually during the winter (this is what we call hibernation). Those species that go into torpor every year, even if the conditions outside are stable, are called obligatory hibernators. The fact that large mammals such as bears and even primates, such as the fat-tailed dwarf lemur of Madagascar, can hibernate means that theoretically humans aren’t too big or energy-hungry to enter torpor. Nor does our evolutionary origin prevent us from doing so, as hibernating animals have been found widely across all types of mammal.

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space

39


hypothermia a state in which body temperature has become dangerously low tissue here a group of cells in the body thermoregulation the ability to keep body temperature within certain boundaries replicate here copy, reproduce conclusive final, convincing obtain get, achieve sleep deprived suffering from a lack of sleep restore here repair, refresh nutrient

a substance that the body needs to live and grow

Controlled hypothermia and metabolism are already widely used in clinical practice, such as during cardiac surgery and to protect tissues from damage when blood flow is reduced, such as after a stroke. Lowering body temperature and metabolism mean cells need less oxygen, enabling their survival in conditions when oxygen cannot be delivered. This process of artificial cooling in humans appears similar to spontaneous torpor in animals in that it includes reduced breathing, heart rate and metabolism. But the key difference is that animals seems to “know” the way to safely and spontaneously enter torpor. Lowering a human’s body temperature by blocking their natural thermoregulation requires the aggressive use of drugs. One of the difficulties with replicating torpor is that we don’t really know how animals start and maintain the process. Much research has been devoted to investigating it but few conclusive answers have been obtained so far. On the one hand, it’s possible that torpor is triggered in a “bottom up” fashion, starting with changes occurring in individual cells of the body at a molecular level. But a “top down” approach that involves signals from the nervous system or hormones may also play a role.

Protecting the brain

There’s another key issue with the idea of human hibernation, and that’s what it might do to the brain. Animal hibernators regularly come out of torpor for a period of hours or days but often spend that time asleep, before returning to hibernation. Similarly, animals emerging from daily torpor also usually enter a deep sleep. This has led some scientists to suggest that, although we tend to think of hibernation as being like a long sleep, torpor actually creates a sleep-deprived state and the animals need to regularly compensate for this. We can see this in the way animals’ brainwave patterns are similar when they emerge from torpor to when they have been sleep deprived. This may be because the low metabolism and body temperature of torpor are associated with activity in those brain regions, which are typically associated with sleep regulation. But it may also be because torpor changes the brain in a way that could damage it if it wasn’t restored by the mechanisms of sleep. The brain is highly sensitive to a lack of oxygen and so needs to be protected during the time when blood and nutrients supply is reduced.

40

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space


Another way that torpor affects the brain is by reducing and reorganising the synaptic connections that are the basis of our memories. Research in animals such as bats shows that most memories are preserved even after many months in a state of almost complete neuronal depression. But some memories seem to be taken better care of than others, such as the ability to remember close kin. So if we wanted to induce human hibernation it would be vitally important to investigate further how memories are retained over a long period of torpor. While we’re still unsure whether safe prolonged human hibernation is possible, research looking at potential mechanisms may provide the novel insights needed for this to become a reality. Recent technological advances and new pharmacological and genetic tools have already shown great potential to induce or manipulate sleep. But to fully understand how we could safely induce human hibernation, we will likely need to dissect key brain circuits and identify the key molecular pathways that regulate our sleep functions.

synaptic related to the junction between nerve cells neuronal

related to a nerve cell or neuron (= a basic unit of a nerve cell)

depression here low activity

kin one’s family and relations induce cause something to happen

retain keep

novel here new and original pharmalogical related to medical treatment using drugs dissect here analyse in detail circuit here network, pathway

‘Could humans hibernate?’ by Vladyslav Vyazovskiy

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space

41


Analyse and interpret a) Interpreting the text Check your understanding of the text by marking ALL the correct alternatives. 1. It is said in the text that … a) b) c) d)

in the next twenty years scientists might make it possible for humans to hibernate. it is highly unlikely that humans would be able to hibernate. humans will never be able to hibernate. there is a possibility that humans would be able to hibernate.

2. Which statement(s) is/are correct? a) Hibernation has evolved to help certain animals to cope with different aspects of their natural environment. b) When an animal hibernates its body temperature drops considerably. c) Animals that enter a state of torpor do it every year. d) The fact that large mammals like the bear can go into hibernation is evidence that humans could do the same. 3. Artificial cooling can cause spontaneous torpor. a) True

b) False

4. Which statement(s) is/are correct? a) Scientists say it is difficult to replicate torpor even though they now know how the process works. b) Animals are able to sleep while being in a state of torpor. c) When animals hibernate they also enter a state of non-sleep. d) A state of torpor might damage the brain if it wasn’t healed by sleep. 5. Prolonged human hibernation would only slightly affect memory. a) True

b) False

b) Analysing the text Examine the text with the help of the following questions. Make sure to use examples and quotes from the text to support your answers. 1. Do you think it would be right from an ethical point of view to carry out experiments in which humans were made to enter a state of torpor? 2. What do you think is the core message of the text?

42

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space


Working with language Words from the text Read each sentence and decide which word (a, b, c or d) fits best in the gap. The first one is an example. 1. As a result of a serious accident, part of my left arm now has scar makes it hurt occasionally. a) tissue b) muscles c) injury

tissue

, which

d) replicate

2. In the 1970s, the idea of flying to the moon was still to most people. a) unknown b) novel c) conclusive d) restorative 3. It is difficult to find a) huge

evidence that humans could in fact enter a state of torpor. b) fact c) light d) conclusive

4. He was so ill that additional surgery might have another heart attack. a) induced b) prolonged c) obtained d) restored 5. During winter, some animals go into a) relaxation b) torpid

in order to reduce their need for food. c) hibernation d) sleep

6. We are going to have to this report on global warming and question any statements we do not find credible. a) dissect b) disdain c) dissolve d) detain 7. We all look forward to the of a fully-functioning hydrogen engine. a) invent b) promotion c) advent d) restoration 8. Plants absorb from the earth, so if the soil is impoverished fertilizers have to be spread on the ground. a) substances b) nutrients c) water d) calories 9. They the experiment on animals but had to stop due to protests from animal rights activists. a) carry out b) replicated c) restored d) induced 10. Exposure to low temperatures and wind is dangerous since you may develop a) metabolism b) hypothermia c) hysteria d) malnutrition

.

Live listening

VISIONS  Long Sleeping in Space

43


The passive voice (1) The passive voice, which is often used in formal texts, consists of a form of the verb be plus a past participle. Sometimes this verb phrase is also followed by the word by and the ‘agent’ of the action. (e.g. NASA in the first example sentence below). This sentence is in the passive voice: Chuck Gerba was invited (by NASA) to a Martian strategy workshop whose topics included solid-waste management. If you turn the same sentence into the active voice it would read as follows: NASA invited Chuck Gerba to a Martian strategy workshop whose topics included solidwaste management.

The following sentences are in the active voice. Rewrite them in the passive. You can leave out the agent where appropriate. Use the example in the box to help you. 1. A waste-water engineer has designed a rig to recycle urine. 2. NASA staff were training the astronauts for the expedition. 3. Next month they will launch a space shuttle from Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. Scientists say that food and water supplies are the most challenging aspect of organizing a manned mission to Mars. 5. NASA has blasted landers to Mars many times before. 6. At just after 7am on 12 April 1961 the Soviet Union was firing the first human into space. 7. People believe that a manned spacecraft will land on Mars before 2045. 8. Engineers have to solve several problems before a Mars mission can be set in motion. 9. The staff were putting together a simulation module when the journalist arrived. 10. Somebody should have warned the volunteers about the risks involved. 11. World leaders are making every effort to raise funds for a manned Mars mission. 12. During the Cold War the US was doing everything possible to land the first humans on the moon.

44

VISIONS  Digesting Mars & Long Sleeping in Space


Rephrasing In each of the following questions there is a full and correct sentence. Rephrase this sentence by using the word given in bold, together with two to five additional words of your choice. Your sentence must be grammatically and idiomatically correct. Use the example to help you. Example: Everyone knows that Michael speaks Italian fluently. Everyone knows that

Michael is good at speaking

Italian.

good

1. I want to inform you that I did not approve of your leaving the meeting without telling me beforehand. I would me beforehand.

of your leaving the meeting without telling express

2. I find it difficult to cope with impolite people. I

difficulty

impolite people.

3. Don’t bother to watch that TV series. It

worth

that TV series.

4. After drinking treated urine, I realized that it tastes fairly good. It

treated urine that I realized it tastes fairly good.

until

5. My English teacher told me that more effort was required if I was to get an A. My English teacher told me I would not get an A

effort. made

6. By investing money in real estate we can expand our business and reduce the financial risks at the same time. Investing money in real estate reduce the financial risks at the same time.

expand our business and enable

7. I haven’t visited my native country for almost ten years. It’s almost ten years

my native country.

last

Live reading

VISIONS  Digesting Mars & Long Sleeping in Space

45


Speaking Look at the following photos. They show people engaged in different activities in space. What are the people doing? What similarities and differences are there between the two pictures? Give reasons for your answers!

For useful language when comparing pictures see page 254.

Writing Topic 1 – Scientific article Write a scientific article on the issue of food and human waste on long-haul space voyages. Discuss the topic, using both Mary Roach’s text and information posted on NASA’s website. Make sure you include source references (see page 252 for more on this). Scope: Regular Target readers: Students – young adults and adults

Register: Formal Number of words: Approx. 500

For an example of a scientific article see page 248.

Topic 2 – Investigative essay (research paper that requires the use of sources) Write an investigative essay in which you discuss whether or not humankind should explore space. Discuss the topic by comparing and contrasting a small number of sources, before presenting your conclusion. It is important that you include source references in your essay and use quotations where appropriate. Scope: Advanced Target readers: Students – young adults and adults For an example of an investigative essay see page 238.

46

VISIONS  Digesting Mars & Long Sleeping in Space

Register: Formal Number of words: 600–800




VIEWPOINTS WIDER THEMES OVERVIEW Each of these ‘wider themes’ is connected to one of the main themes in the book. The specific connections are given after each theme below. 1. POSTCOLONIAL THEORY Connecting theme: Visions 2. SCIENCE FICTION Connecting theme: The Cost of Careless Living 3. GENDER THEORY Connecting theme: Life on the Edge 4. ASPECTS OF SPECULATIVE FICTION Connecting theme: Illusions 5. POSTMODERNISM Connecting theme: The Concept of Time


Wider theme 1: Postcolonial Theory Connecting theme: VISIONS The term postcolonial refers to the study of the consequences of colonialism and imperialism, and their impact on the people and countries being colonized. It also deals with social and political forces that support colonialism and the influence of these forces on people’s mindsets – both the colonizers and the colonized. Therefore, postcolonial theory deals with the identity, language and history of both colonizing countries and colonized countries. In postcolonial studies, neocolonialism is also a key term – referring to when a country uses economic dominance, globalization or its own culture to control another country. At the end of the 1970s, the Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said published the work Orientalism, in which he discussed and scrutinized the way the Western world views the Middle East. According to Said, Western cultures have, for some time, falsified and romanticized the true nature of Asian culture, and especially Middle Eastern culture. This can be seen in works of Western literature depicting Asia and the Middle East, for example in Joseph Conrad’s novels and William Butler Yeats’ poem ‘Sailing to Byzantium’. Said puts forward the idea that colonialism is not only about taking control over another country, but also about an entire mindset that affects the people of colonized countries even after they have been decolonized. Thus, the Western mindset, or way of perceiving things, is a legacy that many decolonized countries can find difficult to shake off. Postcolonial literature refers to literature produced by writers from decolonized countries. Literature of this kind often deals with the effects of decolonization, for example the consequences of gaining cultural and political independence as well as racism and colonial oppression.

Task 1. Read, watch or listen to two of the suggested works on the next page. Then write a literary analysis in which you compare and discuss features of the works that are relevant to postcolonial studies or postcolonial criticism. In your comparison/ discussion, you must include appropriate quotes from, and summaries of, the works you are analysing. Use the questions on the next page for guidance.

OR

2. Read, watch or listen to one of the suggested works on the next page. Then write a literary analysis in which you discuss features of the work that are relevant to postcolonial studies or postcolonial criticism. In your discussion, you must include appropriate quotes from, and summaries of, the work you are analysing. Use the questions on the next page for guidance.

208

WIDER THEMES Postcolonial Theory


Questions to help you: •• Who is the author? •• What culture does the author represent? •• Where does the story take place? •• Is colonization, or the effects of colonization, discussed in the work? •• Does the work contain a demonic other (= the idea of an inferior/evil “savage”)? •• Does the work contain an exotic other (= a fascination with the primitive/ undeveloped)? •• From whose perspective is the story told? •• Does racial discrimination or the concept of ethnicity appear in the story? •• Are there stereotyped characters in the story?

Suggested works Novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Play The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Films Raiders of the Lost Ark (director: Steven Spielberg) The Dictator (director: Larry Charles) Pocahontas (directors: Eric Goldberg & Mike Gabriel) Apocalypse Now (director: Francis Ford Coppola)

Poems ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley (from the Visions theme) ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ by W. B. Yeats ‘Kubla Khan’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

WIDER THEMES Postcolonial Theory

209



VIEWPOINTS GRAMMAR OVERVIEW WORD FORMATION – PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES Prefixes (p. 220); Suffixes (p. 221) COLLOCATIONS (p. 223) LINKING WORDS Coordinating conjunctions (p. 226); Subordinating conjunctions (p. 227); Adverbials (p. 228) FORMAL AND INFORMAL LANGUAGE (p. 229) THE PASSIVE VOICE (p. 231)


Word formation – prefixes and suffixes Word formation is the creation of new words by adding a prefix to the beginning of an existing word, or a suffix at the end. For example, if you add the suffix -ous to the verb infect you get the adjective infectious. You could also add the prefix dis- to the verb infect and create the word disinfect. Thus, the prefix dis- creates an antonym because disinfect has the opposite meaning to infect.

A. Prefixes

Different prefixes are used to create antonyms, to make the meaning of a base word negative or to give the base word a different meaning. The following are common prefixes: Prefixes that give a negative or opposite meaning: un- (can be used before most letters) in- (can be used before most letters) ir- (used before r-) il- (used before l-) im- (used before b-, m-, or p-) anti- (meaning ‘opposite’ or ‘against’) contra- (meaning ‘opposite’ or ‘against’) de- (meaning ‘negative’, ‘back’ or ‘remove’) dis- (meaning ‘negative’, ‘back’ or ‘remove’) mis- (meaning ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’) non- (meaning ‘no’ or ‘not’) Other common prefixes that give a different meaning: co- (meaning ‘together’ or ‘joint’) ex- (meaning ‘former’ or ‘out’) mid- (meaning ‘[in the] middle [of]’) pre- (meaning ‘before’ or ‘already’) re- (meaning ‘again’)

en- (meaning ‘put into or on’) extra- (meaning ‘outside’ or ‘beyond’) post- (meaning ‘after’) pro- (meaning ‘in favour of’ or ‘on behalf of’) self- (meaning ‘oneself’)

Exercise

Use the prefixes above to give the following words opposite, negative or different meanings. Note: Some of the prefixes can be used for several words. 1. skilled 2. war 3. read 4. alcoholic 5. relevant 6. exist 7. legal

220

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

social ordinary fabricate president obedient use effective

GRAMMAR Word formation – prefixes and suffixes

15. compose 16. distinction 17. moral 18. slave


B. Suffixes

Different suffixes are used to create different word classes such as verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Suffixes like -tion, -ion, -ity, -ment, -ness, -ship, -ance, -ence, -al, -ry, -sion, -ist, -ism, -ee, -dom and -er are used to create nouns. Suffixes such as -able, -ible, -ful, -y, -ive, -al, -like, -ous, -ent, -ative, -ic, -ant, -ian, -less, -ly, -ish, -i and -ese are used to create adjectives. Suffixes like -ize/-ise, -yze/yse, -ify, -ate and -en are used to create verbs. Suffixes such as -ly, -ally, -wise and -ward(s) are used to create adverbs.

Exercises

A. Use the noun suffixes above to create nouns from the following words. 1. consider 2. endure

3. prosper 4. capital

5. brutal 6. complex

7. disappoint 8. renew

9. drive 10. employ

B. Use the adjective suffixes above to create adjectives from the following words. 1. specify 2. lock

3. peril 4. year

7. product 8. Canada

5. child 6. use

9. Vietnam 10. wood

C. Use the verb suffixes above to create verbs from the following words. 1. broad 2. deep

3. strong 4. wide

7. industry 8. economy

5. long 6. identity

9. analysis 10. military

D. Use the adverb suffixes above to create adverbs from the following words. 1. calm 2. profession

3. excellent 4. down

5. environment 6. other

7. on 8. biology

E. In this exercise there is a word in capital letters at the end of each line (20 lines in total). Add a prefix or suffix to this word to give it the correct form/meaning in the context. 1. She was accused of obtaining money by 2. Unfortunately, our children are not always 3. When I arrived at the hotel room I 4. The troops aimed to completely 5. Average temperatures have risen we must do something about it. 6. The

DECEIVE

. . all my clothes. the enemy forces. in recent years and

of the battle was unimaginable.

OBEY PACK ANNIHILATION INSIGNIFICANT FIERCE

GRAMMAR Word formation – prefixes and suffixes

221



VIEWPOINTS MODEL TEXTS OVERVIEW

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY DISCUSSION ESSAY INVESTIGATIVE ESSAY LETTER OF APPLICATION LITERARY ANALYSIS SCHEME FOR ANALYSING LITERATURE REVIEW SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE SPEECH


Literary analysis In a literary analysis you analyse and discuss a work of literature. The driving force behind the analysis is the aim or intent, which provides the basis for your discussion. You also need to identify and include literary elements such as plot and characters in your discussion.

Model answer 1 title 2 introduction and declaration of intent

Dickinson’s Loaded Gun: A Religious Reading After studying various interpretations of Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun – ’, one can only conclude that it is indeed possible to read a single poem in several different ways. There are, however, questions which remain unanswered in all of these interpretations, and in this analysis I will attempt to argue for another reading of the poem, this time from a religious perspective. Dickinson had a Calvinist upbringing, and seems to have had a deep and complex relationship with religion (Emily Dickinson Museum 2009). Even though I agree with Charles R. Anderson (1960) that the poem is about love, it does not seem to be about physical love with a man. ‘Love’, in this poem, is rather more akin to the sort of affection a nun might feel towards God. Nuns are, after all, often referred to as ‘brides of Christ’, and, arguably, the man in this poem is God. 3 body – analysis In the first stanza, the reader is struck by a feeling of loneliness. The opening (for poems: stanza lines create an image of someone who is frightened and alone, imprisoned by by stanza) his or her own fears. The use of the past tense in this stanza suggests that the ‘I’ of the poem is talking about something that has already happened. The ‘I’ says that until the day the owner of her life passed, identified, and carried her away, her life had stood like a loaded gun. The idea of ‘him’ ‘carrying her away’ could mean at least two things: either that she died – though not alone, as she was being carried – or that she was simply ‘carried away’ by passion. Here, ‘passion’ does not necessarily mean passion for a man, but could very well be passion for religion, or God. The first two lines show what her life was like before meeting God: “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun –//In Corners – till a Day”. She must have been afraid since her life is described as a loaded gun, implying that just by living she could have died at any second. Therefore she lived her life “In Corners”: she did not live fully because of her fear. The second stanza introduces a ‘We’, suggesting that she is not alone anymore. Moreover, the images of nature contrast with that of the gun in the first stanza, and there has been a shift in mood from fear to happiness. The last two lines of this stanza tie in with the pantheistic view of nature, common during the Romantic period, which held that God was omnipresent in nature. When the ‘I’ speaks for ‘Him’, the mountains reply, as if both she and the mountains are part of God. This religious imagery continues in the third stanza, where the ‘I’ claims that if she smiles, a cordial light glows upon the valley. If ‘he’ were not God, but an ordinary man – or, as Gelpi (1979: 122–134) suggests, the animus – the fourth stanza would not make sense. It does make sense, however, if the ‘I’ is saying that she would rather guard her Master’s head 242

MODEL TEXTS Literary analysis


– the word ‘Master’ again bringing God to mind – than share her pillow with an ordinary man. Once again, the indication is that this relationship is more typical of one between a nun and God than between a wife and her husband. In the fifth stanza, the ‘I’ professes her loyalty to ‘Him’ by saying “To foe of His – I’m deadly foe – ”. This could mean that she is one of God’s messengers, and will kill anyone who does not believe in him. The final stanza is the hardest to explain, not to mention problematic for the religious reading. That notwithstanding, one interpretation could be that the ‘I’ has become immortal, like a spirit, which has deprived her of the power to end her own existence – but additionally, that she does not want to live if God no longer exists. However, the latter might occur if people were to stop believing in God before they stopped believing in spirits. 4 conclusion In conclusion, a religious reading explains some of the questions left unanswered by other interpretations, as the religious imagery and the descriptions of the man as ‘owner’ and ‘master’ of the narrator’s life support a religious view of the poem. Furthermore, the relationship described in the poem more closely resembles that of a nun with God, than a relationship between two lovers. Finally, a religious interpretation finds support in the pantheistic view of the Romantic era, where God is omnipresent in nature and the narrator is no longer alone or afraid, having found her passion. (350 words approx.) 5 Works Cited Anderson, C. (1960) Emily Dickinson’s Poetry: Stairway of Surprise. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston

Emily Dickinson Museum (2009) Emily Dickinson and The Church [online]. Available from <http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/church> [25 April 2019]

Gelpi, A. (1979) ‘Emily Dickinson and the Deerslayer’. in Shakespeare’s Sisters: Feminist Essays on Women Poets. ed. by Gilbert, S. and Gubar, S. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press, 122–134

Useful points •• When analysing any sort of literature remember that the opinions expressed as statements are yours. So there is no need to include phrases like I think or in my opinion. •• Any views expressed that are not yours must be identified with a source. See page 252 for more on this. •• When analysing poetry, you should comment on each of the stanzas to be able to give a complete picture. •• Remember to focus on aspects of the work relevant to your thesis – for example, sometimes there may be an emphasis on content, while on other occasions an analysis of structure and language might be more fitting. •• When analysing a work of prose fiction (e.g. short story), remember to comment on the following: »» Title

»» Characters

»» Theme

»» Plot

»» Point of view, narrator

»» Mood, tone, style

»» Structure (conflict, climax etc.)

»» Setting

»» Language

For more on this, see the Scheme for analysing literature on the next page.

MODEL TEXTS Literary analysis

243


Elevbok, tryckt

40-69368-6

Elevwebb, individlicens, 12 mån

40-68717-3

Lärarwebb, individlicens, 12 mån

40-68719-7

VIEWPOINTS 3

• • •

Eller för dig som vill arbeta helt digitalt:

• • •

Digitalt läromedel, elevlicens, 6 mån

40-68660-2

Digitalt läromedel, elevlicens, 12 mån 40-68661-9 Digitalt läromedel, lärarlicens, 12 mån 40-68662-6

Linda Gustafsson är lärare i engelska, svenska och italienska på Malmö latinskola. På fritiden läser hon gärna klassiker, brittiska deckare eller modern fantasy och science fiction, helst av Neil Gaiman och Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

uno wivast

Viewpoints 3 är ett läromedel för Engelska 7 på gymnasiet och komvux. Läromedlets andra upplaga består av tre komponenter som tillsammans förser eleven och läraren med allt som behövs för att klara kursen:

linda gustafsson

VIEWPOINTS 3

Uno Wivast är lärare i engelska och svenska på Katedralskolan i Lund. Uno har ett stort intresse för kultur och myter i den amerikanska filmen och läser gärna Virginia Woolf och William Faulkner.

ISBN 978-91-40-69368-6

9

789140 693686

SECOND EDITION

VIEWPOINTS 3 linda gustafsson

uno wivast


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