Angļu valoda DU TSC
Nākamais: A DUMB WIFE Augstāk: ang1 Iepriekšējais: THE SICK MAN

Read the story and get a general idea.

A LACONIC ANSWER

The Lacons lived in a part of Southern Greece called Laconia, and were known for their bravery and the simplicity of their life. One of their rules was always to speak briefly, using no more words than were needed. This was carried so far that to this day a very short answer is often called laconic, that is, such an answer as a Lacon might have given.

There was in Northern Greece a land called Macedonia, which was once ruled by a king named Philip.

Philip wanted to become master of all Greece. He therefore collected a great army and conquered all Greece, until only Laconia remained unconquered. Then he sent a letter to the brave Lacons saying: "If I invade your country, I will destroy your great city."

In a few days an answer was brought back to him. He found only one word written in it - that word was "If".

EXERCISES

I Learn and practise the pronunciation of the following vocabulary.

1. the Lacons - Lakonijas iedzīvotāji - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ęčņåėč Ėąźīķčč}}$

2. Southern Greece - Dienvidgrieķija - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{Žęķą˙ Ćšåöč˙}}$

3. bravery - drosme - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{õšąįšīńņü}}$

4. simplicity - vienkāršība - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ļšīńņīņą}}$

5. a rule - likums - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ļšąāčėī}}$

6. briefly - īsumā - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{źšąņźī}}$

7. to need - būt nepieciešamam - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ķóęäąņüń˙}}$

8. this was carried so far - tas tika novests līdz tādai galējībai -
$\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{żņī äīāīäčėīńü äī ņąźīé źšąéķīńņč}}$

9. that is - tas ir - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ņī åńņü}}$

10. Northern Greece - Ziemeļgrieķija - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{Ńåāåšķą˙ Ćšåöč˙}}$

11. Macedonia $\text{['m{\ae}si'douni{\textschwa}]}$ - Maķedonija - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{Ģąźåäīķč˙}}$

12. to rule - valdīt - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{óļšąāė˙ņü (ļšąāčņü)}}$

13. master - saimnieks - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{õīē˙čķ}}$

14. to conquer - iekarot - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{ēąāīåāąņü}}$

15. to remain - palikt - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{īńņąāąņüń˙}}$

16. to invade - iebrukt - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{āņīšćąņüń˙}}$

17. to destroy - sagraut (iznīcināt) - $\text{\selectlanguage{russian}\inputencoding{cp1251}{šąēšóųąņü}}$

II Answer the questions.

1. Where was Laconia?

2. Who lived in Laconia?

3. What was one of their rules of life?

4. What do we call a very brief answer?

5. Why do we call a very brief answer a laconic answer?

6. What land was there in Northern Greece?

7. Who was the king of Macedonia?

8. What did Philip want to become?

9. What did Philip do to become master of all Greece?

10. Could he conquer all Greece?

11. Whom did he send a letter?

12. What letter did he send to the Lacons?

13. Did he get an answer?

14. What answer did he get?

III Read and reproduce the dialogues.

1.

N. Hi.

I. Hi.

N. Reading a story I came across a word "laconic", I wonder what it is.

I. Oh, once there was a country in Greece called Laconia.

N. Really?! Where, in what part of Greece was it?

I. In Southern Greece.

N. What was it famous for?

I. People were very brave and simple there.

N. But why do we call very brief and exact answers - laconic answers?

I. The Lacons spoke very briefly, never used more words than were needed.

N. Now I see, thank you.

2.

A. Hi.

B. Hi.

A. It was very interesting to learn how brief the Lacons were in their speech.

B. Yes, and it was carried so far that to this day a very short answer is often called laconic.

A. Do you know a classical example of the shortest sentence the Lacons said?

B. I do, it is connected with Philip, the king of Macedonia.

A. Sure, he wanted to become master of all Greece.

B. But the Lacons were very brave people and Philip couldn't conquer them at once.

A. And he sent the Lacons a letter where he promised to destroy their capital if he invaded their country.

B. And the Lacons were wonderful, they sent him the answer, having written only one word "if".

A. How clever they were!

IY Make up and act out dialogues, using the following vocabulary.

1. To come across a word, "laconic", I wonder, once, Greece, Laconia, to be famous for, brave and simple people, a very brief and exact answer.

2. To be brief in speech, it was carried so far, a laconic answer, the shortest sentence, sure, to become master, brave people, to conquer, at once, to promise, to destroy, clever.

Y Prove it by the facts from the story.

1. Laconia was a part of Greece.

2. The Lacons were brave people

3. One of the rules of the Lacons was to speak briefly.

4. Philip was a cruel king.

5. Philip was a great conqueror.

6. The Lacons sent king Philip a laconic answer.

YI Retell the story according to the given plan.

1. The Lacons lived in Southern Greece and were brave and simple people.

2. One of their rules was to speak briefly.

3. Nowadays we call brief and exact answers - laconic answers.

4. King Philip planned to become master of all Greece.

5. King Philip sent a letter to the Lacons.

6. The Lacons' answer was very brief.

YII Topics for discussion.

1. Do you like brief exact speech?

2. Do you try to give laconic answers when you are called on at lessons?

3. Think of some questions and laconic answers to work in twos.

4. What answer would you give to Philip's letter?

5. How do you find the Lacons? Why?

Angļu valoda DU TSC
Nākamais: A DUMB WIFE Augstāk: ang1 Iepriekšējais: THE SICK MAN