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Your task is to read the text, do the exercises in your copy-books and oraly tell about the main idea of the extract
READING
ACTIVITY
Now read the text
about Geoffrey Chaucer and decide if the sentences true or false.
Chaucer is the
earliest great writer of English literature. He was born in London in 1340, the son of
wine merchant. When he was 16, he became a soldier and fought in the wars
against the French. He returned to London in 1360 and became the civil servant
at the court of King Edward III. Because Chaucer could speak French and
Italian, the king made him a diplomat and sent him for many trips abroad. While
he was travelling, Chaucer read a lot of French and Italian literature. The
works of the Italian poets Dante and Boccaccio made an important influence on
him.
Chaucer’s
first works were translations of Latin and French books. But Chaucer’s greatest
work was written just before he died in 1400, in fact he never finished it. It
is “The Canterbury Tales”. In the middle ages, many people went on pilgrimages
to Canterbury to visit the tomb of Thomas a Becket in the cathedral. Chaucer’s
book tells us about a group of pilgrims who travel from London to Canterbury
and tell each other stories to pass the time during a long journey. The stories
are full of excitement romance and comedy. The pilgrims come from all levels of
society and show us many weaknesses of humanity.
“The Canterbury Tales”
show us that people who lived six hundred years ago were really no different
from people today
1. Chaucer was a soldier in French army.
2. Chaucer could understand Latin.
3. Chaucer wrote his book in 1368.
4. The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer’s best work.
5. The Canterbury tales is about Thomas a Becket.
6. The people in the Canterbury Tales are like people today.
Reading the extracts
of the Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”
In the morning,
the pilgrims got up early and travelled for some time. Then, at dinnertime,
they drew straws to see who would tell the first story. The shortest straw was
the knight’s. He began like this:
“Well,
since I must begin the game,
Then
welcome to the short straw, in God’s name!
Now
let’s ride on and listen to what I say”.
Once upon a time,
there was a duke called Theseus of Athens and his wife Hippolyta. She had a
very beautiful young sister, Emily, who lived with them in the palace. One day,
Duke Theseus went to war with Thebes and conquered the city. After the battle,
two Theban knights, Arcita and Palamon, were captured and taken to Athens.
Theseus put
Arcita and Palamon, who were cousins, into a dark, high tower in his castle. Then,
one morning in the month of May, Palamon saw a beautiful young woman in the
garden below the tower.
She was picking
flowers and singing like an angel. She was wearing bright clothes and had
lovely, long, blonde hair. The young woman was Emily.
Palamon cried out
violently. Arcita leapt up. “Cousin, why are you so pale?” “Are you ill?” “I
have been pierced to the heart”, replied Palamon. “The beauty of that lady I
see is the cause of all my pain. I don’t know if she’s a woman or goddess!” Arcita
turned to look at the girl and also fell in love instantl”.Unless I can see her
every day, I’m better dead”, he cried. Palamon turned on him angrily. From that
moment, the two cousins began arguing about their love of Emily, like two dogs
fighting over a bone. One day, a friend of Arcita came to Athens. He asked
Theseus to free Arcita. Theseus agreed, but if Arcita were found in Athens he
would lose his life. “Now I’m in a worse prison than before”, thought Arcita.
“At least my cousin Palamon can see Emily every day”. But Palamon was even more
unhappy. Now Arcita is free. He can organize an army and attack this city. Then
he can ask Emily to become his wife. I must stay here in this prison”. When
Arcita got home, he was so unhappy that he did not sleep, eat or drink.
After a few months,
the god Mercury visited him. “You look a different man now. You can go back to
Athens. Nobody will recognize you”. Arcita put on poor clothes and went to
Athens. He got a job as a servant to Emily to be close to her. Meanwhile,
Palamon spent seven years in his dark and horrible prison. Finally, a friend
helped him to escape from the tower. He came to a wood where he decided to hide
during the day. By chance, Arcita was out riding in the wood. “What can I do?”
Arcita said to himself. “I am a servant”. “What can I do to please my Emily?” Palamon
heard this and jumped out. “Arcita, you are a traitor, a liar! I am Palamon.
Give up your love of Emily or die!” The two cousins agreed to fight. Arcita
came back the next morning with two horses and armour. The combat began. The
two fought like wild boars, running against each other, mad with anger. That
morning, Duke Theseus was out hunting when he saw the two knights fighting
furiously. “Stop! No more! Why are you fighting here?” The cousins told him
their stories. Theseus decided to settle the matter between the cousins once
and for all.
“Come here in twelve
months’ time, each of you with a hundred knights”, he said. “We will have a
tournament”. When the day of the tournament came, both Arcita and Palamon
arrived with their knights. Duke Theseus made the rules of the tournament. He
prohibited any sharp or pointed swords or knives. Any man knocked down had to
be captured and not killed. When everything was ready, the Duke, Hippolyta and
Emily took their seats and the tournament began.
The battle was
furious. Arcita fought like a cruel tiger and Palamon like a bloodthirsty lion.
Finally, towards the end of the day, Palamon was captured. Arcita took off his
helmet and rode towards Emily.
But just at that moment,
his horse stumbled and Arcita fell badly. They took him back to Athens and
tried to cure him. But the pain in his chest grew worse and worse. Arcita
turned to Emily. “For love of you, Palamon and I have fought for so long. But
now I am dying, think of my cousin. If you ever think to be a wife, do not
forget the noble Palamon”. With these words he died. Some time after Arcita’s
death, Duke Theseus sent for Palamon. When he came to Athens, Theseus made the
following speech: “Our good Arcita has departed with honour from the horrible
prison of this life. But now is time to make happiness from this terrible
story. Sister”, he said to Emily, “Palamon has served you for years. He has
loved you and suffered for you for so long that you should consider marrying
him”.
Emily agreed and
with great joy she and Palamon were married. Both of them loved each other
tenderly. And between the two of them there was never an angry word. No more of
Palamon and Emily, And God save all this noble company! And like this the
knight finished his story.
I. Read and listen to the story. Order the events below.
a) Arcita was released from prison and went back to Thebes.
b) Theseus saw Palamon and Arcita fighting.
c) Palamon and Emily got married.
d) Arcita won the tournament but died soon afterwards.
e) Palamon saw Emily in the garden.
f) Palamon escaped from prison.
g) Arcita and Palamon fought in the tournament.
h) Arcita secretly returned to Athens.
i) Arcita and Palamon were captured and put in prison.
j) Both of the young men fell in love with Emily.
II. Read the story again. Find the answers to the questions.
1. How did the two knights react when they saw Emily?
2. Why did Arcita and Palamon both feel unhappy after Arcita was freed from prison?
3. Why was Arcita able to go back to Athens?
4. How did the two knights meet up again?
5. Why did Duke Theseus organise a tournament?
6. How did Arcita die? What was his last wish?
7. How did Theseus convince Emily to marry Palamon?
8. How did the story end?