1、Unit 2 Extended reading Natural disasters Knowledge extension Darkness fell, not the dark of a moonless or cloudy night, but as if the lamp had been put out in a closed room. Pliny the Younger, who witnessed the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from across the Bay of Naples Share your knowledge of the Roman
2、 Empire, Pompeii, and Mount Vesuvius with us. Roman Empire was established in 27 BCE following the ending of the Roman Republic and continuing to the final demise of the Empire of the West in the 5th century CE. The influence of the Roman Empire was profound in shaping all aspects of society for cen
3、turies. Its trade with Asia via the Silk Road established cross-cultural exchanges that continue to today. The Roman Empire Pompeii, an ancient Roman city in southwestern Italy, on the Bay of Naples, was buried beneath volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year 79. It disappeared as if the
4、 city had never existed until its rediscovery in 1748. Pompeii When a volcano is erupting, red-hot liquid rock called lava spews from the top; ash and poison gases are released. Mount Vesuvius is an active volcano that rises above the Bay of Naples on the plain of Campania in southern Italy. The eru
5、ption of Vesuvius in the year 79 was destructive, burying the city of Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius There are a variety of ways to classify volcanoes. One of the simplest ways to classify volcanoes is by their recent eruptive history and potential for future eruptions. Active volcanoes: volcanoes that hav
6、e erupted in recent history or are showing signs of activity Dormant volcanoes: volcanoes that are currently quiet but could erupt Extinct volcanoes: volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago but are not expected to erupt again Classification of volcanoes Understanding the plot General introduct
7、ion to the writer and his novel Para. 1: Description of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius Para. 2: Signs before the volcanic eruption Para. 3: Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Para. 4: Reactions and feelings of people Para. 5: Rediscovery of the city Task 1 Before the volcanic eruption During the volcanic erupti
8、on After the volcanic eruption The setting of the disaster Conclude the main idea of each paragraph. The forum: a large outdoor public place used for business and discussion Task 2 Pleasure boats: used for recreational purposes People: working as metalsmiths, gem-cutters, sandal-makers, boot-makers,
9、 barbers, dentists, weavers, and bakers What does the typical Roman city look like? Sketch a picture of Pompeii according to the description in para. 1. Add labels or captions to explain your picture. Para. 1: Its ashy rocks, now dark, now light, told a story of past eruptions that might have warned
10、 the city what was to come! Para. 2: The crowd looked upwards, and saw, with unspeakable fear, a huge cloud shooting from the top of the volcano. Para. 3: At that moment, they felt the earth shaking beneath their feet; beyond in the distance, they heard the crash of falling roofs. Task 3 Ashy rocks
11、A tree-like cloud An earthquake In a sense, this tragedy could have been avoided. Read paras. 13 and find the sentences which show the signs before and during the volcanic eruption. Task 4 A plot mountain Beginning Climax Resolution Volcano People Keep track of the two plots at the same time. The cr
12、owd saw a tree-like cloud. (with unspeakable fear) Women cried. Men were silent. (puzzled, shocked) Before the eruption Para. 2 During the eruption Paras. 34 After the eruption Para. 5 Each turned to fly. Life ended. (hopeless, fearful, desperate) We are reminded of the beautiful city. (amazed) A hu
13、ge cloud shot from the top of the volcano. (unusual form and colour) The earth shook. Roofs fell. Cloud rolled. Ashes and stones showered. The earthquake came. Pompeii was unearthed. (walls, floors, columns) Volcano People _ _ _ _ Task 5 Based on the plot mountain, write a summary of the excerpt fro
14、m the novel. Appreciating the language How does the author create a sense of fear and confusion during the volcanic eruption? Task 6 Para. 3 The cries of women broke out; the men look at each other, but were silent. At that moment, they felt the earth shaking beneath their feet; beyond in the distan
15、ce, they heard the crash of falling roofs. A moment later, the mountain-cloud seemed to roll towards them, dark and rapid, like a river; at the same time, it threw out a shower of ashes and huge pieces of burning stone! Over the empty streetsover the forumfar and widewith many a noisy crash in the s
16、tormy seafell that awful shower! Sensory details help readers feel like they were there with the victims on the scene. Similes help readers visualize what is happening. Periodic sentences are deliberately structured to place the main point at the end. They are used to emphasize, to shock or to creat
17、e suspense. Expressing your views Para. 5 Long after fire and ash came for the people of Pompeii, the remains of their beautiful city survive to remind us that human lives burn bright and short. Task 7 Focus on the following sentence in para. 5. How do you understand the loss of Pompeii? The volcani
18、c eruption drew the final curtain on an era in Pompeii, but the disaster also preserved a slice of Roman life. The buildings, art and bodies, forever frozen, offer a unique window to the ancient world. The challenge today is how to preserve what has been uncovered. The real life in ancient Pompeii P
19、eoples lifestyle Peoples safety awareness Pompeiis economy People led a colourful and peaceful life while wealthy people enjoyed a luxurious life. Task 8 Based on what you have read in the novel, infer what real life was like in ancient Pompeii. Even if there were many warning signs before the erupt
20、ion, people didnt care about them, as they didnt have a strong sense of self-protection awareness. The city had a thriving economy, with large volume of imports and exports and busy fishing industry. Task 9 People in Pompeii were not aware of the signs before the volcano erupted, and the city was de
21、stroyed. Do you think that we will be better able to protect ourselves from natural disasters in the future? Why or why not? Nature is to be respected, not to be conquered. History is to be remembered, not to be buried. Significance of this historical novel Homework 1. Design a poster for the novel The Last Days of Pompeii. Your poster should include the following aspects: a brief summary of the plot, some book reviews and several pictures. 2. What Was Pompeii?, written by Jim OConnor, contains 16 pages of photos inside. Read this illustrated book and find out more information about Pompeii.
