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Map shows Chinese discovered AmericaDate: Jan 17, 2006Level: Easier (Try the harder lesson.) Downloads: Word Doc | PDF Doc | Listening Audio: (1:45 - 206.7 KB - 16kbps) Today's listening is read by Mr. Claude James.
THE ARTICLEMapmakers are currently discussing the authenticity of a map that might prove a Chinese sailor, admiral Zhu Di, was the first person to discover America. Gavin Menzies, a British amateur historian, wrote a book called 1421 The Year China Discovered the World. In it, he writes that Zhu Di sailed around the world in the fifteenth century and discovered new lands. His claims are now supported by the recent discovery of an ancient map in Shanghai. The map dates back to 1418, seventy years before Columbus stepped foot on American shores. Scientists are currently testing the age of the map. Mr. Menzies makes further claims about Zhu Di that turn our knowledge of history upside down. He states that the Chinese sailor sailed around the globe a century before Magellan, discovered Antarctica and reached Australia three hundred and fifty years before Captain Cook. Menzies says the admiral’s maps were never used by his country’s navy, as China had little interest in the world beyond its borders. Until now, Chinese experts have said there is little truth in Mr. Menzies’ book. However, the new map clearly shows America, Africa and Europe. It was bought for $500 in a Shanghai antiques shop. WARM-UPS1. HISTORY: In pairs / groups, tell each other about the early history of your country. Did someone discover it? Did another country invade and conquer it? How did it get its name? Change partners and share your findings. 2. WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Ask other students, “What do you know about the discovery of America and Christopher Columbus?” Return to your partner / group and share your findings. Walk around the class again, this time telling classmates about the discovery of America and Christopher Columbus: “Did you know (that)…?” (Do this for your own country). 3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.
Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently. 4. DISCOVERY OPINIONS: Talk about these opinions with your partner(s).
5. MAP: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “map”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories. 6. MAPMAKER: You are a mapmaker. With your mapmaking partners, discuss the changes you would like to make to the map of the world. Which borders would you like to create or erase? Which new countries would you like to create? Which countries would you make smaller or larger? Would you rename any countries? Change partners and share your ideas. BEFORE READING / LISTENING1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):
WHILE READING / LISTENINGGAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text. Map shows Chinese discovered America
LISTENINGListen and fill in the spaces. Map shows Chinese discovered AmericaMapmakers are currently discussing the authenticity of a map that might _______ a Chinese sailor, admiral Zhu Di, was the first person to discover America. Gavin Menzies, a British _______ historian, wrote a book called 1421 The Year China Discovered the World. In it, he writes that Zhu Di _______ around the world in the fifteenth century and _______ new lands. His claims are now supported by the recent discovery of an ancient map in Shanghai. The map _______ back to 1418, seventy years before Columbus stepped foot on American _______. Scientists are currently testing the age of the map. Mr. Menzies makes _______ claims about Zhu Di that turn our knowledge of history upside down. He states that the Chinese sailor sailed around the _______ a century before Magellan, _________ Antarctica and reached Australia three hundred and fifty years before Captain Cook. Menzies says the admiral’s maps were never used by his country’s navy, as China had little _________ in the world beyond its _________. Until now, Chinese experts have said there is little truth in Mr. Menzies’ book. However, the new map _________ shows America, Africa and Europe. It was bought for $500 in a Shanghai antiques shop. AFTER READING / LISTENING1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘ancient’ and ‘map’.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…? 4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings. 5. STUDENT “DISCOVERY” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about the notion of a Chinese sailor discovering America.
6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:
DISCUSSIONSTUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.
SPEAKINGMAPMAKERS: You are a mapmaker. It is your job to remap the world - you may need an atlas or globe to help you. In pairs / groups, agree on the most important changes that need to be made in the areas below. Write down the possible problems of your remapping. Who will be happy? Who will be angry? How will it change the region or the world?
Change partners and talk about your remapping. Advise each other on the dangers of your changes. Return to your original partners and discuss what you found out from the other “remappers”. HOMEWORK1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on this story. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things? 3. TOP REMAP: Write an essay describing the most important change you think needs to be made to the map of the world and why. Read your essay to your partner(s) in your next class. Did you all write about similar things? 4. A DAY IN THE LIFE: You are an admiral sailing the seven seas looking for new continents. Write an account of one day in your life. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Did everyone have similar days? ANSWERSTRUE / FALSE:
SYNONYM MATCH:
PHRASE MATCH:
GAP FILL: Map shows Chinese discovered AmericaMapmakers are currently discussing the authenticity of a map that might prove a Chinese sailor, admiral Zhu Di, was the first person to discover America. Gavin Menzies, a British amateur historian, wrote a book called 1421 The Year China Discovered the World. In it, he writes that Zhu Di sailed around the world in the fifteenth century and discovered new lands. His claims are now supported by the recent discovery of an ancient map in Shanghai. The map dates back to 1418, seventy years before Columbus stepped foot on American shores. Scientists are currently testing the age of the map. Mr. Menzies makes further claims about Zhu Di that turn our knowledge of history upside down. He states that the Chinese sailor sailed around the globe a century before Magellan, discovered Antarctica and reached Australia three hundred and fifty years before Captain Cook. Menzies says the admiral’s maps were never used by his country’s navy, as China had little interest in the world beyond its borders. Until now, Chinese experts have said there is little truth in Mr. Menzies’ book. However, the new map clearly shows America, Africa and Europe. It was bought for $500 in a Shanghai antiques shop.
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