Part 1
Mary Beard believes that the use of (1)__________ and challenging literature excerpts does not catch people's attention.
If a place name ends with -chester or -caster, it means that it once had a Roman (2)__________ or military (3)__________ there.
People may lose interest when taught about (4)_________ literary writers, whom people consider (5)_______.
In 63 BC there was a terrorist (6)_________ in Rome to (7)___________ the political leaders, to (8)_________ the city and to (9)_________.
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a great (10)___________ and (11)__________ of Roman culture.
No sooner had Cicero discovered the secret plan than he laid it (12)____________ the Senate.
The leading (13)______________ are soon after executed without (14)____________, which is called (15)_______________.
Mary Beard compares this situation with present-day (16)_______________ to terrorism.
Mary Beard wonders where the (17)_____________ lies between national security and an individual's freedom.
Part 2: T/F p 50
Part 3
Mary Beard complains that programme makers can be somewhat (18)____________ about accuracy.
Mary Beard's friend, who worked as an (19)____________ for a Roman film, was often called by the (20)__________.
He thought that the film-makers were getting the whole of Roman history (21)__________ wrong.
Mary Beard loved Gladiator despite its (22)____________ plot.
One thing that history has got (23)_______________ is that the best stories are the true stories.
According to Mary Beard, non-fiction is a better (24)__________ than fiction.
It's not always necessary to be (25)___________ serious about history.
If they show that history can be (26)___________, funny, surprising, and enjoyable, it will be all (27)_____________.
KEY
1. arcane
arcane: /ɑːˈkeɪn/ secret and mysterious and therefore difficult to understand.
E.g.
the arcane language of the law
the arcane rules of cricket
2. fort
fort: a building or buildings built in order to defend an area against attack.
E.g.
the remains of a Roman fort
3. camp
4. remote
5. boring
6. plot
plot: a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal.
E.g.
plot to do something a plot to bomb the UN headquarters.
7. assassinate
8. torch
torch: to deliberately make a building, vehicle etc start to burn. Set fire to sth.
Rioters torched several abandoned cars.
9. take over
take over: to take control of something.
E.g.
His only reason for investing in the company was to take it over.
10. orator
orator /ˈɒrətə(r)/
a person who makes formal speeches in public or is good at public speaking
E.g.
a fine political orator
11. wit
wit: a person who has the ability to say or write things that are both clever and humorous. Sp. persona ingeniosa.
E.g.
a well-known wit and raconteur
12. before
lay something before someone: To present some topic, issue, case, etc., to someone or some group.
E.g.
The local government secretary laid the bill before parliament last week.
13. conspirators
14. trial
15. summary execution
summary execution: an execution in which a person is accused of a crime and immediately killed without the benefit of a free and fair trial.
16. responses
17. boudary
18. nerdish
nerdish: (also nerdy) boring and unfashionable.
19. advisor
20. crew
crew: /kruː/ a group of people with special skills working together.
E.g.
a film/camera/TV crew
21. utterly
22. schmaltzy
schmaltzy: /ˈʃmɔːltsi/ too sentimental.
E.g. a schmaltzy love song.
23. going for it
have (got) going for it: has to its advantage. If something has something going for it, there are certain advantages that will make the end result successful.
E.g. What does Rochester have going for it? Festivals and entertainment.
24. yarn
yarn /jɑːn/
1. thread that has been spun, used for knitting, making cloth, etc.
E.g.
The sweaters are hand-knitted in cotton, linen or wool yarns.
There's a knot in the yarn.
A skein /skeɪn/ of yarn
A ball of yarn
2. a long story, especially one that is exaggerated or invented.
He used to spin yarns (= tell stories) about his time in the army.
25. deadly
deadly: extremely
E.g.
deadly serious/dull
26. larky
larky: full of or creating enjoyment and entertainment: The movie has its larky moments, but the dominant mood is melancholy, even dark. As larky and carefree as Poppy is, she's certainly no airhead.
27. to the good
be (all) to the good: used to say that something that happens is good, especially when it is in addition to or as the result of something else. Sp. para el bien.
E.g.
If further improvements can be made, that would be all to the good.
