EF C1.1 p 50. Mary Beard. Listening

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.