Spoken English - talking about History in classroom

Task 2: Listen to talks/speeches/lectures on TV/Radio on history,
geography, arts, etc., and take notes. Try to listen
critically.

History teacher : Balu! Go to the map and show N America.
Balu : Here it is.
History teacher : Good! Now, class! Who discovered America?
Class : Balu!

B. Speaking

I. Enter a treasure trove and keep your date with history!


Charithra : I’m working on a project on Indian history – I need to refer to papers on the East India Company, especially on the battle of Plassey and on Robert Clive. Could you tell me where to find the material?
Booma : Well, my aunt is a professor in history. She often goes to the Tamilnadu Archives & Historical Research Centre.
Charithra : Could you tell me where it is?
Booma : Yes. I accompanied her once. It is a red Gothic building on Pantheon Road, Egmore.
Charithra : Thank you!


Task 1: Complete the following conversation:

At the Archives

Charithra : Sir, ……………. of Class XII. I’m working on a project on Indian history. ………………………. some material related to the battle of Plassey and on Robert Clive. …………………. help me?
Official : Please come with me. This section has all the material you want. Would you like to read the letters of Robert Clive before and after the capture of Calcutta?
Charithra : Of course, …….
Official : You will find the letters here.
Charithra : What about papers on the early East India Company? ……………………….. them?
Official : They are in this stack over here.
Charithra : Thank you, Sir.


Task 2: Practise the above conversations.


II. Enter Ajanta!


Tour Guide : TheAjanta Caves is listed on the World Heritage Monuments. The caves portray Buddhist architecture and sculpture in India.
Joy : How old are these caves?
Tour Guide : They date back to some period between 200 BC and AD 600. The caves were accidentally discovered in 1819 by a group of British Officers on a hunting expedition.
Ullasam : What do the paintings and sculptures signify?
Tour Guide : They illustrate the major events from the life of the Buddha and tales from the ‘Jatakas’.
Joy : What are these scenes?
Tour Guide : They depict the contemporary court life.
Ullasam : How many caves are there in all?
Tour Guide : Thirty.


Task 1: Practise the above conversation taking turns.


Task 2: Choose a place you’ve visited/like to visit. Gather information about it, if you haven’t been there before. Prepare a conversation between you and the tour guide.
Practise it.


III.Task : Form pairs/groups and discuss the statistical
information given below and its impact.

The population of India as at 0:00 hours on 1st March 2001 stood at 1,027,015,247 persons. (Males: 531,277,078 Females: 495,738,169)With this, India became only the second country in the world after China to cross the one billion mark. India’s population rose by 21.34 % between 1991 and 2001. The sex ratio (i.e., number of females per thousand males) of population was 933, rising from 927 as at the 1991 Census. Total literacy
rate in India was returned as 65.38%.

The data showed that the literacy rate in the State was 73.47 per cent with 82.33 per cent males and 64.55 per cent females being literate. Tamil Nadu continues to maintain the 3rd position behind Kerala and Maharashtra in the overall literacy rate.

As per the 2001 Census: Chennai Population
Total 42.16 lakh
Density of population: 24,231 persons per square kilometre
Male-Female break-up: 21,61,605 male and 20,54,663 female
Sex Ratio: 951 females to 1,000 males
Literacy: 80.14 % (Male: 84.71 % Female: 75.32 %)

Rodent Population!!

Another Hamelin? Whither Pied the Piper?

MEXICO CITY, OCT. 29. There are some 2,50,000 rats in Atascaderos, a farm village. The authorities wanted to send in up to 700 cats for a frontal attack. But only 50 cats were gathered and some died soon. Attempts to poison had little success. The Mayor offered the equivalent of Rs.18/- for each rodent killed. But the plan had to be withdrawn after concerns were raised that children could be bitten by the rats when trying to kill them so that they could collect the rewards.