Shakespeare (the History of English)

Warm-up:

1. Who was William Shakespeare?

2. What country was he from?

3. What is he famous for?

Watch the video and do additional video exercises HERE

Watch the video HERE and fill in the missing words:

1. ____________ words and phrases were invented by William Shakespeare.

2. He gave us handy words like “_________”,“_________” and “anchovy”.

3. He came up with a word “_________” soon after he ran out of words to rhyme with crocodile. (What words can be rhymed with “crocodile”?)

5. The nation of ___________ finally took him to their hearts when he invented the word “hobnob”.

6. Of course it’s possible other people used these words first but dictionary writers like looking them up in Shakespeare because there were more ‘___________’ and people ‘poking’ each others’ eyes out.

8. Shakespeare’s poetry showed the world that English was a rich, vibrant language, with ________ expressive and emotional power.

9. And he still had time to open all those _______ in Stratford.

Match Shakespeare's catchphrases with their definition:

1. As dead as a doornail
2. A plague on both your houses
3. Eaten out of house and home
4. Fair play
5. Lay it on with a trowel
6. Brevity is the soul of wit
7. Break the ice
8. Get your money’s worth
9. Good riddance
10. Green eyed monster
11. Foul play
12. Love is blind
13. Hoist by your own petard

• It means you are happy that someone or something is gone. Скатерьтю дорога.
• It means that the shorter your speech is the better. Краткость сетра таланта.
• A feeling of jealousy. Жадность.
• When somebody eats all your food. Сожрать все под чистую.
• Dead. Мертвее мертвого.
• When you are unhappy with both sides of the argument. Чума на оба ваши дома.
• When you cannot see anything bad in the person you love. Любовь слепа.
• Unfair play in a game or sport. OR Unlawful or dishonest behavior. Нечестная игра.
• To exaggerate, especially in order to flatter somebody (informal). Утрировать, бессовестно льстить кому-то.
• British slang for correct or okay. OR It means someone or something is honest and good. Честная игра.
• To spend money well. Стоит потраченных денег.
• To stop being shy and start talking to people for the first time. Сделать первый шаг
• When you wanted to do something bad to another person but instead it happened to you because of your actions. Не рой яму другому, сам в нее попадешь.

Read about Shakespeare HERE and do the activities below:

Read Why is Shakespeare famous? and answer True or False:

• William Shakespeare is one of the world's greatest writers. He wrote novels and plays but he wasn’t interested in poetry.
• Shakespeare was born in London, in England.
• He became famous for writing plays.
• Most people now say he was the best writer of all time.
• Shakespeare lived more than 300 years ago. Yet people still go to see his plays.
• William Shakespeare was born in 1564. He grew up in Tudor England in the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
• He lived in boring times.
• Shakespeare died in 1616.

Read The young Shakespeare and fill in the gaps:

1. Many people think his birthday was 23 April - __________.
2. William's short name was  __________.
3. Shakespeare's father job was making __________.
4. At school Shakespeare had lessons in __________, __________, and __________.
5. If boys were naughty, the teacher __________ them.
6. In 1582, Shakespeare got married. His wife, Anne Hathaway, was a ________ daughter.
7. Anne Hathaway was ___ years older than William.

Read Shakespeare in London and choose the best answer:

1. Which stories tell us why Shakespeare left Stratford-upon-Avon:

• He had to run away from home, after poaching deer.
• He fell in love with a girl from London.
• He went off to be a soldier.
• He was a tutor in a rich family's home.

2. Why London?

• London was where poor people became rich
• London was the biggest city in England.
• London had markets, shops, taverns (inns), churches and palaces.
• London had theaters.

3. Why did Shakespeare stop writing plays for some time?

• Shakespeare became an actor and stopped writing.
• The theaters shut because of the plague.
• He liked writing poems more than plays.
• He was very sick.

Read Plays in Shakespeare's time and answer the questions:

• What was the name of the theater that Shakespeare started with his friends? What does this word mean?
• What were theaters like?
• What is so special about the modern Globe Theater in London?
• What was unusual about the actors in Shakespeare's day?
• What role in what play did Shakespeare play himself?
• What special effects did they have, why were some of them dangerous?
• What kind of plays did Shakespeare write? What kind of play is Julius Caesar? Romeo and Juliet? A Midsummer Night Dream?

Read More about Shakespeare and match the time with what happened:

• 1598
• 1603
• 1613
• 1616

1. The Globe Theater burned down.
2. Shakespeare fell ill and died.
3. Queen Elizabeth died. The new king was James I, from Scotland. James liked the theatre.
4. By this year Shakespeare got rich and famous.

Play the game William Shakespeare Take part in the To Be or Not To Be? game show. - You can turn on the subtitles - press letter S in the right upper corner.

Answer the questions:

1. What did you have to do in the first challenge Ruff Guess? What characters did you see in the 1st challenge?

2. What facts did you learn about in the first challenge?

3. What did you have to do in the second challenge Box Office Bonanza? What objects did you see in this challenge?

4. What facts did you learn about in the second challenge?

5. What did you have to do in the third challenge Shaky Sayings? Can you remember some of the sayings?

6. What facts did you learn about in the third challenge?

7. Do you remember what you answered to some of the questions in the Bedazzling Quiz Showdown?

Do the quiz about Shakespeare Here. See the bottom of the page.

Are you an expert on Shakespeare now? Answer the questions and see:

1. At school as a punishment, children were given...

• fines
• beatings
• days off

2. Before Shakespeare was a writer, he was an...

• actor
• artist
• acrobat

3. Which of these is a play by Shakespeare?

• Oliver Twist
• Hamlet
• Crime and Punishment

4. What was the name of Shakespeare's theater?

• the Rose
• the Curtain
• the Globe

5. Who played roles of young women like Juliet in Shakespeare's time?

• A boy
• A girl
• An old woman

6. What did Shakespeare's father make?

• Pens
• Gloves
• Shoes

7. Where was Shakespeare born?

• Stratford-upon-Avon
• London
• Birmingham

8. Complete Shakespeare's phrase: A _____ on both your houses

• death
• plague
• fire

9. Shakespeare was only ____ when he got married:

• 16
• 14
• 18

Learn the words HERE.

QUIZ YOUR TEACHER ask him/her these questions about Russian famous writers (but be sure you know the answers yourself:)

1. Name a famous Russian writer who wrote ‘Crime and Punishment’. What is it about?

2. Name a famous Russian writer who wrote ‘War and Peace’. What is it about?

3. Name a famous Russian poet who wrote ‘Eugene Onegin’. What is it about?

4. Name these people: