reading – the multicultural...

Carlota Martins| Célia Lopes | Noémia Rodrigues 1

1. You are going to read an excerpt of the book Daisy Miller.

Before you read it, look at the information below to learn about the author and the story of the book.

THE AUTHOR

Henry James (15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916) was an American-born British writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th century literary realism. He is known for portraying the encounter of Americans with Europe and Europeans. His method of writing from the point of view of a character allows him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception, and his style in later works has been

compared to impressionist painting. He contributed significantly to literary criticism, particularly in his insistence that writers be allowed

the greatest possible freedom in presenting their view of the world.

DAISY MILLER

At a hotel in the resort town of Vevey, Switzerland, a young American named Winterbourne meets a rich, pretty American girl named Daisy Miller, who is travelling around Europe with her mother and her younger brother, Randolph. Winterbourne, who has lived in Geneva most of his life, is both charmed and mystified by Daisy, who is less proper than the European girls he has encountered. She seems wonderfully spontaneous, if a little crass and “uncultivated”. Despite the fact that Mrs. Costello, his aunt, strongly disapproves of the Millers and flatly refuses to be introduced to Daisy, Winterbourne spends time with Daisy at Vevey.

http://www.sparknotes.com (abridged) accessed in November 2013

Name _______________________________________________ No. _______ Class _________ Date _________________

Reading – The multicultural world


2. Read the following excerpt of the book Daisy Miller to find out: a. where and when the action takes place;

b. who the characters in this passage are;

c. what we learn about each character.

An American Girl

5

10

15

20

25

At the little town of Vevey, in Switzerland, there is a particularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels. In this region, in the month of June, American travelers are extremely numerous; it may be said, indeed, that Vevey assumes at this period some of the characteristics of an American watering place.

It was a beautiful summer morning, and in whatever fashion the young American looked at things, they must have seemed to him charming. He had come from Geneva the day before by the little steamer, to see his aunt, who was staying at the hotel – Geneva having been for a long time his place of residence.

He had now finished his breakfast; but he was drinking a small cup of coffee, which had been served to him on a little table in the garden by one of the waiters who looked like an attaché. A young lady inspected her flounces and smoothed her ribbons again. She told him she was from New York State.

Later, he asked (his aunt) if she had observed in the hotel an American family – a mamma, a daughter, and a little boy.

"And a courier?" said Mrs. Costello. "Oh yes, I have observed them. Seen them – heard them – and kept out of their way." Mrs. Costello was a widow with a fortune. She admitted that she was very exclusive; but, if he were acquainted with New York, he would see that one had to be. And her picture of the minutely hierarchical constitution of the society of that city, which she presented to him in many different lights, was, to Winterbourne's imagination, almost oppressively striking.

He immediately perceived, from her tone, that Miss Daisy Miller's place in the social scale was low. "I am afraid you don't approve of them," he said.

"They are very common," Mrs. Costello declared. "They are the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not – not accepting."

Daisy Miller, Henry James, 1878. Penguin Books (abridged and adapted)


3. Find synonyms in the text for the following words. a. delightful (paragraph 2) ________________________________________

b. examined (paragraph 3) ________________________________________

c. wealth (paragraph 5) ___________________________________________

d. familiar (paragraph 5) __________________________________________

e. carefully (paragraph 5) _________________________________________

4. Find out who or what these words refer to. a. they (l. 10) _____________________________________________________

b. his (l. 11) _______________________________________________________

c. who (l. 14) ______________________________________________________

d. she (l. 17) ______________________________________________________

e. their (l. 20) _____________________________________________________

5. Answer the questions using your own words. 5.1 How does the scenery account for Daisy Miller’s beauty?

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5.2 Do Mrs Costello and Winterbourne share the same feelings about the American family? How do you know?

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5.3 Which sentences illustrate Mrs Costello’s feeling about the American family?

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5.4 How do you think Mrs Costello would behave towards Daisy Miller if they met face-to-face?

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5.5 Do you think Winterbourne behaves differently towards Daisy Miller?

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1. Do you choose your friends according to their social status? Explain. 2. Have you heard of anyone who has been discriminated against because of their social

background? 3. What would you do if you were the young American? Would you keep to your aunt’s

opinion? .


1. Listen to the song to find out:

a. one of the most common prejudices in society today.

b. the message it is trying to convey.

2. Complete the lyrics with the missing words while listening.

Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that I was gay Cause I could draw, my uncle was And I kept my room a. ____________ I told my mom, tears rushing down my face She's like, "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-K" Trippin', yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she? A bunch of b. ____________all in my head I remember doing the math like "Yeah, I'm good in little league" A c. ____________idea of what it all meant For those that like the same sex had the characteristics The right-wing conservatives think it's a d. __________ And you can be cured with some treatment and religion Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition Playing God Ahh nah, here we go America the brave Still fears what we don't e. ____________ And God loves all His children And somehow forgotten But we paraphrase a book written 3,500 hundred years ago I don't know [Chorus] And I can't f. ____________ Even if I tried Even if I wanted to And I can't g. ____________ Even if I tried Even if I wanted to My love, my love, my love She keeps me warm (4x)

If I was gay I would think h. ____________hates me Have you read the i. ____________comments lately "Man that's gay" Gets dropped on the daily We've become so numb to what we're sayin' Our culture founded from j. ____________ Yeah, we don't have acceptance for 'em Call each other faggots Behind the keys of a message k. ____________ A word rooted in hate Yet our genre still ignores it Gay is anonymous with the lesser It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion Gender to l. ____________ The complexion of your pigment The same fight that lead people to walk-outs and sit-ins It’s human m. ____________for everybody There is no difference Live on! And be yourself! When I was at church They taught me something else If you preach hate at the service Those words aren't anointed And that Holy Water that you soak in Has been poisoned when everyone else Is more comfortable remaining voiceless Rather than fighting for humans That have had their rights stolen I might not be the n. ____________ But that's not important No o. ____________'til we're equal Damn right I support it

[Chorus]

www.metrolyrics.com (abridged and adapted), accessed in November 2013


Listening – The multicultural world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mINGKrtG3iw


Imagine that you have witnessed someone being picked on in a public place (on grounds of their race, age, looks, gender, etc.). Write a RECOUNT telling us about how everything happened, referring to your feelings and reactions along the story.

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Title

Orientation: – Set the context and the participants in the story, presenting and describing people, activities, place and time.

Sequence of events: – Tell the events as they happened following a time-structure sequence.

– Use a new paragraph for each main stage of the story.

– Use sequence connectors (after, then, afterwards, suddenly, all of a sudden, finally…)

– Use adjectives to describe feelings and reactions, and adverbs to better qualify the actions.


Writing – The multicultural world


READING

2. a. In Vevey, Switzerland, in a summer morning.

b. Winterboune, Mr Costello and Miss Daisy Miller.

c. Winterbourne is a young man who had lived in Geneva; Mrs Costello, Winterbourne’s aunt, is a rich widow; Miss Daisy Miller is a young American woman travelling with her family.

3. a. charming (l. 10) b. inspected (l. 15) c. fortune (l. 20) d. acquainted (l. 21) e. minutely (l. 22)

4. a. things; b. Winterbourne; c. the waiter; d. Mrs Costello; e. the American family.

5. 5.1 It’s a beautiful morning and things looked charming to the

young American. This prepares Daisy Miller’s arrival.

5.2 No. Mrs Costello wants to stay away from the family because she believes they are lower class and she doesn’t want to get acquainted with them; Winterbourne seems curious and fascinated by the young American girl.

5.3 “(…) Seen them – heard them – and kept out of their way."; “They are very common,"; "They are the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not – not accepting.".

5.4 She would look down on her, despise her, maybe walk away when she arrived and wouldn’t even say a word to her.

5.5 Yes, he does. He has already talked to her and he is curious about her.

LISTENING

1. a. The prejudice against people with a different sexual

orientation.

b. It is trying to convey the message that we shouldn’t want to change people, but accept the differences between them.

2. a. straight b. stereotypes c. pre-conceived d. decision e. know f. change g. change h hip-hop i. Youtube j. oppression k. board l. skin colour m. rights n. same o. freedom

Link Up to you

1-3. Personal answers

Answer Key

reading – the multicultural...

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