Programa de Lenguas - PROSAP Advanced
Activities from “Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury a) Reader´s Quiz Some of these statements are true, some are false. Can you tell which are true, and why the others are not? 1. Mr. Bittering´s first reaction when he landed on Mars was good; he knew he would like this new life. 2. After the Bitterings had arrived on Mars, atomic bombs blew up all the space ships on Earth. 3. One of the first signs of change that Harry Bittering noticed was the difference in the flowers on the peach tree. 4. Harry actually sank down into the canal and stayed underwater like a fish. 5. The Earth people left their town and went up into the hills, but they never forgot their origins and who they were. b) Comprehension Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Why did Harry Bittering want to go back to Earth? Why did his wife want to stay? What were some of the changes he noticed in the people and things from Earth? How did he react, how did he feel about these changes? How did others feel about the changes?
c) About the story Ray Bradbury writes poetically: the rockets had spun a silver web across space (like spiders spinning their delicate webs) What are some of the other poetic expressions (similes and metaphors) that make his story vivid and haunting? (a) Give three other examples of similes used in the story. (b) Give three other examples of metaphors used in the story. A simile is a figure of speech in which something from one field of experience is said to be similar to something in another field. It is used to help us imagine more clearly something being described by comparing it with something else. A simile begins with “like” or “as”. For example: as marrow comes from a white bone like children’s delicate bones A metaphor is a figure of speech in which an expression from one field of experience is used to say something in another field. A metaphor goes one step further than a simile and makes the comparison a direct one, omitting the words “like” or “as”. It helps us to imagine something being described by saying it is something else. For example:
Programa de Lenguas - PROSAP Advanced the blowing lakes of grass Theme: A theme is the subject on which one thinks, writes or speaks. In literature, a theme is often a message that the writer wishes to convey. Which is/are the theme/s the author is wishing to convey? d) Language focus Match the words to the definitions.
1. Amiss 2. Bewildered 3. Bulging 4. To cease 5. Convivial 6. Dismay 7. To dwindle 8. To flutter 9. Forlorn 10. Flimsy 11. Girder 12. To hesitate 13. To holler 14. Immense 15. insane 16. marrow 17. molten 18. to idle 19. plateau 20. to recede 21. reluctant 22. sapling 23. to sob 24. to sow (sown) 25. subtly-subtle 26. to tremble 27. villa 28. stranded
_____ a main supporting beam _____ a type of Italian building _____ a very young tree _____ an area of fairly flat elevated land _____ confused disoriented _____cry. Weep _____ discreetly, not obvious _____ essence, essential part, substance of cord _____ extremely mentally ill _____ gloomy or sad _____ liking good company, sociable _____ liquid, often very hot _____ wrong not right, flawed, faulty _____ to pause before you do or say something _____ quivered, shook _____ retracted, moved back _____ stop _____ swelling outwards _____ to become less, withered, reduced _____ to flat wings rapidly _____ to plant seeds _____ unwilling, opposed _____ vast, huge _____ worry, fear, dread (to look with .../to be in…) _____ yell _____ not solid or strong _____ to run slowly, not to move or do any work _____ unable to leave because of a problem
Add more verbs from the story under each category Sounds hiss
Movements Crying flutter sob
Water pour
Walking stumble
Talking whisper
Programa de Lenguas - PROSAP Advanced Confusing verbs: to lie vs. to lay INTRANSITIVE A: Lie (lying) lay , lain 1. To be in or move in a horizontal position on a surface. To lie in bed, to lie on a beach, to lie on your side A cat lay in front of the fire. He lies awake at night worrying 2. If something lies in a particular place, position or direction, it is in tat place, position or direction. There´s an old pair of shoes lying at/in the bottom of the wardrobe. The river lies 30 km to the south. Here lies the body of Mary Taylor ( This is where Mary Tylor is buried) 3. To exist The hardest part of the competition still lies ahead of us. 4. If responsibility, blame, a decision, a choice, etc. Lies with someone, they have responsibility, must take the decision, etc. Responsibility for the disaster must ultimately lie with the government. Where does the blame lie? B. Lie (lying) lied, lied Speak falsely, to say or write something which is not true in order to deceive someone. Are you lying to me? Don´t trust her she is lying. I suspect he lies about his age. TRANSITIVE C. Lay laid, laid (of an animal or bird) to produce eggs from out of the body. Thousands of turtles drag themselves onto the beach and lay their eggs in the sand
D. lay To put down, to put something in a flat or horizontal position, usually carefully or for a particular purpose. She laid the baby on the bed. He laid the tray down on the table. She laid aside her book and went to answer the phone. Complete these sentences using the correct form of the verb. Then, check against the story. 1. They saw the old cities, lost in meadows, _________________ like children´s delicate bones.
Programa de Lenguas - PROSAP Advanced 2. He wanted to strike Laura, cry, “No you are _________________! The rockets will come back! 3. But now, the web gone, the rockets ___________________ in jigsaw heaps of molten girder and unsnaked wire. 4. _____________________ abed (in bed) Mr. Bittering felt his bones shifted, shaped, melted like gold. 5. He _________________ the frame of the rocket woth reluctant help of three indifferent men. He grew very tired in an hour or so. 6. A few tremblings shook him, but they were carried off in waves of pleasant heat as he __________________ in the sun. 7. If I _______________ here long enough, he thought, the water will work and eat away my flesh. 8. The canal waters __________________ blue in the sun, and a quiet wind moved in the strange trees.
e) Food for thought Mr. Bittering represents the fear of change that many of us have. While the change in this story looks innocuous enough, we are led to believe the Bitterings are happy but something terrible has occurred. Human beings have turned into Martians. There is loss, and this is what causes us to fear change. Changes also occur in our societies, educational theories, and religious beliefs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
What dramatic changes have occurred in society lately? How did people react to those changes? Why do we tend to cling to the old, and fear the new? What is so unsettling about the new? Should the old always be destroyed to sustain the new? What principles, ideas, beliefs etc. would you feel reluctant to give up?
f) Writing Choose one of the following statements and write an essay taking a stance and supporting it. Man´s capability to change is what gives him hope for the future. Whether painless or not, change is inevitable and we had better learn to go with the flow or we´ll be un happy. Bradbury Thirteen - Dark They Were and Golden Eyed - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg1crLMSVcA Watch the segment and predict what the story is going to be about. Describe the setting