Unit 24 Society Lesson 2 Utopia Unit 24 Society Lesson 2 Utopia

As far as you know, what kind of country is Utopia like? 1. Look at the picture of the ideal society of Utopia.

2. Listen to Sir Thomas More’s story about Utopia. Check your answers to Exercise Listen to the story again and answer the questions.

civilised: highly developed identical:exactly alike and equal show off: 炫耀；卖弄 authority: power have authority over representative: 代表 parliament: 国会 remark: comment make remarks about sth adopt ： take or follow 采用，采纳 Key Words

1) What kind of country is Utopia like? Give some examples. It is the most civilized country in the world. For example, all the towns are identical and all the buildings are laid out in an ordered way. Questions

2) How do the people in Utopia usually spend their tome? People only have to work six hours a day. When they are not working, they go to lectures or play interesting games.

3) How are the Utopian society and families organized? Utopian society and families are well organized. There is a head of each family. There is a leader in each area of the town and each town has a mayor. Each town has three parliamentary representatives.

4) Are there any divorces in Utopia? What if some married people have affairs? Divorce is possible only when both the husband and wife want it. There are severe punishments if married people have affairs.

5) Does Utopia ever trade with other countries? Why / Why not? 6) Are there any wars in their country? Why? Utopia never trades with other country because there is nothing that it needs. There is no war in Utopia, because they hate war. They fight only in self-defense.

Storyteller: I was in Bruges on business when I met this very interesting man. He had traveled for years and had had lots of strange adventures. Amongst them he had spent five years on the island of Utopia. I invited him to dinner and asked him to tell me all about it. Man: Well, to start with, it is the most civilized country in the world. All the towns are identical you know and all the buildings are laid out in an ordered way. Every building has piped water and the houses are large with glass windows—just think of that! Well…there is no private property in Utopia and various families live together in each of the large houses. Everybody wears the same kind of clothes and so there is no fashion. Nobody has any desire to show off and gold and silver have no value – unlike in our society.

everything is well organized and people only have to work six hours a day. They usually have all of their meals in a large communal dining room, but can have them at home if they want. At supper people listen to music and have interesting discussions. When they are not working, the Utopians go to lectures or play interesting games like chess. There are no inns in Utopia and no gambling either – so that’s very different from our society isn’t it? You know, people take their pleasure from living a healthy and useful life. Utopian society and families are very well organized. There is a head of each household, who is always the oldest male by the way. Husbands have authority over their wives and parents have authority over their children. There is a leader in each area of the town and each town has three representatives who are sent to the parliament, where major decisions are taken.

There are very few laws in Utopia, because there is no need for them. So there are no lawyers – just imagine that. But if someone behaves badly they can be made into slaves—the slaves in Utopia are convicts or foreigners who have to work very hard. Girls can marry when they are 18 and boys when they are 22. Divorce is only possible when both husband and wife want it. There are severe punishments for married people who have affairs. The guilty people can be made into slaves. Utopia is a very rich country but never trades with other countries, because there is nothing that it needs. Utopians are peaceful and hate war and they only fight in self-defense.

Storyteller: I made some polite remarks about Utopia and thanked the man. I cannot say I agree with everything he said, but I admit that there are many things in the Utopian Republic that I would like to see adopted in Europe.

Discussion Would you like to live in More’s Utopia? Why/why not? Back

Ex. 7 Listen again and complete the Function File with these words and phrases. 1. It’d be a good idea if 2. There could be 3. What about 4. It’s about time 5. They should 6. What should be really great is if

7. What we need 8. I’d charge 9. Why don’t they 10. It’d be good if they 11. They ought to 12. It’s time

Debbie: Sorry I’ve turned up late. The ① Broadway – you know what the traffic’s like. I got held up for ten minutes. Sarah: Mmm it’s awful there at this time of day, isn’t it? This city’s a real mess—don’t you think? Debbie: Yeah, it’d be a good idea if they … if they stopped traffic going into the center—you know what I mean? There could be lots more pedestrian streets and that sort of thing. Sarah: Mmmm that’s not a bad idea. Like they have in ② Rotherham. But … what about doing something about public transport? It’s about time we had more buses. You have to wait ages for ③ the number 23, don’t you? I think they should put buses every fifteen minutes.

Debbie: So do I. And what would be really great is if they were…free. Then people would use them more, wouldn’t they? They’re so expensive at the moment, even with ④ a season ticket. And they keep going up all the time. Sarah: That’s true. Debbie: What we need are some big changes in this place. I’d charge people more for bringing cars into the center. Especially big ones like ⑤ Jaguars. Sarah: Yeah… the mayor’s useless isn’t he?… and he looks like that guy from ⑥ EastEnders. What’s his name? Debbie: I know the one you mean. And … why don’t they make a decent park? We could have one near the river, couldn’t we? There’s space to do lots of things.

They could do up those old houses. And we could have a ⑦ mini-London Eye, couldn’t we? Sarah: Mmmm, you’d have great views from the top of the wheel. Debbie: And they should clean up the river. It’s a disgrace! It’s time we stopped polluting everything and messing everything up. Sarah: Yeah. And it’s so boring here. There’s nothing to get up to, is there? It’s like ⑧ Scunthorpe on a wet Sunday afternoon. I think it’d be good if they spent money on things for young people to do. You know, they ought to build a decent sports center to start with.

Debbie: you’re right, and …it’s time they set up a cultural center. It doesn’t have to be like the Barbican or the South Bank but just somewhere with a few good films and a theatre. It’d brighten things up a bit. Sarah: Mmmm and I wish they’d start a decent club. You know like ⑨ the Ministry of Sound in London-with good music and all that sort of thing. Debbie: Yeah … Anyway … have you decided what you want? I’ve nearly finished. Sarah: I think I’ll have some tea. And let’s have some more scones.

1. The Broadway —— 2. Rotherham — 3. the number 23 — 4. a season ticket — 5. Jaguars — a town a bus a bus or a train pass for a certain amount of time an expensive make of British car Ex. 6. Listen to the conversation. Guess what these things refer to. a street

a popular British soap opera a fairground wheel on the River Thomas in Westminster, London a club in London 6. EastEnders — 7. mini-London Eye — 8. Scunthorpe — 9. The Ministry of Sound — a town

1. It’s about time they improved the bus service. 2. What’d be great is they built a new sport center. S T Ex. 8. Listen to the eight more suggestions. Which of them sound tentative (T) and which sound stronger (S)? Then listen again and repeat the suggestions.

3. There could be an Olympic swimming pool. 4. They really ought to clean up the lake! 5. What they need is a new bridge. 6. What about building a new airport? 7. It’s time they did up the town hall! 8. I’d set up a cultural centre. S S S T T T

Ex. 12. Complete the sentences with these verbs in their correct form. Vocabulary: Phrasal Verbs go, turn, set, brighten, make, give, dress, pick, hold, take, clean, do

1. clean/ do 2. set/ brighten/ dressing/ take 3. Held/ turned/ was making 4. going/ have given/ picks Answers: