Day 1. “Politics. Introduction to the Canadian Parliament”

1. Discussion/warm up

·        What comes to your mind when you hear the word “politics”?

·        Would you like to work in politics?

·        Is politics important to you?

·        Do you read about political issues of your country?

·        What do you think of your country’s political system?

·        If you are a politician, what political issues would you focus on?

·        What qualities make a good political leader?

·        Should religion and politics mix?

2. Parliament buildings

Introducing the new vocabulary:

Foyer-- a room or hall at the entrance to a public building (lobby)

Flanked by (to flank) -- to be on both sides of someone or something

Distinctive -- having a special quality, character, or appearance that is different and easy to recognize

To linger -- to continue to exist, be noticeable 

Completion -- the state of being finished; the act of finishing something

Gothic revival -- an architectural movement/style that began in the late 1740s in England

To serve -- to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose or reason

Grand ­­-- big and very impressive

Commemorating (to commemorate) -- to do something to show that you remember and respect someone important or an important event in the past

Notable -- important, interesting, excellent, or unusual enough to be noticed or mentioned

Confederation –

was the process by which he federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies became four provinces of the new dominion. The existing Province of Canada was divided into the new provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and two other colonies, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, also became provinces of the Dominion of Canada.

Shields (a shield) –

a) a large piece of metal or leather that soldiers used in the past to protect themselves when fighting

b) a piece of equipment made of strong plastic, used by the police to protect themselves against angry crowds 

Made up (to make up)—to invent/ create/form

Oak -- a large tree that is common in northern countries, or the hard wood of this tree

Watch the videos:

Parliament buildings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaaDML6n9IA&list=PLF_YRVnBKD-wCdMQwp3ZOjhPAuSKJMnpB&index=1

The Senate Foyer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wthS9GyiBp8&list=PLF_YRVnBKD-wCdMQwp3ZOjhPAuSKJMnpB

Transcripts

1. Parliament buildings

Few Canadian symbols are as well known as well known as the Parliament buildings.  Flanked by the East and West blocks, the Centre block of Parliament with its distinctive Piece Tower and Library is familiar to Canadians and people around the world. Although the buildings are alive with the drama of modern day debates, the echoes of times and personalities long since past still linger here. The Parliament buildings were built between 1859 and 1866, with the exception of the Tower and the Library. One year after their completion Canada became a country and the buildings were immediately chosen as the seat of government. But the Centre block you see today is not the first. The first Centre block of the Parliament buildings burnt down in 1916. The new structure designed in the modern gothic revival style was completed by 1922. The Piece Tower was finished later in 1927.

2. The Senate Foyer

The Senate Foyer serves as the grand entrance to Parliament’s Upper House commemorating Canada’s past with paintings of past monarchs, names of former speakers of the Senate and sculptures celebrating notable Canadians before Confederation. In the upper corners of the Foyer are the shields of the four provinces that made up the original Confederation of Canada: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The ceiling has the shields of all of the provinces except Newfoundland, which did not enter Confederation until after it was constructed. These oak doors provide the official entrance to the Senate Chamber. They carry the shields of the ten provinces, as well as Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

3. Comprehension exercises:

 Are the following statements true or false?

1.     East Block of the Parliament is familiar to Canadians and people around the world.

2.     The Parliament buildings were built between 1922 and 1927.

3.     Canada became a country a year after the completion of the Peace Tower and the Library.

4.     The structure of the new Parliament buildings is designed in neo-gothic style.

5.     The paintings of the notable Canadians are represented in the Senate Foyer.

6.     Six provinces made up the original Confederation of Canada.

7.     The doors of the official entrance to the House of Senate are made of oak.

4. Vocabulary extension/memorizing exercises:

Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right:

1.	foyer	important, interesting, excellent, or unusual enough to be noticed or mentioned
2.	distinctive	the state of being finished; the act of finishing something
3.	commemorate	to do something to show that you remember and respect someone important or an important event in the past
4.	notable	having a special quality, character, or appearance that is different and easy to recognize
5.	grand	to be on both sides of someone or something
6.	shield	a room or hall at the entrance to a public building
7.	To serve	to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose or reason
8.	To linger	a large piece of metal or leather that soldiers used in the past to protect themselves when fighting
9.	completion	big and very impressive
10.	To flank	to continue to exist, be noticeable

*** Make up your own sentences using the new vocabulary

5. Post-listening discussion:

Has anyone been inside the Canadian Parliament?

What did you like about it? Was it impressive or not?

Would you like to visit it again?