Unit 16
Historical places
Lesson 1
Reading

Unit 16 Historical places
Lesson 1 Reading

Guessing game:
What are the names of the following historical places?
Hoa Binh electric dam
Ben Thanh Market


The Huc bridge
One Pillar Pagoda
The great walls
Unit 16 Historical places
Lesson 1 Reading

I. Before you read
Work in pairs. Answer the following questions:
1. Have you ever been to Hanoi?
2. Have you ever visited Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam?
3. Is Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam a historical place?
Vocabulary
- royal examination (adj): kì thi đình
-feudal (adj): thuộc phong kiến
Vocabulary
- dynasty (n): triều đại
Vocabulary
- architecture (n): kiến trúc
Vocabulary
- well-preserved (adj): được bảo tồn, gìn giữ kĩ
engrave (v): kh¾c, tr¹m træ
educate (v); ®µo t¹o, gi¸o dôc
Confucian (adj): thuéc Khæng Gi¸o, Nho Gi¸o
memorialize (v); t«n vinh, t­ëng nhí
Vocabulary
- representative (adj): tượng trưng, tiêu biểu
Task 1. Choose A, B, or C that best suits the meaning of the italicised word.

1. Van Mieu was originally built in 1070 in Ly dynasty.
A. beautifully B. initially C. finally
2. It is representative of Confucian ways of thought and behaviour.
A. typical B. fond C. traditional
3. Van Mieu was a place to memorialize the most brilliant scholars of the nation.
A. ignore B. gather C. honor
4. The stone stelae were engraved with the names of the top students in royal examinations.
A. printed B. carved C. washed
5. The banyan trees in Van Mieu continue to flourish even now.
A. slow down B. fall off C. grow well
Task 2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The construction of Van Mieu took place between 1076 and1779.
2. Quoc Tu Giam is considered to be the first university of Vietnam.
3. Thousands of talented men were trained in Quoc Tu Giam from the 11th to the 19th century.
4. Van Mieu has now lost most of its traditional Vietnamese architecture.
5. Festivals and examinations used to be held in Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam.
6. Visitors can still see some trees which have been in Van Mieu for a long time.

T F

F
T
F
F
T
T
*Task 3: Work in groups to answer the following questions:

1. Why is Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam a place of interest?
 Because it is a famous historical and cultural site in Hanoi.
2. When and where were they built?
 They were built in Ha Noi by King Ly Thanh Tong in 1070 and in 1076.
3. What were their functions?
 Between 1076 and 1779, Quoc Tu Giam was a place to produce the talented men for the nation. And 1482, Van Mieu became a place to memorialize the most brilliant scholars of the nation, who were successful in royal examination students.
4. What is special about the stelae there?
 On the stone stelea, standing on the backs of giant tortoises, were engraved the names, places of birth and achievements of top students in royal examinations.

Homework

Good bye students!
Learn the new words by heart.
Answer the questions again.
Prepare for the next part.
Sentence 1.F--Originally built in 1070 in Ly dynasty
Sentence 2.T-- Six years later, Quoc Tu Giam, the first university of Vietnam, was established on the grounds of Van Mieu.
Sentence 3.F-- Between 1076 and 1779, Quoc Tu Giam educated thousands of talented men for the country. (means from 11th to the 18th centuries)
Sentence 4.F-- Van Mieu is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture.
Sentence 5.T-- The banyan trees in Van Mieu, which witnessed festivals and examinations during feudal times, continue to flourish.
Sentence 6.T-- The banyan trees in Van Mieu, which witnessed festivals and examinations during feudal times, continue to flourish.