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Pre-reading activities

Listen for the first time

1. You will hear a conversation about Winston Churchill. Look at the following words before you listen. When people talk about Churchill, which one do you think you might hear? Then, when you listen to the tape for the first time, circle the words you hear.

Prime Minister, Writer, Painter and Politician World War I Romantic, Fearless, Serious and Enthusiastic World War II

Listen for the second time

First read the following questions and be prepared to answer them as best you can.

2. What is the argument? Which side do you believe?

What do you know about British Prime Minister Winston Churchill? What's his personality like-do you have any impression of him?

Winston Churchill —— His Other Life

Mary Soames

My father Winston Churchill began his love of painting in a disastrous environment when he was in his forties. As Secretary of the Navy in 19 15, he was deeply involved in a battle in the Da Daniil Strait, which could have shortened the course of a bloody world war. But when the mission failed and his life lost heavily, Churchill paid the price publicly and privately: he was transferred from the Admiralty and lost his politically influential position.

The disaster overwhelmed him-"I thought he would die of grief," said his wife Clementine-and he retired with his family and went to Hoe Farm, a rural resort in Surrey. As Churchill later recalled, "Meditation in painting saved me!"

One day, when he was wandering in the garden, he happened to find his sister-in-law sketching in watercolor. He looked at her for a few minutes, then borrowed her brush and tried his hand-the muse worked her magic. From that day on, Winston fell in love with painting.

As long as it could distract Winston's heavy dark thoughts, Clementine was very happy. She hurried to buy any pigments and materials she could find. Watercolor, oil painting, paper, canvas-soon, the farm was filled with everything the painter wanted or needed.

Oil painting became Winston's favorite-but the initial steps were surprisingly difficult. He stared nervously at his first blank canvas. He later recalled:

"I hesitate to choose a tube of blue pigment and carefully draw a mark the size of a bean on the white land. Just then, I heard a car in the driveway and threw down my brush in panic. I was even more surprised when I saw who got out of the car: the wife of Sir John Lavery, a famous painter who lives nearby.

"'Draw!' She declared. How interesting. But what are you waiting for? "Give me the brush-the big one," she plunged into the paint, and before I knew it, she had swept several strokes and several blue diagonal lines on the absolutely frightened canvas. Anyone can see that it can't fight back. I don't hesitate any more. I grabbed the biggest brush and pounced on my poor victim furiously. Since then, I have never been afraid of canvases. "

Lavery, who later instructed Churchill to study art, said of his unusual student's artistic ability: "If he chooses painting instead of politics, he will be a master painter."

In painting, Churchill found a companion to accompany him through most of his life. In 192 1 year, his mother died. Two months later, he and Clementine lost their beloved three-year-old daughter Marigold, and painting became his comfort. Grieving, Winston hid in a friend's house in Scotland-and in his paintings. He wrote to Clementine and said, "I went out and drew a beautiful river in the afternoon sunshine with red and golden hills in the background. Many thoughts of love ... Alas, I have always felt the hurt of marigold. "

Life, love and hope are slowly recovering. In September, Clementine and Winston had another child: me. In the same year, Winston bought Chatterville, which he wanted to describe in every way for the next 40 years.

When my father won the first prize in a famous amateur art exhibition held in London in the mid-Kloc-0/920s, he must be very satisfied. Entries are anonymous, and some judges insist that Winston's photo-his first photo of Chatterwell-is the work of professionals, not amateurs, and should be disqualified. But in the end, they agreed to trust the painter's honesty, and they were very happy when they learned that the painting was painted by Churchill.

Historians say that the decade after 1929 was the time when Winston stepped down again, which was his barren years. When his lonely voice tried to awaken Britain to Hitler's threat, they may be politically barren, but in art, those years have yielded fruitful results: about half of the more than 500 existing Churchill oil paintings are dated from 1930 to 1939.

Painting has always been the joy of Churchill's life. "Painters are happy," he wrote in the book Painting is a pastime, "because they are not lonely. Light and color, peace and hope will accompany them until the end of the day. " So is my father.

(776 words)

new word

therein

In the middle of, among. ...

:: Catastrophic

A. extremely bad; Terrible disastrous, terrible.

owner

Noun (short for noun) (in Britain) titles of some very senior officials (in Britain); My Lord, your Excellency

Admiralty

(British) the government department in charge of the navy.

sports

N. 1 a series of planned military actions.

2. A planned series of activities, especially. In political and business movements.

bloody

A. 1. Very violent, with a lot of fighting and killing.

Step 2 be covered in blood

delegation

N. 1 (usually. (military) the duty or purpose (usually military) that people are sent to a place.

2. duty, mission

in private

Advertising. 1. Not open and private

2. Personally think; Secretly involving private individuals; secretly

private

A. 1. individual; Secret private (individual); secret

2. Not being public means not being public.

disaster

(1) Sudden major disasters and natural disasters; disaster

* Sadness

Noun (short for noun) a feeling of extreme sadness.

* Sadness

Verb (abbreviation for verb) suffers from sadness or great sadness; broken-hearted

withdraw

A place where people can seek peace and security.

2. retreat; take refuge

The intransitive verb retreats or leaves the center of a battle or other activity; Evacuate

Muse, muse

N. 1 (Greek mythology) one of the nine goddesses, such as poetry and music. Muse (one of the nine goddesses of literature and art in Greek mythology).

2. The strength or person that inspires someone. Writing, painting, etc. Creative inspiration.

succour

Get someone's help. Get out of a dangerous or unpleasant situation; succour

Rescue; succour

Aunt son

Sister of husband or wife; Auntie; Sister in law; Aunt son

sketch

Sketch (something) quickly and roughly. ) sketch, sketch

Sketch; sketch

watercolour

Watercolor (pigment); Watercolor painting

magic

Magic; magic

A. charming

* Distraction

Transitive verbs take away (someone's) thoughts, someone's. ) leave sth. To divert (attention); transfer

* Canvas

1.A strong thick cloth used as an oil painting canvas

2. A finished oil painting

* Meditate

Look seriously or quietly, often for a period of time (quietly), stare.

blank

A. 1. Those without writing, printing or other marks are blank.

2. deadpan; No understanding, no expression; absent-minded

unaccustomed

A. not used to (something). ); Unaccustomed (to sth); distinctive

common

A. routine; Usual, customary

Hesitantly

Advertising. Didn't do something. Worry about someone's irresponsibility or hesitation quickly or immediately.

Infinite; unbordered

A. extremely large in degree or quantity; Without limit or end; great

prevent

Noun 1. Be careful.

2. Action taken to avoid something. Dangerous or unforeseeable preventive measures

peas

Beans; broad bean

automobile

Noun (short for noun) A car.

alarm

The sudden fear or anxiety of transitive verbs makes people panic; worry

N. 1 a sudden feeling of fear or anxiety is frightened; willies

2. Danger warning

invest

The intransitive verb (Jin, Zhong) 1. Throw oneself into sth suddenly and deeply. be committed to

2. Suddenly falling in the direction of particles; Start sth suddenly or hastily

Ferocious

A. 1。 Anger, violence, cruelty, rage; Fierce; cruel

(of heat, strong feelings) great.

* slash

Noun (abbreviation for noun) is a long and powerful chop or chop; sway

Transitive verbs are cut with long and powerful strokes; To move or force with such a chopping action, chop; Shake violently

completely

Advertising. Complete; No conditions at all; completely

* frightening

Intimidate, frighten

* Poor.

A. very unhappy or unfortunate; pathetic

victim

Injury or death due to other people's behavior or illness, bad luck, etc. Victims, victims; hunt for food

* Anger

N. 1 a frenzied state of excitement (emotional or active); strong

2. A state of great anger

artistic

A. 1.of. Caring for art or artists; artist

What is created with creative skills or imagination is art.

companion

Noun (short for noun) mating; A person who associates or associates with another companion; companion

beloved

A. deeply loved; Dear loved; dear

overcome

1。 (oft pass。 (of feelings) controlling and influencing one's behavior [often passive] (feelings, etc.). ) overwhelming, unbearable.

2. Win victory over ...; Victory over victory; defeat

:: Shelter

(provide) a place to protect or avoid harm, danger or misfortune; Shelter (institute)

alas

A cry inside that expresses sadness, regret or fear, etc.

:: Renaissance

Verb (abbreviation of verb) 1. Restore strength, consciousness, life, etc. ; Bring (someone). Oss. Restore strength, consciousness, life, etc. (for revival); renew one's youth

2. Become active, popular or successfully return to life again; Revival; Re-popular

Give off a dim light

A warm or pleasant feeling is warm.

Intransitive verbs radiate soft light.

layman

A.&(non-) professional amateur (level) (athletes, artists, etc.). )

enter

A person who participates in a competition, race, etc. A member of the competition.

2. entrance; The act of entering or the right to enter; Access right

* Anonymous

A. (of a person) whose name is unknown; (of letters, paintings, etc). ) written or created by an unknown person; anonymous

To disqualify from.

Make or declare unsuitable or impossible to do sth. Disqualification; Make unsuitable; disenable

rely on

The intransitive verb 1. Trust or confidence in trust; trust

2. Complete trust or trust dependence

* Historians

A person who studies and/or writes history, a historian.

* barren

A. (of land) barren land (land, etc).

wake up

1。 Make aware of

Step 2 wake up

* Threats

Threats or dangerous threats

abundant

A. adequacy; More than enough money; abundant

abundant

Nouns (short for noun) are abundant; Abundance is wealth; Abundance; many

uneven

A. 1。 (infml。 ) (after the number) is a little more than the number stated above [often used to form a compound] … or more; ... early stage

2. Strange or unusual; uneven

3. strange, strange

exist

The state of being exists; Real existence

* Recreation

Noun (short for noun) hobby; Kill time by entertaining in a pleasant way.

Phrases and expressions

pay the price

Experience sth. Be unhappy because someone has done something. Wrong, wrong, and so on. Pay the price.

Come to sb. ■ Rescue

Help sb. Save someone when he/she is in danger or different.

Serendipity

Meet by chance; Meet unexpectedly; windfall

Give it a try

Try (doing sth). )，esp。 The first time.

Start sth suddenly or hastily

Start doing sth. Suddenly; Go in without hesitation and start something suddenly or hastily; Rush in suddenly

Unconsciously

In the blink of an eye, I haven't had time to consider the development of things.

make a move

To attack violently, pounce

take refuge

Seek protection from danger or misfortune

rely on

Trust, or rely on confidently, rely on

resign

Lose someone's authority. Be elected or appointed to step down.

come to realize

Make aware of

prove effective

The successful result is true; countless rich fruits

start/begin with/in

It has existed since then.

Keep sb. company

Stay with someone. So he/she won't be alone with someone.

Proper name

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill (1874- 1965, British conservative politician, prime minister [1940- 1945,1951-1955.

Mary Soames

Mary Soames

Secretary of the navy

(British) secretary of the navy

Da Daniil Strait

Da Daniil Strait (between Asia Minor Peninsula in Asia and Balkan Peninsula in Europe)

Clementine

Clementine (female name)

Surrey county

Surrey (county name of England)

John Lavery

John Lively

marigold

Marigold (female name)

Chatwell

Chatterville (house name)

Adolf. Hitler

Hitler (1889— 1945, head of Nazi Germany)