EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• perspective: a person’s point of view
• pair: to connect two things
• contrast: to show differences between two or more things
• folk ballad: a song that people in a certain culture know, especially one that tells a story or myth
• critic: someone who analyzes and comments on art or literature
• symbolic: representing a certain idea
• Romantic era: an artistic period in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, when artists and writers took interest in imagination, nature, and strong emotions

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a 1794 book of by English writer and artist William Blake. The Songs were originally published in two books. Songs of Innocence contained 19 poems, and Songs of Experience contained 28. Most of the poems are told from the perspectives of different . Blake paired many poems in Songs of Innocence with poems with the same title in Songs of Experience. The pairs of poems often contrast an adult’s perspective with a child’s. The poems in the Songs have a style inspired by popular folk ballads. Blake’s work was because he printed and bound all of his books by hand. He etched his words and illustrations on sheets of copper, which he used to make multiple copies. He called this technique “illuminated printing.” Blake was never famous when he was alive, but critics eventually began to his writing and art as symbolic works of the Romantic era.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Songs of Innocence and of Experience is
   a. an epic
   b. a play
   c. a book of poems
   
2. The book is told from
   a. Blake’s perspective
   b. a child’s perspective
   c. many characters’ perspectives
   
3. The term Blake used for his printing technique was
   a. illustrated printing
   b. illuminated printing
   c. illusionary printing

Discussion/essay questions

1. Do you know any folk ballads? Where did you first hear them? Why do you think so many cultures like to tell stories through music?

Transcript

Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a 1794 book of poetry by English writer and artist William Blake. The Songs were originally published in two books. Songs of Innocence contained 19 poems, and Songs of Experience contained 28. Most of the poems are told from the perspectives of different characters. Blake paired many poems in Songs of Innocence with poems with the same title in Songs of Experience. The pairs of poems often contrast an adult’s perspective with a child’s. The poems in the Songs have a musical style inspired by popular folk ballads. Blake’s work was unique because he printed and bound all of his books by hand. He etched his words and illustrations on sheets of copper, which he used to make multiple copies. He called this technique “illuminated printing.” Blake was never famous when he was alive, but critics eventually began to recognize his writing and art as symbolic works of the Romantic era.

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2c 3b

Pre-listening vocabulary

• critic: a person who gives their opinions about something
• horror: a genre of storytelling that uses fear
• grieve: to feel pain after someone’s death
• praise: positive comments about something
• renowned: famous, well-known
• dispute: disagreement about something

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14 — 1.1MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Edgar Allan Poe was an American and literary critic. He is known for his horror stories and poems. Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He started writing poetry when he was a child, and he published his first of poems in 1827, at age 18. However, his early work was not very . In 1845, Poe published his famous poem “The Raven”, about a grieving man who meets a talking raven. This piece gained a lot of praise, and Poe became renowned for his storytelling. Still, he was never paid much money for his work. He also struggled with for many years. Poe’s death in 1849 was almost as as his stories. Even today, there is dispute about what really happened to him.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Edgar Allan Poe was from
   a. England
   b. the United States
   c. France
   
2. When Poe published his first poetry collection, he was
   a. 9 years old
   b. 18 years old
   c. 27 years old
   
3. In 1845, Poe published
   a. “The Raven”
   b. “The Tell-Tale Heart”
   c. “The Black Cat”

Discussion/essay questions

1. Many of Poe’s stories and poems are very dark and disturbing. Do you like horror stories? Why do you think they appeal to people?

Transcript

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer and literary critic. He is known for his horror stories and poems. Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He started writing poetry when he was a child, and he published his first collection of poems in 1827, at age 18. However, his early work was not very successful. In 1845, Poe published his famous poem “The Raven”, about a grieving man who meets a talking raven. This piece gained a lot of praise, and Poe became renowned for his storytelling. Still, he was never paid much money for his work. He also struggled with alcoholism for many years. Poe’s death in 1849 was almost as mysterious as his stories. Even today, there is dispute about what really happened to him.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2b 3a