War and Peace is set during a. The Russian Revolution b. The Napoleonic Wars c. World War I
The number of characters in War and Peace is nearly a. 600 b. 800 c. 1,000
War and Peace can be described as a. simple b. fantastical c. realistic
Discussion/essay questions
What is the longest book you have ever read? Do you prefer long books or short ones?
What is the purpose of reading fictional stories about history? Do you think fiction is as useful as facts? Why or why not?
Transcript
War and Peace is a book by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. It was originally serialized in a magazine in 1865, but Tolstoy left the serial unfinished and published the whole book in 1869. The story follows five Russian families during the Napoleonic Wars. War and Peace is notorious for its length and complexity. It is more than 1,000 pages long, and it contains almost 600 different characters. It is also famous for its realistic treatment of war and human experiences. Even though War and Peace is a work of fiction, Tolstoy did not consider it a novel. Many of its chapters are descriptions of historic events. Others are philosophical arguments. War and Peace has a reputation for being difficult to read, but it is widely considered a literary masterpiece.
There are many stories about military dogs who have saved soldiers’ lives. However, dogs are not the only animals that have been trained for . Many naval forces around the world use sea animals to help them detect danger. The first military with sea animals began in 1960, when the U.S. navy started to train to find submarines and underwater mines. They chose dolphins because of their ability to use echolocation, which allows them to find objects in the dark. In 1965, the Soviet Union opened a research centre to train dolphin of their own. Both the U.S. and Russia still train military dolphins today. However, in 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would eventually their dolphins with underwater drones.
Comprehension questions
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Discussion/essay questions
Some animal rights activists are concerned about the use of dolphins in the military. They believe it is wrong to keep animals in captivity and put them in danger for human wars. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Transcript
There are many stories about military dogs who have saved soldiers’ lives. However, dogs are not the only animals that have been trained for war. Many naval forces around the world use sea animals to help them detect danger. The first military experiments with sea animals began in 1960, when the U.S. navy started to train dolphins to find submarines and underwater mines. They chose dolphins because of their ability to use echolocation, which allows them to find objects in the dark. In 1965, the Soviet Union opened a research centre to train dolphin soldiers of their own. Both the U.S. and Russia still train military dolphins today. However, in 2012, the U.S. navy announced that they would eventually replace their dolphins with underwater drones.
Imagine the Russian Revolution never took place. How would this change the course of history?
Transcript
The Russian Revolution was a period of time when the working class of Russia rebelled against the government. This revolution began in 1917, when Russia was still involved in World War I. The war had caused famine and poverty throughout the country. The people of Russia suffered poor working conditions, long hours, and low pay. In early 1917, the workers decided to go on strike. They were standing up against Russia’s ruler, Tsar Nicholas II. A political party known as the Bolsheviks, led by a man named Vladimir Lenin, was gaining support from the working class. The Bolsheviks believed that communism was the only solution to poverty in Russia. After the protests became too much to handle, Nicholas II was forced to step down from the throne. The Bolsheviks gained power soon after that, and Russia became a communist country.
