Worksheet on Grammar

Listening Comprehension Ireland 1 Worksheet on Listening Comprehension Text: Speech at the Irish State Banquet for Queen Elizabeth II, by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, at Dublin Castle on 18th May 2011 <http://youtu.be/COVcOlJBppw>. A BACKGROUND INFORMATION From 17th to 21st May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II went on a state visit to Ireland ‐ the first visit of a British monarch for a hundred years, and the first ever since Ireland had gained independence. This visit has been seen by many as the official sign of the beginning of a new era of cooperation between Britain and Ireland. With little symbolic gestures and carefully chosen words, Queen Elizabeth II made it clear at several occasions that she was serious about wanting friendship between the two countries: She laid a wreath at the Irish War Memorial Garden, also honouring the soldiers who had fought against Britain; she spoke some words of Gaelic at the beginning of her speech at the Dublin Castle reception; and she wore a green hat and coat when she arrived, expressing her goodwill towards Ireland by wearing the colour now generally associated with the “Emerald Isle”. The Irish State Banquet at Dublin Castle on the second day of the Queen’s visit (18th May 2011) was opened by the Irish President, Mary McAleese, with the speech you will hear (and see) now. B INSTRUCTIONS You will find the Irish President’s speech at the State Banquet for Queen Elizabeth II at YouTube. Please copy and paste this hyperlink into your browser http://youtu.be/COVcOlJBppw and follow the instructions below. © 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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Listening Comprehension Ireland Before listening, read the questions in (C) carefully. Then listen to the whole speech twice by playing the video, and make notes while listening; you can ignore the first 37 seconds where McAleese greets the most important guests, first in Gaelic, then in English. After the second listening (from the beginning), take 10 minutes to answer the following questions in full sentences, where required, and complete the tasks with the help of the notes you have made. WORKSHEET C 1. At the beginning McAleese mentions acknowledging an important insight. What is it?  None of us can change the future, so let us change the past.  We cannot change the past, we have not chosen it.  We cannot alter what happened, but we have decided to shape what lies before us.  After altering what happened, let us start changing what is to come. 2. McAleese plays with the words “work” and “progress”, using a different preposition in connecting them twice in the same sentence. Explain what she means in one or two sentences. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Which of the following statements corresponds to what she says (1 option only)?  A lot of water flows between these two islands.  The connections between Britain and Ireland through family relationships and friendships have had a very long tradition.  Saint Patrick brought Christianity from Ireland to Britain.  A massive exchange of ideas and knowledge has kept the countries from becoming enemies. © 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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Listening Comprehension Ireland 4. What does the president say about Britain and Ireland being economic and political partners (1 option only)?  The foundation for a thriving economic relationship is at the bottom of the well.  The empire cannot prosper without them.  It is imperative that we thrive.  They have to work together for the benefit of both countries. 5. When McAleese speaks of the difficult past between their countries, she says (fill in the blanks): “The __________________ cannot be altered, nor loss nor grief ___________. But, with time and ___________________, interpretations and perspectives _________________________ and open up … ”
6. What is President McAleese proud of (1 option only)?  … how we have used our independence to build a country in which there is freedom of religion and civil liberty.  … how we have used our fence to guild a republic which asserts the religious and civil liberty.  … how we have used our independence to build a republic which serves the religious and civil liberty.  … how we have used our self‐confidence to form a state which asserts the religious and civil liberty. 7. What does she say about the Good Friday Agreement? Fill in the blanks: “The Good Friday Agreement represented ____________________ and committed all of us to partnership, ______________ and _______________ __________________ as the basis of _______________________________.” © 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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Listening Comprehension Ireland 8. Why has the European Union been important for the Peace Process? Sum up in your own words: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 9. Towards the end, when McAleese speaks of “a happier future”, she uses a double metaphor alluding to the geography of the two countries. Explain how she does this. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ (Peter Ringeisen) © 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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