Worksheet on Grammar

Reading Ireland 2 Reading Comprehension – Answer Key Text: James F. Clarity, “Gaelic Now Trips Off Ireland’s Silver Tongues”, from: Peter‐J. Rekowski, Ireland: A Story of Beauty and Hope, Viewfinder Topics (München: Langenscheidt, 2010), p. 31.
B QUESTIONS AND TASKS 1. At the beginning (ll. 1‐12), Gaelic (or Irish) is characterized as … (tick one option)  an overnight development.  having come very far to be now a dying language.  having begun to be rediscovered by the Irish.  a masterful tongue in comparison with English. 2. Which of the following statements are true of Gaelic? (Tick two options)  In the 14th century, the Irish were not allowed to speak it in front of the English.  Irish independence underlined the importance of English.  Most people found studying Gaelic interesting in the first few decades after 1950.  Gaelic was considered the language of poor farmers in the middle of the 20th century.  Gaelic was a commercial success. 3. What is the meaning of the sentence from line 24 to 27? Paraphrase it in your own words, trying to avoid as many words used in the original as possible. Many English‐speaking authors and actors of the finest quality are of Irish origin, and at present, the Irish are finding out about their own language again, several ten thousand of them. © 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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Reading Ireland 4. In what respect is Gaelic important in schools? Lessons in more than 100 public schools are entirely in Gaelic, and in other schools, students learn the language for about two lessons a week and passing a test is required for getting a high‐school diploma. 5. What is the role of music in the spread of Gaelic? Music groups with a traditional Irish repertoire are becoming more popular now, even with the young generation; rock groups have also adopted the trend towards Gaelic and have started singing Irish lyrics ‐ with the exception of Ireland’s famous band U2. 6. Which of the following statements about ll. 91‐108 is true? (2 options)  Young people of the Irish diaspora were usually fluent in Gaelic.  In a foreign country, speaking your own language helps you express your identity.  The young Irish people were afraid of being taken for English.  Skin, hair and language caused a rush to study Irish.  The Government cannot spend any money on promoting Gaelic because of the recession. 7. Which passage in the left‐hand column (ll. 1‐46) does the passage in ll. 75 to 81 refer to? What does it illustrate? (one or two sentences) It refers to the passage where the reason for parents’ preference for English is explained: They wanted to help their children succeed “in an English‐run economy” (l. 16).
© 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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Reading Ireland _____________________________________________________________________________
8. What statements about Gaelic are true (cf. ll. 82‐90)? (Do not tick more than 2 options)  Gaelic is related to English, French and German.  The Breton language in Brittany is related to Gaelic.  Celtic is a language of the Indo‐European Union.  One of the Gaelic words that found its way into English is “Whisky”.  Gaelic closes Welsh and Scots. (Peter Ringeisen)
© 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München
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