I. Read and translate the following text about the Celts. If you are using Yandex Browser, you can right-click on a word to see its Russian translation.
The Coming of the Romans
- The first important exact date in British history is 55 b.c.e., the date of the first invasion of Britain by the Romans.
- Although Roman forces quickly withdrew, their coming initiated a period in which British Celtic society was radically transformed, first by Roman contact and then, through much of the island, by actual Roman rule.
- It was also a time when the available evidence for British history explodes, due to the Roman habit of writing histories and commemorating events through stone inscriptions.
- The Roman Empire in 55 b.c.e. was dramatically expanding in both western Europe and the Mediterranean.
- Competing Roman generals and politicians sought fame and wealth through conquest of weaker peoples.
- Britain became subject to the attention of the greatest of all Roman generals, Julius Caesar (100–44 b.c.e.), who had conquered Gaul in 58 and become proconsul of the province.
- Given its cultural, political, and economic links with Gaul, Britain was a convenient refuge for some of Caesar’s Gaulish enemies, many of whom were identified as Belgae and formed a new ruling class in southern Britain.
- The mineral and agricultural wealth of Britain also made it a tempting prize.
- Keenly aware of his own prestige and the glory that extending Roman rule to the edge of the known world would add to his legend, Caesar saw Britain as a logical follow-up to his earlier conquests.
- Caesar’s first expedition was not very successful, although it was intended more as a reconnaissance in force than as an expedition of conquest.
- It was difficult to ferry the troops across the English Channel, given Roman ignorance of the “Narrow Seas” between Britain and continental Europe.
- However, the knowledge gained on the preliminary expedition was applied to another, larger expedition with five legions the next year.
- During that expedition, Caesar was confronted by a coalition of British tribes under the leadership of Cassivellaunus, king of the Catuvellauni.
- Due to the superiority of the Roman army and Caesar’s masterly use of the divisions between the British tribes and their fear of Catuvellaunic expansion, he defeated the Britons.
- However, rather than adding Britain as a new Roman province, he was forced to leave within a couple of months to face new problems in Gaul.
- The situation following Caesar’s departure from Britain was similar to that of many other areas in the preliminary stages of the imposition of Roman rule during this time.
- However, there was no immediate Roman follow-up because of a long series of civil wars leading to the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, in addition to greater concern with other areas closer to home and the belief of the early Julio-Claudian emperors that the empire was already too big and should not expand farther.
- Yet Caesar’s departure did not mean the end of Roman influence in Britain, as many tribes had made some sort of submission, given hostages, and promised to pay tribute.
- Even though the obligations of British tribes to pay tribute to Rome were generally ignored by both sides, both trade and diplomatic relationships flourished.
- Roman and British contact was mostly concentrated among the peoples of the southern and eastern coasts, such as the Atrebates, Trinovantes, and Catuvellauni, with far fewer contacts inland.
- Following a common historical pattern, Britain’s close relations with the large Roman Empire led to greater concentrations of political authority among the British tribes.
- The tribes competed with each other for control over the trade with the empire, and some leaders tried to use Roman support against other British kings.
- Some chiefs sent ambassadors to Rome or journeyed to Rome themselves.
- There was a great deal of disruption among British Celts as mainland Celtic groups fleeing Roman control arrived on the island, bringing more advanced Continental military technology and greater familiarity with Roman ways.
- The British aristocratic lifestyle became increasingly Romanized.
- This can be seen even gastronomically, as Britain imported wine and other items of Mediterranean cuisine such as olive oil or the fish sauce known as garum, a Roman delicacy.
- Britons paid for the luxury items with grain, metals, and slaves.
- Coastal rulers who controlled the trade with Rome became increasingly wealthy, and their wealth helped them against both the aristocracy of their own peoples and rival chiefs.
- Coins issued by some Celtic rulers showed Roman influence and were probably made by Roman die cutters.
- Although coins were in use in the pre-Roman period—some with Latin inscriptions—by the first century, coinage was widespread in Britain south of the River Trent.
II. Read the text again and find English equivalents for the Russian words and phrases below.
вторжение = an
отступить = to
обычай увековечивать события через надписи на камнях = the of events through stone
искать славы и богатства = to and
убежище = a
заманчивая награда = a
остро осознающий... = of...
разведка =
переправить войска = to the
неосведомленность =
установление римского правления = the of Roman
заложник = a
торговые и дипломатические отношения процветали = and relationships
с гастрономической точки зрения =
прибрежные правители =
соперничающие вожди =
римские штамповые фрезы = Roman
чеканка монет =
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III. Read the following expressions from the text and fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions. Then make up your own sentences with these prepositions in a similar context.
the evidence British history
the Roman habit writing histories
subject the attention
aware his prestige
to the edge the known world
a logical follow-up his earlier conquests
the knowledge was applied another expedition
Caesar was confronted a coalition of British tribes
the imposition Roman rule
many tribes promised pay tribute
close relations led greater concentrations of ...
coins issued some Celtic rulers
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IV. Rephrase as many sentences from the exercise I as you can using Participle I as an adverbial modifier. Pay special attention to sentences with the same subject.
Example (from sentence 1): Marking the first invasion of Britain by the Romans, the first important exact date in British history is 55 b.c.e. .
V. Match the words below with the transcriptions from the list. Two transcriptions are extra.
- A. [ɪnˈtenʃn]
- B. [ɪnɪʃɪˈeɪʃn]
- C. [ɪnˈtensɪtɪ]
- D. [ɪˈnɪʃɪeɪt]
- E. [ɪn'tent]
- F. [ɪn əˈdɪʃn]
- G. [ɪnˈtens]
1. Initiate
2. Intention
3. Intense
4. Initiation
5. Intensity
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VI. Read the text from the exercise I again. Answer the questions below.
- Why is 55 b.c.e. considered an important date for the British history? (sentence 1)
- What made the evidence of the British history of that era available for us? (sentence 3)
- What title did Caesar receive having conquered Gaul? (sentence 6)
- Why was Britain an enticing destination for the conqueror? Name two reasons. (sentences 7, 8)
- What problem did Caesar face during his first expedition to the British Isles? (sentence 11)
- What factors contributed to Caesar's eventual win over Britons? (sentence 14)
- What hindered Romans from continuing to spread their rule over the British Isles? (sentence 17)
- How did the tribes try to win in competition for trade with the Empire? (sentences 22-23)
- What features did British aristocratic food adopt from Roman cuisine? (sentence 26)
- How did the "currency" in Britain change under Roman influence? (sentences 27-30)
- In your opinion, did the tribes' attitude to the conquerors change over time? If yes, how?
- To your mind, why were Roman attributes considered aristocratic?
VII. Write a summary of the text in exercise I. Use some of the prompts and the outline below.
1. Introductory paragraph
1.1. The article is dedicated to… [Write the general subject].
- The focus of this article is placed on…
- Attention is drawn to…
- This article revolves around…
- The central theme of the article is…
1. 2. The author discusses …, …, and … [ Write a few sub-questions /aspects the author tackles upon].
- A discussion is presented on …, …, and …
- The exploration of …, …, and … is carried out…
- Several key points regarding … are examined…
2. Body paragraphs, analysing how each of the aspects is explored/studied/analysed/ discussed. Here some of the following introductory phrases can help:
2.1. Regarding / As for / Concerning / With regard to / Pertaining to + aspect N, the writer depicts / outlines the main features / characteristics of… / provides facts about… / tells the readers about… / speculates on…
- The main features of … are outlined…
- An outline of … is provided…
- The central characteristics of … are portrayed…
- Speculation concerning … is offered…
- Key facts regarding … are explored…
2.2. The author emphasises some issues / controversies, connected with… / points out that… / sheds the light on…
- Emphasis is placed on …
- Certain issues concerning … are highlighted…
- Light is shed on …
- It is pointed out that…
2.3. The author provides evidence of… / gives grounds for…
- Evidence is presented to support…
- Grounds for … are established…
- Justification for … is given…
2.4. First and foremost, … = Прежде всего, …
- Primarily, …
- At the forefront, …
2.5. Furthermore, … / Moreover, … / Besides, …
- In addition to this, …
- Additionally, …
- Notably, …
2.6. Thus…
- Consequently, …
- Accordingly, …
- As a result, …
2.7. …, hence…
- Therefore, …
- This leads to …
2.8. Despite V-ing / In spite of… / While V-ing, Britons ...
- Despite the fact that …
- Even though …, …
2.9. Although …, … still…
- While …, … remains …
- Despite …, … continues to…
2.10. On the contrary…
- Conversely, …
2.11. On the one hand, … . On the other hand, …
- From one perspective, …; from another perspective, …
2.12. Last but not least, …
- Finally, it is essential to note…
- Equally important, …
3. Concluding paragraph, restating the main observations about the text. Here you can add your attitude or speculate on how the text influences th reader.
To conclude… / To sum up… / All in all…
- In conclusion, …
- Ultimately, …
- To summarize, …
VIII. Make up a dialogue between a Roman general and a leader of a British tribe.
The general offers a deal to the leader: if the tribe pays a decent tribute, the Romans will leave them unharmed. The tribe leader is furious: he claims such a suggestion to be insulting and wants to defend the tribe's honour. Eventually, the general and the leader agree on the tribe paying tribute and staying loyal to the Romans in exchange for their safety.
Use the words and expressions from the list below.
- If you accept our terms / obey us, we will have mercy on you / condescend to ...
- You are to pay tribute in the form of minerals / fur / leather / wood / metals / treasures / crops ...
- For the sake of...
- You, vile / filthy creatures, ...
- How dare you (+V1)!
- There is no use / It's no use (in) threatening / intimidating us...
- We would (much) rather V1 / We're not Ving ...
- You had better (not) V1...
- Your Excellency, ...
- Deal. / Agreed.
IX. Watch the first video and do the following tasks.
or watch on VK video) Please, give your likes and subscribe))
X. Watch the video again and fill in the gaps with the words from it.
How did the Romans change Britain? Well, first off, by conquering it – and conquering it . The Romans loved conquering other people. In fact, it kept the whole empire going – conquering their neighbours gave Roman leaders a chance to steal booty, capture slaves, grab natural resources like lead and tin, and generally look good in front of their mates and rivals. In AD 43 the new Roman Emperor, Claudius, was in search of a scrap to cement his status, and so he his invasion of Britain – an island the Romans had been eyeing up for some time. He sent 40,000 soldiers over the Channel and they quickly defeated the tribes in the south east. Once it was safe, the emperor popped across to Britain to soak up the praise and show off his elephants. Some tribal leaders gave in to the empire rather than try to fight it, but not everyone was happy. The Druids helped to organise the resistance against the Romans, and queen Boudicca led a huge in AD 60. But the Romans didn’t mess about. They beat Boudicca in battle, destroyed the druids – and brought the bulk of Britain under their control. But Roman soldiers were more than just fighters – they were brilliant builders.
Forts were their speciality, and they built hundreds of them across the province. The Romans also loved their roads. They built over 8,000 miles of them in the first century AD alone, and many of our roads today still follow old Roman . But the biggest, baddest structure in Roman Britain was Hadrian’s Wall. It was a 73 miles long, and in places it was up to six metres high and three metres thick. No wonder it took 15,000 men about six years to build!
The Romans founded some terrific towns too, like London, York, Bath and Chester. On a trip into town you could shop on the high street, gods at the temples, grab a burger from a takeaway, have a kip in a hotel, and go for a wash and a gossip at the heated public baths. A lot like towns today in fact – although unlike today, you could also go to the amphitheatre to watch executions and animals being hunted!
The Romans brought new types of food to Britain, like apples, pears, plums, cucumbers and walnuts. They brought a new language – Latin. They brought new ways of farming, new medicines and new types of . Life for the rich had never been better. Wealthy Roman Britons built grand houses in towns and Roman-style villas in the countryside, full of mosaic floors, fine wines and formal gardens. They even had underfloor heating! For most people in Roman Britain though, life didn’t change too much. They were still mostly farmers, and they still had to pay their for the privilege of doing all of the hard work. When the Roman Army left Britain in 410 AD, many aspects of Roman life crumbled for everyone, rich and poor. Towns and forts were , roads fell into disrepair, and large scale industry collapsed without an economy to sustain it. People adapted to the new reality, new leaders emerged and farmers kept on farming — but after nearly 400 years, Roman Britain was in ruins.
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XI. Fill in the gaps with the particles from the video to make phrasal verbs.
посматривать на что-то с интересом= to eye
поглощать = to soak
хвастаться = to show
уступить кому-то = to give
халтурить, бездельничать= to mess
продолжать, не останавливаться = to keep
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XII. Rephrase the following sentences using Participle I as an adverbial modifier.
Example:
In AD 43 the new Roman Emperor, Claudius, was in search of a scrap to cement his status, and so he plotted his invasion of Britain.
->
(Being) in search of a scrap to cement his status, the Roman Emperor Claudius plotted his invasion of Britain.
NOTE: If the sentences have different subjects, use the structure "(With) (subject 1) Ving/having V3, (subject 2) ..."
- He sent 40,000 soldiers over the Channel and quickly defeated the tribes in the south east. Once it was safe, the emperor popped across to Britain to soak up the praise and show off his elephants.
- Some tribal leaders gave in to the empire rather than try to fight it, but not everyone was happy. The Druids organised resistance against the Romans, and queen Boudicca led a huge revolt in AD 60.
- Forts were their speciality, and they built hundreds of them across the province.
- The Romans also loved their roads. They built over 8,000 miles of them in the first century AD alone.
- But the biggest, baddest structure in Roman Britain was Hadrian’s Wall. It was a whopping 73 miles long.
- In some places, Hadrian's Wall was up to six metres high and three metres thick. No wonder, it took 15,000 men and about six years to build!
- When the Roman Army left Britain in 410 AD, many aspects of Roman life crumbled for everyone, rich and poor.
XIII. Watch the second video and do the following tasks.
or watch in my VK group and give your thumbs-up))
XIV. In the video find English equivalents for the Russian words and phrases below.
раз и навсегда = and
могущественный =
дань =
трехсторонняя атака = a attack
на берегах = on the
благосклонно =
канализационная труба = a
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XV. Do the test on the video.
1. What was the cause of Caesar's concerns during his presence in Gaul?
2. How many troops in total sailed from Rome to Britain over two years ?
3. In what directions did Claudius' troops attack Britain?
- A. North-West: Wales
- B. North-East: Durham
- C. South: Sussex and Hampshire
- D. North: York
- E. South-West: Devon and Cornwall
C, D
4. What does the Brigantian queen's decision to hand Caraticus over to the Romans suggest?
5. What infrastructure facilities were brought to Britain from Rome in the described era?
- A. Planes
- B. Roads
- C. Paper
- D. Sewers
- E. Buildings
- F. Chimneys
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XVI. Decide whether the idea is mentioned in the first, second or both videos. The idea may be not mentioned in the videos at all.
1. The Romans contributed to the development of Britain's infrastructure.
2. In fights, the Romans used some animals that were unusual for British people.
3. Eventually, the British crowned the Roman general to rule the country.
4. The Roman forces attacked Britain from more than one front.
5. Back in the day, in British cities there were some kinds of entertainment that are extremely surprising for modern people.
6. The Roman generals were concerned with the British Celts' assistance to the Gaul Celts.
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XVII. Now write an essay comparing the two videos you've watched.
Pay attention to the tone of the videos, the manner of speech of both narrators, the way the authors address the idea, the key points made in each one video and which of them is more focused on what detail.
Prompts: - Both videos explore/highlight...- While the tone of the first video is [conversational/relaxed/light-hearted], the second one adopts a more [academic/serious/formal] tone. - Both videos reference...; however, the [first/second] video provides a more in-depth examination, incorporating additional insights on..., adding ... / describing... / narrating about ... / - It is in the nth video that .... is /are discussed / is tackled / mentioned /noted. - It is in the [first/second] video that [topic/issue] is thoroughly addressed - As for / Regarding the n-th video, .... - Overall, both the videos are concise yet effectively informative about...
XVIII. 1. Read the following text.
British farmers adopted several Roman technologies and farming practices that significantly boosted agricultural productivity and efficiency. Here’s how they integrated Roman innovations into their agricultural routines:
-
Improved Tools: The Romans introduced iron tools like the ploughshare (a heavier iron plow) that could cut deeper into the soil, making it possible to farm heavier, more fertile land that was previously too challenging to cultivate. British farmers adopted these tools, which made farming more efficient and increased crop yields.
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Crop Rotation and New Crops: Romans brought the practice of crop rotation, which allowed fields to recover nutrients by rotating different crops. British farmers adopted this method, along with new Roman-introduced crops like barley, peas, onions, grapes, and cabbage, diversifying their diets and farming outputs.
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Irrigation Systems: Romans used advanced irrigation techniques, including ditches, channels, and aqueducts, to improve water access to fields. British farmers adopted these practices in areas where water management could boost crop growth, especially during dry periods.
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Animal Husbandry: Romans promoted selective breeding and the use of animals like oxen and horses for plowing and transportation. British farmers adopted these practices to improve livestock size and productivity, making farm work less labor-intensive.
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Villa System and Granaries: Wealthier British landowners and farmers began building villa estates based on the Roman model, which often included granaries for storing surplus grain and other goods. These villas became centers of agricultural production, allowing for better storage, protection from pests, and year-round food supplies.
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Enclosed Fields and Land Management: Romans introduced a more structured approach to land management, including enclosed fields and organized layouts for farming plots, which allowed for better management and yield tracking. British farmers began to use these enclosures to separate different types of crops and livestock.
2. Make up a dialogue between a Roman legion commander and a British farmer discussing improvements needed in farming techniques for qualifying for a supply contract.
Use the previous exercise.
Also for the commander's role, use more official language, such as It is essential/necessary/ crucial/ important/ mandatory / vital + that smb + should V1 For example: It is crucial that you lay aqueducts, to ensure that the field is properly irrigated.
The farmer's style of language can more informal, as he is a simple person.
Some more prompts:- Aye, Commander, that’s right. - to keep / store grain in simple wooden sheds - won't suffice for.. - make yours more secure and well-ventilated - stone pillars to allow airflow underneath, - small ventilation slits to prevent moisture and pests - Sounds a bit fancy for us - to sort grain by quality -to group fields by crop - Reckon I can do that. - to drain the nutrients from the soil - I’m willing to give it a go - alternating grains with legumes -restore nitrogen to the soil - Makes sense, now that you put it that way. - to pay off in productivity - to consider employing... -Fences, eh? Keepin’ the animals outta the crops. I’ll start settin’ some up soon.- I’ve seen your lads usin’ those - to meet standards - Once I see that you can consistently deliver high-quality grain and produce, we’ll discuss a contract. - Appreciate the advice, really.
3. Imagine that you are a British tribesman. Write a few sentences about how your life changed when Romans appeared in the south of the British Isles. Mention also the change in your relations with the Southern Celtic tribes.
Attention! Remember to describe characters in your story, use direct speech at least once and show how the characters changed over time, as well to narrate about your life prior the Roman conquest, your life during the conquest and your life after it. Write 250 words +- 10%
Look through the lesson and try to use as many new words from it as possible!