INSTRUCTIONS to teachers and students:
ENGLISH: These English lessons are designed to be used either by students to help themselves improve their English or by teachers to use when delivering lessons to their students. Every lesson has six sections. Common idioms and expressions, a gap fill exercise, a reading text with new vocabulary, a grammar section, a speaking section and a writing section. These six sections help students and teachers cover the main elements of the English language.
Grammar included: ‘Received Pronunciation’ and ‘The Correct Pronunciation of “ED” in a regular verb.
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Remember that during the lesson we are continuing our RP practice to be able to improve our pronunciation and diction.
READING (Concentrate on your pronunciation of the ‘ed’ sounds. You will find the ‘ed’ lesson at the end of this English lesson.
SECTION ONE
VOCABULARY SECTION
Brazil’s Gold Rush
The Glittering Allure of the 17th Century Brazilian Gold Rush
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STATEMENT:
Gold Rush: In the late 17th century, gold was discovered in the region now known as Minas Gerais. This discovery led to a gold rush and contributed significantly to the wealth of the Portuguese Empire.
VOCABULARY: Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.
1). Mineral A). A means of making a hole in something
2). Drilling B). An unrefined metal
3). Prospecting C). A series of rivers
4). A rich Vein D). A large source of a metal or rock
5). The mother lode E). Something that is left over
6). Ore F). The action of looking for a metal in the ground
7). A vast seam G). A metal or rock in the ground
8). Residue H). To take out
9). Extracted I). The main amount of something
10). A river system J). A large seam of metal or rock
SECTION TWO
BRAZIL’S GOLD RUSH VOCABULARY SECTION:
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Prospecting
- Meaning: The search for mineral deposits in a place, especially by means of drilling and excavation.
- Example Sentence: “The team spent months prospecting in the mountains before they finally found a rich vein of gold.”
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Placer
- Meaning: A deposit of sand or gravel in the bed of a river or lake, containing particles of valuable minerals.
- Example Sentence: “The miners discovered a placer deposit that yielded several ounces of gold per ton of gravel.“
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Lode
- Meaning: A rich source or supply of something, especially a vein of metal ore in the earth.
- Example Sentence: “After years of searching, they finally hit the mother lode, uncovering a vast seam of gold.”
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Assay
- Meaning: The testing of a metal or ore to determine its ingredients and quality.
- Example Sentence: “The geologist performed an assay on the ore samples to determine the gold content.”
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Tailings
- Meaning: The residue of ore after most of the valuable components have been extracted.
- Example Sentence: “The environmental team was concerned about the impact of the tailings on the local river system.”
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SECTION THREE (READING)
1).
Introduction:
In the late 17th century, Brazil experienced a transformative period that would leave an indelible mark on its history and economy: the Brazilian Gold Rush. This era, spanning from the late 1600s into the 1700s, saw a surge of Portuguese colonists and adventurers flocking to the region in search of wealth and prosperity. The discovery of gold in the Minas Gerais region ignited a frenzy that attracted people from all corners of the Portuguese Empire, drastically altering the social, economic, and geographical landscape of Brazil.
Now discuss any new vocabulary:
GRAMMAR QUESTION ONE:
Question: Identify and correct the grammatical error in the following sentence: “The Brazilian gold rush, which begun in the late 17th century, was one of the largest and most significant gold rushes in history.”
2).
The initial discovery of gold is credited to bandeirantes, Portuguese settlers who ventured into the Brazilian interior in search of indigenous people to enslave and new lands to conquer. In 1693, these explorers stumbled upon significant gold deposits in what would become the town of Ouro Preto. News of the discovery spread rapidly, drawing thousands of hopeful miners to the area. This influx of fortune seekers led to the establishment of new settlements and towns, transforming the once remote and sparsely populated interior into a bustling hub of activity.
Now discuss any new vocabulary:
GRAMMAR QUESTION TWO:
Question: Transform the following sentence from active to passive voice: “Miners discovered large gold deposits in the regions of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso during the Brazilian gold rush.”
SECTION FOUR (LISTENING)
VIDEO LISTENING SECTION:
QUESTIONS:
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- What is an economic crisis?
- What percentage of the world’s gold came from the Americas?
- Why and how did most of the gold from Brazil finally end up in England?
- Explain why Portugal needed 8,000 kilos of Brazilian gold.
- Great Britain became the financial centre of the world because of the Brazilian gold flowing into London. Why did this happen?
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Now discuss any new vocabulary:
GRAMMAR QUESTION THREE:
Combine the following sentences using a relative pronoun:
“The Brazilian gold rush attracted many fortune seekers. They hoped to make their fortunes in the New World.”
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3).
However, the Gold Rush was not without its consequences. The rapid population growth and intense mining activities led to significant environmental degradation, with deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination becoming widespread issues. Additionally, the demand for labour resulted in the increased importation of African slaves, who were subjected to brutal conditions in the mines. The social fabric of Brazil was profoundly impacted, as the burgeoning wealth disparity exacerbated tensions between different social classes and ethnic groups.
VOCABULARY: Now discuss any new vocabulary. https://translate.google.co.uk/
GRAMMAR QUESTION FOUR:
Question: Correct the following sentence for parallel structure: “The Brazilian gold rush led to the establishment of new towns, the influx of immigrants, and many conflicts over mining rights.”
4).
Despite these challenges, the Brazilian Gold Rush brought considerable wealth to the Portuguese crown and played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future. The economic boom funded the construction of opulent churches, buildings, and infrastructure, some of which still stand today as a testament to this golden era. Moreover, the Gold Rush set the stage for Brazil’s eventual emergence as a major player on the global stage, paving the way for its development into the vibrant and diverse country it is today.
VOCABULARY: Now discuss any new vocabulary. https://translate.google.co.uk/
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SECTION FIVE (REVISION)
How to pronounce the ‘ed’ sounds in regular verbs.
‘ED’ practice text
In this text remember that we are practicing our RP but at the same time we are going to practice how to pronounce the ‘ed’ in regular verbs. Here is an explanation.
In English, the pronunciation of the past tense suffix “-ed” varies and is determined by the final sound of the root verb:
1. /t/ Sound: We use this sound when the root verb ends in voiceless consonants (except for /t/), such as /p/, /k/, /s/, /ʃ/ (sh), /ʧ / (ch), and /f/. For example:
– “walk” becomes “walked” and is pronounced as /wa: kt/
– “laugh” becomes “laughed” and is pronounced as /laugh: ft/
2. /d/ Sound: We use this sound with root verbs ending in voiced sounds, which include all vowel sounds and voiced consonants (except for /d/), such as /b/, /g/, /v/, / z/, etc. For example:
– “call” becomes “called” and is pronounced as /ca lld/
– “rob” becomes “robbed” and is pronounced as /rob bd/
3. /ɪd/ or just /d/ Sound: We use this sound distinctly when the root verb ends in either a /t/ or a /d/. This additional syllable makes it easier to pronounce. For example:
– “want” becomes “wanted” and is pronounced as /ˈwant: id/
– “need” becomes “needed” and is pronounced as /ˈneed: id/
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SECTION SIX (ANSWERS)
GRAMMAR QUESTION ANSWERS:
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Question: Identify and correct the grammatical error in the following sentence: “The Brazilian gold rush, which begun in the late 17th century, was one of the largest and most significant gold rushes in history.”
Answer: The error is in the verb “begun.” The correct form should be “began.” Corrected sentence: “The Brazilian gold rush, which began in the late 17th century, was one of the largest and most significant gold rushes in history.”
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Question: Transform the following sentence from active to passive voice: “Miners discovered large gold deposits in the regions of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso during the Brazilian gold rush.”
Answer: Passive voice: “Large gold deposits were discovered in the regions of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso by miners during the Brazilian gold rush.”
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Question: Combine the following sentences using a relative pronoun: “The Brazilian gold rush attracted many fortune seekers. They hoped to make their fortunes in the New World.”
Answer: Combined sentence: “The Brazilian gold rush attracted many fortune seekers who hoped to make their fortunes in the New World.”
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Question: Correct the following sentence for parallel structure: “The Brazilian gold rush led to the establishment of new towns, the influx of immigrants, and many conflicts over mining rights.”
Answer: Corrected sentence: “The Brazilian gold rush led to the establishment of new towns, the influx of immigrants, and the occurrence of many conflicts over mining rights.”
VOCABULARY ANSWERS:
1). Mineral (G) A). A means of making a hole in something
2). Drilling (A) B). An unrefined metal
3). Prospecting (F) C). A series of rivers
4). A rich Vein (J) D). A large source of a metal or rock
5). The mother lode (I) E). Something that is left over
6). Ore (B) F). The action of looking for a metal in the ground
7). A vast seam (D) G). A metal or rock in the ground
8). Residue (E) H). To take out
9). Extracted (H) I). The main amount of something
10). A river system (C) J). A large seam of metal or rock