The ancient Greeks
Vocabulary:
To run the government-управлять государством
To involve [ɪn`vɒlv] – вовлекать
To allow [ə`laʊ] – разрешать
To attend [ə`tend] – посещать
Wedding [`wedɪŋ] – свадьба
Funerals [`fju:nərəlz] – похороны
To bear [beə] children – рожать детей
Wreath [ri:θ] – венок
Wool [wʊl] - шерсть
Athens [`æθɪnz] – Афины (город)
Sparta[spɑ:tə] – Спарта (город)
City-state – город-государство
Military [`mɪlɪt(ə)ri] – военный
To bring up – воспитывать
Disciplined [`dɪsɪplɪnd] – дисциплинированный
Army [`a:mi] – армия
Barrack [`bærək] – барак
Barefoot [`bɛəfʊt] – босиком
Javeline [`dʒævlɪn] throwing – метание копья
Discus [`dɪskəs] throwing – метание диска
To serve [sɜ:v] - служить
Grain [ɡreɪn] – зерно, злаки
Fig [fɪɡ] - инжир
Wheat [wi:t] - пшеница
Health [helθ] – здоровье
Fable [`feɪb(ə)l] – басня, миф, сказка
The Iliad [`ɪlɪəd] – Илиада
the Odyssey [`ɒdɪsi] - Одиссея
Aesop [`i:sɒp] – Эзоп
Homer [`həʊmə] - Гомер
The ancient Greeks were a very religious people. They believed in many gods.
Men ran the government, and spent a lot of their time away from home. When not involved in politics, the men spent time in the fields, sailing, hunting, in manufacturing or in trade. The men enjoyed wrestling, horseback riding, and the famous Olympic Games. Their wives and daughters were not allowed to attend these events as the participants in the games did not wear clothes.
Greek women had very limited freedom outside the home. They could attend weddings, funerals, some religious festivals, and could visit female neighbors for short periods of time. Their job was to run the house and to bear children.
Most Greek women did not do housework themselves. Most Greek families had slaves. Female slaves cooked, cleaned and worked in the fields. Male slaves watched the house, to make sure no one came in when the man was away.
The ancient Greeks thought their children were 'little' until they reached the age of 30! When a child was born to ancient Greek family, their father carried his child, in a ritual dance, around the house. Friends and relatives sent gifts. The family decorated the doorway of their house with a wreath of olives (for a boy) or a wreath of wool (for a girl).
In Athens, as in most Greek city-states, girls stayed at home until they were married. Like their mother, they could attend certain festivals, funerals, and visit neighbors for short periods of time. Their job was to help their mother, and to help in the fields.
Sparta was a military city-state.
Sparta brought up soldier-citizens who became a disciplined army. Spartans believed in a life of discipline. The boys of Sparta left home at the age of 7. From age 7 to 18, they had a hard course of training. They lived, trained and slept in the barracks of their brotherhood. They walked barefoot, slept on hard beds, and worked at gymnastics and other physical activities such as running, jumping, javelin and discus throwing, swimming, and hunting.
At 20, they joined the army and served until they were 60 years old.
Food in Ancient Greece consisted of grains, figs, wheat to make bread, fruit and vegetables. People in Ancient Greece also ate grapes, seafood of all kinds, and drank wine. They kept goats, for milk and cheese. They sometimes hunted for meat.
Dance was very important to the ancient Greeks. They believed that dance made physical and emotional health better. Men and women seldom danced together. Some dances were danced by men and others by women.
The ancient Greeks loved stories. They created many wonderful stories, myths, and fables that we enjoy today Aesop's Fables, Homer`s The Iliad and the Odyssey.
Answer the following questions (orally):
1 Who ran the government in Ancient Greece?
2 What activities were the men involved in?
3 What could the women do?
4 Who helped about the house?
5 What work did slaves do?
6 What did a father of a family do when a child was born?
7 How did a family decorate their house when a child was born?
8 What were Athens and Sparta?
9 What was the lifestyle in Sparta?
10 What famous ancient Greek writers/philosophers can you name?
Complete the sentences (see the text):
______________ was a military city-state. The Spartans __________in the army until they were 60 years old. Men ran the _______________. Most Greek women did not do ______________ themselves. They walked _____________, slept on hard beds, and worked at gymnastics and other physical activities. The family decorated the doorway of their house with a wreath of ___________ (for a boy) or a wreath of ____________ (for a girl). ______ was very important to the ancient Greeks. They created many wonderful stories, ________, and fables that we enjoy today.
Read the text and get ready to speak about:
The role of men in Ancient Greece
The position of women in Ancient Greece
Spartan lifestyle
Food the ancient Greeks ate
Childbirth
Entertainment and sport in Ancient Greece
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