The Deheyuan Grand Theatre The Globe Theatre When

The Deheyuan Grand Theatre The Globe Theatre

When HAMLET meets PEKING OPERA

We are to : 1. get a good understanding of the text and learn some useful expressions related to stage play. 2. improve reading skills--skimming for main ideas and scanning for detailed information, and speaking skills as well. 3. learn to appreciate the cultural heritage --- Peking Opera and make a comparison between western dramas and Chinese ones. 4. take pride in traditional Chinese culture --- Peking Opera.

Skimming Read the text quickly and finish the following 3 tasks. Task 1. What does “meet ” in the title mean ? Task 2. Match each paragraph with its main idea. Task 3. Choose the author’s purpose in writing the passage.

skimming Task 1. What does “meet ” in the title mean ? It means that Hamlet is performed with a Chinese art form --Peking Opera, which is called The Revenge of Prince Zidan.

skimming Task 2. Match each paragraph with its main idea. Para. 1 A. The author’s attitudes before and after experiencing The Revenge of Prince Zidan. Para. 2 B. The author’s opinion about Hamlet and Shakespeare. Para. 3 C. Why the author went to see The Revenge of Prince Zidan. Para. 4 D. Something in Peking Opera that surprised the author. Para. 5 E. The performers’ movements were incredible.

skimming Task 3. Choose the author’s purpose in writing the passage. A. To prove that Peking Opera is a better way to perform Hamlet. B. To inform the readers how to perform Hamlet through Peking Opera. C. To share the unique experience of seeing a Peking Opera version of Hamlet. D. To make a comparison between Eastern and Western cultures.

Scanning Read the text carefully and finish the following 4 tasks. Task 4. Why is the author confident that he knows a lot about Hamlet ? Task 5. What helped the author understand the meaning of the opera? Task 6. What aspects of Peking Opera most impressed the author? Task 7. Complete the chart with words and expressions from the passage.

scanning Task 4 Why is the author confident that he knows a lot about Hamlet ? A. Because he is learning English literature. B. Because Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces. C. Because he has seen a number of productions of Hamlet and read the play several times. D. All the above

scanning Task 5. What helped the author understand the meaning? the music exaggerated movements The performers of course sang in Chinese, but the music, exaggerated movements the mime and mime helped get the meaning across to the audience.

scanning Task 6. What aspects of Peking Opera most impressed the author? How the characters moved on the stage most impressed the author. My favorite part of the show was how the characters moved on stage. Learning to learn: That was simply incredible! was so dazzling energetic… Sometimes we can’t find the It answer directly fromand the text. If so, we need to read the text carefully and find the clues, for example, the words or expressions that have the same or similar meanings.

scanning Task 7. Complete the chart with words and expressions from the passage. 1. full of confidence 2. he knew a lot about Hamlet 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. surprised The costumes and masks sounded (really) unique was (really) simple (simply) incredible 8. the strong emotions of love, anger, fear and grief in the performance

Post-reading Finish the following 3 tasks. Task 8. Fill in the following blanks to summarize the text. Task 9. Paraphrase the following sentences. Task 10. Think and discuss: Why does the author say “The Revenge of Prince Zidan ticks all the right boxes”?

Post-reading Task 8 Fill in the following blanks to summarize the text. As a high school student in a western country, I once thought Western Opera was the best in the world, but this viewwas changed(change) when I saw The Revenge of Prince Zidan—the Peking Opera version of Hamlet. In the play, the traditional Chinese instruments ______(instrument) brought a new sound to my____(west) ears. The western amazing (amaze). The music, exaggerated movements costumes and masks were also_____ and mime could help get the meaningsacrossto the audience. The voices ____ sounded (sound) unique. Although the stage was simple，it could represent the whole world. The performers were so energetic that they could do backflips like athletes on the s t a g e. P e k i n g O p e r awhich , d a t e s b a c k t o t h e 1 8 t h c e n t u r y , _ _combines ______ (combine) music， singing， drama， poetry and costume design together. It is so attractive _____ (attract) to me that I have fallen in love with it.

Post-reading Task 9. Paraphrase the following sentences. 1. At first, I thought what I heard was a violin, but later I learnt that it was an instrument with two strings called jinghu. At the very beginning, I thought the sound was from a violin, but later I got to know it was not a violin but a traditional Chinese instrument which is called jinghu. 2. It was so dazzling and energetic that I wasn’t sure if the characters were performers or athletes! The backflip movement is so impressive and attractive that I was wondering whether the performers were athletes or not!

Post-reading Task 10. Think and discuss: Why does the author say “The Revenge of Prince Zidan ticks all the right boxes”? Because this show combines music, singing, drama, poetry and costume design with explosive effect. In the author’s opinion, this show is perfect and meets all his requirements and should be highly recommended.

Share with you 1. Peking opera is one of the traditional Chinese cultural heritage! 2. As a senior high, it’s our duty to inherit and develop it and to introduce it to the world! 3. Let’s do our bit --- learn more about it from now on!

Homework 1. Search the Internet to learn more about Peking Opera. 2. Write a letter to introduce Peking Opera to your foreign friends.