1984

Assignment 1

You may use English-language Internet sources to help you.

a           Name 5 or more English-language writers.
b           Name 3 or more titles of English-language books.
c            Name 3 or more literary genres.

 

1984 Belarus has banned the sale of 1984. What is 1984? Read this review in The Guardian to find out.

 

Assignment 2

Read the text. Find (and mark) the following words in the text:

cruel – dictators – to disobey – dystopian – frightening – keeping a diary – to manipulate – notion – novella – oppression – protagonist – rebellion – ruler – surveillance – totalitarianism

Now read the definitions. Match all the above words and expressions with their correct definitions.

• of an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it can be
• a piece of fiction shorter than a novel but longer than a short story
• a person who rules or governs a country, like a president or queen, etc.
• an open fight or resistance by citizens against their government
• the use of physical force to harm a person and/or damage things
• to not do or behave as told or taught
• close and constant observation of a person or groups of people
• a political system with absolute and total control by the state authority
• people who rule with total power and often in a mean or violent manner
• to deal with or control or influence events in a clever and usually unfair way
• the main character in a novel, play, movie, etc.
• writing down your personal experiences and thoughts in a book each day
• very mean or unfair treatment of a group of people
• scary, terrifying
• idea
• causing pain and suffering

 

Assignment 3

a        Who is the main character in 1984?

1     George Orwell
2     George W Bush
3     Julia Smith
4     Winston Smith

 

b        Who or what is Big Brother?

1     A dystopian novella published in 1984.
2     A low ranking member of ‘the Party’ in 1984.
3     The cruel ruler of ‘the Party’ in 1984.
4     The name of the opposition ‘Party’ in 1984.

 

 

Assignment 4

“War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.” These are the three slogans of the ruling party in 1984.

a        All three slogans are paradoxes, because…

1     They are ideas about how things should be done or thought about.
2     They are officially accepted rules about what should be done.
3     They are phrases that are easy to remember and attract attention.
4     They are statements that seem to say two opposite things.

b        Think of one or more other paradoxical slogans. Write them down.

c        Discuss: Why would a country like Belarus ban the sale (and reading) of the book 1984?

 

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WK 21 2021-2022 Lezen B2 – 1984