Life in the UK: The History of Stonehenge

Suitable for intermediate and above CEFR B1+

Stonehenge is one of the most famous sights in Great Britain, but, with UNESCO World Heritage status, it is also considered one of the most important historical sites in the world.

Vocabulary

oval, ditch, masterpiece, ancient, huge, solstice, monument, megalith, archaeologists, rituals, burials, crops, harvest, excavated, worship, horseshoe, deity, horizontal, aligned

Use an English dictionary or translator to write down the meaning of these words before reading or listening to the text.

What is a henge?

A henge is basically a ring of raised earth that is roughly circular or oval in shape with a ditch running around it. There are usually between one and four entrances and they are thought to have been used for rituals and burials.

There are many stone circles and henges throughout The British Isles, but Stonehenge has the largest stone megaliths and has therefore always been the most famous. The largest stones, also known as sarsens, stand up to 9m tall and weigh an average of 25 tonnes. Some ancient henges have been reconstructed with wood rather than stone, like this one in Northumberland.

The Story of the Stones

Stonehenge is located in a field near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. Although the exact date is unknown, the stones are thought to have been placed between four and five thousand years ago. Stonehenge is a masterpiece of ancient engineering and it would have taken a huge effort from many people working with the most basic tools.

Why the Neolithic and Bronze Age people of Britain put such effort into constructing Stonehenge remains a mystery, but curiously, the stones are exactly aligned with the movement of the sun. Recording the seasons and the solstices were very important for the emergence of agriculture and farming to work out the annual schedule for sowing and harvesting crops, but archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was much more than an early calendar because of the number of human and animal bones excavated near the site. For this reason it is thought that Stonehenge was a place for spiritual rituals and celebrations associated with the worship of a solar deity. 

The first stones were laid in a double circle and were known as bluestones, but these were replaced by the horseshoe of large sarsens we see today in about 2500BC. Originally, all of the sarsens would have had a stone laid horizontally across the top to connect them, which would have created a magnificent inner and outer circle of stone arches. Over time, however, some of the stones were removed, possibly to be used for other buildings or construction. 

Many people that feel a spiritual connection to the stones or follow ancient religions and practices, such as pagans and druids, still gather at Stonehenge every year to watch the sunrise during the summer and winter solstices.  

Activity 1

Answer these questions about the text true or false. 

1. Stonehenge is one of many 'henges' that can be found around Britain. T/F

2. Stonehenge was built in 2500BC. T/F

3. The largest stones are called sarsens. T/F

4. Stonehenge is in Wiltshire, in the South of England. T/F

5. People have parties at Stonehenge in the summer months. T/F

Activity 2

Write about an ancient monument or famous historical site in your country using the passive voice. To make a sentence in the passive voice of present simple use the verb 'to be' with a past participle. For example:

Stonehenge is near Salisbury - present simple

Stonehenge is located near Salisbury - present simple passive voice

For more information about how to use the passive voice check out these lessons:

https://englishwithcara.blogspot.com/2019/10/how-to-use-passive-form-of-present.html 

References

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

The History of Britain: 2016: Igloo Books: China

Dealing with Grief in the Coronavirus Pandemic

Suitable for upper-intermediate CEFR B2+

2020 has been a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. 

There has been unprecedented disruption to life as we know it and I've personally struggled with maintaining a healthy routine during the 3 months national lockdown in the UK, during which I lost a family member that has been a hugely important part of my life. Grief is hard to deal with at any time, but not having the opportunity to support this person in their final moments because of restrictions imposed for the pandemic, was especially difficult to swallow. 

I am not ashamed to admit that I lost my way after that. I didn't know what to do or how to live anymore in this strange new world. I doubted if it was a world worth living in at all. But as the days of social isolation stretched on, I began to find beauty and solace in observing all the little comings and goings of the season through the kitchen window. 

As March ticked slowly away, the soft pink blossoms on the cherry tree faded and bright orange flowers opened at the bottom of the garden. In April, I noticed the colours on all the little garden birds that I might previously have missed going about my usual schedule. In May the hot weather brought out bluebells in the forest that I could enjoy on a long evening walk with the dog and I began to feel connected with nature in a way that I hadn't experienced for a very long time. 

I will never forget the sky looking clearer and bluer than ever at a time when pollution levels were the lowest they had ever been during my lifetime. I will never forget waking to a melodious cacophony of birdsong in the almost total absence of air traffic and motorway noise. I will never forget the glorious and profound silence. In times of darkness these memories will exist to remind me that there is such astounding beauty and hope in the presence of nature, if you only stop and notice. 

I'd like to dedicate this post not only to all the keyworkers that have supported efforts to fight the pandemic and keep people safe, but to everyone across the world that has lost someone close to them during the pandemic. My heart goes out to you all. 

The Joy of Being

Now is the timeless space in which everything in the universe is happening simultaneously. By becoming aware of the space of now, you suddenly feel more alive inside.

                                                                                                                       - Eckhart Tolle

Words and Phrases to Remember

impose, to deal with, difficult to swallow, grief, solace, simultaneously, astounding, to bring out, keyworkers

Look these words up in a translator and an English dictionary and record the meaning. 

Activity

See if you can answer TRUE or FALSE to these questions about the text

1. Life has changed because of the pandemic. T/F

2. Grief is a feeling of sadness felt after somebody dies. T/F

3. The writer was with the person when they died. T/F

4. The writer felt sadness when looking out of the window. T/F

5. The writer has many happy memories of social isolation during the quarantine. T/F

Write your answers in the comments!