UNIT 4 - Plantyn

UNIT4
Robin Hood: fact and fiction
Steven Spielberg dreamt of shooting a Robin Hood film when
he was still in his teens. He started reading every scrap of
information he could find about the legendary British outlaw.
How much do you know about Robin Hood?
•• Have you read a book or an article about him?
If so, which one?
•• Have you watched a film about him?
If so, which one?
•• Do you remember any of the stories about Robin Hood
and his Merry Men?
Tell the class what you know.
Oral practice and viewing
Now watch the passage on the DVD.
cd
Afterwards exchange as much of the content as you can remember with a partner and then
with the class. Do so in English preferably (or in Dutch if necessary).
When his plans to shoot a Robin Hood film became more concrete, Steven Spielberg had a
conversation with British Robin Hood authorities, Dominic Minghella and Foz Allan, who were
preparing their own BBC series about Robin Hood (2006 - 2009). The interview was later published
in a well-known English textbook.
To listen successfully …
••
••
••
••
Note the setting above: Who is speaking? To whom? When?
Read the vocabulary below.
Close your textbook and listen all the way through at first.
Ask for a second listening session, if necessary.
Read the vocabulary on the next page, listen to the
conversation a first time and answer the questions.
•• What information is Steven Spielberg looking for in general?
•• Can you remember some of the questions he wants an answer to?
Listening comprehension
Unit 4
DVD
75
Vocabulary and pronunciation
historicalhistorisch
legendary ['led{ndri]legendarisch
a grain of truth
een beetje waarheid
descentafkomst
a nobleman
een edelman
a forester
een boswachter
a yeoman ['joVm{n]
a middle-class man
a crusade
een kruistocht
ruthlessmeedogenloos
crueltywreedheid
to oppressonderdrukken
a cousin
a son or daughter of your father or mother’s
brother or sister
to obeygehoorzamen
a deer
een hert
severe [sI'vI{]streng
to punishstraffen
a culprit
somebody who is found guilty in court
Steven Spielberg:
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
Steven Spielberg:
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
Unit 4
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
76
to chop off [tʃɒp 'ɒf]afhakken
a sack of flour
een zak meel
an outlaw
somebody living without the protection of the law
to hide
zich verbergen
notoriousberucht
an archer
een boogschutter
to fall victim to
ten prooi vallen aan
oppressionverdrukking
a nephew
a son of your sister
or brother
to have a crush
smoorverliefd zijn
on a person
a niece
a daughter of your sister
or brother
an aunt [a:nt]
een tante
an uncle
een oom
Would you say Robin Hood was a historical figure, or is he only legendary?
Difficult to say. Legendary for the greater part, without doubt. But like
with most legends there is a grain of historical truth in the stories.
And what do we learn from history?
Pretty little, I’m afraid. Even his name and social descent are uncertain.
In some stories he is called Robin of Locksley, in other stories he is the
Earl of Huntington.
So, he was a nobleman then?
In these stories, he was a nobleman. But in other stories he was the
son of a forester, or a yeoman.
What’s a yeoman?
A person who owns some land. A person belonging to the middle-class.
Wasn’t he related to King Richard the Lionheart somehow?
He was, yes. In some stories he accompanied the King on the Third
Crusade.
The Third Crusade. When was that?
From 1189 till 1191.
So the end of the twelfth century.
That is correct. And in those stories Robin returned from the crusade
some time before the king came back, to find his father murdered and
his castle ruined by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
Steven Spielberg:
Foz Allan:
Steven Spielberg:
Oh, that Sheriff of Nottingham. A wicked fellow, wasn’t he?
And ambitious. But his cousin, Guy of Gisbourne, was even worse
than him. He took orders from the Sheriff and obeyed them with
ruthless cruelty.
He oppressed the people.
The common people, yes. Anyone caught for hunting deer was severely
punished. The culprit’s hand was chopped off, or he had an eye
removed. Even stealing a sack of flour could result in hanging the thief.
Which explains why there were outlaws in Sherwood forest?
Hiding from the Sheriff.
And Robin Hood joined these outlaws …
Dominic Minghella:
He did. After a notorious fight with John Little, their chief. The band
were so impressed by Robin’s skill as an archer and by his fighting spirit
that they asked him to become their leader.
Foz Allan:
Robin was a robber, but no common criminal, mind you. He stole
from the rich who passed through Sherwood forest, and gave money
to the poor. And when the villagers fell victim to even more oppression
by the Sheriff, they joined Robin in the wood.
Steven Spielberg:
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
They became his band of Merry Men, didn’t they? Little John …
Not the villagers for a start. The original band were a few people on
the run from the Sheriff and his troops. Little John was their chief.
His real name was John Little in fact, but Robin changed his name into
Little John. And there was Much the Miller’s son, and Friar Tuck. And
Will Scarlet. In some stories Will Scarlet is Robin’s nephew, in other
stories he is Robin’s half-brother.
I see. But, of course, I will need some romance in my film …
Foz Allan:
No problem. There is Maid Marian. Robin had a crush on her from his
childhood days and as soon as he caught sight of her after his return from
the Crusade, he was lost again. In some stories the King is her uncle.
Steven Spielberg:
Her uncle? So she is his niece. And the King’s sister must be her aunt
then. Very complicated all of that! Well, that will do. I understand every
scriptwriter has to compose his own story about our hero, doesn’t he?
Dominic Minghella:
Steven Spielberg:
Correct. There are plenty of stories to get inspiration from.
OK. Let’s get to work. Thank you for this interview.
WB ex. 4.1
listening comprehension
Run through the conversation with two partners. Switch roles after each session.
WB ex. 4.2
WB ex. 4.3
WB ex. 4.4
Unit 4
Ask for a second listening session, if necessary, and write questions down in your workbook.
reading comprehension
grammar practice
grammar practice
grammar practice
77
Robin Hood for beginners
To read successfully …
•• Use your knowledge of Dutch, French or perhaps Latin to help you understand the English words.
•• Read the text all the way through and make use of the context to understand more unknown
vocabulary.
•• Read the text again more thoroughly. Vocabulary you did not understand at first sight may
now be clear. If not, make use of the vocabulary list underneath the text.
Do the first part of the exercise in the workbook.
WB ex. 4.5.1
vocabulary practice
reading comprehension
Then read the article and do the second part of the exercise.
WB ex. 4.5.2
Unit 4
78
vocabulary practice
reading comprehension
Ballads, some of them written in the 15th century, tell stories about Robin Hood. Robin also appeared in plays,
which were performed during Mayday activities, when the coming of spring was celebrated with music,
dances and plays. And nowadays there are many books and cartoons about him, written for children.
In these stories Robin appears under different names. He is called Robert Hood, or Roger Godberd.
5 In some stories he is the son of a forester and in all the stories he is an excellent archer. When he shot an
arrow, he never missed his target. In one story Robin, aged 15, went to Nottingham to attend a fair. He
was stopped by 15 foresters who mocked him, saying he couldn’t shoot with that children’s bow he had
with him. They made a bet on it and Robin proved his skill by killing a hart from over 550 yards away.
When the men refused to pay the promised sum of money, Robin shot them one by one.
15
20
25
30
35
40
But in other stories Robin is a nobleman, called Robin of Locksley or Earl of Huntingdon.
He was a strong supporter of King Richard the Lionheart, who led the Third Crusade. Legend has it
that Robin accompanied the King to Jerusalem. When he returned to England he had a companion with
him: Azeem, a Moor. This character was added to the stories in the 20th century. It allows the Christian
and Islamic worlds to be compared at various points.
When Robin arrived home with Azeem, he found his land stolen by the Sheriff of Nottingham,
an ambitious, but cruel man. The Sheriff oppressed the people with the help of his cousin Guy of
Gisbourne, who obeyed the Sheriff’s orders blindly.
The Sheriff wanted to arrest Robin and the only escape left for him and Azeem was to hide in
Sherwood forest and become outlaws. The Sheriff tried to catch Robin Hood, but he could not find him,
because Robin was usually dressed in green, which made it difficult to spot him in the wood. He was
also a master of disguise. This allowed him to go to Nottingham from time to time and deceive the Sheriff.
Robin held up rich people who passed through Sherwood Forest and stole their money and jewellery.
The poor had nothing to fear from him, on the contrary. He defended the underdog against oppression
and gave them the money he stole from the rich. Robin did not usually fight alone. He was mostly
accompanied by his Merry Men – Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, Much the Miller’s Son, Alan a Dale
and many others. How he met them is another famous story. Robin was also good with the sword and
the quarterstaff. The first person he fought in Sherwood forest was John Little. John overpowered
Robin and took him to his band of outlaws, who eventually accepted him as their leader when they
realised how well he could shoot.
In other stories Robin rescues Much the Miller’s son from the sheriff’s men. Much was hungry and killed
one of the King’s deer. The foresters had to punish him for that by chopping off one of Much’s hands or
remove an eye. “Are there no exceptions?” Robin asked with his arrow pointed at the King’s foresters.
How he met Maid Marian and won her heart is yet another story.
Robin did not remain an outlaw forever. In many stories King Richard the Lionheart pardoned him in the end.
Robin’s life is said to have ended in 1247. He was ill and looked for help from his cousin, the Prioress of
Kirklees. In the Middle Ages a common treatment for illness was bleeding the person. The treacherous
Prioress drained too much of his blood away and Robin grew very weak. From his room in the priory, he
managed to shoot one last arrow and told Little John to bury him where it landed. Then he died.
But his spirit remains alive as long someone tells a tale about Robin Hood or a producer finds funds
for yet another film about the famous outlaw of Sherwood.
(Abridged and adapted from various sources.)
Vocabulary and pronunciation
a ballad
een ballade
nowadays
vandaag de dag
a fair [fe{]
een jaarmarkt,
een kermis
to mock somebody met iemand spotten
to make a bet on sth wedden op iets
to prove [pru:v]bewijzen
a skill
een vaardigheid
a hart
een mannetjeshert
a bow [b{U]
een boog
an arrow ['@r{U]
een pijl
with bow and arrow met pijl en boog (!)
a yard [ja:d]
91,44 cm
an escape
een ontsnapping
to fearvrezen
the underdog
de zwakkere
a master of disguise
een meester in het
zich vermommen
to deceive [dI'si:v]bedriegen
to hold upovervallen
jewellery ['du:{lri]juwelen
a quarterstaff
a wooden pole used
in a fight
a sword [sO:d]
een zwaard
to rescue ['reskju:]redden
to remove [rI'mu:v]verwijderen
a prioress ['pr7I{res]
een priores
treacherous ['tretʃ{r{s] vals, verraderlijk
to drain [dreIn]aftappen
Compare the information in the article with the content of the conversation Spielberg had
with the BBC authorities and do the next exercise in your workbook.
WB ex. 4.6
Unit 4
10
reading comprehension
79
Reread the article, if necessary, and help Steven Spielberg and his crew with the
preparation of their film.
•• How many actors and actresses do they need to play the most important roles?
•• What clothes and equipment should be provided for Robin?
•• What locations are needed?
WB ex. 4.7
reading comprehension
WB ex. 4.8
grammar practice
WB ex. 4.9
vocabulary practice
WB ex. 4.10
vocabulary practice
To learn more about the main characters in the Robin Hood story and in the film, listen to the
CD and do the exercise in your workbook. Then listen to the song.
cd
WB ex. 4.11
WB ex. 4.12
listening comprehension
listening comprehension
Robin Hood: stories
Suppose you were Steven Spielberg and you had an
unlimited budget for your film, who would you ask to play
these roles. Why?
•• Robin Hood
•• Maid Marian
Oral practice:
short class discussion
• The Sheriff of Nottingham
• King Richard the Lionheart
After Robin Hood had met some of his famous companions: sturdy Little John (whom he fought
with the quarterstaff); and fat friar Tuck, Robin wanted to take part in an archery contest, organised
by his enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The sheriff hoped that Robin would come to the contest
and could then be arrested.
Read this story from the Robin Hood legend.
What characteristics of Robin Hood can you find in it?
reading comprehension
The Archery Contest
“I have it,” the Sheriff shouted. “We will hold an archery competition. All the bowmen in
Nottinghamshire will come, and strive to see who is the best shot of all. The prize will be an arrow
made of pure silver, with feathers and a head of gold. Robin will never resist such a lure.”
Unit 4
80
And this was true. As soon as Robin heard of the competition, he longed to take part. But how
5 could he? When he showed his face in Nottingham he knew he would be captured. So Robin
hesitated. But the next morning Robin and his men halted a potter who was on his way to town,
where he hoped to sell his pots and pans. Robin took the man apart for a moment and said to him:
“Stay here. My men will serve you a feast fit for a king – and I will go to Nottingham disguised in
your clothes.”
10
“So long as you don’t forget to sell my pots”, said the potter, and the deal was made. Robin
hid his bow and arrows in the potter’s cart and drove into Nottingham. He found himself a good
place right by the ground where the competition was to take place, and he was soon doing good
business. Robin so enjoyed shouting out “Pots for sale! Best pots in Nottinghamshire!” that he
almost forgot why he had come to town.
15
Archers from all around were taking part in the competition, but Robin saw that no one was
as good as he. He sold his last five pots to the Sheriff’s wife, and said to her: “Though I am but
a humble potter, I would love to try my hand for the silver arrow. I have a bow in my cart, that
someone gave me as a present.”
So Robin took his place at the end of
20 the line. The crowd was silent when the
first archer shot his arrow at the target.
The man was known locally as an expert
archer and, indeed his arrow hit the mark
in the central circle. No other archer shot
25 so well. Some even missed the target
altogether and the crowd laughed at
them. Then Robin stepped up, and
strung his bow. He calmed his mind and
fired. His arrow hit the wooden marker
of the first archer’s arrow dead in the
30 middle, splitting it in three even pieces.
“Well shot,” shouted the Sheriff’s wife, and even the Sheriff himself clapped politely, though he was
sick at heart that his plan hadn’t worked. Robin Hood hadn’t turned up, and now he had to give the
precious silver arrow to a mere potter. The arrow had cost him a fortune, but he handed over the prize.
35
“That was a fine shot, fellow,” he said. “Someone bring me the arrow he fired, so that I can see
how it was fletched.” Robin said: “I thank your honour for your kind words, and for this silver arrow,
but I must be on my way. There is no rest for a poor man in these times.”
And with that Robin climbed back in the cart and drove off as fast as he could. If he was not out
of the gates before the Sheriff found out who he was, he could be shut in the city and trapped like
an animal. Robin was just at the gates when the stewards brought his winning arrow to the Sheriff.
40
“This is a fine arrow, indeed,” said the Sheriff.” Look how well it is made. The fletcher has even
used peacock feather, not goose quills.” But then he remembered a story he had heard about Sir
Richard. Sir Richard had run into debts and Robin had helped him out with money. The nobleman
had given Robin this arrow to thank him for his help. Now the Sheriff realized he had been tricked.
“Guards! Guards!” he shouted. “Stop that potter!”
45
But Robin was already past the gates, on his way to the safety of the greenwood, while the Sheriff
was left behind with his injured pride.
(Adapted from various Internet sources.)
Vocabulary and pronunciation
to try one’s hand at (doing) something
to string a bow
to fletch
a fletcher
a peacock
a quill [kwIl]
to run into debt [det]
the greenwood
WB ex. 4.13
WB ex. 4.14
iets proberen
een boog spannen
voorzien van veren
een pijlenmaker
een (mannetjes)pauw
een ganzenveer
schulden maken
het groene woud
Unit 4
sturdy
robuust, gespierd
archery ['a:tʃ{ri]
het boogschieten
to strive
zich inspannen, strijden
a lure ['l(j)U{]
een lokmiddel,
een lokaas
to long
hevig verlangen
to hesitateaarzelen
humble
eenvoudig, nederig
reading comprehension
vocabulary practice
81
Read the end of the story about Robin Hood and answer
the questions in your workbook.
reading comprehension
Robin’s Death
Robin’s hair turned silver, yet his back was still as straight as that of a
young man. He was strong, and brave as an old lion, and his men loved
and obeyed him as much as ever. Little John and Robin had become
close friends. They were hardly ever apart.
5 But then Robin began to feel weak and ill. He said sadly to Little John,
"I am not able to shoot so well any more. I do not know what is the
matter with me. Let us go to my cousin the Prioress of Kirkley Abbey.
Perhaps she will be able to cure me. She is a wise woman."
They had a very curious way of making people well in those days.
10 They “bleeded” them. A cut was made in the sick person's arm and they let the blood
flow out for a few minutes. Then they bound up the wound again to stop the blood flowing. Sometimes
people got well after this. At other times they grew worse and died.
A few days before Christmas Little John and Robin set off together to Kirkley Abbey. It was a difficult
and painful journey. The snow lay thick on the ground, the roads were almost impassable and it was
15 terribly cold. They went bravely on, but Robin became so ill that he could not sit on his horse any
longer. Little John had to carry him in his arms during the last part of the journey.
They arrived at Kirkley Abbey on Christmas Eve. The Prioress said she was very pleased to see them.
"But, good cousin Robin, what is the matter with you? You look so pale and thin." "He is very ill," replied
Little John in a broken voice. "I feared he was going to die on the way. I have brought him here so that
you may cure him."
20
Then the Prioress bent over Robin and looked at him carefully. "Yes," she said, "he is very ill. I must
bleed him." If Little John had seen the face of the Prioress, as she bent over his master, he would have
taken him away again. There was such a wicked look upon it. But he did not notice. "Come, good Little
John," she said, turning to him, "I have a pleasant room on the south side of the abbey looking towards
your dear Sherwood. Take up my cousin and carry him there."
25
So Little John took Robin in his arms and followed the Prioress to the little room on the south side of
the abbey. Little John wanted to stay beside Robin, but the Prioress said, "No, he must have perfect
quietness, if he is to get better." "I will not move nor make a sound," said Little John, "if you will only let
me stay." "No," said the Prioress again, "I must be alone with him if I am to make him better."
30 "When may I come back, then?" asked Little John. "In a few hours, perhaps. Perhaps tomorrow
morning," replied the Prioress. "I will call you when it is time." So with a very heavy heart Little John
walked away. He went out into the abbey garden. There he sat down under a tree where he could
watch the window of Robin's room. Hour after hour he waited patiently in the cold.
Unit 4
Now the Prioress was a bad woman. Robin had always been very kind to her, and she had pretended to
35 love him. But she hated him, and wanted to hurt him. As long as Robin was well and strong she could
do nothing. But now that he had come to her, weak and ill, he was in her power.
As soon as she was alone with him the Prioress made a cut in Robin's arm so that the blood flowed out. She
pretended to bind the wound up again, but she put the bandage on so badly that the blood kept flowing.
Then she locked Robin in the room and went away. Robin was so weak and weary that he soon fell asleep.
82
40 He slept for many hours. And all the time Little John sat patiently under the tree in the garden - waiting.
When Robin woke he found he was so weak that he could hardly move. He saw the blood was
still flowing from his arm and he knew that he would soon die if it was not stopped immediately.
He tried to raise himself to the window, but he was not strong enough. Then he thought of his buglehorn. With great difficulty he put it to his mouth, and blew three faint blasts.

45 When he heard the blasts Little John sprang up and ran to his master’s room as fast as he could. The
door was locked, but he put his shoulder against it and burst it open. There he found his master almost
dead. Carefully and quickly he bound up the arm. His heart was full of love and grief for his master, and
full of anger against the wicked Prioress.
"Grant me one favour, master," he said. "What favour is that, dear Little John?" replied Robin. "Give me
50 the permission to bring all our men here, burn this abbey and kill that wicked Prioress, as she has killed
you." But Robin refused. He had never hurt a woman in all his life and he would not do it now.
So Little John, with anger in his heart, promised
not to punish the Prioress. Robin lay still for a
short time, and Little John knelt beside him.
55 Then Robin said, "Little John, I would like to
shoot one more arrow. Carry me to the window.
Give me my good bow into my hands, and hold
me up while I shoot. Where the arrow falls, there
bury me." So Little John lifted him up and held
60 him while he shot. The arrow only went a very
little way and fell in the garden, not far from
where Little John had been sitting all night.

"It was a good shot, master, a very good shot,"
said Little John, though he could hardly speak
65 for tears. "Was it indeed, my friend? I could
not see," replied Robin, "but you will bury me
where it fell."
Little John promised to do everything as Robin asked. "Thank you, dear friend, good-bye," whispered
Robin, and he lay still in Little John's arms. Then he raised himself up, and looking eagerly out of the
70 window, "Was it indeed a good shot?" he asked. Then he fell back again - dead. Just at that moment
the convent bells began to ring for the Christmas Eve service. Through the open window came the
sound of the sweet voices of the nuns singing a Christmas carol.
But Robin was dead. Never again would he hear the sweet Christmas carol he had loved so well. Beside
him knelt Little John almost broken-hearted.
one,
eath this st
"Here, undern
Lies Robert,
Earl of Hunti
(Slightly adapted from H.E. Marshall,
Stories of Robin Hood Told to Children.)
ngdon;
,
was so good
No archer ever
ed him
The people call
Robin Hood.
as he
Such outlaws
Unit 4
75 There was great sorrow all through the land, when
it became known that Robin Hood was dead.
Little John called all the Merry Men together for
the last time, and they buried their master where
his last arrow fell, in the garden of Kirkley Abbey,
80 in Yorkshire. Over the grave they placed a stone,
and carved upon it these lines:
and his men
Will England
again."
never see
83
Vocabulary and pronunciation
brave(ly)dapper
to bind (bound, bound)vastbinden
to curegenezen
to bend (bent, bent)
buigen
to pretend
doen alsof
to hurt
bezeren, verwonden
a bandage
een verband
wearyvermoeid
a bugle horn
een jachthoorn
faintnauwelijks
waarneembaar, zwak
griefverdriet
to bury ['beri]begraven
to whisperfluisteren
eager(ly)
enthousiast, vurig
a convent
een (nonnen)klooster
Christmas Evekerstavond
the vigil
de vooravond
(van viering)
holyheilig
fairvoorspoedig,
veelbelovend
lowly
eenvoudig, nederig
to shrive (shrove, shriven) de biecht horen van
a Christmas carol
een kerstlied
sorrow
verdriet, leed
WB ex. 4.15
reading comprehension
Do the first two parts of the next exercise in your workbook and then study the grammar grid below.
WB ex. 4.16
grammar
Grammar
Adverbs
1 Form
adjective
adverb
slow
beautiful
slowly
beautifully
regelmatige bijwoorden: bijvoeglijk naamwoord + ly
terrible
horrible
terribly
horribly
bijv. nw. eindigend op -le: e laten vallen + y
lucky
heavy
luckily
heavily
bijv. nw. eindigend op –y: y wordt i + ly
dramatic
dramatically
regular adverb = adjective + ly
adjectives ending in -le drop the -e ⇒ + y
adjectives ending in -y change -y into -i ⇒ -ily
adjectives ending in -ic ⇒ + ally
bijv. nw. eindigend op –ic + ally
good
well
exception
uitzondering
Unit 4
Notes
1The following adverbs have the same form as the adjective: early, fast, hard, late, low,
straight, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.
De volgende bijwoorden hebben dezelfde vorm als het bijvoeglijk naamwoord: early, fast, hard,
late, low, straight, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.
It’s hard work. (adjective)
The Daily Telegraph is a daily paper. (adjective)
84
He works hard. (adverb)
It is issued daily. (adverb)
2 The adjective difficult has no adverb form. Use with difficulty.
Het bijvoeglijk naamwoord difficult heeft geen bijwoordvorm. Gebruik with difficulty.
Robin put the bugle horn to his mouth with difficulty.
2 Use
An adjective tells us more about a noun.
An adverb tells us more about a verb, an adjective or about another adverb.
Een bijvoeglijk naamwoord zegt ons iets meer over een zelfstandig naamwoord.
Een bijwoord zegt ons iets meer over een werkwoord, een bijvoeglijk naamwoord of een ander bijwoord.
This is a good shot.
Robin shoots very well. (adverb with verb)
The cold was terrible.
It was terribly cold. (adverb with adjective)
Robin used to shoot well. Robin used to shoot extremely well. (adverb with other adverb)
An adverb can also tell us more about a complete sentence.
Een bijwoord kan ons ook iets meer zeggen over een gehele zin.
Luckily, Robin didn’t see where the arrow fell.
When he finally got to Kirkley, he had grown very weak.
Notes
1Verbs that are more or less synonyms of to be are followed by an adjective, not by an
adverb (e.g. to seem, to look, to feel, to become).
Werkwoorden die ongeveer de betekenis hebben van to be worden gevolgd door een bijvoeglijk
naamwoord, niet door een bijwoord: ( bv. to seem, to look, to feel).
Robin began to feel weak.
Little John became angry.
2 The adverb is never put between the verb and the direct object.
Het bijwoord wordt nooit geplaatst tussen het werkwoord en het lijdend voorwerp.
Philip plays football very well. (NOT: He plays very well football.)
WB ex. 4.19
WB ex. 4.20
grammar practice
grammar practice
oral practice
grammar practice
oral practice
grammar practice
oral practice
grammar practice
Unit 4
WB ex. 4.16
WB ex. 4.17
WB ex. 4.18
85
Watch a Robin Hood film, or part of a series.
Viewing & Writing Practice
1 Think of an answer to (one of) the following questions.
•• Which passage in the film (excerpt) or series did you like best?
•• Who was your favourite character in it?
•• Who was your favourite actor or actress?
2 You have been asked to write a review for a youth magazine about that passage, character or
actor in which you try to convince young people to watch that film or that part of the series.
3 Use a magazine article or the Internet for further information.
To write successfully ...
•• Take account of who you write your text for: young people, your age, with a limited
knowledge of English.
•• Take account of the aim of your text: you want to convince your readers.
•• Make use of extra information you have found in a magazine or on the Net. Do not copy
the text literally, except in quotation marks.
•• Write a first draft and structure your text.
•• Look up the correct word in an online or traditional dictionary when necessary.
•• Check that you have used adjectival and adverbial forms as well as the tenses correctly:
present or past.
•• Reread your text at least twice.
WB ex. 4.21
Unit 4
86
free writing practice
EXTENSION4
AN AUSTRALIAN ROBIN HOOD
Read this article about Ned Kelly with the help of the
vocabulary list. Can you call him “an Australian Robin Hood”?
Why (not)?
Reading comprehension
NED KELLY (1854 - 1880)
Ned was just 16 when he was convicted of receiving a stolen horse and he served three years in
20 jail. He was released in 1874. Whether or not he was set for a life of crime is hard to say, but one
event had a dramatic effect on his future. In April 1878 a police officer, called Fitzpatrick, assaulted
Ned’s sister. Afterwards he accused Ned's mother of attacking him and Ned of shooting him in the
wrist. Whatever actually happened, the result of Fitzpatrick's claims was that Mrs. Kelly was sent to
prison for three years and a 100 pound reward was offered for the capture of Ned. From that time
25 on Ned and his brother Dan kept to the bush.
On the 26th October 1878, together with friends, Joe
Byrne and Steve Hart, they came across police, camped at
Stringy Bark Creek. Ned believed the police intended to kill
him and Dan, so he called on the police officers to surrender.
30 But three of the officers resisted, and in the fight which
followed Kelly shot them dead. The reward for capturing Kelly
and his gang rose to two thousand pounds and would later
rise to an amazing eight thousand pounds, the equivalent,
today, of nearly two million dollars! But Ned had many
35 supporters and for almost two years they helped the gang
to dodge the police.
During this time the Kelly gang robbed two banks. The
robberies were important in the making of the Kelly legend.
The gang defied authority, robbed the rich but did not take
40 any lives. So it fitted the popular image of the brave and bold
bushrangers. The robberies also give us an idea of how Ned
thought about himself. At each robbery he gave one of his
hostages a letter in which he explained to the government
how he'd been persecuted by police.
Unit 4
On a cold June morning, more than 100 years ago a
bushranger, called Ned Kelly, fought his final battle. He was an
outlaw who rode a horse, put on a suit of armour and fought
the police. Today, Ned Kelly is an Australian legend.
5
Ned, the eldest of eight children, was born to Irish parents in
Victoria in 1854. He was just 12 when his ex-convict father died
and his family settled near relatives at Greta, 240 kilometres
northeast of Melbourne.
In Ned's time it was wild, rugged country and life was hard.
10 The best land was held by a handful of rich people, so called
squatters. But Ned's family was poor and the only opportunity
they had to own land was as selector. Under the selection system families took up areas of land set
aside by the government and paid them off bit by bit. They also had to improve the property by
clearing it, building a house, putting up fences and growing a crop. If they didn't, the land could be
15 taken away from them again.
For many selectors the situation was impossible. The plots of land were too small, and the soil
too poor to make a living. Faced with poverty, selectors often stole horses and cattle from the
wealthy squatters.
87
45
He called Constable Fitzpatrick a liar and explained his killing of police at Stringy Bark as self-defence.
He also called for justice for the poor, writing: "I have no intention of asking mercy for myself, or of
apologising for what I have done, but I wish to give a warning. If my people do not get justice and
if those who are innocent are not released from prison, I shall be forced to seek revenge."
In June 1880 Ned made his last stand. The Kelly gang was at the Glenrowan Hotel when they
50 were surrounded by police. Prepared to fight, the four bushrangers wore suits of armour made
from steel. During the battle, Ned escaped through the police lines. But rather than fleeing into the
bush, he tried to rescue his brother and friends. So he returned to fight the police.
Eventually, he collapsed with more than 28 bullet wounds to his arms, legs, feet, groin and hands.
The green sash he wore beneath his armour was stained with blood. He had received this sash
55 many years earlier as a reward for his courage after he saved a seven-year-old boy from drowning.
Ned was the only survivor of the siege. Joe Byrne had been shot early on and after Ned's capture
police set fire to the Inn and the charred remains of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were removed. After
Ned recovered he was convicted of the murder of one of the police officers at Stringy Bark, and
despite protests by thousands of supporters, was sentenced to death. In Melbourne jail, on the
60 11th November 1880 Ned Kelly was hanged. He was 25 years old.
Today Ned is everywhere. His giant form welcomes visitors to what is still called Kelly Country.
For some Australians he's a hero, brave and daring, a bit of a larrikin: someone distinctly Australian.
For others he’s no more than an ordinary criminal.
(Selected from various Internet sources)
Vocabulary and pronunciation
a bushranger
een struikrover
a suit [su:t] een wapenuitrusting
of armour ['a:m{]
a convict ['kɒnvIkt] een veroordeelde
rugged ['r^gId]ruw
to clear land
to prepare land for
cultivation
a fence
een omheining,
een schutting
to grow a crop
een landbouwgewas
kweken
to convict [k{n'vIkt]veroordelen
to be set for
voorbestemd zijn om
to determinebepalen
to assault [{'sO:lt]aanranden
to surrender
zich overgeven
to dodge the police de politie ontwijken,
te slim af zijn
Unit 4
88
to defy [dI'f7I]uitdagen
bolddapper
a hostage
een gijzelaar
to persecuteachtervolgen
mercygenade
to be surrounded omsingeld zijn
to rescueredden
to collapse
in mekaar storten
his groin [grOIn]
zijn lies
a sash
een sjerp, een ceintuur
stainedbevlekt
to drownverdrinken
charredverkoold
a larrikin ['l@rIkIn] een kleine gangster,
(Austr. Eng.)
een vandaal,
een straatterrorist
Can you imagine people feeling sympathy for a man such as Ned Kelly?
What is there in his life story that makes people feel this way?
WB EXT 4.1
reading comprehension
NOTTINGHAM
Read this information about the City of Nottingham,
the sheriff and the castle. What do you learn about the
relationship with Robin Hood and his men?
Reading comprehension
The City of Nottingham,
its Castle and the Sheriff
The City of Nottingham
Situated in the Heart of England, Nottingham today is a modern city.
It covers 7,470 hectares of land and includes six markets and 138 parks
and open spaces. It was made a city by Queen Victoria in 1897.
Steeped in history and legend, its relationship with the Robin Hood
story is forever fixed in the hearts of people throughout the world.
5
Nottingham Castle
Before 1066, castles were pretty much unknown in England. Within five years of the battle of
Hastings, William the Conqueror had built more than thirty castles to preserve his grip over the
English. One of them was Nottingham Castle. The original castle was not built of stone but was
a wooden structure built atop the castle rock with its collection of caves and passages. Over the
10 years it progressed to a massive, stone fortress.
Nottingham Castle has been a part of many historical events. Prince (later King) John spent a lot
of time here while his brother, Richard I, was away on Crusade. From the battlements, he hanged
two Welsh boys whom he was holding as hostages. People believe that a curse has hung over the
building ever since. Richard I, coming back from Crusade, turned up here unannounced, but was
15 sent away by the disbelieving garrison. Richard laid siege to the castle and soon gained entry and
hanged most of those who had opposed him.
Yet it is not the King, whom Robin Hood usually encountered at the Castle, but the Sheriff. It was
also here that Robin was taken after his capture at St. Mary's Church. But Little John & Much the
Miller's Son, two of Robin’s men, tricked their way into the Castle and rescued him. Little John also
20 spent some time here serving the Sheriff in the guise of Reynold Greenleaf, a person who is further
unknown. Little John made friends with
the cook and they plotted together. They
eventually emptied the Sheriff's treasury
and ran off into Sherwood.
Sadly, the castle was heavily damaged during
the British Civil War and was destroyed in
1651. After its restoration in the 17th century,
a Renaissance style palace was built atop the
castle rock. Today it houses a museum and an
30 art gallery. The only ancient part of the castle
still standing today is the mostly 14th century
gatehouse. It was extensively restored in
Victorian times and now houses the castle shop.
Unit 4
25
89
The sheriff
The City of Nottingham and its Sheriff boast over 1,000 years of history. In the legend of Robin Hood the
35 Sheriff of Nottingham’s main task is to capture outlaws such as Robin Hood, either to ensure the safety of
trade routes through Sherwood Forest, or to arrest outlaws for poaching the King's deer.
In some stories, the Sheriff of Nottingham
is portrayed as having a lecherous desire for
Robin Hood's lady, Maid Marian. There is no
40 doubt that the Sheriff of Nottingham was Robin
Hood's arch-enemy and not Guy of Gisbourne.
The Sheriff was appointed by the King and
his word was law across Nottinghamshire.
However, he did not receive a wage for his job.
45 Sheriffs across England had to pay an annual
sum to the King in order to hold their position
of authority. So they had to earn their own
income from collecting taxes and confiscating
an outlaw's properties. This system was open to
much abuse, especially at a time when the true
50 King of England was away from the land to fight
the Crusades.
Leon Unczer, the current sheriff of Nottingham
The legends of Robin Hood tell of his encounters with more than one Sheriff, suggesting this official
position changed hands several times during the period that Robin roamed Sherwood. Indeed, Robin
seems to have been responsible for the killing of at least two Sheriffs in his fight against their unjust
55 oppression of the people of Nottinghamshire. Make no mistake, the Sheriff of Nottingham was a cold
hearted opportunist, cunning and clever in equal measure.
To this day Nottingham still has its Sheriff who embodies the spirit of the Robin Hood story throughout
the world. However with the existence of a police force, the Sheriff is now purely a ceremonial figure who
is elected yearly for his or her term of office. It is his key task to promote Nottingham as a destination for
visitors for short breaks, conferences, business and shopping and to encourage local residents to use and
take part in cultural activities in the city and county.
(Based on information from various sources.)
Vocabulary and pronunciation
Unit 4
90
to steepindompelen
the garrison
het garnizoen
to lay siege
het beleg slaan
to rescue ['reskju:]redden
the guise [g7Iz]
de vermomming
to plotsamenzweren
treasuryschatkist
the gatehouse
de portierswoning
to boast [b{Ust]
zich beroemen op
to poach [p{Utʃ]stropen
lecherous ['letʃ{r{s]wulps
to confiscate
verbeurd verklaren
abusemisbruik
an encounter
een ontmoeting
cunningsluw
WB EXT 4.2
reading comprehension
WB EXT 4.3
pronunciation
(PR 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5)