The Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre, located in London, England, is one of the most famous theaters in the world. During its illustrious history, it was a stage for many of the greatest plays of all time, including those of William Shakespeare. The history of the theater, however, is complex and turbulent. Spanning a period of approximately 400 years, the Globe Theatre underwent three major transformations.

The original Globe was built in 1599 in London's Bankside district and was owned by a number of local actors and playwrights, among them, William Shakespeare. The theater was built using the materials from an earlier theater called, simply, The Theatre. The Globe was constructed as an open–air amphitheater that resembled a twenty-sided polygon. It was three stories high with seats filling its interior perimeter. In the center was the pit, where attendees (called groundlings) would stand and watch the performances. This first structure lasted until 1613, when it was destroyed by fire during a performance of Henry VIII.

The Globe Theatre was quickly rebuilt and was completed in 1614. Among the changes to the theater was a new tiled roof to prevent future fire disasters. However, the theater would only remain open until 1642. At the time, the Puritans were the main force in area, closing down theaters and other centers of entertainment. In 1644, the Globe Theatre was demolished to make room for apartment buildings. For the next 350 years, the Globe Theatre would continue to exist only in the minds of its many admirers.

The modern adaptation of the theater was constructed in 1997, and named "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre." The structure of the original Globe Theatre was painstakingly researched and measured to ensure that the new theater would be an accurate replica. Just like the original, the modern theater is an open-air venue. The main difference now is the restrictions laid out by the Health and Safety Department: while three thousand could fit in the original Globe Theatre, only 1,300 are now allowed to be inside at any given time. In addition, electric lights were added to allow for night performances to be held. Unfortunately, the exact location for the Globe Theatre could not be used, so it is now located about 200 meters from its original location.

illustrious – distinguished

turbulent – chaotic

span – to reach or extend over or across something

polygon – a closed shape with three or more sides

perimeter – an outline or border

attendee – someone who participates in or attends an event

admirer – one who has a favorable impression of something

venue – the location of an event

B. Answer the following questions.

1. According to paragraph 2, all of the following are true of the first Globe Theatre EXCEPT:

(A) It was destroyed in 1599.

(B) It was partially owned by William Shakespeare.

(C) It was built from the materials of another theater.

(D) The audience stood in a pit in the center of the theater.

2. According to paragraphs 2 and 3, which of the following is NOT true?

(A) The theater was rebuilt within a year of its first destruction.

(B) The Puritans did not allow the theater to remain open.

(C) The Puritans ordered the theater destroyed in 1642.

(D) The theater's design was influenced by a disaster.

3. According to paragraph 4, which of the following is NOT true?

(A) The new Globe is named after William Shakespeare.

(B) The new theater accurately reproduces the Globe.

(C) The Globe now has lights for night performances.

(D) Over 3,000 people can now attend performances.

C. Translate all the new words in the text.

D. Summarize the text using the diagram below.

Writing 2: Verb Tense

When reviewing your essay, consider the following:

• The verb should agree with its subject.

Example: Computer programs is available that can teach certain subjects. (are)

The couple decide that jogging is the best way to get exercise. (decided)

• Be verbs are used as helping verbs only in the passive voice and the continuous tense.

Example: Their next door neighbor was known for his grumpiness. (passive)

They have been working on their research report for hours. (continuous)

• The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that occurred before another specific moment in the past.

Example: I had completed the assignment when the professor announced the extension.

• The subjunctive mood is used in that-clauses following these verbs and expressions: Verbs – suggest, recommend, insist, propose, advise, etc.

Expressions – it is important/essential/necessary/vital/critical, etc.

Example: The professor suggested that the student revise his paper.

It is essential that a student uses precise vocabulary when writing essays.

• In adverbial clauses and first conditionals, the present tense is used to signify probable future action,

Example: Before she asks the librarian, she will ask the man to lend her the book. If it rains, I will bring an umbrella.

• In second conditionals, the past tense is used to signify improbable future action.

Example: If I won the lottery, I would donate some of the money.

• The summary of the lecture or reading should be written in the present tense.

Example: The speaker supports the idea of mandatory school uniforms.

The speaker supported the idea of mandatory school uniforms.

• The same modal verbs can have their own past forms and "have (has) + past participle" depending on how they are used.

Example: The woman must use her red umbrella. The woman had to use her red umbrella. Those cannot be the correct results. Those cannot have been the correct results.

Exercise 1

Each of the following paragraphs has eight errors in verb forms. Find the errors and correct them.

1. I believing that universities should pay their teachers more money rather than spend so much on athletics because teachers should are encouraged to do a really good job of teaching. In my opinion, people feeling like they are more valuable in their jobs when they get paying more money. However, many teachers are not paid enough money. This can makes them feel like their hard work be not valued by the university, so they might not do as good a job. If they are paid more, they will doing a better job of teaching, and students will learning more.

2. Both the reading and the lecture discussing whether parents should interfering in children's playtime. The author stated that parents should have interfered in children's playtime because children have learned to stand up for themselves and need positive adult role models. The lecture, on the other hand, disagree by stating that parents should not to interfere when children played.

Exercise 2

Write the correct form of each verb.

1. To (1) _________ (begin), the author of the passage states that congestion pricing can cause more people to use public transportation. However, the speaker in the lecture (2) ___________ (disagree), stating that congestion pricing will not necessarily encourage more people to use public transportation. Next, the author says that (3) ___________ (implement) congestion pricing will reduce commuting times for everyone. On the other hand, the speaker suggests that congesting pricing might (4) _________ (make) commuting times longer for a lot of people. Last, the author (5) _________ (state) that congestion pricing will benefit everyone, but the lecture states that not everyone will benefit.

2. Both the reading and the lecture (1) _________ (discuss) whether corntainers are beneficial. According to the lecture, corntainers (2) _________ (be) much better for the environment because they can be (3)__________________(compost), they will not take up space in landfills, and they are more socially responsible than regular plastics. However, the speaker in the lecture disagrees. The speaker states that corntainers do not (4)_________(solve) these environmental concerns. The author (5)_________ (refute) the claims of the reading in three ways.

Exercise 3

Each of the following paragraphs has eight errors in verb forms. Find the errors and correct them.

1. The reading passage describes NAFTA, or the North American Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA are an agreement, between North American countries regarding issues of trade. It changes many policies between the North American countries involved. For example, the author says that NAFTA removed tariffs, which she defined as a type of tax, on goods traded between the US, Mexico, and Canada. The author also mention that NAFTA removed a lot of restrictions on different categories of items traded. She explains that these changes has helped increase trade and industry between the countries. However, she also cited some problems with NAFTA. Critics argue that the incomes of some people, like farmers, is decreasing as a result of NAFTA. These people have recommended that NAFTA revised some of its policies to make it more fair for certain people.

2. If I could choose between watching a serious movie and watch an entertaining movie, I choose to watch the entertaining movie. Although I know many people who likes to watch serious movies that teach them something, I believe that the primary purpose of movies is to entertain us, not to teach us. I think we learned more from educational books or from teachers, not from movies. This do not mean that movies have never taught me anything. Some of the best lessons I was learned in life have come from movies. However, I simply felt that movie producers should spend more time creating entertaining movies than serious ones. After all, life is often serious enough as it is. Amusing movies give people the chance recovering from some of the seriousness of life.

Exercise 4

Write the correct form of each verb.

1. The reading passage describes nonverbal communication between people. It (1) _______ (explain) that nonverbal communication is communication that is not spoken. It then says that much of what we know about people come from their movements and gestures, not so much by what they (2) _______ (say). In the lecture, the professor (3) _________ (reinforce) how important nonverbal communication is by (4) _________ (describe) how it can be used in a business setting. In the US, when a businessman is trying to sell a product and he does not look his client in the eye, it is (5) ___________ (consider) to be a sign of insecurity or deception. Therefore, nonverbal communication (6) __________ (be) an important skill to have.

2. If I (1) _________ (can) learn any musical instrument in the entire world, I would learn how to play the guitar. Although my life is currently too busy for me to take guitar lessons, I (2) _________ (plan) to learn how to play the guitar in the future. Music has always been an important part of my life. When I was younger, my mother (3) _________ (make) me take piano lessons. I liked taking piano lessons, but I would have liked guitar lessons better. I believe that (4) __________ (learn) how to play the guitar is worthwhile because the guitar has been (5) __________ (use) so often in music. People (6) ___________ (has) been playing early forms of guitars for thousands of years. In my opinion, the guitar is the best instrument for a person to learn.

Listening Question Type 1: Main Idea