An Activity for Unit 12 "Have a Good Four Years"--"Cambridge Freshman's Dinner Speech"

"... examine yourself. Let each of you discover where your true chance of greatness lies,... seize the chance, rejoice in it, and let no power or persuasion deter you in your task."

Before I started to discuss the reading text of Unit 12 "Have a Good Four Years," I had the students watch a clip from the movie "Chariots of Fire"--the Cambridge Freshman's Dinner Speech, which Chris (林詠梅老師) had introduced to me.

First, the students watched and listened to the speech given by the master. Then, I challenged them to recall some words they heard. They gave me words like "name after name," "emotion," "the flower of a generation," "examine yourself," "zeal," "rejoice," etc. 

Next, the students watched the clip for the second time. After that, the script of the speech with some words missing, was projected on the screen. By filling in the blank, the students recalled the whole speech together. Finally, they watched and listened to the speech for the third time.

The master's words are inspiring, especially the lines

"... examine yourself. Let each of you discover where your true chance of greatness lies,... seize the chance, rejoice in it, and let no power or persuasion deter you in your task."

Delivered in a solemn way, these words etched in my mind.

Here is the script of the whole speech, followed by the dictation worksheet.

"I take the war list and I run down it, name after name, which I cannot read, and which we, who are older than you, cannot hear without emotion; names which will be only names to you, the new College, but which to us summon up face after face, full of honesty and goodness, zeal and vigor, and intellectual promise; the flower of a generation, the glory of England; and they died for England and all that England stands for. And now by tragic necessity their dreams have become yours. Let me exhort you: examine yourselves. Let each of you discover where your true chance of greatness lies. For their sakes, for the sake of your College and your country, seize this chance, rejoice in it, and let no power or persuasion deter you in your task." 

Chariots of Fire-script--dictation worksheet.doc