Exercise RC5-6, page CAN YOU understand this text? - English File Studetn's book, pre-intermediate, Oxford

CAN YOU understand this text?

a Read the article once. How did Mahalia Jackson help to inspire Martin Luther King's famous speech?

b Read the article again and number the events in the order they happened.

A King and his advisers planned the Washington speech.

B King decided not to use his notes for the speech.

C King started his speech in Washington.

D King finished his most famous speech.

E Mahalia heard King speak in Detroit.

F Mahalia told King to talk about his dream.

The woman who inspired

'I have a dream'

Mahalia Jackson was a musical legend who helped to bring gospel music from the church to large audiences. She was Aretha Franklin's mentor, and in 1961 she was the first gospel singer to win a Grammy Award. She was also an important member of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, and she was a close friend of Martin Luther King.

Mahalia often went with King on civil rights demonstrations and marches, including into the most hostile parts of the South, and she sang at the events. As a presenter from National Public Radio said, 'her voice became the soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement'.

On 28th August 1963, there was a famous march in Washington against racism. Mahalia was with King, who was going to give a five-minute speech. Before the day itself, he and his advisers decided what he was going to say.

King began speaking to an audience of more than 250,000 people. But towards the end, he felt that his speech was not going well. Tell them about the dream, Martin. Tell them about the dream Suddenly Mahalia shouted 'Tell them about the dream, Martin. Tell them about the dream'. She knew about it because she was at a previous event in Detroit, in June of that year, where King talked about his dream for African Americans. It was, in the words of King's adviser Clarence Jones, 'one of the world's greatest gospel singers shouting to one of the world's greatest preachers'. King looked at Mahalia. Then he threw away his written speech, and looked at the audience.

'I have a dream...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character...'

And so he continued, and he gave one of the best-loved speeches in American history.

Glossary

Civil Rights Movement the campaign in the 1950s and 1960s to change the laws so that African Americans have the same rights as others

preacher a person who gives inspiring talks about religion

Adapted from a website

Прочитайте статью один раз. Как Махалия Джексон помогла вдохновить Мартина Лютера Кинга на его знаменитую речь?

Прочитайте статью еще раз и пронумеруйте события в том порядке, в котором они произошли.

Ответ:

a

English: During Martin Luther King's speech, when he felt it wasn't going well, Mahalia Jackson shouted, "Tell them about the dream, Martin." This reminded him of a powerful theme he had used before, causing him to abandon his script and deliver the improvised, iconic "I have a dream" part of the speech.

Русский: Во время речи Мартина Лютера Кинга, когда он почувствовал, что она идет не очень хорошо, Махалия Джексон крикнула: «Расскажи им о мечте, Мартин». Это напомнило ему о сильной теме, которую он использовал ранее, и заставило его отказаться от своего сценария и произнести импровизированную, ставшую культовой, часть речи «У меня есть мечта».

b

English:

1. E. Mahalia heard King speak in Detroit.

2. A. King and his advisers planned the Washington speech.

3. C. King started his speech in Washington.

4. F. Mahalia told King to talk about his dream.

5. B. King decided not to use his notes for the speech.

6. D. King finished his most famous speech.

Русский:

1. E. Махалия услышала выступление Кинга в Детройте.

2. A. Кинг и его советники спланировали речь в Вашингтоне.

3. C. Кинг начал свою речь в Вашингтоне.

4. F. Махалия сказала Кингу рассказать о своей мечте.

5. B. Кинг решил не использовать свои записи для речи.

6. D. Кинг закончил свою самую знаменитую речь.