Communicative Goal: Describing Resistance
Context: The Civil Rights Movement
Part 1, Speaking: Review
and discuss the following idioms, providing your own examples.
1. to hold out: to resist pressure for a lengthy period of time (formal, nonseparable, general,
neutral to
negative) Example:
The union is
still holding out, refusing negotiations.
2. to put up a fight: to resist using violence (formal / informal, nonseparable,
general, neutral)
Example: Sharks usually put
up a fight when you try to reel them in.
3. to speak up: to protest in the sense of
“reject an injustice,” especially if one is reluctant to do so
(formal,
nonseparable, general, neutral)
Example: It is important to speak up
for yourself.
4. to
stand up: to protest in the sense of
“reject an injustice or control” (formal, nonseparable, general,
positive) Example: Children usually begin standing up
to their parents when they are in their teens.
5. to turn the other cheek: to not respond
violently to violence (formal, nonseparable, general, positive)
Example: Turning the other
cheek may get all of your cheeks
slapped.
Part 2, Reading: Complete the passage below with the most appropriately
conjugated idioms.
The Civil
Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s sought to better the legal, social,
financial and political status of minority groups in the United States,
especially the long suffering African-American community. Although occurring in
the mid-20th century, the movement had roots stretching back more
than a hundred years, to abolition. Considering the extreme repercussions they
faced for exercising even their basic legal rights, it is not surprising that
almost a century passed before African Americans began __________.
Many
prominent figures emerged over the course of the movement, the Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. being the best remembered. Observing that __________ was not
effective in the face of brutal police tactics and counter-protestor assaults,
he followed Gandhi’s example of nonviolent resistance, urging his followers
__________.
Successful nonviolent resistance strategies included sit ins and lie
ins, whereby protestors would refuse to move from segregated locations, such as
businesses, __________ for hours until they peacefully disbanded or until carted
away by police.
Today,
civil rights leaders continue King’s legacy. They call upon younger generations
to build upon the momentum of the 20th century and __________ for their rights
and those of others.
© James Doyle, 2013
English Class:
Are you interested in learning more idioms? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!advanced-integrated-english-skills-workshop/c12pt
Are you interested in learning more idioms? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!advanced-integrated-english-skills-workshop/c12pt
Answers:
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link:
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