Big Ben: Bombs, Birds and Chimes (lecture niveau facile et activité B2i)
STORY OR HISTORY... (reading activity)
During World War II (precisely in 1941), German planes hit the British Parliament with twelve bombs! Big Ben received a small bomb but it didn't affect the hands of the clock nor the bells. So Big Ben continued to give time. Later on, it wasn't because of bombs that it stopped, but because of birds!
BIG BEN'S CHIMES (computer activity)
Oh, by the way, go to the British Parliament's website and download Big Ben's chimes:
1) http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/big-ben/anniversary-year/downloads
Look at "document 1".
2) In the section "Downloads / Ringstones", CLICK ON "Big Ben hourly chimes" (mp3 342KB) (save the file on your computer's desktop).
3) Listen to the mp3 file.
4) How many "dongs" can you hear in the melody? Count them! Eight, sixteen or nineteen? One tip for you: the number of dongs is exactly the same as the number of words in this passage inspired by the Bible:
"All through this hour
Lord be my guide.
And by Thy power
No foot shall slide."
You can read these words on a plaque on the wall of the clock room. Apparently, Big Ben's melody comes from a part of The Messiah, an opera by British composer George Frederick Handel.
WHAT TIME IS IT? (guessing game)
Now listen to this mp3 file on an American clock shop.
1) Go to http://www.champsclock.com/downloads.htm
2) Click on "Big Ben (St Stephen's Tower in 1859) mp3_733 KB"
3) Listen to the mp3 file and count the dongs of the clock! How many can you hear? ... Eight, sixteen or nineteen? So, what time is it?
Two tips for you: there are MORE dongs than in the first mp3 file ; this number is the SUM of the melody that you heard PLUS a number that indicates time...
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Page créée par igaudin
Le 12 Juillet 2011
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