Page 97 - Grasp English C1 (Student Book)

Hıstory 7

Speaking

Expressing admiration
Take a look at this! It’s just so ornate/exquisite/intricate!

Just have a look at the detail! It’s a lost art.
Can you imagine the work that went into this? It beggars belief.
Think of the craftsmanship/diligence
Let me just point out…
Let’s not overlook/forget…
When you think of…, it’s astounding/unbelievable.
Imagine how painstaking the work was!

A. Look at the picture and discuss the questions in pairs or groups.

1. What do you know about illuminated manuscripts?
2. Do you know any famous illuminated manuscripts?
3. How are they made?
4. What kinds of texts were usually illuminated?

7.2
B. You will listen to a museum guide showing and describing an
illuminated manuscript to a visitor. Before you listen, predict some
things that the guide might point out about a manuscript like the
one in the picture. Then listen and compare your ideas.

C. In groups, role-play a conversation between a guide and a visitor.
The museum guide should point out admirable features, and the
visitor should express admiration. You can talk about illuminated
manuscripts or another historical artefact of interest to you. Use the
phrases and vocabulary in the boxes.

historiated initial – where the first letter has been illustrated to
depict the scene in the text

gold leaf – very thin sheets of gold
carmine – a red paint made from an insect

ultramarine – a blue paint made from the stone lapis lazuli
quill – an ink pen made from a feather

parchment – old “paper” made from animal skins

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