Slavery Gave Me Nothing to Lose

1. Slavery Gave Me Nothing to Lose Unit 8

2. Table of Contents I. Background information II. Comprehensive questions III. New words and phrases

3. I. Background Information

4. Some facts about Eatonville Population (year 2000): 2,432, Est. population in July 2002: 2,432 (0.0% change)Males: 1,143 (47.0%), Females: 1,289 (53.0%) Land area: 1.0 square miles Median resident age: 31.2 years Median household income: $29,457 (year 2000)Median house value: $66,800 (year 2000)

5. Location of Eatonville

6. Jacksonville It is 134 miles northeast of Orlando, Florida. Once infamous for its smelly paper mills, it is now one of the South�s insurance and banking capitals. The city dates its beginnings from an early-1800s settlement named Cowford, because cattle crossed the St. Johns River here. Cowford changed its name to Jacksonville in 1822 to honor General Andrew Jackson, the provisional governor who forced Spain to cede Florida to the United States 2 years earlier.

7. Zora Neale Hurston

8. From the 1930s through the 1960s, Zora Neale Hurston was the most prolific and accomplished black woman writer in America. During that thirty-year period she published seven books, many short stories, magazine articles, and plays, and she gained a reputation as an outstanding folklorist and novelist. She called attention to herself because she insisted upon being herself at a time when blacks were being urged to assimilate in an effort to promote better relations between the races.

9. Hurston, however, saw nothing wrong with being black: "I do not belong to that sobbing school of Negrohood who hold that nature somehow has given them a lowdown dirty deal." Indeed she felt there was something so special about her blackness that others could benefit just by being around her. Her works, then, may be seen as manifestors of selfhood, as affirmations of blackness and the positive aspects of black life.

10. About writing she wrote: Anyway, the force from somewhere in Space which commands you to write in the first place, gives you no choice. You take up the pen when you are told, and write what is commanded. There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you.

11. The American Civil War

12. Abraham Lincoln He was born in Kentucky, USA, on February 12th, 1809. In 1860 ,Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States and worked harder for the freedom of slaves. In 1864, Lincoln became President of the United States for the second time. On April 14th, 1865 Lincohn was shot at a theatre, and died early the next morning.

13. Gettysburg Address Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new Nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now, we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether that Nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who gave their lives that Nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

14. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us; that from these honored dead, we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that this Nation, under GOD, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the People by the People and for the People shall not perish from the earth."�

15. Gone with the wind GONE WITH THE WIND's two lead stars, Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, both received nominations for their performances.

16. II. Comprehensive Questions

17. 1. What did the timid people do when the Northern travelers went through the town? 2. What does the word �show� in Para. 2 mean? Who were the �actors�? 3. Why does the author say there was strange exchange of greetings? 4. Why did the author feel it strange to be given money when she was singing and dancing?

18. 5. When was the author aware of the fact that she was black? 6. What does the author mean by saying that �it fails to register depression with me�? 7. What does the author compare herself to? 8. What is the author�s point in describing in detail the contents of the bags?

19. Answers 1. They hid behind their curtains and looked through them at the travelers cautiously. 2. The small town was a stage where actors were the different travelers who passed by and revealed themselves to the audience--- the villagers in different aspects. In a child�s eye, it was a play, bringing to her a lot of pleasure.

20. 3. Probably there were different ways of greetings between them, so there might be some misunderstandings or some inappropriate responses. 4. She wanted to sing and dance so much that she thought the money should have been given as a discouragement rather than an encouragement. 5. After she was thirteen and left her hometown of Eatonville, and then she experience a huge change. She was aware that she was black.

21. 6. It expresses the author�s attitude or her state of mind that she was not emotionally disturbed by the fact that she was a descendent of slaves. She felt good about herself. 7. The author felt like a brown bag of mixed items propped up against a wall. 8. As is described, the contents revealed are nothing but common objects. It suggests that for ordinary people, no matter whether they are white or black, they share something in common.

22. III. New words and phrases

23. 1. peer through/at --- to look at sth esp. as if not able to see clearly She peered through the mist, trying to find the right path. He peered at me over the top of his glasses. Compare: They caught him peeking through the keyhole at what was going on in the room. peeping through the curtains

24. 2. in passing --- by the way, as a matter of second importance He was talking about his holiday in Spain, and he mentioned in passing that you were thinking of going there next year. I have not come on a visit; I have just called in passing.

25. 3. in time to do sth/for sth Brian usually gets home in time to see the children before they go to bed. He returned to his hotel in time for a late supper. ---�Did you catch your plane?� ---�Yes�we got there just in time.�

26. 4. break off(?)????,??,?? The two countries have broken off diplomatic relations (with each other). The talks broke off without any solution being reached. We broke off (work) for a cup of coffee. break away/down/in/out/up

27. 5. in that ??,?? This research is important in that it confirms the existence of a relationship between aggression and the use of alcohol. I prefer his plan to yours in that I think it is more practical. I�m in a slightly awkward position in that my secretary is on holiday at the moment.

28. 6. give sth away /of --- (fml) to give (time, effort, etc) without expecting anything in return They have given unstintingly of their time and money to help the poor. We are very grateful to all the people who have given of their time. give in/off/out/up

29. 7. run v. ??,??;??,?? I�m afraid the colors ran when I washed this shirt. The butter will run if you put it near the fire. run after/ away/ down/

30. 8. at one�s elbow --- close by and ready when needed During the visit, the interpreter was always at her elbow. But within seconds Tom Watt was at my elbow, his large black umbrella overarching us both. Don�t worry about the trip; you will have friends at your elbow.

31. 9. register v. --- fml (of a person/face) to show or express a feeling, to record She/Her face registered an anxiety/ surprise/disapproval/anger. He stared at me for a moment, his face registering disbelief. The earthquake was too small to register on the Richter scale. a registered letter/ cash register/registry (register) office

32. 10. pay a/the price for Isn�t bad health a high price to pay for the pleasure you get from smoking? This was the price that had to be paid for progress. The question is whether the price is worth paying.

33. 11. thrill n. v. ---a feeling of extreme excitement, usually caused by sth pleasant It gave me a real thrill to see her again after so many years. David Copperfield�s magic has never failed to thrill his audiences. What a thrilling game; the winner was in doubt until the last minute.

34. 12. in the main --- on the whole; usually; mostly It is the community who should, in the main, determine whether police are to be involved in resolving community conflicts. In the main, the money raised goes to children�s charities. His friends are lawyers in the main.

35. 13. prop up (against) --- support an object by leaning it against sth. or putting sth. under it He was sitting upright in his hospital bed, propped up by pillows. The little girl stood the doll on the boxes that represented the chair, propped up against the wall behind.

36. --- (often disapproving) help sth. that is having difficulties The government was accused of propping up declining industries. How long is the government likely to survive without the US military force there to prop it up?

37. 13. in company with --- together with He left for New York, in company with the orchestra. In company with many other people, she had heard of his activities in Germany. In the army, he found comradeship, excitement and adventure in company with men of similar taste.

38. 14. long since I�ve long since forgotten what our quarrel was about. I�ve long since forgiven her for what she did. Rickshaws have long since been out of use.

39. 15. under the weight of --- supporting sth heavy; bear the burden of Karen staggered along under the weight of her backpack. The fathers of many daughters groan under the weight of paying large sums for marriage ceremonies.

40. 16. alter v. /alteration n. --- to make/become different, but without changing into sth. else This shirt will have to be altered; it�s too large. The village hasn�t really altered much since the last time I was there.

41. Her face hadn�t altered much over the years. This incident altered the whole course of events. There have been a few alterations to the timetable. (slight changes) Your paper is fine except for some minor alterations I�ve suggested.

42. 17. the Great Stuffer of Bags --- Here it probably refers to God. God�s other names: the Creator; Almighty God God Almighty

43. 18. in the first place ??,??,?? --- used when talking about what was done, or should have been done, at the start of a situation How did she become interested in the French Revolution in the first place? I should never have come here in the first place!

44. 19. in the first place; in the second place  ??;?? --- used to introduce a series of points in an argument, discussion etc Well, in the first place, I can�t afford it, and in the second place I�m not really interested.