Online English Lessons

The English Lesson 8 theme is DISTRICT SIX CAPE TOWN

Part One: District Six Memories of a Suburb

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

Cape TownRight at the foot of Table Mountain, District Six was one of the oldest suburbs in Cape Town. It was a lively working-class neighbourhood, where people of all races and religions lived together happily. District Six was the home of many artists, musicians and other creative people.

This "mixed race" area was against the old South African government’s policy of Apartheid (racial separation). In 1966 they decided to destroy the houses and create a "whites only" area. More than 60,000 people were removed from District Six by force and "resettled" on the Cape Flats, a flat, dusty area about 50km from the centre of Cape Town.

Since the 1970’s, when the last people were removed, District Six has remained mostly empty. This empty land has been an important reminder of how a government can ruin lives.

There is now a "District Six" musical stage show that is a huge international success. The show is a bitter-sweet reminder of what people lost in District Six - not only their possessions, but also their dreams and ambitions.

There are plans to return land to those people who were robbed by the previous government. About 20,000 people will return to District Six over the next few years. These people will now have to create new memories in District Six. For many of them, the return to District Six will be a life-long dream come true. 

Your Turn

  1. Who lived in District Six before 1966?
     
  2. Why did the Apartheid government decide to destroy District Six?
     
  3. How many people were removed from District Six?
     
  4. What is now in District Six?
     
  5. What word means "something that you remember"?
     
  6. Genius question: What does it mean to live "in harmony"?

Part Two - Grammar Groans

AFFECT and EFFECT

"Affect" and "effect" are two words that are often mixed up. They are both about "change", but are used in different ways.

"Affect" means "to cause something to change" or "to alter". It is a verb. Something or somebody affects something or somebody else.

For example: Many people’s lives were AFFECTED by apartheid.

"Effect" means the "result" or "change" that happens to something or somebody. It is a noun. It is often used in the expression "to have an effect on", which means "to influence".

For example: The forced removals from District Six had a strong EFFECT on the lives of many people. One of the EFFECTS of apartheid was the separation of black and white people.

Your turn:

Complete the sentences below with "effect" or "affect".

  1. An important ________ of the District Six removals was that they received international criticism.
     
  2. In the past apartheid had an _______ on all South Africans.
     
  3. Decisions made by governments ______ their citizens.
     
  4. The great distances from their new homes to the city ______ many people’s work opportunities.

Part Three: Funnies

When English is poorly translated from other languages, the results are often funny and have meanings that were not intended. Here are a few real examples: In a hotel in Athens: "Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily."

In a Bangkok dry cleaner's: "Drop your trousers here for best results."

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: "We take your bags and send them in all directions."

In a Norwegian cocktail lounge: "ladies are requested not to have children in the bar."

In a Budapest zoo: "Please do not feed the animals. If you have any food, give it to the guard on duty."

In the office of a Roman doctor: "Specialist in women and other diseases."

In an Acapulco hotel: "The manager has personally passed all the water served here." 

Part Four: Famous Words

Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built. - Abraham Lincoln

There is a universal message here. Whether you are looking at the Holocaust, or slavery in America, they tell the same story about people not caring for one another. Maybe this place will help people learn that we must care for each other. - Stan Abrahams (forcibly removed from District Six)

To have another language is to possess a second soul. - Charlemagne

Part Five: Links

An anagram of a word or phrase is another word or phrase composed of exactly the same letters.

For example, an anagram of "sporting" is "Go sprint" (or "Pig snort"!). An anagram of "Learn English" is "She'll earn gin".

District Six Museum

http://www.districtsix.co.za/

Answers

Answers to Part One

  1. People of all different races and religions lived in District Six before 1966.
  2. Because this "mixed race" area was against the National Party's policy of apartheid.
  3. More thn 60,000 people were removed from District Six.
  4. District Six has remained mostly empty since the 1970's.
  5. a "memory"
  6. It means to live together in peace.

Answers to Part Two

  1. effect
  2. effect
  3. affect
  4. affect

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