The English Lesson 27 theme is SHEBEENS

Part One: Learn English Skills

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

Shebeens are small taverns or pubs where music is played and people meet to chat and relax. Although they are now seen around South Africa, they originated in the black townships.

In the days of apartheid, black people were not allowed to live in traditionally white areas and were confined to areas away from the city. In order to earn a living, some township women sold home-brewed alcohol. Patrons would drink these concoctions from jam tins that were passed around from one customer to another.

Many people turned their houses into shebeens. As the buildings were so small, they came to be known as "match box houses". Customers would cram into the dining room but other rooms, including the spare bedroom, would be used if it became overcrowded. The shebeen king or queen, as the male or female owner was called, traditionally used another bedroom as an office.

Shebeens were soon offering beer and refined spirits instead of the home-brewed alchohol. They quickly became a very popular social destination where township residents could stop for a drink, a date, a chat or beautiful jazz music. Shebeens were vibrant meeting places for people from all walks of life including teachers, lawyers, musicians, politicians, doctors, journalists, and gangsters. Subjects ranging from philosophy and politics to soccer and music were discussed.

Although it was illegal for township residents to run businesses and for black people to buy spirits, these laws were ignored by the shebeen owners and patrons. As a result, police raids on shebeens were common. Usually all their stock would be confiscated, but sometimes everyone in the shebeen would have to pay a heavy fine. Nevertheless, the shebeeners always went back to their trade and the customers also returned. Today these laws no longer apply and shebeens still thrive in the townships.

Your Turn

What is a shebeen?
Why were shebeens sometimes also known as "match box houses"?
What was the female owner of a shebeen called?
What kind of people could be found in a shebeen?
Why did the police raid shebeens?
Genius Question: What word in the text means "customer"? Hint: it can also mean "supporter" or "sponsor".

Part Two: Learn English Structure

CLOSE and SHUT

When used as verbs, CLOSE and SHUT often convey the same meaning.

CLOSE/SHUT your eyes and imagine that you are inside a shebeen.
Please CLOSE/SHUT the door. It is cold outside.

The past participles CLOSED and SHUT can be used as adjectives. They are also used to convey the same meaning.

The shebeen is CLOSED/SHUT on Sunday mornings.

However, as an adjective, SHUT is usually not used before a noun. For example, we say:

a closed window (NOT a shut window)
closed eyes (NOT shut eyes)

When used as a verb, we prefer to use CLOSE for slow movements.

Flowers CLOSE at night.

CLOSE is also the preferred choice in a formal style.

As he left the building for the last time, the old man CLOSED the door behind him. (Formal)
Shut your mouth! (Informal)

When used as a verb, we CLOSE channels of communication, for example roads, railways and bridges.

As there was a flood, the authorities had to CLOSE the road.

CLOSE is also used to mean the same as "end". For example, we CLOSE letters, bank accounts and meetings.

Before leaving, I withdraw my money and CLOSE my bank account.

BROAD and WIDE

BROAD and WIDE WIDE is used to describe the physical distance from one side of something to the other.

The road is 20 metres WIDE.

The truck is too WIDE for the gate.

BROAD is most often used in abstract expressions. Examples include:

BROAD agreement. (This means "agreement on most points".) Although some issues were unresolved, the politicians reached a BROAD agreement.

BROAD-minded (This means "tolerant".) A BROAD-minded person does not discriminate against others.

BROAD is also used in formal descriptions of landscape.

Across the BROAD valley, the trees were covered with snow.

Your Turn

Select the correct word to complete the sentences.

The library is CLOSED/SHUT on Saturdays.
The authorities had to CLOSE/SHUT the bridge.
The road is WIDE/BROAD enough for 4 cars.
It was WIDE/BROAD daylight before the shebeen opened. (Hint: this is an example of an abstract expression)
I CLOSE/SHUT the letter with my signature.

Part Three: Funnies

A man goes into a bar, orders twelve shots of tequila and starts drinking them as fast as he can. The astounded bartender asks, "Why are you drinking so fast?" The man replies, "You would be drinking fast if you had what I had." The bartender asks, "What do you have?" The man says, "75 cents."

Part Four: Quotations

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading. - Henny Youngman (American comedian)

Beer glasses are by far the most common weapon of assault in Britain. - Dr Jonathan Shepherd (expert on alcohol-related assault)

It only takes one drink to get me drunk, but I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth. - George Burns (American actor and comedian)

Part Six: Links

World Wide Words is an interesting website containing plenty of information about English words. It explains the origin of everyday words and phrases, as well as "weird and wonderful" words linke "fantods". There's a pronunciation guide to help you pronounce the words and a "Q&A" section where you can ask questions relating to words and their origin.

http://www.worldwidewords.org

Answers

Answers to Part One

A shebeen is a small tavern or pub where music is played and people meet to chat and relax.
They were sometimes known as "match box houses" because they were very small.
The female owner of a shebeen was called a "shebeen queen".
People from all walks of life could be found in shebeens. These included teachers, lawyers, musicians, politicians, doctors, journalists, and gangsters.
The police raided shebeens because it was illegal for township residents to run businesses and for black people to buy spirits.
"patron"