Speaking Topics

Let’s talk about HISTORY

Conversation cards

What is history? What do you know about the What do you know about world
Work in group and make your history of your country? history?
own definition. Give a brief overview. Name some important events.
Compare with others.

Do/did you like History as a Which period of history What are the most important
school subject? interests you most? events in your country’s history?
Explain why (not). How many periods from history What happened?
can you name?

When was the last time you went According to you, what were the In your opinion, who were the
to a history museum? Did you most important historical events most important figures in
enjoy it? Who did you go with? of the last century? history? Explain.
Talk about it. Work in group. Discuss.

Which historic figure would you What are the most important Which recent event(s) might be
most like to meet? Why? historical sites in your country? called historic?
What would you ask him/her? Where are they and what can Explain why.
you see or do there?

‘Studying history is useless. Why If you had a time machine, which Imagine it’s the year 2100 and
waste time on things we cannot period in history would you like are asked to describe the
change anyway?’ Do you agree? to go back to? Why? history of the 21st century.
What might have happened?

Which historical films have you “We learn from history that we Do you think History school
seen? Talk about one. learn nothing from history.” (G.B. books tell the same all over the
Have you read any historical Shaw) Explain. world? Why or why not?
novels? Do you agree? Brainstorm and discuss.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Match the descriptions with the pictures and the names

Macedonian king, general, empire builder a. Julius Caesar
18th-19th century emperor of France, general b. Marco Polo
leader of Nazi Germany, architect of genocide c. Mahatma Gandhi
Chinese communist leader, founder of the PR China d. Alexander the Great
13th century Venetian explorer of China e. Napoleon Bonaparte
American revolutionary, general, first US president f. Adolf Hitler
Roman warlord and politician g. Mao Zedong
20th century leader of India's independence movement h. George Washington
 Speaking Topics

Definitions of history on the Web:

 the aggregate of past events; "a critical time in the school's history"
 a record or narrative description of past events; "a history of France"; "he gave an inaccurate
account of the plot to kill the president"; "the story of exposure to lead"
 the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings; "he teaches
Medieval history"; "history takes the long view"
 the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even
into the future; "all of human history"
 all that is remembered of the past as preserved in writing; a body of knowledge; "the dawn of
recorded history"; "from the beginning of history"

Match the descriptions with the photos and the names

4 Macedonian king, general, empire builder A a. Julius Caesar
1 18th-19th century emperor of France, general E b. Marco Polo
5 leader of Nazi Germany, architect of genocide F c. Mahatma Gandhi
8 Chinese communist leader, founder of the PR China G d. Alexander the Great
7 13th century Venetian explorer of China B e. Napoleon Bonaparte
6 American revolutionary, general, first US president H f. Adolf Hitler
2 Roman warlord and politician A g. Mao Zedong
3 20th century leader of India's independence movement C h. George Washington

Historic or Historical?  1 Prehistory

 1.1 Paleolithic
Historical normally means "having taken place in  1.2 Mesolithic
history" or "from the past" or "having to do with  1.3 Neolithic
history."  1.4 Bronze Age
 1.5 Early civilization
Historic means "having significance in history." It
usually refers to an event or person.  2 Ancient history
 2.1 Religion and philosophy
Historically is the adverb form of both words.  2.2 Civilizations and regions

 3 Middle Ages
 4 Modern history
 4.1 Early Modern period
Recent (and not so recent) events that might be o 4.1.1 Rise of Europe
called historic: o 4.1.2 Age of Discovery
 Election of the first black president of the  4.2 19th century
USA, Barack Obama  4.3 20th century to present
 Discovery of DNA and cloning o 4.3.1 Early 20th century
 ... o 4.3.2 Late 20th century
o 4.3.3 21st century