Racing to English True Stories

Boycott

TEACHERS NOTES

The picture on the story page shows Boycott's family helping on his own farm as no workers would bring in the harvest.

Language learning objectives:
Language function	Giving reasons
Sentence structures	Why… Because…
Key vocabulary	Ireland in charge estate collect	rent crops harvests poor	reduce refused persuaded deliver

SUGGESTED LESSON OUTLINE

Talk about the key vocabulary (see `Language learning objectives' above) to ensure that learners understand the words. Ask learners to read the passage silently. Ask learners to work in pairs or small groups to retell the anecdote (without looking at the passage) either in English or their first language. Groups then reread the passage together. Pairs or threes ask each other the suggested questions. Written work.

BLANKS The passage with the blanks in it could be used at any stage - with advanced learners it could be used at the beginning of the lesson - with others it could be used in the middle of the lesson or at the end.

Racing to English True Stories

Boycott

Charles Boycott was an Englishman who lived in Ireland more than 100 years ago. He was in charge of an estate. An estate is a large area of land. There were 38 farms on this estate. Boycott's job was to collect the rent from the farmers. In 1879 and 1880, the farmers' crops did not grow well; the harvests were very poor. Farmers did not have very much to sell. They had very little money and some people had very little to eat.

Boycott's family helping on his farm as no workers would bring in the harvest

The farmers asked Boycott to reduce their rents, because they had very little money. He refused. He said they had to pay all the rent money. Some farmers could not pay. Boycott told them to leave their farms.

A man called Charles Stewart Parnell helped the farmers. He persuaded everyone in the town to stop talking to Boycott and to stop working with him. The shopkeepers refused to sell anything to him. The postman refused to deliver any letters to his house. No one talked to him.

Because of this, Boycott had to leave Ireland and go back to England. After this, people began to use a new word; it was `boycott'. Now boycott means to refuse to do something or to refuse to buy something.

Ask a friend these questions:

1. Why did Boycott tell some farmers to leave their farms?

2. Why did the farmers ask Boycott to reduce their rents?

3. Why did the farmers have very little money?

4. Why did everyone stop working with Boycott?

5. Why did Boycott go back to England?

6. Have you ever had very little money? What did you do?

7. Have you ever refused to do something? What was it?

8. Have you ever persuaded someone to do something? What was it?

9. Has anyone ever persuaded you do to something? What was it?

10. Have you ever boycotted someone or something? What happened?

Now write your answers to the questions.

Racing to English True Stories

Boycott

Talk about this passage with a friend. Decide which phrase fits in each space:

Charles Boycott lived in Ireland more than 100 years ago. He was ________ 1 ________ an estate. An estate is a __________ 2 __________. There were 38 farms on this estate. Boycott's job was to __________ 3 __________ from the farmers.

In 1879 and 1880, the farmers' crops did not __________ 4 __________; the harvests were very poor. Farmers did not have very much to sell. They had very little money and some people had very little to eat.

The farmers asked Boycott to __________ 5 __________, because they had very little money. He refused. He said they __________ 6 __________ all the rent money. Some farmers could not pay. Boycott told them to leave their farms.

A man called Charles Stewart Parnell helped the farmers. He __________ 7 __________ in the town to stop talking to Boycott and to __________ 8 __________ with him. The shopkeepers _________ 9 __________ to him. The postman did not
__________ 10 __________ to his house. No one talked to him.

Because of this, Boycott had to leave Ireland and __________ 11 __________ to England. After this, people began to use a new word; it was `boycott'. Now boycott means to __________ 12 __________ or to refuse to buy something.

collect the rent

deliver any letters

go back

grow well

had to pay

in charge of

large area of land

persuaded everyone

reduce their rents

refuse to do something

refused to sell anything

stop working

© Gordon Ward 2010. Photocopiable only for use in the purchasing institution. Step 23: True Stories - Boycott

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