Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

B2-C1

What is History for?

The School of Life

1.3M views 12 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear the title “What is History for?”, what do you think the purpose of history is?
Did you like history at school? Why or why not?
What modern problem do you think people could solve by learning about the past?

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Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

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What is History for?

Why history feels boring (and why it matters) (00:00 – 01:12)

Transcript will load here…

1. According to the speaker, why is history often boring?

Because we aren’t clear what it should be for
Because it is not connected to real life
Because teachers focus too much on famous people
Because it has too many dates to memorise

2. What is the “big reason” history matters?

It proves that the past was better
It can provide solutions to present problems
It entertains us with dramatic stories
It helps us pass exams

3. What does the speaker say society is biased towards?

The present
Scientific progress
Local traditions
The future

What is History for?

Good ideas and the possibility of change (01:12 – 02:11)

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1. If someone is dissatisfied with contemporary capitalism, what does the speaker suggest reading about?

The French Revolution
The history of the European Union
The history of crop rotation
The history of the Levellers

2. What example does the speaker give for rethinking the point of going on holiday?

Studying the sack of Rome
Studying the history of Florence Nightingale
Studying the history of pilgrimage
Studying the siege of Leningrad

3. What is the speaker’s improved version of the famous saying about repeating history?

Those who don’t know history will never be happy
Those who don’t know history won’t be able to improve the present
Those who don’t know history will become pessimistic
Those who don’t know history will always make the same mistakes

What is History for?

Courage, consolation, and a new way to teach history (02:11 – 04:14)

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1. How can history teach courage, according to the speaker?

By proving the present is always worse than the past
By focusing only on heroic leaders
By showing today’s problems are rarely exceptional when you widen your view
By making us ignore current events

2. What does the speaker compare learning history to?

An architect designing a building
A judge reading laws
A journalist writing headlines
A doctor using a medicine cabinet

3. What should historians explicitly aim to do?

Tell the past only for its own sake
Make history more difficult so people take it seriously
Focus mainly on wars and disasters
Help solve problems in the present with lessons from the past

What is History for?

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the speaker’s main message about history?

History is mainly about memorising facts and timelines
History is useful when it offers ideas, solutions, or consolation for today
History should focus only on national pride
History is interesting only when it is about famous individuals

2. Which of these best describes the speaker’s attitude toward the present?

The present is uniquely terrible compared to all other times
People focus too much on the present and forget older ideas that could help
Modern life is perfect and doesn’t need improvement
The present should be ignored because only the past matters

3. Which teaching approach does the speaker recommend?

Teach history in strict chronological order no matter what
Start with today’s problems, then choose historical material that helps
Teach only the most prestigious topics from the news
Avoid comparisons between societies because they are unfair

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

What is History for?

Do you agree that history should be taught as “history with solutions or consolations for today”? Why or why not?
What is one modern issue (work culture, social media, politics, mental health, etc.) that you think history could help with? What kind of past example would you look for?
The speaker says we are biased toward the present. Where do you see this in your own life or in the media?
Which is more useful: learning about past mistakes or learning about past successes and good ideas? Explain.