The CROWN – serial na Netflixie (Sprawdź, czy znasz te słowa?)

The Crown - serial na Netflixie

Dzisiejszym wpisem rozpoczynamy nową serię związaną ze znanymi serialami z Netflix’a. Pierwszym z nich będzie serial „The Crown” opowiadający o brytyjskiej rodzinie królewskiej. Ze względu na swoją specyfikę zawiera mnóstwo idiomów oraz trudniejszych wyrażeń, które stanowią wyzwanie dla uczących się języka na wyższym poziomie. Dodatkowo temat historii i rodzin królewskich nie jest często poruszany w trakcie nauki w szkole. Seriale i filmy o danej tematyce są kopalnią wiedzy zaawansowanego słownictwa z wybranej dziedziny. W „The Crown” nie zabraknie wyszukanego języka elit, jak i takiego, którego możemy spokojnie używać w codziennym życiu dla urozmaicenia naszych wypowiedzi.

Before we start- zapoznaj się z podstawowym słownictwem związanym z monarchią brytyjską.

EXERCISE 1

 

Połącz słówka od a-i z definicją 1-12

 

a. Monarch

b. Sceptre

c. Reign

d. Duke

e. Duchess

f. Divine right

g. Royal

h. To crown                      

i. Royal Highness   

j. Commonwealth

k. Descendant

l. Sovereign   
  1. title used to address a royal person.
  2. a member of the royal family.
  3. a nation’s ruler usually by hereditary right.
  4. a sovereign head of state, especially a king, or queen.
  5. a person considered as coming from some ancestor.
  6. an ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty.
  7. a political system in which power lies in a body of citizens.
  8. ceremonially place a crown on the head of (someone) in order to invest them as a monarch.
  9. hold royal office; rule as monarch.
  10. a male holding the highest hereditary title in the British and certain other peerages.
  11. the right that is supposedly given to a king or queen by God to rule a country.
  12. a woman holding a rank equivalent to duke in her own right.

 

TUTAJ ZOBACZ ODPOWIEDZI DO EXERCISE 1

Let’s start our journey with a scene from the show

(S1.E7 “Scientia Potentia Est”)

 

STORYLINE – Obejrzyj NAGRANIE

 

Elizabeth feels that her education makes her incapable of conversing with clever statesmen, so she enlists the help of a private tutor, Professor Hogg. Following the Russians exploding the H-bomb Foreign Secretary Eden is sent to America to see President Eisenhower. Still, he is not a trustworthy man and the talks do not go ahead. In addition, Churchill suffers a stroke at home but hides it from the queen, so he can remain in office. After learning the truth, she becomes angry and rebukes him as well as stands up to Lascelles over his choice of successor, having learned self-confidence rather than facts from her tutor.

Professor Hogg: No.

Queen Elizabeth II: Yes.

Professor Hogg: The slippery old so-and-so’s.

Queen Elizabeth II: It’s rather worse than slippery, wouldn’t you say? Somewhat unconstitutional.

Professor Hogg: What are you going to do?

Queen Elizabeth II: Nothing, of course. That’s my job. Do nothing and stay silent at all times.

Professor Hogg: Is it? From memory, and forgive me, Ma’am, it’s a while since I read Bagehot, but in circumstances such as these, is it not also your duty to act?

Queen Elizabeth II: I doubt it. I’d have to check.

Professor Hogg: I think you know precisely.

Queen Elizabeth II: Yes, it is. But I can’t just summon the brightest, most formidable men in the country and give them a dressing down, like children.

Professor Hogg: Why? You are in the right, they in the wrong.

Queen Elizabeth II: Yes, but they’re far more intelligent than I am. Any confrontation, they’d out-debate me, out-think me and out-maneuver me.

Professor Hogg: But this isn’t about education or intelligence. This is about integrity and principle. Ma’am, you say you don’t have what it takes to do battle with these people. You do. You were drilled for years in the finer points of our Constitution. You know it better than me, better than all of us. You have the only education that matters.

Queen Elizabeth II: So, what would you have me do?

Professor Hogg: Summon them and give them a good dressing down like children.

Queen Elizabeth II: Why would they stand for that?

Professor Hogg: Because they’re English, male and upper class. A good dressing down from Nanny is what they most want in life.

Queen Elizabeth II: Unconventional to the end, Professor.

Queen Elizabeth II: Thank you, Professor.

Let’s recap the vocabulary from this conversation

 

  1. Slippery– Someone who is slippery cannot be trusted 
  2. So-and-so– someone or something not named/ a polite way of referring to an unpleasant person.
  3. Stay silent at all times– never comment or do anything toward something
  4. Duty to act– a legal duty requiring a party to take necessary action to prevent harm to another person or the general public. 
  5. Summon– order (someone) to be present.
  6. Formidable– inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable.
  7. Dressing down– a severe reprimand.
  8. Out-debate– to debate a subject better than someone else.
  9. Outmaneuver– to cleverly get an advantage over someone, especially a competitor.
  10. Integrity and principle– acting with integrity mean understanding, accepting, and choosing to live by one’s principles, which will include honesty, fairness, and decency.
  11. Drilled the points of our Constitution– in this meaning: implant/instill information.
  12. Upper class– a social group consisting of the people who have the highest social rank and who are usually rich. 
  13. Unconventional– different from what is usual or from the way most people do things.

EXERCISE 2

 

Fill the gaps with the vocabulary mentioned in the scene.

 

  1. My boss………………………us to his office.
  2. She believed he was from the…………………….as he wore an expensive suit.
  3. Everyone in this government is so…………………………… They all lie!
  4. For me, it is all about….……………………………… You can’t undermine the basic rules.
  5. Mr. Jones was such a……………………………………… – he was always really mean!
  6. She felt intimidated by their……………………………………………. behaviour.
  7. In terms of crisis, it is our government…………………………….
  8. You……………………. all the paragraphs of the criminal law.
  9. We have a……………………………………… task ahead of us.
  10. Even if they……………….………. you and………………………………………. you never give up and keep rising.
  11. It is her role to…………………………when it comes to government actions.
  12. She gave me a…………………………………… for being late.

TUTAJ ZOBACZ ODPOWIEDZI DO EXERCISE 2

 

Royal audience protocol with the prime minister – meeting with Margaret Thatcher

(S4.E1 “Gold Stick”, The Crown)

 

STORYLINE – Obejrzyj NAGRANIE 

 

The newly elected, first woman prime minister Margaret Thatcher comes to see the Queen in the audience for the first time.

What we are seeing now is history in the making. Britain’s first woman prime minister is a conviction politician who’s made no secret of the fact she believes the country has to change from top to bottom. Going to the palace presumably to tell her queen exactly that. 

The queen pushes the button for the bell which is a signal for the prime minister to come into the room. The staff member opens the door and introduces the person:

Staff member: The leader of the opposition, Your Majesty. 

The Queen: Mrs Thatcher

Mrs Thatcher: Your Majesty.

The Queen: Your party has won the election. It is my very great pleasure to invite you to form a government in my name. Congratulations, Prime Minister.

Mrs Thatcher: Thank you, ma’am.

The Queen: Please. Your family must be very proud. You have two children?

Mrs Thatcher: Yes, but grown-up now and out of the house.

The Queen: And your husband is retired. Is that right?

Mrs Thatcher: Yes, but he won’t get in the way if that’s what you are asking. Denis is very good at taking care of himself. His golf clubs will be in the hallway. He will come and go as he pleases. He knows how busy I will be, and how hard I intend to work.

The Queen: To business then. Have you decided on your first Cabinet?

Mrs Thatcher: I have.

The Queen: It may surprise you to learn that I enjoy predicting ministerial comings and goings. It is like the races. I like to study form and odds. Who is in. Who is out. I also like to predict cabinets. My best so far was Mr. Wilson’s second reshuffle. I got 90%. Would you like to hear my predictions for yours? I am assuming no women. 

Mrs Thatcher: Women?

The Queen: In the cabinet.

Mrs Thatcher: Oh, certainly not. Well, not just because there aren’t any suitable candidates, but I have found women in general tend not to be suited to high office.

The Queen: Oh, why is that?

Mrs Thatcher: Well, they become too emotional.

The Queen: doubt you will have that trouble with me.

Let’s recap vocabulary from this part

 

History in the making- an event happening now that will be remembered in the future because it is very important.

Prime minister- the head of an elected government.

Conviction politician- conviction politics refers to the practice of campaigning based on a politician`s own fundamental values or ideas.

Made no secret- to show or express (something) openly.

Top to bottom- completely; thoroughly.

Presumably- used to convey that what is asserted is very likely though not known for certain.

The opposition- the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed, primarily ideologically, to the government.

Your majesty- A term of address used in direct address to a monarch of higher rank such as a king or queen.

Party- a formally constituted political group that contests elections and attempts to form or take part in a government.

Election- a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.

Form a government- Government formation is the process in a parliamentary system of selecting a prime minister and cabinet members.

Ma’am- a term of respectful or polite address used for a woman.

Grown-up- adult.

Get in the way- to disturb.

Come and go- arrive and then depart again; move around freely.

Intend- have (a course of action) as one’s purpose or intention; plan.

To business- let’s get to work.

Cabinet- the committee of senior ministers responsible for controlling government policy.

Odds- the probability (= how likely it is) that a particular thing will or will not happen.

Reshuffle- interchange the positions of government ministers.

Suitable- right or appropriate for a particular person, purpose, or situation.

Tend- regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic.

Emotional- having feelings that are easily excited and openly displayed.

Doubt- a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.

EXERCISE 3

 

Fill the gaps with the missing words from the conversation

 

Staff member: The leader of ………………………………….., Your Majesty.

The Queen: Mrs Thatcher

Mrs Thatcher: ……………………………………….

The Queen: Your party has won the……………………… It is my very great……………………… to invite you to form a………………………………… in my name. Congratulations, Prime Minister.

Mrs Thatcher: Thank you,…………………………..

The Queen: Please. Your family must be very proud. You have………………………………….?

Mrs Thatcher: Yes, but…………………………….and………………………………………

The Queen: And your husband is……………………………… Is that right?

Mrs Thatcher: Yes, but he won’t………………………………, if that’s what you are asking. Denis is very good at……………………………………. His golf clubs will be in the hallway. He will come and go as he……………………………… He knows how……………… I will be, and how hard I intend to work.

The Queen: To business then. Have you decided on your first……………………………?

Mrs Thatcher: I have.

The Queen: It may……………………………………you to learn that I enjoy predicting…………………………. comings and goings. It is like the races. I like to study form and odds. Who is in. Who is out. I also like to……………………… My best so far was Mr. Wilson’s second reshuffle. I got………… Would you like to hear my predictions for yours? I am………………………………no women.

Mrs Thatcher: Women?

The Queen: …………………………………..

Mrs Thatcher: Oh, ……………………………… not. Well, not just because there aren’t any suitable candidates, but I have found women in general……………………. not to be suited to………………………………

The Queen: Oh, why is that?

Mrs Thatcher: Well, they…………………………………………………...

The Queen: I…………………you will have that……………………………. with me.

TUTAJ ZOBACZ ODPOWIEDZI DO EXERCISE 3

Dzięki serialowi „The Crown” świat polityki, jak i codziennych problemów jest przybliżony w bardzo korzystny sposób dla widza. Aby płynnie posługiwać się wyrażeniami z poziomu C1-C2, należy wsłuchiwać się w język i poszerzać swoje słownictwo o kolejne wyrazy i zwroty. Seriale i filmy bardzo ułatwiają wyspecjalizowanie się w słownictwie z danej dziedziny. Jeśli interesuje was więcej politycznego żargonu, polecam obejrzeć „House of Cards”. Ten serial pokazuje nam amerykańskie spojrzenie na świat i politykę, a także walkę o najwyższe stanowiska w kraju. Do następnego wpisu!

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