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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
Global Reading
Detailed Reading
Warm-up Questions
Background Information
Extended Reading
Free Discussion
After Reading
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
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After Reading
Warm-up Questions
1. What kind of king was Shaka?
He was most probably a cruel king.
2. Why could Shaka become the king of the Zulus?
He had a genius for war and politics and he had built up
his army and his power in a very short time.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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3. Why is Shaka so important in history?
His historical importance is established through a
comparison with Napoleon.
4. What type of writing does this text belong to?
Narration.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Background Information
1. Shaka Zulu
Shaka Zulu (1787-1828) was the
Zulu military leader who in the
early years of the 19th century built
up by conquest the powerful Zulu
Empire in South Africa. He seized
the throne in 1816 and ruled with
an iron hand.
After Reading
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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2. The Zulu Nation
The Zulus are a pastoral people living chiefly in what is
now Natal, a province in the east of the Republic of South
Africa on the Indian Ocean.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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3. The Zululand
Zululand is at present a region in northeastern
Natal, Republic of South Africa, on the Indian
Ocean; formerly it was a Zulu kingdom with
an area of 10,427 square miles or 27,006
square kilometers.
After Reading
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Extended Reading
Directions: Listen to the following information for a
better understanding of the Zulu life. While
listening, please fill in the blanks with the
information you hear.
Descendants of the Nguni peoples of southeast Africa, the Zulu trace
migrated
their history back to the 14th and 15th centuries when they ________
southward and settled into modern-day South Africa. During the 1800s,
established themselves as a very powerful
under Chief Shaka, the Zulus _________
people and were feared throughout southern Africa. During this time it
was the men who wove Zulu baskets; however, as the British took the
men to work in the mines, women found it necessary to learn to weave the
traditional African Zulu Baskets. Zulu baskets served as functional
utilitarian containers and were typically devoid of any designs or patterns.
■
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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They were essentially plain; however, the beer basket covers called
patterns ,
Imbenge were often highly decorated and colorful. Today many _______
beadwork designs as well as contemporary
both based on traditional Zulu ________
motifs based on other South African tribes or original ideas have appeared.
The development (and continued elaboration) of natural pigments and
differentiate their unique styles
dyes as well as the weavers’ struggles to __________
has led to many and varied designs not previously known.
Around the turn of the 20th century, traded tin and iron replaced the
baskets and by the 1940s the skill of weaving was all but lost. Starting
with a Missionary, Rev. Tjell Lofroth of the Lutheran Church, who wanted
to convert the Zulus in the late 60s, a workshop (called Vukani) was
created and three very old Zulu women were found that still remembered
dye the materials and weave the baskets. From this the baskets
how to ___
refined through the 70s, 80s and 90s until we have the pinnacle of quality
and refinement today. Regrettably, the techniques and skills may soon
________ to the cities and AIDS.
again be lost due to migration
■
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Today most of the Zulu population lives in a 10,000 square mile
reserve along the Indian Ocean. Once self-sufficient
Zululand ______
___________ , many
must now rely on employment outside of their reserve in nearby towns to
reside in
survive. Members of the more than 300 Zulu-speaking peoples _____
KwaZulu (“Place of Heaven”), an area approximately the size of New
Jersey. Their economy is based on the cultivation of crops, tended by the
women, and the raising of cattle, for which the men and boys are
responsible. The weaving of traditional African Zulu Baskets is also a
small industry. Most Zulus still live in their traditional Kraals, an area
______
fenced in by thickets of spiny shrubs that contain their traditional huts and
_________ will have an extended family living in close
gardens. Often a homestead
proximity to each other, often far removed from other clans.
■
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Free Discussion
1. How much do you know about the Zulus and their kings?
2. Would you like to travel to South Africa? Why?
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Skimming
Part Division of the Text
Further Understanding
After Reading
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Skimming
Now read the text quickly and try to find relevant information
for each blank. Fill in the blanks with correct information and
you will have the main ideas.
the Zulu nation and turned the Zulu people
1) Shaka built _____________
a first-class fighting race .
into ____________________
2) When Shaka grew in power, he met with a personal
his mother died .
tragedy — _____________
3) Shaka’s orders for mourning were:
crops were to be planted .
_______________________
A) no
no milk was to be used .
B) ___________________
all pregnant women and their husbands were to be killed.
C) _____________________________________________
4) What faced the Zulu nation now was ________
total ruin and the Zulu people
would ____________
starve to death .
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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5) Gala, a minor chieftain, who wanted to _____________
end the tyranny , went to
stuff a stone in his stomach , that is to say, to
Shaka to advise him to ______________________
pull
himself together .
_________________
6) Shaka ______________________
took / followed / accepted Gala’s advice and rewarded Gala
with many
__________
cattle .
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Read the first paragraph of the text once more and try to sum
up the contents of the whole text in one sentence. Write
down the sentence below.
Shaka, who had a genius for war and politics, built the Zulu
nation; but, had it not been for the courage of a minor
chieftain, he would have destroyed it himself.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Part Division of the Text
Directions: Please divide the text into three parts and
write down the exact words that best sum up the main
idea in each part.
Parts
Paras
Main Ideas
1
1~3
2
4~6
3
7~8
Introduction to the main character, Shaka,
and his historical significance.
The concrete details about the ruthlessness
of Shaka as a ruler.
The dramatic ending of the national
tragedy.
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Further Understanding
True or False
1. Shaka’s military career began in 1828.
( F )
Shaka began his military career at about the same time as
Napoleon’s military career ended at Waterloo. Napoleon
was defeated at Waterloo in 1815, so we can well say
that Shaka’s military career began at about that time —
not in 1828.
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2. It is meaningless for the writer to make a comparison
between Shaka and Napoleon since neither man had
ever heard of the other. ( F )
Shaka and Napoleon were contemporaries and both were
great military leaders. Probably few people have ever
heard of Shaka while Napoleon was world famous. So
the writer wishes to bring the unfamiliar Shaka into our
notice by comparing him with the well known Napoleon.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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3. So long as a military leader is absolutely ruthless and
inhuman, he can build up a formidable army, as was the
case with Shaka. ( F )
Shaka was really heartless, cruel and merciless, but to
build up a well-trained, impressive army needs more than
that. Shaka was also known for his capacity for hard work.
4. Shaka was lenient to his warriors. ( F )
Shaka was very strict and rigorous in training his warriors,
otherwise the Zulu people couldn’t have become a firstclass fighting race. He moved about with his bodyguards
who killed those who did not live up to his expectations.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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5. Shaka showed great respect to his mother at the cost of the
( T )
lives of many of his people.
6. The Zulu people had not obeyed Shaka’s mourning orders
because these orders would destroy their country. ( F )
Living at the beginning of the 19th century, the Zulu
people dared not go against the wishes of their King.
7. Shaka’s mourning order — no crops were to be planted the
following year — amounted to the same as an order for
national starvation. ( T )
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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8. Gala did not respect Shaka, because he spoke to the King
in a disrespectful and challenging tone. ( F )
He respected the King, but wanted the King to end his
tyranny and to save the country from destruction.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Shaka — King of the Zulus
From an article in Look and Learn
Shaka’s military career started at about the same time as
Napoleon’s came to an end at Waterloo. Neither man had ever heard of
the other, yet they had a surprising amount in common, particularly in
their genius for war and politics. Had Shaka been born in Europe he too
might well have altered the course of world affairs. As it was, he built
the Zulu nation. And he would have destroyed it had it not been for the
courage of a minor chieftain, Gala.
When he was still only twenty-nine, Shaka seized the throne of the
Zulus. It took him very little time to turn the Zulu people into a firstclass fighting race because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving
without an escort of “slayers”, whose job it was to kill anyone who
displeased him in any way.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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If his warriors could not run 50 miles a day, they died; if they were
unable to dance barefoot on a carpet of jungle thorns, they died; if they
showed anything less than suicidal courage in battle, they would be
unhesitatingly murdered by the slayers. Shaka was inhuman, perhaps, but
he built up a formidable army in a very short time.
Shaka had already increased his kingdom from 100 square miles to
100,000 when personal tragedy struck: his mother, Nandi, died. Nandi
was the one person for whom Shaka felt deep affection, and on her death
something seemed to snap in his mind. What followed was unbelievable,
but it was recorded by an Englishman named Flynn who was in the area
at the time.
Nandi was buried, and 12,000 warriors were ordered to guard her
grave for a year. Then Shaka sent his impis or regiments to scour the
countryside and punish all those who had failed to be present at the
funeral.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Only after this had been done did he announce his orders for mourning:
no crops were to be planted the following year; no milk was to be used —
it was to be drawn from the cow and poured on to the earth and all
women who were found with child during the following year were to be
put to death with their husbands. As the staple diet of the Zulus consisted
of grain and milk products, this order was little less than a sentence of
national starvation.
Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: “I have conquered
the world but lost my mother,” he would cry, “and all taste has gone out
of my life.”
After two months of intensive mourning over Nandi’s death, the
country was in a desperate state. The fields were overgrown with weeds
and one of the staple diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list.
Total ruin now faced the Zulu nation, and it was obvious that those who
had not been killed by Shaka would certainly starve to death.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Finally, one of Shaka’s warriors, Gala, determined to end the tyranny.
“It is enough,” he told his family. “Someone must tell the Great Elephant.
I shall do it.” Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the
King’s wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death. But Gala
took his warrior’s stick and went to Bulawayo to see Shaka. When he
reached the right distance from the royal enclosure he shouted: “O King,
you have destroyed your country. What will you reign over? Will you
create a new race? Shall we all die because your mother died? You have
destroyed the country. Your country will be inhabited by other kings, for
your people will die of hunger. As for me, O King, I say you are dead
yourself through this mother of yours. Stuff a stone into your stomach.
This is not the first time anyone has died in Zululand!”
Stuff a stone into your stomach! This was the Zulu way of saying
“pull yourself together”. There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers,
and the slayers took a grip on their clubs.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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That a man should dare to speak to the King in such a way was
unthinkable, and Gala’s life seemed to be measured in seconds. But
Shaka turned to his Councillors and said: “What use are you to me?
You never dared, like Gala, to tell me to stuff a stone in my stomach.
Now let all men know that crops are to be planted as usual and that
milk may be drunk again. And as for you,” said Shaka, turning to Gala,
“you shall have a mighty gift of many cattle.”
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
Global Reading
Detailed Reading
After Reading
Shaka — King of the Zulus
From an article in Look and Learn
Shaka’s military career started at about the same time as
Napoleon’s came to an end at Waterloo. Neither man had ever heard of
the other, yet they had a surprising amount in common, particularly in
their genius for war and politics. Had Shaka been born in Europe he too
might well have altered the course of world affairs. As it was, he built
the Zulu nation. And he would have destroyed it had it not been for the
courage of a minor chieftain, Gala.
When he was still only twenty-nine, Shaka seized the throne of the
Zulus. It took him very little time to turn the Zulu people into a firstclass fighting race because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving
without an escort of “slayers”, whose job it was to kill anyone who
displeased him in any way.
Home
Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
Global Reading
Detailed Reading
After Reading
If his warriors could not run 50 miles a day, they died; if they were
unable to dance barefoot on a carpet of jungle thorns, they died; if they
showed anything less than suicidal courage in battle, they would be
unhesitatingly murdered by the slayers. Shaka was inhuman, perhaps, but
he built up a formidable army in a very short time.
Shaka had already increased his kingdom from 100 square miles to
100,000 when personal tragedy struck: his mother, Nandi, died. Nandi
was the one person for whom Shaka felt deep affection, and on her death
something seemed to snap in his mind. What followed was unbelievable,
but it was recorded by an Englishman named Flynn who was in the area
at the time.
Nandi was buried, and 12,000 warriors were ordered to guard her
grave for a year. Then Shaka sent his impis or regiments to scour the
countryside and punish all those who had failed to be present at the
funeral.
Home
Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
Global Reading
Detailed Reading
After Reading
Only after this had been done did he announce his orders for mourning:
no crops were to be planted the following year; no milk was to be used —
it was to be drawn from the cow and poured on to the earth and all
women who were found with child during the following year were to be
put to death with their husbands. As the staple diet of the Zulus consisted
of grain and milk products, this order was little less than a sentence of
national starvation.
Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: “I have conquered
the world but lost my mother,” he would cry, “and all taste has gone out
of my life.”
After two months of intensive mourning over Nandi’s death, the
country was in a desperate state. The fields were overgrown with weeds
and one of the staple diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list.
Total ruin now faced the Zulu nation, and it was obvious that those who
had not been killed by Shaka would certainly starve to death.
Home
Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
Before Reading
Global Reading
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After Reading
Finally, one of Shaka’s warriors, Gala, determined to end the tyranny.
“It is enough,” he told his family. “Someone must tell the Great Elephant.
I shall do it.” Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the
King’s wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death. But Gala
took his warrior’s stick and went to Bulawayo to see Shaka. When he
reached the right distance from the royal enclosure he shouted: “O King,
you have destroyed your country. What will you reign over? Will you
create a new race? Shall we all die because your mother died? You have
destroyed the country. Your country will be inhabited by other kings, for
your people will die of hunger. As for me, O King, I say you are dead
yourself through this mother of yours. Stuff a stone into your stomach.
This is not the first time anyone has died in Zululand!”
Stuff a stone into your stomach! This was the Zulu way of saying
“pull yourself together”. There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers,
and the slayers took a grip on their clubs.
Home
Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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That a man should dare to speak to the King in such a way was
unthinkable, and Gala’s life seemed to be measured in seconds. But
Shaka turned to his Councillors and said: “What use are you to me?
You never dared, like Gala, to tell me to stuff a stone in my stomach.
Now let all men know that crops are to be planted as usual and that
milk may be drunk again. And as for you,” said Shaka, turning to Gala,
“you shall have a mighty gift of many cattle.”
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As it was, he built the Zulu nation.
What does “as it was” indicate?
It is used to indicate an event that really took place.
More examples:
as it is: 事实上，像现在这样
I’ve got enough on my plate as it is.
I can’t help — I’ve got too much to do as it is (already).
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… because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving without
an escort of “slayers”, …
This sentence is an example of double negation. More
examples:
Tony never left the bookshop without having browsed
among the books to his heart’s content.
The tourists who come to China to see sights will never
feel satisfied without visiting the Great Wall.
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… if they showed anything less than suicidal courage in
battle, …
Paraphrase this sentence.
… if they didn’t show self-destructive courage in battle, ...
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… personal tragedy struck
What does this sentence mean?
... when something unfortunate and very sad happened to
him personally.
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… on her death something seemed to snap in his mind.
Paraphrase the sentence.
... immediately after the death of his mother, something
seemed to go wrong with his mind / he seemed to go out
of his senses.
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Only after this had been done did he announce his orders …
What is special about the structure of this sentence?
The sentence is in inverted order for the purpose of
emphasis. The original structure of the sentence is, “He
announced his orders … only after this had been done.”
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… all women who were found with child …
What figure of speech is adopted in this sentence?
Euphemism.
What is the meaning of this sentence?
… all women who were found pregnant
More related expressions:
She is having a baby.
She is expecting.
She is in the family way.
She is knitting little booties.
She is in a delicate condition.
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… this order was little less than a sentence of national
starvation.
What is meant by this sentence?
It means that this mourning order was the same as an order
to make all the Zulu people die of hunger.
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Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: ...
Paraphrase the sentence.
Shaka now became more and more gloomy, mournful and
sorrowful each day.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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The fields were overgrown with weeds and one of the staple
diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list.
Paraphrase the sentence.
The fields were covered with wild plants and one of the
basic foods, milk, was not taken as food any more.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the King’s
wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death.
Why were they in horror?
They knew that Shaka was a ruthless king and he would
kill anybody who dared to oppose him.
Paraphrase the sentence.
Gala’s family members looked fixedly at him with
wide-open eyes in great fear — to go against the King’s
wishes at the time of his deep sorrow was to run the risk
of being put to death on the spot.
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There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers, and the
slayers took a grip on their clubs.
Why does the writer describe the onlookers’ response
instead of Shaka’s immediately?
To create tension in readers.
Paraphrase the sentence.
The people standing by gasped because of extreme fear
and surprise, and Shaka’s bodyguards held their clubs
firmly.
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Waterloo:
meet one’s Waterloo: be finally and crushingly defeated in a
contest (esp. after a period of success)
John fought instead of running and the bully met his
Waterloo.
The government has found it easy to persuade the
employers to accept its plans, but it is expected that during
discussions with the trade union, the government may meet
its Waterloo.
John’s Waterloo was a woman.
约翰栽在一个女人手里。
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Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
Napoleon VS Duke Wellington
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might well:
used to emphasize that an important point has been made
─ “And where is the money coming from?”
─ “You might well ask!”
你这就问到点子上了！
Similar expressions:
can / could well: easily
She could well afford to pay for it herself.
她自己完全买得起。
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can / could / may / might well: with good reason
I can’t very well leave now.
我现在离开不太合适。
I couldn’t very well refuse to help them, could I?
我没有理由拒绝帮助他们，是不是？
─ “What are we doing here?”
─ “You may well ask!”
你算问对了。
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escort: n.
1. one or more persons going with another or others, or with
valuable goods, to protect them, or as an honor
2. one or more ships, aircraft, etc. giving protection or honor
3. person or persons accompanying sb. for courtesy’s sake
When the Queen sailed, her yacht had an escort of ten
destroyers and fifty aircraft.
He felt it an honor to be Julia Roberts’
escort to the Oscar red carpet.
vt. go with as an escort
Who will escort this young lady home?
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formidable: adj.
1. causing fear or dread
a man with a formidable appearance
2. requiring great effort to deal with or overcome
Put the following into Chinese.
formidable obstacles 难以克服的障碍
formidable opposition
难以平服的反抗
formidable enemies
难以对付的敌人
formidable debts
难以清偿的债务
After Reading
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strike: have a sudden harmful effect on a person or an area
A personal disaster / an earthquake / lightning / an illness
struck.
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snap: v. to make a brisk, sharp cracking sound; break down
Logs snapped in the grate.
木头在壁炉里噼啪作响。
With so many people crowding onto the platform, its
supports snapped.
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scour: v. go rapidly into every part of (a place) looking for
The police scoured London for the thief.
scour about after / for sb. / sth.: go quickly in search or
pursuit of
The police were scouring about after the murderer.
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staple: n.
1. chief sort of article or goods produced or traded in
Cotton is one of the staples of Egypt.
2. chief material or element (of sth.)
The weather forms the staple of their conversation.
adj. forming the chief material or element (of sth.)
Is coffee still the staple product of Brazil?
Rice is the staple food in many Asian countries.
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little less than: almost
Helping oneself to a dictionary without the owner’s
permission is little less than theft.
You are little less than a villain if you encourage a tenyear-old boy to smoke and play cards.
Similar kind of adjective phrases:
Our soldiers fought with no less daring than skill. (Their
daring equals their skill.)
quite a few (many)
not too good (bad)
not bad
(not good either)
hardly the right thing to do (the wrong thing to do)
nothing more or less than (just the same as)
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brooding: adj. sad, sorrowful
brood: vt. (1) to sit on or hatch (eggs); (2) to be deep in
thought; meditate; worry
He brooded over the insult for several days.
他为受到的侮辱难受了几天。
He brooded about his decline in popularity.
他思忖着他的名望下降的原因。
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challenge: v.
1. call into question
No one challenged the Theory of Relativity.
没有人对相对论提出异议。
2. test one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but
stimulating undertaking
Nora challenged Dick to a game of chess.
诺拉向迪克挑战，要跟他下一盘棋。
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gasp:
1. v. gasp (at sth.): to draw in the breath sharply, as from
shock
She gasped at the wonderful view.
They gasped in astonishment at the news.
他们听到这消息惊讶得倒抽了一口气。
2. v. gasp sth. out: to have difficulty breathing or speaking
透不过气；气喘吁吁地说
She managed to gasp out her name.
He came to the surface of the water gasping for air.
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3. n. a quick deep breath, usually caused by a strong emotion
His breath came in short gasps.
他急促地喘着气。
More examples:
a gasp of surprise
a gasp of relief
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“In” is used to show quantity or number. More examples:
Tourists from various parts of the country come to
visit the Great Wall in large numbers.
The area of a city is measured in square kilometers.
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Useful Expressions
Passage Dictation
Interaction Activities
Guided Writing
Additional Reading
After Reading
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Useful Expressions
1. 遭遇失败
meet one’s Waterloo
2. 不怕死的勇气
suicidal courage
3. 令人敬畏的军队
a formidable army
4. 主食
staple diet
5. 无异于
little less than
6. 绝境
8. 惊恐不安
desperate state
develop a brooding spirit
a gasp of horror
9. 打起精神
pull yourself together
10. 生命危在旦夕
life measured in seconds
7. 一蹶不振
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Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus
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Passage Dictation
Directions: Listen to the following passage.
Altogether the passage will be read to you
four times. During the first reading, which
will be read at normal speed, listen and
try to understand the meaning. For the
second and third readings, the passage
will be read sentence by sentence, or
phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15
seconds. The last reading will be read at
normal speed again and during this time
you should check your work.
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Zululand is a historic region of northeastern Natal, which is
a province in the eastern part of the Republic of South Africa.
Under the former South African Government’s policy of racial
separation and separate development of the races, black South
Africans had been divided into “national” groups. These groups
were to develop their own political, social, and cultural life in
homelands assigned to them by the government.
Zululand historically was the northeastern section of Natal.
It was inhabited by the Zulus, a people who became powerful in
the early 19th century under their king, Shaka. In the middle of
the 19th century, they warred with Boer settlers who went into
the area, and later with the British. In 1879, the British invaded
Zululand and were defeated by the Zulus. However, the Zulus
were later defeated and the British took possession of Zululand
in 1887. It became part of Natal in 1897.
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The Courageous Gala
Situation:
Gala will never forget his experience talking with Shaka,
King of the Zulus. He is now talking with his neighbor about
this experience.
Interaction Activities
What I Think of Shaka
Having read the two texts about Shaka, what do you think of
him? Would you speak favorably or unfavorably of him? Or
half-half? Why? Think this question over carefully. Write
down your opinions in the grid below. Give good reasons to
support your opinions.
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What I Think of Shaka
My Opinions
My Reasons for Saying So
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Now discuss the question with your partner. While your
partner is talking, you should take notes of what is being
said and write them down.
What My Partner Thinks of Shaka
His / Her Opinions
His / Her Reasons for Saying So
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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After the pair work, either your partner or you will tell the
class the result of your discussion.
Expressions for reference:
The reason behind ... is / was to ...
Only by doing ... could ...
It may seem ..., but ...
It is / was important to keep in mind that ...
Think of ... this way
It is / was obvious that ...
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Guided Writing — Précis Writing
Directions: The following is a précis of “Shaka — King
of the Zulus” in which some words are
omitted. Please finish the passage by filling
in the necessary details.
Though Shaka was a genius
______ in war and politics, he
would have ________
destroyed his nation had it not been for the
seized the throne
minor chieftain . Shaka ______
courage of a______________
and became king of the Zulus when only 29, then he ruled
ruthlessness and drastic ________
the nation through __________
measures .
Whoever dared to displease him or showed little courage
increased his kingdom 1,000 times.
died. Thus he ________
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________ with his mother’s death. He
However, Shaka collapsed
attend the funeral . After the funeral,
killed whoever failed to ______________
Shaka ordered that ____
milk should be poured on the earth and
crops should be planted. These being the ________
staple diet,
that no _____
starvation threatened the whole nation. Two months later,
ruin faced the Zulu nation. Gala, one of the warriors,
total ____
him of destroying the
challenged
_________ Shaka by accusing
_____________
pull himself together . Shaka
country and urging him to _________________
_______________
came to his senses and rewarded Gala with many cattle.
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Guided Writing — Passage Writing
Directions: It has been said, “Not everything that is
learned is contained in books.” Compare
and contrast knowledge gained from
experience with knowledge gained from
books. In your opinion, which source is
more important? Why? Write a composition
of about 200 words.
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You are to write in three parts.
In the first part, state specifically what your opinion is.
In the second part, support your opinion with
appropriate details.
In the last part, bring what you have written to a natural
conclusion or a summary.
You should supply an appropriate title for your
composition.
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Learning from Experience
There has been much talk recently about whether we should learn
from books or we should learn from experience. Some people think
that learning from experience is more important while others hold
different opinions. Personally, I side with the former, in the belief that
experience is the better teacher.
Admittedly, learning from books, as advocated by many, has its
active role to play in our academic life. It can put us in touch with the
great minds and arm our heads with massive knowledge.
However, there are numerous merits for learning from experience,
too. First things first, experience is the source of knowledge and
understanding as well as meaning. Nowhere can the importance of
learning from experience be described so vividly and accurately as in
the old saying “Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.” Take
the human progress as an illustration.
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Dating back to hundreds of thousands of years ago, we humans were
utterly ignorant. But by incessant practices, our ancestors accumulated
massive experience, from which they acquired a great knowledge,
transforming our world from a primitive society into a highlydeveloped one. Second, unlike the theories recorded in books,
experience can be applied to uses. When we are at work, what we need
is the experience of practical application instead of the abstract
theories in our books.
Taking all these into account, we can draw a conclusion that
learning from experience is more important than learning from books.
Always remember the old saying given by Einstein — “The only
source of knowledge is experience.”
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African Baskets by Master Zulu Weavers
Among the rolling hills of South Africa in the northeastern coastal
province of KwaZulu-Natal (“Place of Heaven”), Zulu women work at
the art of basket weaving. With the advent of the men moving off to seek
work in the cities, the women have taken over what was once a dying
craft, and turned it into an art form of international acclaim, and a major
source of income for many families. Zulu artistry has been somewhat
overshadowed by their unprecedented proclivity in the creation of
weaponry: shields, clubs and spears.
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Nevertheless, Zulu basketry is considered some of the most desirable
and collectable baskets available and will soon rival the native American
baskets for rarity and value.
The women work from their homes, where they can assimilate
basket making into their normal routine — giving themselves time to
raise their children, work in the fields, collect water and do other daily
chores. Each basket will be unique in size, shape, pattern, weave and
color and is a true collector’s item. All basket colors are natural and
obtained from boiling roots, leaves, berries and bark or other organic
material of indigenous flora.
Every Zulu basket is made by hand, using indigenous raw materials.
The fronds of the iLala palm (Hyphaene Coriacea) (pronounced EYELA-LA), which grows along the northeastern coast of KwaZulu-Natal
Province, are commonly used to weave the fine, watertight baskets.
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Coils of marsh reeds and grasses are covered by either a figure-eight or
wrapped stitch of the iLala palm fronds, many of which are dyed
colors. ILala palm fronds when dried have a natural cream color.
The raw materials must be collected, dried and prepared or dyed. So
getting the raw materials ready is a lengthy process and these
preparations can equal the time it takes to actually weave a basket. A
basket is started from the bottom. The coils of water grasses are wrapped
by split iLala palm fronds.
Some types of Zulu baskets can hold liquid because of the tightness
of the coil / weave and the material used. When liquids (traditionally
home brewed beer) are kept in the baskets, the material swells, making
the basket watertight, while the outside sweats. This keeps the liquid cool
by means of evaporation much like an evaporative (swamp) cooler.
The products of grass weaving and basketry are associated with the
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widest possible range of activities throughout a Zulu’s lifetime, touching
virtually every domestic, social, and religious function. These baskets are
evidence of the expertise of these artisans and their ingenuity for using
indigenous plants. Traditionally Zulu women weave the African Zulu
baskets using age-old, time-honored methods that are passed on from
mother to child. The patterns, each with their own meaning, vary from
decorative bands to intricate triangles, diamonds, zig-zags, and
checkerboard motifs.
When first starting to learn, a weaver is an “apprentice”. From
apprentice a weaver becomes a “junior weaver”. Most experienced
weavers are considered “standard weavers” while a few are “superior
standard” and only a few become “collector quality” or “Masters”. Very
few become “World Class Masters”. A “Master Weaver” is recognized by
the overall quality of the basket, especially the tightness of weave and
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the intricacy, as well as size and shapes she is capable of producing and
consistency of her work, pattern and design. Master weavers also produce
all the products (dyed materials, etc.) for their baskets and are typically
champions in their communities — encouraging other weavers to excel
and weave better quality baskets through example.
Following in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers, young
Zulu girls are taught to weave using scraps left over from their mother’s
or grandmother’s basketry work. They entertain themselves and play,
learning the various designs and methods of basket making. By the time
they reach their teens, they are fully conversant in the age-old art of Zulu
Basket weaving. When a village has a master weaver, she is a
champion — passing on her knowledge, skill and example to younger
less experienced weavers. Often we see the finest baskets coming from
villages with Master weavers. When a village lacks a champion or master
weaver, the baskets are often inconsistent, of poorer quality and
refinement.
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Directions: Read the passage “African Baskets by
Master Zulu Weavers” and judge whether
the following statements are true or false.
1. The Zulu art of basket weaving has always been a
flourishing industry. ( F )
2. The Zulu baskets are highly collectable because of their
rarity and value. ( T )
3. Women usually spend all of their time weaving baskets
since it is one of the major incomes for their families.
( F )
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4. All baskets are hand-made and the materials are obtained
from the indigenous flora, which need to be dried and
dyed. ( F )
5. The title for weavers is divided into six grades according
to the quality of products they have made. ( T )
6. Zulu girls are taught to weave by their mothers or
grandmothers at an early age. ( T )
7. We may infer from the passage that the Zulu men had
never done the weaving. ( F )
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8. A master weaver plays a very important role in the village
for he / she is the guarantee of quality.
( T )
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Directions: Find a word in the passage “African Baskets
by Master Zulu Weavers” that means:
1. coming or arrival (Para. 1)
2. absorb into (Para. 2)
3. native (Para. 2)
4. so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape (Para. 3)
5. to release moisture (Para. 5)
6. inventive skill or imagination (Para. 6)
7. do or be better than (Para. 7)
8. familiar (Para. 8)
1. advent 2. assimilate 3. indigenous 4. watertight
5. sweat 6. ingenuity 7. excel
8. conversant