Source: 

American Stories in VOA Special English
www.manythings.org/voa/stories 

Benito Cereno, Part Two

Today, we continue the story "Benito Cereno."  It was written by Herman Melville.

(MUSIC)

Last week, we told how African slaves on a Spanish ship rebelled in seventeen ninety-nine. They killed most of the Spanish sailors. Only the captain, Benito Cereno, and a few others were left alive.

The leader of the rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno to sail the ship back to Senegal, the slaves homeland.  But food and water were low. So the ship stopped at an island off the coast of Chile to get the needed supplies.

When it arrived, an American ship was in the harbor. The American captain, Amoso Delano, thought the Spanish ship might be in trouble. He would offer help.

Babo decided to remain close to Captain Cereno and act as if he were the captains slave. Babo would kill him if he told Captain Delano the truth about what happened.

Now, here is Shep ONeal to continue our story.

STORYTELLER:  As Captain Delano came up in his whale boat, he saw that the other ship needed scraping, tarring and brushing.  It looked old and decayed.  He climbed up the side and came aboard.  He was quickly surrounded by a crowd of black men. Captain Delano looked around for the man who commanded the ship. The Spanish captain stood a little away off against the main mast. He was young looking, richly dressed but seemed troubled and tired with the spirit gone out of him. He looked unhappily toward his American visitor. At the Spanishs captain side stood a small black man with a rough face.

Captain Delano struggled forward through the crowd, went up to the Spainard and greeted him. He offered to help him in any way he could. Captain Benito Cereno returned the Americans greeting politely, but without warmth. Captain Delano pushed his way back through the crowd to the gangway. He told his men to go and bring back as much water as they could, also bread, pumpkins, sugar and a dozen of his private bottles of cider. The whale boat pushed off.

Left alone, Captain Delano again observed with fresh surprise the general disorder aboard the ship. Some of the men were fighting. There were no deck officers to discipline or control the violent ones. And everyone seemed to do as he pleased. Captain Delano could not fully understand how this could have happened.  What could explain such a break down of order and responsibility?  He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ships misfortunes.  Don Benito did not answer. He just kept looking at his American visitor as if he heard nothing.

This angered Captain Delano, who suddenly turned away and walked forward to one of the Spanish seamen for his answer.  But he had hardly gone five steps when Don Benito called him back. "It is now a hundred and ninety days," Don Benito began, "that the ship sailed from Buenos Aires for Lima with a general cargo. Pedigree, tea, and the like, and a number of negros, now not more than a hundred and fifty as you see, but then numbering over three hundred souls. The ship was officered and well-manned, with several cabin passengers. Some fifty Spaniards in all.

Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales."  Captain Cereno coughed suddenly and almost collapsed.  He fell heavily against his body servant. "His mind wanders," said Babo. "He was thinking of the disease that followed the gales. My poor, poor master. Be patient senor, these attacks do not last long. Master will soon be himself."

Don Benito recovered, and in a broken voice continued his story. "My ship was tossed about many days in storms off Cape Horn.  And then there was an outbreak of scurvy. The disease carried off many whites and blacks. Most of my surviving seaman had become so sick that they could not handle the sails well. For days and nights we could not control the ship. It was blown north-westward. The wind suddenly left us in unknown waters with oppressive hot calms. Most of our water was gone.

And we suffered terribly, especially after a deadly fever broke out among us. Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including every officer but myself, were killed by the disease."

Don Benito paused.  He looked down at the black man at his side. Babo seemed satisfied.  The Spanish captain saw him take his hand from the knife hidden under his shirt.

Captain Delano saw nothing. His mind was filled with the terrible tale he had just heard. Now he could understand why the other captain seemed so shaken. He took Don Benitos hand and promised to give him all the help possible.  He would give him a large permanent supply of water, and some sails and equipment for sailing the ship. And he also promised to let Don Benito have three of his best seamen for temporary deck officers.  In this way, the San Dominick could without delay start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed and prepared for its voyage to Lima.

Don Benitos face lighted up.  He seemed excited by Captain Delanos generous offer. But, Babo appeared troubled. "This excitement is bad for master," Babo whispered, taking Don Benitos arm and with soothing words gently drawing him aside.  When Don Benito returned, Captain Delano observed that his excitement was gone.

Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters.  But the Spanish captain showed no further interest.  He answered Captain Delanos questions with sharp words and suddenly with an angry movement he walked back to Babo.

Captain Delano watched the two men whispering together in low voices. It made an ugly picture, which Captain Delano found so extremely unpleasant that he turned his face to the other side of the ship. Their actions made Delano suspicious of Captain Cereno. He began to wonder about him. His behavior. His coughing attacks. His weakness. His empty wild looks. Was he really half mad or a faker playing a part?  One moment Captain Delano had the worst suspicions of Don Benito. But the next he would feel guilty and ashamed of himself for having such doubts about the man.

Presently, Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported by his servant. His pale face twitched.  He seemed more nervous than usual.  And there was a strange tone in his husky whisper as he spoke. "May I ask how many men you have on board, senor?"  Captain Delano became uneasy, but answered. "About twenty-five all total." "And at present, senor, all on board?"  "All on board," Captain Delano answered.   "And will be tonight, senor?"

At this last question, Captain Delano looked very seriously at Don Benito, who could not return the look but dropped his eyes to the deck.  Captain Delano could think of only one reason for such a question.  But no, it was foolish to think that these weak and starving men could have any idea of seizing his ship.  But still he remained silent. "And will they be aboard tonight?"   Again the question from Don Benito. Captain Delano decided to answer truthfully.  Some of his men had talked of going off on a fishing party about midnight. And he told Don Benito this.

As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito. But the Spanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, he suddenly withdrew with his servant. And again the two men began whispering to each other in low voices. Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind.  But what were those two strange men discussing?  That will be our story next week.

(MUSIC)

You have been listening to the V.O.A. Special English program, American Stories. Your narrator was Shep ONeal.  We invite you to listen again next week for the final part of "Benito Cereno" by Herman Melville.  Im Jim Tedder.

(MUSIC)

REAL ENGLISH RESOURCEFUL ENGLISH WEBSITE

As you know I have a lot friends worldwide, teachers, students, bloggers partners, this one is my favorite Teacher and blogger, his name's Michael Marzio. He was born in USA, but now he is living in France. He has been maintaining a blog, resourceful ones, by the way http://www.real-english.com REAL ENGLSIH provides a self-studying, useful for English learners, teachers and friends and all material is avaialable for free on the internet, have a look at on his profile bellow. By Michael Marzio  

Public Profile - 2 versions, professional and personal 1 - Pro BA (Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, USA) and Masters work in English Education (NYU), and then practical experience creating and maintaining a language school in the south of France for companies; teaching, translating, interpreting, making several EFL video programs including "We Mean Business" with Longman, "The Adventures of Charlie McBride", and the ongoing Real English® project. 2 - Perso I was born in poor circumstances in the northern New Jersey countryside. My father died when I was 5, my mother had a serious car accident when I was 8. We went to a stupid abusive catholic school, which nearly ruined my spirit. Brother Pete went far beyond the failed ambitions of our ancestors to become the director of the MFA in Houston, Texas, USA. He transformed it from almost nothing into the most democratic museum in the USA, and perhaps number 5 or 6 in America in terms of endowments/visitors. As for the second and last son, myself, I was born confused and I didn't have my brother's ambition. I wrote well. I was a lost idealist. I marched on Washington against the Vietnam war several times, but I also did something intelligent: I spent school vacations in 1966 and 67, working for the SCLC in and around Selma, Alabama. There were multiple trips from PA to AL, always with my friend Carol, and sometimes with 1 or 2 of our professors, and always with a handful of other students from Juniata. We went door to door in the poorest parts of the town and countryside, and explained to the black folk that they could finally vote. And would you like a ride into town to register? 40 years later and it's a done deal, almost. Obama is a leader in a completely new world. I learned how to hand glide after much training and enjoyed this sport immensely for 3 years in the Drôme département in France in a town called "Die" (pronounced "Dee"). Free as a bird and in control. Realized a dream, a literal dream. Personally speaking, my own ambition genes kicked in only when I became 30, and I married Valérie, and created a language school in France, etc. Now, in 2009, almost 2010, I just want to take the whole Real English project. 

For more info, please keep in touch through REAL ENGLISH http://www.real-english.com as I have recommended liked this entry? Please bookmark using the social networking sites. The same goes to Michael's website, every time I visit his blog I bookmark and telling for friends, see you around. 

SPEAK UP IN CLASS WORKSHEETS

Source: www.speakup.com.br

Before starting to do the exercise, have a look at this entry: http://englishtips-self-taught.blogspot.com/2011/07/amy-macdonald.html

Amy MacDonald – For the Record (C1)

A - Before you start, talk to a partner.

1. What do you know about Amy MacDonald?

2. Do you like her music?

3. Can you name any other Scottish pop stars?

4. Have you seen or heard Lady Gaga? If so, what do you think of her?

B - Listen and answer

Read these statements. Then listen (without reading) and write T (True) or F (False).

1. Amy MacDonald spent her childhood in Glasgow.

2. About three million of her singles have been sold.

3. She claims that a conversation with fans on Twitter was misrepresented by the press.

4. Amy says she’s in debt to her record company at the moment.

5. She thinks her anonymity is due to her lifestyle.

6. She talks about a pop star who wore a wig to avoid being recognised while travelling on a plane.

C - Read and answer

Read the article and answer the questions with a partner.

1. Why is Amy’s commercial success surprising?

2. What did she mean when she said she hadn’t made any money from selling her CD?

3. What does she say about her financial situation at the moment?

4. Why don’t people recognise her?

5. What is Amy’s attitude to Lady Gaga’s behaviour during the flight to the north of Sweden?

6. What should Lady Gaga have done, according to Amy?

D - Learn it! Use it!

Complete these sentences with words from the glossary. (You may have to adapt the expression in some way; e.g. change the subject, or change from singular to plural.)

1. Having one of her poems published in a magazine was a great __________ for my aunt.

2. You can’t go for a job interview in that __________ suit. You’ll have to buy a new one.

3. Let’s put the __________  _________. It wasn’t me who let your secret out.

4. If you don’t update your anti-virus regularly you’re just __________ disaster.

5. My dad always __________ about the programmes on TV but he watches them all the same.

6. With a credit card it’s easy to spend too much and get into __________ .

7. Tom thinks he’s something special. I hate the way he __________ himself.

8. Most of the company’s __________ comes from its sales of electrical goods.

E - Ready for CAE? (Paper 3 Part 2)

Complete the text. Use only one word in each space.

There are quite a (1)__________ similarities between Amy MacDonald and Paolo Nutini. They were (2)__________ born in Scotland in 1987. Paolo (3)__________ up in a place near Glasgow and so (4)__________ Amy. Then there’s the way in (5)__________ they took the music world by storm. One difference, (6)__________ , is that they support different Glasgow football teams. (7)__________ a Catholic, Nutini naturally supports Celtic, (8)__________ MacDonald is a Protestant and is therefore a Rangers fan, (9)__________ the fact that her boyfriend Steve Lovell used to play (10)__________ another Glasgow team, Partick Thistle.

It’s now four years (11)__________ Amy signed a record contract at the age of 18 and in that time she has gone from (12)__________ an unknown teenage singer-songwriter to an international star, but she says she doesn’t see herself (13)__________ famous. Perhaps this is why she refuses to behave (14)__________ a celebrity and prefers to be anonymous. And (15)__________ her album sales have made her wealthy, she still lives in a small town just outside Glasgow.

Talk about it

In pairs or groups.

1. Do you agree with Amy MacDonald that a lot of celebrities like being followed around by the press?

2. Why do you think so many people are interested in reading about celebrities in gossip magazines?

3. It has been said that we live in a “celebrity society” in which gossip and fame equal power. Do you agree?

Benito Cereno, Part One

ANNOUNCER: Now, the V.O.A. Special English program, American Stories.

(MUSIC)

Our story today is called "Benito Cereno." It was written by Herman Melville.  We tell the story in three parts.  Here is Shep ONeal with part one of "Benito Cereno."

(MUSIC)

Captain Benito Cereno hurried aboard his ship. It was ready to sail. A bright sun and a soft breeze promised good weather ahead. The ships anchor was raised. And the San Dominick -- old but still seaworthy - moved slowly out of the harbor of Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile. It was carrying valuable products and slaves up the Pacific coast to Callao, another Spanish colonial port near Lima, Peru.

The slaves, both male and female, slept on deck. They were not chained, because their owner, Don Alexandro, said they were peaceful.

The San Dominick moved steadily forward under a clear sky. The weather showed no sign of change. Day after day, the soft breeze kept the ship on course toward Peru.

Slave traffic between Spains colonial ports in this year of seventeen ninety-nine had been steady. But there were few outbreaks of violence. What happened, therefore, on board the San Dominick could not have been expected.

On the seventh day out, before daybreak, the slaves rose up in rebellion. They swept through the ship with handspikes and hatchets moving with the fury of desperate men. The attack was a complete surprise. Few of the crew were awake. All hands, except the two officers on the watch, lay in a deep untroubled sleep. The rebels sprang upon the two officers and left them half dead. Then, one by one, they killed eighteen of the sleeping crew. They threw some overboard, alive. A few hid and escaped death. The rebels tied up seven others, but left them alive to navigate the ship.

As the day began to break, Captain Cereno came slowly, carefully up the steps toward the chief rebel leader, Babo, and begged for mercy. He promised to follow Babos commands if he would only put an end to the killings. But this had no effect. Babo had three men brought up on deck and tied. Then, the three Spaniards were thrown overboard. Babo did this to show his power and authority -- that he was in command. Babo, however, promised not to murder Captain Cereno. But everything he said carried a threat. He asked the captain if in these seas there were any negro countries.

"None," Cereno answered.

"Then, take us to Senegal or the neighboring islands of Saint Nicholas."

Captain Cereno was shaken. "That is impossible!" he said. "It would mean going around Cape Horn. And this ship is in no condition for such a voyage. And we do not have enough supplies, or sails or water."

"Take us there, anyway," Babo answered sharply, showing little interest in such details. "If you refuse, we will kill every white man on board."

Captain Cereno knew he had no choice. He told the rebel leader that the most serious problem in making such a long voyage was water. Babo said they should sail to the island of Santa Maria near the southern end of Chile. He knew that no one lived on the island. But water and supplies could be found there.

He forced Captain Cereno to keep away from any port. He threatened to kill him the moment he saw him start to move toward any city, town or settlement on shore.

Cereno had to agree to sail to the island of Santa Maria. He still hoped that he might meet along the way, or at the island itself, a ship that could help him. Perhaps -- who knows -- he might find a boat on the island and be able to escape to the nearby coast of Arruco. Hope was all he had left. And that was getting smaller each day.

Captain Cereno steered south for Santa Maria. The voyage would take weeks.

Eight days after the ship turned south, Babo told Captain Cereno that he was going to kill Don Alexandro, owner of the slaves on board. He said it had to be done. Otherwise, he and the other slaves could never be sure of their freedom. He refused to listen to the captains appeals, and ordered two men to pull Don Alexandro up from below and kill him on deck. It was done as ordered. Three other Spaniards were also brought up and thrown overboard. Babo warned Cereno and the other Spaniards that each one of them would go the same way if any of them gave the smallest cause for suspicion.

Cereno decided to do everything possible to save the lives of those remaining. He agreed to carry the rebels safely to Senegal if they promised peace and no further bloodshed. And he signed a document that gave the rebels ownership of the ship and its cargo.

Later, as they sailed down the long coast of Chile, the wind suddenly dropped. The ship drifted into a deep calm. For days, it lay still in the water. The heat was fierce; the suffering intense. There was little water. That made matters worse. Some of those on board were driven mad. A few died. The pressure and tension made many violent. And they killed a Spanish officer.

After a time, a breeze came up and set the ship free again. And it continued south. The voyage seemed endless. The ship sailed for weeks with little water on board. It moved through days of good weather and periods of bad weather. There were times when it sailed under heavy skies, and times when the wind dropped and the ship lay be-calmed in lifeless air. The crew seemed half dead.

At last, one evening in the month of August, the San Dominick reached the lonely island of Santa Maria.  It moved slowly toward one of the islands bays to drop anchor. Not far off lay an American ship. And, the sight of the ship caught the rebels by surprise.

The slaves became tense and fearful. They wanted to sail away, quickly. But their leader, Babo, opposed such a move. Where could they go. Their water and food were low. He succeeded in bringing them under control and in quieting their fears. He told them they had nothing to fear. And they believed him.

Then, he ordered everyone to go to work, to clean the decks and put the ship in proper and good condition, so that no visitor would suspect anything was wrong.

Later, he spoke to Captain Cereno, warning him that he would kill him if he did not do as he was told. He explained in detail what Cereno was to do and say if any stranger came on board. He held a dagger in his hand, saying it would always be ready for any emergency.

The American vessel was a large tradeship and seal hunter, commanded by Captain Amasa Delano. He had stopped at Santa Maria for water.

On the American ship, shortly after sunrise, an officer woke Captain Delano, and told him a strange sail was coming into the bay. The captain quickly got up, dressed and went up on deck. Captain Delano raised his spy glass and looked closely at the strange ship coming slowly in. He was surprised that there was no flag. A ship usually showed its flag when entering a harbor where another ship lay at anchor.

As the ship got closer, Captain Delano saw it was damaged. Many of its sails were ripped and torn. A mast was broken. And the deck was in disorder. Clearly the ship was in trouble.

The American captain decided to go to the strange vessel and offer help. He ordered his whale boat put into the water, and had his men bring up some supplies and put them in the boat. Then they set out toward the mystery ship.

As they approached, Captain Delano was shocked at the poor condition of the ship. He wondered what could have happened. . . And what he would find. That will be our story next week.

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: You have heard part one of the American story "Benito Cereno."  It was written by Herman Melville. Your storyteller was Shep ONeal.  Listen again next week at this time when we continue the American story "Benito Cereno" in V.O.A. Special English.  Im Barbara Klein.

SPEAK UP IN CLASS WORKSHEETS

Before started to answer question please have a look this links

Source: http://englishtips-self-taught.blogspot.com/2011/07/life-shaker-village.html

Credits: www.speakup.com.br I also recommend this magazine for you, keep in touch and take out a subscription

WORKSHEETS

2011

Speak Up 285 - WHO ARE THE SHAKERS?

BEFORE YOU READ.

TASK 1. Speaking. With your partner(s) discuss these questions.

a)    How many religious groups do you know?

b)    Why do you think there are so many religions in the world?

c)    Why do you think new religious groups are formed?

 READING

TASK 2.  Prediction. You are going to read all of the article about a religious group called the “Shakers.” Before you read, discuss these questions with your partner, and make some notes. If you don’t know/aren’t sure, guess!

a) What kind of religious group are the Shakers?

a) How long has this religious group existed?

b) How many people follow this religion?

TASK 3. Reading for Specific Information. Read all of the article as quickly as possible and find answers to TASK 2. Compare ideas with your partner(s). How many were correct?

TASK 4. Prediction #2. Before you read all of the article again, work with your partner and try to predict the questions for these answers. Make some notes. If you don’t know, guess.

a) 1760 to 1950

b) United Society of Believers

c) Manchester

d) In 1770

e) “Put our Hands to Work and Hearts to God”

f)  48

g) 18

TASK 5: Reading for Detailed Information: Read all of the text and write the correct questions to the answers in TASK 4.

TASK 6. Reading for Vocabulary. Read all of text again and find words/expressions which match these definitions. The words/expressions are in order.

a) Devotion and adoration of a divinity

b) Strong belief in a divinity

c) To use jointly or in common

d) remaining

e) chairs, tables, wardrobes, etc

P.E.T. EXAM PRACTICE 

(Paper 1: Reading and Writing. Writing Part 1)

TASK 7. Here are some sentences related to the topic of the article you have read.

For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.

Use no more than three words

1)	Ann Lee took the Shaker faith to America
	The Shaker faith . . . . . . .   to America by Ann Lee.
2)	Only four Shakers remain today
	. . . . . . .  only four Shakers today.
3)	There are fewer Shakers today than in the past
	There are not  . . . . .   Shakers today as in the past.
4)	Shakers can only possess things if they share them.
	Shakers can’t possess things . . . . . . share them..
5)	In the mid-19th century the Shaker community had 5,000 members.
	There . . . . . 5,000 Shakers in the mid-19th century

AFTER YOU READ 

TASK 8. Writing. Write a short description of a religious group or religious ceremony with which you are familiar.

Teahouses and Terrain

1100 Teahouses and Terrain

For more information visit http://www.elllo.org

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Jonathan	Todd

Todd: So, what's the best thing about hiking this Annapurna Trail? Like can youdescribe what you see and what you do?Jonathan: That Annapurna Himalaya Trek is quite unusually because it's a circular trek. One of very few in the world, so thescenery doesn't repeat. You don't have to pass the same thing twice. You start out from a much lower elevation and you're going through similar to tropical jungle type of surroundingsand as you're slowly ascending you get up above the tree-line into the mountains and by the time you get over the Throngala Pass, which is well over 5,000 meters you're in a winter wonderland and surrounded by mountain peaks well over 6,000 meters.
Todd: That sounds pretty cold and it's almost December. Do you have really warm clothing for this?
Jonathan: You don't need to bring very warm clothes. When you're trekking during the day and the sun is out and you're getting a lot of exercise, you certainly don't feel cold. At night time, you're usually inside one of these little lodges, these teahouses where there's probably a fire going and perhaps you might put on some sort of fleece or light sweater that you carry with you to make sure you don't get too cold, and if you feel cold there's always an extra blanket you can get from the teahouse.
Todd: Well, sounds like a great time.
Jonathan: You should join.