UNIT II - FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE

How can we learn from the past and innovate for a better future?

Notion : Scientific innovations and responsibilities

FINAL TASK II

The class will be divided into four groups of experts : Animal rights defenders, Equal opportunities representants, Sustainable energy scientists and Mobility engineers. They will first gather in groups to do some extra research on their subject that they will share on an online interactive wall.

Once they have done the research, they will split and new groups will be created with one representant from every group. The selection will be randomized. The aim of the project is to create your own futuristic and green city where the Earth isn’t threatened by Mankind’s impact.

LESSON I. VICTORIAN TIMES

Painting entitled Work by Ford Madox Brown

This painting is an attempt to represent all of the Victorian society on one painting.

It was painted by Ford Madox Brown starting in 1859 and finished in 1863.

It belongs to the pre-Raphaelite movement (imitation of the Italian painter Raphael)

ACTIVITY I.

Pay attention to the painting and try to identify all the characters, which social class they belong to as well as the relationships between them.

The Workers :

They are four and put in the center of the painting.
They are working on civil engineering projects.
These workers were called the ‘Navvies’ because they looked like navigators.

The Poor Woman in Red:

Put at the bottom on the painting, a woman in a red dress is with her three children (siblings?) and her stray dogs.
We can notice she is poor because of her clothes, her messy hair, and her behaviour.
She belongs to the Poors

The Rich Lady in Red & White:

Typical figure of the Victorian Era lady. She is dressed with a red robe with a white cape on top of it. She looks fancy and clean.
She is the depiction of the Victorian Lady whose role was to look beautiful at the time.

The Upper Class:

The upper class lays in a darker area in the background. They are dressed with fancy clothings and both characters are wearing a hat (a top hat for the man).
They are riding horses to show off wealth and their attitude looks haughty

The Victorian Era

This expression refers to a period of time corresponding to Queen Victoria’s reign : from 1837 to 1901.

This period is known for relative peace among powerful nations, the rise of the economy and self-confidence for British people.

The period follows the start of the industrial revolution.

The social system at the time was divided into classes :
• Upper Class
• Middle Class
• Working Class

LESSON 2. Society's evolution

The following pictures are taken from ‘THE QUEEN’S LONDON’ published in the History Press

How to express contrast, opposition and restriction

Use Conjunctions: they link two clauses and are followed by a subject and a verb.

Although/Even though = Concession [His salary isn’t high although he works hard]

Whereas/While = Contrast [Her sister came by train whereas her brother drove his car]

Use Adverbs, often followed by a comma.

Yet, However, Still, Nevertheless, Nonetheless
[He said he understood what the teacher said, still, he made the mistakes several times]
[Beliefs can’t change facts. Facts, however, can change beliefs]

Use Prepositional phrases or prepostions: They often introduce a noun group (determiner + noun)

Unlike/contrary to, In spite of, Despite, Notwithstanding
[Sammy is an engineer, unlike his younger brother who is a journalist]
[Despite the flood, the bridge wasn’t damaged at all]

ACTIVITY 2.

Use the tools we've just discussed to compare the pictures above.

LESSON 3. Introduction to Sustainable Development

Definition found in the Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future : "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."