7
Home reading
Textbook: p. 12
GoalHome reading: Homer’s epic “The Odyssey” (a myth) – summarising the main events.
New words
hero · qahramonjourney · sayohatgiant · devqomat, gigantsailor · dengizchi
Explanation
“The Odyssey” is an epic poem credited to the ancient Greek poet Homer, probably composed around the 8th century BC and told aloud for many years. Its hero is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. After the Trojan War (in the myth he suggested the wooden-horse trick) he cannot get home for ten years. On the way he meets the one-eyed giant Polyphemus, the enchantress Circe, the Sirens and other dangers. His wife Penelope and son Telemachus wait for him at home. This is a myth, not a historical record. A short summary uses the Past Simple and sequence words: first, then, after that, finally.
Worked examples
Odysseus and his men landed on an island where a giant lived in a cave. The giant, Polyphemus, trapped them. Odysseus made a clever plan and escaped with his men, but the giant’s father, the sea god Poseidon, became angry and made the journey home much longer.
Summary frame: First, the hero leaves ... . Then he meets ... . After that, he ... . Finally, he returns to ... .
Class activity
“Three-sentence summary”: each pupil tells one episode of the story with first / then / finally.
Practice
1
Odysseus was king of which island?
Ithaca
2
Who is the poem credited to?
Homer
3
Past Simple: Odysseus ___ (meet) a giant.
met
4
Why is “The Odyssey” not a history book?
It has gods, giants and magic – it is a myth.