مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت د

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART D

ETERNAL LIFE

Shi Huang was born in 259 B.C.E. He succeeded his father as king of Qin at the age of 13. Qin was one of China’s six states.

When was Shi Huang born? Shi Huang was born in 259 B.C.E. How old was he when he succeeded his father as king of Qin? He was 13 when he succeeded his father as king of Qin. What was Qin? Qin was one of China’s six states.

Shi Huang soon conquered the other five states and unified China in 221 B.C.E.

What did Shi Huang soon conquer? Shi Huang soon conquered the other five states. When was China unified? China was unified in 221 B.C.E.

Where there had once been chaos, he introduced law and order.

What did he introduce where there had once been chaos? He introduced law and order where there had once been chaos.

The Emperor was surrounded by people who adored him, but success failed to satisfy him.

Was the Emperor surrounded by people who hated him or adored him? The Emperor was surrounded by people who adored him. Did his success satisfy him? No, his success didn’t satisfy him. His success failed to satisfy him.

He wanted to conquer death itself.

What did he want to conquer? He wanted to conquer death itself.

He sent thousands of young boys and girls to sea in search of the immortals.

Why did he send thousands of young boys and girls to sea? He sent thousands of young boys and girls to sea in search of the immortals.

They believed the immortals possessed the “herbs of everlasting life.” What did they believe the immortals possesed? They believed the immortals possessed the “herbs of everlasting life.”

The Emperor never got to taste such forbidden fruit.

Did the Emperor ever get to taste such forbidden fruit? No, the Emperor never got to taste such forbidden fruit.

In an ironic twist of fate, his appetite for immortality put him in an early grave.

Was it an ironic twist of fate that his appetite for immortality put him in an early grave? Yes, it was an ironic twist of fate that his appetite for immortality put him in an early grave.

He was poisoned by mercury at the age of 50.

What was he poisoned by at the age of 50? He was poisoned by mercury at the age of 50.

The Emperor thought mercury was a magic substance that could help him cheat death.

What kind of substance did the Emperor think that mercury was? The Emperor thought mercury was a magic substance. What did he think it could help him cheat? He thought it could help him cheat death.

He took it as a ‘life-enhancing’ medicine, and it killed him.

What did he take it as? He took it as a ‘life-enhancing’ medicine. What did it do? It killed him.

The Emperor was laid to rest in a vast mausoleum.

Where was the Emperor laid to rest? The Emperor was laid to rest in a vast mausoleum.

Over 700,000 laborers and convicts built it when he was still alive.

How many laborers and convicts built it? Over 700,000 laborers and convicts built it. Did they build it when he was still alive? Yes, they built it when he was still alive.

When finished it was a testament to extravagance and vanity.

What was it a testament to? It was a testament to extravagance and vanity.

His final resting place was guarded by thousands of larger-than-life-sized model warriors.

Was his final resting place guarded by thousands of smaller-than-life-sized model warriors or larger-than-life-sized model warriors? His final resting place was guarded by thousands of larger-than-life-sized model warriors.

They are the Terra Cotta Army.

What are they called? They are called the Terra Cotta Army.

For over two millennia they remained hidden underground.

Where did they remain for over two millennia? They remained hidden underground for over two millennia.

In 1974 the First Emperor’s final folly was finally discovered.

When was the First Emperor’s final folly finally discovered? In 1974 the First Emperor’s final folly was finally discovered.

Local farmers found it by accident during a chance excavation.

Who found it by accident during a chance excavation? Local farmers found it by accident during a chance excavation.

For years the Terra Cotta Army lay buried and forgotten.

Did the Terra Cotta Army lay buried and forgotten for years? Yes, the Terra Cotta Army lay buried and forgotten for years.

Now, they are a timely reminder of the danger of looking for immortality in the wrong places.

What are they a timely reminder of? They are a timely reminder of the danger of looking for immortality in the wrong places.

Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.” Who once wrote this? Emily Dickinson once wrote this.

Should we seek immortality elsewhere when it has always been within our reach?

Cannot we find it in the works we create, the deeds we do, the words we speak, the family we love, and the friends we cherish?

What is the immortality of the individual compared to the immortality of human consciousness?

As Bruce Lee once said, “The key to immortality is living a life worth remembering.”

Did Bruce Lee once say, “The key to immortality is living a life of fighting”?

No, Bruce Lee didn’t say “The key to immortality is living a life of fighting.” Bruce Lee once said, “The key to immortality is living a life worth remembering.”