Reading
Anne’s Best Friend
Reading
Background
This is a true story. It took place in Amsterdam, Holland in the early 1940s after the German Nazis had occupied most of Europe. The Nazi Party ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. One of their key policies was to kill all the Jews in Europe. If any persons known to be Jews were found, they would be sent to concentration camps farther east, mostly in Poland. Families were separated and transported in trains.
For many days, they went without food, water, sanitation or fresh air. To avoid this terrible fate, some Jewish families went into hiding, often with the help of non-Jewish friends . This diary was written during the time when Anne and her family moved to escape from being killed by Nazis.
Hitler at the Beginning of World War II
A Nazi symbol
奥斯维辛集中营
World War II
the German Nazis
Jews
Background knowledge
What do you know about the World War II?
What is the relationship between Nazis & Anne (Jewish)?
What has the German Nazis done to the Jewish?
The Second World War and the Nazi crime
纳粹正在建设集中营
纳粹逼迫犹太人离开他们的家园
被关在集中营中的犹太人
纳粹屠杀犹太人的真实场景
纳粹正对着屠杀后幸存的妇女进行扫射
犹太人排队进入后面的毒气室
被毒死的犹太人的衣服和鞋子
Why do you need friends ? Make a list of reasons why friends are important to you .
2. Skim the first paragraph of the reading passage below and find who was Anne’s best friend .
Pre-reading
Who was Anne?
What had happened to her? What’s the main idea of this passage?
Skimming:
Anne’s father : Otto Frank
Anne’s mother:
Mrs. Frank
Anne Frank
Anne’s older sister:
Margot
Peter, who lived with the Franks in the attic
Background Information
attic
hiding place
They moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands
Born on June 12, 1929, Anne Frank was a German-Jewish teenager who was forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust
Anne
Anne’s diary
Anne
Anne’s diary
Kitty
Best friend
Anne Frank
1929 Born in Germany
Moved to Amsterdam
1933
From 1940
Hidden in a building for two years, writing diary
1944
Discovered and was killed the next year
Her diary was published after the war
Reading method
when
where
who
what
why
how
Read fast and fill in the form below.
World War II
Netherlands
Anne
Her diary
About two years
Thursday 15, June, 1944
Join the correct part of the sentences
1 Anne kept a diary because
2 She felt very lonely because
3 They had to hide because
4 Anne named her diary Kitty because
A she couldn't meet her friends.
B Jews were caught by Nazis and put away.
C she could tell everything to it.
D she wanted it to be her best friend
C
A
B
D
Before she and her family hid away , she took nature for granted , but now she appreciates its beauty and majesty .
How did Anne feel about nature before she and her family hid away ?
Read again and answer the following questions on page 3:
Her feelings have changed because she was no longer able to go out as she pleased because she is in hiding . Losing freedom has made her feel more excited about good and beautiful things around her .
Why do you think her feelings changed towards nature ?
She did not want to be a “prisoner” in the hiding place any longer . He wanted to live a normal life again .
Why did Anne no longer just like looking at nature out of the window ?
1. What is an ordinary diary like according to Anne? What about her diary?
2. Why was she so crazy about things to do with nature?
3. Why did she stay awake on purpose until very late one evening?
4. Why didn’t she dare open the window when the moon was too bright?
5. Guess the meanings of “spellbound”, What is the meaning of “spellbound”? Use another word to substitute it.
More questions :
1. What is an ordinary diary like according to Anne? What about her diary?
According to Anne, an ordinary diary is where most people like to set down a series of facts. But Anne wrote down her deepest feelings and thoughts in her diary. She told everything to her best friend --- her diary.
2. Why was she so crazy about things to do with nature?
Because she had been indoors too long, she was so eager to see the outdoor world --- the blue sky, the singing birds,
the beautiful flowers ,
the bright moon,
everything.
3. Why did she stay awake on purpose until very late one evening?
Because she wanted to have a good look at the bright moon.
4. Why didn’t she dare open the window when the moon was too bright?
Because she was afraid that she might be discovered by the German Nazis.
5. Guess the meanings of “spellbound”, What is the meaning of “spellbound” ? Use another word to substitute it.
Spellbound means to concentrate with delight for some time. Interested.
What kind of feelings do the following words imply?
free, relaxed, peaceful
free
anxious, eager, thirsty
scared, frightened
helpless, depressed, lonely
Activity
How will you spend the the whole year?
How will you treat each other and make friends ?
What will you do to pass the time if you had to stay in a bedroom for a whole year? (You are not allowed to leave the bedroom, you must be quiet, no music, TV, or computer games. You are allowed one companion.)
What do you think is the purpose of this passage?
Why did Anne write it?
Do you think it is successful? Do you understand Ann’s feelings?
What is Ann’s tone? In other words, is she angry, sad, happy or thrilled?
What is Ann’s point of view? Do you agree with it? If so, why? If not, why not?
Think about the following questions:
Homework:
1.Write a short story about Anne’s life of hiding away.
2.Tick out sentences that you think are difficult for you.
3.Surf the Internet to find more information about Anne and to read more about Anne’s diary.
Take a break!