Unit 11 How Lunar Eclipses Have Changed History

True or False



In 1451, sultan Mohammed II attacked Constantinople with 250,000 men. The 7000 defenders did not give up. In April 1453, the Turkish army attacked the city's thick walls with its new cannon, the defenders reparied the walls and persisted in fighting against the enemy. Result of the Lunar Eclipse: On May 22, 1453, the full moon went into an eclipse. When the sultan attacked the city again, the defenders lost their ability to protect their city. They lost the city to the sultan Mohammed II's army.
Read the passage and complete the chart on P190

Place: Constantinople Superstition: Constantinople could never fall while the moon was becoming full. Event and Date: In 1402 the Turkish troops attacked Constantinople and in 1422 again, but did not succeed.
wk.baidu.comocabulary
1. lunar eclipse [ɪ'klɪps]solar eclipse 2. astronomical[æstrə'nɒmɪk(ə)l] astronaut ['æstrənɔːt]/ astronomy[ə'strɒnəmɪ] 3.mysterious 4. unpredictable 5. superstition [ˌsup ɚˌst ɪʃən] 6. be named for 7. emperor [英]['empərə(r)]
Unit 11 How Lunar Eclipses Have Changed History
Pre-reading questions



1.Have you ever seen a lunar eclipse? 2.Can you describe a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is positioned between the moon and the sun. 3.What do you think people believed about eclipses in ancient times? Refer to the text and tell why people were afraid of eclipse? Line 3-5

8. take over 9. fortify 10. cannon['kænən] 11. prohecy['prɒfəsɪ] 12. Byzantium[英][biˌzæntiəm] 13.Istanbul[英][ˌistænˌbu:l] 14. sultan[英]['sʌltən] 15.Muhammad[英][məˌhæm ɪd]
While-Reading questions



What is the main idea of this text?(which setence shows it?) Line 6-7 History was affected because people in the past thought lunar eclipses were evil omens.