Class 12 English Unit 18: A Life of Sound and Silence Language Development Section
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhSnUATUljg
Unit 18 A life of Sound and Silence (page 150)
Reflection of the text
This text explores the profound social and personal impact of deafness, using the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven as a powerful case study. It begins by highlighting that while millions of Americans suffer from deafness and tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears), these conditions often lack the public recognition given to blindness. Deafness is described as an "isolating disease" that separates people from people.
The composer Ludwig van Beethoven is a prime example of this isolation. Contrary to popular belief, his deafness was not sudden but a slow process that unfolded over more than twenty years. Born into a musical family in 1770, Beethoven was a celebrated performer and composer by his twenties. He first noticed a loss of high-pitched sounds, a sign of nerve deafness, at the age of 27, by which time he had already written significant works like his First Symphony.
Despite his personal crisis, these early years were incredibly productive, with masterpieces like his Second and Third Symphonies. Some biographers have suggested that his deafness, by forcing him into auditory isolation, actually heightened his creativity. However, the text firmly rejects this idea, stating that hearing loss is a handicap, "pure and simple," and pointing to Beethoven's own words of suffering as proof.
As his deafness progressed, so did his social withdrawal and mistrust of friends, common psychological effects of the condition. Over time, he began to accept his fate, noting on a musical sketch in 1806 that he should no longer keep his deafness a secret "even in art." He tried ear trumpets, but they were of limited help.
By 1817, he could no longer hear music and relied on "conversation books" to communicate. At age 50, he was socially completely deaf, though he could still detect low-frequency sounds. In his final years, when he was completely deaf, he composed some of his greatest works, including the Ninth Symphony and his final string quartets.
Beethoven died in 1827 at the age of 56. The exact cause of his deafness remains unknown, though an autopsy confirmed his auditory nerves were atrophied, consistent with nerve deafness. The text concludes that while his deafness may have redirected his energies from performing to composing, it was a terrible affliction he struggled with his entire life, not a "blessing in disguise." His story serves as a poignant illustration of the immense challenges faced by those with hearing loss.
Working with words
A. Find the single words for the following definitions. The words are given in the jumbled letters at the end.
a. A person who hates or distrusts mankind – Misanthrope … imaseponrth
b. A sensation of noise, such as a ringing or roaring - Tinnitus ….stiniunt
c. An examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death- Autopsy osyaput
d. A musical composition or movement for five instruments or voices- Quintet… itqneut
e. A severe life-threatening illness caused by a bacterium – Meningitis …..simetining
f. An object that directs one's attention away from something – Distraction nodsitstarc
g. The action or process of becoming impaired or inferior in quality, functioning, or condition- Deterioration …..nedotietraroi
h. Failing to perceive something – Impercipience ….. ntpimepcirepe
i. A hearing disorder that makes it hard to deal with everyday sounds – Hyperacusis ….sihpyraesuc
j. A bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact – Syphilis … pysslihi
B. Put the musical instruments into different categories as below.
|
drum violin trumpet harmonica viola clarinet cymbal conch tabla bell trombone cello tambourine double bass, harp |
|
wind instruments |
stringed instruments |
percussion instruments |
|
Trumpet, harmonia, clarinet, conch, trombone |
Violin, viola, cello, double, bass |
Drum, table, cymbal, bell, tambourine |
C. Use a dictionary and find the definition of these genres of music. rock music, pop music, hip hop, jazz, folk music, classic music, blues, heavy metal, Gospel music, country music, grunge, breakbeat, reggae, disco and dubstep
a. Rock music- a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s
b. Pop music- a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom
c. Hip hop - known as rap music and formerly known as disco rap is a genre of popular music that originated in New York City in the 1970s consisting of stylized rhythmic music (usually built around drum beats) that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted
d. Jazz - a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime
e. Folk music- music originating from or composed in traditional popular culture.
f. Classic music- serious music, not folk, jazz, or popular music
g. Blues-a twelve-bar black American folk song
h. Heavy metal- music produced out of a metal with a high density
i. Gospel music- the teaching or revelation of Christ.
j. Country music-a form of popular music originating in the rural southern US.
k. Grunge-the sound of loud guitar and lax vocal delivery
l. Breakbeat- a rhythmic drum beat sampled and replayed to generate a rhythm for dance music, hip-hop, etc.
m. Reggae - a Jamaican form of popular music with a powerful secondary rhythm
n. Disco- a late 1970s dance music style with a strong soul influence and a regular bottom rhythm.
o. Dubstep- a minimalistic, repetitive beat with a powerful bassline.
D. Word stress is an extra force given to one of the syllables of a word. Pronounce the following words with proper stress.
ˈcoffee, hoˈtel, ˈEnglish, canˈteen,
ˈholiday, toˈmorrow, vocaˈbulary, ˈphotograph,
geˈography, ˈbeautiful, biˈology, responsiˈbility,
individuˈality, deˈmocracy
Link for Syllable: https://www.really-learn-english.com/english-pronunciation-lesson-02-word-stress-and-syllables.html
Link for Stress: https://www.really-learn-english.com/word-stress.html
Comprehension
A. Put the following events in the life of Beethoven in chronological order.
Answer only:
a. Beethoven was born into a musical family in Bonn, Germany.
b. He learned to play the organ, piano, violin, and viola.
c. He migrated to Vienna.
d. At the age of twenty-seven, he felt the deafness to high-pitched sound.
e. His deafness got gradually worse: He could hear but not understand.
f. He lived a life in seclusion.
g. He even made suicidal attempts.
h. He died of hepatitis at the age of fifty-six.
B. State whether the following statements are: True or False.
a. Beethoven became blind in a gradual process over two decades. False
b. He became a celebrity musician in his teenage. True
c. He did not disclose his hearing problem for a long time. True
d. He knew that he misunderstood the speakers and gave up his public performances. False
e. He tried to get his deafness treated until his death. False
f. Beethoven died in his early fifties. False
g. Doctors found the cause of his deafness after his death. False
C. Answer the following questions.
a. What does Hellen Keller think about deafness and blindness?
Hellen Keller thinks that blindness and deafness separate people from other people and things.
b. Why does the author compare Beethoven with Milton, Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec?
The author compares Beethoven with Milton, Van Gogh and Toulouse- Lautrec because of their suffering from disability.
c. When and how did Beethoven notice him being deaf?
Beethoven noticed him being deaf at the age of 27 years when he could not hear high-pitched noises.
d. What psychological effects did he have when he noticed that he was being deaf?
The psychological effects because of his deafness were lack of self-esteem, emotional disarray, increasing isolation, self-neglect. He had to be away from social works for two years.
e. How did he triumph over his suicidal thoughts?
He triumphed over his suicidal thoughts by taking the help of his strong principles and love of music. Furthermore, he had read that a man should not give up his life as he can do many other good deeds in his life.
f. How did he accept his deafness?
Finally, he accepted his deafness by stating that no one can save him from deafness so he must face it in his life.
g. How was his deafness ironically good for the world?
His deafness was ironically good for the world by resulting his deafness into extra creativity. His deafness permitted him to listen his inner sounds and feelings.
h. When did Beethoven give up his musical performances forever?
Beethoven gave up his musical performance forever when he was in his mid-forties because it became an embarrassment for him.
i. What did Stephen von Breeuning comment on Beethoven’s reactions?
During a rehearsal for the Eroica in 1804, Beethoven’s friend called Stephen von Breeuning said that Beethoven mistrusted his closest friends because of his difficulties in hearing wind instruments.
j. How did Beethoven express the conflict in his mind?
Beethoven expressed the conflict in his mind by withdrawing his social gatherings, distrusting his closest friends and repeating his thought of suicide.
***
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