Before you watch the video
1. What do you think of this theory?
2. What would you do if you knew that the world was
going to end?
II. Read this text from an English newspaper. (2009)
A tidal wave engulfs the Himalayas. A tsunami scoops
up a warship and dumps it on the White House. The Great Wall of China crumbles
and thousands of screeming tourists plummet to their death.
Those who survive the initial onslaught flee in
terror, but to run is futile for this is the ultimate catastrophe – the
end of the world – as predicted by Hollywood disaster movie 2012.
Is it nonsence or are we really on the brink of Doomsday? This belief is based on a calendar produced by the ancient
Mayan civilisation, which lasted for
around 2,000 years until it's mysterious collapse in AD900.
With neither telescopes or other equipment at their
disposal, the Mayans managed to calculate that a lunar month lasted 29,5305
days, just 34 seconds away from what we know to be its actual length. They also
accurately forecast the movements of planets including Jupiter and Mars, and
the occurance of both solar and lunar eclipses for many centuries to come.
Given these very precise predictions, Doomsday
theorists are alarmed that the “Long Count” Calendar, as it is known, appears
to end abruptly on a date they recorded
as 13.0.0.0 or the date we know as December 21, 2012.
The only clue at to what the Mayans thought might
happen on that day comes from an ancient stone tablet, discovered during
roadworks in Mexico in the 1960's.
Carved upon it are hieroglyphics that refer to the year 2012 and an event that involves Bolon Yokte, the
Mayan god of war and creation. Weathering and a crack in the stone have
made the last part of the inscription illegible, but Mexican
archaeologists have interpreted it as saying “He will descend from the sky”.
Scientists don't agree with this idea but say that the
world will come to an end eventually. The good news is that it is unlikely to
happen for another 4 billion years. So since the aforementioned fate
isn't likely to happen for a long time, if at all, we are probably safe to get
on with our plans for Christmas 2012.
What do these words mean?
To engulf something
To scoop something up
To crumble
To plummet
Onslaught
futile
To be on the brink of something
To be at someone's disposal
To weather
illegible
aforementioned
III. After you watch the video
Answer
these questions.
1. Do the scientists agree with the end of the world?
2. Did a Tidal Wave really engulf the Himalayas?
3. Why do some people believe in the Mayan calendar?
4. According to the Mayans, what may happen on 21st
December 2012?
5.
What do you think?
IV
part Complete the charts
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND MAKE NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS. IF YOU HAVE TO
STOP THE VIDEO, YOU CAN.
|
The Mayan
Calendar
|
Niburu
|
|
Nasa
Astronomers
|
Solar storm
|
|
Planetary
Alignments
|
Earth Axis
shift
|
In groups, discuss the different theories
about the end of the world?
NASA JPL: 21 Dec 2012 Just Another Day
