The Final Speech from The Great Dictator

Grammar

We use much and little with uncountable nouns.

much time         little energy

we use a lot of/lots of /plenty of with uncountable and plural(countable) nouns

a lot of luck             lots of time         plenty of money

a lot of friends       lots of people      plenty of ideas

We use much/many especially in negative and interrogative sentences.

We didn’t spend much money.

Do you know many people?

In positive sentences a lot (of) is more usual.

We spent a lot of money.

He goes out a lot.

Little and few (without ‘a’) are negative ideas.

We must be quick.There is little time.

He isn’t popular.He has few friends.

A little and a few are more positive.

We have got a little time before the train leaves.

Do you speak English? “A little ”

When did you see him? “A few days ago”.

Exercises

1. .Put in much or many

   1. Did you buy much food?
   2. There aren’t many hotels in this town.We haven’t got much petrol.
   3. Were there many people on the train?
   4. Did many students fail the examination?
   5. She hasn’t got much money.
   6. I haven’t seen him for many years.

   2.Fill in much/many/a lot of

   1. Sue drinks a lot of tea.
   2. We didn’t spend much money.
   3. We’ll have to hurry.We haven’t got much time.
   4. He always puts much salt on his food.
   5. I use the phone much at work.
   6. Did it cost much to repair the car?
   7. I don’t know many people in this town.

    

   3.Complete the sentences. Use much or many with one of these words.

   books, countries, luggage, people, time, times

   1. I don’t read very much.I haven’t got many books.
   2. Quick! We must hurry. We haven’t got much time.
   3. Do you travel a lot? Have you been to many countries
   4. She hasn’t lived here very long, so she doesn’t know many people.
   5. Have you got much time? No, only this bag.
   6. I know Paris very well. I’ve been there many times.

   4.Put in little/a little/few/a few

   1. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
   2. This town is not a very interesting place to visit, so few tourists come here.
   3. I don’t think he would be a good teacher.He has got little patience.
   4. Would you like milk in your coffee? Yes, please a little.
   5. Have you ever been to Paris? Yes I have been there a few times.
   6. There was few traffic so the journey didn’t take very long.

   5.Put in a little and a few + one of these words.

   air, chairs, days, friends, letters, milk, times

   1. Last night I wrote a few letters to my family and friends.
   2. Can I have a little milk in my coffee,please?
   3. Are you going out alone? No, I am going with a few friends.
   4. Have you ever been to Rome? Yes, a few times.
   5. There wasn’t much furniture in the room – just a table and a few chairs.
   6. I’m going out for a walk. I need a little fresh air.

   Easter:The Parable of the Sower

   Reading and discussion

   The Parable of the Sower

    That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

    The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

    He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.  This is why I speak to them in parables:

   “Though seeing, they do not see;
       though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

    In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

   “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
       you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
    For this people’s heart has become calloused;
       they hardly hear with their ears,
       and they have closed their eyes.
   Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
       hear with their ears,
       understand with their hearts
   and turn, and I would heal them.’

   But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

    “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

   Questions for discussion