Chapter 8: Know what you are reading and more about Verbs

ACTIVITY 3

Prereading Information
Below you'll read a biography of Theodor Fontane. Fontane is one of the most important authors of literary Realism (prevalent at the end of the nineteenth century) in Germany. His novels include:

1878 Vor dem Sturm (Before the Storm)
1888 Irrungen, Wirrungen (Trials and Tribulations)
1890 Stine
1892 Frau Jenny Treibel
1894 Meine Kinderjahre (Autobiography, My Childhood Days)
1895 Effi Briest
1899 Der Stechlin (...the Stechlin is a lake near Berlin)

If you would like to read more about Fontane, you can visit the website: http://www.fontanestadt.de.

3a)

We told you that you'll read a biography. What information do you expect?

Some answers might be:

Date of birth, date of death
Information about his parents
Information about his education
Information about his professional life
Information about his private life


	3b)

Print the text and skim it.

Theodor Fontane

Theodor Fontane wird am 30.12.1819 in Neuruppin geboren. Er stammtaus einer in Preußen heimisch gewordenen Hugenottenfamilie. Der Vater ist Apotheker. Fontane besucht das Gymnasium Neuruppin (1832) und die Gewerbeschule Berlin (1833). 1836-1840 macht er eine Apothekerlehre in Berlin.

Fontane verlässt 1849 seinen Apothekerberuf; er arbeitet dann mit Unterbrechung bis 1859 als freier Mitarbeiter im Büro eines Ministeriums. Er lebt von 1855-1859 in England als Berichterstatter. Von 1860 bis 1870 arbeitet er als Redakteur der Berliner "Kreuz-Zeitung". Von 1870-1889 ist er Theaterkritiker bei der "Vossischen Zeitung". 1876 wird er Sekretär der Akademie der Künste Berlin und freier Schriftsteller. Fontane stirbt am 20.9.1898 in Berlin.

Source (slightly changed): http://www.gutenberg2000.de/autoren/fontane.htm


	3c)

Please answer the question below. The correct answer will turn green.


	3d), e)

Please answer the following questions. Correct answers will turn green.


	3f)

Try now to underline all the predicates in the text by clicking on them. Llook only for the conjugated verb forms. Even if you're able to identify predicative nouns, ignore them.


	3g)

If you want to look up unknown verbs in the dictionary you have to know the infinitive of the verb. As you learned in the grammar part, you get this when you deduce the stem of the conjugated verb forms and add an "-en."

In the activity below, deduce the verb stems and give the infinitives. Pay attention to the forms of sein and haben. Let the context help you to guess the meaning of the infinitive.

Type the stem and infinitive into the respective slot. Correct answers will turn green and take you automatically to the next slot. In addition, a button appears that will give you an English translation.


	3h)


	3i)

Fontane didn't work only as an author but had many different jobs as well. Find and list all the different jobs in the boxes below. When you type in a correct answer the text will turn green and a new button will appear. Click it to see an English translation.