IV. 1. Prepare presentation on the following topics using the fact files below:

 

Note: You must follow the principles of a presentation

 [-Greeting the audience. –Introduction -Explanation of what you are going to talk about and in what order. – The body of the presentation with linking phrases. –Conclusion. Expressing gratitude for listening. –Welcoming questions.]

Student A

🏰 The Hundred Years’ War

Time and Duration

  • 1337–1453 (116 years, on and off).

Who Was Involved / Reasons / Aims

  • England vs. France.
  • Dynastic claim: Edward III of England claimed French crown.
  • Economic rivalry: wool trade, control of Flanders.
  • Aim: England sought continental possessions and French throne; France sought to expel English.

Tactics and Strategies

  • English: longbow, defensive positioning, chevauchée (raids).
  • French: heavy cavalry early, later artillery, larger armies.
  • Joan of Arc: morale and religious symbolism to rally France.

Collusions

  • Burgundy allied with England (1419–1435), later switched to France.
  • Scotland allied with France against England.

Technology

  • Longbow (game-changer for England).
  • Gunpowder artillery (increasingly decisive in sieges).
  • Decline of knightly charges.

Outcomes

England lost nearly all French lands (kept Calais until 1558).

  • National identity and stronger Parliament in England.
  • France centralized monarchy, expelled English.
  • General populace: devastated countryside, plague, famine.

Student B

⚔️ The Wars of the Roses

Time and Duration

  • 1455–1487 (32 years, intermittent).

Who Was Involved / Reasons / Aims

  • House of Lancaster (red rose) vs. House of York (white rose).
  • Cause: dynastic succession disputes after weak rule of Henry VI.
  • Aim: each house sought control of the English crown.

Tactics and Strategies

  • Relied on noble retinues (private armies).
  • Smaller, decisive battles (Towton, Barnet, Bosworth).
  • Frequent ambushes, sudden attacks, shifting loyalties.

Collusions

  • Nobles often switched sides for advantage.
  • Foreign involvement: French aid to Lancastrians; Burgundian aid to Yorkists.

Technology

  • Conventional medieval weapons: swords, pikes, bows, crossbows.
  • Early firearms and cannon used in some sieges/battles.

Outcomes

  • Henry VII (Tudor) crowned at Bosworth 1485; Tudor dynasty began.
  • Lancaster and York united through Henry VII’s marriage to Elizabeth of York.
  • Nobility weakened; monarchy strengthened.
  • Heavy cost to population: executions, confiscations, instability, destruction of noble estates.

In ВОШ you will be asked to persuade your classmates to attend an exhibition / organise an event connected with the subject of your presentation. Choose one of the following templates:

  1. Pals, I value your input, but let me throw a curveball here. I've got something on my mind that's not your run-of-the-mill idea, and it's directly tied to our learning journey. How about we ….? I'll break it down for you shortly. First, I will touch upon the historical background of …, then I will discuss…, finally …will be laid out. First off, a quick trip down memory lane. / As to …, … / Now, on to …. /As for…, ... So, why should we be keen on this cuisine right now? -To recap, … That’s all about … Thank you for listening. If you have any questions or doubts, please, feel free to ask.
  2. Friends, I appreciate all your suggestions, but a quirky thought just crossed my mind, and it's got a tight link to our studies. What do you think about …? I'll explain why in a sec. First, I will touch upon the historical background of …, then I will discuss…, finally ….  Let's rewind a bit with a short history lesson. ... So, what makes this cuisine superb and … for us at the moment? First and foremost, … Secondly, ... Moreover, Lastly, ...

2. Practice asking and answering questions on Saint Petersburg. Use formulas of politeness.

Presenter: I hope you found the overview of …. informative. Now, I'd like to open the floor for questions. Please feel free to ask anything related to … you'd like to know.

// Let's keep the conversation flowing. Any questions or thoughts you'd like to share about …? I'm here to facilitate the discussion.

 

Audience Member: Thank you for the presentation. It was quite enlightening / convincing /engrossing. // Great presentation! I've been on the edge of my seat. Now, turning the tables, I was wondering about...

//Fantastic overview! You've really hit the nail on the head. On a related note, could you share more details about...

//Kudos on the excellent rundown! I'm curious to dig a bit deeper into the topic. Can you shed more light on...?

//Bravo on the insightful talk! It's really opened my eyes. On that note, could you give more context about...

//Your presentation was a breath of fresh air! Now, going down a different avenue, I'd like to know more about...

//Thank you for the engaging presentation! It's music to my ears. Moving on, could you go into more detail regarding...

 …Firstly, could you elaborate …, specifically …?

 

Presenter: Thank you for your question. I appreciate your curiosity. Regarding…

 

Presenter: I hope that I answered your first question. Now, the ball is in your court. Is there anything else you'd like to unravel or explore further?

//You hit the nail on the head with your first question! If there's another burning curiosity or a different topic that's caught your eye, feel free to throw it into the ring for discussion.

//I'm glad I could shed some light on your initial question. Are there any other aspects you'd like to dig into or perhaps another question that's been brewing in your mind?

//That was a fantastic question, and you've really opened up Pandora's box. Now, if you have more up your sleeve or if there's a different area you'd like to explore, I'm all ears.

//You've been keeping me on my toes with your questions. What's the next chapter in your curiosity story? Feel free to spill the beans with another question or share your thoughts.

Audience member: Thanks for unraveling the first thread! Now, I'd like to open another can of worms. Can you shed light on...?

//You've really opened Pandora's box with your first answer. Now, let's not beat around the bush. What about diving into...?

//Your response was a real eye-opener! Now, let's hit the ground running. Can we peel back another layer and discuss...?

//Your insights have given me food for thought. Now, let's not leave any stone unturned. Could you share more details about...?

//Your explanation was crystal clear. Now, let's not rest on our laurels. I'm curious about another aspect – can you delve into...?

Presenter: Brilliant question! You've thrown the ball back into my court. Let's hit the ground running and explore this new avenue.

//You're really keeping me on my toes with these questions. I'm ready to dance to the tune of your curiosity.

//Great follow-up! You've struck while the iron is hot

//Fantastic! You've opened a new can of worms, and I'm ready to dive in.

//I love the enthusiasm! You're keeping the discussion alive. Let's not rest on our laurels. What's the next chapter in our conversation?

//Great follow-up question! You've opened a new avenue of discussion. Let's dive in and explore this aspect, shall we?

//You're really keeping me on my toes with these questions! I love the curiosity. Let's not keep the cat in the bag any longer – here's the scoop on your second question.

//Fantastic! You've thrown another ball into the court. Let's hit it back and unravel the mysteries behind your second question.

//I'm loving the engagement! Your second question is like finding a needle in a haystack, but fear not – we'll get to the heart of the matter together.

//Bravo for keeping the conversation rolling! Your second question is like a new chapter, and I'm ready to turn the page and share insights on this next topic.

If the Presenter cannot answer the question:

That's a bit like a needle in a haystack. I don't have the exact details, but let's put our thinking caps on and make some educated guesses about...

//You've thrown me a curveball there! I don't have the nitty-gritty, but let's read between the lines and make some assumptions about...

//You've hit me with a tough nut to crack! I don't have the inside scoop, but let's put on our detective hats and piece together some assumptions regarding...

//Well, that's a bit of a shot in the dark. I don't have the concrete facts, but let's paint a picture with broad strokes and make assumptions about…

// That's a real puzzle! I don't have the missing pieces, but let's connect the dots and make some assumptions about...

Introducing assumptions:

  1. Let's hypothesize that..."
  2. "We can presume that..."
  3. "If we take an educated guess..."
  4. "For the sake of discussion, let's infer that..."
  5. "If we make an assumption, it would be that..."
  6. "Let's speculate and assume that..."
  7. "If we jump to conclusions, it might be that..."
  8. "Let's take a stab at it and assume that..."
  9. "For the sake of this scenario, let's posit that..."
  10. "If we make an inference, it could be that..."

Audience member on the presenter’s hypothesizing: "I must say, your skill in navigating the questions you couldn't directly answer was like watching a cat with nine lives. / Your ability to think on your feet and gracefully handle my inquiries was truly impressive.

//You've shown us a real masterstroke in dealing with the questions that might have seemed like a tough nut to crack. Your ability to sidestep gracefully while maintaining the flow of the discussion was nothing short of a stroke of genius.

//I want to give credit where credit is due. Your knack for handling the questions you couldn't answer directly was like watching a pro in action. You danced around those inquiries with the agility of a ballerina, and I appreciate your finesse.

 

Presenter [to thank the audience for questions and wrap it up]: A big thank you for steering the ship of our discussion with your insightful questions. You've really added fuel to the fire, and I hope you leave with more knowledge than you came with.

//Hats off to each one of you for bringing your A-game to the table with those fantastic questions. You've thrown me a real curveball, and I appreciate the lively discussion we've had.

//I want to tip my hat to everyone for their engaging questions – you've made this session a real piece of cake. I hope the insights shared have been music to your ears.

//A round of applause for the vibrant discussion fueled by your thought-provoking questions. You've really helped us color outside the lines, and I'm grateful for your active participation.

//"Thank you all for planting the seeds of curiosity with your questions. You've given this session wings, and I hope the information shared has been a feather in your cap. Until next time!

 

How to thank the jury:

  1. A big shout-out to the jury for serving up such a feast of knowledge for our presentations.
  2. Hats off to the jury for planting the seeds of creativity with the materials provided.
  3. Big thanks to the jury for providing the fuel for our presentations. Your materials were like finding a hidden gem, and we appreciate the golden nuggets of information shared.
  4. A heartfelt thank you to the jury for the materials that were the cherry on top of our presentations. Your contributions were a game-changer, and we're grateful for the invaluable resources.
  5. A huge round of thanks to the jury for the materials that acted as a guiding light for our presentations. Your inputs were the missing piece of the puzzle, and we're now seeing the bigger picture.