modals for specs

Mysteries of the Ancient World

Thousands of years ago, an ancient civilization raised a circle of huge, roughly rectangular stones in a field in what is now Wiltshire, England. Stonehenge, as it would come to be called, has been a mystery ever since. Building began on the site around 3100 B.C. and continued in phases up until about 1600 B.C. No written records exist to explain how or why it was built.

​

​The Mystery of Stonehenge

Open Ended

How do you think was Stonehenge built?

The biggest of Stonehenge’s stones, known as sarsens, are up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall and weigh 25 tons (22.6 metric tons) on average. Scientists believe that they must have been brought from Marlborough Downs, a distance of 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the north. Transporting the stones that distance can’t have been easy.

Smaller stones, referred to as “bluestones” (they have a bluish tinge when wet or freshly broken), weigh up to 4 tons and come from several different sites in western Wales, having been transported as far as 140 miles (225 km). It’s unknown how people in antiquity moved them that far. Scientists speculate that during the last ice age glaciers might have carried these bluestones closer to the Stonehenge area. An earlier theory was that the builders could have used rafts to transport the stones over the water. However, more recent research suggests that this method can’t have been used because of the weight of the stones.

​How was Stonehenge built?

Multiple Choice

Where do scientists think the Sarsen stones came from?

• Northern Ireland

• Marlborough Downs

• Green Plains

• Scotland

Open Ended

What does the writer say about transporting the Sarsen stones?

Multiple Choice

Where did the blue stones come from?

• Marlborough Downs

• Wales

• East London

• West England

Poll

How do you think the blue stones were transported to the site?

• The Glaciers theory

• The Rafts Theory

• Aliens

There are a number of theories as to what the site was used for. Archaeologists agree that the site must have had a spiritual significance. It may have originally been a cemetery, according to a new study. After examining bones exhumed near the stones, scientists believe that the burials must have taken place at the same time as Stonehenge was built, suggesting that the stones could have been gravestones for religious or political elite.

​What Was Stonehenge?

Stonehenge may have been constructed with the sun in mind. One avenue connecting the monument with the nearby River Avon aligns with the sun on the winter solstice; archaeological evidence reveals that pigs were slaughtered at Stonehenge in December and January, suggesting that ancient pagan sun celebrations might have taken place there.

Open Ended

What are scientists certain about the significance of Stonehenge?

Multiple Choice

Scientists are sure that Stonehenge was a cemetery

• True

• False

Steven Waller, a researcher in archaeoacoustics has revealed that before part of the ring collapsed it must have had excellent acoustics and speculates that it might have been an ancient concert hall or cathedral.

​What Was Stonehenge?

Wild theories about Stonehenge have persisted since the Middle Ages. Some say Merlin the wizard may have cast a spell to make the rocks as light as a feather to help with the construction. UFO enthusiasts believe that ancient aliens could have built Stonehenge as a spacecraft landing pad.

Open Ended

Why do scientists think the builders chose the location for the stones?

Multiple Choice

What other events possibly happened at Stonehenge?

• to build a concert hall or cathedral

• Viking sacrifices

• sun celebrations

• communication with other civilizations

Multiple Choice

What does Steven Waller say about Stonehenge?

• ancient pagan sun celebrations might have taken place there.

• It may have originally been a cemetery

• must have had a spiritual significance

• it might have been an ancient concert hall or cathedral.

Past modal verbs of speculation

Look at the sentences on the board and complete the table

Subject          +	Modal           +	_____________     +	_____________
I You He/she/it Etc.	Could Might May Must Can’t	_______	………………… ………………… ………………… ………………… Etc.

Past modal verbs of speculation

Look at the sentences on the board and complete the table

Subject          +	Modal           +	Have      +	Past Participle
I You He/she/it Etc.	Could Might May Must Can’t	Have	Been Eaten Sung Swum Etc.