The Tale of Tolkien (3)

The Hobbit enjoyed instant success, and the publishing company asked for a sequel. So Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, a longer, more complex tale. Rayner Unwin, now an adult, helped publish The Lord of the Rings. It was so long that it came out in three parts in 1954 and 1955.

Tolkien's Legacy 
Tolkien died 40 years ago this month. He was a committed father to his four children. He received an honorary degree from Oxford for his studies. But his greatest legacy is his stories. Tolkien wrote many tales besides The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. They tell about good and evil, the importance of friendship and making right decisions.

Tolkien's life shaped his stories. The peaceful, beautiful Shire resembles the English countryside where Tolkien grew up. Some think the evil land of Mordor came from Tolkien's war experiences. His relationship with his wife inspired the love stories he wrote. Through his work, Tolkien has brought joy, hope and encouragement to millions.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Million vs. Millions

Today, let's take a look at the word "million". Steve, can we add an "s" at the end of million?

Well, if we look at today's text, we see that yes we can. Tolkien's work has brought joy, hope, and encouragement to millions.

So, that will be millions of people. What about "three millions"? Can I say, "I hear you have three millions in your bank account"?

Well, I wish you could say that Ken, but sadly, you can't.

Now, first of all, when there's a number in front of the words dozen, hundred, thousand, and million, we cannot add an "s" to them.

Second of all, there is a lot less than three million in my bank account.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Now, if we don't have an exact number like "two million", and we just want to say a large amount of something, we could use millions like sentence in our lesson.

That't right! And, the same thing can be said for the other words, dozens of cars were stolen, hundreds of people attended the meeting, thousands of flowers were in bloom. But they're all estimates - not exact numbers.


Language Lab
sequel n.
sequ- it follows
a book, movie, etc., that continues a story begun in another book, movie, etc.;
- The sequels to "Iron Man" are now on DVD.
something that happens after and usually as a result of a previous event
- The conflicts on the city streets were sequels to the riot at last night's soccer game.

complex adj.
not easy to understand or explain : not simple
- The complex situation between the couple is beyond my understanding.
having parts that connect or go together in complicated ways
- Billy's factory is located in an industrial complex in Chicago.

resemble v.
/rɪˈzɛmbəl/
to look or be like (someone or something)
- Sunny really resembles her grandmother.
- The city resembled a war zone after the earthquake.

inspire v.
to make (someone) want to do something : to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create
- The movie was actually inspired by a headline news report.
inspiration n.
something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create : a force or influence that inspires someone
- The writer finds her inspiration in her friends and family.


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