5-minute listening: Giant statue of Emperor Constantine looks out over Rome again
- A towering colossus of the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity has been built in Italy with the help of 3D technology
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio linked below; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
Visitors admire a massive, 13-metre replica of the statue of Roman Emperor Constantine in Rome. Photo: APQuestions
1. How tall is the newly reconstructed statue of Emperor Constantine?
A. less than 10 metres
B. almost 15 metres
C. close to 100 metres
D. as tall as 500 metres
2. Which word can replace “replica” in the podcast?
A. likeliness
B. repeat
C. copy
D. model
3. How many original marble body parts were used to create the 3D model for the
reconstruction?
A. two
B. five
C. seven
D. nine
4. What is the sculpture of the emperor holding?
A. weapons
B. books and scrolls
C. gemstones
D. none of the above
5. Who called for the construction of the original statue?
A. Emperor Constantine himself
B. Constantine’s supporters
C. Rome authorities
D. curators at the Capitoline Museums
6. If something is “just around the corner”, it …
A. resembles a circle.
B. is very near.
C. is far away.
D. has smooth edges.
7. Which parts of the original Constantine statue still remain according to the podcast?
A. his head
B. his feet
C. his hands
D. all of the above
8. According to the podcast, how did Constantine want his subjects to feel when they
looked at his statue?
A. brave and confident
B. love and loyalty
C. respect and fear
D. curious and empathetic
9. How much does it cost to produce the replica statue?
A. US$12 million
B. US$64 million
C. US$100 million
D. information not given
10. What is the garment on the statue made of?
A. gold leaf and plaster
B. resin and granite
C. polyurethane and marble powder
D. limestone and clay
11. What was Emperor Constanine’s full name at birth according to the podcast?
A. Flavius Valerius Constantinus
B. Constantinus Flavius Valerius
C. Valerius Constantinus Flavius
D. Flavius Valerius Constantinople
12. Which word can replace “military” in the podcast?
A. combat
B. army
C. war
D. force
13. What was the purpose of the Edict of Milan?
A. to promote religious harmony
B. to end the persecution of Christians
C. to allow Christians to practise their faith
D. all of the above
14. What is Constantinople the name of?
A. Constantine’s son
B. a statue of Constantine
C. the capital of the Roman Empire
D. an edict
15. When did Emperor Constantine pass away?
A. 306 AD
B. 313 AD
C. 325 AD
D. 337 AD
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. C
9. D
10. A
11. A
12. B
13. D
14. C
15. D
Script
Adapted from Associated Press
Voice 1: Emperor Constantine was a ruler from the fourth century who embraced Christianity and helped spread the faith throughout the Roman Empire. Now, he has a reconstructed statue befitting his larger-than-life role in history.
Voice 2: Authorities in Rome unveiled a massive, 13-metre replica of the statue Constantine commissioned for himself after 312 AD. It was imagined using 3D modelling technology from scans of the remaining nine giant original marble body parts.
Voice 1: The result is an imposing figure of a seated emperor, draped in a gilded tunic and holding a sceptre and orb, gazing over his Rome from a side garden of the Capitoline Museums. The reconstructed statue is just around the corner from the museum courtyard, where the original fragments of Constantine’s giant feet, hands and head are prime tourist attractions. Reconstituted into its original whole, the statue inspires awe in the smaller viewers below – just as Constantine originally intended for his subjects.
Voice 2: At the unveiling, officials declined to say how much the initiative cost, but the replica was made by the Factum Foundation, a Madrid-based non-profit that creates high-resolution digital replicas of the world’s cultural patrimony. The statue itself is made from resin, polyurethane and marble powder for the body, and gold leaf and plaster for the gilded tunic that drapes over it. A second version of the statue will be installed in northeast England, where Constantine guarded the Hadrian’s Wall fortification before being crowned emperor in Rome.
Voice 1: Emperor Constantine was born Flavius Valerius Constantinus in 280 AD. He ruled from 306 to 337 AD. Born to a Roman army officer, Constantine rose through the ranks in the military and was proclaimed emperor by his troops.
Voice 2: In 313 AD, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan. The edict granted religious toleration to Christians and officially ended the persecution of Christians within the Roman Empire. The edict aimed to promote religious harmony and restore confiscated Christian properties. It also allowed Christians to openly practise their faith without fear of persecution.
Voice 1: In 325 AD, Constantine made Byzantium the capital of the Roman Empire. He also renamed it Constantinople, which is now located in modern-day Istanbul. It became the capital of the empire for more than a thousand years. The emperor died in 337 AD from sickness at the age of 65. His body was placed in a golden coffin decorated with imperial purple, transported to Constantinople, and placed in the imperial palace.