I. Find the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian:
1. placidity – спокойствие, безмятежность, благодушие
2. to make frantic scenes – закатывать безумные сцены
3. to give sb. a look of scorn – бросать на кого-либо презрительный взгляд
4. lavishness – щедрость, расточительность
5. to know how to pull strings adroitly – искусно пускать в ход связи
6. to fall out of love - разлюбить
7. close-cropped hair – коротко стриженные волосы
8. to resist an inclination – сопротивляться желанию
9. weather-beaten skin – обветренная кожа
10. coltish grace – щенячья грация
11. to be on active service – находиться в действующей армии
12. confinement - роды
13. to run a theatre – управлять театром
14. effusive – несдержанный, чрезмерный
15. virile air – сильный дух
16. to set one's mind to smth. – решить что - либо
17. Disconcerting - замешательство
18. it's a knock out – сногсшибательный успех
19. amiability - дружелюбие
20. affable manner - учтивость
21. to exercise great ingenuity in (doing) smth. – проявлять в чем-то великую изобретательность
22. to be unperturbed – быть невозмутимым
23. shrewdness - проницательность
24. to grizzle – седеть, капризничать
25. it's a mere commonplace – это банально, избито
26. exorbitant – непомерный, чрезмерный
27. to be conciliatory – быть умиротворяющим
28. to foster one's career – способствовать продвижению чьей – либо карьеры
29. prosiness – прозаичность, банальность
30. acumen – сообразительность, проницательность
31. to have one's face lifted – делать подтяжку
32. it's no good crying over spilt milk – слезами горю не поможешь
33. to have little flirtations – заводить легкие интрижки
34. masseuse - массажистка
35. gossip column – светская хроника
36. the world of make-believe – воображаемый мир
II. Answer the following questions:
1. What did Michael and Julia do when the war broke out?
They both acted and then Michael enlisted and soon became an officer.
2. Why do you think Michael enjoyed the war?
He was very popular in the regimental mess and the officers accepted him at once since he had the manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier. So, it was inevitable that he should get on the staff of some general.
3. Do you think love is important for a successful family life?
Would you share your point of view on this problem with your fellow students?
Of course, love is very important for a successful family life, moreover, it’s the key factor, which keeps all the members of this family together.
4. How did it happen that Julia fell out of love with Michael?
When he returned from the war, she understood that he wasn’t that attractive young boy with whom she fell in love one day, because he grew older and lost most those features which seemed so inviting for Julia.
5. How did Michael manage to find the money to rent a theatre? What was the theatre called? Who was in the partnership with him?
Jimmy Langton helped the by giving the letter of reference, so one old woman, Dolly de Vries agreed to give them money to open their own theatre. When they had been in management for three years they were sufficiently well established for Michael to be able to borrow from the bank enough money to buy the lease of a theatre that had just been built. After much discussion they decided to call it the Siddons
Theatre.
6. Why was Julia against Michael's taking up directing?
Because he possessed poor imagination, to cut a long story short, his ideas were banal and Julia was not sure that he would have authority over the cast.
7. What kind of director was Michael?
He was thorough; he worked hard. Julia, strangely enough, felt that he was getting more out of her than any other director had done. He knew what she was capable of, and, familiar with her every inflection, every glance of her wonderful eyes, every graceful movement of her body. With the cast he was at once conciliatory and exacting. When tempers were frayed his good humour, his real kindliness, smoothed things over. Authors liked him because, being unimaginative, he was quite sure what they meant he was obliged to listen to them.
forced to let the plays speak for themselves and often not being
8. What irritated Julia in Michael more and more? How did he change in Julia's eyes?
It seemed to her that none but she knew what it was like to live with a man who was such a monster of vanity. His complacency when he had beaten an opponent at golf or got the better of
someone in a business deal was infuriating. He gloried in his artfulness. He was a bore, a crashing bore. He liked to tell Julia everything he did and every scheme that passed through his head; it had been charming when merely to have him with her was a delight, but for years she had found his prosiness intolerable. As a youth he had taken his beauty for granted: now he began to pay more attention to it and spared no pains to keep what was left of it. It became an obsession. He was prudent, and all he wanted was admiration.
9. Why was Julia sad when she thought of her married life?
Because she couldn’t understand how she managed to fall in love with such a man, who had changed so much and whom she didn’t love.
10. Why was Michael happier than he had been before?
Because he was famous and many people adored him.
11. Julia's dresser and maid was a Cockney, wasn't she? Please prove it using the examples from the text.
'ealth and strength."
I'm young enough to dress 'er. And maid 'er.
It'd only fidget me to 'ave a lot of elephant's tusks in me mouth."( Dropping “h”)
12. Who was the unknown man who sent flowers to Julia? Why did she write him a thank you note?
It was Thomas Fennel. She wrote a note, because she was naturally polite and it was, besides, a principle with her to answer all fan letters. That was how she kept in touch with
her public.
III. Make up a list of words and phrases describing Michael's appearance and character. Say what you think of him.
Appearance:
Before the war:
• the glorious beauty of his youth
• wonderfully handsome
• very good figure
• a great mass of curling chestnut hair
• a wonderful skin
• large deep blue eyes,
• a straight nose
• small ears
• the best-looking actor on the English stage
• The only thing that slightly spoiled him was the thinness of his mouth
After the war
• close-cropped hair
• weather-beaten skin
• his movements were set
• he lost his cotlish grace
• his beauty was stricken as with a mortal sickness
Character:
• placidity
• practical mind
• a good-humoured smile on his handsome face
• gentlemanly push
• thrift
• considerable organizing capacity
• Though not passionate he was affectionate
• The breeziness he had acquired in the army was effective.
• well set-up, normal, high-spirited fellow
• He never attempted to play anyone but himself
• worked hard and was amenable to direction
• made his plans carefully
• perfectly faithful
• conscientious, attentive, scrupulous
• selfless (for the sake of Julia)
• conceited
• a crashing bore
To my mind, Michael is rather interesting character. He possesses a lot of good traits and the only his drawback is his vanity. He is very sincere, because he can’t perform love if he isn’t in love. He does everything to make his wife happy, but at the same time, he doesn’t love her and their points of view concerning a happy married life are different.
IV. Comment on the phrase from chapter 9: "Roger had been entered for Eton within a week of his birth." Comment on it. Give a short presentation on public schools in Britain.
Well, it’s not a secret that to send a child to some famous public school, parents enroll them long before their actual study, because public schools are considered to be very prestigious and they give a good opportunity to prepare pupils for entering the best universities in the UK.
Public schools provide elite education, which is gotten in the following way. At first children at the age of 11 go to a prep school, before which they take Common Entrance Examination and then to an independent school, where they take SAT at 14, and a bit later GSCE and A-level. Students stay there up to 18.
The most famous schools in Britain are private boarding schools, such as Eton College, Harrow School, Rugby School, and Winchester School. These famous private schools, founded during the Middle Ages, are theoretically open to the public, but in reality are attended by those who can afford the fees. Many of Britain’s leaders have attended these private schools, which cater to the wealthy and influential but also offer some scholarships to gifted poorer children. Local authorities and the central authority also provide assistance to some families who are unable to pay the fees. Only a small percentage of the population can attend these ancient and highly prestigious schools. A variety of other schools are also private, including kindergartens, day schools, and newer boarding schools. Private schools that take pupils from the age of 7 to the age of 11, 12, or 13 are called preparatory schools. Private schools that take older pupils from the age of 11, 12, or 13 to 18 or 19 are often referred to as public schools. Only 7 percent of British students attend private school.
VI. Give a summary of chapters 7-10. (in written form)
When the war broke out, Michael enlisted at one and then became an officer. Julia was pregnant. When Michael returned from front, they moved to a new house and opened their own theatre due to Dolly de Vries, who gave them money. Before one of her performances, Julia got flowers from an unknown admirer and wrote him a thank-you letter.
