Текст книги "Практический курс английского языка 2 курс"
Автор книги: Владимир Аракин
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карту. 5. Перестаньте обращаться с ним как с маленьким непослушным мальчиком.
IV. Respond to the following statements and questions, using the patterns:
P a t t e r n 1 : 1. Le Ros was delighted to see his old acquaintance. 2. Some people feel
rather stiff on the platform. What about you? 3. My friends liked the film "Quiet Flows the Don."
What about yours? 4. Celia loved Lanny. What about Sarie? 5. Stephen Leacock is a famous
humorous writer. What about Mark Twain? 6. Some people like things made to order. What about
your friend? 7. I'd rather read something by Chekhov, would you? 8. St. Paul's Cathedral is a fine
specimen of architecture. Unfortunately I didn't see Westminster Abbey. 9. Martin Eden lived under
very hard conditions when he was young. What about Jack London himself? 10. I find this exercise
extremely easy.
P a t t e r n 2 : 1. What do you think about Shakespeare's plays? 2. How do you find the
screen version of "War and Peace"? 3. In my opinion Ch. Dickens' language is rather difficult. 4.
What would you say to a day or two in the mountains? 5. What is your impression of the Tower of
London? 6. What do you think of hitch-hiking as a means of travel? 7. How did you find the last film
you saw? 8. What do you think of Le Ros's occupation? 9. Some people like travelling by air. 10.
What is your opinion about the English language?
P a t t e r n 3 : 1. Have you ever watched the sunrise? 2. Did you have a chance to hear
how your friend was reciting at concerts? 3. Can you imagine that you are teaching a class of small
children? 4. Do you hear any noise? It's coming from above, isn't it? 5. What kind of people can you
see on the platform and what are they doing there?
P a t t e r n 4 : 1. When did you start to learn English? 2. Which of your friends have
started to learn a second foreign language? 3. When do they finish to serve meals in your canteen? 4.
We shall begin to write the test when everybody comes.
V. Write 12 questions suggesting answers with these patterns. (The questions
in Ex. IV may serve as a model.)
TEXT. ROSE AT THE MUSIC-HALL From «They Walk in the City» by J. B.
Priestley
Priestley, John Bointon (1894-1984) is the author of numerous novels, plays and literary
essays well-known all over the world. Of his pre-war novels the most famous are "The Good
Companions", "Angel Pavement", "They Walk in the City", and "Wonder Hero". His war novels
"Blackout in Greatley", "Daylight on Saturday" and "Three Men in New Suits", were very popular
with the readers during and after the Second World War. The daring and unusual composition of
some of his plays (such as "Dangerous Corner", "Time and the Conways") is a device for revealing
people's real selves hidden under conventional masks.
Priestley loves people. His favourite character is a little man, an unimportant shy person, lost
in the jungle of the big city, helpless in the face of forces which he cannot combat. In the description
of an elderly comic actor in the given extract you will find something of the sad tenderness and
compassion characteristic of Priestley's attitude towards "little men".
When they arrived at the music-hall,73 the doors for the second house were just opening,74 and
they walked straight into the stalls, which were very cheap. The audience made a great deal of noise,
especially in the balcony. Mrs. Burlow led the way to the front and found two very good seats for
them. Rose bought a programme for twopence, gave it to Mrs. Burlow, then looked about her
brightly.
It was a nice friendly little place, this music-hall, warmer and cosier and altogether more
human than the picture theatres75 she usually attended. One thing she noticed. There were very few
young people there. They were nearly all about Mrs. Burlow's age. So were the attendants. So were
the members of the orchestra, who soon crept into their pit, wiping their mouths. Very few of the
turns76 were young; they themselves, their creased and fading scenery, their worn properties, their
jokes and many of their songs were getting on in years. And the loudest applause always came when
a performer said he would imitate "our dear old favourite" So-and-so, and named a music-hall star
that Rose had never heard of, or when a singer would tell them that the new songs were all very well
in their way but that the old songs were best and he or she would "endeavour to render" one of their
old favourite ditties. The result of this was that though the whole place was so cosy and friendly, it
was also rather sad. Youth had fled from it. There was no bloom on anything here. Joints were stiff,
eyes anxious behind the mask of paint.
One turn was an eccentric fellow with a grotesque makeup, a deadwhite face and a very red
nose, and his costume was that of a ragged tramp. He made little jokes, fell over himself, and then
climbed on to the back of a chair, made more little jokes and played the accordion, Rose thought him
quite funny at first, but very soon changed her mind about him. She was sitting near enough to see
his real face, peering anxiously through that mask. It was old, weary, desolate. And from where she
sat, she could see into the wings and standing there, never taking her eyes off the performer, was an
elderly woman, holding a dressing gown in one hand and a small medicine glass in the other. And
then Rose wanted him to stop clowning for them, wanted the curtain to come down, so that he could
put on that dressing gown, drink his medicine or whatever it is, and go away with the elderly
woman, and rest and not worry any more.
But she said nothing to Mrs. Burlow, who was enjoying herself, and laughing and clapping as
hard as anyone there, perhaps because she too was no longer young and was being entertained by
people of her own age.
VOCABULARY NOTES
1. way n 1. путь, дорога, е.g. The way we took lay through the forest. Syn. road, path,
track.
2. направление, е.g. Can you show me the way to Trafalgar Square? (Как пройти...?)
N o t e : way is but seldom used to denote a specially built means of communication
between two places, the usual word for which is road; way is more often used to denote direction,
е.g. 1 can show you the way to the nearest village (i. e. I can tell you what direction you should take
in order to get to the village). But; I can show you a very good road to the village.; path denotes a
track made by the feet of people who pass along (тропа, тропинка) as a path through the woods. Of
73 music-hall: a hall or theatre used for variety entertainment: songs, dancing, acrobatic performances, juggling. (Note: «music-hall»
must not be confused with "concert-hall".)
74 the doors for the second house were just opening: the second performance was about to begin. In music-halls and in
circuses two or more performances with the same programme are given every day.
The same term is used with reference to cinemas: the first (second, third) house первый (второй, третий) сеанс.
75 picture theatre (colloq.): a cinema
76 turns: ( here) actors taking part in the programme. Turn – a short performance on the stage of a music-hall or a variety theatre
(номер программы). The programme of a variety perfomance usually consists of various turns.
the three synonyms abstract usages are most typical of way, е.g. way to knowledge, way to
happiness, etc., path is also sometimes used in such combinations, as «The Path of Thunder»,
dangerous path, etc.
to make one's way идти вперед, проходить, е.g. They made their way through the silent
streets of the sleeping city.
to lead the way вести за собой, идти во главе, е.g. The guide led the way through the forest
till we reached a narrow path. This way, please. Пожалуйста, пройдите сюда.
on the way по дороге, е.g. Let's discuss it on the way home.
to lose one's way заблудиться, е.g. The children lost their way in the forest.
by the way кстати, между прочим, е.g. By the way, what was it she told you?
to be (stand) in smb.'s way мешать, стоять поперек дороги, е.g. Let me pass, don't stand
in my way. They couldn't even talk in private: there was always someone in the way. What was it
that stood in the way of her happiness?
to be (get) out of smb.'s way не мешать, не препятствовать, уйти с дороги, е.g. Get out of
my way! I shall get her out of the way for ten minutes, so that you can have an opportunity to settle
the matter.
in one's (own) way в своем роде, е.g. The music was unusual but quite beautiful in its own
way.
to have (get) one's own way настоять на своем, добиться своего, е.g. She likes to have her
own way in everything. Have it your own way.
way out выход из положения, е.g. That seems to me a very good way out. Proverb: Where
there's a will there's a way.
2. attendυt/i 1. посещать, присутствовать, е.g. All children over seven attend school in
our country.
2. прислуживать, обслуживать, е.g. She was tired of attending on (upon) rich old ladies
who never knew exactly what they wanted.
attendantn служитель (в театре – билетер, капельдинер), е.g. The attendant will show
you to your seats.
attendancen 1. присутствие, посещаемость, е.g. Attendance at schools is compulsory. The
attendance has fallen off. Your attendance is requested.; 2. обслуживание; уход; услуги, е.g. Now
that the patient is out of danger the doctor is no longer in attendance.
3. wear (wore, worn)υt/i 1. носить ( одежду), быть одетым во что-л., е.g. At the party
she wore her wedding dress and he said she looked like a lily-of-the-valley. You should always wear
blue: it matches your eyes.
Syn. to have smth. on
to wear make-up (paint, rouge) употреблять косметику, краситься
to wear scent душиться
2. изнашивать, протирать, е.g. I have worn my shoes into holes. The carpet wss worn by the
many feet that had trodden on it.
3. носиться (о платье, обуви и т.д.), е.g. This cloth wears well (badly).
wearn, е.g. This style of dress is in general wear now. Сейчас все носят платья этого
фасона. Clothes for everyday wear. Одежда на каждый день. Shoes for street wear. Туфли для
улицы.
footwear обувь
underwear белье
4. anxiousadj 1. озабоченный, тревожный, беспокойный, е.g. I am anxious about his
health. Her face was calm, but the anxious eyes betrayed something of what she felt.
Syn. worried, troubled, е.g. She always gets worried about little things.
2. сильно желающий чего-л., е.g. Не works hard because he is anxious to succeed. The
actor was anxious to please the audience.
Syn. eager, е.g. Isn't he eager to learn?
anxietyn 1. беспокойство, тревога, опасение, забота, е.g. We waited with anxiety for the
doctor to come. All these anxieties made him look pale and tired.
Syn. worry
2. страстное стремление к чему-л., е.g. That anxiety for truth made Philip rather unpopular
with some of his schoolmates.
anxiouslyado с беспокойством, с волнением, е.g. We anxiously waited for his arrival.
Note: Cf. the synonyms to be anxious, to worry, to trouble, to bother. The range of
meaning of worry is wide: it can denote emotional states of different intensity whereas its synonyms
are narrower in meaning. In the sentence "His long absence worried his mother very much" worry
expresses a strong feeling of anxiety. It is also possible to say: "It made her very anxious." The
intensity of feeling is slightly weaker here; trouble denotes a still weaker emotion; bother describes
rather a state of irritation and dissatisfaction than of anxiety. Sometimes either of the synonyms can
be used in one and the same sentence. The difference lies in the intensity of the emotion expressed
by each verb, е.g. Don't let that bother you (= don't think about it: it is unimportant). Don't let that
trouble you (nearly the same, but also: Don't get nervous about it). Don't be anxious about it. (The
feeling of fear and anxiety is stronger here than in the previous example.) Don't let that worry you (=
don't let that spoil your mood; don't fear that smth. bad will happen).
5. make (made, made)υt/i 1. делать, производить; готовить, е.g. What is the box made
of?
2. становиться, оказываться, е.g. I'm sure she'll make an excellent teacher.
3. заставлять, е.g. We'll have to make him take the medicine.
N о t e: In this meaning make is followed by a complex object. (Observe the absence of to
with the infinitive!)
to make a mistake делать ошибку, ошибаться
to make a report делать доклад
to make (a) noise шуметь
to make a (the) bed стелить постель
to make friends with smb. подружиться с кем– n., е.g. Soon she made friends with her
fellow-passengers. She easily makes friends.
to make oneself at home чувствовать себя как дома, е.g. Come in and make yourself at
home.
to make a joke (jokes) шутить, острить, е.g. Why do you always make jokes? Can't you be
serious?
N o t e :Make is also used with numerous adjectives giving emotional characteristics, as to
make smb. happy (angry, sad, etc.).
to make up 1. составлять (рецепт, список и т.д.), е.g. Before packing make up a list of
things you are going to take.; 2. выдумывать, е.g. You are a fool to listen to his story. He has made
it all up. Make up your own sentences using the new words.; 3. гримировать(-ся), краситься, е.g.
How long will it take the actors to make up? She was so much made up that I didn't recognize her at
first; 4. мириться, as I am sorry for what I said. Let's make it up. You'd better make it up with Ann.;
5. возмещать, компенсировать, е.g. We must make up for lost time. Won't you let me try to make
up for all I've failed to do in the past?
to make up one's mind = to decide
make-upn грим, косметика, е.g. Why should you spoil your pretty face with all this make-
up? The woman uses too much make-up (...слишком сильно красится).
6. hold (held, held)υt/i 1, держать, е.g. She was holding a red rose in her hand.
to hold on to smth. держаться за что-л., е.g. Holding on to a branch, he climbed a little
higher. Hold on to the railing, it's slippery here.
to hold a meeting проводить собрание, е.g. A students' meeting was held in our department
yesterday.
2. вмещать, содержать в себе, е.g. How many people will this lecture-hall hold?
3. держаться (о погоде), е.g. Will this weather hold?
hold n
to catch (get) hold of smth. ухватиться за что-л., схватить что-л., завладеть чём– n., е.g.
Не nearly fell down, but managed to catch hold of his companion's arm. The child got hold of a
bright flower.
to keep hold of smth. удерживать, не выпускать, е.g. With every minute it became harder
and harder to keep hold of the slippery ropes.
to lose hold of smth. выпустить (и з рук), е.g. It wasn't her nature to lose hold of anything
she had got hold of.
7. entertain υt/i 1. принимать гостей (rather formal), е.g. We are entertaining a lot.; 2.
развлекать, занимать, е.g. We were all entertained by his tricks.
entertainingadj развлекательный, занимательный, е.g. The conversation was far from
entertaining. In fact, it was horribly dull.
Syn. amusing
entertainmentn развлечение, зрелище, представление, е.g. There are many places of
entertainment in any big city.
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (I)
Words
anxiety n
attendant n
imitate υ
anxious adj
audience n
make υ
anxiously adv
entertain υ
make-up n
attend υ
entertainment n
wear υ
attendance n
hold υ, n
wings n, pl
wipe υ
Word Combinations
to make (a) noise
a long way from
to lead the way (to)
to lose one's (the) way
to look about oneself
to be (get) out of the way
about (of) smb.'s age
to have one's (own) way
members of the orchestra
to catch hold of smth.
anxious (worried) about smth.
to keep hold of smth.
to make jokes
to lose hold of smth.
to make oneself at home
to hold a meeting
to make up smth.
to hold on to smth.
to make one's way
EXERCISES
1. Bead the text and explain the following points (A. Grammar, B. Word usage,
С. Style):
A. 1. Explain the use of tenses in: a) "...a performer said he would imitate 'our dear old
favourite' So-and-so, and named a music-hall star that Rose had never heard of"; b) "Youth had fled
from it"; c) "She was sitting near enough..."
2. Explain the use of all the articles in the fragment beginning with "One turn was an
eccentric fellow", and ending with "played the accordion."
B. 1. How do you understand the word human in "...altogether more human than the picture
theatres..."?
2. a) Explain the meaning of the italicized words in the following: "Very few of the turns
were young; they themselves, their creased and fading scenery, their worn property were getting on
in years"; b) What kind of atmosphere is created by this description? Which characteristic feature of
the place is specially emphasized?
3. What is the meaning of the word bloom in «There was no bloom on anything here»? What
kind of image is created by the sentence?
4. Explain the meaning of the words anxious in «eyes anxious behind the mask of pain» and
anxiously in «his real face peering anxiously through that mask.» ( Anxious implies fear. Why is the
emotion of fear emphasized in these two sentences?)
C. 1. Explain the effect achieved by inversion in: a) «One thing she noticed»; b) "...Standing
there, never taking her eyes off the performer, was an elderly woman..." (See Notes on Style, p. 277).
2. a) What is the effect achieved by the syntactical parallelism in: "...So were the attendants.
So were the members of the orchestra"? b) Find another case of syntactical parallelism in the last
passage but one and comment on it.
II. Transcribe the following words and translate them into Russian:
anxiety, arrival, attendance, imitate, altogether, twopence, properties, creased, wearing,
weary, audience, straight, desolate, joint, anxious, grotesque, ragged, perhaps, endeavour.
III. a) Find in the text sentences with:
a great deal of, very few, very few of, many of
and write your own sentences with the same word-combinations,
b) Find in the text sentences with:
altogether, nearly, usually, then, at first, soon, whatever it is, any more, no longer
and write your own sentences with the same words and phrases.
IV. Answer the questions:
1. When did Rose and Mrs. Burlow arrive at the music-hall? 2. Where were their seats? 3.
Were the stalls expensive? 4. In what way did the audience behave? 5. What kind of place was the
music-hall? What was its most characteristic feature? 6. Were the attendants and the members of the
orchestra young or elderly people? 7. What did the scenery and the properties look like? 8. When did
the loudest applause come? Why? 9. Why does the author say that the music-hall was rather sad
though it was cosy and friendly? 10. Why were the actor's eyes anxious behind the mask of paint?
11. What did the man in the costume of a tramp do on the stage? 12. Did Rose like his acting? 13.
What did she see in the wings? 14. Why did she say nothing to Mrs. Burlow? 15. How does this
episode characterize Rose? 16. What does the author want to tell us by this episode?
V. Search the text for adjectives and classify them into two groups according
to «positive» and «negative» qualities as suggested by the context (e.g. 1) great,
good, nice... and 2) cheap, creased...). When the list is ready, describe some place
and its atmosphere using the adjectives of each group.
VI. Tell the story of Rose as your own experience in the past.
VII. Study Vocabulary Notes and a) translate the examples; b) give synonyms
of:
road n, eager a, amusing a, wear υ;
c) give antonyms of:
to find one's way, to lose hold of;
d) give derivatives of:
attend, entertain, wear.
VIII. Fill in with:
a) be anxious, worry, trouble, bother.
1. She always ... when she doesn't get my letters for a long time. 2. The letter that informed
us of her unexpected departure greatly ... me. 3. I knew that he would willingly help me, but I didn't
like to ... him. 4. Don't...! Dinner will be ready on time. 5. The child is very weak, and I can very
well understand that it... you. 6. Don't ... about the taxi. I'll get you home in my car. 7. I felt that he
didn't pay any attention to what I was saying. I decided that he ... about something. 8. I shouldn't like
to ... you with my tiresome affairs. 9. The climate is very bad there, and I ... about her health. 10. I'm
sorry to ...you, but I need his address badly.
b) anxious and its derivatives:
1. What are you so ... about? 2. Her ... face was pale. 3, We were full of ... and worry. 4.
Michael was ... to find a job. 5. I was ... waiting for his answer. 6. His ... for success made him many
enemies. 7.... makes people older.
с) attend and its derivatives:
1. From the age of seven till seventeen I... school. 2. The ... at lectures has fallen off. 3. In
this hotel you will be well... on. 4. Your... is requested.
d) entertain and its derivatives:
1. Who(m) are you ... at dinner tonight? 2. His jokes didn't ... us much. 3. The play was
not very ... 4. Do you know any places of... in this town? 5. Do they often ...?
IX. Translate these sentences into Russian:
1. What makes you think he knows the truth? – Everything. His look. The way he talked at
dinner. 2. She smiled in that charming way of hers. 3. He spoke on one note. It gave Kitty the
impression that he was speaking from a long way off. 4. He had particularly congratulated us on the
way we had done the difficult job. 5. I didn't know which way to look. 6. I really can't get used to the
new ways. 7. Is that the way you feel towards us? 8. She threw my slippers into my face. She
behaved in the most outrageous way. 9. Isabel didn't want to stand in Larry's way. 10. Sophie pushed
her way through the dancers and we lost sight of her in the crowd. 11. I made way for him to go up
the stairs. 12. Suzanne's mother could hardly live on her pension with prices the way they were. 13.
They had been to Chartres and were on their way back to Paris. 14. I saw the waiter threading his
way through the tables. 15. The room had a narrow iron bed and by way of furniture only the barest
necessities.
X. Translate these sentences into English, using the word way.
1. Детям не разрешали ходить одним на озеро. Но они однажды сделали по-своему и
все-таки пошли туда, не сказав никому ни слова. По дороге домой они чуть не заблудились. К
счастью, они встретили старого лесничего (forester), который помог им добраться домой. 2.
Она рассказала об этом весело, в своей обычной очаровательной манере. 3. Не сказав ни
слова, он направился к двери. 4. Я не знаю этих мест, не могли бы вы повести нас туда? 5.
Какой же выход из положения вы предлагаете? 6. Боюсь, что стол здесь будет вам мешать.
XI. Make up dialogues:
a) between Rose and Mrs. Burlow (after the performance);
b) between the old clown and his wife (before he went on to the stage);
c) between two readers (about the episode described in the passage and the author of
the story).
ХII. Insert prepositions or adverbs where necessary:
1. Don't worry your pretty little head ... the mysterious visitor. 2. By arranging good
marriages for her daughters she expected to make......all the disappointments of her own career. 3.
He sat quite still and stared with those wide immobile eyes of his ... the picture. 4. He has a bath ...
cold water every morning. – Oh! He is made ... iron, that man. 5. Are we ... the way? – No, you
couldn't have come more fortunately. 6. I suppose it was natural... you to be anxious ... the garden
party. But that's all... now. There's nothing more to worry ... . 7. He arrived ... the Lomond Hotel,
vегу hot and sweaty and exhausted and had an obscure feeling that they would take one look ... him
and then ask him to go ... .
ХIII. Make up a story, using the words and phrases from Essential Vocabulary
I.
XIV. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. Войдя в холл, она посмотрела вокруг и направилась к зеркалу. 2. Она ухватилась за
мою руку, чтобы не упасть. 3. Мы спускались к реке, держась за ветки деревьев. 4. Целый
вечер мальчуган не выпускал из рук игрушку. 5. Больной был настолько слаб, что выпустил из
рук чашку, она упала и разбилась вдребезги. 6. Дети в соседней комнате подняли страшный
шум, и он никак не мог сосредоточиться на письме. Конечно, он мог заставить их пойти в сад,
но ему не хотелось показывать жене, что дети мешают ему. 7. Сильно взволнованный, он
искал выхода из неприятного положения, но не мог прийти ни к какому решению. 8. Мама
очень беспокоится о твоем здоровье. И я тоже. 9. Она была сильно накрашена, и то, как она
говорила и смеялась, привлекало общее внимание. 10. «Я всегда знал несколько способов
разбогатеть. Но для меня, между прочим, всегда было проблемой удержать деньги в руках».
Пожилой пассажир говорил еще много, все в том же духе, и к удовольствию всех
находившихся в вагоне. 11. Мистер Вебб носил высокие каблуки, чтобы компенсировать свой
маленький рост. 12. Нельзя, чтобы всегда все было по-твоему. Если ты будешь так себя вести,
ты только наживешь врагов.
XV. Test on synonymy. Consult Notes on pp. 18 and 201.
1. Prove that the following words are (or are not) synonyms:
way – road – path – track – highway – street;
to be anxious – to be sorry – to worry – to trouble – to bother – to be upset;
to want – to be eager – to be anxious.
2. Point out the synonymic dominant of each group.
3. Explain how synonyms of each group differ one from another according to
differentiations suggested in Notes on Synonyms.
4. Synonyms within the following pairs differ by style. Point out which of them are
bookish, colloquial or neutral.
(Consult the context in which they are used in the text.)
picture house – cinema
to get on in years – to age
to
endeavour – to try
to sing (perform) – to render
desolate – sad
to clap —
to applaud
XVI. Go over the text again and try to discuss the following:
1. How does the author describe the music-hall? Point out the contrasting characteristics.
What kind of atmosphere is created by the author in the fragment? By what devices is the effect
achieved?
2. How does the author make the reader understand that Rosa is a kind-hearted girl, capable
of understanding and compassion? Which method of characterization does the author use?
3. Comment on the selection of words in the fragment.
4. Comment on the syntax of the fragment and its stylistic value.
XVII. a) Translate the text into Russian:
It was time to go. Francis Woburn put on his enormous hat, started talking about himself
again, and they walked down to the Coliseum. He was much taller than she had supposed him to be
– though perhaps it was the absurd hat – and she felt a little dumpy thing, though a nice sensible
little dumpy thing, as she trotted along by his side, pretending to listen, but busy all the time telling
herself that here she was, Rose Salter, going to the Russian Ballet at the Coliseum, with a tall,
superfine, very Londonish young man. It was all very strange indeed.
They climbed to one of the balconies of the gigantic theatre, which seemed to Rose the most
splendid and exciting place she had ever seen. Dozens of players down below were tuning up. All
round them, superfine persons, not unlike Francis Woburn, were studying their programmes. Then
the lights died away, except those that illuminated the curtain so beautifully. The music began, and
Francis Woburn stopped talking. Rose instantly forgot his very existence. The music was very
strange, not like any she had heard before, and not at all comfortable and friendly and sweet. Rose
did not know whether she liked it or not; she could not keep it at a distance to decide about it; she
was simply carried away and half drowned by the colossal waves of sound; she was overwhelmed by
its insistent beat and clang. The curtain was magically swept away, and the stage blazed at her. She
was staring at a new country, a new world. It was as if the last great wave of music had taken her and
flung her over the boundaries of this world. The little people77 in these new countries lived their lives
only in movement. Sometimes they were dull. Sometimes they were silly. But at other times they
were so beautiful in their energy and grace, so obviously the creatures of another and better world
than this, a world all of music and colour, that Rose choked and ached at the sight of them.
People clapped. Francis Woburn clapped. But Rose did not clap. Just putting her hands
together, making a silly noise, was not good enough for them. She gave them her heart.
(From "They Walk in the City" by J. B.Priestley)
b) Comment on the following aspects of the fragment:
1. How does the author describe the music? What does he mean by saying that the music was
"not at all comfortable and friendly and sweet" ? How do you understand the words "She could not
keep it at a distance to decide about it"? Does music ever affect you in the same way? What kind of
music does? 2. Explain the words: "The stage blazed at her." "The little people in these new
countries lived their lives only in movement." "...the creatures of another and better world than this,
a world all of music and colour."
c) Comment on the literary merit and style of the fragment. Do you think that
the author has managed to create a vivid and emotionally charged picture of a ballet
performaAcet (Give reasons for whatever you say.) Which lines do you consider
especially expressive? Why? What stylistic devices can you point out in the extract?
XVIII. Write an essay describing a person's first visit to a ballet (opera, drama)
performance or to a symphony concert. Try to imitate the style and manner of the
fragment above (you may borrow some phrases from it).
LABORATORY EXERCISES (I)
1. Listen to the text «Rose at the Music-Hall», mark the stresses and tunes. Repeat the
text following the model.
2. Re-word the given sentences, making all the necessary changes.
3. Extend the following sentences according to the model.
4. Write a spelling-translation test: a) translate the phrases into English; b) check them
with the key.
5. Listen to the text «Chaplin» or the story of another famous actor. Pick out the main
points from each paragraph, write a summary of the text In not more than 10 sentences.
Discuss the text in class.
TOPIC: THEATRE
