Comprehension check. Discussion
XXII. Answer the following questions:
1. Where was Mrs. Kent-Cumberland's eldest son born?
2. What happened to the vegetation of Tomb Hill? Why?
3. How was the christening celebrated?
4. Who stood godmother by proxy? Why?
5. Why was the boy given such a long name?
6. When did Mrs. Kent-Cumberland discover that she was to have another baby?
7. Why was she attended by a local doctor but not by a London specialist?
8. What did she plan out for the second baby?
9. To whom did Tom confide his ambition?
10. What was Uncle Ted's reaction?
11. What were Mrs. Kent-Cumberland's grounds for changing the labels?
12. How did the boys thank their uncle?
13. What was Uncle Ted's resolve?
XXIII. Outline the second and the third parts of the text with questions and answer them.
XXIV. Translate the following passage and tell briefly about Tom's school-years.
Gervase went to Eton in the year of his father's death. Tom would normally followed him two years later, but in her new mood of economy Mrs. Kent-Cumberland cancelled his entry and began canvassing her friends opinions about the less famous, cheaper public schools. "The education is just as good," she said, "and far more suitable for a boy who has his own way to make in the world."
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Tom was happy enough at the school to which he was sent. It was very bleak and very new. He had several friends whom he was not allowed to invite to his home during the holidays. He got his House colours for swimming and fives, played once or twice in the second eleven for cricket.
He was in the sixth form and passed the Higher Certificate in his last year, became a prefect and enjoyed the confidence of his house master. He left school at the age of eighteen without the smallest desire to re-visit it or see any of its members again.
XXV.Give a summary of the text under study.
XXVI.Make up a dialogue between Tom and Gladys at the station.
XXVII.Answer the questions and discuss the problems touched upon in the text under study:
1. How can the difference between the names of the brothers be explained?
2. What makes the word "convalescence" sound ironical in the context of this paragraph?
3. Does the sentence "It was little to choose between the brothers" reveal the author's attitude towards the boys and their unequal position in the family?
4. Why is the word "mother" mentioned in the extract only once? (When?) Why does the author refer to her as Mrs. Kent-Cumberland all the time?
5. Do the words "error of justice" make a contrast to the real situation with the presents (and in general in the text)? What for?
6. Was Tom's respect for Gervase sincere? How did Tom accept his position in the family?
7. Why did Mrs.Kent-Cumberland take a great liking to Bessie?
8. Why are the words "explaining everything" written in inverted commas?
9. Do you think the story has a happy ending?
XXVIII.Give character sketches of Mrs.Kent-Cumberland, Tom, Gervase, Mr. MacDougal, Bessie. Make use of Ex. XX, XXIV.
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XXIX.Retell the text under study.
Translating. Written tasks
XXX.Translate into English:
а) Семейные связи, понятие родственного долга ослаблены (to weaken) в Англии правом первородства (the rights of a first-born son). Все имущество (property) (а в аристократических семьях – и титул) издавна переходят по наследству (to inherit) одному лишь старшему сыну, его остальные братья и сестры в принципе не получают ничего и должны устраивать (to regulate, to settle) свою жизнь самостоятельно.
Примечательно, что в японской семье, где также существует право первородства, дело обстоит совершенно иначе. Отчий дом, а на селе семейный надел (allotment) играют там роль некоего страхового фонда, к которому при необходимости вправе обращаться (to resort to) все родственники. Целиком наследуя отцовское имущество, старший сын одновременно принимает на себя роль и ответственность главы семьи – причем по отношению не только к престарелым (aged) родителям, но и к младшим братьям. Если кто-то из них остался без работы, он может рассчитывать, что его, жену, и детей приютят (to shelter) в родительском доме.
в) В Англии же сама идея о том, чтобы несколько поколений жили под одной крышей, представляется совершенно несовместимой (incompatible) с канонами частной (private) жизни. Английские бабушки могут очень любить своих внуков, они с удовольствием будут угощать их (to treat, to entertain) no субботам и воскресеньям; они охотно возьмут их к себе на пару недель во время отпуска родителей. Но они никогда не согласятся быть для них постоянными бесплатными няньками (baby-sitters), слишком ценя (to overestimate) свою независимость.
(Всеволод Овчинников. "Сакура и дуб.”
"Книга вторая. "Корни дуба.")
XXXI.Write a story about Bessie's married life.
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XXXII. Read and translate the poem:
The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, never, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They sit and stare and stare and sit,
Until they're hypnotized by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them till,
They don't climb out the window still,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES THE CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK – HE ONLY SEES!
"All right" you'll cry. "All right" you'll say,
"But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children! Please explain!"
We'll answer this by asking you,
"What used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?"
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ!
They'd READ and READ
And READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
And fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks –
Fear not, because we promise you
That in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start – oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
(Abridged from. R. Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory")
XXXIII. Answer the questions in writing:
1. What is Roald Dahl's attitude to TV?
2. How does TV influence children?
3. What do children do in front of the television?
4. Why do some parents prefer to let their children watch TV as much as possible?
5. What is the poet nostalgic about?
6. What did the nurseries look like before the invention of television?
7. What does the poet advise the parents to do with the TV set?
8. What can they install in its place?
9. How will the children react to the absence of TV according to R. Dahl?
10. What's your attitude towards the problem?
XXXIV. Write a composition about the pros and cons of TV and computers in children's life; use the following phrases: to broaden one's outlook, to underestimate the educational value of TV / computers, foreign and home events, educational programmes, variety of programming, children's programs, valuable to children's learning, learn a lot from, programmes for adults, violence in programmes, criminals, get lethargic, cartoons, to budge smb. out of the chair, to learn to use their imagination, without supervision, controlled, uncontrolled, cause damage, keep smb. away from smth, to benefit, to be selective about smth.
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