воскресенье, 23 марта 2014 г.

"Theatre" by Maugham (Chapters 7-10)

I. Find the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian: 

placidity – безмятежность;
to make frantic scenes – устраивать безумные сцены;
to give somebody a look of scorn – бросить презрительный взгляд на кого-либо;
lavishness – щедрость;
to pull strings adroitly – пользоваться связями;
to fall out of love – разлюбить;
close-cropped hair – коротко стриженный;
 weather-beaten skin – обветренная кожа;
coltish grace – неуклюжая грация;
to be on active service – быть в действующей армии;
confinement – роды;
to run a theatre – руководить театром;
effusive – экспансивный, бурный;
to set one's mind to smth. – стремиться к чему-либо;
disconcerting – смущающий, приводящий в замешательство;
it's a knock out – сногсшибательно;
amiability – добродушие;
affable manner – дружеское обращение;
to exercise great ingenuity in (doing) smth. – проявить великую изобретательность в чем-то;
to be unperturbed – быть невозмутимым;
shrewdness – проницательность;
to grizzle – возмущаться, раздражать;
it's a mere commonplace – это банально;
exorbitant – непомерный;
to be conciliatory – примирительный, дружелюбный;
to foster one's career – способствовать чьей-то карьере;
prosiness – прозаичность;
acumen – сообразительность;
to have one's face lifted – подтянуть кожу лица;
it's no good crying over spilt milk – потерянного не воротишь;
to have little flirtations – заводить небольшие интриги;
masseuse – массажистка;
gossip column – колонка светской хроники;

the world of make-believe – мир-понарошку.

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Michael and Julia do when the war broke out?
Michael went to the front, and Julia stayed on the stage.

2. Why do you think Michael enjoyed the war?
I  think so because Michael was not realy intended for scene, he was more intended for the militaey affair. He had practical mind.

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?
Certainly, it is. Love is one of the main things, and perhaps the most important one in order to make the family life successful. Family is the most important relationship between people and only love can make it firmer.

4. How did it happen that Julia fell out of love with Michael?
She became pregnant. She believed in her happy and successful family life, believed that Michael would love her, if only she mamaged to create the necessary condition for happy family, to give the birth to baby. But when she became pregnant and saw that even their future baby can't change Michael's attitude to her, Julia realized he never loved her.

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?
Michael inherited his parent's money after their death. But the rent of theatres had gone up enormously, the salaries of actors and the wages of stagehands had increased, so that the expense of running a theatre was very much greater than it had been before the war. Then they found a rich woman, not so old, who was interested in Julia. She helped them to run a theatre. Mrs. de Vries was a widow. She had a passion for the stage.The theatre was then called the Siddons Theatre.

6. Why was Julia against Michael's taking up directing?
She did not believe in him as a director.

7. What kind of director was Michael?
I think he was capable of directing. He had a practical mind. It was his calling. in any case he was more succeeded in it than in acting.

8. What irritated Julia in Michael more and more? How did he change in Julia's eyes?
Michael’s thrift, which in at first seemed to her an amusing, rather touching trait, now irritates her. Moreover, he no longer smelt like a youth, he smelt like a man. Besides, as a youth he had taken his beauty for granted, but that time he began to pay more attention to it and spared no pains to keep what was left of it. It became an obsession. He devoted anxious care to his figure. He never ate a fattening thing and never forgot his exercises.

9. Why was Julia sad when she thought of her married life?
Because it was not what she dreamed of. She dreamed of being loved by her husband, but it turned out to be the "world of make-believe"

11. Julia's dresser and maid was a Cockney, wasn't she? Please prove it using the examples from the text.
 "...if he saw you now 'e wouldn't, not if I know anything about men..."


12. Who was the unknown man who sent flowers to Julia? Why did she write him a thank you note?
The man who sent flowers to Julia was Tommas, that accountant who was hired by her husband. She wrote him only because it was usual thing for her to thank her admirors, for public can not be hurt.

III.  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.

Roger was a son of Michael and Julia. As a son of rich and successeful parents he had a chance to be entered Eton, a very prestige boarding school.

Eton is a British independent boarding school located in Eton, near Windsor in England. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor".
Eton is one of nine English independent schools, commonly referred to as "public schools", included in the original Public Schools Act 1868. Following the public school tradition, Eton is a full boarding school, which means all pupils live at the school, and is one of four such remaining single-sex boys' public schools in the United Kingdom to continue this practice. It has educated nineteen British Prime Ministers and generations of aristocracy.


VI. Give a summary of chapters 7-10. (in written form)
Michael went to fight, and Julia was left alone. She continued to play on the stage and soon she became a successful actrees. She had a right to rest so she left the scene for a while all the more she became pregnant. After the war Michael decided to run his own theatre. He got inheritance from his parents after their death and soon with a financial help from Mrs. de Vries, a rich woman who was an admirer of Julia, Michael became a director of the theatre.

Julia realized tha her husband didn't love her and soon she fell out of love with him. She decided to dedicate entirely herself to the stage...One day Julia received flowers from the unknown man. He turned out to be Tommas Fannel, the accountant who was hired by her husband. They began to meet, and soon Julia understood that she fell in love with him. She tried to make him happy, she changed his life, he became rich and successful, but soon she saw that Tommas was not interested in her. He prefered to communicate with young people such as Julia's son Roger or Evis, a young actrees. He promised her that he manage to make her an actrees in Julia's theatre. Julia knew it and understood that Tom just used her.

Julia realizes that all her life is a play. She doesn't want to play any more in order to be loved. She doesn't need in love.She belongs only to herself. After her triumphal play she goes to the restaurant in order to spend time as she really wishes.., with bear and beefsteak.

воскресенье, 9 марта 2014 г.

"Theatre" by Maugham (Chapters 3-6)

I. Explain in English or give definitions of and find contextual synonyms for the following words and phrases:

Asset - a single item of ownership having exchange value
A sumptuous supper - the evening meal amazing its abudance
Extravagance - an extravagant action, notion
Thrift – wise economy in the management of money
To remonstrate - to say or plead in protest, objection, or disapproval.
Equanimity - calm emotions when dealing with problems or pressure.
at a loose end  - in an uncertain or unsettled situation or position.
completion of something - to end smth.
to jeopardize - to put in jeopardy; hazard; risk; imperil.
alacrity - readiness, promptness, or willingness.
susceptible to - easily influenced or affected.
obsequious - characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference.
retainer - a servant or attendant who has served a family for many years.

II. Find quotations in the text. State their meaning and their function.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be," - This quotation characterizes Michael. He is a thrifty person.


"Lord, what fools these mortals be,"  - This quotation shows Jimmie's anxiety about relationship between Michael and Julia.

III. Explain the metaphor "she is a millstone round his neck." Who does it refer to?
It refers to Julia. Marriage and career of an actor are hardly compatible with each other.

IV. Comment on the context of the following phrases:

1."He was too modest to resent an unfavourable criticism."
It refers to Michael. I think he was unable to resent in general. Michael was an inefficient actor and he realized it therefore he accepted the criticism as a truth.
2. "... after all he was born a gentleman." This phrase also refers to Michael. Here we can see his parents' opinon. They could't accept that their son chose the stage career instead of military one. They believed being born a gentleman he was to become the military.
3. "'I suppose it's beastly of me,' she thought, 'but thank God, thank God.'"  It refers to Julia who is happy that her husband failed with the contract. She understands that it is the bad news, but she is glad to it because she wants her husband to be with her.