Miss Potter

Look at the photos below. Try to guess what this film is about. Did you recognize the actors?

Comprehension

I. “Who is Who?” Match the characters to their names.

Beatrix Potter	a. Beatrix’ father
Norman	b. a writer
Millie	c. a publisher
Helen	d. Beatrix’ brother
Rupert	e. Beatrix’ old friend
William Hillis	f. Norman’s sister
Harold & Fruing Warne	g.Beatrix’ mother
Bertram	h. Norman’s brothers

II. Choose the correct item.

1. What was Miss Potter’s attitude to the city?

a. the city and she never much liked each other

b. she liked it as it was big enough to find an acceptable man there

c. it annoyed her as she couldn’t take a gaggle of friends with her

2. How long has Miss Potter been selling her drawings?

a. for 17 years

b. for 7 years

c. for several years

3. Where did Miss Potter get all her characters from?

a. they are real

b. they are based on her friends

c. she imagined them

4. What did Beatrix Potter want the publishers to avoid in her book?

a. high price

b. big size

c. gothic type

5. Why did Warne’s brothers accept to publish Potter’s book?

a. it would turn out to be good

b. they liked it

c. they promised their young brother a project

6. Who belonged the idea of reducing the number of drawings to?

a. Miss Potter

b. Norman

c. Harold & Fruing

7. Where did the Potters spend every summer?

a. London

b. Hill Top

c. the Lake District

8. How did the nursemaid scare the children if they got their frocks dirty?

a. with the fairy beast

b. with lashing

c. with no meal at supper

9. What was Beatrix and her mother’s conversation about?

a. punishment

b. marriage

c. art

10. Why has Millie decided that she and Beatrix have to make friends?

a. she was alone and unhappy

b. she was unmarried either and didn’t care about that

c. she wanted Norman to get married

11. What did Miss Potter turn out to be drawing last summer?

a. pigs

b.a bug

c. a pigs’ swill bucket

12. How many books, Norman thought, were to be sold in a year?

a. 140

b. 1920

c. 190

13. Miss Potter recently remembered another story. What was it based on?

a. friends

b. herself

c. animals

14. What was a new story about?

a. a dog

b. a goose

c. a duck

15. Who was interested in Beatrix’ stories and encouraged her to take her writing seriously?

a. a grandma’s son

b. a groundman’s son

c. a farmer’s son

16. What did Miss Potter do when she realized she would never marry?

a. went into the garden and cried

b. went into the garden and filled the entire notebook with sketches

c. went into her bedroom and draw some pictures

17. What was the point in Norman Warne’s words on the card?

a. he wanted to see her again

b. he hoped that book was not the last one

c. that book got him pleasure

18. What was the real reason why Millie left Beatrix and Norman’s company for whist?

a. she played it rather well

b. she wanted them to stay alone

c. there was the lack of the fourth player

19. When did Miss Potter draw Jemima puddle duck?

a. 6

b. 7

c. 8

20. What was Beatrix’ father?

a. an artist

b. a lawyer

c. she even didn’t know that

21. Why did Beatrix need to talk to Millie?

a. to boast about the proposal

b. to find out how she told the story

c. to get her approval

22. What did Helen Potter threaten to do if Beatrix would marry Norman?

a. to strip of inheritance

b. to make her homeless

c. to send her to her married brother Bertram

23. How wealthy has Beatrix become?

a. to buy a small house in the country

b. to buy a state in the country

c. to buy 2-3 states and a house in the city

24. Was Beatrix’ old friend William Hillis still a lawyer?

a. he gave up on the law

b. he was still a lawyer

c. he became a country’s man

25. What did Beatrix’ mother and she agree to do?

a. not to talk to each other

b. not to see each other

c. not to understand each other

26. Why did not the farmers give their pigs names?

a. they grew up rapidly

b. it made harder slaughter them

c. it was hard to imagine any

27. How much did Miss Potter pay for Craven’s Mill farm?

a. ₤ 2.300

b.₤ 2.800

c.₤ 3.000

III. “Who said the following?” Match the phrases to the characters’ names.

1. “I know publishing your book will not sell a great number of copies, but I think we could turn a small profit.” 2. “We cannot stay home all our lives. We must present us to the world and we must look upon it as an adventure.” 3. “Some of your paintings are pretty, Beatrix, but I’m not going to deceive you as your father does and call them great art.” 4. “I wish you wouldn’t invite trade’s people into the house. They carry mud.”	a. Helen Potter b. Norman’s mother c. Beatrix Potter d. Millie e. Fruing Warne f. Norman g. Rupert Potter h. William Hillis
5. “I like good English biographies”
6. “When I see something unusual I’m not content just to look at it, I must capture it.”
7. “Beauty is worth preserving.”
8. “Men are used only for 2 things in life: financial support and progression.”
9. “A cloudy has just passed across your face.”
10. “When you showed me your books all I saw was a little girl bring me clever drawings.”
11. “You have the chance to be happy. Take it.”
12. “You could not know where your journey would lead you. It led us there.”

Listening.

Listen to the story about Peter Rabbit and fill in the gaps with the following missing words: idea, squeezed, safe, accident, sight, bed, fields, blackberries, naughty, breath, camomile, frame, fright, care.

Once upon a time there were four little rabbits. Their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter.

-Now, my dears, - said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, - you may go into the 1)________ or down the lane. But don’t go to Mr. Mc Gregor’s garden.

-Why not, mother?

- Because your father had an 2)_________ there. He was put in a pie by Mrs. Gregor.

Peter, who was very 3)_________ , ran straight away to Mr. Mc Gregor’s garden and 4)_________ under the gate. But round the end of the cucumber 5)________ whom he should meet but Mr. Mc Gregor. Peter was out of 6)_______ and trembling with 7)___________ and he had not the least 8)____ which way to go. Mr Mc Gregor caught 9)________ of him at the corner, but Peter did not 10)________. He slipped underneath the gatesand was 11)_______ at last in the wood outside. When Peter came home, his mother put him to 12)____ with a tablespoonful of 13)_________ tea, but Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and 14)_________ for supper.

Speaking.

I. Answer the questions.

1. What did Norman Warne say to Miss Potter when he first saw her paintings?

2. Which two proposals of Norman’s brothers did Beatrix find unacceptable?

3. Why did not Miss Potter want her drawings to be in colour?

4. Which of the books had Norman already supervised?

5. What did Beatrix feel about spending her summer in the Lake District?

6. How could Potter’s book change her life?

7. What did Willy Hillis mean when said to Beatrix it wouldn’t be there anything to paint soon.

8. Why did Rupert Potter purchase Beatrix’ book ?

9. Who gave Beatrix the music Box? And when?

10. What was Helen Potter’s reaction when she saw her daughter crabbing guests’ attention and telling them a new story?

11. Why did not Beatrix’ parents allow her to marry Norman?

12. What were the terms of Beatrix’ parents’ proposal? Did she accept them?

13. What was the reason why Miss Potter left the Lake District?

14. How had Norman behaved until he died? Did anybody notice the changes?

15. How did Potter’s drawings reflect her inner state?

16. What “other plans” did Beatrix have for Hill Top?

17. Why did William Hillis wish everyone who bought land was as enlightened as Beatrix?

18. What was the purpose why Miss Potter bought the farm at the auction?

II. Take any topic you like and speak what you think.

• You are good at drawing, but your parents do not take your hobby seriously.

• Marriage makes one’s life boring and gives away freedom.

• You’ve got enough money to invest them in something useful, e.g. farmland preservation. What would you personally do?

• “You can’t stand on with progress.”

• “One’s lucky in life to have a good friend.”

• What would you choose: to marry an acceptable rich man without love or someone who you love but who doesn’t have a lot of money?

• “You could not know where your journey would lead.”

Discussion of the film

Share your impressions of the film:

• What is the main idea of the film?

• Speak about the actors, their play;

• What is your favourite episode of the film?

• What character did you like most?

• What do you think a symbol of the film is?

Writing.

Write a feedback on the film.

Anna and the King

Look at the fragments from the film below. Have you ever watched it? If not, what do you think it is about? Have you recognized the actors?

Comprehension

I. “Who is Who?” Match the characters to their names.

Anna Leonowens	a. The King’s concubine
King Mongkut	b. The King’s son
The Kralahome	c. The teacher’s son
Louise	d. A general
Prince Chulalongkorn	e. Prime Minister
Tuptim	f. A teacher
Alak	g. The King of Siam

II. Choose the correct item.

1. What did Anna Leonowens hear about King Mongkut?

a. people were not allowed to stand up in his presence

b. people were not allowed to look at his face

c. people loved him

2. Was Anna Leonowens married?

a. yes, she was

b. no, she was not

c. she was a widow

3. Why did the Kralahome pretend not to speak English?

a. it was not time to do that

b. it was wise to be cautious

c. it was wise to be suspicious

4. How long have Anna and her son been waiting?

a. 3 days

b. 3 weeks

c. 3 months

5. Why did the King have less offspring than Emperor of China?

a. he was young

b. he did not like children so much

c. he spent half of his life in monastery

6. What was Anna Leonowens’ explanation why the King had so many wives?

a. to have many children in case of war

b. to control the maintain of monarchy

c. to take care of the children

7. Why did the boys start to fight?

a. Louise told his mother he was sorry

b. the Prince insulted the memory of Louise’s father

c. Louise pushed the Prince

8. In what case did the King allow Anna to stand upstraight in his presence?

a. she would keep silence

b. her head would never be higher than his

c. she wouldn’t protect his son

9. Why did Anna Leonowens say everyone should have legends?

a. it made the people unique

b. it allowed the people to be fancy

c. it allowed to dream

10. Why did Tuptim first think that the King was a god when saw him at the rice festival?

a. all people came to see him

b. he stopped the rain

c. he blessed the crops and it began to rain

11. What made the King’s children wonder most?

a. snow

b. Camelot

c. a big round table

12. Why did the King want to give anniversary dinner?

a. to invite important English nobles and diplomats

b. to improve foreign intercourse

c. to test Anna Leonowens whether she could make guests home

13. Why were the servants allowed to stand up in his Majesty’s presence?

a. to show his kindness

b. not to break glasses

c. to look like European

14. What was the arguing moment during the dinner?

a. the English turned out to believe in Camelot

b. the Siamese were awash with superstition and fear

c. judgment of the English and Siamese’s superiority

15. What feelings did Anna Leonowens have after the dinner?

a. it made her homesick

b. she enjoyed herself

c. she was ashamed of some Englishmen

16. Whose name did the King’s daughter mention?

a. Anna Leonowens

b. her father

c. her mother

17. Why did the King refuse to take Anna Leonowens’ advice not to “shut the world out forever”?

a. she did not take his gift

b. she herself refused to live after her husband’s death

c. she was not sincere

18. What Prince’s qualities did not Anna Leonowens mention?

a. sympathetic soul

b. self-confident

c. intelligent

19. What was Tuptim accused of?

a. she loved Balat

b. she betrayed the King

c. she disguised herself as a priest

20. Why did Alak want to kill all royal family?

a. to be the head of Siam

b. to cleanse the nation of “its Western parasites”

c. to finish what Taksin dreamed of

21. What made the King get angry?

a. he loved Tuptim

b. Anna Leonowens said to court she could tell the King what to do

c. he executed Tuptim

III.“Who said the following?” Match the phrases to the characters’ names.

1. “The ways of England are the ways of the world.”	a. the Prince b. Anna Leonowens c. the King d. Prime Minister e. Tuptim
2. “Everything has its own time.”
3. “First impressions can often be misleading.”
4. “Most people do not see the world as it is. They see it as they are.”
5. “I’ve been doing much thinking … why some in this life are masters … and others –slaves”
6. “Buddhists believe all life is suffering.”
7. “One cannot plough new fields in Siam overnight.”
8. “The roads are for journeys… Not destination.”
9. “A man and a woman should share a relationship which is sacred only unto themselves.”
10. “If love was a choice, who would ever choose such exquisite pain?”
11. “The sound English bugles in one defence.”
12. “It’s always surprising how small a part of life is taken up by meaningful moments.”

IV. Put the events in the right order.

1. The legend about the white elephant

2. The King’s trick for Alak’s regiment

3. Anna Leonowens and the King’s conversation about the promised house

4. The anniversary dinner at the palace

5. The slaver’s release

6. The King’s daughter’s death

7. The first acquaintance with the royal family

8. The boys’ fight

9. Reveal of a traitor in the palace

10. The mutual agreement on not teaching neither the Prince nor Louise inappropriate things

Speaking.

I. Answer the questions.

1. Where did the events take place?

2. Why was Anna Leonowens invited?

3. Have Anna Leonowens and Louise ever lived in England? Where were they from?

4. How will you interpret Anna Leonowens’ phrase “age and wisdom do not necessarily go hand in hand”? What did she mean?

5. How many people did the royal family consist of?

6. What was the King’s gift to his family?

7. Why did Anna insist on having “a home outside the palace walls”?

8. What made the Prince write his words of excuses on the blackboard?

9. Why did Lady Tuptim want to learn writing of English?

10. What did the King mean when said to Anna Leonowens “take away pain of her husband’s death… takes away mem’s chance to grow”?

11. What is the significance of red-white flag and the white elephant?

12. Why did the King offer Louise a cigar?

13. Who was Taksin? How did he die?

14. What do you think the reason why Anna Leonowens didn’t accept the King’s gift?

15. What disease did the King’s daughter die of?

16. What was the contents of Abraham Lincoln’s letter to the King?

17. Why did Mr. Kincaid want to be the King’s best friend? What did he offer to him?

18. Why was it announced about the white elephant? Why did the prime Minister beg Anna Leonowens to stay?

19. What vision did the King have? How did the Buddhists learn from their mistakes?

20. Why did not the King let his soldiers kill Alak?

21. Why did not Anna Leonowens go to monastery like the King ordered?

22. What example was the music box?

23. What supposition did not the King understand until then?

II. Imagine you are an interpreter. Try to interpret this blurb.

Учительница английского языка Анна Леноуэнс – женщина совершенно необычная для своего викторианского времени. Молодая вдова вместе со своим маленьким сыном отправляется за тысячи миль в Сиам – страну, практически неизвестную тогда на Западе. При этом единственное, чем она располагает, это огромный энтузиазм и … учебник тайского языка. Обратного пути из этого удивительного путешествия не будет. Анна принята на работу при королевском дворе – она будет обучать пятьдесят восемь детей короля. О короле Монгкуте ей известно очень мало – только то, что сиамцы почитают его, как божество. Анна разделяет предрассудки своих соплеменников, считающих короля дикарем. А сам властитель Сиама не скрывает поначалу своего предубеждения против Запада и, в особенности против дерзкой англичанки.