I. Active vocabulary:

to put smb. at his ease

malice

to be at a loss

to be overcome with confusion

to be pierced to the heart

jealousy

to dominate the conversation

to drop with exhaustion

to be overwhelmed

to give smb. a lift

II. Exercises:

1) Make up dialogues on any subject using your active:

to drop with exhaustion

to put smb. at his ease

I’m quite at a loss.

to dominate the conversation

his opinion of smb. went up a point

2) Complete the following sentences:

a. As everybody stopped eating and listened to Miss Carter attentively, she…

b. When Mor saw that two tears escaped from Miss Carter’s eyes and were coursing down her cheeks, he…

c. It was characteristic of Bledyard…

d. By the end of the party Mr. Everard was all in; he…

3) Agree or disagree with the following, using conversational formulas of agreement and disagreement.

a. Evvy was a very evil and malicious person.

b. At Evvy’s everybody was feeling in his element as he always managed to pit his guests at their ease.

c. Mr. Bledyard was always silent at table.

d. Miss Carter recollected her past life with pleasure and relief.

III. Questions:

1. What new information do we get about Rain Carter?

2. Why did Mor think Miss Carter responsible for his ability to decide?

3. How did Iris Murdoch show Mor’s growing interest in Rain Carter?

4. What is the semantic importance of Rain Carte’s recollections of her childhood spent at the shore of the Mediterranean? (p.53)

IV. Tasks:

1. Retell the luncheon party at Mr. Everard’s. Comment upon the behaviour of everybody present there.

2. How did Bledyard’s talk with Miss Carter lay bare the artistic essence of the two painters?

Chapter 6

I. Active vocabulary:

to endure

to despise

I haven’t anything special to do

to be cross with smb.

a driving license

to take refuge in smth.

inevitable

to be in a fix

II. Exercises:

1) Drill the following expressions in dialogues of your own.

to be in a fix

I haven’t anything special to do

don’t be cross with me

to endure smb. company

2) Complete the following:

a. Rain Carter couldn’t stand Mr. Bledyard; she…

b. It was 15 years since Mor had driven a car, …

c. Mor didn’t tell his wife that he was out with Miss Carter and he …

d. Mor was all in after the talk with Bledyard; he…

3) Disagree with the following:

a. Mr. Bledyard was the Miss Carter’s liking.

b. It was rather often that Mor told lies to his wife.

c. Mor could drive very well.

III. Discuss:

1. Dwell on Mor’s attitude to truth and his getting involved in lies.

2. Discuss the symbolic significance of the accident at the river.

3. Speak of Tim Burke’s attitude to Mor. Illustrate your point of view of the basis of

chapters 4 and 6.

IV. Tasks:

1. Retell the episode: Rain Carter’s and Mor’s trip to the river; incident with the car.

2. According to Iris Murdoch, a person’s life is governed by the Fate. Find instances of

this in chapter 6.

Chapter 7