Retelling tasks

By the moment you’ve done a lot. Prove us that you know some facts and details of the story quite well.

Task 1. Agree or disagree with the following statements. If you don’t agree with some of them share your own points of view.

1. The lady’s newborn son, resting quietly upon her lap reminded her the time when she was a child.

2. Even now, being an adult, the lady considers her father to be an ideal person and a great parent.

3. The lady recalled a Christmas holiday when she was five years old.

4. A little girl was doing her best to help the mother with the Christmas turkey, fetching things back and forward.

5. The girl was struck by the weight of the turkey and the size of the utensils mother got to extract it.

6. Mother made an attempt to get the turkey out of the pot and almost dropped it on the floor.

7. Father extracted the turkey from the pot easily.

8. The girl didn’t pay attention to the words her father murmured to himself when getting the turkey out.

Task 2. Answer the following questions:

1. Where and who was the main character with when she recalled a family holiday with her parents?

2. Was her baby’s first night at home the same that she had expected?

3. What did she expect him doing? How did the baby behave?

4. How does the author describe her father?

5. What made the main character of the story remember one Christmas in particular?

6. What were the mother and the child busy with that day?

7. The weight of the Christmas turkey shocked the little girl, didn’t it? What was the reason for that?

8. Did the mother pay attention to her child’s reaction?

9. What was the mother getting ready to do?

10. Who were those oversized utensils designed for, in the child’s opinion?

11. Were the mother’s attempts to extract the Christmas turkey out of the pot a success?

12. Who entered the kitchen at that moment?

13. Did the father extract the turkey easily?

14. What made the child think they would celebrate Christmas without a main course?

15. How did the father work his magic? What did the girl expect her father doing after that?

16. Did the father understand the child’s state of mood?

17. What was that magic to the girl’s mind? What helped the parents to get the turkey out of the pot, in your opinion?

18. What did the lady wonder about, looking at her infant son? What “magic” words did she utter over her dozing son?

Task 3. This time let’s find out how well your partner knows the story. Ask him as many questions as you can and answer his questions.

Task 4. In your point of view how many logical parts there are in the story? What are they?

Task 5. Right now retell the story to your partner or to your teacher. We believe that these key-phrases will be of great help to you:

1. First Christmas night with a newborn baby.

to doze warmly upon smb’s lap; totally different (than); to rest quietly; to gurgle softly; to cradle smb. against one’s chest; to wonder (at); vulnerable; to remind smb.; to be completely helpless; for most of life; to seem that way; to be totally capable; a sort of magic man; in any given circumstance.

2. Recollection of a Christmas holiday with parents.

1. The problem with a Christmas turkey.

a thought; to send smb. back (to); in particular; to have no recollection (to); to recall; to weigh; to announce; the size of the turkey; more than half smb’s weight; an anomaly of nature; to be off; in search (of); a utensil; to be forced (into); to dodge both left and right; to avoid being trampled; upon obtaining one’s quarry; to lay out; to stand (over); a fork and spoon; to be oversized; to swear; the giant; "Jack and the Beanstalk"; to examine smth. from above; to extract; from smb’s vantage; to disappear below; the rim of the pot; to begin lifting; instead of; to come free; to rise wholesale (from); to lower again; to rest partway (upon); to relax one’s grip; to teeter forward; to slide (from); to react like lightning; to stab smth. back (into); to halt a free-fall;

2. Dad comes to help and… fails.

to point smth. threateningly at; to drop smth; to get smth. out; to blurt; instead of; to present smb. with smth.; to take the position; to shuffle one’s feet to gain proper footing; to prepare an attack; to lift the whole thing from; to puff under the exertion; to possess both strength and foresight; a secure resting place; to be defeated; to imagine; to be left with.

3. Dad works his magic.

to need smth. most; to work one’s magic; to ask; to direct smb.; to grasp smth. with both hands; to push one’s tools into; to take one long breath; to fall silent in anticipation; to breath words; to drift into the air; to wink at smb; to hold one’s breath; to rise slightly; to force back down; to strain harder; to crack free; to ascend into view; to bow like; a beaming smile; to patt smb. on the head.

4. Awakening from the reverie.

to move away from the memory; to gaze at; to warm like a furnace; to perform feats of magic; to utter; an infant son.

Good of you! Enjoy the other/next story now!