The Blind Man and the Great Artist

Ex.1. Read the story attentively to find out how the great artist helped the poor man.

Every day in one of the streets of Vienna you could see a blind man playing the violin. His dog sat near him with a cap in his mouth. People, who were passing them, dropped coins into the cap. One day, when the weather was very cold, the man was playing for a long time, but nobody wanted to give him anything. The poor man thought that he would have to go to bed without supper. He was so tired and so weak that he stopped playing. At that moment a young man came up to him and asked him why he stopped playing. The blind man said he had played for two hours but nobody had given him anything. "Give me your violin. I will help you", said the man. And with these words he began to play. He played so well that people began to gather and soon there was a big crowd. Everybody was eager to listen to the fine music and to thank the young man for the pleasure.

Soon the cap was full of money.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” said the blind man. “Who are you?”

“I am …”, was the answer.

Ex.2. What was the name of that young man?

Ex.3. What lines create the feelings of sympathy and sorrow for the poor blind man? Quote them.

Ex.4. Tell the story on the part of

1. The blind man;

2. The artist;

3. A person from the crowd.

…

Ex.5. Expand on the story.

Enrico caruso

Ex.1. Read the text attentively and quickly.

Try to find out what brought the famous singer to the farmer’s house.

Enrico Caruso

The famous Italian singer Enrico Caruso sang in many countries of Europe. He visited Russia, France, Germany, Spain and many other countries. Everywhere he was a great success and his name was well known all over the world.

Caruso knew that he was famous, but he liked to repeat the sentence: “No man is so well known as he thinks he is”.

Once he was invited to the USA to give some concerts. When he was driving to New York, his car broke and he had to stay at a farmhouse. Caruso could not repair his car and asked the farmer to help him.

The farmer agreed to do it. While the farmer was repairing the car, Caruso was invited into the house to have a rest.

When the farmer finished the work, he entered the house, too. He informed the great singer that his car was ready and he could drive on. Caruso was very glad to hear it. He paid the farmer for the work and gave him a photo. It was a picture of Enrico Caruso. On the backside of the photo Caruso wrote his name. He thought it would be pleasant for the farmer to have a picture of the famous singer. The farmer took the picture, looked at it very attentively, then he looked at Enrico Caruso. He realized that it was the picture of the man whose car he had repaired.

He wanted to know the name of the man, so he read what was written on the backside of the picture.

After that he cried out: “How lucky I am! You are Robinson Crusoe! I’ve never dreamed of receiving the greatest traveller in the world in my poor house!”

Ex.2. Read the text attentively again.

1. Construct 5-7 wrong statements and ask your classmates to correct them.

Example:

The famous Italian singer Enrico Caruso sang in some countries of Europe.

The famous Italian singer Enrico Caruso sang in many countries of Europe.

2. Correct the classmates’ answers if it is necessary. You are responsible for this exercise.

Ex.3. Be very attentive!

Try to give as much information as you can to explain why the farmer took Enrico Caruso for Robinson Crusoe.

Quote the text.

Ex.4. Formulate [2, 3 …] points for discussion

1. in short;

2. in detail.

Ex.5. Where is the climax of the story? Do you think there is only one climax or more?

Motivate your answer.

Ex.6. What facts, episodes, details … may be added to expand on the story for better understanding?

Ex.7. What facts, episodes, details … may be easily omitted to understand the gist of the story?

. ? .

Ex.1. WHO are you reading about?

He enjoyed the films with him because he liked this actor very much.

Once he wrote a letter to him:

“Everybody in the world understands your film “Gold Fever”. You will become a great man by all means.

His answer was:

…”.

“I admire you still more. Nobody in the world understands your “Theory of Relativity” and you have become a great man nevertheless

…”.

Ex.2. What made you think so? Quote the text to prove your point of view.