
- •Introduction
- •Предисловие
- •5. Read on. Pay attention to the adjectives the author uses to depict the new teacher.
- •6. Now finish reading the story. Does the ending make you smile ? Why ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •Three people and two seats
- •5. Now go on reading. What do you think will happen if Dave tells the boys he is a schoolteacher ? Will the conversation remain as easy ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. Does the torn card indicate doubt, defeat or hard thinking ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •14. Compare your dialogues in small groups. Work out a joint version that best conveys the message of the author — there is always a way if you are willing.
- •15. Dramatize the final version in class. Future tense
- •5. Read on. Pay attention to how the author describes Gary’s attempts to impress Mr. Smith with his writing. Analyze the words the author uses.
- •6. Finish reading the story. Decide how you find the ending — unexpected or quite predictable.
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •14. Prewriting. Compare your definitions. In small groups, discuss them and make the necessary improvements. Share the final products with all the other members of the group.
- •6. Finish reading the first half of the story. Prepare to explain what exactly is happening to the teacher.
- •7. Read the other half of the story. Explain the title of the story in detail.
- •8. Decide if the following statements are true or false.
- •9. Study Miss Sidley’s professional profile. Point out the professional qualities she possesses providing examples from the story.
- •10. Study the text for telling descriptions. Find the author’s variant of expressing any of the following ideas.
- •11. Describe the events happening at the school from different points of view. The tentative perspectives are the following:
- •12. Let us focus on style. Read the imaginary coverage of Miss Sidley’s case in a local paper. The description is dry and toneless. Rewrite it making it sound quite different.
- •The adventures of tom sawyer
- •5. Reread several quotations from the above extract. Explain some of the aspects of the teacher’s behavior and their resulting effects on the children.
- •6. Read the description of the first part of the examination procedure. Find the many examples of humor and mockery in Twain’s writing.
- •8. Comment on some of Twain’s remarks when describing the quality of student papers. Explain why the commentary is so biting. Translate the sentences into Russian.
- •9. Read the translation of one of the student papers. Decide whether it conveys the author’s message or it doesn’t.
- •14. Study all the unusual words/phrase you came across in the above text. Analyze their pun-tential.
- •15. Read the translation made by a professional, a. Kubbanovsky. Do you find it altogether fitting ? Why (not) ? In small groups, produce your own version.
- •Sara’s rapid
- •5. Go on reading. Comment on Sara’s actions.
- •6. Read the story to the end. Do you think it’s predictable ? What your own version of the ending might have been ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of their remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a brief description of their character.
- •A change of heart
- •5. Now go on reading. Share your opinions about the main character`s political views.
- •6. Read the story to the end. What change of heart does the author have in mind ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •8. Find all the words with the help of which the author describes Stoffel van den Berg`s outstanding sports career. Make a list of sport terms you come across.
- •9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of their remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a brief description of their character.
- •The big black and white game
- •2. Some people say that Afro-Americans are especially good at certain sports. Do you think it’s true ? If yes, what, in your opinion, are the sports ? Why do you think so ?
- •3. Discuss the problem of the access to different sport facilities and the so-called ‘elite’ sport clubs. Do you believe that racial discrimination is something that can take place in sport ?
- •4. Read the first part of the story and pay special attention to the atmosphere of the coming small town holiday.
- •5. Now go on reading. Do you think you can predict the game results ? Why (not) ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. What do you think of the ending ? Do you think the story may not be a piece of fiction ? Why ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •9. Let us describe the characters’ attitude towards the players with the help of the formers’ remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a conclusion.
- •The thrill of the grass
- •5. Do you think the narrator is going to commit a crime ? Go on reading and you will find out.
- •6. Now finish reading the story. Some people might say that nothing really happened. What is your opinion ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •9. Let us describe the main character of the story with the help of his remarks. Give a brief character sketch of the man.
- •14. Think of five ideas about various sports. Make your comparisons humorous.
- •15. Visit a local sports venue and describe it using similes (80 words). You may start like this: “…In winter the tennis courts in the city park look as sad as…” bleachers
- •5. Comment on Coach Rake`s coaching principles as described by one of his former players.
- •6. Now read the second part and try to find an answer to the following question: Why does the author call Coach Rake a great motivator.
- •7. Comment on Coach Rake`s methods to fight segregation as depicted by one of his Afro-American players:
- •8. Now read the third part of the story. Do you find the ending moving ? Why ?
- •9. Answer the following questions.
- •Chivalry
- •5. Stop reading and answer one little question. Can you predict how the events will develop ?
- •6. Now finish reading the story. Do you find the ending slightly disappointing ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of their remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a brief description of their character.
- •Midnight snack
- •5. Now go on reading. The magic really begins…
- •6. Now read the story to the end. Would you have preferred a more lyrical ending ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •8. Find all the words with the help of which the author describes the relationship between the two main characters. Is there any change or progress in it ? What makes you think so ?
- •9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of their remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a brief description of their character.
- •10. Study the text for the descriptions of the unicorns. Can we feel the author’s attitude towards these creatures ? Why ?
- •11. Let us focus on style. Read the definition of slang and do the following exercise.
- •The hungarian professor
- •5. Go on reading. What can you say about the characters’ mentality ? In what way is it different ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. What impression and feelings does the ending leave ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •8. Study the list of the remarks given. Find out whom these remarks belong to and decide what exactly the author wanted to say.
- •10. “…There was nothing to hurry for, or to be happy about …” What place does the author depict ? What associations come to your mind while reading the description of it ?
- •11. Focus on style. Read the definition of a stylistic device and find its examples in the text.
- •The stone boy
- •5. Now go on reading. How can one characterize Arnold’s actions ? What do you think of the child now ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. What would you do if you were Arnold’s parents ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •8. Find all the words with the help of which the author describes Arnold’s state just after Eugie’s death. What dominated his thoughts at that moment ? Why, do you think ?
- •9. Let us study Arnold’s personality taking into account the characters’ remarks. Find out whom these remarks belong to and what is this or that character’s attitude towards the boy.
- •Tom edison`s shaggy dog
- •4. Answer the following questions.
- •5. Find all the words and expressions with the help of which both characters swear to the truthfulness of their words. Who says that and why ?
- •6. Focus on the central character the story — Thomas Edison, the quintessential American inventor. Find out how the stranger describes him. What is implied by his description ?
- •12. Now write the essay and be ready to read it in class.
- •Additional reading teddy
- •5. Make a pause here. Reflect on the scene that the author creates in your mind at the beginning of the story. What kind of family relationship is described ?
- •6. Read the story to the end and say what exactly the last entry to his diary means. Did “it” really happen to Teddy ? Does the author tell his readers about the boy`s fate directly ?
- •The rocking-horse winner
- •5. Read the second part of the story. Have you expected such a development of events ? In what way is it unusual ?
- •6. Read the story till the end and say whether Paul was really lucky or not.
- •Answer the following questions
- •9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of their remarks. Find out whom this remark belongs to and make a brief description of their character.
- •The portobello road
- •5. Go on reading. In your opinion, is there anything that makes Needle a peculiar ghost ? What is it ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. What do you think George is after ?
- •7. Answer the following questions.
- •A sound of thunder
- •5. Go on reading. What kind of world did the hunters get into ?
- •6. Read the story to the end. Can you foresee the coming end of the story ? What will it be, in your opinion ?
- •7. Answer the following questions:
- •Kew gardens
- •What associations does the word ‘love’ evoke ? Make the list of at least 10 items relevant. Explain your choice.
- •Give your ideas on the possible meeting places. What can be the most popular of them ?
- •3. Read the first part of the story. While reading it, try to focus on the “portrait” of Kew Gardens. What kind of place is it ? Find in the text the descriptions that would prove your point of view.
- •6. Read the story to the end. What tone does the story carry ? What thoughts and feelings does it leave the reader with ?
- •7. Answer the following questions:
- •8. Study the following sentence: “Who knows … what slopes of ice don’t shine in the sun on the other side ?” On the other side of what ? What, do you think, is the author talking about ?
- •9. Have you ever heard the expression “psychological human types” ? In your opinion, can we find any types of the kind in the story under discussion ? What can they be ?
- •10. Virginia Woolf is known for her mastery of the so called stream-of-consciousness narrative technique. Can you trace any examples of this technique in the story under discussion ?
- •11. Love has always been one of the favourite writers’ themes. What love stories can you recall ? What authors are considered to be especially good at inventing such stories ? Give your examples.
- •12. Love can be different and take different forms. For some people it’s the safety of marriage ; somebody, like Bertrand Russel, considers caution in love “the most fatal to true happiness”.
- •Список использованной литературы
- •Contents
- •Читаем и анализируем короткие рассказы
- •Учебно-методическое пособие для студентов языковых специальностей
- •225404, Г. Барановичи, ул. Войкова, 21.
A change of heart
THINKING AHEAD
What is sport to you — a hobby, a pastime, a challenge, a necessity ? Why do people become athletes and sports fans ? How can sports change a person`s life ? You can find some of the answers in the story you are about to read.
A WORD ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare is an English author, actor, playwright and former politician. He was an MP and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, and became a life peer in 1992. His first book, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, was an instant success. Now he is considered a master story-teller with more than 10 bestselling novels and four short story collections. Many of his books nave been turned into television mini-series. His novels are acclaimed by both critics and readers worldwide. Yet it is in his short stories that Archer is at his creative best. |
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PRE-READING ACTIVITIES
1. In small groups discuss individual and team sports. Do they build up similar or different character traits ?
2. Decide whether sports and politics mix in today`s world and in what way they influence each other.
3. Discuss the acute problem of juvenile delinquency. Going in for sports can be an option for such kids, can’t it ? Please, explain.
READING ACTIVITIES
4. Read the first part of the story and pay special attention to the following sentence: “No one is born with prejudice in their hearts, although some people are introduced to it at an early age.” How does it sound ? Do you agree with it ?
There is a man from Cape Town who travels to the black township of Crossroads every day. He spends the morning teaching English at one of the local schools, the afternoon coaching rugby or cricket according to the season, and his evenings roaming the streets trying to convince the young that they shouldn’t form gangs or commit crimes, and that they should have nothing to do with drugs. He is known as the Crossroads Convert.
No one is born with prejudice in their hearts, although some people are introduced to it at an early age. This was certainly true of Stoffel van den Berg. Stoffel was born in Cape Town, and never once in his life travelled abroad. His ancestors had emigrated from Holland in the eighteenth century, and Stoffel grew up accustomed to having black servants who were there to carry out his slightest whim. If the boys — none of the servants appeared to be graced with a name, whatever their age — didn’t obey Stoffel’s orders, they were soundly beaten or simply not fed. If they carried out a job well, they weren’t thanked, and were certainly never praised. Why bother to thank someone who has only been put on earth to serve you ?
When Stoffel attended his first primary school in the Cape this unthinking prejudice was simply reinforced, with classrooms full of white children being taught only by white teachers. The few blacks he ever came across at school were cleaning lavatories that they would never be allowed to use themselves. During his school days Stoffel proved to be above average in the classroom, excelling in maths, but in a class of his own on the playing field. By the time Stoffel was in his final year of school, this six-foot-two-inch, fair-haired Boer was playing fly half for the 1st fifteen in the winter and opening the batting for the 1st eleven during the summer. There was already talk of him playing either rugby or cricket for the Springboks even before he had applied for a place at any university. Several college scouts visited the school in his final year to offer him scholarships, and on the advice of his headmaster, supported by his father, he settled on Stellenbosch. Stoffel’s unerring progress continued from the moment he arrived on the campus. In his freshman year he was selected to open the batting for the university eleven when one of the regular openers was injured. He didn’t miss a match for the rest of the season. Two years later, he captained an undefeated varsity side, and went on to score a century for Western Province against Natal.
On leaving university, Stoffel was recruited by Barclays Bank to join their public relations department, although it was made clear to him at the interview that his first priority was to ensure that Barclays won the Inter-Bank Cricket Cup. He had been with the bank for only a few weeks when the Springbok selectors wrote to inform him that he was being considered for the South African cricket squad which was preparing for the forthcoming tour by England. The bank was delighted, and told him he could take as much time off as he needed to prepare for the national side. He dreamed of scoring a century at Newlands, and perhaps one day even at Lord’s. He followed with interest the Ashes series that was taking place in England. He had only read about players like Underwood and Snow, but their reputations did not worry him. Stoffel intended to despatch their bowling to every boundary in the country. The South African papers were also following the Ashes series with keen interest, because they wanted to keep their readers informed of the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition their team would be facing in a few weeks’ time. Then, overnight, these stories were transferred from the back pages to the front, when England selected an all-rounder who played for Worcester called Basil D’Oliveira. Mr D’Oliveira, as the press called him, made the front pages because he was what the South Africans classified as “Cape Coloured”. Because he had not been allowed to play first-class cricket in his native South Africa, he had emigrated to England. The press in both countries began to speculate on the South African government’s attitude should D’Oliveira be selected by the MCC as a member of the touring side to visit South Africa.
“If the English were stupid enough to select him,” Stoffel told his friends at the bank, “the tour would have to be cancelled.” After all, he couldn’t be expected to play against a coloured man. The South Africans’ best hope was that Mr D’Oliveira would fail in the final Test at The Oval, and would not be considered for the coming tour, and thus the problem would simply go away. D’Oliveira duly obliged in the first innings, scoring only eleven runs and taking no Australian wickets. But in the second innings he played a major role in winning the match and squaring the series, scoring a chanceless 158. Even so, he was controversially left out of the touring team for South Africa. But when another player pulled out because of injury, he was selected as his replacement.
The South African government immediately made their position clear: only white players would be welcome in their land. Robust diplomatic exchanges took place over the following weeks, but as the MCC refused to remove D’Oliveira from the party the tour had to be cancelled. It was not until after Nelson Mandela became President in 1994 that an official English team once again set foot in South Africa. Stoffel was shattered by the decision, and although he played regularly for Western Province and ensured that Barclays retained the Inter-Bank Cup, he doubted if he would ever be awarded a Test cap. But, despite his disappointment, Stoffel remained in no doubt that the government had made the right decision. After all, why should the English imagine they could dictate who should visit South Africa ? It was while he was playing against Transvaal that he met Inga. Not only was she the most beautiful creature he had ever set eyes on, but she also fully agreed with his sound views on the superiority of the white race. They were married a year later.