“AN IDEAL HUSBAND”

WEEKS 1-4

Key vocabulary:

1. Fraud, sloth, idleness, swindle, precipice, indiscretion, folly, crag, mire, edge, to detest, to glare, to inspire, to hound, to shun, infamous, invariable, loathsome, trivial, willful, wondrous.

2. Filial, devious, deceitful, treacherous, squarely, commotion, alteration, hearsay, to beget.

3. Nuisance, presumptuous, (un)fold, to be (to hold) in store, to decline, to prate, to conceal, to have feet of clay.

Additional vocabulary (To be translated in writing):

1. Dreadful, a personable man, possessed of a most attractive personality, a lyricism not entirely uncommon in the husband’s speeches, to owe everything to one’s husband’s position, to bring a nobler atmosphere, a finer attitude, higher ideals, to know somebody well (intimately), to be very remarkable in many ways, to find somebody an eager audience, to like tedious practical people, to be hardheaded, to tell somebody about one’s bad qualities, to play the game of life, to seem distracted, to be a conceited young puppy, to hold a husband in the hollow of the hand.

2. Common, unfit, nasty, persuasive, perfectly charming, perfect, extremely pressing, sufficiently attractive, unpractical, highly confidential, handsomely, to have feet of clay.

‘AN IDEAL HUSBAND’ (Guide 1)

Vocabulary: fraud, sloth, idleness, swindle, precipice, indiscretion, folly, crag, mire, edge, to detest, to glare, to inspire, to hound, to shun, infamous, invariable, loathsome, trivial, willful, wondrous.

I. Read the following annotation. After watching the film, fill in the missing words.

Sexy leading man Rupert Everett (Shakespeare In Love, My Best Friend’s Wedding) heads an acclaimed all-star cast in this wonderfully witty story of decadence, romance and ……! Sir Robert (Jeremy Northam – Happy, Texas, Mimic) is a highly respected politician whose spotless reputation is the ….. of his beautiful wife (Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth) and adoring sister (Minnie Driver – Good Will Hunting, Grosse Point Blank). But when an old …… (Julianne Moore – Boogie Nights, The Lost World: Jurassic Park) threatens to reveal a dark secret from Robert’s past, only his womanizing, party-loving best friend Goring (Everett) is scheming and dishonest enough to come to his aid! Overwhelmingly …….. by critics – you’ll love this fresh, funny motion picture and its stellar ensemble as they elevate the art of blackmail to en elegant game of …. and passion!

II. Read the titles correctly. Which of them can be used with the first and/or last name?

Miss Mabel, Lady Gertrude, Lady Markby, Lord Goring, Lord Robert, Sir Robert Chiltern, Lord Windemere, Lady Cheveley, Baron Arnheim, Count, Countess, Duke, Duchess, Vicomte De Nanjac.

3. What do you know about the British Parliament?

IV. Describe “an ideal husband”. Use the following phrases:

Dreadful, a personable man, possessed of a most attractive personality, a lyricism not entirely uncommon in the husband’s speeches, to owe everything to one’s husband’s position, to bring a nobler atmosphere, a finer attitude, higher ideals, to know somebody well (intimately), to be very remarkable in many ways, to find somebody an eager audience, to like tedious practical people, to be hardheaded, to tell somebody about one’s bad qualities, to play the game of life, to seem distracted, to be a conceited young puppy, to hold a husband in the hollow of the hand.

V. Complete the following quotations:

1. Fashion is what one …. oneself. What is ……. is what other people wear.

2. To …. oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

3. In the old days we have the rack. Nowadays we have the …. .

4. An acquaintance that begins with a ……. is sure to develop into a real friendship.

5. Let’s call things by their ….. names. It makes matters simpler.

6. Oh, I like tedious, practical subjects. What I don't like are practical ... .

7. I know it may not suit a modern girl like you, Mabel, but there is one extremely effective way to put a stop to his proposals. – What that should be? – To ….. one of his.

8. All these riches, these wondrous luxury amounts finally to nothing. And that power over other men is the one and only thing worth having. This is what I call the philosophy of power. So now the questions arises: how do we become powerful? The answer is …. . It is the modern commodity that can shake the world.

9. And you know I can’t help feeling that this disturbing new thing, this ….. …. of women, will deal a terrible blow to happy married life.

10. With regard to women, modern women understand everything, I was told. – Except their …. . That is the only thing the modern woman never understands.

VI. Fill in the blank spaces: common, unfit, nasty, persuasive, perfectly charming, perfect, extremely pressing, sufficiently attractive, unpractical, highly confidential, handsomely:

1. If you do what I ask, I’ll pay you very .… .

2. I realize that I’m talking to a man whose past is less ….. than his reputation would suggest.

3. Scandals used to lend charm, or at least interest to a man. Nowadays they crush him. Yours is a very … scandal, Sir Robert.

4. I found it a …. ….. evening. I feel I should report that the role of elder brother is for the moment being more than adequately performed by my elder brother. Charming and delightful performance it is, too.

5. I‘m afraid I really must go. I have an …. …. engagement. – Well, as you know I hate to stand between a man and his affairs.

6. Later this evening, I wrote the Baron a letter containing …. ….. information regarding the financing of the Suez Canal.

7. My dear Sir Robert, I must confess to being not a little disappointed to receive your letter of last night and to learn that my proposition hold no interest for you. Perhaps I failed to present it in …. ….. and …. terms. Another time, perhaps. Yours sincerely, Laura Cheveley.

8. – The high education of men is what I should like to see. Men need it so badly. – They do, dear. But I’m afraid such a scheme would be quite ….. . I don’t think man has much capacity for development. He’s gone as far as he can and it’s not far.

9. – And yet I‘ve come here to give you some advice. I hold your husband in the hollow of my hand. If you are wise enough, you will make him do what I tell you. – How dare you class my husband with yourself. Leave my house. You are ….. to enter it.

10. You were to me something apart from …. life. A thing noble, pure. The world seemed to me finer because you were in it. Goodness more real because you lived.