- •Home-reading guide the moon and sixpence Unit 1: Chapters I — VI
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •Unit 2: Chapters VIII—XI
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •III. Find the following allusions in the text and say what you know about them:
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •V. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit3: Chapters XII—XVI
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •III. Learn by heart and reproduce with a partner the talk between Mrs Strickland and the narrator (Ch. XV).
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •V. Give Ch. Strickland's character-sketch. Do you justify his motives for abandoning everything for the sake of painting?
- •VI. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •VII. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 4: Chapters XVII—XXVI
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •V. What do you consider is the most typical feature of:
- •VI. Points for discussion:
- •VII. A) Sum up what you've learned about Dirk Stroeve. Give his charac-
- •VIII. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 5: Chapters XXVII—XXXII
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •V. Suggest words or word combinations from the vocabulary list:
- •VI. Paraphrase the underlined word-groups, supply their Russian equivalents and use them in sentences of your own:
- •I. Use the words and phrases from the vocabulary list in situations of your own.
- •II. Comment on what the author or the character says or thinks:
- •III. Answer the following questions:
- •IV. Discuss the chapters you've read along the following lines:
- •V. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •VI. Give a summary of the chapters under discussion. Unit 6: Chapters XXXIV—XXXIX
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •VII. Reproduce the situations in which the words from the word list occur.
- •I. In the chapters you've read find reference to the following places and names and say what you know about them:
- •II. Paraphrase the following sentences:
- •III. Bear out or refute the following statements. Prove your point of view:
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •V. Discuss the following:
- •VI. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •VII. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 7: Chapters xl—xliv
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •IV. Look up some material about the famous schools and trends in painting touched upon in the novel and prepare a talk about:
- •V. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •VI. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 8: Chapters xlv—li
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •VI. Give the context in which the following words and word combinations occur:
- •VII. Learn the following idioms with do used both as a noun and as a verb:
- •VIII. Translate the following sentences into Russian. Make up a few sentences of your own using the given idioms:
- •I. Explain what is meant by the following sentences and comment on them:
- •III. Pick out a passage describing nature in Tahiti and prepare It for recital in class.
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •V. Points for discussion:
- •VI. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •VII. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 9: Chapters liii—lv
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •IV. Paraphrase the italicized parts of the sentences:
- •I. Compose sentences of your own with the following words and phrases:
- •II. Explain the use of the idiom a square peg in a round hole in the text; give its Russian equivalent and illustrate its meaning with a situation or story.
- •III. Comment on the following statements:
- •IV. What do you know about the life of Paul Gauguin in Tahiti? Compare his life and the circumstances of his death there with those of Strickland's.
- •V. Could you name other men of art equally possessed by the desire to create so that they were "deaf and blind to everything else in the world" like Strickland?
- •VI. Answer the following questions:
- •VII. Points for discussion:
- •VIII. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •IX. Give a summary of the chapters under study. Unit 10: Chapters lvi—lviii
- •Vocabulary Notes
- •I. Find in the text sentences containing the following words and phrases and translate them into Russian:
- •II. Give synonyms for:
- •III. Paraphrase the following sentences and explain them:
- •VI. Answer the following questions:
- •VIII. Fill in the character-sketch pages.
- •IX. Give a summary of the chapters under study.
- •Reference List
V. Suggest words or word combinations from the vocabulary list:
to overcome; to pick on sb; to make a ridiculous appearance; sorrowful; to become very angry; to grumble (at or about); viewpoint; to walk slowly and more or less aimlessly; quiet and serious.
VI. Paraphrase the underlined word-groups, supply their Russian equivalents and use them in sentences of your own:
1. He looked woebegone.
2. His smile was rueful.
3. He could hardly get the words out.
4. You mustn't take very seriously what women say when they are in a passion.
5. He looked suddenly bedraggled.
6. She can't bear the sight of him.
7. He abandoned all self-respect.
8. I tried to speak but the words wouldn't come.
9. There are more cafes in Paris than one in which to trifle away an idle hour.
10. It was her own look-out.
11. Everyone's conception of the passion is formed on his own idiosyncrasies.
B. Speech Exercises
I. Use the words and phrases from the vocabulary list in situations of your own.
II. Comment on what the author or the character says or thinks:
1. ...his appearance... could never fail to excite a smile (Ch. XX/II).
2. I was furious with Strickland and indignant with myself, because Dirk Stroeve cut such an absurd figure that I felt inclined to laugh (Ch. XXVII).
3. I knew her capable of temper, for all the calmness of her manner... (Ch. XXVIII).
4. ...with his genius for blundering he might quite well have offended her so that, to anger him, perhaps, she had taken pains to foster his suspicion (Ch. XXVIII).
5. ...I felt he (Strickland) was at once too great and too small for love (Ch. XXX).
6. I am a little shy of any assumption of moral indignation (Ch. XXXII).
7. He was a bad winner and a good loser (Ch. XXXII).
8. They both took the situation so much as a matter of course that I felt it absurd to do otherwise (Gh. XXXII).
III. Answer the following questions:
1. Where did the narrator meet Stroeve and why did the latter's appearance strike him as unusual?
2. What events of the previous weeks reduced Stroeve to such a pitiful state?
3. Do you find Stroeve's behaviour under the circumstances natural? How would you qualify his line of behaviour: noble and broad-minded, humble and piteous, or just foolish and ridiculous? Give your reasons.
4. Do you share the author's views on how love affects a human being? Do you think all people are equally capable of this feeling?
5. What enabled the author to say that Strickland was "at once too great and too small for love"?
6. Does the description of Strickland as a chess-player throw any additional light on his character?
7. Do you think Blanche and Strickland were happy? What do you think brought them together?
IV. Discuss the chapters you've read along the following lines:
1. The narrator's visit to the Louvre.
2. Dirk Stroeve's visit to the narrator.
3. Stroeve's behaviour after his wife left him.
4. The narrator's encounter with Strickland and Blanche Stroeve.
5. The narrator's reflections on what had happened.