Reading

1. Skimming

1. Glance through the extract from the novel by J.B. Priestley. Find evidence of it being a piece of fiction.

2. Read it again and define the theme of it.

2. Scanning

Examine the text and answer the following questions.

1. The eve of what event is described in the text?

2. What was it like in London at the time?

3. Did Miss Matfield feel festive or not? Why did all the festivities of the event irritate her?

4. How did she get out of London?

5. Where did she go for Christmas?

2. Close Reading

1. Define the tone of the text. Say whether it is humorous, ironic, dramatic, matter-of-fact, emotional. Account for your choice.

2. Give a thorough analysis of the following word combinations and phrases, comment on the type of artistic means used in them (metaphors, metonymies, hyperboles, epithets, repetitions, climax, etc.).

1. frantic rushes to shops, festive windows; the most radiant and magic season;

2. the army of advertising managers; dark afternoon seemed to rain people into the shopping streets; money that had come showering down;

3. the shops themselves were full, the pavements were jammed, and the vehicles on the crowded roads could hold no more;

4. Never before had Miss Matfield seen so many boxes..., so much morocco and limp leather ...so many calendars waiting to leave..., waiting to get..., waiting at the cash desk..., waiting for her parcel...then conjured into parcels, parcels, parcels ... ;

5. there were tons and tons of imitation holly ...and enough cotton-wool ... to keep hospitals supplied for the next ten years; a million women dragging after them a million children;

f) … a Paddington that suggested ... .

3. What stylistic device prevails in the description of the Christmas eve?

4. What is the message of the extract. How do the above listed stylistic devices contribute to it?

4. Critical Reading

1. How well did the author manage to describe the frantic atmosphere of the Christmas eve?

2. Did Miss Matfield’s mood change throughout the text? If so, why?

3. What do you think people in Great Britain celebrate more joyfully  Christmas or the New Year?

4. Do you think your mood can influence the way you perceive everything that surrounds you (things, people, weather, etc.)?

Word study

1. Match the two columns.

1) frantic	a) make thoroughly wet, absorb
2) festive	b) an injury in which the skin is not broken
3) peevish	c) entrust with a duty, blame, attack
4) radiant	d) shudder or shake from cold, tremble
5) charge	e) a cord made of fiber, thicker than a thread used for tying.
6) soak	f) emitting heat or light, glowing, beaming
7) shiver	g) discontented, fretful, ill-tempered
8) contrive	h) merry, joyous, appropriate to a feast or festival
9) a string	i) desperate, exasperated
10) a bruise	j) plan, plot, manage to succeed by scheming.

2. Use an English-English dictionary to differentiate between

a) the following synonyms:

to shiver  to tremble  to shake  to shudder  to quiver

to soak  to drench  to saturate

2. different meanings of the verb to charge.

3. Point out different meanings of the words to charge and to shiver in the following.

to charge one’s memory with trifles, ~ a gun, ~ oneself with some responsibility, ~ smb with a crime, ~ a high price, they don’t ~ for this service;

to shiver with cold, ~ with anger, ~ with fury, ~ inwardly, ~ at the thought.

4. Give the Russian for:

1) it gives me shivers; 2) a shiver went down my spine; 3) he has the shivers;

4) to be in charge of smb/smth; 5) my little charges; 6) I am in charge of this office; 7) who is in charge here? 8) there is no charge for admission; 9) the dog charged at me.

5. Paraphrase the following sentences using words and word-combinations from the text.

1. The shop assistants were tired.

2. People crowded the shopping streets.

3. There was much imitation holly and cotton-wool piled in the windows.

4. Miss Matfield had to wait everywhere.

5. When a child, Miss Matfield liked Christmas.

6. Insert in the blanks the verbs to shiver, to shake, to tremble, to quiver or to shudder.

1. A woman was ...-ing a rag mat from the balcony.

2. He made a movement as if to ... hands.

3. The touch of her hand made me ... .

4. A bitter wind blew through the door. I ...-ed and buttoned up my coat.

5. The little boy’s lips ...-ed as he tried not to cry.

6. His hands ... slightly as he moved them.

7. She slowly ...-ed her head. He looked at her in despair.

8. Turgis ...-ing a little, not with cold but with excitement, never gave these things a thought.

7. Give the English for:

дрожать от холода; содрогаться от ужаса; трясти дерево; вытряхивать ковер; покачать головой; дрожащие пальцы; дрожащие губы; дрожащий голос; дрожащие отражения огней в реке; содрогаться от отвращения; дрожать от радости.