Reading

1. Skimming

1. Read the article and render it in brief (in 23 sentence).

2. Say if the topic of the article concerns the system of education in Great Britain or the role of a teacher in it? Justify your choice.

3. Define the type of writing it belongs to (a feature article, a piece of fiction, an essay).

2. Scanning

1. Read the text a second time and extract the main information from each paragraph.

2. Answer the following questions.

What was Doreen Pope?

Why does the author write about her?

Was there anything peculiar in her appearance, behaviour and the way she treated her pupils?

Why was she an enormous success with children?

What useful advice did she give her pupils?

3. Close reading

1. Comment on the structure of the essay (introduction, the main part, the conclusion).

2. Extract special devices used in the article to characterize Doreen Pope as an extraordinary person. Find examples of contrast, exaggeration and other means of emphasis.

3. Define the message of the text. Comment on the direct and indirect means of conveying it.

4. Critical reading

1. Prove that the author succeeded in paying tribute to an inspirational teacher and created a hymn to a teacher.

2. Do you think this essay meets all the demands set to this type of writing?

Word study

1. Match the two columns.

1) unobtrusive	a) unfortunate
2) aloof	b) never satisfied
3) obstreperous	c) bewildering
4) insatiable	d) undersized
5) suffocating	e) equipment
6) baffling	f) guilty
7) be stunted	g) strong
8) affinity	h) relationship
9) adolescence	i) not noticeable
10) accoutrements	j) not friendly
11) delinquent	k) choking
12) burly	l) uproarious
13) hapless	m) young age

2. Paraphrase the following word-combinations to make the meaning of the first component more evident:

a wholesome woman; sensible shoes; an anti-social dog; appreciative of talent; a huge, rotund laugh; insatiable sense of humour.

3. Say whether the meaning of the first component in the following word-combinations is the same:

a wholesome woman; wholesome food; wholesome appearance; wholesome advice.

4. Give synonyms for the following:

aloof; awe; hapless; fret; jolly; unobtrusive; re-emerge.

5. State which of the following words and word-combinations are bookish and which are low colloquial. Offer neutral words which can be used instead of both:

accoutrements; fuck off; adolescence; obstreperous; posh bitch; to muck about; delinquent.

6. Paraphrase the italicized phrasal verbs in the following sentences.

1. Nobody knew what brought about the quarrel.

2. She brought up four children.

3. The film brought back the days of their friendship.

4. His arguments brought him over.

5. I want you to bring in some facts.

6. These mistakes have brought down your mark.

7. He was very upset but his good advice brought him through.

7. Pick out school terms and words having to do with school life. Comment on them.

7. Define the stylistic devices used in the following phrases and give their neutral variants.

1. a thunderous bellow identical to Albert Finney’s memorable “Stop Thaaat Traain”;

2. a reassuring boom;

3. a huge, rotund laugh;

4. you stick out like a sore thumb here;

5. I grew a skin like a bullet-proof vest;

6. transition from a sunny childhood to a dark adolescence;

7. they were inseparable, an item;

8. she never lost her cool.