S e c t i o n 1. Introduction into the Topic

 Essential vocabulary on the topic. Study the following words and expressions, give the Russian equivalents.

I. Affable, amiable, good-natured, good-humored, kind, friendly, kind-hearted, communicative, sociable, modest, discreet, generous, considerate, attentive, thoughtful, earnest, sincere, enthusiastic, calm, quiet, composed, honest, self-possessed, merciful, impartial, just, patient, forbearing, sympathetic, respectable, cordial, broad-minded, witty, intelligent, dignified, capable, benevolent, philanthropic, scrupulous, consistent, easy-going, affectionate, devoted, loyal, courageous, persevering, industrious, hard-working, sweet, gentle, proud.

II. Ill-natured, unkind, hard-hearted, reserved, unsociable, hostile, uncommunicative, haughty, arrogant, dashing, showy, indiscreet, greedy, tactless, unscrupulous, inconsistent, insincere, hypocritical, false, vulgar, double-faced, fussy, indifferent, dispassionate, unrestrained, dishonest, cruel, partial, intolerant, conceited, self-willed, willful, capricious, perverse, insensible, inconsiderate, servile, deceitful, presumptuous, harsh, sulky, sullen, obstinate, coarse, rude, vain, impertinent, impudent, revengeful.

Vocabulary work

Exercise 1.

Give synonyms (A) and antonyms (B) from your active vocabulary.

A. Give synonyms.	B. Give antonyms.
haughty patient insincere rude obstinate considerate amiable presumptuous industrious devoted	patient benevolent greedy reserved scrupulous coarse considerate sincere tolerant cheerful

Exercise 2.

Choose the most appropriate variant.

1. Yesterday we discussed a lot of important cases with Mr. Smith. It was a most friendly discussion.

a) amiable b) earnest c) amicable d) discreet

2. She looked very thoughtful while he begged her for help standing on his knees.

a) pensive b) impartial c) considerate d) sincere

3. We had a friendly and cheerful evening drinking.

a) sociable b) calm c) communicative d) social

4. Michael can be a first-rate guard. He is strong, calm and confident and has a quick reaction.

a) thoughtful b) quiet c) self-possessed d) just

5. She shows boundless interest and admiration for her work.

a) attention b) quietness c) enthusiasm d) honesty

6. It is extremely hard to be morally right and proper while considering a case of a murder.

a) impartial b) genuine c) merciful d) unfair

7. Tom Robinson was too judicious to show his adherence to principle.

a) serious b) sensitive c) sensible d) modest

8. He was too kind and conscientious at once to leave me friendless.

a) just b) merciful c) generous d) honest

9. There is no denying the fact that he is one of the most philanthropic men in all the world.

a) generous b) kind-hearted

c) sincere d)composed

10. Holden was hardly one of the hard-working students at Pencey.

a) benevolent b) industrious

c) presumptuous d) persevering

11. Richard always seemed to me a most devoted friend. The disillusionment was unbearable.

a) patient b) loyal c) sensitive d) sweet

12. When I was asked in the court what I could say about Mary, the first thing that came to me was: “She is very well-disposed.”

a) generous b) sociable c) benevolent d) proud

13. The defendant is consistent in denial of the charges.

a) scrupulous b) dignified c) continuous d) witty

14. It’s very hard for John to become friends with people. He is too calm, formal and serious in his manners.

a) dignified b) proud c) affectionate d) sensible

15. Be gentle when you brush the baby’s hair.

a) scrupulous b) attentive c) kind-hearted d) soft

16. Human beings are much wittier than animals.

a) more intellectual b) more respectable

c) more intelligent d) more persistent

17. Jack Morrison is very nice to communicate with. He is always willing to accept your views.

a) respected b) passionate c) broad-minded d) clever

18. This doctor is very skillful. A great future awaits him.

a) capable b) capacious c) judicious d) sensible

19. Nobody could call Alexander arrogant, he was reasonably respecting himself. And appealed to all of us.

a) gentle b) kind c) haughty d) proud

20. She turned out to be very understanding, when my mother died.

a) sympathetic b) sensitive

c) affectionate d) sensible

Exercise 3.

Cross the odd word out.

1. affable – amiable – friendly – kind-hearted

2. communicative – easy-going – social – sociable

3. discreet – modest – sensible – judicious

4. kind – benevolent – generous – philanthropic

5. witty – clever – intelligent – respectable

6. affectionate – passionate – loyal – devoted

7. respected – respectable – respectful – estimable

8. patient – tolerant – forbearing – gentle

9. persevering – industrious – persistent – dogged

10. sweet – kind – soft – devoted

Exercise 4.

Fill in the gaps with a suitable word or expression from your active vocabulary.

1. She was a proud, even a ____________ creature.

2. What’s the matter with you both tonight? You sit there as ____________ as the mutes at the funeral.

3. An __________ man looks down upon others and with lowered eyelids barely condescends to see them.

4. He wanted to be _________ to his sister, who was good, and who, in her way, he knew loved him.

5. She is a museum piece. She’s a __________ wife.

6. She was so kind and ___________ to them in their grief.

7. He was __________ and awkward with women.

8. In spite of the honors he received the scientist remained a _________ man.

9. He was __________ enough to interpret this strange phenomenon.

10. His face had become _________ and wolfish, and the thin lips were drawn very tightly.

Exercise 5.

Translate the sentences into Russian, paying attention to the underlined words. Your Russian should be perfect.

1. She was a tall slender woman of the high world … very remote, disdainful.

2. He was at the same time haughty, reserved and fastidious; and his manners were not inviting.

3. Michael felt very considerate and proud of himself after having done this and drank much more champagne.

4. Later, Caroline, so amiable, benevolent and easy-going as if nothing had happened, was noticed by him standing in the circle of men.

5. A loving husband is a very amiable character. A fond one, I think, is not so.

6. There was neither vice nor wickedness in him, but only sincerity and loving kindness.

7. On specific orders from his attorney, Craig kept his facial expression neutral. He had been instructed to act dignified, respectful (whatever that meant), and humble. He was to guard against appearing arrogant and angry.

8. Remember, I’m a much more diffident person than you are. As well as being much more spiritually arrogant. I hate competing unless I’m certain that I’m going to win.

9. If the story didn’t indirectly involve his sister, he would have thought it an entertaining script for a soap opera, since the colorful characters’ personalities leapt off the pages. There was the gifted and dedicated but arrogant and adulterous doctor; the nubile, spurned, and angry lover; the precise and rather laconic bereaved spouse; the knowledgeable but contentious experts; the parade of other witnesses; and finally the apparently hypochondriac victim.

10. She is what I call a smart pupil, as sharp as a needle.

11. He had an incisive, quick-motioned, self-sufficient manner, and was forever asking questions with a keen desire for intelligent answers.

12. John was quite inconsistent in his talks, impudent in actions, in one word unrestrained in everything.

13. Gladys was a year younger than Basil – a calm, good-natured, but a conceited girl who was brought up to marry in the East.

14. He was thirty-five, and good to look at; many girls wanted to become his wife as he was not only a loyal friend, witty companion, honest and respectable businessman but also a gentle, sweet and thoughtful man.

15. Brodie … remained cold, impassive and disdainful amongst their mirth.

Exercise 6.

The words in the right-hand column mean roughly the same as the words in the left-hand column except that they have negative rather than positive connotations. Match the positive characteristics with their synonyms.

1. unconventional/original a) naive

2. confident/self-assured b) pushy

3. thrifty/economical c) pig-headed

4. frank/direct/open d) extravagant

5. broad-minded e) aggressive/bossy

6. determined f) inquisitive/nosy

7. ambitious g) unprincipled/permissive

8. generous h) self-important/full of oneself

9. inquiring i) blunt/abrupt/brusque/curt

10. innocent j) eccentric/odd/peculiar/weird

11. assertive k) stingy/mean/tight-fisted/miserly

Exercise 7.

Write the opposite using the correct prefix.

1. …considerate 7. …reliable 13. …communicative

2. …passionate 8. …tolerant 14. …scrupulous

3. …friendly 9. ...reserved 15. …consistent

4. …patient 10. …sociable 16. …discreet

5. …partial 11. …sensible 17. …sincere

6. …honest 12. ...pleasant 18. …kind

Exercise 8.

Describe the person in the sentences in one word.

1. My brother is in the office from 8 am to 6 pm every day.

2. He has never bought me a drink in ten years.

3. She often promises to do things but sometimes she forgets.

4. My teacher explains things again and never gets angry.

5. Kate finds it difficult to meet people and talk to strangers.

6. Brett is practical and doesn’t do anything stupid.

7. Our teacher is nice, but he’s quiet and doesn’t laugh a lot.

8. Ann is very relaxed and doesn’t seem to worry about things.

9. My boss is really good at using his imagination to think of new ideas.

10. Jack can play several musical instruments.

11. My sister can’t wait for anything.

12. Sally hasn’t done a thing since she’s been here.

13. If Mike says he’ll do it, then he’ll do it.

14. The little boy is able to understand new ideas so quickly.

15. Peter always says exactly as he thinks.

16. Diana doesn’t think about the needs of others.

17. Helen easily becomes angry with others.

18. He thinks about the needs of others.

19. They always tell the truth and obey the law.

20. Tom always arrives on time.

21. My friend has a strong wish to get what he wants.

22. My roommate is unkind and not willing to spend money.

23. She understands the feelings of others.

Exercise 9.

Choose the right variant.

1. When her bicycle was stolen, Jill became extremely angry / nervous / flabbergasted / atrocious.

2. Sam felt ashamed / embarrassed / embarrassing / shameful when he had to make a speech.

3. I always write thank-you letters, just to be gentle / mannered / flattering / courteous.

4. Mr. Jackson is very annoyed / bad-tempered / argumentative / gregarious and often shouts at people.

5. I think you have to be very imaginary / imaginative / imagined / imaginable to write a novel.

6. Our teacher is very solid /sound /strict /steadfast and won’t let us talk in class.

7. Thanks for bringing us a present. It was very wistful / grateful / thoughtful / thankful of you.

8. I think I’ll stay on my own, I’m not feeling very sociable / socially / socialistic / socialite today.

9. Paula has worked at this college for three years. She is a conscious / conscienceless / conscience / conscientious employee, and gets on well with the other members of the department.

10. You can’t tell what someone is like just from their character /appearance /personality / outlook.

S e c t i o n 2. Talking About People

Exercise 1.

The following is a list of colloquial names

for various social types, i.e. different kinds

of people one meets at parties and

elsewhere. Use the most suitable one to

complete each description below.

Social Types

wet blanket good company Don Juan

good mixer trouble-maker early bird

wallflower social climber killjoy

jet-setter femme fatale gossip

socialite gate-crasher loner

parasite chatterbox bore

snob life and soul of the party

1. He’s a pleasant, interesting person to have with you at any time. He’s a ___________.

2. She thinks she's socially superior. She looks down on others. She’s a ___________.

3. He’s very strict and correct. I think he doesn’t like other people to enjoy themselves. He’s a ___________.

4. She’s always the first to arrive at a party. If the party’s due to start at seven, she’s there on the dot, or earlier. She’s an __________.

5. Не likes to spend a lot of time alone. He’s not keen on parties and usually does things on his own. He’s a ____________.

6. She goes on and on telling people about her children, her house, her job, her opinions... I could go to sleep. She’s a _____________.

7. She’s very rich and spends her time between grand social occasions and luxury holidays in different parts of the world. She’s a ____________.

8. He’s always borrowing money and asking help from other people. He’s a ___________.

9. He’s an upper-class person and he’s often seen at high-society parties and other social events. He’s a ____________.

10. She’s always causing difficulties for other people by interfering in their lives. She’s a ____________.

11. He’s very lively and the centre of any group he’s in. People always have a good time when he’s there. He’s the____________.

12. She’s so negative and boring. She has a depressing effect on any group of people she’s with. She’s a ____________.

13. She’s confident and interested in other people. She likes to meet different kinds of people. She’s a _____________.

14. He goes to parties and other occasions without an invitation. He just walks in. He’s a _____________.

15. Unfortunately she is not usually asked to dance by anyone. She just stands there hoping. She’s a ______________.

16. He just can’t stop talking. He goes on and on excitedly, about totally unimportant things. He’s a ______________.

17. He loves to discuss and pass on news or rumors about people’s private lives. He’s a ______________.

18. She’s dangerously attractive to men. Half the men she meets fall in love with her. She’s a _____________.

19. He knows he’s attractive to women. They always fall for him. He’s got lots of girl-friends. He’s a ______________.

20. She’s very conscious of her social position and is always trying to improve it by meeting “upper-class” people. She’s a _____________.

What type of person/types of people from the list above...

a) ... is/are extroverted?

b) ... is/are introverted?

c) ... might be class-conscious?

d) ... do you find interesting?

e) ... would get on well together? Make pairs, e.g. socialite and snob.

f) ... would be good to have at a party?

g) ... would you especially avoid?

h) ... might have a lot of romantic relationships?

i) ... makes/make friends easily?

j) ... are you?

Exercise 2.

Match each of the following colloquial names for certain types of people with the correct description below.

a day-dreamer a busybody a slob a rolling stone a dare-devil a crank

a fare-dodger a battle-axe a miser

a jay-walker a golden boy a sponger

a slowcoach a breadwinner a layabout

a tear-away a name-dropper a road-hog

a litter-lout a clock-watcher a scapegoat

a wind-bag a pain in the neck a slave-driver

1. She talks on and on about her opinions and ideas.

2. He keeps count of every penny he has and only spends money if he must.

3. She likes to mention all the famous and important people she’s met.

4. He makes his employees work extremely hard.

5. She crosses the road without bothering to look at the traffic.

6. He’s lazy and prefers not to work.

7. She drops rubbish anywhere and never puts it in the bin.

8. He drives very inconsiderately of other drivers.

9. She’s only interested in leaving work and going home.

10. She avoids paying when she travels on public transport.

11. He dresses and behaves in a very careless, often disgusting, way.

12. He’s a bit wild, always getting into fights and other trouble.

13. He’s always got his head in the clouds, always fantasizing.

14. She’s very inquisitive about my private life.

15. He loves taking dangerous risks.

16. He can’t settle down. He goes from job to job, place to place.

17. He’s always borrowing money and living off other people.

18. She’s very aggressive and bossy. She likes to dominate.

19. Everyone thinks he’ll get rapid promotion. He’s destined to succeed.

20. He’s always slow and behind the others in his work or studies.

21. She’s got extremely odd, eccentric, unconventional ideas and theories.

22. He’s a real nuisance. I can’t stand him.

23. He is often blamed for the wrongdoings of others.

24. His wages provide what the family needs to live on.

Exercise 3.

Match the idioms describing people with the definitions (A). Then complete each sentence with the appropriate idiom (B).

A.

1. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. 7. His bark is worse than

2. He is a party animal. his bite.

3. He acts as a guinea pig. 8. He’d love to be a fly on the

4. He is a dark horse. wall.

5. He is a lone wolf. 9. He is the black sheep of

6. He is a cold fish. the family.

a) someone who would love to be present to see an important private or secret event;

b) someone who is not very friendly and does not show their feelings;

c) someone who loves parties and socializing;

d) someone who is regarded as a disgrace or failure by his family or peer group;

e) someone who may seem fierce or tough, but is not really;

f) someone who has hidden or unexpected skills or talents that no one knows about;

g) someone who is totally harmless and would never hurt anyone;

h) someone who is the subject of an experiment or trial of something new;

i) someone who does not mix socially with other people.

B.

1. I’m perfectly willing to be a ___________ for many routine medical procedures.

2. Often thought of as a ___________, Shaw is in fact full of emotional complexity.

3. Sarah’s a ____________ – she likes to dance all night.

4. Big Joe is quite harmless really, although he looks tough. He wouldn’t ____________.

5. I would have given a lot to be a ___________ so I could hear what final entreaties Ellen was making.

6. Harry never seems to want to go out with other people. He’s a bit of a ___________ .

7. Perhaps, thought the French nun, the little __________ had not a very happy home.

8. – Philip scared everyone yesterday. He looked really angry. – Oh, don’t worry about him. His ___________ .

9. He is a __________, but I did find out that he once played football professionally.

Exercise 4.

Draw a portrait of…

1. a family doctor

2. a lecturer (quantum physics)

3. a man you’re sharing a compartment with

4. a tycoon’s lover

5. a manager of a prosperous bank

6. a waitress

7. a woman-secretary

8. a general-governor

9. a housewife

10. a Hollywood starlet

11. a rock musician

THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

Do you believe in horoscopes? Even if you don’t, your character and behavior is, to a certain extent, determined by the zodiac sign you were born under. Complete the adjectives below (a), then study the table (b), and speak on your personality. Say what qualities describing your zodiac sign can be

used to characterize you personally and what traits don’t bear any relation to you. What other features should be added to the description?

a) Aries (March 21 to April 19).

He never frowns. c.e..f..

She’ll tell you that she doesn’t like your dress. f…k

She tells no lies. h…s.

Sometimes she can be caring only about herself

and not about other people. s.l..s.

He always makes it clear about his feelings and

opinions and never hides anything. st…...f.….d

Taurus (April 20 to May 20).

She never gives up without a fight. d.t.r.i..d

He thinks he’s the best. s.l.- as….d

He always tries to escape any kind of activity,

preferring to take a nap or reading a book. l..y..n.s

She works 18 hours a day, jogs and plays tennis. e.e.g…c

He is very hard to persuade. st…..n

Gemini (May 21 to June 20).

She won’t share her presents with her sister. s..f..h

Math never presented a difficulty for him, and he

always helped his classmates with calculations. i…ll….t

He looks down at anyone who hasn’t got a PC and

an indoor swimming-pool at home. s..b…h

She likes to speak with excessive pride about her

abilities and achievements. b..s.f..

She has all the chances to become the Queen of

England as she is never late. p..c…l

Cancer (June 21 to July 22).

If you have a problem, she is the right person to

ask for advice or help. sy…t.…c

He’s like a donkey. s…b..n

She always thinks twice before doing something,

trying to avoid risk and danger. ca..i..s

He puts a lot of effort in his work, sometimes

working extra hours. h…-.or…g

She is not likely to open up, keeping her thoughts

and feelings to herself. s..r.t…

Leo (July 23 to August 22).

He doesn’t want any help or advice, he can do

everything by himself. i.d…n…t

There are two things that I don’t like about her

face – her face! t..-f…d

She cleans her flat 6 times a week and still thinks

that it’s such a mess! n..t

Be careful what he’s doing while your back is

turned. d..h….t

She throws parties every week, money isn’t a

problem for her. g….ou.

Virgo (August 23 to September 22).

He always thanks people for all kinds of things

they do for him. th…f..

She’s good at managing the household, never

throwing out money on unnecessary things. e..n…c..

If you are his girlfriend, never flirt with other guys

as he is … j..l…

If you are her boyfriend, take her out on a

romantic date as she is … d.e..y

She is always careful not to do or say anything

that will upset other people. t..t..l

Libra (September 23 to October 22).

She never starts a fight and always listens to all

your arguments without interrupting. p.t…t

He wants to be even bigger, even better – the best! a…t…s

She has very few secrets, willing to share all her

thoughts and emotions with everybody. o..n

He never frowns. c…r..l

She uses her common sense, seldom doing silly

things. s.n..b..

Scorpio (October 23 to November 21).

She’d solve all the problems on a desert island, p..c….l

and nothing would upset her. e…-g…g

He’s got both feet on the ground and he is rather

realistic. d..n-.o-.ar..

She can make people suffer if she thinks they

deserve it. c…l

It takes her HOURS to get ready for something. s.o..ok.

Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21).

He enjoys the truth and never tells lies. .o..s.

She is not afraid to go mountain climbing. b…e

She puts her heart and soul into her profession. d…c.t.d

They like to communicate with people. s.c…l.

Sometimes he can embarrass you without any

intention to do so. t…l..s

Capricorn (December 22 to January 19).

He will always stop to help a disabled person to

cross the road. s..p..h…c

She will never hurt even a fly. g..t..

He won’t be grouchy because of her noisy

neighbors. t.l….t

They expect bad results even if there is no chance

for a misfortune to happen. p.s..m…i.

You can relax if you put a Capricorn in charge of

some work, as he’ll do everything perfectly. .i.i.e.t

Aquarius (January 20 to February 18).

She is definitely not realistic believing in love at first

sight and that your destiny is decided in the heaven. i..a..st..

You don’t want to visit him without invitation as

you’ll find his flat in SUCH A MESS!!! .l.p.y

When a child, she never presented a problem for her

parents as she is … o..d..n.

He likes changes and it doesn’t take him long to

adjust to new circumstances. f…ib..

She can talk with her friends non-stop as she is … .a..a.i.e

Pisces (February 19 to March 20).

She is always nervous about talking to other people,

especially someone she doesn’t know. s..

He can see beauty in a pile of rubbish. i..g..a…e

They are able to understand other people’s feelings

and problems. s..s.t…

He is kind and caring in character and behavior. g.n.l.

If anything goes wrong, she may not believe her

abilities. p.s….s..c

b)

Star Sign	Your best qualities	Your worst qualities	Your appearance
Aries 	clever, lively, energetic, warm, generous, sensitive, artistic	selfish, rude, bossy, often bad-tempered	medium height, square face, long nose
Taurus 	patient, organized, hard-working, calm, friendly, interested in business, money, friends and family	lazy, selfish, obstinate, jealous, greedy, resentful, rigid	short, beautiful eyes, thick hair
Gemini 	intelligent, witty, friendly, interested in books, people and ideas	nervous, dishonest, changeable, too talkative	tall, intelligent face, small mouth
Cancer 	careful, sensitive, humorous, often happy, interested in history	nervous, rude, anxious, shy, conservative	round face, small nose, nice eyes
Leo 	imaginative, optimistic, independent, generous, passionate	proud, bossy, selfish, sometimes very untidy	square face, generous mouth, attractive eyes
Virgo 	patient, friendly, practical, punctual, hard-working, perfectionist, interested in nature	nervous, unimaginative, inflexible, critical, jealous, interfering, fussy	medium height, pleasant face, kind eyes
Libra 	friendly, warm, energetic, pleasant, argumentative, interested in sport and animals	lazy, disorganized, changeable, indecisive, dependent, timid	beautiful hair, long fingers, calm eyes
Scorpio 	imaginative, confident, brave, passionate, often very religious	jealous, impatient, sometimes violent, extremist, possessive	dark eyes, thick hair, interesting face
Sagittarius 	intelligent, optimistic, self-confident, cheerful, interested in sport and travel	rude, arrogant, sometimes too talkative, likes living dangerously	tall, curly fair hair, straight nose
Capricorn 	patient, honest, polite, serious, sociable, interested in home, politics, people	pessimistic, unimaginative, conservative, sometimes shy	small, slim, serious face
Aquarius 	sociable, friendly, generous, tolerant, interested in sport and politics	impatient, difficult, unstable, stubborn, sarcastic, rebellious, aloof	good-looking, quite tall, fair hair
Pisces 	sensitive, emotional, thoughtful, imaginative, artistic	over-sensitive, disorganized, depressive, very interested in themselves	medium height, round eyes, kind face

WHAT KIND OF A PERSON ARE YOU?

Here is a questionnaire about personal characteristics. Find a partner in the group and work with him or her. After asking questions draw a portrait of your partner. Use adjectives from your active vocabulary.

1. What do you do in your spare time?

2. What’s your favorite color?

3. What’s your favorite type of weather?

4. Do you enjoy traveling?

5. Do you like children?

6. What’s your favorite food?

7. Do you prefer to be a guest or a host?

8. Do you make friends easily? Do your friends think you are easy-going? How many best friends do you have?

9. What quality do you appreciate most of all in women?

10. What quality do you appreciate most of all in men?

11. Do you appreciate getting compliments or do you get embarrassed?

12. Do you have rapid changes of mood?

13. Do you show your feelings in your expression or in the way you speak?

14. What is the nicest thing that’s happened today?

15. What are you looking forward to most of all this week?

16. Do you live for the moment?

17. Do you work hard?

18. Do you like to get up late? Are you an early bird or a night owl?

19. Do you make decisions quickly?

20. Do you think you are flexible? Do you easily compromise? Are you susceptible to criticism?

21. Are you an organized and practical person or rather a spontaneous and romantic one?

22. What are your ambitions?

23. Are you a happy person? What things in life make you happy?

24. What things make you sad? What things can make you angry?

25. What do you enjoy most in your studies? Why are you studying English?

 TEXT FOR ANALYSIS

Shirley Jackson (December 14, 1919 – August 8, 1965) was an American author who wrote short stories and novels. Born in San Francisco, California, she graduated from Syracuse University in 1940. While a student there, she met her future husband Stanley Edgar Hyman, who was to become a noted literary critic. Shirley Jackson’s most famous work is her short story “The Lottery” (1948), a chilling tale about the sinister underside of small-town America. Her most popular novels include: “The Bird's Nest”, “We Have Always Lived in the Castle”, “The Road Through the Wall” and others. Her 1959 novel “The Haunting of Hill House” was twice made into a film (in 1963 and in 1999). In addition to her novels, Jackson also wrote a children’s novel, “Nine Magic Wishes”. She also wrote two humorous memoirs, “Raising Demons” and “Life Among the Savages”, about her marriage and the experience of bringing up four children. The tone of most of her works is odd and macabre, with an impending sense of doom, often framed by very ordinary settings and characters. Jackson’s reputation as a master of gothic horror and psychological suspense is sealed by her influence on modern writers.

Before you begin answer the following questions:

1. What is a lottery?

2. Why do you think lotteries have become popular throughout the world?

When “The Lottery” first appeared in the “New Yorker” in 1948, letters flooded the magazine expressing admiration, anger and confusion at the story. For a long time Shirley Jackson refused to discuss the story, apparently believing that people had to make their own evaluation of it and come to a personal understanding of its meaning. Whatever may people think of it, they all agree that it is unusual.

Read “The Lottery” carefully and make your own judgment. Write down your first impression of the story in 2-3 sentences.