Lavour VI The Stymphalean Birds

Assignment six (pp. 43-50)

1. Answer the questions using the words given below.

   1. Where was Harold Waring taking a holiday? Why had he chosen that place?

to walk up the path

on the terrace

a political career

to be free from

to take a holiday in

to have a rest from

to be overcrowded

2. Describe Mrs. Rice and Mrs. Clayton. Did Harold like them? Why?

an elderly woman

a married daughter

in a rather old-fashioned style

gentle and shy

a woman of character

a masterful manner

a sense of humour

to be good company

to arouse smb’s interest

3. Where did Harold see two sisters for the first time? What impression did they make on him? What did they look like?

to shiver

there is smth odd about smb

a curved nose

immobile

a loose cloak

to flap

to think to oneself

to be like birds of ill omen

the resemblance between smb

a long claw-like hand

birds of prey

inhuman

to be distracted from smth by

to be of very good family

4. What did Harold learn about Mrs. Clayton’s husband?

to go for a walk

a widow

to be responsible for

to be insanely jealous

to have a violent temper

to be devoted to smb

5. What were Harold’s feelings towards Mrs. Clayton?

a wave of indignation and pity

to sweep over smb

to recall smth

to realize

smb’s interest in smb

friendship

to be tied to

6. What was Harold grateful to Mrs. Rice and Elsie for?

like many other …

to be a bad linguist

to worry smb

to be grateful to smb for smth

to act as interpreters for smb

7. Who did Harold see in the pinewood? What did Elsie tell Harold about her husband?

a stroll

an unmistakable sound

to go in the direction of

with one’s face buried in one’s hands

violence

grief

to hesitate

to terrify smb

to get in a rage

to make a scene

to complain of

to justify smb

to feel uneasy

8. What happened in Harold’s room in the evening?

to rush into

to look frightened to death

to take a step

to support

to be of medium height

to shake with rage

to flirt with

to seize smb’s arm

to dash after smb

9. How did Phillip Clayton die?

to give a cry

to snatch up

to throw smth at smb

to fall down like a log

half-dead

to take in the situation like lightning

to cause embarrassment and misunderstanding

for smb’s sake

to catch one’s breath

to be dead

2. Comment on the following words of Mrs. Rice:

“Alcohol is responsible for a lot of unhappiness”.

Assignment Seven (pp. 51-58)

1. Answer the questions using the words given below.

1. Why did a cold fear grip Harold on hearing that Clayton was dead?

to be unable to

to hit smb right on

an accident

to confirm

to see smb’s point

a good deal of time

under rather compromising circumstances

to arouse smb’s jealousy

either … or …

to be in danger

to be condemned to death for smth

to commit

to accuse of

to survive a scandal

2. What did Mrs. Rice suggest doing to hush the accident up officially?

on an impulse

to shake one’s head

to wire

to be worth doing

a chance of doing

to conceal smth

to hush smth up

to bribe

due to natural causes

3. What happened on the following morning?

to take part in

the police proceedings

to read out

to have a heart attack

in a superior mood

4. What made the whole thing a thousand times worse?

to join smb for

as usual

to comment on

to keep one’s eyes on smth/smb

all the old fear and despair

to blackmail

5. Who did Harold meet by the lake and what did they talk about?

at last

grim

to hold smth in one’s hands

blood-sucking harpies

a moustached stranger

to murmur

to be in trouble

to be of any assistance to smb

to be certain

the latter

in silence

to have one’s own way of doing smth

as to

to come out

to be ruined

to do harm

to be put through hell

patience

to free smb from

6. What pleasant news about the Stymphalean birds did Harold get from Poirot in the morning?

in spite of

to be impressed by

to exercise one’s ingenuity

harmless

to be wanted by the police

adventurous

birds of prey

7. How could Poirot free Harold from his Stymphalean birds?

to make one’s living

a male impersonator

to play the part of

to make up

credulous

to trade on smth

an excuse

to arrange

to be in charge of

a negotiation

greedy

to take an aversion to smb/smth

to make a fool of smb

II. Comment on the following words:

“…in these little Balkan countries you can bribe anyone and everyone – and the police are probably more corrupt than anyone else … It’s just a question of bribing high enough…”