Vocabulary Training

I. Understanding Word Meaning from Context.

Choose a word or a word group that has the same meaning as the word in bold.

1. He was furious with himself for letting things get so out of control.

a. disappointed b. satisfied c. very angry d. surprised

2. Farmers are more prosperous in the south of the country.

a. independent b. poor c. numerous d. successful

3. He was wearing shoes that were totally unsuitable for climbing.

a. incomparable b. not appropriate c. convenient d. ridiculous

4. What lousy weather! (informal)

a. fine b. awful c. rainy d. foggy

5. The family found the new house enchanting.

a. comfortable b. warm c. very pleasing d. not satisfactory

6. They indulged in some highly dubious business practices to obtain their current position in the market.

a. efficient b. suspicious c. innovative d. illegal

II. The adjectives “mean” and “odd” have several meanings. In what meaning are they used in the text?

III. a) Note that the words “treat” and “bear” can be both nouns and verbs and have quite different meanings in each case. Give your examples to illustrate these uses. In what meanings are they used in the text?

The word “treat” is used figuratively. What does it mean in this context?

b) The word “fancy” can be both a verb and an adjective. In the text it is used twice. In what context and in what meanings is it used?

IV. Note that in English there are two words that are spelt “row”. They have different meanings and are pronounced differently ([rəu] and [rau]). They are called homographs. What do they mean? Which word is used in the text? How should it be pronounced?

V. Note the pattern with the word “thing” in the following sentence: “The thing is not to have a bath and to be very slow in all movements.” The expression “the thing (about/with smb/smth) is…” is used to introduce a problem about smth/smb.

Use this pattern in a sentence of your own. Try to give advice or share your own experience.

VI. Explain the following words in English. Use an explanatory dictionary if necessary: 1) earthquake 2) fancy dress

Recounting and Interpreting Details

1. Who are the characters and what are their relations?

2. What places do they visit during the cruise?

3. Do we get much information about the sights? Why?

4. Can you reconstruct the sequence of events: a) in terms of sightseeing; b) in terms of the relationships among the cruisers?

5. What is Bertie’s occupation?

6. How did the cruisers entertain themselves?

7. What changed in their relationships during the cruise?

8. How can you describe the atmosphere on board the ship?

9. Why are there almost no punctuation marks in the story? (you may state more than one reason)

10. Imagine the writer of the letters. What information can you draw about her from these letters? Give your reasoning. You may reconstruct any missing details to outline her personality. Comment on the style of the letters. Does the vocabulary used in the story illustrate your point of view?

11. Look through the types of narrators in the “Glossary of Literary Terms”. What is the type that suits best to describe the young lady from the story?

12. Can you describe any other characters taking into consideration the type of narrator (e.g. Bertie, Mother, the purser)?

13. Comment on the purser’s words as reported by the young lady in Letter 4. How do these words relate to what she’s writing in Letter 5?

Creative Follow-up Work

I. Choose a paragraph of no less than six lines and insert punctuation marks as you consider appropriate.

II. Tell the story briefly from Bertie’s perspective. You may choose the episode with the fancy dress dance.