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. Piano players usually have slender fingers.

a. long b. short c. slim d. quick

2. There’s no point worrying over such trifles.

a. minor diseases b. small, unimportant things

c. stupid people d. things that are not likely to happen

3. A massage will relax those tense muscles.

a. tired b. aching c. weakened d. not relaxed

4. There are substantial fines for exceeding permitted levels of noise pollution.

a. regular b. legal c. allowed d. recommended

5. He never deviated from his original plan.

a. profited b. acted differently

c. gave attention to every detail d. drew conclusions

6. I’m sure she’ll be an asset to the team.

a. downside b. surprise c. weak link d. valuable thing

7. Human nature is frail.

a. mysterious b. weak c. strong d. unexplainable

8. He’s highly susceptible to flattery.

a. sensitive b. opposed to c. able to discern d. likely to be influenced

II. Find in the text

a) two adjectives with the suffix -less;

b) an adjective with the suffix –ish. What do these suffixes mean?

c) a noun which has the same meaning as “advertisement”.

III. Note that the words “feature”, “touch”, “force” and “lead” can be both nouns and verbs. In what meanings are they used in the text? (The word “touch” is used twice).

Which meaning of the word “feature” is related to the topic “cinema”?

Mind that the word “lead” had a homograph which is pronounced [led] (a type of metal).

IV. What does the verb “to flatter” mean? Illustrate it with your own example.

In the text it is used as a part of the idiom “to be flattered”. How does its meaning change in this case?

V. Explain the following words in English. Use an explanatory dictionary if necessary. If a word has several meanings, point out the meaning in which it is used in the text.

1) to discourage 2) ambitious 3) stubborn

4) to shrug 5) starlet 6) to confess

VI. Grammar Point.

Do not confuse the patterns “used to” and “to be/get used to smth”.

• We use “used to” to talk about something that happened regularly in the past, but is no longer true. E.g. I used to smoke, but I gave up a couple of years ago. Note that “used” is followed by an Infinitive. “Used” is a verb in Past Simple here; “to” is a particle before the Infinitive.

• We use “to be used to smth/doing smth” to talk about something that is habitual for somebody at present. E.g. We’re used to the noise of the traffic now. “Used” is an adjective here; “to” is a preposition.

We can also use the expression “get used to” to talk about a change in somebody’s habits, about becoming habituated to something. Note that “to be/get used to smth” is followed either by a noun or a Gerund.

Which pattern is used in the story twice and in what context?

Give your own examples with these patterns. Try to relate them to your experience.

Recounting and Interpreting Details

1. Who was Carol Hunt and what was her ambition?

2. Describe the appearance of Carol Hunt.

3. How did her screen test go? Who arranged it?

4. Why did the man who arranged the test refuse to sign Carol to a contract? How do you understand the following phrase describing the old man’s reasons for refusal: “[he was] honeying the harsh, official, impersonal truth with his own sweet-tempered, but personal and therefore finally valueless truth”?

5. What solution to the problem did the man propose?

6. Was Carol ready to do everything to get a chance of featuring in movies? Why did she refuse to change her appearance? (find at least two reasons) How do you understand the old man’s phrase that for the stage Carol’s nose was “better than faultless”?

7. In what part of the episode is Carol being naïve and in what part is she being sophisticated?

8. In what part is the old man being sincere and well-disposed and in what part is he being ironic?

9. What was the old man’s attitude towards Carol and Carol’s attitude towards the old man? What impression do these characters produce on you? How do you understand the following phrase describing the old man’s reaction to Carol’s confession: “The old man stared at her, rewarding her candour with surprise”? Why is the verb “to reward” used?

10. What was the outcome of the meeting? Do you think Carol made the right choice?

Creative Follow-up Work

Do you think Carol succeeded as an actress? How did her career develop, to your mind? Finish the story in any way you like.

To find out what actually happened read the whole story “Wistful, Delicately Gay” by Irwin Shaw.