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Chapter 27

1) Find these expressions in the text, translate them and use them to describe

the situations they’re used in or make your own sentences

to take pains, to work hard at smth., to knock about, to fine down, to roar with laughter, to slip in, to make up one’s mind, to take up, to sink into one's mind, to stand in the wings, to be worked up, to bring down the house, to be taken in by smth., to make a fool of smb., to go one’s own way, to take up one's time, to do one's duty, to live in one’s pocket, to be up to one’s mark, to be at a loss

2) Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions or conjunctions

1.Julia would have liked to ask him what he was grinning ___, but dared not; for she knew; he was not angry ___ her, she could have borne that, he was merely diverted.

2.What Roger said had not really penetrated ___ Julia’s understanding, his words were lines and the important thing was not what they meant, but whether they “got over”, but she was sensitive ___ the emotion she felt ___ him.

3.I’ve never believed ___ you since, I’d been made a fool of once; I made ___ my mind that I wouldn’t ever be made a fool of again.

4.You know how ignorant I am ___ everything; your father says that if you’re going to be a barrister you ought to work ___ law when you go to Cambridge.

5.Julia did not know how she had been led to do this, and the suspicion flashed across her mind that Roger had guided the conversation ___ that direction so that it should be diverted ___ him and his affairs; but Julia put it aside.

6.Thinking that Julia had more tact than he, and more influence ___ Roger, he had urged her to put ___ him the advantages ___ the Foreign Office and the brilliant possibilities ___ the Bar.

7.Julia wanted Roger to be proud ___ her, and certainly she looked very young and pretty ___ her summer frock as she strolled ___ and ___ the platform.

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3) Translate the following sentences into English

4) Answer the following questions

1.Remember the meeting between Julia and Roger. How did Roger act at first?

2.What did Roger eventually talk to his mother about?

3.What was Julia’s reaction? Do you agree with Roger?

4.What was the thing that Roger said that bothered Julia most?

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Chapter 28

1) Find these expressions in the text, translate them and use them to describe

the situations they’re used in or make your own sentences

the first night, to have a knack of getting into the shoes, to go off without a hitch, to make quite a hit, to have half a mind to do smth., to pan out, to knock down with a feather, to give a chuckle, to set a seal on one’s career, a bitter pill to swallow, to feel slightly sick, to pass through the ordeal, to feel ill at ease, to keep out of one’s way, to be for a stroll, to romp away, to dote on smb., not to care two straws for smb., best of luck

2) Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions or conjunctions

1.When Julia came ___ the conclusion, quite definitely now, that she no longer cared two straws ___ him she could not help feeling a great pity ___ him.

2.Avice wants her freedom, she says an engagement would interfere ___ her career; naturally, I don’t want to stand ___ her way.

3.Avice says that ___ you ___ Michael have been awfully good ___ her.

4.Julia was pleased to discover that the sight ___ Tom excited no emotion ___ her; she wondered as they went ___ talking what there was in him that had ever so deeply affected her.

5.Julia gave Charles her version ___ the conversation, she left ___ one or two things that it seemed inconvenient to mention, but what she told was on the whole accurate.

6.Michael, having taken Julia’s advice, had gone to a good deal ___ trouble with Avice; he had also lunched with her several times and taken her ___ to supper.

7.Under Michael’s business-like direction everything went ___ without a hitch, and ___ ten o’clock Julia and Charles were sitting in the Grill Room of the Savoy.

8.It’s absurd to pretend that because I can play a hundred different parts ___ a hundred ways I haven’t got an individuality ___ my own.

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3) Translate the following sentences into English

1. Интересно, не забыл ли Майкл послать горячий чай тем, кто стоит в очереди?Стоитэтонедорого,азриэтценятакели.

4) Answer the following questions

1.Was Julia sorry to see Roger go? Why?

2.How did Julia portray or create her characters in the plays?

3.What did Charles think about Roger and about his future?

4.Was Tom really happy when he met Julia in the street?

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Chapter 29

1) Find these expressions in the text, translate them and use them to describe

the situations they’re used in or make your own sentences

to cod an old trooper, to burst out laughing, as innocent as a babe unborn, to come off, to take eyes away from smth., to cut in with smth., to get a knife into smb., to wipe the floor with smb., to let down smb., to be prodigal of praise, to fell like a million dollars, to put up with, to squeeze in (to), to put a spoke in one’s wheel, to be heart-whole, a bunch of nit-wits, to eat out one’s heart, to be a rare one for

2) Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions or conjunctions

1.There was no reason why Julia should not get some dramatist to write her a play

___ the subject, ___ in prose ___ in short lines of verse with rhymes at not too frequent intervals.

2.The head waiter was surprised that Julia should be having supper ___ herself, but the only emotion that it was his business to show clients was gratification ___

seeing them.

3.The corridor was packed now ___ people who wanted to get at least a glimpse

___ Julia, and Dolly had to fight her way ___.

4.Michael thought that Julia had played this trick ___ account of the rather violent flirtation he had been having ___ Avice, and though, of course, it was hard luck

___ Avice he could not help being a trifle flattered.

5.To bring ___ the colour of Avice’s blue eyes and to emphasize her hair they had dressed her ___ pale blue.

6.Tom was looking at Julia ___ twinkling eyes, and it was very difficult ___ her not to burst ___ laughing.

3) Translate the following sentences into English

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4) Answer the following questions

1.Why does Michael say that Julia can’t “cod an old trooper like him?”

2.How did Julia make sure that the author wasn’t mad about how she had changed the scene?

3.What did Julia decide to do after the performance which was a tremendous success?

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Control topics for discussion:

1.Julia and Michael, their relationship as a wife and a husband, as an actress and an actor.

2.Men in Julia’s life (Michael, Charles Tamerley, a Spaniard, Tom Fennell).

3.Julia as a wife, a woman, an actress.

4.Michael as a man, a husband, an actor.

5.Management when it concerns art, music, theatre. Money and art. Michael and his management.

6.Genius (talent) and practice (experience) in actors' fate.

7.“Double life” of actors. ( necessity; natural when acting, natural when living). Compare Julia and Michael.

8.Julia is very self-assured. What facts can support this idea?

9.Julia is a winner. She makes people and events be the way she wants them to be. What qualities contribute to her success as an actress and a woman?

10.Julia is not an ideal mother from Roger’s point of view. Does she admit this fact and regret for that?

11.Is revenge a ‘strong’ weapon in woman’s hands? Remember the case with Avice.

12.“Men are creatures of habit, that gives women such hold of them”. Agree or disagree with this idea. Use the facts from the text.

13.Julia’s reputation was so good that she could afford to do some things that seemed inadmissible for other people. Do you agree? Express your point of view.

14.“Only a woman knows what a woman can do.” Develop the idea supporting it with the facts from the text.

15.“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her” infinite variety? Can these words be referred to Julia?

16.What was Tom’s role in Julia’s life? Was he a reliable friend or just a lover?

17.Was Julia sincere saying to Avice: “You play charmingly?” Why did she want to crush Avice?

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18.“The theatre was her only refuge”. How do you understand these words relative to Julia?

19.Julia’s feelings and experiences in various life situations. Give examples.

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SHORT STORIES FOR READING AND DISCUSSING

The point of honour

Some years ago, being engaged on writing a book about Spain in the Golden Age, I had occasion to read again the plays of Calderón. Among others I read one called E! Médico de su Honra, which means the Physician of his Honour. It is a cruel play and you ,can hardly read it without a shudder. But re-reading it, I was reminded of an encounter I had had many years before which has always remained in my memory as one of the strangest I have ever known. I was quite young then and I had gone to Seville on a short visit to see the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi. It was the height of summer and the heat was terrific. Great sailcloths were drawn across the narrow streets, giving a grateful shade, but in the squares the sun beat down mercilessly. In the morning I watched the procession. It was splendid and impressive. The crowd knelt down as the Host was solemnly carried past, and the Civil Guards in full uniform stood at salute to do homage to the heavenly King. And in the afternoon I joined the dense throng which was making its way to the bull-ring. The cigarette girls and the sewing girls wore carnations in their dark hair and their young men were dressed in all their best. It was just after the Spanish-American war, and the short, embroidered jacket, the skin-tight trousers, and the broadbrimmed, lowcrowned hat were still worn. Sometimes the crowd was scattered by a picador on the wretched hack that would never survive the afternoon, and the rider, with conscious pride in his picturesque costume, exchanged pleasantries with the facetious. A long line of carriages, dilapidated and shabby, overfilled with aficionados, drove noisily along.

I went early, for it amused me to see the people gradually filling the vast arena. The cheaper seats in the sun were already packed, and it was a curious effect that the countless fans made, like the fluttering of a host of butterflies, as men and women restlessly fanned themselves. In the shade, where I was sitting, the places were taken more slowly, but even there, an hour before the fight began, one had to look rather carefully for a seat.

Presently a man stopped in front of me and with a pleasant smile asked if I could make room for him. When he had settled down, I took a sidelong glance at him and noticed that he was well dressed, in English clothes, and looked like a gentleman. He had beautiful hands, small but resolute, with thin, long fingers. Wanting a cigarette, I took out my case and thought it would be polite to offer him one. He accepted. He had evidently seen that I was a foreigner, for he thanked me in French.

`You are English?' he went on. `Yes.'

`How is it you haven't run away from the heat?'

I explained that I had come on purpose to see the Feast of Corpus Christi. `After all, it's something you must come to Seville for.'

Then I made some casual remark about the vast concourse of people.

`No one would imagine that Spain was bleeding from the loss of all that

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remained of her Empire and that her ancient glory is now nothing but a name.' `There's a great deal left.'

`The sunshine, the blue sky, and the future.'

He spoke dispassionately, as though the misfortunes of his fallen country were no concern of his. Not knowing what to reply, I remained silent. We waited. The boxes began to fill up. Ladies in their mantillas of black or white lace entered them and spread their Manila shawls over the balustrade so as to form a gay and many-coloured drapery. Now and then, when one of them was of particular beauty, a round of applause would greet her appearance and she would smile and bow without embarrassment. At last the president of the bull-fight made his entry, the band struck up, and the fighters, all glittering in their satin and gold and silver, marched swaggering across the ring. A minute later a great black bull charged in. Carried away by the horrible excitement of the contest, I noticed, notwithstanding, that my neighbour remained cool. When a man fell and only escaped by a miracle the horns of the furious beast, and with a gasp thousands sprang to their feet, he remained motionless. The bull was killed and the mules dragged out the huge carcass. I sank back exhausted.

`Do you like bull-fighting?' he asked me. `Most English do, though I have noticed that in their own country they say hard enough things about it.'

`Can one like something that fills one with horror and loathing? Each time I come to a fight I swear I will never go to another. And yet I do.'

'It's a curious passion that leads us to delight in the peril of others. Perhaps it's natural to the human race. The Romans had their gladiators and the modems have their melodramas. It may be that it is an instinct in man to find pleasure in bloodshed and torture.'

I did not answer directly.

'Don't you think that the bull-fight is the reason why human life is of so little account in Spain?'

'And do you think human life is of any great account?' he asked.

I gave him a quick look, for there was an ironical tone in his voice that no one could have missed, and I saw that his eyes were full of mockery. I flushed a little, for he made me on a sudden feel very young. I was surprised at the change of his expression. He had seemed rather an amiable man, with his large soft friendly eyes, but now his face bore a look of sardonic hauteur which was a trifle disquieting. I shrank back into my shell. We said little to one another during the rest of the afternoon, but when the last bull was killed and we all rose to our feet he shook hands with me and expressed the hope that we might meet again. It was a mere politeness and neither of us, I imagine, thought that there was even a remote possibility of it.

But quite by chance, two or three days later, we did. I was in a quarter of Seville that I did not know very well. I had been that afternoon to the palace of the Duke of Alba, which I knew had a fine garden and in one of the rooms a magnificent ceiling reputed to have been made by Moorish captives before the fall of Granada. It was not easy to gain admittance, but I wanted very much to see it and thought that now, in the height of summer when there were no tourists, with

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