II. Questions and Topics for Analysis

1. What was the purpose of Christine’s telephone call?

2. Why was Dixon so glad to do her a favour?

3. What did Michie come to discuss with Dixon? What can you say about Michie’s background judging by his behaviour during the conversation?

4. How did Dixon manage to avoid the conversation with Mrs Welch?

5. What proves that he played the role well?

6. How did the Evening Post affair characterize Bertrand?

7. What effect did Christine’s appearance at the Summer Ball produce on Dixon?

8. Describe Gore-Urquhart’s looks and behaviour during the Summer Ball.

9. What might Gore-Urquhart mean by saying that Dixon was in luck? (p. 129)

10. What reflections on Dixon’s part did Margaret’s remark “Poor James” evoke?

11. What did Dixon think of Bertrand as a painter?

III. Focus on Speaking

The telephone talk is divided into several parts. Choose a part and dramatize it with your partner.

1. “Is it Mr Jackson?” – “Touchwood” (p.109)

2. “Oh, good…” – “Apparently” (p.p.109-110)

3. “I expect…” – “Hallo?” (p.110-111)

4. “I am still here” – “I just couldn’t face… ” (p.111)

5. “Hello?” – “That’s right. Good-bye” (pp.112-113)

IV. Focus on Writing

1. Translate the paragraph “He sat back … listening?”(p. 113); “Bertrand … hadn’t he?” (p.p. 124-125); “Poor James?.... on his left” (p. 130).

2. Do you agree with the statement “... the sight of beauty makes us want to move towards it” (p.125)? Write a 120-word essay on the topic “Beauty in Our Lives”.

3. Write summaries of the chapters highlighting the major events.

Assignment 7 Chapters 11, 12

I. Active Vocabulary

1. Learn the pronunciation and the meaning of the given words:

Picaroon, hidalgo, mohock, pseudo, maneuver, feminine, bystander, aphasia, ascendant, imbecile, smirk, to bait, encounter, to abandon, peevish, gingerly, decapitated, requisite, venom, to conciliate, morosely, adolescent, defiance, douche, quavering, rueful.

2. Fill in the gaps where possible with the corresponding words. Translate the words:

Noun	Adjective	Verb
		to abandon
wonderment
	deprived
impersonation
		to queen
	intervening
	mollified
	vivacious
fuzziness
deprivation

3. Learn the expressions. Recall the situations they were used in:

To be a whipping-boy, to queen smth over smb, stifle a howl, to blow a gaff about smth, to cut smth out, to cross-question smb, to be on the tip of the tongue, to ditch smb, to pack smth in, to get smb all lined up for smth, to get smb down, to bash one’s brains out, to stew in one’s own juice, to laugh a thing off, to converge on smb.