8.9 Unit 9 Mark Twain

8.9.1 Read and translate the text

_{Mark Twain (1835-1910)}

All modern American literature comes

from one book by Mark Twain

called Huckleberry Finn.

Ernest Hemingway

Mark Twain is a famous American writer. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. "Mark Twain" was his pen name. On the river Samuel often heard the boatmen shout "Mark twain." This meant the water was twelve feet deep. When Samuel began to write he chose for himself the name Mark Twain.

Samuel Clemens was born in 1835 in a small town in the State of Missouri in the USA. When the boy was five years old, he was sent to school. Little Samuel did not like school, but he had many friends at school. Samuel was their leader. In sum­mer, when school was over, the boys spent many happy hours on the Missouri River. When he be­came a writer he wrote about his friends in his stories. Tom Sawyer was very often a portrait of the writer; Huckleberry Finn was his friend Tom Blankenship; Aunt Polly was his mother; Tom's brother Sid was like Mark Twain's brother Henry.

When Samuel was 11 years old, his father died, leaving nothing to his wife and four children. Samuel had to leave school and look for work. His elder brother was working as a printer and he helped Samuel to learn printing. For some years Samuel worked as a printer for the town newspaper and wrote short humorous stories for the newspaper.

In 1853 Samuel decided to leave home. He wanted to be a sailor. First, he went to St. Louis, then to New York, then to Philadelphia. When Samuel was 20 years old he found a job on a boat travelling up and down the Mississippi. On that boat he learned the work of a pilot. The pilot had to know the river very well when he took a ship along it.

Then Samuel Clemens went to California and worked on gold-mines for a year. There he con­tinued writing humorous stories. He sent them to newspapers under the pen name of Mark Twain. The publishers and readers liked his stories. Mark Twain was invited to work as a journalist for a newspaper.

In 1870 he got married, and a new and happy life began for him. He had one son and three daughters. He loved his family very much.

In 1876 Mark Twain published his best novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and in 1884 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

These novels are known and loved by children and grown-ups all over the world.

8.9.2 Post -Text Exercises

8.9.2.1 Pronounce the following words and proper names

Mark Twain - Марк Твен

Ernest Hemingway - Эрнест Хемингуэй

Samuel Langhorne Clemens - Сэмюэль Лэнгхорн Клеменс

the State of Missouri - штат Миссури

the Missouri River - река Миссури

New York – Нью- Йорк

St. Louis – Сен- Луи

Philadelphia - Филадельфия

the Mississippi - Миссисипи

California - Калифорния

Tom Sawyer - Том Сойер

Huckleberry Finn - Гекельбери Финн

real - настоящий

pen name - псевдоним

portrait - описание, портрет

to look for - искать

printer - печатник

printing - печатание

humorous - юмористический

sailor - моряк

boat - лодка

pilot - лоцман

gold-mine - золотой рудник, прииск

to publish - публиковать

journalist - журналист

to get married - жениться

adventure - приключение

grown-up - взрослый

boatman - лодочник

shout - крик

deep – глубина

8.9.2.2 Answer the questions

1. What was Mark Twain's real name? Why did he choose such a pen name?

2. Where and when was the famous American writer born?

3. At what age did he begin to go to school?

4. Did Samuel like to go to school?

5. Who were the prototypes of the heroes of his stories?

6. What happened to Samuel's family when his father died?

7. Who helped Samuel to learn printing?

8. Where did Samuel work as a printer?

9. What stories did he write when he worked as a printer?

9. Why did Samuel decide to leave home in 1853? Where did he go?

10. What job did Samuel find when he was 20 years old?

11. Where did Samuel go then? Where did he work for a year?

12. Where was Mark Twain invited to work as a journalist?

13. When did he get married? Was he happy with his family? How many children did he have?

14. When did Mark Twain publish his best novels?

8.9.2.3 Read the beginning of the sentence and find its end in the text

1. In 1870 he got married and ...

2. The pilot had to know ...

3. This meant ...

4. In summer, when school was over, ...

5. Samuel Clemens was born in ...

6. For some years Samuel worked as ...

7. In 1876 Mark Twain published his best no­vel ...

8. When Samuel was 20 years old ...

9. These novels are known and ...

10. When he became a writer, ...

11. First, he went to St. Louis ...

8.9.2.4 Put in the missing words according to the text

1. Samuel was their ....

2. "Mark Twain" was his ... name.

3. Then Samuel Clemens went to California and worked on ... for a year.

4. On the river ... Samuel often heard the boat­ men ... "Mark twain." This meant the water was twelve ....

5. On that boat he learned the work of a ... .

6. His elder brother was working as ... and he helped Samuel to learn ... .

7. His ... name was Samuel Langhorne Cle­mens.

8. Samuel was their ....

8.9.2.5 Choose the correct verb for each blank: was invited, was sent, had, took, decided, began, was, was, published, spent

1. In summer, when school ... over, the boys ... many happy hours on the Missouri River.

2. Mark Twain ... to work as a journalist for a newspaper.

3. In 1876 Mark Twain ... his best novel The Ad­ventures of Tom Sawyer and in 1884 The Adven­tures of Huckleberry Finn.

4. When Samuel... to write he chose for himself the name Mark Twain.

5. When the boy ... five years old, he ... to school.

6. The pilot ... to know the river very well when he ... a ship along it.

7. In 1853 Samuel ... to leave home.

8.9.2.6 Read and learn the dialogue by heart. Then act it out

Carol: 4827086.

Cathy: Carol? It's Cathy speaking. How are you getting on?

Carol: I am well. And you?

Cathy: Not too bad. Can you help me, Carol?

Carol: Certainly. What's the problem?

Cathy: I need your advice. My younger brother has read all books for children we have at home. Now I'm going to the library be­cause I want to borrow some books for him. He can't go there himself because he is ill.

Carol: What kind of books does he prefer? As far as I remember, he is in the 6th form, isn't he?

Cathy: Yes, you are quite right. If I'm not mis­taken, he enjoys reading adventure novels and different detective stories.

Carol: It seems to me that a detective story isn't a good reading for him. What do you think about The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain? Has he read this novel yet?

Cathy: I know for sure he hasn't. What a good idea! This novel is loved by children and grown-ups all over the world. As for me, I've read this novel several times.

Carol: OK. Come to me right now and I'll give you this book. Is that OK with you?

Cathy: Oh, it's great! Thanks for your help, Carol. I knew you would give me good advice and help me.

Carol: You're welcome.