Владимир Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 3 курс [calibre 2.43.0]

mistrust the outside world? 5. Was the girl entirely or partially right when despising her schoolmistresses, "who carped and were loud

over trifles"? 6. Why did she turn to a royal ideal to satisfy her ego? 7. How did Anna's attitude to her parents change at the age of

seventeen? What do you think are the reasons for it? 8. What were the most remarkable traits of Anna's character that made her unlike

the girls of her age? 9. How can you apply the information you obtained from the story to the problems which you are facing or will

have to face as a future parent (a teacher) ?

3. Find in the text the arguments to illustrate the following:

Anna Brangwen was not what we call a "problem" child, but a child who was just having problems like most young people of her

age. Try and preserve the wording of the original. Add your arguments as well.

4. Summarize the text in four paragraphs specifying the role of the family background and school experience in the moulding of a person's

character.

5. Use the Topical Vocabulary in answering the following questions:

1. What kind of person will never arrest anyone's attention? (take a risk, spend more than he can afford, take anything to heart,

lose his temper, do a silly thing, disobey instructions, w^ver in the face of danger, fail his friend)

2. What kind of people are often lonely? (are usually surrounded by friends, are easily forgotten, are quick to see the point, think

only of themselves, feel uneasy in company, keep their thoughts to themselves, easily lose their patience, enjoy other people's con-

fidence)

3. What kind of people are called good mixers, poor mixers, colourful, discreet, just, business-like, level-headed, sympathetic, re-

vengeful, squeamish, persistent, haughty, humble, placid, broad- minded, vulgar, vain, ambitious?

4. What do you call a person who can't keep a secret? (can appreciate a piece of art, feels deeply, pokes his nose into other peo-

ple's affairs, intrudes his views on others, is always sure of himself, is mostly in high spirits, gets annoyed easily, keeps on forgetting

things, is unlike others, says what he thinks, has no moral principles)

5. What traits of character would you appreciate in a wife (a husband), a mother (a father), a son (a daughter), a bosom friend?

What traits would you detest most?

6. What traits of character are required to make a good teacher, a good doctor, a good lawyer, a good journalist? What traits might

prevent one from becoming a good specialist in those fields?

6. Give a character sketch of a person you know and like (dislike). Use the Topical Vocabulary. Remember: The sketch should be informative

and convincing enough. A mere outward description of a person is not a character sketch. You should present a sort of critical analysis and pass

your own well-grounded judgement of a personality.

Outline for a Character Sketch (Personal Identification)

1. Appearance: age, height, weight, build of figure, face, hair, eyes, complexion, clothes.

2. Background: family, education, profession or occupation.

3. Likes and dislikes: with regard to people, tastes, hobbies and interests.

4. Character, temperament, disposition.

5. Conclusion.

7. You are asked to tell a group of students about your favourite fictitious (literary, film) character. Describe the character in about fifty words.

Use the Topical Vocabulary and the Outline for a Character Sketch of Ex. 6.

8. Work in pairs. Discuss real people or fictitious characters you find interesting. Bring out clearly their most prominent individual traits. One

of the students is supposed to describe a person he/she likes, the other a person he/she dislikes. Try and interrupt each other with questions to get

sufficient information about the characters you speak about. Use the Topical Vocabulary and the Outline for a Character Sketch of Ex. 6.

M o d e l :

A: I want to tell you about Peter who is by far the most affable man from all I know. I can speak about him unreservedly. He is

honest and generous, he is a man of high morals. Moreover, he is everyone's favourite ....

B: I am not as enthusiastic about people as you are. I do not take people for what they look and sound. I try to size them up

according to their deeds. That's why I pass my judgement only on second thought. Very often some little things make us change our

opinion of a person for the worse ....

9. Speak about the most striking traits of people's characters. Consider the following:

1. Your favourite traits of character in a person.

2. The traits of character you detest.

3. Your own chief characteristics.

10. Read the following interview. The expressions in bold type show the way English people describe themselves and other matters. Note them

down. Be ready to act out the Interview in class.

TV interviewer: In this week's edition of "Up with People" we went into the streets and asked a number of people a question they

just didn't expect. We asked them to be self-critical ... to ask themselves exactly what they thought they lacked or — the other side of

the coin— what virtues they had. Here is what we heard.

Jane Smith: Wel ... I ... I don't know really ... it's not the sort of question you ask yourself directly. I know I'm good at my job ... at

least my boss calls me hard-working, conscientious, efficient. I am a secretary by the way. As for when I look at myself in a mirror as it

were ... you know ... you sometimes do in the privacy of your own bedroom ... or at your reflection in the ... in the shop window as you

walk up the street... Well... then I see someone a bit different.Yes ... I'm different inmy private life. And that's probably, my main

fault I should say... I'm not exactly — Oh, how shall I say? — I suppose I'm not coherent in my behaviour ... My office is always in order

... but my flat! Well... you'd have to see it to believe it.

Charles Dimmock: Well ... I'm retired, you know. Used to be a secondary school teacher. And ... I think I've kept myself... yes, I've

kept myself respectable — that's the word I'd use — respectable and dignified the whole of my life. I've tried to help those who

depended on me. Perhaps you might consider me a bit of a fanatic about organization and discipline — self-discipline comes first —

and all that sort of thing. But basically I'm a good chap ... not two polemic ... fond of my wife and family ... That's me.

Arthur Fuller: Well... when I was young I was very shy. At times I ... I was very unhappy ... especially when I was sent to boarding-

school at seven. I didn't make close friends till ... till quite late in life ... till I was about... what... fifteen. Then I became quite good at

being myself. I had no one to rely on ... and no one to ask for advice. That made me independent ... and I've always solved my

problems myself...

11. Answer the following questions:

1. Does the self-criticism of each of the participants of the interview reveal anything about personality and attitudes? 2. Would

these people be different when described by their relations or friends? 3. What differences do you notice between the people

answering the questions of the interviewer?

12. When you describe people you either criticize or praise them. When you criticize you normally try to find faults rather than positive traits