EDUCATION

1.Talk to each other about your schooldays.

 

You should each describe:

a) a school you attended (its size, location, atmosphere)

b) a teacher you remember well

с) something at school that you particularly enjoyed

d) someone at school that you found really annoying

 

2.Report your partner's answers to the class.

 

For example:

X told mе/said that he/she...

X spoke about/talked about his/her...

X thinks/feels/remembers that he/she...

X claims/believes strongly/is convinced that...

 

3. Read the text and answer the questions:

 

Text A

Ruth at College

(Extract from the book by A. Brookner "A Start in Life ". Abridged)

 

The main advantage of being at college was that she could work in the library until nine o'clock. She was now able to feed ar clothe herself. She had, for the moment, no worries about money. In her own eyes she was rich, and it was known, how, she did not understand, that she was not on a grant (1), did not share a flat wit five others, did not live in a hall of residence, and took abundant baths, hot water being the one element of life at home.

There was also the extreme pleasure of working in a real library with access to the stacks. The greed for books was still with her, al though sharing them with others was not as pleasant as taking then to the table and reading through her meals. But in the library she came as close to a sense of belonging as she was ever likely to en counter (2).

She was never happier than when taking notes, rather elaborate notes in different coloured ball-point pens, for the need to be doing something while reading, or with reading, was beginning to assert itself. Her essays, which she approached as many women approach a meeting with a potential lover, were well received. She was heart-broken when one came back with the words "I cannot read your writing" on the bottom.

She bought herself a couple of pleated skirts, like those worn by Miss Parker;* she bought cardigans and saddle shoes (3) and thus found a style to which she would adhere for the rest of her life.

The days were not long enough. Ruth rose early, went out for a newspaper and some rolls, made coffee, and washed up, all before anybody was stirring. She was the neatest person in the house. As she opened the front door to leave, she could hear the others greeting the day from their beds with a variety of complaining noises, and escaped quickly before their blurred faces and slippered feet could spoil her morning. She was at one with the commuters at the bus stop (4). There would be lectures until lunch time, tutorials in the afternoon. In the Common Room there was an electric kettle and she took to supplying the milk and sugar (5). It was more of a home iii.in home had been for a very long time. There was always some-Ono to talk to after the seminar, and she would take a walk in the evening streets before sitting down for her meal in a sandwich bar at about six thirty. Then there was work in the library until nine, and the would reach home at about ten.

She thought him exemplary and regretted having no good works to report back.15 The race for virtue, which she had always read about, was on.

So Ruth took more of Anthea'sadvice and found a flat for herself.

 

Comprehension Check

 

1. What was the main advantage of being at college?

2. Why did Ruth consider herself rich?

3.What did Ruth like about working in the library?

4.What did Ruth do while reading?

5.How did Ruth change her image?

6.When did Ruth leave for the university?

7.How did Ruth spend her day in the college?

8.Why did Ruth and Anthea become friends?

9.What sort of questions would Anthea ask?

10.What change took place at the end of the second year in Ruth?

11.What did Ruth do to find a new style of life?

12.When did Anthea say that she was not sure whether Ruth was all there?

 

 

Make up all possible derivatives from the stems of the verbs below.

Share, assert, adhere, complain, bore, accept, require, inspire, oppress,

Prompt, absorb, wrestle, report.

Pronounce the words correctly and comment on the shift of meaning in

The pairs of 1) one-stem nouns and adjectives; 2) one-stem verbs and

Nouns.

 

1) advantage — advantageous anxious — anxiety extreme — extremity

attractive — attraction greed — greedy presence— present

conflicting — conflict violent — violence

2) to note — note to examine — examine to receive — reception

to devote — devotion to supply — supply to concern — concern

to subject — subject to absorb — absorption

 

7. Speak of Ruth’s college life:

1. in the third person;

2. in the person of Ruth;

3. in the person of her friend Anthea.