EXERCISES
1. Listen to the tale read by the famous British actor Stephen Fry. You can also watch a cartoon on Youtube with subtitles narrated by Paul Hecht:Search: The Selfish Giant - Oscar Wilde - Animated Short Film (26.06) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btNVUWikg7M On finishing, answer the questions: 1. What kind of story it is (an adventure story, a love story, a psychological story, a detective story, a sci-fi story, a myth, a fable, a story for children, other)? 2. What is the theme of the text (life of giants, gardening, school, education, friendship, anything else)? 3. Who is the main character and what happens to him?
Now read the tale looking up new words in your dictionary and writing them down in your workbook. The Selfish Giant A Fairy Tale by Oscar Wilde Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden. It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. "How happy we are here!" they cried to each other. One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden. "What are you doing here?" he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away. "My own garden is my own garden," said the Giant; "any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself." So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.
2. Transcribe the words, learn their meanings, spelling and pronunciation: giant, ogre, palm, sword, castle, trespasser, prosecute, wander, wrap, roar, cease, perfume, underneath, wound, delicate, paradise, kneel, wicked, anger, awe 3. Give the English for: сладко петь, повесить объявление, наказывать, щебетать, грохотать, снести стену, подкрасться, протянуть руки, обвить шею руками, осмелиться, потереть глаза в изумлении, восхищаться чем-либо, попрощаться, побагроветь, поспешить
4. Paraphrase or explain the meaning of: - The tree broke out in blossom in spring. - His conversation was limited. - The birds didn’t care to sing in the garden. - He saw a most wonderful sight. - His heart melted. - He longed for his first little friend.
5. Comprehension and discussion questions: 1. What did the Giant’s garden look like when the children used to play in it? 2. Why didn’t the Giant let the children play in his garden? 3. Why was it always winter in the Giant’s garden? 4. What did the Giant hear & see one morning? 5. Why was it still winter in one corner of the garden? 6. What happened to the Selfish Giant when he saw the children? 7. Why did his garden become the most beautiful garden? 8. Why did the boy miss the little boy so much? 9. How is the Giant’s death described at the end of the fairy tale? 10. What is the fairy tale about? What makes it so poetic?
6. Сhoose a passage for reading and literary translation: 1. “Every afternoon, … he saw children playing in the garden.” 2. “ Then the Spring came … all the year round.” 3. “The Snow covered … and his breath was like ice.” 4. “He saw a most wonderful sight … he was wandering all round it, crying bitterly”. 5. “ The poor tree was still quite covered … He was really very sorry for what he had done”. 6. “So he crept downstairs … and with them came the spring”. 7. “Every afternoon, when school was over, … and that the flowers were resting.” 8. “Suddenly he rubbed his eyes … on the little feet”.
6. Write a short composition (200 words) on one of the topics. What does the proverb mean? Agree or disagree with the statement: 1. “The leopard cannot change his spots”. 2. “The children are the most beautiful flowers of all.” 3. “One is nearer God’s heart in a garden”.
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