Материал: 4555

adventure stories – приключенческие рассказы love stories – любовные истории

historical novels – исторические романы travel hooks – книги о путешествиях detective stories – детективные рассказы science fiction – научная фантастика fantasy – фэнтези

reminiscences – воспоминания, мемуары social novels – социальные романы psychological drama – психологическая драма

Ex. 2. Work "in a chain", asking and answering the given question. Use the words and word-combinations from the list above.

A (to B). What kind of reading do you. prefer?

В(to A). Oh, I am fond of love stories.

В(to D). What kind of reading do you prefer? (to C) .........

Ex. 3. Speak about your reading tastes according to the following pattern (fill in the blanks with the words and word-combinations from the Ex. 1.

Ex. 4. Practice reading the following question and answers. Work "in a chain"

A.Where do you get books for reading?

B.I buy books.

We have a rich home library.

I draw books from our school library (the local library, the city library). I borrow books from my friends (my relatives) .

Ex. 5. Give a definition for the following types of books.

about their meanings, pronunciations, etc.

Ex. 6. Read the text. Try to guess the meaning of underlined words from the context. Then use a dictionary to check the words.

Agatha Christie

Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie is possibly the world’s most famous detective story writer. She wrote 79 novels and several plays. Her sales outnumber those of William Shakespeare. However, behind her 4, 680,000 words was a painfully shy woman whose life was often lonely and unhappy.

She was born in 1890 in Devon, the third child of Clarissa and Frederick Miller, and grew into a beautiful and sensitive girl with waist-length golden hair. She didn’t go to school but was educated at home by her mother. Her father died when she was 11 and both she and her mother were grief-stricken.

During World War I, while she was working in a hospital dispensary, she learned about chemicals and poisons, which proved very useful to her in her later career. She wrote her first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920. In it she introduced Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective who арреаred many subsequent novels. Her other main detective was an elderly spinster called Miss Marple.

In 1914, at the beginning of the war, she had married Archibald Christie but the marriage was unhappy. It didn't last and they divorced in 1926. That year there was a double tragedy in her life because her much-loved mother died. Agatha suffered a nervous breakdown, and one night she abandoned her car and. mysteriously disappeared. She went missing for 11 days and was eventually found in a hotel in Harrogate, in the North of England.

It is interesting to note that it was while she was suffering so much that she wrote one of her masterpieces. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Agatha desperately wanted solitude and developed very bitter feelings towards the media because the newspapers had given her a hard time over her breakdown and disappearance. She was determined never to let them enter hex private life again and she buried herself in her work. 0n 25 November 1952 her play The Mousetrap opened in London. Today, over 40 years later, it is still running. It is the longest running show in the whole world.

She enjoyed a very happy second marriage to Max Mallowan, an archaeologist. Her detective skills were a help to him in his excavations in Syria and Iraq. By successfully staying out of the limelight she ultimately found happiness with her beloved husband. She died peacefully in 1976.

Ex. 7. Answer the following questions.

1.Where was she born?

2.When was she born?

3.What do you learn about her childhood?

4.Which people played a part in her career?

5.What do you think were the most important events in her life?

6.What have you learnt about works?

7.When did she die?

Ex. 8. Explain the important dates of A. Christie’s life.

1890, 1914, 1920, 1926, 1952, 1976.

Ex.9. Note-taking and discussion. Choose one of the most famous writes in your country and write some notes about him/her. Discuss your notes with a partner.

-Is he/she alive or dead?

-What is/was he/she?

-What works do you know?

-Do you like his/her work? Why? Why not?

-What do you know about his/her life?

Ex.10. Speak about a book or story you have read, using the following pattern.

I am going to say a few words about a book (story) I've recently read.

The scene is laid in (place) in the (time). The plot of the book (story) is interesting. The characters are well drawn.

The book is about a … who … (here you are to give the brief content of the book or the story)

humorous

There are some funny episodes in the book (story). sad

tragic

smiling

I could not help laughing when I read about (how) … feeling sad

crying

To cut a long story short, … (here you are to describe the end of the book or the story).

On the whole, the book (story) is interesting. It is worth reading.

historical novels,

If you like adventure stories I advise you to read it. science fiction

novels of everyday life etc.

Ex.11. Practice reading the following words and word combinations. Learn them by heart.

I am in a difficulty – я в затруднении

rather hard to say – довольно трудно сказать stupid – глупый

cheap stuff – ерунда, макулатура may be called – можно назвать

first-rate literature – первоклассная литература for instance – например

I wouldn't advise – я бы не посоветовал he is considered – он считается

to read more than half way through – прочитать больше чем до половины

Ex.12. Read the following dialogue and discus your reading tastes with your friend by analogy.

A:I want to buy a book as a birthday present for my younger brother, and I am in a difficulty what to choose.

B:And what kind of reading does he like?

A:It's rather hard to say. He is a regular bookworm. He reads everything he can lay his hands on: adventures and travel books-worm. He reads

everything he can lay his hands on: adventures and travel books, fairy-

tales

and fantasy, science fiction and historical novels. The last thing I saw him reading was a detective story.

B:I find detective stories stupid. I can't read any of them more than half way

through. Cheap stuff, I call them.

A:I can't say that. Some detective stories are very clever and may be called first-rate literature. Take books by Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, for instance.

B:Well, maybe you are right. Anyway, I wouldn't advise you to buy a detective story for your brother. Buy him a good historical novel. It's

instructive reading.

A:A historical novel... h-m... not a bad idea.

B:What about Walter Scott? He is a very talented, world-famous author.

A:Yes. And I know that He is considered the father of the historical novel.

B:That's right. Has your brother read "Ivanhoe?"

A:Not yet.

B:Then buy him "Ivanhoe". I am sure-he will like it.

A:Yes, certainly. Thank you for your good advice.

Ex.13. Here are some more names of well-known writers.

Do you know who is who?

Model: Pushkin is a well-known classic poet.

Ex.14. Think over these two sayings and write if you agree or disagree with them, explain why.

1.Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. (R. Steel, 1672-1729).

2.A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read. (Mark Twain, 1835-1910)