"THEATRE" by W. S. Maugham (Chapters 7-10)

I. Find the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian:

Placidity - спокойный

to make frantic scenes - закатывать безумные (неистовые) сцены

to give sb. a look of scorn - бросить презрительный взгляд на кого-либо

lavishness - щедрость

to know how to pull strings adroitly – знать как пустить в ход связи

to fall out of love - разлюбить

close-cropped hair - коротко стриженный

to resist an inclination - удержаться от чего-то

weather-beaten skin - обветренная кожа

coltish grace - щенячья грация

to be on active service - быть в действующей армии

confinement - роды

to run a theatre - открыть театр

effusive - несдержанный

virile air – зрелый вид

to set one's mind to smth - стремиться к чему-либо

disconcerting - смущающий

it's a knock out - сногсшибательно

amiability - добродушие

affable manner - дружеское обращение

to exercise great ingenuity in (doing) smth - проявить великую изобретательность в чем-то

to be unperturbed - быть невозмутимым

shrewdness - проницательность

to grizzle - возмущаться, раздражать

it's a mere commonplace - это банально

exorbitant - непомерный

to be conciliatory - дружелюбный

to foster one's career - способствовать чьей-то карьере

prosiness - прозаичность

acumen - проницательность

to have one's face lifted - подтянуть кожу лица

it's no good crying over spilt milk - потерянного не воротишь

to have little flirtations - заводить небольшие интриги

masseuse - массажистка

gossip column - колонка светской хроники

the world of make-believe - мир притворства

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Michael and Julia do when the war broke out?

Michael and Julia were acting when the war broke out.

2. Why do you think Michael enjoyed the war?

Michael’s father and his grandfather were military men and Michael could not but participate it. He also was a patriot.

3. Do you think love is important for a successful family life? Would you share your point of view on this problem with your fellow students?

I’m absolutely sure that love is one of the most important things for a successful family life, it’s the basic element of any family. Surely, everyone has their own point of view.

4. How did it happen that Julia fell out of love with Michael?

She fell out of love with him before the end of the war, she realized that he was no longer young, he was already a man.

5. How did Michael manage to find the money to rent a theatre? What was the theatre called? Who was in the partnership with him?

They had a plan, they wanted to find a rich man, who fell in love with Julia or a rich old woman, who fell in love with Michael and ask this person for money. Finally they find a woman who was interested in Julia. Mrs. de Vries was in the partnership with them. The theatre was called “The Siddons theatre”.

6. Why was Julia against Michael's taking up directing?

Julia thought he had no talent for it, she said that he had no fantasy.

7. What kind of director was Michael?

He was a good director, Julia didn’t expect it from him. “He was thorough; he worked hard. Julia, strangely enough, felt that he was getting more out of her than any other director had done”.

8. What irritated Julia in Michael more and more? How did he change in Julia's eyes?

“His thrift, which in the early days had seemed an amusing, rather touching trait, now revolted her. When people were in trouble, and on the stage they too often are, they got sympathy and kind friendly words from Michael, but very little cash. He looked upon himself as devilish generous when he parted with a guinea, and a five‑pound note was to him the extreme of lavishness. He had soon discovered that Julia ran the house extravagantly, and insisting that he wanted to save her trouble took the matter in his own hands. After that nothing was wasted. Every penny was accounted for. Julia wondered why servants stayed with them”.

9. Why was Julia sad when she thought of her married life?

Julia fell out of love with Michael, she had never thought that such thing could happen with her, Michael’s manners; everything in his behavior irritated her.

10. Why was Michael happier than he had been before?

Julia became more complaisant than she’d been before, she stopped make scenes, Michael liked it, he didn’t know that she fell out of love with him, he just thought that Julia changed her behavior for the better.

11. Julia's dresser and maid was a Cockney, wasn't she? Please prove it using the examples from the text.

“Evie was Julia's dresser and maid. She had come to her first at Middlepool and had accompanied her to London. She was a cockney, a thin, raddled, angular woman, with red hair which was always untidy and looked as if it much needed washing, two of her front teeth were missing but, notwithstanding Julia's offer, repeated for years, to provide her with new ones she would not have them replaced.”
Cockney dialect characterized by colloquial pronunciation and grammatical errors: "if he saw you now 'e wouldn't, not if I know anything about men"

12. Who was the unknown man who sent flowers to Julia? Why did she write him a thank you note?

Lord Charles Tamerley sent flowers to Julia, he “was the oldest and the most constant of Julia's admirers”. Julia answered to all letters from her fans, she was polite with them.

III. Make up a list of words and phrases describing Michael's appearance and character. Say what you think of him.

He was the best- looking actor on the English stage.

The only thing that slightly spoiled him was the thinness of his mouth.

He was six foot tall and he had a gallant bearing.

He had a very good figure, a great mass of curling chestnut hair and large deep blue eyes, a straight nose and small ears.

He was so handsome that it took your breath away.

He had an easy manner and he talked like a gentleman.

He was good-looking and kindly.

He was eager to get on.

His voice was a trifle thin.

He was easy enough in ordinary dialogue.

He was prosy, near with his money, self-complacent, but how extraordinarily kind he was and how unselfish.

He was devoid of envy.

A perfect gentleman.

He didn’t much like spending money.

He was friendly, good-humoured and kind.

Very simple-minded in some ways.

He had no fantasy and his ideas were commonplace.

Honest.

A perfect husband.

He took his beauty for granted.

He devoted anxious care to his figure.

He was prudent and all he wanted was admiration.

I like Michael’s way of living, he is handsome, hard-working, purposeful, he is devoted to his wife, his family and work. Michael is a little vain (he takes his beauty for granted) , but at the same time, he is thoughtful, honest and kind men. His attitude to money enchant me, he is a perfect gentlemen.

IV. Comment on the phrase from chapter 9: "Roger had been entered for Eton within a week of his birth." Comment on it. Give a short presentation on public schools in Britain.

Eton college is a public very prestigious school for boys in England. Roger’s parents wanted nothing but the best for their child, that’s why he was sent to this school.

 The British public school can be characterized by institutional independence, an emphasis on the ideal of a "liberal" curriculum, and a fee-paying student body that frequently boards at the school.

Public schools can be full boarding (pupils live there all academic year except for holidays), normal (pupils go home every day) and mixed (some pupils go home every weekend and some stay). Until very recently public schools were either all-boys or all-girls. some public schools charge up to £20,000 a year. There are some grants for bright pupils as well but the places are few and the competition is very strong. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that only six percent of the people in the UK can afford it. The other important criterion is that you have to belong to the right class as the class system in Britain is still very important. Mostly, public education is a privilege of the upper middle and upper classes. The entrance exams used by most public schools are known as Common Entrance exams and are taken at the age of 11 (girls) or 13 (boys).

VI. Give a summary of chapters 7-10.

Michael and Julia had a happy family life, they both were acting when the war broke out. Michael volunteered and Julia continued to act on the stage. Julia took hard their parting, but when he returned, she realized that she fell out of love with him, he was still handsome, but now he was a men, not a young boy, she loved. They respected each other and they had an aim – to open their own theatre. Mrs. de Vries was their partnership and Michael became a director of the theatre. Julia became one of the most famous actresses and had lots of fans, one of them was Tomas Fennel.