Speech and composition

Ex 58 Answer the following questions, using the vocabulary of the lesson. Sum up your answers (orally, or in writing).

FIRE IN THE HOUSE

1. Why must you always be sure that you have turned off the gas and lights when you leave home? 2. Why is it dangerous to leave the gas on? What may happen? 3. What's the quickest way to put out a fire (if, say, the tablecloth or the curtains are on fire)? 4. Why mustn't you get excited or lose your head? 5. What is the telephone number of the city fire brigade? Why is it usually a two-figure number? 6. Have you ever phoned the fire brigade service? When was it? 7. What must you do if you catch the smell of gas in your flat? 8. Why is it dangerous to light a match or turn on the light if the kitchen is full of gas? What may happen?

LOSING ONE'S WAY

1. Have you ever lost your way in a strange town (in a forest, etc)? 2. How did it happen? 3. Who helped you to find your way back home (to the hotel; through the forest)? 4. Did you expect help to come so quickly? 5. How much time did it take you to get to the right road (place, etc) again? 6. It was kind of the man to take you all the way back (show you the way; explain how to get home), wasn't it?

Ex 59 Read the passage. Answer the questions. Retell (or write up) the passage in English.

Начало литературной деятельности Джека Лондона относится к последнему десятилетию XIX века. К этому времени в жизни Соединенных Штатов Америки произошли глубокие экономические и социальные перемены. Американский империализм вступил в свою последнюю, империалистическую стадию развития.

В США, как и в странах Запада, эпоха империализма ознаменовалась наступлением жестокой политической реакции и общим кризисом буржуазной культуры. Официальная буржуазная литература всячески отвлекала читателя от серьезных социальных вопросов, кормила его баснями о всеобщем благополучии и «равных возможностях» и исключала всякий намек на существование глубочайших общественных противоречий,

Лишь немногие писатели, среди которых прежде всего следует назвать имена М. Твена (Mark Twain), Ф. Норриса (Frank Norris), С. Крейна (Stephen Crane), Л. Стеффенса (Lincoln Steffens), Т. Драйзера (Theodore Dreiser), отстаивали правду и боролись за реалистическое искусство. Несомненно, что к этому прогрессивному лагерю американской литературы принадлежал и Лондон.

Творчество Лондона достигает наивысшего расцвета в 1905— 1910 гг. Писатель в этот период принимает активное участие в рабочем движении. Он восторженно приветствует русскую революцию 1905 г. Его многочисленные лекции и статьи, проникнутые глубокой верой в близкое торжество социалистической революции, сделали его популярнейшим писателем среди американских рабочих. В эти годы он создает свои лучшие произведения: сборники публицистических статей «Борьба классов» (War of the Classes) (1905), «Революция» (Revolution and Other Essays) (1908), романы «Железная пята» (The Iron Heel) (1907) и «Мартин Иден» (Martin Eden).

(Из предисловия П. Федунова к роману «Мартин Иден», 1953 г.)

Questions

1. When did Jack London turn to writing? 2. What changes had taken place in the USA by that time (the last decade of the 19th century)? 3. What was behind those profound socio-economic developments? 4. When did US capitalism enter its final stage of development? 5. Was the USA the only country in the world where imperialism had triggered off brutal political reaction as well as a general crisis of bourgeois culture? 6. How did the official bourgeois literature see its task? 7. In what ways did the official bourgeois literature try to divert the attention of the masses from the burning social problems of the day? 8. What fairytales did it feed to the general public? 9. What part did the concepts of general prosperity and "equal opportunity" play in the official propaganda campaign? 10. What did official writings have to say about the differences and contradictions in American society? 11. What are the names of the American writers who fought for a truly realistic art? 12. What years mark the peak of Jack London's literary career? 13. What made Jack London's novels and political essays so popular with the American working-class reader? Would you say it was his deep belief in an early victory of the socialist revolution? 14. What are Jack London's most famous works? 15. When were they written?

Ex 60 Act as interpreter. Sum up the dialogue.

A: Who looks after public order in the Soviet Union? How is privacy of citizens and safety of their property protected?

В: Как и в любой стране, в Советском Союзе есть специальные государственные органы, общественные организации и должностные лица, которые следят за поддержанием общественного порядка и за охраной личной жизни населения и их имущества.

A: I've read that under Soviet power all kinds of crime and especially dangerous crimes as well as robbery and murder have been rapidly reduced. How can you explain this?

В: В Советском Союзе, в противоположность капиталистическому миру, отсутствуют социальные и политические причины для преступлений. У нас нет эксплуатации человека человеком, все граждане социально равны.

A: Very often crimes are committed by people for reasons of unemployment, poverty as well as national inequality. What about the Soviet Union?

В: В Советском Союзе нет безработицы, нет нищеты. Все национальности имеют равные права. В этом, пожалуй, основная причина уменьшения количества правонарушений (offences).

Ex 61 Use the following words and phrases in situations of your own.

1. A Good Lesson

used to; lose things; happen; look for an important document; get excited; turn on all the lights; look under the table (behind the chairs, etc); move the piano; push the table out of one's way; be sure that...; What if...? a whole hour; have no time left; catch a taxi; be late for; make a decision; put things in their right places; learn one's lesson well.

2. A Cry for Help

happen; camp near a river; stay behind; do the cooking; make a fire; suddenly; a loud cry; listen without moving; run to the river as fast as one can; a big crowd; show to sth; a dangerous place; a poor swimmer; be in danger; need help badly; lose one's head; cry out for help; cry to sb; throw а горе (веревка) to sb; catch the rope; pull sb out of the water; come just in time; advise sb; explain the danger to sb.

3. A Misunderstanding

a tall building; several entrances; arrange to meet sb; wait for sb outside; expect sb to come out through the main entrance; for two whole hours; wonder what has happened; get excited; suddenly; remember; side entrance; be sure that...; look for sb; look angry; say "Hallo" coldly; smile bitterly; explain sth to sb; see one's mistake.