Use the phrases in your own sentences

Language Activities

Comprehension

Answer the following questions:

1. Who looked upon Louise as a comic figure?

2. Who was convinced that Louise was much too delicate for marriage?

3. Who had to give up golf and hunting to please Louise?

4. Who had an unconquerable spirit?

5. Who caught death of cold while sailing?

6. Who a fine, upstanding fellow, not at all badly off?

7. Who was grateful for the privilege of being allowed to take care of Louise?

8. Who was forced to spend the winter at Monte Carlo and the summer at Deauville?

9. Who had to brace himself now and then with a stiff drink?

10. Who had never been allowed to make a noise?

11. Who was always glad to receive friends at tea-time?

12. Who was blaming Louise for ruining the life of her daughter?

 

2. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Louise could always find a man to take care of her? Why did her two husbands give up everything to make her happy?

2. Why did her second husband have to brace himself now and then with a drink for his day’s work of Louise’s husband? What kind of work do you think it was?

3. Why do you think Louise turned her villa at Monte Carlo into a hospital? Did she really mean to distract her mind?

4. Why didn’t she look at forty a day more than twenty-five?

5. Was Louise’s health really very weak or did she ‘carry out a bluff for twenty-five years’ as the author put it? Was she ‘the most selfish and monstrous woman’?

6. Did she ‘ruin the lives of those two unhappy men she married’? Was she going to ruin the life of her daughter?

7. ‘She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her’. What does the final sentence of the story mean? Why do you think Louise died on the wedding day?

8. What’s your personal opinion of Louise?

 

Vocabulary

Translate the words and phrases:

за чьей-либо спиной, оставить в покое, близко знать друг друга, искать чьего-либо общества, обожать, заботиться о ком-либо, в глубине души, сделать предложение кому-либо, души не чаять, забросить спорт, уступать кому-либо, по странному совпадению, однажды, покачать головой, пережить кого-либо, оставить солидное состояние, выдержать удар, пальцем не пошевелить, от души жалеть, удвоить внимание к, возиться сжалким инвалидом, подающий надежды, отказаться отсвоей карьеры, поддаваться горю, быть несправедливым по отношению к кому-либо, жертвовать (собой), бывать в обществе, иметь личную жизнь, отложить на неопределенное время, хоронить, жалость к, жалеть кого-либо, сдержать слово, назначить день.

 

Guess the words from the text:

· believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere – cynical

· someone you have known for a long time - old association

· a very dishonest person, especially a criminal or a cheat - crooks

· weak or unhealthy, or easily harmed - frail

· to give someone a duty for which they are responsible - entrusted her to

· to be extremely good at something - excelled in

· allowing themselves to be controlled by other people - submissive

· the ability to keep doing something difficult, unpleasant, or painful for a long time - endurance

· behaving in a good and moral way – upstanding

· the physical and/or mental strength to do something that might be difficult and will take a long time – stamina

· to complain to someone – remonstrate

· a collection of personal possessions, such as clothes, that a woman takes to her new home when she gets married – trousseau

 

Explain what the following phrases mean:

a mistress of cold praise, a complete humbug, an anxious adoration, to be dismayed, the strenuous state of marriage, to have a tussle about, in a plaintive way, to be well off, to survive the strain, convalescent home, to lead a life of one’s own, to look at smb. full and square, to carry out a stupendous bluff

Use the phrases in your own sentences.

 

Make up the collocations and use them in the given sentences:

single spirit

pathetic statement

unconquerable fortune

private thing

complete smile

direct things

delicate grief

comfortable humbug

disagreeable drink

stiff health

1. Sir, I don't wish to interfere with your _____________, but this demonstration of pain is more than I've ever seen before.

2. The situation is so bleak, you've got nothing better to do but offer a ________________.

3. It is that ______________ that has enabled us to overcome nature's obstacles through mutual help and partnership.

4. A ________________ contains a lot of alcohol and generally stronger in taste.

5. We were everlastingly jarring and saying _______________ to each other.

6. Is he a __________________ who has lied to protect a source of information?

7. She inherited a ________________ from her grandmother.

8. She can’t, or won’t, make a _______________ even about her own honesty.

9. In March, despite _______________, he once again led a delegation of top officials, this time to Washington.

10. But if I could go back in time, I wouldn't do a _______________ differently.