Alan loves potatoes. He talks about them endlessly; he eats little else. He has travelled to Peru and Bolivia to study their origins and has written a doctoral dissertation on them. Ann's passion are gnomes: she has put more than a thousand plaster and concrete gnomes in the woodland around her home in Devon. John's passion is giant pandas. To raise money for their preservation he walked over Great Britain in pyjamas and bare
feet.
But in Britain eccentricity is tolerated. It even became the subject of a scientific study. Psychologists found that eccentrics are more intelligent, more creative, healthier, happier and they live longer than most people. Eccentricity often begins in childhood and may even be inherited. The Prince of Wales is eccentric: he believes in holistic medicine and chats with plants. One of his relatives kept a boa constrictor as a pet and had to walk on crutches because his toenails were 10 inches long. He spent millions building in the Mexican jungle strange buildings and bridges that went nowhere and doors that opened onto blank walls. But eccentric were also Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Thomas Edison. The true eccentric's hallmark is curiosity. Are
you one. too?
"American English "
56
Post-Reading
1 Complete the following sentences with the right variant.
A. Dr. Weeks began his study....................................................
a) to contact as many eccentrics as he could.
b) to check what he knew about eccentrics.
c) to get some new pen pals.
d) to learn more information about this sort of people.
B. Many eccentrics......................................................................
a) are quite sociable people.
b) are keen on reading.
c) hate living alone.
d) are often likely to be mentally ill.
C. People become eccentrics because they.................................
a) may be born like that.
b) were brought up in big families.
c) can afford to indulge their eccentricities.
d) hate sports and are uncompetitive.
D. In Dr. Week's view eccentrics.................................................
a) are less harmful than conventional people.
b) should be treated differently from other people.
c) provide a welcome variety of human nature.
d) can hardly be a subject of scientific study.
2 Say if the following statements are true or false.
1. Eccentrics are not likely to work at ordinary jobs.
2. Eccentrics have certain features in common.
3. All scientists, as a rule, are eccentrics.
4. Eccentrics are often eldest children brought up in strict homes.
5. Different societies treat their eccentrics in a similar way.
6. Eccentric women outnumber men bv two to one.
7. The British seem to be tolerant to eccentrics.
8. Psychologists have found that eccentrics are more intelligent, more creative, healthier, happier and live longer than most people.
9. The true eccentric's hallmark is the lack of interest to what surrounds them.
3 Different societies (primitive, underdeveloped, civilized) treat their eccentrics differently. Comment on this statement.
4 Can you give any example of eccentric behaviour from your life experience (people whom you have met in your life)?
TEXT3
Pre-Reading
1. What distinctive features of the English character can you name?
2. Give synonymous words or expressions for the phrase 'to be nuts ', which is a colloquial variant for 'mad'. Consult a dictionary if necessary.
Reading
Read the text "Who's Nuts? Who's Reserved?" and do the exercises that follow.
Who's Nuts? Who's Reserved?
What about the English character? Everybody says that the English are cold, reserved and shy - I don't agree - but the most reserved of all Englishmen was William John Cavendish Bentick Scot, fifth Duke of Portland.
He was so shy he lived most of his life underground in a huge system of rooms and tunnels he had built. After inheriting a beautiful country house from his father, he hired hundreds of workmen and gave them strict orders that they must not look at him or speak to him. Any workmen who disobeyed were dismissed immediately.
The Duke hated meeting people and never invited anyone to his house, but ordered the workmen to build the largest ballroom in England - underground of course, plus a splendid library and an enormous billiard room.
The only time the Duke ever left his underground home was at night. A female servant used to walk several yards ahead of him holding a light - with orders never to speak or look behind. The Duke was also a bit crazy in the way he dressed, wearing a floor-length fur coat in midsummer and always carrying an umbrella whatever the weather. If he saw anyone who might try to speak to him he used to put up the umbrella and hide behind it.
Not all the English are as the Duke, but it is true to say that most of us are crazy about animals. Francis Henry Egerton, eighth Earl of Bridgewater, for example, was mad about dogs. He had over a dozen of them, and used to take them riding with him in his carriage.
He disliked human company, and never invited people to dinner, but always dined with six of his favourite dogs. They were brought to table dressed fashionably and wearing soft leather boots. Each was seated at his place, and a napkin tied around his neck by a servant. The meal was served, the dogs ate off plates, and the Earl conversed with his canine company.
And if we aren't crazy about animals, then we're probably mad about sports like John Mytton who was nuts about hunting and shooting duck, preferably stark naked, even in midwinter.
Mandy Loader Post-Reading
59
2. Some people would call Francis Henry Egerton \s way of treating his dogs just extravagant. What about you?
3. What do you think about John Mytton 's way of hunting?
4. Skim the text ''Many Britons Prefer Pets... " and give its summary.
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