I. Lexical work

Mac

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: in a pot of treacle, indicate, wrap, roar out of some place, pile cases on a trolley, swerve, like a horse let loose.
2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: meringue, euphoria
3. Find in this and the next chapters the words belonging to the thematic set of car.
4. Find the words belonging to the thematic set of road.
5. Start a list of the verbs of speech used in the novel.
6. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Who are the main characters of the book?

2. What is the time and place of action?

3. What is Mac? Who are the members of his family? Does he love his family?

4. What does Mac look like? What do other members of the family look like? (see the next chapter)

5. What did Mac feel driving his car? What stylistic devices (St.D.) are used to describe his feelings? His attitude to the car? To the process of driving?

6. What did Mac do while driving his car?

7. Explain the phrase “He craves acceleration”.

8. How did Mac’s mood change when the woman going to Spain took his taxi?

9. Convert 80 M.P.H. to km.p.h.

10. What cut into his euphoria returning Mac to reality? Who and why called him?

Decorating the Tree

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: the Nativity, tangle, gawky, haughty, It’s a hazard, a surprise caller, an urgent message, be after smb., indignant questioning, inadequate script, conker, shoplifting, be apprehended, charge smb., to herd, slither past smb., in a prim voice, casserole.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: gear.

3. Find the words belonging to the thematic set of holidays and decorations.

4. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Describe Caris: her age, appearance, occupation at that moment, her feeling, dreams.

2. What did the Christmas-tree look like from Caris’s point of view? Why did the family have the artificial tree? Did Caris enjoy decorating the Christmas-tree?

3. What did the policemen look like?

4. Explain the phrase “Her voice has a catch in it”.

5. Why did Caris feel protective?

6. What was each girl’s reaction to the information about their mother’s arrest? Why was Louise arrested?

7. Why did Caris want to go to the police department with her father? Why wasn’t she allowed?

8. What did Caris think about her mother? What did the girl feel about her mother’s deed?

9. What did Louise look like when she came home? Why was she allowed to go home? Will she be punished?

10. Comment on Caris’s, Stella’s and Mac’s behavior when Louise came home.

11. Explain Mac’s phrase “She’s not herself”.

12. Comment on the last paragraph of the chapter.

13. What might your reaction be, were you in the similar situation?

14. Try to characterize each member of the family. What are your first impressions about each of them?

Brussels Sprouts and Toasts

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: to be swollen with questions, Nana, nibble, be close like birds in a perch, lavish presents, gasp with surprise, blurred lips, put on probation, pay some sort of fine, look smug, fury voice, preposterous family, be entangled in a web of streets and terraces, the hollow of the park, nudge smb.

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did Nana Price look like?

2. What did each of the four women do that morning?

3. Why did Caris prefer the company of her grandmother?

4. What Christmas presents did Caris get? Was she happy to get them? What questions tortured the girl?

5. What was Nana Price’s attitude to Louise’s crime? Why was she so light-hearted? How did she explain everything to Caris?

6. What did Nana Price think Louise’s punishment might be?

7. Explain the phrase “She can’t stand it anymore.” (p.11) What couldn’t Caris stand?

8. How did Mac enter the room?

9. What did the family have for Christmas dinner? Is it a traditional English Christmas dinner?

10. Did other members of the family consider their family criminal?

11. Why did Caris spoil the day asking the questions?

12. Could her mother explain why she had stolen the shoe?

13. Comment on the line “Help! She shouts at the closed doors of Christmas Day. “Save me!” (p.13)

14. Why did Caris leave the house? Why didn’t Mac want Louise to calm Caris down?

15. In what way did the girl percept the street in which she had grown up? What were her feelings?

16. Why did Caris hope her mother would come out again and beg her enter the house? Why didn’t Louise come?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 8 starting with “Caris begins to hurl decorations…” up to the words “…until it bleeds.”.

Lesson 2

Lovely Girls

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: insistent voice, get aspirations, not to bother doing smth., morose pit, to have eyes in the back of the head, the wad of anxiety in the chest tightened, demolish, do a jigsaw (puzzle)

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: morose

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What is Jeannie? What did her office-room look like? What did it smell of?

2. What was Mac’s attitude to her?

3. Why did Mac start speaking to his passenger? Why did he speak about his family to a stranger?

4. How did Mac characterize his daughters? About which of them did he worry more?

5. What “damn spot” did Mac speak about (p.16)?

6. What did Mac imply saying “You have to put your foot down”? What forest did he mention? Did the Japanese businessman understand Mac’s implications?

7. What impression did Mac produce on the passenger?

8. Why did Mac start working late?

Cheap Shoes

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: flannel skin, stand out, confide in smb., You’re a nut, get carried away, a magnifying mirror

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: Alsatian, weird

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

0. What did Caris’s room look like?

1. Why did Caris want to have her hair cut? Why didn’t Margaret want to have her hair cut?

2. What effect did Caris intend to produce on Margaret?

3. Were Caris and Margaret friends? What did Caris think about Margaret?

4. How did the relations between Louise and Mac change?

5. Why did Caris tell the girls about her mother’s shoplifting? What was their reaction to the news?

6. How did Margaret’s mother comment on it?

7. What did Caris feel when Margaret mentioned Caris’s “parents fighting again” and the fact that she had discussed the incident with her mother?

8. What did Louise steal? Was it “normal”? Why did Caris become so protective to her mother?

9. Why did she force Margaret leave the house?

10. Comment on the phrase “She feels the net of friendship slipping away from her”.

Judgment Day

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: rattle, hair is wrenched back from her face, civic event, rev up, piss off, complicit, precinct, busker, quayside, a cold sore, girder, edifice, waif, the word is precarious and difficult, shackled, behind bars, sit down in a slump, assault, petty criminal, the bright side never happened, take to drink, shrine

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: aerosol, wrenched, aisle, quay, dungeon, wicked

3. Start the list of words belonging to the thematic set of footwear.

4. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

I. Comprehension questions

1. What’s the time of action? What’s going to happen?

2. What was the weather like in February? Why did the author start the chapter with the description of weather?

3. Why did Caris shut her eyes when her parents were leaving the house?

4. Why didn’t Caris go to school? What did she do instead?

5. Why did she go to the Fenwick’s? Why was this visit so important for the girl?

6. What did she feel in the store? What did she understand there?

7. Where and why did Caris go after the Fenwick’s?

8. What were her father’s and her own opinion about the quayside development?

9. Comment on the phrase “He’s proud of Newcastle’s transformation from coal to art.” (p.26)

10. What epithets did the author apply to the Tyne speaking about Caris’s and Mac’s perception of it? Comment on Caris’s words “There had been a lot of silence.” (p.27) What would she prefer to silence? Why?

11. How did Caris understand that her father came home alone?

12. Why did Caris watch with horror as her father sobbed?

13. What was the sentence? What did Caris think about it?

14. What might the sentence for shoplifting and assaulting a police officer be in Russia?

15. What did Mac feel in the waiting rooms of the law courts during the court? After the court?

16. Why did Mac leave the house?

17. Why did Caris go to her parents’ bedroom after her father left the house?

18. Why did she make a shrine in her room?

19. What was Stella’s reaction to the news?

20. Who was Louise’s first acquaintance in prison?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 25 starting with “She slowly wanders…” up to the words “…to have for nothing.”

Lesson 3

The Vale

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: nick, bouncer

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. How did the house change after Louise’s imprisonment?

2. Why did Caris decide to go through the Vale? What did she feel walking through it?

3. Who did Caris meet in the Vale?

4. What happened in the Vale?

5. Why did Layla take Caris’s money? Why did Margaret help Layla to take Caris’s money?

6. What did Layla do with Caris’s shoes?

7. Why nobody helped Caris?

Degna

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: a fare, stroke the back of the neck, click fingers, he’s been twitching, dumpling, to be filled with an urge to confess, sarky

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: a chef, agile

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Comment on the phrase “he’s trying to think positively”.

2. What moments of his family life did Mac recall?

3. What details of his new passenger did Mac pay attention to? What was unusual in Degna? What impression did she produce on Mac?

4. What was Degna?

5. Why did Mac tell Degna about his wife? What was Degna’s reaction?

6. What is a terraced house?

7. Why did Mac agree to pick Degna up late at night?

Tree-climbing

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: (un)clench fists, stagger to one’s feet, lanky hair, radio is on full volume, squint at smb.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: lichen

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What view did Caris observe from the tree?

2. What did she dream about sitting in the tree?

3. Who distracted Caris from her thoughts?

4. What did the boy look like?

5. What were the first impressions of the two teenagers of each other? Was Caris willing to communicate with him?

6. Why did the boy leave? What did Caris feel when the boy left?

7. How did Caris get that her grandmother was in their house? Was the girl pleased to see Nana Price? Why did Nana Price decide to stay with them? Where did she live?

8. Did Caris like the idea of sharing the room with Stella?

9. What was the grandmother’s reaction when she saw Caris in dirty clothes with no shoes on? What might your (grand)parents do in the similar situation?

10. Comment on the phrase “Tomorrow’s chip paper/” (p.43)

III. Read and translate the extract on page 40 starting with “Caris lies on the mud…” up to the end of the paragraph.

Lesson 4

Stella

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: feel abandoned, felt-tips, squirm, feel like doing smth.

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why did Stella feel abandoned in the library?

2. How did the school staff (the librarian, drama teacher, English teacher) act communicating with Stella? Why did each of them act in that way? How did Stella react?

3. What “witches” did Stella allude to? (p.45)

Sprung Mattresses

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: a hag out of a fairy story, to roll one’s eyes, to back smb. up, to hog the telly

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Comment on the phrase “Mac feel that his home is his taxi, and that the home he had no longer exists.” (p.46)

2. What did Mac feel towards Nana Price? Do you think he was just to the old lady?

3. Did the passenger enjoy Mac’s confession? Did she approve of his mode of thoughts?

More Shoes

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: to be given to smth. (to such endearments), incarcerate, drug abuse, to tell off, a camp-bed, to cope well with smth., tease, (Caris can’t) work him out, What are you on about?, graze skin, I’ll get them back, a pop-up book

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: bruise, cereal, weird, tedium

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What kind of letter did Louise send to Caris? What kind of letter did Caris expect to get?

2. What do convicts do in British prisons?

3. Describe Stella’s habitual morning.

4. Why did the author describe Caris’s body? Is she pleased with it?

5. Compare Stella’s and Caris’s clothes.

6. Who did Caris meet in the Vale? What did Caris feel seeing George?

7. What did George do in the tree?

8. What did he look like?

9. Why did he go to school?

10. What were the boy’s relations with his mother?

11. What was George’s reaction to the fact that Caris’s mother was in prison?

12. Comment on the phrase “It’s a relief to laugh about it. Caris suddenly feels lighter.” (p.55)

13. What was George’s background?

14. What did Caris feel seeing George leaving?

15. What did the school smell for Caris?

16. What did this chance acquaintance mean for Caris?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 52 starting with “As Caris ties up …” up to the words “who do you think you are?”

Lesson 5

Revenge

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: fancy, GCSEs, sidle up, in a small voice, nip, swarm, bully smb., allotments, wheelbarrow

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What was the teacher’s reaction to Caris’s being late?

2. What was Caris’s attitude to the teacher?

3. Why didn’t Mr.Fortoba listen to Caris’s problems?

4. Where should Caris go instead of games?

5. What does the abbreviation GCSE stand for? Are they important? How can they influence a kid’s life?

6. What was Caris’s attitude to GCSE?

7. How did Caris revenge Layla and Margaret?

8. Comment on the head teacher’s words “We have an excellent anti-bullying policy.” What was Caris’s reaction to these words?

Confession

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: religious zeal, to be swamped by emotions, slap the back of the head, It won’t do any good, raise funds for the church, make a feeble pretence

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What were Mac’s reminiscences of going to the church and praying?

2. What religious confession did Mac belong to?

3. What is the state religion in England?

4. What advice did the priest give to Mac?

5. What might the reaction of the family be if Mac went to the church?

6. What did the priest from Tanzania come to England for?

7. Who did all the work around the house?

8. Why did the priest have a free ride to the airport?

Fish and Chips

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: to flick from channel to channel, bunk, haddock, cod, scepter, to fair on smb., to manage, fall to bits, to wag off

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: to sew, (un)hygienic

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What image of a prison and life in it did Caris have?

2. Why couldn’t Stella do homework at home? What changed for her in the house?

3. What other species of fish do you know. Name 10 at least.

4. What was Stella’s / Mac’s / Nana Price’s attitude to Caris’s wagging off school?

5. Why didn’t Mac want to go to school and have a talk with Mr. Fortoba? What were his reminiscences of his school years?

6. Who phoned Mac?

7. What did Caris imagine lying upset on her parents’ bed?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 59 starting with “The tree waits for her…” up to the end of the chapter.

Lesson 6

Prison Visit

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: climbing frames, an air of anxiety, breed dogs, posture of surrender, be nosy, have a fag

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: a queue

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What clothes did each woman put on to visit Louise?

2. Why didn’t Nana Price and Caris fasten their seatbelts?

3. What was the atmosphere in the taxi on the way to prison?

4. Describe the prison, what it looked like, what the waiting-room looked like.

5. What epithets are applied to describe the emotions of the visitors?

6. What did Louise feel looking at her family? What stylistic devices are used to describe her feelings?

7. Did Louise change in prison?

8. Why didn’t Louise want to discuss her room-mate and the crime committed by her?

9. Comment on the conversation the family had. What did each of them sound? What did each of them feel by the time the bell rang?

Sunday Morning

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: like two indignant goats, (chins) jut out, pointed face, get obsessed, the air is sharp, glisten, be jumpy, posh, a clearing, stub out a fag, snigger

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: coiffure

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why did Layla and Margaret come to Caris’s house? Did Caris expect them to come?

2. Why did Layla and Margaret inform their parents and school teachers about Caris’s stealing their shoes whereas Caris Hadn’t?

3. What did Caris feel seeing the girls?

4. What kind of person was Layla?

5. Did the school authorities know about Layla’s bullying other girls? Did they do anything about it? What do schools in Russia do in similar situations?

6. Comment on Caris’s phrase “I’m finished with school.”

7. Did George wait for Caris or was it a chance meeting?

8. Where were George’s parents? Why wasn’t he with them?

9. What did his parents look like?

10. Did Caris want to see George’s house? Why didn’t he let her do it?

11. Why didn’t George want Caris and his parent to meet each other?

12. How did Caris and George explain Nana Price their having a bag of shoes? Why did she need a shoe?

13. For the first time we get to know the first name of Nana Price. Why did she introduce herself as Irene to George?

14. Why didn’t Caris like the way George spoke to Nana Price?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 70 starting with “It’s Saturday…” up to the words “… brush her hair, either.” OR the extract on page 80 starting with “Together they walk…” up to the words “… Caris shivers.”

Lesson 7

Eating Pizza

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: to plunge the folk into smth., bask in the sun, pious expression, rejoice in smth. (in misery)

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: drawer

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why did Louise phone the family? Did they expect her call? Were they happy to hear Louise?

2. Why was it so important for Caris to be the first to talk to Louise?

3. What did each of them discuss with Louise?

4. Why did Caris leave the kitchen after the conversation with her mother?

5. What were the girl’s reminiscences?

6. What was Caris’s final decision? Comment on it. How is it connected with the previous events?

School Visit

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: in a small voice, diligent, like incarcerated dogs, to be consumed by smth. (by curiosity), a slight lisp, to be irreparably damaged, No way!, act up

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: cough

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did Mac and Caris feel at the beginning of conversation with Mr. Fortoba?

2. What kind of student was Mac?

3. Why did he “have to work”?

4. What did he regret? What did he wish?

5. Did Mr.Fortoba know about Louise’s being incarcerated? What was his reaction to the information?

6. Did Mr. Fortoba like his work? Was Caris one of his favorite students? What was his attitude to Layla?

7. What would Mr. Fortoba feel if his mother was incarcerated?

8. How could the conflict between the girls be settled?

9. Why did Layla’s father accuse Caris of bullying his daughter?

10. Comment on the phrase “She wondered if either of these men could manage in her world.”

11. Was the conversation productive?

12. What do teachers in Russian schools do if a student wags classes? If you were a teacher what would you do?

The Tree of Shoes

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: odd sensation

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: bough

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did George do?

2. Did people pay attention to him?

3. Who was the only person to see George?

4. What was her reaction?

5. Comment on the phrase “It makes him powerful.”

Writing on the Wall

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: to be built upon the foundation, incite fear, wallop, out of desperation, slip out into the street

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. How did Layla and Margaret revenge Caris?

2. Why did Margaret start hating Caris?

3. What impression did Layla like to produce on other girls?

4. Did she manage to threaten Caris?

5. What classes did Louise attend in prison?

6. Why did women discuss smacking children?

7. What did the tree begin to mean for Caris? What stylistic devices are used to describe it?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 94 starting with “Caris is lying…” up to the words “…any fights yet.”

Lesson 8

Friday Night

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: a rush of homesickness, savour the atmosphere, truant, the top of Scotland

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: a suite, chauffeur,

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did the quayside look like?

2. Did Degna enjoy her present life in Newcastle? Is she happy? What did Degna miss from her present London life?

3. Why did Degna like the company of Mac?

4. What was Mac’s dream?

5. Did he like his job?

6. Why did Mac enjoy conversations with Degna / her company?

Dead People‘s Shoes

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: ankle boots, a rush of blood, break up, feel airy, That’s a bargain!, get this lot for a quid, bairn, to take in, to be expelled, to marvel at smth.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: a bargain, clairvoyant

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. How did Caris percept the Tyne this time?

2. Why did Caris run to the tree? What did it look like for her? What stylistic devices are used by the author?

3. What did Caris bring to the park?

4. What reminiscences are connected with Louise’s sandals?

5. Why did George come to the tree?

6. What did George tell Caris about his former girl-friends?

7. What shop did they go to in order to buy more shoes? Who suggested going to this shop?

8. What did Caris feel inside the Cancer Care shop? Was George embarrassed? How does his behavior characterize George?

9. Who did the shop-assistant take them for?

10. Did Mrs. Featherly like George?

11. Why did Caris want to get out of the café?

12. Comment on the phrase “He is unaware of everyone around him.” (p.106)

13. Why did the tree become a “personality” now?

14. What was people’s reaction to the Tree of Shoes?

The Rank

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: taxi rank, MOT, windscreen, to do smth. out of desperation, row up rapids, have a row, walk out in a huff, His eyes are brimming over.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: to row, a row

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did the taxi-drivers discuss?

2. What dream did they all have?

3. Why did they all want to get out of taxi driving?

4. What did they feel to their former colleagues?

5. Why were they sure Sammy would be back?

6. What new rules did they dream about?

7. Which period of his life did Mac consider to be the happiest?

8. What did he start doing during his illness out of desperation?

9. How did he want to change his life then?

10. What was the reaction of the family to his dream? Did they support Mac?

11. How did he want to change his life now?

12. Why did he think of divorce? What did he feel?

13. Comment on the phrase “His eyes are brimming over.”

III. Read and translate the extract on page 96 starting with “Degna stands…” up to the words “Degna is bored.”

Lesson 9

Home

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: stubble, callously, pest smb. with demands, lose smb. to smth.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: suede

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. In what way did Mac percept his home? Was he pleased with the sight?

2. What did he feel to Louise?

3. Comment on the phrase “There was something different about her.” (p.111)

4. Was Caris pleased to see her father? Was feeling did he evoke in the girl?

5. Why did they lie to each other? Did each of them feel at home?

6. Comment on Caris’s words “This isn’t the family.” Why did these words horrify Mac?

7. What was Caris’s attitude to Mac’s job?

8. Why did Caris think that her mother lost her husband to a Ford Mondeo?

Stick Insects

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: stick insect, a weirdo, to be summoned to explain himself, bother smb., get stoned

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why did Caris envy stick insects?

2. Describe George’s room.

3. What did Caris feel seeing George’s room?

4. Why was George expelled from the school?

5. What did Caris mean for George?

Road Rage

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: clogged streets, What’s the point?, to deserve smth.

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did Mac feel driving his car after the conversation with Caris?

2. Comment on his phrase “I deserve better.” What did he deserve? Why did he become dissatisfied with his life only now? Had he tried to improve his / family life before?

Light and Shade

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: get absorbed, to run a workshop, quiet dabbing hours, be fascinated, peer curiously at smth.

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: chandelier

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why did women in prison have art classes?

2. Who was their tutor? What kind of woman was Vanessa? Did she enjoy the work she did?

3. What was the prisoners’ attitude to art classes?

4. Comment on the phrase “Louise feels that she is beginning to emerge from a long winter in which tomatoes were not so different to onions.” (p. 119)

5. What did Louise think about while painting a lettuce? Why did she prefer to paint a lettuce?

6. Why did she and Mac recall the same period in their life? Was it the happiest period in their life?

7. What work did Louise have to do in Mrs. Farrish’s house? Did she like the work / the house / Mrs. Farrish / other inhabitants of the house?

8. What was strange about George?

9. What was Mr. Farrish? What was Mrs. Farrish?

10. Why did Louise leave their house?

11. Why did Mrs. Farrish say she was unhappy and hated the house?

12. Why did Louise tell Mac she had had a row with her employer?

13. Did Louise steal the money?

14. Was she fired?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 122 starting with “It was a time…” up to “…had never taken anything.”

Lesson 10

Lovebites

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: lovebite, lounge about with smb.

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Why didn’t Stella come downstairs to help her grandmother?

2. What did Nana Price and Caris think about each other’s smell?

3. What was Nana Price’s attitude to sex / to Caris’s having sex? Why did she disapprove of Caris’s having sex with George?

4. What advice did Nana Price finally give Caris? Will Caris follow it?

5. Comment on the last paragraph of the chapter (p.130)

Driving to School

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: a swot, lope

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What was the only possible way to take control over his daughters for Mac?

2. What did Caris feel at school?

3. Why did Mac make Caris go to school? What would you / your parent do in the similar situation?

4. What did Mac feel seeing Caris approaching the school? What stylistic devices are used to show how miserable the girl felt?

Potential

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: a thwacking sound, to be severed, a catch in the voice, glower

2. Consult the Pronunciation Dictionary: foliage

3. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. Comment on Caris’s phrase “Everyone at school is shrinking.” What did she imply? What stylistic device is used?

2. What stylistic devices did Caris use to describe Layla and Margaret?

3. Why did Caris remember about George’s stick insects?

4. Why didn’t Caris answer Layla and Margaret?

5. Why did Caris compare Mr. Fortoba’s words with the words of her Grandmother?

6. What did Mr. Fortoba want to tell Caris? Did he mean it?

7. Why didn’t he tell the girl about her potential?

8. What line of behavior with Caris did Mr. Fortoba choose?

9. Comment on the final phrase of the chapter.

Driving Degna

I. Lexical work

1. Translate from English into Russian: the tills, permeate, get on the nerves, to keep the voice even, push on the clutch, take over, sip / gulp the drink, an en suite bathroom, beer mat

2. Find the abovementioned words in the story, recall the situation in which they were used and quote the sentence with these words.

II. Comprehension questions

1. What did Mac compare his life with?

2. Why did he want to be a passenger?

3. Was Mac a patient driving - teacher?

4. Why couldn’t Louise start driving a car?

5. What did Degna smell of?

6. Why did Degna suggest their having a drink? What was Mac’s reaction to Degna’s suggestion?

7. What was Mac’s attitude to American accent? How do his words characterize him?

8. Was Mac interested in Louise’s life?

9. Was Degna pleased to hear about Mac’s decision to divorce?

10. Why did she ask Mac to take her home?

11. What were other members of Mac’s family doing at that moment?

12. What shoes hung in the Tree of Shoes?

III. Read and translate the extract on page 135 starting with “in prison Louise…” up to the end of the chapter.

Lesson 11

Stella’s Black Boots

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