Throwing the Hammer

Chapter 10

I. Transcribe, translate the words and reproduce the situations where they were used: blancmange, forehead, crumbs, squat, Liquorice Allsorts, squelch, hippopotamus, syrup, warrior, skullduggery, asphalt.

II. Mark the statements as True or False. Correct the false statements.

1. It was not easy for Matilda to make friends with other children.

2. Among Matilda’s new-found friends was the girl called Hortensia.

3. Miss Trunchbull was not in strict training but she was still proud of her left arm.

4. Trunchbull threw a tool with a heavy head for forcing nails into wood for Britain in the Olympics.

5. At prayers that day Hortensia felt safe: she could not be caught for the itching-powder job.

6. Hortensia didn’t believe the titchy girls could be relied on and could find use for them only in some undercover job.

7. If Amanda had been sure that the Day of Judgement had come for her she would not have objected to Miss Trunchbull.

8. If Amanda had not objected to Miss Trunchbull about her plaits, the headmistress would not have thrown her away.

9. Having descended in a long graceful parabola on to the playing-field Amanda Thripp didn’t die.

10. The girls’ attitude towards Hortensia changed throughout their talk.

III. Choose the correct variant:

1. Why did Matilda’s classmates like her?

a) She made friends very easily.

b) She was a perfectly normal child and displayed no signs of her brilliance.

c) The likes and dislikes of five-and-a-half-year-old children are beyond any reason.

d) They were surprised at the extent of her brain-power.

2. What was the exceptional thing about Lavender’s appearance?

a) She was a skinny little nymph with a fringe.

b) She had a boil on her nose.

c) She had her front teeth knocked out.

d) She had plaited golden pigtails hanging over her shoulders.

3. Hortensia approached Matilda and Lavender and greeted them with the words equivalent to:

a) You are welcome to our school.

b) Welcome to this penitentiary institution.

c) Borsch is served every day.

d) Join us in the Boston Massacre.

4. Why did Hortensia come up to the girls before the end of the first week?

a) She taught the girls how to cram crisps into her mouth.

b) She didn’t search deeply for reasons.

c) Her aim was to show off her art of skulduggery.

d) She wanted to frighten the girls.

5. The most threatening thing about the Chokey was that

a) you couldn’t sit down or squat in it.

b) the walls were made of cement.

c) it was pitch dark there.

d) the walls and the door had bits of broken glass and sharp spiky nails sticking out of them.

6. When Miss Trunchbull was teaching the sixth-formers Hortensia put up her hand and asked to go …

a) to the borstal. b) to the toilet.

c) to go to the bog. d) to the private quarters.

7. Where did Hortensia take the itching-powder?

a) She had bought it by post.

b) She found the drawer in Trunchbull quarters where she kept the itching-powder.

c) Matilda had lended it to her.

d) She powdered teeth of deadly snakes herself.

8. After the itching-powder episode the Trunchbull grabbed Hortensia by the ear and rushed her to the Chokey at the double. That means

a) she did it very quickly and without any delay.

b) that was her second all-day stretch in the Chokey.

c) it was double torture.

d) the casualties were twice the usual quantity or strength.

9. What added fear and fright to the formidable figure of the Trunchbull?

a) her belted smock and green breeches.

b) fingers the size of a salami.

c) advancing through the crowd with menacing strides.

d) her calf muscles which stood like grapefruits.

10. During their talk the newcomers’ attitude towards the ten-year-old giant transformed

a) from fear to respect and admiration.

b) from worship to neglect.

c) from mistrust to fascination and awe.

d) from disgust to gratitude.

IV. Give synonyms to the following words or word-combinations or explain their meaning. Reproduce the sentences from the text: to loath, to sneak on smb, spellbound, powerful, enthralled, to practice, hastily, a stride, to bellow, awesome.

V. Fill in the blanks with prepositions or adverbs where necessary. Translate the phrases.

1. When someone shows ____, they try ___ impress people.

2. Smoothly _____ a pause and ____ a nice speed Matilda began to read her rhyme.

3. Miss Honey opened a thick book ____ random and placed it ____ her desk.

4. Mozart started composing ___ the piano ____ the age ___ five.

5. I don’t find it very difficult ____ multiply one number ___ another.

6. The label said it was made ___ the powered teeth ___ deadly snakes, and it was guaranteed ___ raise welts the size ___ walnuts ___ your skin.

7. The father sold no less ___ five cars, each one ___ a tidy profit.

8. Matilda and her brother were sitting quietly ___ the sofa waiting ___ their mother ___ bring ___ the TV dinners ___ a tray.

9. She caught sight of her husband.

10. Miss Trunchbull insists ___ strict discipline. and if you take this advice you will do your very best ___ behave yourselves ___ her presence. Never argue ___ her.

VI. Find in the text the words and word-combinations which mean the following (Pay attention to the postpositions used). Reproduce the sentences where they were used:

1. To speak or say with difficulty in producing sounds, especially habitually repeating the first consonant;

2. It is completely dark.

3. Pleasant, well-intentioned, likeable, friendly;

4. To be mad, crazy;

5. A short undergarment worn by women and girls, covering the area between the waist and the top of the legs, panties;

6. A short border of hair usually cut in a straight line, hanging over a person’s forehead; bangs (AmE);

7. To hold the complete attention and interest as if by magic, to captivate;

8. To make quiet because of respect and fear;

9. On some occasions but not regularly;

10. Having long and thin sharp points, especially pointed pieces of metal.

VII. Complete the sentences with the words from the text:

1. She is so _______ _____ in him she can’t see his faults.

2. Nomadic tribes ______ these deserts.

3. The actress was ________ by a large group of reporters as she left the stage door.

4. My opinions are _______ to hers.

5. Someone was breaking windows, but we soon caught the _______.

6. There was a(n) _____ of excitement at the meeting.

7. He _______ in the desert for a week on biscuits and water.

8. The wine glasses were sold at half price because of ________ in the crystal.

9. Heart transplant operations are becoming fairly ___________.

10. We stood by the lake, __________ by the flashing colours of the fish.(fascinated, enthralled)

VIII. Match the halves to make phrases used in the text. Translate them. Restore the sentences where they were used:

1. to keep		to the highest point of perfection
2. to have		a difference
3. to shake		a performance
4. to stand up		blue murder
5. to risk		a (watchful, stony, awkward, prolonged) silence
6. to scream		an effect on smb
7. to make		one’s head
8. to make		dead straight
9. to bring the art of …		a guess
10. to put on		life and limb

IX. The chapter abounds with words and word-combinations on the topic “Appearance”, including those based on comparison. Study the text thoroughly and write all of them out into your notebook to make your speech expressive when the need arises.

X. Match the verbs used in the chapter mostly to describe the mesmerizing crazy episode with Amanda Thripp with their Russian equivalents:

1. fling 2. stride 3. go sailing 4. whisk (round) 5. pivot 6. lunge forward 7. lift 8. land 9. whirl 10. spin (round) 11. travel 12. let go of smth 13. descend 14. grab hold 15. bounce 16. get up speed 17. swing round 18. come to rest 19. totter 20. advance upon smb/ through smth

· набирать скорость · спускаться · шагать (большими шагами), мерить шагами · схватить, ухватить(ся) · идти неверной походкой, ковылять, шататься · бросить(ся), окунуть(ся) · поплыть · выпустить, отпустить · остановиться · вертеть(ся), поворачивать(ся), вращать(ся), (за)кружить(ся), (за)крутиться (5 words) · двигаться, перемещаться · продвигаться, наступать, надвигаться · поднимать(ся), выситься · ринуться вперед, сделать выпад · приземлиться · отскочить, отскакивать, подпрыгивать

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