Some Facts about the Queen of Crime

· Agatha Christie is the most-translated fiction author (in/on) the world, according (for/to) the UNESCO. Her works have been translated (on/into) more than 70 languages.

· (In/At) 2000 Agatha Christie was voted the Best Writer (of/to) the 20th Century.

· Christie’s success wasn’t limited (for/to) writing novels. The initial production (of/by) her play “The Mousetrap” has been running (from/for) 55 years and counting. That’s more than 20,000 performances.

· The author presented the rights to “The Mousetrap” (to/at) her grandson Mathew for his ninth birthday but a toy train made “much more of an impression” (on/at) that time.

· Agatha never went (in/to) school. She was educated (at/on) home (of/by) governesses.

· In her teens she studied to be a classical musician but had to give it (up/down) because (by/of) stage fright.

· (In/At) 1917, aged 24, she qualified as a dispensing chemist thus acquiring a useful knowledge of poisons.

· A pile of all of the editions of “Murder (on/under) the Orient Express” would stretch (to/by) the moon.

· Along (with/at) the Bible and the works (from/of) William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie’s novels rank (between / among) the best-selling of all time.

V. Make up a dialogue on the topic “My Favourite Writer”.

Grammar Exercises

  The Present Continuous Tense I am reading a really interesting book at the moment. What are they doing now? He is not (isn’t) meeting this famous poet next Wednesday.  

I. Make the following sentences interrogative and negative.

1. The students are discussing the creative works of Jack London now.

2. I am answering the questions on the topic “Famous Writers” at this moment.

3. This well-known poetess is leaving for London tomorrow.

4. My brother is reading an interesting article about Franko’s philosophy works.

5. They are preparing for tomorrow’s conference on the world literature.

II. Open the brackets using the Present Indefinite or Present Continuous Tense.

1. I (to read) a book or a magazine usually in the evening.

2. I (to read) a very interesting detective story now.

3. How often you (to go) to the library?

4. Look! She (to go) to the library.

5. Agatha Christie’s play “The Mousetrap” (to be) popular all over the world.

6. We (to watch) “The Mousetrap” on TV next Sunday.

  Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives -er/-est · clean – cleaner, cleanest; big – bi gg er, bi gg est · (-y; -er; -le; -ow) easy – easier, easiest; clever – cleverer, cleverest; simple – simpler, simplest; narrow – narrower, narrowest · polite – politer, politest more/most famous – more famous, most famous difficult – more difficult, most difficult  

III. Use the following adjectives in comparative and superlative degrees.

Old, difficult, large, shallow, funny, dangerous, famous, clever, cheap, expensive, young, brave, beautiful, modern, lazy, hot, later, busy, quick, slow, interesting, attractive, crazy, wild, kind, useful, sunny.

  Irregular Adjectives good – better, the best; bad – worse, the worst; many – more, the most; little – less, the least; old – older (elder), the oldest (eldest)  

IV. Read the following proverbs and sayings, pay attention to the degrees of comparison of adjectives. Find Ukrainian equivalents or translate them.

· Cheapest is the dearest.

· Creditors have better memories than debtors.

· Debt is the worst poverty.

· Doing is better than saying.

· Easier said than done.

· False friends are worse than open enemies.

· Good name is better than riches.

· He laughs best who laughs last.

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