Sources and Goals of Biography

UNIT 1: BIOGRAPHY

Biography: 1. person’s life-history written by another.

2. branch of literature dealing with the life-history of persons.

/ Oxford Student’s Dictionary of Current English /

Ex. 1. Read the text:

BIOGRAPHY

A narrative that records the actions and recreates the personality of an individual is called a biography (from a Greek term meaning "life-writing"). An individual who writes the story of his or her own life is creating an autobiography, meaning self-biography.

Biography and History

History and biography have several similarities, but they are not the same. Both the biographer and the historian search for evidence. They evaluate the information they find to decide if it is factual and relevant. History, however, is the recorded past of human societies; it tells the story of nations, wars, movements--the whole range of past human activity. Biography deals with a single life story. The historian looks for facts and events that affect many lives; the biographer seeks information that reveals the subject's character and personality.

Sources and Goals of Biography

Biographers gather information from many different sources. Legal documents and personal papers can reveal facts such as a person's birthplace, income, number of children, and life span. Letters or a diary may contain valuable information about the person's friends and activities, thoughts and feelings. All of these materials are called primary sources because they contain firsthand information--information that does not depend on the opinions or interpretations of others.

A biographer also checks secondary sources. The subject's friends and relatives may be interviewed. If the subject died long ago, the biographer looks for anything written about him or her. Secondary sources supply secondhand information, and so a biographer must use them with care.

The biographer's job is not to make readers like or dislike the subject, but to give as complete and truthful a picture of the person as possible. This means the biography should include both good and bad qualities, both accomplishments and mistakes.

recreate - восcоздать

similarity - подобие

evidence - свидетельство

factual - фактический

relevant - относящийся к делу

range - диапазон

reveal - показать

source - источник

span - промежуток

primary - первичный

interpretation - интерпретация

accomplishment - достижение

supply - снабжать

deal with smth/smb - иметь дело с чем-либо, кем-либо

Ex. 2. Answer the questions:

1. How may be the word ‘biography’ defined?

2. What do biography and history have in common? How do they differ?

3. What are the subjects of biography and history?

4. How do you understand the word ‘evidence’?

5. What sources do biographers use in their research?

6. Secondary resources are usually more relevant, aren’t they?

7. What is the goal of biography as a branch of literature?

8. The aim of a biographer is to give a complete and truthful picture of the person. What rules does he have to keep to?

Ex. 3. This is a questionnaire filled in by John Morgan. Using the information provided tell about this person.

Name: John

Patronymic: Francis

Surname: Morgan

Date of birth: 8/02/1978

Place of birth: Richmond, Ohio

Present address: Morrisvill, Florida

Pre-school training /kindergarten, home nursery/: Home nursery from 3 to 5 years of age

Favourite games and toys /pre-school/: Sports, guns, aeroplanes

Education: Richmond high school

Year of starting /finishing school: grammar school (1984-1990), high school (1990-1997)

Progress at school subjects: good at: History, literature, Social studies, sport. Hopeless at: Maths, Physics, Chemistry

General attitude toward school: Positive.

Professional orientation /school, youth centre, computer tests, parents /: Parents and teachers, youth centre aptitude tests

Abilities and aptitudes shown: communication, literature, analytic abilities

Attempts to enter institutions of further learning: None

Hobbies/pastimes: sports, fiction, drawing

Daily time devoted to hobbies: week-days: 1-2 hours, days-off: 3-4 hours

Bad habits: biting nails /disgusting!/

Any personal data you want to report /brothers, sisters, pets, dreams, etc./: 2 brothers (12 and 15), a dog

Dreams: unhook financially from my parents

Ex. 4. Fill in the form with your personal data following the sample above. Exchange your questionnaires with your group-mates and tell about them.

Ex. 5. Using the information below tell the group about John Morgan’s parents.

Mother:

Name, patronymic: Barbara Jane Morgan (nee Baker)

Date and place of birth: 12/04/1958 Richmond, Ohio

Education/profession/occupation: High school, housewife

Hobbies/pastimes: Charity activities

Father:

Name, patronymic: Francis John Morgan

Date and place of birth: 23/01/ 1955 Barkly,

Education/profession/occupation: Ohio Boston University, lawyer

Hobbies/pastimes: Golf, baseball

Ex. 6. Fill in the form with your parents’ data following the sample above.

Ex. 7. Using the form filled in by your group-mate tell the group about his/her parents.

Ex. 8. Read the text paying special attention to the underlined words:

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