The Outstation

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 714.

William Somerset Maugham

W. S. Maugham (1874-1965) was a fiction and drama writer who became one of the most popular British authors of the 1900s. However, Maugham's reputation stood far higher with the public than with the critics.

Maugham usually wrote in a detached, ironic style, yet he often showed sympathy for his characters. He is best known by his short stories, which are always fascinating.

1. Read the story.

2. Study the following words, read them correctly and translate them into Russian:

congregate, prophesy, peruse, sycophant, chastise, assuage, waylay.

3. Read and translate the following passage:

p. 237 – “Cooper!.. Mr. Warburton”.

4. Study the following vocabulary items and remember the situations in which they are used by the author:

· p. 229 – to be a credit to somebody

· p. 234 – to make a point of doing something

· p. 235 – in the long run

· p. 245 – to be kindly disposed to somebody

· p. 251 – to be impertinent (of somebody)

· p. 252 – to yield to the temptation

· p. 254 – to have the cheek to do something

· p. 256 – to have (give) an inkling of something

· p. 258 – to take someone to task

· p. 259 – to be beside oneself with (fury)

· p. 260 – to get (catch, touch) somebody on the raw

· p. 264 – to listen to reason

· p. 266 – to cut somebody dead

· p. 269 – to reason with somebody

5. Make up a situation using the items from the list above.

6. Paraphrase the sentences with the following phrases:

· p. 232, 256 – on one's account

· p. 234 – to be related to

· p. 235 – to take something as a matter of course

· p. 238 – to claim acquaintance with

· p. 256 – to learn sense

· p. 247 – to have a knack of

7. Find the English equivalents to the following word combinations:

· p. 232 – холодный взгляд

· p. 239 – быть пропитанным/насыщенным

· p. 239 – роптать/сетовать на что-то

· p. 241 – прощать / отпускать грехи

· p. 261 – взять себя в руки

· p. 261 – до последней капли

· p. 267 – тест на выдержку

8. Find the synonyms for the following words and phrases:

· p. 230 – to go out on

· p. 235 – to bear somebody

· p. 239 – moneyless

· p. 248 – to make somebody annoyed

· p. 253 – not to do/use something that you usually do/use

· p. 255 – a difficult task

· p. 257 – to keep thinking about

9. Translate into English:

Я не хотела делать тебе выговор, но приходится. Как ты можешь быть таким дерзким и неуважительным по отношению к своему дедушке? Он втрое старше тебя, а у тебя хватает наглости повышать на него голос. Я вне себя от ярости. Ты должен прислушаться к голосу разума и подумать о своём поведении. Посмотри на детей Смитов. Они такие дружелюбные, так хорошо расположены к людям. Смиты могут ими гордиться. Возьми себе за правило впредь вести себя как следует. Не поддавайся эмоциям. Помни, что я этого не потерплю.

10. Answer the following questions in detail:

1) Why did Mr. Warburton await the new assistant with mingled feelings?

2) What did he learn about Allen Cooper and what impression did the latter produce on him?

3) What did you learn about Mr. Warburton's life in London?

4) What kind of administrator did he become?

5) What happened during their second dinner together?

6) What incident turned the Resident's dislike of Cooper into bitter hatred?

7) How did the incident with natives influence them?

8) What order did Mr. Warburton countermand and why?

9) Why was the administrator so depressed when he got a reply to his letter?

10) What sort of life did they lead after the talk about Abas?

11) How did the inevitable happen?

11. What other story you have read does this one remind you of? In what way do they differ? Which of the main characters appeals to you more? Why?