The Umbrella man. Dip in the pool. The Butler. The Hitchhiker. My Lady Love, My Dove, страница 33

4. Complete the sentences using the key words from the text.

1. Underneath these ______ her corsets had so far fallen to pieces that every now and then she ______ them with folds of newspaper.

2. Miss Treadwell, who was in her late fifties, was apt to refer to her ______ , a mere ______ seven feet by ten, as ______.

3. It was quite extraordinary what one sometimes found in the ______.

4. She had learnt other things by ______.

5. A few swiftly snatched up stalks turned the kennel-like bed-sitter into a little ______.

6. She always thought they were such pretty names, she said, and the gentleman in the ______ hat gave her a long friendly blue-eyed ______.

7. Miss Treadwell now opened the paper and ______ to read it without actually seeing a single word.

8. In a way I ______ you. At least you have no one ______ with.

9. Some days the atmosphere in the house is ______. We hiss at each other like two ______.

10. The barman having brought the new drinks Mr. Thornhill drank gaspily at his whisky, confessing that sherry really wasn’t is ______.

11. In its feverish agitation it might well have been the ______ of the voice of Miss Treadwell pleading for some sort of ______ or ______.

Reading Comprehension:

1. Choose the right variant according to the story.

1. Miss Treadwell lived in a …

a) large house

b) dog-kennel

c) minute bed-sitter

2. Miss Treadwell used … to dye her hair.

a) bottle of peroxide

b) a comb

c) a lipstick

3. On … afternoons Miss Treadwell usually bought, for a few pence, bags of unsold cakes that wouldn’t be in the shops until Monday.

a) Sunday

b) Friday

c) Saturday

4. On the third finger of Mr. Thornhill’s hand he was wearing a large ring. It was in the shape of a turquoise … set in a clear white stone.

a) fly

b) butterfly

c) bird

5. One day Mr. Thornhill felt rather affluent because …

a) he started to draw his pension

b) his sister gave him a lot of money

c) he got his salary

6. When Mr. Thotnhill proposed to Miss Treadwell she …

a) accepted it with pleasure

b) went away promising to give him the answer the following day

c) invited him to her bed-sitter

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Miss Treadwell always tell herself?

2. How can you describe her appearance? What did she usually wear?

3. Where did she live?

4. What can we say about her way of life? What is her social position?

5. What was her usual day like?

6. What other tricks did she find out by experience?

7. How did she get acquainted with Mr. Thornhill?

8. What do we get to know about Mr. Thornhill? Is his social level higher than that of Miss Treadwell?

9. How did Miss Treadwell show her intelligence to Mr. Thornhill?

10. Did Mr. Thornhill like her?

11. What extraordinary thing did Miss Treadwell notice on his left hand?

12. Did Miss Treadwell tell him the truth about her bed-sitter and her way of life? Why did she lie?

13. Did they continue to meet each other after that day?

14. What was the reason for Mr. Thornhill to feel rather affluent one day?

15. Where did Mr. Thornhill invite Miss Treadwell to go?

16. What did Mr. Thornhill tell Miss Treadwell about his family?

17. Why didn’t Miss Treadwell want Mr. Thornhill to come to her “apartment” to see the curtains?

18. Why did Mr. Thornhill decide to propose to Miss Treadwell? Did she like the idea? Did she accept it?

19. What changes did she have to make in her everyday life after that incident?

Discussion:

1. Describe the ways in which Miss Treadwell keeps up appearances. Why do you think she feels it is important to do this?

2. Miss Treadwell and Mr. Thornhill are both shown as rather pathetic figures. Do you think either of them is lonely? Who do you feel more sympathy for? Why?

3. Why do you think Miss Treadwell does not accept Mr. Thornhill’s proposal? Is it because of shame, pride, fear, dislike or some other reason? Do you think she should have accepted him if he had known her true circumstances? Or indeed, if he had known them, would he have proposed marriage in the first place?