Act it out

1. Learn the dialogue “What Do People Read Here? ” and act it out in class.

2. Comment on Collin’s words “I think novels are for women”. Do you agree? Why? Why not? Are men’s and women’s tastes in books really different? In what way?

What Do People Read Here?

(From “Focus on Britain”)

VOCABULARY

have sth on one's hands have sth as one's responsibility or burden

e.g. I've too many children on my hands.

manual, n handbook or textbook

e.g. technical manual

do-it-yourself manual a book on do-it-yourself (=DIY), he practice of doing repairs, painting the house, etc. oneself, instead of paying workmen.

paper-back, n book in paper covers

Cf.: hard-back hard-cover edition

pore over, v study (sth) with close attention

romance, n 1. story or novel of adventure; love story

2 class of literature consisting of love stories

3.(R-) medieval story, usu.in verse, relating the adventures of some hero of chivalry

4. experience, sp. a love-affair, considered to be remarkable or worth description

e.g. I still remember my teenage romances

5. mental tendency which welcomes stories of the marvellous, etc.; the qualities characteristic of stories of life and adventure

e.g. travel in search of romance.

romantic adj, 1. (of persons) having ideas, feelings, etc. remote from experience and real life, given to romance (1, 4, 5)

e.g. a romantic girl

2 of, like, suggesting romance

e.g. romantic music/situations/adventures/tales/scenes; a romantic old castle

3 (in art, literature and music) marked by feeling rather than by intellect; preferring passion, beauty, to order and proportion (Opp. to classic and classical)

e.g. romantic poets, Shelley, Keats

romantic, n person with romantic (1, 3) ideals

romanticism, n romantic or imaginative tendency in literature, art and music (contrasted with realism and classicism)

romanticist, n follower of romanticism

romanticize, v treat in a romantic way; use a romantic style in writing, etc.

romantically, adv

NOTES

commuter, n one who travels regularly, e.g. by train or by car, between one's work in a town and one's home in the country or suburbs

meat, n (fig) substance; meaning

James Bond (Agent 007) one of the most popular secret agents in the history of spy fiction, created by Ian Fleming, the author of 13 James Bond thrillers, " Casino Royale" (1952), being the first

II

Read the extract from the interview given by the well-known writer Valentin Katayev. How would you answer the same questions? Learn the new vocabulary.

AN INTERVIEW WITH VALENTIN KATAYEV (extract)

Q: When and how did you take to reading?

A: I became very keen on literature early in life. This probably happened because we had a very good and widely-read library at home. Books stirred my imagination, expanded the boundaries of the familiar world, and filled my life with great expectations of joy and happiness.

Since childhood, I have been enchanted by Pushkin and Gogol. Chekhov was one of the highest authorities to me. I also was delighted with Blok. Later my heart was won by Mayakovsky's, Pasternak's and Yesenin's poetry. Luckily, this country is rich in remarkable authors.

Q: How do you read?

A: As far as an interesting author is concerned, I study rather than read his or her books. For example, after reading Dante Alighieri's " Divina Comedia" I came to the conclusion that this work demands great erudition on the part of the reader. One must know Ancient Greece's mythology and legends, the history and literature of Ancient Rome, the peculiarities of Italy's philosophy, early French literature. Dante was a highly educated person and we modern people may find it hard to keep up with him. Similarly, I spent two years reading Pushkin and studying all the footnotes and commentaries to his texts to appreciate his real depth.

VOCABULARY

boundary, n line that marks a limit; dividing line.

enchanting, adj charming; bewitching

erudition, n great learning,

e.g. a book that displays great erudition

erudite, adj (fml) having or showing great learning; scholarly

e.g. an erudite work on the history of the Roman Empire

eruditively, adv

expand, v make or become larger

e.g. to expand a short story into a novel; expand sb's life experience

keen (on sth), adj fond of sth.; enthusiastic about,

e.g. keen on going abroad

keep up with sb/sth, v 1. remain level with sb

e.g. I had to work hard to keep up with the other students.

2. keep in advance of (an idea, music, fashion, etc.)

e.g. How do you keep up with the latest styles in popular music?

ç to keep up with the news

ç to keep up with the Joneses (not fml) to stay level with social changes, compete with one's neighbours;

ç to keep up with the times to follow fashion; be fully informed

stir, v excite

e.g. stir sb's imagination

take to sb/sth/doing sth, v 1. (to sth) adopt as a practice or hobby, etc.; get into the habit

e.g. take to gardening when one retires

2. have a liking for

e.g. He will never take to cricket. I have really taken to my mother-in-law.

on the part of sb proceeding from, done, etc. by

e.g. There was no objection on my part.

myth, n story, handed down from older times

e.g. ideas or beliefs about the early history of a race, explanations of natural events, etc.

mythical, adj 1. of myth (~ hero)

2. imaginary (~ wealth)

mythology, n 1. study or science of myths

2. myths collectively: Greek ~; body or collection of myths

e.g. the mythologies of primitive races

mythological, adj of mythology; unreal

legend, n 1. old story handed down from the past, esp. one of doubtful truth: the Greek ~s

2. literature of such stories

e.g. heroes who are famous in ~s.

legendary famous, known only in legends: ~ heroes.

NOTES

footnote, n note at the bottom of a page.

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet, author of the Divine Comedy (Divina Comedia), a narrative epic poem.