Підручник Англійська мова 7 клас (8-й рік навчання) - Алла Несвіт - Генеза 2016 рік

READER

Unit 5. People, Countries, Lifestyle: the UK and Ukraine

James Baldwin (1924-1987)

Although he spent a great deal of his life abroad, James Baldwin always remained an American writer.

James Baldwin was born in Harlem in 1924. The oldest of nine children, he grew up in poverty, developing a troubled relationship with his strict, religious father.

By the time he was fourteen, Baldwin was spending much of his time in libraries and had found his passion for writing.

During this early part of his life, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a preacher. At the age of eighteen he took a job working for the New Jersey railroad.

After working for a short while with the railroad, Baldwin moved to Greenwich Village, where he came into contact with the well-known writer Richard Wright. Baldwin worked for a number of years as a freelance writer, working primarily on book reviews. In 1948 Baldwin left for Paris, where he would find enough distance from the American society he grew up in to write about it.

During the last ten years of his life, Baldwin produced a number of important works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and turned to teaching as a new way of connecting with the young. By his death in 1987, James Baldwin had become one of the most important and vocal advocates for equality. James Baldwin created works of literary beauty and depth that will remain essential parts of the American canon.

Before You Read

1. Answer the questions.

1. Do you like travelling?

2. Were all your trips exciting or did you have troubles while travelling one day?

3. Have you read a story «Robinson Crusoe» by Daniel Defoe? What were you impressed most?

4. What would you do if you happen to live on a desert island because of some reason?

Reading File

Vocabulary Notes

Robinson Crusoe For Children

(By James Baldwin)

I Make a Long Journey

I had long wished to see the whole of my island. So, one fine morning, I set out to travel across to the other side of it.

Of course I carried my gun with me. In my belt was my best hatchet. In my pouch I had plenty of powder and shot. In my pocket were two biscuits and a big bunch of raisins. My dog followed behind me.

I went past my summer house, and toward evening came to a fine open place close by the sea.

It was a beautiful sight. The sky was clear, the air was still. The smooth waters stretched away and away toward the setting sun.

Far in the distance I could see land. I could not tell if it was an island or some part of the mainland of America. It was at least fifty miles away.

If it were the mainland, I felt quite sure that I would at some time or other see a ship sailing to it or from it. If it were an island, there might be savages on it whom it would not be safe for me to meet. But it would do no good to worry my mind about such matters.

I found this side of the island much more beautiful than that where my castle was.

Here were large, open fields, green with grass and sweet with flowers. Here, too, were fine woods, with many strange trees and vines.

I saw many green parrots among the trees, and I thought how I would catch one and teach it to talk.

After a great deal of trouble I knocked a young parrot down with my stick. He was a good fighter, and it was no easy matter to get him. But at last I picked him up and put him in my bag.

He was not hurt, and I carried him home. It was a long time before I could make him talk. But at last he became a great pet and would call me by my name.

Besides parrots there were many other birds in the woods. Some of these were of kinds that I had never seen before.

In the low grounds I saw some animals that looked like rabbits. There were others that I took to be foxes, but they were not such foxes as we have in England.

I travelled very slowly around the island, for I wished to see everything. Often I did not go more than two miles in a day.

At night I sometimes slept in a tree, while my dog watched below me. Sometimes I shut myself up in a little pen made by tall stakes. I felt quite safe, for nothing could come near me without waking me.

Along the seashore there were thousands of turtles and a great plenty of seabirds.

I had no trouble to find all the food I needed. Sometimes I had a roast pigeon for dinner, sometimes the juicy meat of a turtle, sometimes that of a goat. No king could eat better.

One day my dog caught a young kid. I ran and got hold of it, and would not let him hurt it.

I had a great mind to take it home with me. So I made a collar for it, and led it along by a string which I had in my pocket.

It was quite wild and did not lead well. It gave me so much trouble that I took it to my summer house and left it there.

Building up Vocabulary

2. Match the words (1-8) from the story with their definitions (a—h).

3. Choose the correct word from Ex. 2 to complete the sentences.

1. In my belt was my best ….. .

2. In my ….. . I had plenty of ….. and ….. .

3. If it were an island, there might be on it whom it would not be safe for me to meet.

4. Sometimes I shut myself up in a little ….. made by tall ….. .

5. Here, too, were fine woods, with many strange trees and ….. .

4. Find the words in the story to talk about:

a) the things that Robinson Crusoe took for his trip;

b) the land that he could see in the distance;

c) the animals he saw while he was travelling.

Comprehension Check

5. Choose the correct item to complete the sentences.

1. Robinson Crusoe had long wished to see the whole of his

a) jungle

b) island

c) country

2. Far in the distance he could see ….. .

a) the sky

b) a forest

c) land

3. If it were an island, it would not be safe for him to meet ….. .

a) wild animals

b) savages

c) pirates

4. He found this side of the island ….. than that where his castle was.

a) much worse

b) much more beautiful

c) more picturesque

5. Robinson Crusoe travelled very slowly around the island, for ….. .

a) he wished to see everything

b) he was afraid of savages

c) he couldn’t walk faster

6. During his travel Robinson Crusoe saw ….. .

a) many people

b) different animals, parrots, turtles and seabirds

c) beautiful lakes and rivers

6. Answer the questions.

1. What had Robinson Crusoe long wished to do?

2. Where did he come toward evening?

3. What did he see far in the distance?

4. Did he see any animals and birds?

5. Where did he sleep at night?

6. Whom did he catch during his travel?

Reading and Thinking

7. Number the events in order they happen in the story.

____ A. One day his dog caught a young kid.

____B. At night he sometimes slept in a tree, while his dog watched below him.

____ C. In the low grounds Robinson saw some animals that looked like rabbits and foxes.

____ D. Far in the distance he could see land.

____ E. One fine morning, he set out to travel across to the other side of the island.

____ F. He saw many green parrots among the trees, so he wanted to catch one of them and to teach it to talk.

____ G. Robinson Crusoe had long wished to see the whole of his island.

8. Complete the statement.

The text is about ….. .

a) the adventures of Robinson Crusoe

b) the travel of Robinson Crusoe to the other side of the island

c) the animals and birds that lived on the island

9. Say if you have ever dreamed of spending some time in the deserted place? Why yes or why not?

Discussing the Story

10. Complete the sentences given below.

1. The nature of the island was wonderful. He could see ….. .

2. Robinson Crusoe had a great journey because ….. .

3. Robinson had no trouble to find all the food because ….. .

4. Robinson tried to catch a few animals and turn them into his pets because ….. .

Speaking File

11. Imagine that you are on a deserted island. How have you organized your life there? Talk about the things you’ve done and are going to do there. What are the difficulties you can face? How will you overcome all the troubles? Share your opinions using the phrases given below.

First of all I am going to ….. .

Then I will ….. .

As soon as ….., I will ….. .

12. You are a freelance journalist and have a chance to meet modern «Robinson Crusoe», the person who spent six months somewhere in the Pacific, far from modern civilization. Ask him / her questions to know more about his / her life there.

Writing File

13. Imagine that you had a chance to meet the person who had spent some time on a desert island. Write what he / she told you about his / her life there. What were the things that helped that person survive? Use the words from Ex. 2.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Irish Proverbs

It’s a dirty bird that won’t keep its own nest clean.

Keep your shop and your shop will keep you.

Lose an hour in the morning and you’ll be looking for it all day.

A bad workman quarrels with his tools.

The schoolhouse bell sounds bitter in youth and sweet in old age.

The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune.

Better good manners than good looks.

A man may live after losing his life but not after losing his honour.

Better to be a man of character than a man of means.

Who gossips with you will gossip of you.

Melodious is the closed mouth.

Scottish Proverbs

What may be done at any time will be done at no time.

Learn young, learn fair; learn old, learn more.

Get what you can and keep what you have; that’s the way to get rich.

When the heart is full, the tongue will speak.

Fools look to tomorrow.

Wise men use tonight.

Be slow in choosing a friend but slower in changing him.

Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves.

Welsh Proverbs

He understands badly who listens badly.

The best candle is understanding.

Be honourable yourself if you wish to associate with honourable people.

Your hand is never the worse for doing its own work.

A watched clock never tells the time.

The advice of the aged will not mislead you.

A warm January; a cold May.