MARK TWAIN: FATHER OF AMERICAN LITERATURE

1. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, but he is better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. One of the important figures in American literary history, Twain holds a unique position in American literature. He was not only a writer; he was also a famous humorist, a journalist who satirized the hypocrisy of man and society, and a novelist who used laughter to fight against the tyranny.

2. He was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, but he grew up in Hannibal on the Mississippi River, where his family had moved when he was four years old. To the Indians, the Mississippi had been the “Father of waters”. To the people of Hannibal it was a broad highway which brought in goods and visitors, and to boys it was excitement. Every boy in Hannibal dreamed of becoming a pilot on a river steamboat.

3. In 1847, the death of Sam’s father brought an end to his carefree days, he had to leave school and to go to work at the age of 12 as an apprentice to a printer. He completed his apprenticeship at the age of 15 and went to work as a printer for his brother Orion, publisher of the Hannibal Journal. But the lure of the Mississippi was too strong, and at the age of 21, Sam returned to the river to realize an old ambition to be a Mississippi riverboat pilot. Mark Twain always thought that his days on the Mississippi were the happiest in his life. While he was steaming up and down the Mississippi Sam was reading much and it led him eventually to writing.

4. In 1861, the Civil War disrupted Mississippi river traffic and ended Sam Clemens’ career as a steamboat pilot. His career as Mark Twain, the writer, was about to begin. Orion, his brother had got a new job in Nevada and had asked Sam to accompany him to his new job. Sam spent a year prospecting for gold in Nevada but he met only with failure. He started to write. Nevada’s leading newspaper printed several of his colourful and humorous sketches of gold prospectors’ life and finally offered him a job as an editor. When he became a reporter in the Far West, he chose the name Mark Twain for a pen name. It was a term from his days on the steamboat and it meant “a depth of two fathoms – clear passage”. Water two fathoms deep was safe for the riverboats.

5. He traveled much throughout the East and Midwest as a journeyman printer. In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon, the only daughter of a wealthy businessman. In a year they moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where Twain had built a big house with the money which he had earned by his literary work. It was in Hartford that Twain wrote his two masterpieces, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). These books are filled with concrete details which he had observed and remembered. All of Twain’s books are molded from the clay of his past; in most of them he is the hero.

6. Although he published his first story at seventeen and wrote professionally for over forty years, Mark Twain’s fame as an author rests mainly in his work between 1872 and 1889, the happiest and the most productive period of his life. By the turn of the 20^th century, he was one of the best-known public figures in the United States, and world-famous as well.

7. On April 21, 1910, while Halley’s Comet, which had ushered in his birth 74 years earlier, flashed across the night sky, Samuel Langhorne Clemens died. Shortly before his death, he wrote to his friend: “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.” Mark Twain left his mark upon American literature. Many countries have translated and published his books in their languages. They are well-known all over the world.

Задание 2 Заполните таблицу, распределив слова из текста на 4 группы (части речи). Переведите слова на русский язык. Употребите подчеркнутые слова в ваших собственных предложениях.

Literary, humorist, printer, a novelist, famous, earn fame, figure, expect, society, pen-name, wealthy, unique, colourful, masterpiece, public, shortly, failure, well-known, eventually, editor, excitement, carefree, professionally, laughter, publisher, humorous, productive, ambition, reporter, rest, best-known, hypocrisy, world-famous, realize, satirize.

Задание 3 Найдите в тексте предложения со следующими выражениями. Составьте к ним специальные вопросы.

1/ satirized the hypocrisy 2/ disrupted the Mississippi river;

3/ became a reporter 4/ published his first novel…

5/ dreamed of becoming a pilot

Задание 4 Определите, верны (В) или неверны (Н) следующие утверждения в соответствии с текстом.

1. He was only known as a famous writer.

2. Mark Twain was born and raised in Hannibal.

3. At the age of 21 he realized his ambition and became a printer for his brother.

4. Mark Twain tried to prospect gold and was rather unsuccessful.

5. He had been working most productively since 1872 till 1889.

6. Olivia’s father, a wealthy businessman built a big house for Mark Twain.

7. Halley’s Comet was rather symbolic for Mark Twain.

Задание 5 Найдите ответы на следующие вопросы.

1. What was the real name of Mark Twain?

2. Did he write novels or detective stories?

3. Why did every boy in Hanibal dream of becoming a pilot on a river boat?

4. Did Samuel like reading when he worked on a steamboat?

5. What was the name of Samuel’s elder brother?

6. What was the name of the newspaper which gave him a job of an editor?

7. What does his pen name mean?

8. Was Mark Twain a traveler?

9. How old was Mark Twain when his first story was published?

10. What did he write in his books about?

Задание 6 Заполните пропуски в предложениях соответствующим по смыслу модальными глаголами. (must, could, have to, can, should, need to). Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1. All young people … learn foreign languages nowadays because they are socially demanded.

2. If you speak and read foreign languages, you … learn the culture and history of the native speakers.

3. At the end of the 14^th century Italian booksellers … publish books even before the invention of printing.

4. This book is a very rare edition. It … to be kept carefully.

5. The scientists … not find out the exact date of birth of Ivan Fyodorov, the first Russian book printer.

6. It’s not allowed to take this book home from the library. You … to study it in the reading hall.

7. As a popular author of some best-sellers I … to deal with publishers quite often.

8. Good morning! What … I do for you?

9. The students don’t study on Sundays. So you … to go to university tomorrow. It’ll be Sunday.

10. Everybody in the world … buy a book from our bookstore online.

Задание 7 Переведите следующие предложения из прямой речи в косвенную.

1. My father said: “I have worked as an editor for 15 years.”

2. The professor warned us: “Don’t cheat at the exam. Make your own answers.”

3. The librarian asked us: “When are you going to borrow the books from the library?”

4. My father ordered: “You must come back home not later than 10 p.m.”

5. The journalist asked us: “What American writers of the 19^th century do you know?”

6. The teacher said: “Tim, your composition is the best!”

7. The teacher said: “This famous designer was born in Wales.”

8. The author asked his colleague: “When are you going to issue your new novel?”

9. L. Tolstoy said: “All families are happy in the same way.”

10. “A new exhibition has been opened in our picture gallery” – mother said.

Задание 8 Выучите 50 слов по теме “Jobs and careers”.

Задание 9 Составьте рассказ “My job” или “My career” (20-25 предложений)

Задание 10 Подберите текст для дополнительного чтения (10 тысяч знаков) и выполните соответствующие задания (см. контр. работу №1, вариант I):

IV семестр

Тема: «Languages»

Грамматика: The Infinitive and the Gerund

Инфинитив и -ing форма (герундий)

The Infinitive and -ing form (The Gerund)

Инфинитив

Различают два типа инфинитива:

а) “to” инфинитив (to infinitive) – это корневая (основная) форма глагола с частицей to,

Например: to stay, to go, to study

б) инфинитив без to, или голый инфинитив (bare infinitive) - это корневая (основная) форма глагола.

Например: stay, go, study

Мы употребляем “to” инфинитив:

* после глаголов advise, agree, decide, expect, hope, manage, offer, promise, refuse, seem, want, attempt, fail, afford, dare, arrange, forget, tend и т.п.,

Например: He refused to answer my question. They agreed to lend me some money.

* после be + прилагательное (glad, happy, nice, sorry и т.п.),

Например: It is nice to be back home. They will be glad to see you.

* после таких глаголов, как know, learn, remember, ask, want to know и т.п., если за ними следует вопросительное слово (who, what, where, how и т.п). В утверждениях после “why” следует не инфинитив, а подлежащее + глагол,

Например: I don’t know how to answer this question.

НoI didn’tknow why he was crying.

* со словами too и enough,

Например: It’stoo cold to go outside. John isn’t old enough to drivea car.

* для того, чтобы выразить цель.

Например: I went to the shop to buy some souveniers.

Мы употребляем инфинитив без to:

* после модальных глаголов (can, must, may, should и т.п),

Например: They can go home no. You should be more polite with her.

* после глаголов let и make (в значении “позволять” и “заставлять”).

Например: My parents let me havea party for my birthday last month.

When I was five years old my parents made me go to bed very early.

“-ing” форма (Герундий)

“-ing” форма (ing form) – это форма глагола, оканчивающаяся на –ing.

Например: Sam likes fishing.

Мы употребляем “-ing” форму:

* как существительное

Например: Walking is a good form of exercise. Dancing is my favourite hobby.

* обычно после глаголов like, love, dislike, hate, enjoy, prefer, start, begin, stop, finish

Примечание

1 После глаголов start, begin, continue, like, love, prefer, hate можно употреблять как “-ing”-форму, так и “to” –инфинитив.

Например: He started writing/ to write his speech last night.

2 После выражений would love / would like / would prefer употребляется только “to”–инфинитив.

Например: I would love to have my own house one day.

Тема: «Languages»

Список слов

Контрольная работа №5 Вариант 1

Задание 1 Прочитайте и переведите текст, составьте словарь незнакомых слов.

The Spread of English

1. The English language was born out of foreign invasion and later spread across the North Sea to England. They were Angles, Saxons and Jutes and came from present-day Germany and Scandinavia. They established themselves and their languages in the territory the Celtic speakers had occupied. The resulting mixture of Germanic and Scandinavian languages became the earliest form of English.

2. In 1066, William the Conqueror led the Norman French invasion of England. For a period of nearly 300 years French became the official language, ___1___ by the majority of common people. Modern English has its main origins in the mixture of these two languages, Anglo-Saxon and French.

3. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, British navigators sailed across the seas with the aim of extending Britain’s power and prosperity. They colonized new territories around the world, taking their language with them .

4. Through the centuries, ___2___, English spread throughout the world. Five hundred years ago they didn’t speak English in North America: the American Indians had their own languages. So did the Eskimos in Canada, the aborigines in Australia, and the Maoris in New Zealand. The English arrived and set up their colonies.

5. By 1897 the British Empire had possessions in all five continents. English was imposed ___3___ , but often words from the local languages started to trickle into the English of the colonisers. This occurred most frequently where an equivalent word did not exist in English.

6. Today, English is represented in every continent and in the three main oceans – the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific. 400 million people speak English as their first language. For the other 600 million people it’s either a second language or a foreign language. English is the first language in the United Kingdom, the United Srares of America, Australia and New Zealand. It is one of the official languages in Canada, the Irish Republic and the Republic of South Africa. English is the language of politics and diplomacy, science and technology, business and trade, sports and pop music.

7. English is mixing with and marrying other languages around the world. It is probably the most insatiable borrower. Words newly coined or in vogue in one language are very often added to English as well. There are words from 120 languages in its vocabulary, including Arabic, French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

8. Other languages absorb English words too, ___4___ . So many Japanese, French and Germans mix English words with their mother tongues that the resulting hybrids are called Japlish, Franglais and Denglish. One of the many “Englishes” spoken and written today is Euro-English. Euro-English has its origins in the political arena of the European community.

9. A century ago, some linguists predicted that one day England, America, Australia and Canada would be speaking different languages. However, with the advent of records, cinema, radio, and television, the two brands of English have even begun to draw back together again.

10. People have long been interested in having a global language, a sort of linqua franca, that ___5___. Such a language would help to increase cultural and economic ties and simplify communication between people. Over the centuries, Greek, Latin, Spanish, French, Malay, Swahili and other languages have been used as international instruments for trade, diplomacy or religion.

11. To know English today is absolutely necessary for every educated person, for every good specialist. Learning a languageis not an easy thing. It’s a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and patience. But it’s a must. We all need to understand each other. To do that we need an international language, and that’s English.

Задание 2 Соотнесите пробелы в тексте 1-5 с частями предложений A-F. Одно из заданий является лишним.

A) mixing some other languages

B) as the official language of the new colonies

C) often giving them new forms and new meanings

D) although English continued to be spoken

E) as a result of various historical events

F) that could be spoken throughout the world

Задание 3 Прочитайте текст еще раз и определите, верны (В) или не верны (Н) следующие утверждения:

1. Invasions of England started from the fifth century.

2. About three centuries French was the official language of England.

3. Britain brought prosperity and independence to its colonies.

4. People in Canada, Australia, New Zealand still speak English of Shakespeare’s time.

5. There are a lot of borrowings from other languages in the English language.

6. American and British English are the brands of two different languages.

7. English has always been used as a lingua franca.

8. People need a world language as an essential part of their national identity.

9. Different epochs used different languages for trade, diplomacy and religion.

10. Invasions caused the origin of the English language and its later spreading in all five continents.

Задание 4 Образуйте вопросы для нижеприведенных предложений.

1. What/ the English language/ be born out?

2. What/ the earliest form of English/ be?

3. Who/ lead/ the Norman French invasion of England?

4. Which languages/ modern English/ have its modern origins in?

5. Why/ words from the local languages/ be borrowed/ by the English language?

6. What languages/ be spoken/ in America, Australia and New Zealand/ before the arrival of the English?

7. Other languages/ absorb /English words?

8. Why/ people/ be interested/ in using one language?

9. How many universal languages/ be used/ through the years?

10. People/ really/ need/ a word language?

Задание 5 Определите грамматическую форму слов и выражений, подчеркнутых в тексте.

Задание 6 Выполните задание, выбрав правильный ответ: a, b, c или d.

1. About 300 million people _____ in more than 60 countries use English as a second language.

a) having lived b) living c) being lived d) lived

2. The girl _____ Esperanto is my cousin.

a) being known b) having known c) knowing d) known

3. _____ the text about the history of the English language, she could finish her homework

a) Having read b) Reading c) Read d) Being read

4. The population of Australia and New Zealand uses the language _____ by the British five hundred years ago.

a) having brought b) brought c) bringing d) being brought

5. Very often words _____ from other languages have new forms and meanings.

a) having borrowed b) being borrowed c) borrowing d) borrowed

6. _____ English and French, he could find a good job in embassy.

a) Learning b) Being learnt c) Having learnt d) Learnt

7. Do you know the girl _____ German with the professor?

a) spoken b) having spoken c) being spoken d) speaking

8. No doubt that today the language widely _____ in diplomacy, politics, business and trade is English.

a) having used b) using c) being used d) used

9. _____ to speak English they started to learn the Italian language.

a) Teaching b) Having taught c) Being taught d) taught

10. _____ her report at the English language history at the annual Student’s conference, she published a big article on the university newspaper.

a) Made b) Making c) Having made d) Being made

Задание 7 Поставьте глаголы в скобках в нужную форму: infinitive or –ing form.

Dear Jessica,

How are you? I’m busy 1)___(study) for my exam which is next week, but

I have decided 2)___(take) a break and 3)___(write) you a letter.

4)___(read) so many notes and 5)___(learn) so many facts is making me

very tired. I can’t wait 6)___(finish) my course! Then, I can start 7)___(look)

for a good job.

Sophie started her new job last month. 8)___(work) at the hospital suits

her– she loves 9)___(look) after people. She hopes 10)___(stay) in this job

for a couple of years and then she intends 11)___(try) for a promotion.

By the way, how are you getting on now that you are a manager? I forgot

12)___(congratulate) you when I saw you.

Anyway, I’ve got to go now. Write soon and tell me all your news, won’t you?

Best wishes,

Maggie

Задание 8 Выучите 50 слов по теме «Languages».

Задание 9 Составьте краткий рассказ (20-25 предложений) на тему «Английский язык в современном мире»

Задание 10 Подберите текст для дополнительного чтения (10 тысяч знаков) и выполните соответствующие задания (см. контр. работу №1, вариант I):

Контрольная работа №5 Вариант 2

Задание 1 Прочитайте и письменно переведите текст Long live the book!

Задание 2 Найдите в тексте предложения с подчеркнутой

-ing формой (герундием) и сделайте письменный перевод этих предложений.

Задание 3 Письменно ответьте на вопросы по содержанию текста:

1. What definitions of a book are given in the text?

2. What nations contributed into creation of a book?

3. How did an ancient man express his thoughts?

4. How old is the oldest picture-script found in Mesopotamia?

5. What was the first material to scratch the images on?

6. What people created the alphabet? How?

7. What material did people use to write on in Egypt?

8. What is a gentleman named Ts’ai Lun famous for?

9. How long had the secret of making paper been kept by Chinese people?

10. Who revealed their secret?

11. What happened in 1439?

12. What is stored in books?

Задание 4 Заполните пропуски в таблице вновь образованными словами в соответствии с частями речи с помощью приставок или суффиксов.

Задание 5 Прочитайте и переведите на русский язык.

1. On hearing this news he went to see his publisher.

2. Finding your own mistakes will help you improve your work.

3. There is too much talking and laughing in the room.

4. You must stop making so much noise.

5. I do not remember ever having seen such a design.

6. Travelling is the most exciting thing in my life.

7. Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher?

8. Learning a list of new words took me a whole hour.

9. The Chinese started writing on paper in the year 105 A.D.

10. This book is worth reading.

Задание 6 Переведите предложения. Определите, какой частью речи являются подчеркнутые в предложениях слова: герундием, причастием или инфинитивом.

1. Writing the first book took him 15 months.

2. My plan for today is to write an article for a magazine.

3. A good beginning is half the battle.

4. Students beginning to study French say that its phonetics is very difficult.

5. Speaking English is easier than speaking Hindi.

6. My parents always wanted me to be a journalist.

7. I am happy to have learnt the truth.

8. I am looking forward to meeting you at the station.

9. After the lecture Peter suggested going to the cinema.

10. It is never too late to learn.

Задание 7 Найдите причастие 1 или причастие 2 в предложениях и переведите их на русский язык.

1. In the park I saw a young girl standing near the tree and crying.

2. A started letter was lying on the table.

3. The picture hanging on the wall struck me by its beauty.

4. His torn jeans were hanging on the chair.

5. Occupied with his deep thoughts she was walking down the river.

6. His packed baggage was put on the carriage.

7. She used to spend her holidays in the country growing flowers and vegetables.

8. Suddenly I saw somebody screaming.

9. The orchestrants were sitting on the stage playing Bach.

10. At the end of the street they found a deserted house.

Задание 8 Выучите 50 слов по теме “Languages”.

Задание 9 Составьте краткий рассказ (20-25 предложений) на тему «Английский язык в современном мире»

Задание 10 Подберите текст для дополнительного чтения (10 тысяч знаков) и выполните соответствующие задания (см. контр. работу №1, вариант I):

V семестр

Тема: «Reading Habits»

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