М. М. Битюкова
Задания к рассказам из цикла «The Inimitable Jeeves»
Story 1. Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum
Vocabulary
A matter of importance – важный вопрос, важное дело
Admirable – достойный восхищения, превосходный
Appropriate – закономерный, допустимый, уместный
Catch sight of – заметить, увидеть мельком, поймать взглядом
Class distinction – классовое неравенство
Decidedly – решительно, бесспорно, определенно
Desire somebody’s services – нуждаться в чьих-либо услугах
Drop the subject – оставить тему разговора, прекратить разговор на эту тему
Eatery – закусочная, забегаловка
Exceptionally clement – чрезвычайно благоприятный
Fix things – исправить положение, уладить дела
Get flustered with gratification – разволноваться от удовольствия
In aid of some charity – на какие-то благотворительные цели
In every respect – во всех отношениях
Lead a fairly unclouded life – вести вполне безоблачную жизнь
Perpetually – постоянно, то и дело, вечно
Postpone – откладывать, отодвигать
Precisely – точно так, именно, вот именно
Regardless of – независимо от, невзирая на
State the case to someone – изложить суть дела (проблемы) кому-либо
Tea-and-bun shop – закусочная, кафе
When it conies to literature – когда дело доходит до литературы
Story 1. Tasks on the text
Exercise 1. Answer the questions.
1) Who is Jeeves? How would you describe him? 2) How did Bertie Wooster start his day? 3) What season was it? What kind of weather? 4) Who phoned Wooster in the morning and what did he want? 5) Where did Bingo take Wooster to meet his new affection? 6) Why did Wooster call this girl “the female poisoner”? 7) Where did Bingo meet Mable? How did he get there? 8) What advice did Bingo need and who did he desire to receive it from? 9) What did Jeeves suggest doing in this situation? 10) Do you think the valet’s advice will work out? Why?
Exercise 2. Read the statements from the text and say if they are true of false. Correct the false ones.
1. Jeeves is the best valet that Wooster ever had.
2. Wooster consulted with Jeeves about horse-racing.
3. When Bingo Little, Wooster’s old friend, rang up on the phone in the morning, Jeeves immediately awoke his master, because it was a very important call.
4. The weather outside was exceptionally pleasant. It was a nice summer day.
5. In the street Wooster suddenly ran into Bingo Little wearing a crimson shirt printed with horseshoes.
6. Bingo invited Wooster to a strange and cheap eatery near the Ritz.
7. The owner of the eatery was Bingo’s new girl-friend.
8. Bingo needed Wooster’s advice to marry Mable or not.
9. Bingo was entirely dependent on his uncle.
10. Jeeves thought Bingo’s uncle to be a rather greed old man who devoted himself only to the pleasures of the table.
Exercise 3. Choose the main events of the story, write them down and according to them retell the story. Try to avoid details.
Exercise 4. Make up dialogues.
In the story you met 4 characters: Jeeves, Wooster, Bingo and Mable. Make up dialogues between two of them ( Jeeves and Wooster in the morning discussing the weather; Wooster and Bingo in the street and in the tea-and-bun shop; Bingo and Mable at a subscription dance; Jeeves and Wooster discussing Bingo’s situation).
Exercise 5. What’s your opinion about the characters of the story? Who do you sympathize with? Why? How could you characterize each of them using only two or three words or adjectives?
