Act II (Portion 1)

I. Suggested vocabulary list (to be copied out, translated, learnt and reproduced from the book):

1. plain

2. to improve oneself

3. to lay particular stress on smth

4. to have a sense of duty and responsibility

5. idle

6. to have a good influence over smb

7. to keep a diary

8. to have a stroll

9. wicked

10. to be taken aback

11. to be susceptible to smth (draughts/

12. on behalf of smb

13. to have no apprehensions

14. in disguise

15. to induce smb to do smth

16. to drive smb frantic

17. reconciliation

II. Answer the following questions:

1. Where is the scene laid?

2. What was Cecily displeased with and what was Miss Prism’s reaction to that?

3. Why do you think Uncle Jack laid particular stress on German? Why didn’t Cecily consider it a becoming language?

4. How did Cecily and Miss Prism account for Uncle Jack’s bored looks?

5. What was Cecily’s suggestions about Uncle Jack’s brother?

6. Why was Cecily glad to see Canon Chasuble?

7. Was Cannon Chasuble a well-read person? What is a metaphor? What is an allusion?

8. In what way did Algernon present himself and how did Cecily meet him?

9. What piece of news made Algernon greatly surprised?

10. What did Miss Prism recommend Canon Chasuble to do and why?

11. In what theatrical manner did Jack appear? What did he say about his brother?

12. What kind of sermon did Canon Chasuble plan to deliver on the occasion of the tragic affliction?

13. What did Jack request Canon Chasuble to do and what was the reason for it?

14. What was Cecily’s reaction when she saw Uncle Jack?

15. How did Jack meet Algernon?

16. Under what circumstances did reconciliation take place?

III. Comment on the following:

1. As a man sow so let him reap.

2. Memory is the diary that we all carry with us.

3. I don’t like novels that end happily … The good ended happily and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.

4. When one is going to lead an entirely new life one requires regular and wholesome meals.

5. All good looks are a snare.

6. By persistently remaining single, a man converts himself into a permanent public temptation.

7. Ripeness can be trusted. Maturity can be trusted.

8. People who live entirely for pleasure are usually unmarried.

9. What seem to us bitter trials are often blessing in disguise.

10. We must not be premature in our judgements.

Act II (Portion 2)

I. Suggested vocabulary list (to be copied out, translated, learnt and reproduced from the book):

1. to do smb (a) credit

2. a record of smth

3. to make sense

4. to confess to smb

5. to settle (the) engagement

6. to give an excuse

7. to make smb conceited

8. to break off the engagement

9. to inspire absolute confidence

10. learned

11. I can’t help doing smth

12. to be on good terms with smb

13. to lift a load from smb’s mind

14. to propose to smb

15. to have the prior claim to smb/smth

16. to be entrapped into smth

17. to rescue smb

18. to speak one’s mind

19. deceitful

20. to take smb in

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What kind of conversation took place between Jack and Agernon about the luggage going to London?

2. On what condition did Algernon agree to go to London?

3. What kind of compliments did Algernon pay to Cecily? How did she take them?

4. How did it happen that Cecily announced that she and Algernon were engaged?

5. What excuse did Cecily always given for his leading such a bad life?

6. Why was the engagement broken off?

7. What helped Cecily to forgive her imaginary bridegroom?

8. What girlish dream did Cecily have and why?

9. What kind of decision did Algernon take under the circumstances?

10. How did the young ladies meet and what manners did they show/use before and after learning about the engagement?

11. Why did Gwendolen wish that Cecily were fully forty-two and more than usually plain for her age?

12. How did Gwendolen praise her beloved man?

13. What arguments did the young ladies use to claim the beloved man?

14. What was the young ladies’ reaction when they learnt about the gross deception?

15. What did Jack think about Algernon’s conduct towards Cecily?