- •§1. The English language
- •History of the english language
- •1. The Mixing Starts
- •2. No More Invasions
- •3. Shakespeare
- •4. The Best seller of all time
- •5. Modern English
- •6. Features of the English language
- •7. English today
- •§ 2. From the earliest history of the British Isles (the Сeltic sagas)
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find in the text all the name of tribes used with the definite article. Translate the sentences into Russian.
- •3. Find in the text the following verbs used in the Passive Voice and translate the sentences into Russian:
- •4. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions or postpositions:
- •5.Find the following pairs of derivatives:
- •6. Match English and Russian equivalents:
- •7. Make the words from the text using the letters:
- •8. Complete the sentences:
- •9. Say whether the following sentences are true or false:
- •10. Answer the question using the text:
- •11. Give a short summary of the text using the following words and word combinations:
- •§ 3. The Romans in Britain
- •8. Read Rudyard Kipling's poem "a Pict Song" and answer the questions that follow.
- •A pict song
- •Literature of the Middle Ages Do the following history quiz:
- •§ 4. Anglo-Saxon Period
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find in the text the following verbs used in the Passive Voice and translate the sentences into Russian:
- •3. Give the corresponding nouns:
- •4. Fill in the blanks with the suitable prepositions:
- •5. Match English and Russian equivalents:
- •6. Make up sentences using the words and word-combinations:
- •7. Compose your own questions on the text reflecting the main idea of every paragraph (try to use all types of questions).
- •8. Give a short summary of the text according to your answers.
- •9. Fill in the gaps in the passage about Bede using the correct forms of the verbs in the frame:
- •§ 5. Anglo-norman period (11th – 13th centuries)
- •Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find the following word-combinations in the text and translate sentences including them:
- •3. Paraphrase using the Active Voice:
- •4. Fill in the blanks with the suitable prepositions:
- •5. Transform as in the model:
- •6. Match English and Russian equivalents:
- •7. Say whether the following sentences are true or not:
- •8. Find in the text the sentences dealing with:
- •9. Say everything you know about the development of the English language during the period from the 11th to the 15th centuries.
- •§ 6. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)
- •Topical vocabulary:
- •§ 7. Literature of the Renaissance (end of the 15th – beginning of the 17th century)
- •Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find in the text the following word-combinations and translate the sentences which include them:
- •3. Use the necessary prepositions:
- •4. Match English and Russian equivalents:
- •5. Use the appropriate antonyms instead of underlined words and word-combinations:
- •§ 8. William Shakespeare(1564 – 1616)
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •3. Finish the sentences:
- •4. Find the synonyms of the words in the text:
- •5. Match the antonyms:
- •6. Answer the questions:
- •7. Give a short summary of the text.
- •8. Shakespeare was not old when he died — he had barely reached his fifty-third year. All the world's a stage
- •In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,
- •Into the lean and slipper's pantaloon,
- •Is second childishness and mere oblivion
- •9. Read Shakespeare's Sonnet 57 and write your answers to the questions.
- •§ 9. John Milton (1608–1677)
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Reproduce the sentences in which the following phrases were used:
- •3. Find in text the Passive forms of the following verbs:
- •4. Use the suitable prepositions:
- •5. Complete the list of synonyms:
- •6. Paraphrase the following using word-combinations from the text instead of those in the bold type:
- •7. Transform as in the Model:
- •8. Match English and Russian equivalents:
- •9. Match the two parts of the sentences:
- •10. Say whether the following sentences are true or false. Prove it.
- •11. Make up your own questions on the text.
- •12. Give a short summary of the text.
- •§ 10. Literature of the Enlightenment
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Translate the following:
- •3.Are these statements true or false?
- •§ 11. Daniel Defoе (1660-1731)
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find in the text the following words and word-combinations and translate the sentences, which include them:
- •3. Insert the necessary prepositions:
- •4. Transform as in the Model:
- •5. Put the words in the right order to make up sentences:
- •6. Use synonyms from the text instead words:
- •Match Russian and English equivalents:
- •8. Say whether the following sentences are true or false:
- •9. Answer the following questions:
- •10. Give a short summary of the text.
- •§ 12. Jonathan swift (1667–1745)
- •Topical vocabulary:
- •Match the synonyms from columns a and b:
- •3. Complete the sentences:
- •Answer the questions.
- •13. Henry Fielding (1707-1754)
- •1. Topical vocablulary:
- •2. Translate into Russian:
- •3. Translate into English:
- •4. Match the synonyms:
- •Choose the right version:
- •6. Answer the question:
- •7. Make a short summary of the text.
- •§ 14. Robert Burns (1759-1796)
- •1. Topical vocabulary:
- •2. Find in the text the following words and word-combinations and translation the sentences, which include them:
- •3. Use the necessary prepositions:
- •4. Give the appropriate derivatives (Verb – Noun) :
- •5. Use synonyms from the text instead of underlined words:
- •6. Match Russian and English equivalents:
- •7. Say whether the following sentences are true or false:
- •8. Answer the following questions:
- •9. Give a short summary of the text.
8. Find in the text the sentences dealing with:
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The defeat of the Anglo-Saxons king's army.
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The origin of the Normans and their influence on the Anglo-Saxons' culture.
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The literature of three social classes.
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New factors appeared in language with the Norman conquest.
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The result of the struggle for supremacy between French and English words.
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The use of words of different origins in people's speech.
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Centers of education for English students and degrees (for graduates).
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The people's life during the 14th century.
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The development of English languages and the treasure of English literature of the period.
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A new spirit already noticeable in the cultural life of the country.
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The last poet of the Middle Ages, who paved the way for English realistic literature.
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The explanation of the terms "epic", "romance", "fabliaux", "bestiaries", "scholastic".
9. Say everything you know about the development of the English language during the period from the 11th to the 15th centuries.
§ 6. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer was the greatest writer of the 14th century. He was born in London in the family of wine merchant. From the age of 18 he was connected with the Court of the King of England. During his life he visited France and Italy several times. In Italy he got acquainted with the works of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. What they wrote was full of new, optimistic ideas and love of life and had a great influence on his future works, the most important of which was The Canterbury Tales, which is considered to be the masterpiece of the English medieval poetry. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories in verse told by people of different social standing. Chaucer had planned 120 stories but wrote only 24, because death broke off his a work. The stories are preceded by a Prologue, in which the characters that will tell the stories are described. Short prologues to each story connect then into one work.
The Canterbury Tales was the first great work in verse in English literature. Chaucer painted a vivid picture of English society, as it was in his day: each of his characters was given as an individual, typical of his country and his time. Among the pilgrims there was a doctor, a merchant, a student from Oxford, a carpenter, a miller, a lawyer, a sailor, a cook. There were also some women, some monks and a pardoner among the company. The pilgrims tell their stories according to their rank of standing. Thus, the knight tells romance, the miller – a fabliau, the pardoner – a moralizing tale.
The great poet contributed to the formation of the English literary language. His works were written in the London dialect which, at the time, was becoming the spoken language of the majority of the people.
Chaucer also worked out a new form of versification, which replaced alliteration. This was called metrical form. It was based on rhythmical arrangement of the accents, of the length of the verse of stanzas.
Geoffrey Chaucer showed life as it was: as a great artist and humanist he gave an equally masterly description of Good and Evil. The great writer believed in Man and was optimistically full of hope for the future.
The 15th century is known in English literature as the century of folklore. Many songs, called ballads, were composed then by the common people of the country. The ballads were songs in verses of four lines, called quatrains: the second and fourth lines of the verse rhymed. Among them there were historical and legendary ballads. Some were humorous and others were lyrical.
A favorite legendary hero of the English people is Robin Hood. Many ballads have been composed about him and his friends. Some historians say that there really was such as a person Robin Hood, but that is not certain.
Popular ballads show Robin Hood as a tireless enemy of the Norman oppressors, of the Church and the tradesman. They sing about his courage, his readiness to help the poor end the needy. They tell about the love of the poor people for their legendary hero, and their deep gratitude to him.
These melodious ballads were sung from generation to generation. In the 18th century they were collected and printed for the first time. Thus they became part of the wealth of English literature.