2. Fill in the blanks with the words and word combinations from the text.

1. When they came a number of men were already ____ .

2. Hardy ____ them

3. They were trying ____ the flame because there was no ____.

4. After week of ____ everything was as dry as ____.

5. And the best way to stop ____ was by ____ trees.

6. But the men were ____ and only two r three had ____.

7. At the back of the house there were kennels and ____.

8. The animals were ____ with terror. Hardy ____ them____ and they rushed ____.

9. They began ____ from the house all the things as were ____.

10. At last ____ came and began ____ trenches and ____ trees.

11. They tried ____ the fire spreading ____ the hills.

3. Put the sentences in right order.

1. They had not gone far when they heard somebody calling.

2. Hardy tried to hold him but in vain.

3. Then suddenly a verandah at the back bursted into flames.

4. The lights of the car were seen speeding along the winding road.

5. The women decided to get the servants together and carry everything they could get out to the Hardys’ house.

6. More than in an hour they could found him lying dead with the dead dog in his arms.

7. A few minutes later Forestier had his wife sprang out of the car.

8. The two men walked towards where the soldiers were at work to help them

9. The maid told that Eleanor’s dog had been shut up in the house and now she was on heat.

10. At first in that filthy fellow Robert didn’t recognize Fred Hardy.

11. They looked round and saw a woman running after them.

12. The forest was blazing.

13. Forestier ran back to the house hoping to save wife’s dog.

IV. Answer the following questions:

1. What was the weather in the towns along the Riviera?

2. What was the consequence of the drought?

3. What did people advise Robert to do? Why didn’t he follow their advice?

4. Where did the Forestier go on the fourteenth of July?

5. Why did they let their staff go to Cannes on that day?

6. What were the Hardys doing on that day?

7. Who came to them and what news did he bring?

8. How did people help to save the Forestiers’ property?

9. What difficulties did they face with while fighting with a fire?

10. Why did Robert run back to the house?

11. Did he manage to save the dog?

12. Did Fred Hardy approve of Robert’s sacrifice? What was his attitude towards it?

Discussion Tasks

1. Say everything you can about Eleanor, Robert, Fred.

1. appearance

2. character

3. past

4. present

2. Discuss the characters of the book. Give your impression of Eleanor, Robert and Fred.

3. Comment on Fred’s attitude towards Robert’s sacrifice at the end of the story.

4. Write a brief summary of the text.

5. Retell the text as it would be told by

1) Eleanor

2) Robert

3) Fred

6. Compose the dialogues between;

1. Robert and Eleanor after the luncheon.

2. Fred and Robert in the bar.

VII. Comment on the title “The Lion’s Skin”.