7. In each set, find the odd-one-out, explain your choice.

1.a. prolific b. famous c. celebrated d. well-known

2.a. virtuous b. selfish c. honest d. admirable

3.a. mood b. atmosphere c. spirit d. setting

4.a. storyline b. events c. plot d. action

8. Choose the best word to fill in the blanks.

1. __________ characterizations

a. vivid b. complex c. sentimental d. restrained

2. __________ style

a. credible b. polished c. action-packed d. true-to-life

3. __________ characters from life.

a. create b. portray c. draw d. depict

4. __________ characters

a. clumsy b. obscure c. sympathetic d. lucid

5. __________ plot

a. plausible b. depressing c. well-drawn d. jerky

9. Say it in English.

1. Подающий надежды сын обойщика решил сменить имя и профессию: сегодня его знают как блестящего драматурга.

2. Автор этой сложной книги стремился к тому, чтобы разозлить, а не рассмешить мир. Ему это не удалось.

3. Автор многочисленных остроумных фраз верил, что читателей привлекают прежде всего безнравственные, порочные и эгоистичные герои. «Абсурдно делить людей на хороших и дурных; люди либо очаровательны, либо скучны,» бывало, говорил он.

4. Хотя характеры в этом произведении выписаны необыкновенно живо, сюжета как такового там нет.

5. Темой этой средневековой английской поэмы является рассказ о добродетельном рыцаре.

6. События этого шокирующего романа разворачиваются в Англии в 1984 году.

7. Этот литературный термин стал синонимом «темного, неясного» стиля и усложненных метафор.

8. Главный герой этого приключенческого романа настолько реалистичен, что автора обвинили в заимствовании чужой биографии.

9. Название пьесы этого драматурга стало символом претенциозности.

10. Read the following passage. Use the words at the bottom to fill in each gap. Sometimes there is more than one alternative.

My Favourite Escape: Books

My favourite “escape” novels are horror/fantasy stories. Because most of the stories could not possibly happen, I find this type the most __________. Novels written by Stephen King or Peter Straub are always __________. Although their novels start out with normal __________ and situations, the stories end up with __________ creatures and circumstances involved. For instance, Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot __________ with a middle-aged widower who returns to his hometown after his wife’s tragic death. The town is eventually taken __________ by vampires. The bizarre elements are so carefully and __________ woven into the normal events, I can’t determine exactly where the deviation between normal and weird begins. __________ that involve seemingly typical American small towns with creepy undercurrents, nightmarelike creatures with human __________, and bizarre events as well as the normal human antiheroes make excellent “escape” reading. It’s this type of novel that I find difficult to put __________. My creative __________ is unleashed to fully appreciate the horror/fantasy novels. I feel __________ when I let my mind flow with the unusual events as they happen.

inspiration, refreshed, plot, down, intriguing, over, up, setting, exciting, characterizations, atmosphere, imagination, tale, trait, relaxed, open, interesting, weird, frightening, gripping, character, event, subtly

11. Read this biographical note about a well-known American author and fill in the gaps with any suitable word or expression.

BUCK, Pearl S. (1892-1973)

American __________. __________ in Hillsboro, West Virginia, she was taken to China as a child by her parents, who were missionaries, and spent much of her life there, teaching __________ various universities. Many of her works of fiction are __________ in China, including the Good Earth (1931), probably her __________ novel, for which she was __________ the Pulitzer Prize in 1932.

A __________ writer, Buck produced over 100 titles: novels, __________ of stories, plays, screenplays, one book of verse, children’s literature, biographies, a cookbook, and works of __________ about the mentally retarded, her philanthropic activities, Russia and missionaries. She also translated and edited works by various Chinese writers. The biographies of her parents, The Exile (1936) and Fighting Angel: Portrait of a Soul (1936), are considered __________. In 1938 she became the first American woman to __________ the Nobel Prize for Literature.