VIII. Explain and expand on the following;

1. She tried to counteract the aggressive masculinity of her appearance.

2. She looked like a vaudeville artist doing a female impersonation.

3. Yet this ungainly exterior sheltered a tender romantic and idealistic soul.

4. She had a rare capacity for disinterested love.

5. Many a poor wretch took the last bitter step into the unknown with more courage.

6. I don’t believe his agonies were worse than mine.

7. Robert didn’t think the English quite up to the mark.

8. The trouble was that Captain Forestier was almost too perfect a type of the English gentleman.

9. Men like clinging silks and soft fluffy things … and I was at such a disadvantage in my nurse’s uniform.

10. It was then you saw in him all those generations of country squires that he had behind him.

Reading Comprehension Tasks

1. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. Captain Forestier had met his death in one of bloody battles.

2. Mrs. Forestier was charming, beautiful and intelligent.

3. Her movement and gestures were skilful.

4. She was unkind and malicious.

5. She was English.

6. When her first husband had died, she joined a hospital unit and came to France.

7. She was an admirable nurse.

8. Captain Forestier was a keen golfer but a bad tennis player.

9. He was after her money and made a dishonorable proposal to her and they married.

10. They often went to England especially in winter.

11. Captain Forestier was a connoisseur of hounds and was proud of his kennel.

12. Eleanor admired his husband because he was the perfect type of an English gentleman.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What had happened with Captain Forestier?

2. How did Mrs. Forestier manage to overcome the loss of her husband?

3. How did she try to hide the aggressive masculinity of her appearance? Did she succeed in it?

4. How did she look like?

5. Why did the more you know Mrs. Forestierthe more you like her?

6. Where was she born?

7. Who was her first husband?

8. How did she find herself in France?

9. How did she do as a nurse/

10. How did she get to know Captain Forestier?

11. What did Eleanor’s relations suggest when they had married?

12. Did he follow their advice?

13. Where did they settle down?

14. Why didn’t they spend their winters in England?

15. Describe Captain Forestier’s appearance and character.

16. Why couldn’t she help admiring Robert?

3. Divide into to groups. Group a fill in the gaps with adjectives and characterize Mrs. Forestier. Group b fill in the gaps with adjectives and characterize Mr. Forestier. Text a

Mrs. Forestier was neither ____, beautiful nor ____; on the contrary she was absurd, ____ and foolish. She was as tall as ____ man; she had a ____ mouth, and a great ____ nose, pale-blue ____ eyes and big ____ hands. Her skin was ____ and ____, her hair was ____. She did everything she could to counteract the ____ masculinity of her appearance. Her movements were ____ and her gestures ____. Yet this ____ exterior sheltered a ____, romantic and idealistic soul. Her kindness was ____. She had a rare capacity for ____ love. Never an ____ or ____ thought had once passed through her head. Mrs. Forestier was a very nice woman.

Text B

Captain Forestier was almost too _____ a type of the English gentleman. He was at forty-five still a very _____ man with his _____ _____ hair and his _____ moustache; he had the _____, _____, _____skin of a man who is much in the open air. He was _____, _____ and _____. He looked every inch a soldier. He had a _____,_____ way with him and a _____, _____ laugh. In his conversation, in his manner, in his dress he was so _____ that you could hardly believe it. And his conversation, the way he dogmatised, the ______ inanity of his statements, his _____, _____ stupidity were all so characteristics of the _____ officer that you could hardly help thinking he was putting it on. Captain Forestier had high _____ standard. His principles were so high and he was prepared to stick to them at any cost.