Penelope Lively
The House in Norham Gardens
Chapter 3
Discuss the chapter answering the following questions
Tell about Liz’s visit of the house in Norham Gardens. Why did she like it?
Why did Clare’s guests want to see great-grandmothers’ things? What are advantages and disadvantages for a child to grow in the atmosphere of their house?
Speak on the girl’s school activities (p. 35).
Read and comment on the conversation about age (p. 37).
Speak on Clare’s second dream (p. 39). What did the people from a tribe ask her for?
There are several different worlds in the book: the world of Clare’s dreams, the world of the house, the world of the outside life. How are they interrelated and intermixed?
Find in the text the sentences containing the following words and word combinations; translate them into Russian; use them in the sentences of your own.
Aftermath, to come a cropper, crouch, despondent, enthrall, larder, nagging, nip back and forth, relevance, weird.
Chapter 4 Discuss the chapter answering the following questions
Discuss the episode when Clare flicked over Maureen’s magazine. Comment on the statement: “Maureen’s magazine offered solution to everything…” (p. 42).
Speak on Clare’s visit to the surgery (p. 43).
Give an account of conversation with Mrs. Cramp. Why was she troubled about the girl? Were her troubles grounded?
What do the readers learn about the usage of a tamburan made by the man from the valley?
Speak on Clare’s dream. How is it related to the scene in the introduction?
Comment on the phrase: “ What a pity mirrors couldn’t remember faces they had reflected before” (p. 50). Why?
Find in the text the sentences containing the following words and word combinations; translate them into Russian; use them in the sentences of your own.
Biro, gnaw, hearthrug, loom, sorcery, splinter, spruce, wail, whoop.
Chapter 5 Discuss the chapter answering the following questions
Discuss the episode on Saturday morning (pp. 53-54).
What happened to the shield? Why? (p. 55).
Speak on Clare’s visit to The Pitt Rivers Museum. What is its peculiarity?
Characterize John Sempebwa. Was it easy for Clare to contact him?
What do we learn about the people of New Guinea? What do you know about this country?
What are the similar features and differences between primitive and civilized people?
Find in the text the sentences containing the following words and word combinations; translate them into Russian; use them in the sentences of your own.
Assegai, blizzard, etch, fossil, to inch onwards, jellyfish, musty, prolific, roundabout, tenacious, whiskery.
Chapter 6
Discuss the chapter answering the following questions
Speak on John’s visit to Norham Gardens. How did he like it? (pp. 65-66).
Describe Clare’s preparations for cousin Margaret’s visit.
Discuss their conversation about Clare’s future.
What do you think about the aunts and their attitude to Clare?
What things about the shield and great-grandfather’s expedition did Clare know from his diary?
Comment on the short story on the life in the valley.
Find in the text the sentences containing the following words and word combinations; translate them into Russian; use them in the sentences of your own.
Abate, blotch, to club, comply, confine, docile, ensue, festering sores, gusto, imbue, scruffy, swamp, muddle, strand, tumultuous.
Chapter 7
Discuss the chapter answering the following questions
What did Clare learn about the shield from John Sempebwa?
How do you understand the expression “cultural disintegration”? Does it have a positive or negative impact on people? Why can not people cope with it sometimes?
Speak how Clare prepared a room for John.
What do we learn about the aunts’ first Dance? Why is it interesting for Clare?
Were the aunt’s memories on the dance different from what Clare imagined?
How did the atmosphere of the house change with John as a lodger?
Find in the text the sentences containing the following words and word combinations; translate them into Russian; use them in the sentences of your own.
Adorn, flicker, flimsy, gushing, incandescent, overwhelm, yearn.