Chapters 7-10

1) Placidity – спокойствие

to make frantic scenes – создавать безумные сцены

to give smb. a look of scorn – бросить взгляд полный презрения на кого-либо

lavishness- щедрость

 to know how to pull strings adroitly – искусно пускать в ход связи

 to fall out of love - разлюбить

close-cropped hair – коротко стриженные волосы

to resist an inclination – еле удержаться

weather-beaten skin – обветренная кожа

coltish grace -  щенячья грация

to be on active service – быть в действующей армии

confinement -  лишение свободы

to run a theatre – руководить театром

effusive - несдержанный

virile air – неуверенный в себе

to set one's mind to smth. – сосредоточиться на чем-либо

disconcerting - замешательство

it's a knock out – выдающийся человек

amiability -  дружелюбие

affable manner- мягкая дружелюбная манера

to exercise great ingenuity in (doing) smth.- проявлять большую избирательность делая что -  либо

to be unperturbed – быть невозмутимым

shrewdness - проницательность

to grizzle – возмущаться, ворчать

it's a mere commonplace – это просто банально

exorbitant - безмерный

to be conciliatory – быть примирительным

to foster one's career – способствовать продвижению чьей-либо карьеры

acumen - сообразительность

to have one's face lifted – подтянуть кожу лица

it's no good crying over spilt milk – уже нет смысла горевать

to have little flirtations – легко флиртовать

masseuse -  массажистка

gossip column – колонка светской хроники

the world of make-believe – мир фантазий

2) 1. What did Michael and Julia do when the war broke out?

They were both acting when the war broke out. But later Michael volunteered for the army (but with the help of his father), and Julia had to go on acting.

2. Why do you think Michael enjoyed the war?

I think Michael enjoyed the war because he was popular in the regimental mess, and the officers accepted him almost at once, even though he was an actor, as one of themselves. It was as though the family of soldiers from which he was born had set a seal on him so that he fell instinctively into the manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier.

3. Do you think love is important for a successful family life? Would you share your point of view on this problem with your fellow students?

I believe that love is important not even for successful family life. But if we are speaking about successful family life, yes, love is important because the partners inspire each other. Moreover, love in the family gives the emotional support that helps overcome many other hurdles in life, and helps children to grow as individuals.

4. How did it happen that Julia fell out of love with Michael?

Julia fell in love with Michael from the first sight, as she was attracted by his beauty. She did her best to conquer him, but the man was so imperturbable that the woman, when they got married, lost interest in him. And as her passion went out, Julia started to notice defects in her husband’s appearance: he wasn’t so beautiful as earlier; he no longer smelt like a youth, he smelt like a man.

5. How did Michael manage to find the money to rent a theatre? What was the theatre called? Who was in the partnership with him?

At the end of the war there was an epidemic of influenza, and Michael’s parents died. He inherited nearly four thousand pounds, and this with his own savings and Julia's brought up their joint capital to seven thousand. But the rent of theatres had gone up enormously, the salaries of actors and the wages of stagehands had increased, so that the expense of running a theatre was very much greater than it had been before the war. Then they found a rich woman, not so old, who was interested not in the man but in Julia.

Mrs. de Vries was a widow. She was a short stout woman with a fine Jewish nose and fine Jewish eyes, a great deal of energy, a manner at once effusive and timid, and a somewhat virile air. She had a passion for the stage.

The theatre was then called the Siddons Theatre.

6. Why was Julia against Michael's taking up directing?

Julia was against her husband’s taking up directing because she doubted in his success: Michael had no fantasy and his ideas were commonplace. She was not sure that he would have authority over the cast.

7. What kind of director was Michael?

Michael was thorough and worked hard. He was getting more out of Julia than any other director had done, because he knew what she was capable of, and was familiar with her every inflection, every glance of her eyes, every graceful movement. With the cast he was conciliatory and exacting at the same time. When tempers were frayed his good humor, his real kindliness smoothed things over.

8. What irritated Julia in Michael more and more? How did he change in Julia's eyes?

Michael’s thrift, which in the early days had seemed an amusing, rather touching trait, now revolted her. Moreover, he no longer smelt like a youth, he smelt like a man. Besides, as a youth he had taken his beauty for granted, but that time he began to pay more attention to it and spared no pains to keep what was left of it. It became an obsession. He devoted anxious care to his figure. He never ate a fattening thing and never forgot his exercises.

9. Why was Julia sad when she thought of her married life?

It made Julia a little sad to think how much she had loved him. Because her love had died she felt that life had cheated her.

10. Why was Michael happier than he had been before?

When Julia fell out of love with Michael, she no longer made any demands on him. Moreover, the man thought with satisfaction that the birth of the baby had calmed his wife down; she was much easier to get on with, she never made scenes any more. At the same time, Michael was happier when he founded his own theatre, where plays were crowned with success.
11. Julia's dresser and maid was a Cockney, wasn't she? Please prove it using the examples from the text.Cockney speech characterized by colloquial pronunciation and grammatical errors: For the little I eat I've got all the teeth I want. It'd only fidget me to 'ave a lot of elephant's tusks in me mouth.
12. Who was the unknown man who sent flowers to Julia? Why did she write him a thank you note? It was Mr. Thomas Fennell. Julia wrote a thank you note, because she was naturally polite and, besides, it was a principle with her to answer all fan letters. That was how she kept in touch with her public.3) - a very good figure, a great mass of curling chestnut hair and large deep blue eyes, a straight nose and small ears, (negative feature: thin mouth)

3)- the best- looking actor on the English stage

-six foot tall and he had a gallant bearing

- very handsome

- an easy manner to talk like a gentleman

- good-looking and kindly

- eager to get on

- his voice was a trifle thin

- he didn’t much like spending money

- friendly, good-humoured and kind

- very simple-minded in some ways

- he had no fantasy and his ideas were commonplace (about theatre)

- honest

- a perfect husband

- take his beauty for granted

- to devote anxious care to his figure

- he was prudent and all he wanted was admiration

- he was prosy, near with his money, self-complacent, but how extraordinarily kind he was and how unselfish

- always the ferfect gentleman

I like Michael for his honesty, prudence. He really knew his defects, and also he knew his best sides and made these things to work on him, like his allure. Also I liked his purposefulness, as he knew what he wanted and reached it.

4) Eton is a public school in Britain. As any public school, it demands money, prestige, and a high social status. Roger was a child of rich parents. They lived in the comfort and luxury. They could allow it.

There are two types of schools in the UK: state schools where education is free and private schools where you have to pay. The only thing is that private schools in Britain are called ... public. A long time ago when education was a privilege of the rich, the only schools where poor people could go were funded by charities (organisations that collect money for people in need). As it was public money, the schools for the poor were called public schools. However, in the course of history many public schools became very successful and turned into expensive private schools but the conservative British continued to call them public schools.

6) Julia and Michael were acting when the war arose suddenly. Michael volunteered, but Miss Lambert had to continue her work. She was the leading actress in England and she became the most well-paid. When Michael came back from the war Julia understood that didn’t love her husband anymore because he had changed. Michael decided to open his own theatre with the help of very rich old woman called Mrs. de Vries. He was a director. At the end of the play Julia received flowers from Tomas Fennel, unknown fan.