Ex.4.14. Fill the gaps with words from the table above and translate the sentences into Russian

Ex.4.13. Study the words in the left column, find them in the article above, match them with their definitions, and give their translation.

1) con­versely	a) sth (on sb) to give a degree, title, privilege, etc to sb
2) distinctly	b) to change sth slightly, especially to improve it or make less extreme
3) to confer	c) (fml) a particular way of speaking or of using words
4) scribbler	d) inspiring feelings of respect; grand and impressive
5) to handle	e) to say sth in a quick confused way, e.g. from excitement or anger
6) august	f) (Brit) to examine sb/sth carefully, e.g. to make sure that sb is suitable for a special job, that a product is of good quality, etc
7) to vet	g) adv in a way that is clearly seen, heard, understood; definite
8) to splutter	h) to deal with, manage or control people, a situation, a machine, etc
9) to modify	i) adv in a way that reverses or is opposite to sth
10) parlance	j) (derog or humor) an author; a journalist

1) We’re having a _____________ (ie very enjoyable) time.

2) You can add the fluid to the powder or, ______________, the powder to the fluid.

3) The union has been forced to _______________ its position.

4) The Queen ______________ knighthoods on several distinguished men.

5) Life is difficult but I can ______________ (ie cope with) it.

6) In naval ______________, a kitchen is a ‘galley’.

7) All new staff are carefully _____________ for security reasons.

8) ‘But, but… you can’t!’ he _____________.

9) I ____________ (=clearly) remember telling you to come.

Ex.4.15. Analyse the meanings of the adjective grand, translate the given examples into Russian and say in which of the meanings the word is used in the article above.

grand adj

1) (sometimes in names of places or buildings) magnificent; splendid; big; of great importance: a grand occasion/procession // make a grand entry/exit // It’s not a very grand house, just a small bungalow // Grand Canyon // the Grand Hotel

2) large in scope or scale; ambitious: a grand design/plan/strategy // operate on a grand scale

3) (often derog) proud and socially superior; intended to impress: put on a grand air/manner // make a grand gesture

4) (infml) very fine; excellent: It’s grand weather! // I feel grand (ie very well)

5) Grand [attrib] (used in the title of people of very high rank): the Grand Vizier

Ex.4.16. Translate from Russian into English using words from the table above and the word grand.

1) Мы шикарно поужинали.

2) Писакам с Флит Стрит пришлось смягчить свой стиль под давлением правительства.

3) Ей нравится изображать важную даму.

4) Он не умеет обращаться со стариками.

5) Ты отлично поработал.

6) Как ты считаешь, он умеет обращаться с такой шустрой машиной?

7) Я точно помню, что ты обещал позвонить мне.

Ex.4.17. Answer these questions.

1) Does the Russian language ever use male words generically?

2) If so, have there been attempts to change them to avoid sexual stereotyping?

3) Do you think that using sex-biased words does affect people's attitudes to men and women's roles in society?

4) Say what your future profession is called now and what it may be called in a few years.

5) How do you feel about imposing language changes of the different kinds that are described in the two texts above?

6) Do you think itis better if terms of address indicate marital status or not? Why?

7) A grammatical problem in this area is the use of he/his to refer to a person of either sex. In the sentence `A government minister may have to neglect his family.' the minister could be a man or a woman. However the use of `his' assumes, perhaps wrongly, that it is a man. How could you rewrite this sentence to avoid this problem?

Reading & Writing Camel Lady

Before you start:

What do you know about Australia and its geography?

What do you know about the Australian Aborigines?

Quote about Tracks:

`It is, however, the work of an impassioned feminist and anti-racist, and as such Tracks makes a joyful change from the usual dry, authoritative book-of-a ­journey. Davidson may not be a writer born, but hers isa remarkable account of action, confrontation and soul-searching which I, for one, found hard to put down.'

(Helen MacKintosh)

Charles Harvey talks to Robyn Davidson about her book Tracks which tells of her trek of 2,700 km (1,700 miles) through the desert of Australia with only four camels and a dog for company.

It is fairly understandable why Robyn Davidson became a celebrity almost overnight and the darling of the more soph­isticated Sunday newspapers. It is also easy to see why she got labelled as the `Camel Lady'. For there she was, young and alone, with only a few camels and a dog, trekking west, beyond civilisation, across the vast expanses of the Australian desert. Not only is she an adventuring heroine in the great tradition of explorers like Mary Kingsley, but she is a passionate feminist and anti-racist.

Tracks is her account of the three years she spent preparing for and making her incredible journey. Personal, ­rambling and full of the minute details of her daily life though it is, it is her admiration and concern for the Aboriginal people in Central Australia which shines out so clearly. I asked her if her determination to learn about the Aborigines had motivated her to make the trip: ‘Yes, I admire Aboriginal people and their culture. Many people think that the Aborigines are a primitive and inferior people. But theirs is a sane and civilised society. Compared with them, we are power-crazed, neurotic and greedy. For example, Aborigines have lived in the desert for 40,000 years without destroying their land, without overpopulating it and without waging wars against one another. Not only that, but they've managed to survive without needing a central system of government, leaders or power groups. ­What's more, they cannot be accused of accumulating produce in excess of their needs like we have, nor of making the concept of work into a sort of religion as we have done. They are a people who place great value on time - time which they use to lead a wise and extremely religious life.'

Robyn plans to use the information gained from the trek and all her considerable personal resources - financial as well as intellectual as her book has been such a success - to publicise the genocidal threat which hangs over the Aborigines and to try to raise support to prevent the genocide from happening. `We must do something now,' she says with passion, `in order to stop their civilisation from being wiped out.'

Of course, Robyn hates being a celebrity but she is prepared to suffer from it so as to promote her cause. Will her fame affect her future plans? `Not in the least,' she replies. `Although I'm going to make my next trip a private one.'

Would she write about it?

`I might,' she replied.

As regards her future plans, what are they? `I'm going to India to stay with a friend in Rajasthan. She'll teach me Hindustani and I'll encourage her to write about her own life: she has been living in purdah for thirty years. After that, I hope to set out with the Raicas, a nomadic people who live around that area. They travel in the desert for six months a year with their goat and camel herds, and live on nothing but camel milk and cereals.'

On the whole, I feel we have not heard the last of the `Camel Lady'.

1. Complete the reporter's notes on Robyn Davidson's trek:

Place of trek: Purpose of expedition:

Length of time: Immediate plans:

Distance travelled: Future plans:

Accompanied by: Character of Robyn

Mode of transport: Davidson:

Дата добавления: 2014-12-24