TASKS for Chapters 22-24

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:

 to make a clean breast of sth – сделать чистосердечно

to tear sb limb from limb – перемывать кому-то кости

a sleeping-draught снотворное

to and fro – взад и вперед

curtain calls – поклон

pull oneself together – собраться

magnanimous – щедрый

to cramp one's style – мешать

contrition – раскаяние

a succinct account of sth – краткое содержание

a bereavement- лишение

an austere and snug little town – аскетичный и уютный маленький город

to adhere to sth – придерживаться чего-то

VII. Answer the questions:

 1. Why couldn't Julie take her troubles to Charles or Dolly as usual?

She thought it would be cruel to tell Charles that she had given to a very ordinary young man what he would gladly have sacrificed ten years of his life for. As for Dolly, she’d be shocked and jealous when Julia made a clean breast of it, but she’d be so thankful that everything was over, she’d forgive.

 2. How different was Charles's circle from that of Tom's?

Tom was a man of no fame, he promoted only because of Julia. Charles was a man of a high society.

 3. Was Michael right when criticizing Julie's acting?

Absolutely, Julia was so disappointed about Tom that she lost control and let her emotions to overwhelm.

4. How did Julie react to her husband's criticism?

She could not imagine such a reaction and was furious at first but then she realized that his criticism was in time.

5. How did the breakup with Tom influence Julie's attitude to Michael and Charles?

Her tenderness for Michael and her ever-present sense of having been for years unjust to him filled her with contrition. She felt that she had been selfish and overbearing, and she wanted to atone for all that.  As for Charles, she decided to give him a chance.

6. Why did Julie decide to spend the summer with her mother and aunt?

Julia had a feeling that perhaps in the course of her brilliant and triumphant career she had a trifle neglected her mother. She was eager to sacrifice herself, and so wrote to her mother to announce her imminent arrival.

7. What kind of lifestyle did Aunt Carrie and Mrs Lambert have?

Aunt Carrie and Julia’s mother, Mrs. Lambert were very devout. They went to Mass every morning and to High Mass on Sundays. Otherwise they seldom went out. When they did it was to pay a ceremonious call on some old lady who had had a bereavement in the family or one of whose grandchildren was become engaged.

 8. How did the old ladies treat Julie? How did they feel about her occupation?

They treated her with cordiality, but disapprove her profession.

9. How did Julie imagine Charles's love for her?

She felt that Charles was a worthy object for its exercise. She laughed a little, kindly and compassionately, as she thought of his amazement when he understood what she intended; for a moment he would hardly be able to believe it, and then what rapture, then what ecstasy! The love that he had held banked up for so many years would burst its sluices like a great torrent and in a flood overwhelm her. Her heart swelled at the thought of his infinite gratitude. But still he could hardly believe in his good fortune; and when it was all over and she lay in his arms she would nestle up to him and whisper tenderly:

“Was it worth waiting for?”

“Like Helen, you make me immortal with a kiss.”

It was wonderful to be able to give so much happiness to a human being.

11. How did Julie slip out from the awkward situation with Charles?

She did the only thing possible. She continued the gesture. Counting so that she should not go too fast, she drew her hands towards one another, till she could clasp them, and then throwing back her head, raised them, very slowly, to one side of her neck. 
12. How did Julie explain to herself the fact that her amorous advances had been declined by Charles? She thought that Charles was impotent and used his devotion to her as a cover to’ distract attention from his real inclinations.

TASKS for Chapters 19-21

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:

an understudy – дублер

perfidy – измена

wanton temperament – своенравный темперамент

to cut the date – отменить встречу

an American conjurer –американский иллюзионист

to make a stab at acting in America –попытаться сделать актерскую карьеру в Америке

off the nail – быть навеселе

the R.A.D.A. – Королевская академия драмы

in point of fact – в действительности

insipid- безвкусный

hard as nails – в форме

for toffee – ни за что

be a sport – будь человеком

to beat about the bush – ходить вокруг да около

to feel all in – чувствовать себя в порядке

to give the air – не принять во внимание

to put one's foot down – занять твердую позицию

IV. Answer the questions:

1. Under what circumstances did Roger get acquainted with Joan Denver? What kind of favour did he ask of Julie?

Joan and Jill were acquaintances of Tom, who offered Roger to meet them and spend a good time. Joan wanted to work as an actress with Julia and Roger asked his mother to agree on it.

2. Why did Julie feel she had lost Roger? 

Her life had always been so full and so exciting that she had never had the time to busy herself much with Roger. She got in a state, of course, when he had whooping-cough or measles, but he was for the most part in robust health, and then he occupied a pleasant place in the background of her consciousness. But she had always felt that he was there to be attended to when she was inclined and she had often thought it would be nice when he was old enough really to share her interests. It came to her as a shock now to realize that, without ever having really possessed him, she had lost him.

3. How did Tom react to Julie's plans to take her play to New York?

He thought it would be a marvelous chance for her to make a stab in America.

4. What kind of new acquaintances and connections did Tom make through Julie?

There were many people from high society and he helped them with their income-tax records.

5. How did Julie receive Joan Denver?

She received Joan Denver the moment she had taken her last call. Julia could in the twinkling of an eye leap from her part into private life, but now without an effort she continued to play the imperious, aloof, stately and well-bred woman of the play.

6. How did Michael hear about Avice Crichton?

Michael hear about Avice Crichton through Tom.

7. Why does Maugham describe Julie's appearance at the Sunday night show as "beautifully timed?"

He wanted to show how famous Julia was.

 8. What impression did Avice Crichton and her acting produce on Julie?

Avice made an impression of a small-part actress who didn’t even begin to know how to act. It was grotesque. She couldn’t use her hands; why she didn’t even know how to walk across the stage.

9. Why did it irk Tom to have to come back with Julie after the Sunday night show?

He did not want to leave Avice and preferred to come with her at the party.

10. What kind of relationship did Tom and Avice have?

Tom really loved her, but she used him to promote as an actress.

TASKS for Chapters 15-18

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:

condescending letter – снисходительное письмо

pearl studs – жемчужные запонки

peevish – возбужденный

make head or tail of it – ничего не понимать

fatuous irony – глупая ирония

to get back on sb – отделаться от кого-то

song and dance – сцена, скандал

to spend a lot on green fees – тратиться на аренду поля для гольфа

despicable – презренный

to give sb a treat – доставить кому либо удовольствие

to wheedle sb into –впутывать кого-то во что-то

prudishness – высокомерие

to take liberties with sb – вести себя развязно с кем-то

to grudge sb – завидовать

conspicuous – очевидный

to take the rough with the smooth – стойко переносить превратности судьбы

to have a joke up your sleeve – держать шутку наготове

to mortify sb – усмирять

 disconcerted –смущенный

II. Explain the following metaphors. Who do they refer to?

·  It won't hurt him to discover that I'm not all milk and honey. – This statement refers to Julia while she is thinking about Tom and revenge on him. She wants to prove that she is not weak willed.

·   I'm not the woman to desert a sinking ship. – This metaphor is used by Dolly de Vries, during her conversation with Michael about his wife, Julia, and how her love affairs with Tom which could effect her career in the negative way.

II. Give a character sketch of Dolly de Vries. Pay special attention to the description of hr appearance: "Dolly de Vries was now a woman of sixty. …and a slight cockney accent revealed itself." Dwell on her relationship with Michael and Julia. How did she feel about Tom?

Mrs. de Vries was a widow, brie 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. When Julia and Michael had decided to try their luck in London Jimmie Langton, to whose rescue she had sometimes come when it looked as though he would be forced to close his repertory theatre, had written to her asking her to do what she could for them. She had seen Julia act in Middlepool. She gave parties so that the young actors might get to know managers, and asked them to stay at her grand house near Guildford, where they enjoyed a luxury they had never dreamt of. She did not much like Michael. Julia accepted the flowers with which Dolly de Vries filled her flat and her dressing-room, she was properly delighted with the presents she gave her, bags, vanity cases, brooches; but Dolly’s generosity was due to anything but admiration for her talent. When Michael went away to the war Dolly pressed her to come and live in her house in Montagu Square, but Julia, with protestations of extravagant gratitude, refused in such a way that Dolly, with a sigh and a tear, could only admire her the more. When Roger was born Julia asked her to be his godmother. She had a big fortune, more than that she knew a lot of famous people. And Michael and Julia understood that Dolly could be usefull for them.

IV. Speak on Julia's reputation and talent. Do you agree that no one expects an actress to be a pattern of propriety?

Being a really great actress of her time, Julia didn’t find any difficulty for her to think over every detail, every scene of her life, not only on the stage: the way she was dressed, the way she turned her head and what she sayed. The woman was not aware that she deliberately observed people, but when she came to study a new part vague recollections surged up in her from she knew not where, and she found that she knew things about the character she was to represent that she had had no inkling of. It helped her to think of someone she knew or even someone she had seen in the street or at a party; she combined with this recollection her own personality, and thus built up a character founded on fact but enriched with her experience, her knowledge of technique and her amazing magnetism. People thought that she only acted during the two or three hours she was on the stage; they did not know that the character she was playing dwelt in the back of her mind all day long, when she was talking to others with all the appearance of attention, or in whatever business she was engaged.

V. Answer the questions:

1. Why did Julia offer Tom the money for servants' tips? Do you think she made the right decision?

Tom didn’t pay her any attention while they were in Taplow, so it was her revenge on him. She understood well enough that it was very painful for Tom such remaidance about money, attitude to him as a servant.  

2. Did Julia manage to induce Tom to see her again after that?

Yes, Julia managed to induce Tom to see her again after that

3. Did Dolly believe that Julia didn't have a lover? Why?

No, Dolly didn’t believe that Julia didn’t have a lover because of the gossips.

4. Whom did Dolly finally decide to talk to about Julia's cheating?

She chose Michael. She had never liked Michael, but after all he was Julia's husband and it was her duty to tell him at least enough to make him put a stop to whatever was going on.

5. Why did Dolly not confess to Michael that she suspected Julia of having a love affair?

Dolly had no proof; she only had an intuition that she could not mistrust; she wanted to say yes, but she controlled it. The woman couldn’t give Julia away. Her husband might go and tell her and Julia would never speak to her again. He might have Julia watched and catch her out. No one could tell what might happen if she told the truth.

6. Why did Michael suggest buying Dolly's share out?

He thought the woman could suffer from Julia’s broken reputation.

7. What was the reason for Dolly's desperate jealousy?

When Dolly got into her magnificent and very expensive car and drove back to Montagu Square she could not hold back the heavy, painful tears that filled her eyes. She felt old, lonely, unhappy, and desperately jealous, because there was somebody else who loved and wanted to help Julia, her husband Michael.

9. Why couldn't Julia fall asleep after the lunch with Dolly?

Julia was shocked that Dolly blamed her in love affair and she realized that the gossips about her are truth.

VI. Summarize the events of chapters 15-18

On vacation Julia expected to spend a lot of time with her lover Tom but the latter preferred to be with her son Roger who was nearly at the same age as Tom. Julia was so jealous and his actions make her disappointed so much. The woman decided to revenge her lover. She knew that Tom was poor but she left him money. The man gave her money back and Julia realized that she made a mistake. She loved Tom and wanted him to return. Julia met Dolly who told her the gossips about the actress and Nom but Julia tried to make Dolly sure that was not true. However Julia did not believe her and told Michael that.