Unit 11
BALLET TODAY
Since the end of the First World War it has not been possible to point to any one country as the leading centre of ballet. The art flourishes all over the world, but particularly in Britain, the United States and Russia.
The impact of the Diaghilev Ballet in London directly inspired such dancers and choreographers as Alicia Markova, Marie Rambert and Ninette de Valois to form their own companies.
In the United States there are two leading companies, the New York City Ballet and the Ballet Theatre. Ballet has also developed in the American theatre through the great musical shows like Oklahoma and West Side Story, the dances for which were choreographed by such leading figures of the world of ballet as Agnes de Mille and Jerome Robbins.
In Russia ballet is highly organised, as it has been ever since the days of – the Russian Imperial Ballet at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. The Kirov Ballet in Leningrad keeps up the old Mariinsky traditions of disciplined, quiet brilliance and perfection. In Moscow, at the famous Bolshoi Theatre, the accent is on vigour and athleticism. Even if the ballets produced in Russia still tend to be old-fashioned and, by today’s standards, dramatically unconvincing, no one can deny that Russian dancers are probably the best-trained and most accomplished in the world.
The great traditions of classical ballet continue to be upheld by companies all over the world. In the old days there was no way of recording movements, and the details of a ballet had to be passed on from generation to generation in performance and rehearsal. The old ballets are now safer for posterity because reliable methods of writing down dance movements, called notation, have been devised. So that whatever happens to ballet in the future there is every chance that in 2041 theatregoers will be enjoying an authentic production of Giselle to celebrate its 200th birthday.
Упражнения к тексту
I. Найдите русские соответствия словам интернационального корня и определите, к какой части речи относятся их английские эквиваленты.
Leading, centre, ballet, choreographer, form, company, theatre, musical, show, figure, Imperial, tradition, brilliance, athleticism, produce, standard, dramatically, classical, detail, generation, method, authentic.
II. Найдите в тексте синонимы к представленным ниже словам: indicate, main, especially, troupe, sustain, performance, effect, brighten, accent, energy, registering, sure, chance, technique, develop, original, anniversary, spectators, well-known.
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III. Эпизодически пользуясь словарем, найдите антонимы к ниже-
следующим лексемам: peace, impossible, science, indirectly, imperfection, infamous, convincing, assert, decay, alien, young, unreliable, undeveloped, weakness, ancestry, periphery.
IV. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту:
1.In what countries of the world does the art of ballet flourish?
2.Why is the name of Diaghilev known in the world of ballet?
3.What are the two leading ballet theatres in Russia?
4.Why do Western specialists criticize Russian ballet? Do you think they are
right?
5.How were the details of ballet movements formally registered?
6.What devices are invented nowadays to improve the situation?
7.What chance is in store for the theatergoers in 2041?
8.Are you personally fond of ballet?
V. Истинно или ложно?
1.Only Britain is famous for its ballet school.
2.The Kirov Ballet keeps up the old traditions of the Russian ballet.
3.Even amateurs can dance in a ballet performance.
4.The Diaghilev ballet technique is unique.
5.To like ballet means to understand its music, to appreciate the art of dancers and the scenery.
6.Many foreigners visit the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
7.There is no a ballet troupe in Voronezh.
VI. Подготовьте презентации на тему: «Виды искусств, которые сделали нашу страну центром мировой культуры».
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Unit 12
FILM CAREER
Charlie Chaplin was a comedic British actor who became one of the biggest stars of the 20th century’s silent-film era.
In 1914 Chaplin made his film debut in a somewhat forgettable one-reeler called Make a Living. To differentiate himself from the clad of other actors, Chaplin decided to play a single identifiable character, and “The Little Tramp” was born.
Over the next year, Chaplin appeared in 35 movies. In 1915 Chaplin joined a large film company, which agreed to pay him $1,250 a week.
During his first year with the company, Chaplin made 14 films, including The Tramp (1915). Generally regarded as the actor’s first classic, the story establishes Chaplin’s character as the unexpected hero when he saves the farmer’s daughter from a gang of robbers.
By the age of 26, Chaplin, just three years removed from his vaudeville days, was a superstar. He’d moved over to the Mutual Company, which paid him $670,000 a year. The money made Chaplin a wealthy man, but it didn’t seem to derail his artistic drive.
Through his work, Chaplin came to be known as a grueling perfectionist. His love for experimentation often meant countless takes, and it was not uncommon for him to order the rebuilding of an entire set. Nor was it uncommon for him to begin filming with one leading actor, realize he’d made a mistake in his casting and start again with someone new.
But the results were hard to refute. During the 1920s Chaplin’s career blossomed even more. During the decade he made some landmark films, including The Kid (1921), The Pilgrim (1923), A Woman in Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925), a movie Chaplin would later say he wanted to be remembered by, and The Circus (1928). The latter three were released by United Artists, a company Chaplin cofounded in 1919.
On the screen Chaplin usually appeared as a humorous character who had a small moustache, a bowler hat, and a walking stick, and he walked in a funny way with the backs of his feet together and his shoes pointing out to the sides.
Ch. Chaplin lived a long life – he did in 1977 when he was 88 years old.
Упражнения к тексту
I. Найдите русские соответствия словам интернационального корня и определите, к какой части речи относятся их английские эквиваленты.
Comedic, actor, film, era, debut, character, company, classic, hero, vaudeville, experimentation, leading, start, career, casting, decade, circus, artist, humorous.
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II. Найдитевтекстесинонимыкпредставленнымнижесловам: film, hero, band, consider, rich, understand, error, complete (прилагательное), begin, difficult, earlier, wish, comedic, epoch, distinguish, ruin (глагол), deny, produce, manner, normally, clothes, walk, perform, vagabond.
III. Эпизодически пользуясь словарем, найдите антонимы к ниже-
следующимлексемам: tragic, sound, unforgettable, expected, poor, hate, disappear, excluding, last, countable, common, easy, less, unusually, sad, short, young.
IV. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту:
1.What was Chaplin`s debut in cinematography?
2.What was the reason for “The Little Tramp`s” birth?
3.At what age did Chaplin become a superstar?
4.What did very high Chaplin`s fees testify to?
5.Was it an easy task for Chaplin to be a comic?
6.What are landmark films Chaplin made?
7.What character did Chaplin embody?
8.Have you seen any films with Charlie Chaplin in the main role?
V. Истинно или ложно?
1.Charlie Chaplin is known as both: comedic and tragic actor.
2.The very first film Chaplin appeared in made him famous all over the
world.
3.Chaplin`s fees were very high.
4.Sometimes Chaplin changed the main actors of his films.
5.Chaplin looked funny on the cinema screen.
6.Nobody remembers Chaplin in famous sound-films.
7.Can you calculate the date of Chaplin`s birth if in 1977 he was 88 years
old?
VI. Обсудите, какую роль играло и играет кино в жизни разных поколений людей.
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Unit 13
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
The British Museum is the place of a national collection of science and art treasures. It was opened to the public in 1759 but in a quarter of a century it found its present housing in the Bloomsbury area of London. The British Museum Reading Room, famous all over the world, was built in 1857.
The British Museum’s mandate is “to illuminate the histories of cultures for the benefit of present and future generations”. Thus, the number and subject of the exhibits and galleries is vast. Ranging from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and back to pre-historic times, they highlight more than just Britain. A visit to the Museum is a visit through the centuries of mankind and what he has left behind of himself.
The British collections trace the history of Britain and cover prehistoric times, Roman Britain, medieval and later Britain.
British prints, drawings, and watercolours are exhibited in a large collection. There are more than 3,000,000 prints and drawings dating from the 15th century kept in storage. A coin collection includes a silver penny of Offa, King of Mercia. The Museum has more than 7000 items in its clock, watch, and scientific instrument collection. As you can see, the history of the world at large is to be found here.
European collections from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Early Celtic civilizations are represented in a variety of displays. Gold, jewels, glass, and porcelain all document the wealth of civilizations.
Different halls of the museum are dedicated to the Greek collections beginning from the Bronze Age. One can also admire well-known Greek sculptures of the Elgin epoch.
The Museum can boast of the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the world outside of the Cairo museum. They range from the pre-dynastic period to the Christian period and include a famous collection of mummies and coffins, jewelry, weapons, furniture, and tools.
African collections encompass sculpture, textiles, graphic arts, and money. Near Eastern collections cover Mesopotamia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Central Asia and are some of the most inclusive collections in the world.
Aboriginal art, tools, and weapons are part of the section on Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
Sculpture from India, Chinese porcelain, bronze, Islamic pottery (one of the world’s best collections) and tiles are just a small part of the vast number of items on display. 16th century Vietnamese trade ceramics are one of the department’s recent acquisitions. Japanese swords, armour, metalwork, and art reflect their culture.
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