Who’s Nuts? Who’s Reserved?

What about the English character? Everybody says that the English are cold, reserved and shy – I don’t agree – but the most reserved of all Englishmen was William John Cavendish Bentick Scot, fifth Duke of Portland.

He was so shy he lived most of his life underground in a huge system of rooms and tunnels he had built. After inheriting a beautiful country house from his father, he hired hundreds of workmen and gave them strict orders that they must not look at him or speak to him. Any workmen who disobeyed were dismissed immediately.

The Duke hated meeting people and never invited anyone to his house, but ordered the workmen to build the largest ballroom in England – underground of course, plus a splendid library and an enormous billiard room.

The only time the Duke ever left his underground home was at night. A female servant used to walk several yards ahead of him holding a light – with orders never to speak or look behind. The Duke was also a bit crazy in the way he dressed, wearing a floor-length fur coat in midsummer and always carrying an umbrella whatever the weather. If he saw anyone who might try to speak to him he used to put up the umbrella and hide behind it.

Not all the English are as the Duke, but it is true to say that most of us are crazy about animals. Francis Henry Egerton, eighth Earl of Bridgewater, for example, was mad about dogs. He had over a dozen of them, and used to take them riding with him in his carriage.

He disliked human company, and never invited people to dinner, but always dined with six of his favourite dogs. They were brought to table dressed fashionably and wearing soft leather boots. Each was seated at his place, and a napkin tied around his neck by a servant. The meal was served, the dogs ate off plates, and the Earl conversed with his canine company.

And if we aren’t crazy about animals, then we’re probably mad about sports like John Mytton who was nuts about hunting and shooting duck, preferably stark naked, even in midwinter.

Mandy Loader

Post–Reading

A Don’t you think that the Duke of Portland was eccentric rather than shy? Give your arguments.

B Some people would call Francis Henry Egerton’s way of treating his dogs just extravagant. What about you?

C What do you think about John Mytton’s way of hunting?

D Skim the text “Many Britons Prefer Pets …” and give its summary.

Many Britons Prefer Pets to People, Children, Money and Jobs

London. Many British people prefer their household pets to their spouses, their children, their jobs and even money, according to a survey published.

One in 10 people questioned by Options magazine considered their pets more important to their happiness than their marital partners.

About one in five said pets were more important than children, and more than a third of those questioned thought pets were more important than a job.

Nearly half of those who responded put pets above money.

A total of 94 per cent said they would prefer to spend time with their pets rather than watch television.

More than half of pet owners who answered the questionnaire made it clear that given the choice between staying at home with their four-legged friends and socializing with people, they would stay at home.

E How can you account for such a passionate love of the British

for their home pets?

F Here is a description of the British as they are seen by other Europeans: calm, reserved, open-minded, trustworthy, hidebound, insular, superior, excellent sense of humour.

Comment on the words ‘hidebound’, ‘insular’, ‘superior’ using an English-English dictionary.

G Sum up what you’ve learned about the British national character.

H Speak about the national character of the people in your native

country.

Text 4

Pre-Reading

A Do you think the question “What’s Happiness?” is philosophical? Why?

B “Happiness is not what you want, but wanting what you have” (James Stewart). What do you think about it?

Reading

Read the text “Happiness” and do the exercises that follow.