A Commentary (p. P. 25 — 27) Part II

Understanding the Plot (p. p. 2 — 35)

Prologue 1942 — 1961

1. Speak on the Winshaw Family Tree

2. What events took place in November 1942 which drove Tabitha clean out of her wits and how are they connected with Geoffrey Winshaw and his brother Lawrence? (p. p. 3 — 8)

3. What event took place at Winshaw Towers on September 16^th 1961? What conversation took place between Mortimer and Rebecca? (p. p. 9 — 12)

4. Speak on Thomas Winshaw. His occupation? What was his role in the film industry?

5. Speak on Henry Winshaw, his occupation, his political views, his involvement in the Kuwait business? (p. p. 14 — 15)

6. Speak on Mark Winshaw (p. p. 15 — 17)

7. Speak on Dorothy Winshaw. What can you say about her would-be husband George Brunwin? Dorothy's attitude to him and his farming? (p. p. 17 — 19)

8. Who are Roddy and Hilary? How does an episode with a half-crown characterize Roddy? (p. p. 19 — 20)

9. Who and how interrupted the happy procedure of the party? (p.p. 22 - 24)

10. What did Rebecca hear before going to sleep and what story appeared in the newspaper two days later? (p. p. 24 — 25)

11. What did Mortimer learn from Pyles and what puzzled him in Tabitha's room? (p. p. 26 — 27) How is it connected with the talk between Mortimer and Lawrence about the garden and Tabitha? (p. p. 20 — 21)

12. Under what circumstances do we meet a 9-year old boy? Was their picnic a failure? Was he pleased by swimming in the pool? Where did they go after? (p. p. 29 — 35)

Part III

Exploring Themes

1. What did Tabitha feel for Lawrence? What made her bring accusation against Lawrence? (p. 6)

2. What evidence of Tabitha's eccentricity did Mortimer see on that afternoon in the garden? (p. 11)

3. What did Thomas feel for his mother and for most people? (p. 13)

4. Why did Henry say 'Looks like we're back in business?' (p. 15)

5. Interpret Mark's words, 'I intend to be more in the thick of things'. (p. 17)

6. What was Dorothy's idea of farming? What did Mortimer mean by saying, 'Perhaps he has other priorities'? (p. 18)

7. Why didn't Mortimer enjoy his party? (p. 22)

8. What role did Yuri Gagarin play in the life of the boy? What supporting film attracted the attention of the boy? (p. 29, p. 34)

Translate in written form the paragraph starting with, 'Six years later …' up to the end. (p. 35)

Judging for Yourself

1. Who of the Winshaw family appeals to you? Why?

2. Do you think Tabitha was really mad?

3. Do you think the boy was happy on his birthday?

Building the Vocabulary

Consult the English-English English-Russian dictionaries for the following words and phrases:

to be deemed (p. 3)

demise (p. 3)

delusion (p. 3)

animosity (p. 4)

to induce (p. 5)

recurrent (p. 5)

underhandidness (p. 7)

to gawp at (p. 9)

to precipitate (p. 11)

reminiscence (p. 13)

downward (p. 13)

titilat```ion (p. 13)

to profess (p. 14)

munition companies (p. 15)

integral (p. 16)

petulant (p. 17)

ferocious (p. 17)

implacably (p. 22)

genial (p. 29)

to overtake (p. 30)

B. Translate the following sentences

1. … was enough to drive his elder sister Tabitha clean out of her wits (p. 3)

2. … the family had fallen prey to a certain anxiety (p. 4)

3. … was to leave for the airfield at Hucknell on first leg of his mission (p. 5)

4. I'm all of a flutter (p. 10)

5. He's is an absolute brick (p. 10)

6. … he tries to put a favourable gloss on a new development in his career (p. 13)

7. Thank God it turned out to be a flash in the pan (p. 15)

8. I intend to be more in the thick of things (p. 17)