Part III Building the Vocabulary

Consult the English-English dictionary for the following words and phrases:

to bear fruit (p. 94)

unobtrusively (p. 95)

to come to a standstill (p. 96)

to look on the bright side (p.96)

to rectify (p. 98)

to cope with (p. 98)

resentment (p. 98)

to keep a low profile (p. 99)

to be wrapped up in smth. (p. 100)

to take smth. the wrong way (p. 101)

a land-locked fish (p. 101)

to eleborate (p. 102)

to accept one's bid (p. 103)

to get through (p. 104)

to press the point home (p. 104)

revelation (p. 105)

verity (p. 105)

deprecation (p. 105)

to cover tracks (p. 106)

vindictive (p. 106)

to come up with smth. (p. 106)

crucial (p. 108)

to go Dutch with smb. (p. 109)

to adorn (p. 110)

to be behind smth. (p. 112)

to give a free hand (p. 112)

underhand way (p. 113)

to hang around (p. 114)

to be driven bats (p. 120)

gorgeous (p. 122)

to run out of cash (p. 122)

to go into raptures (p. 122)

to pull the rug out from under smb's feet (p. 123)

shareholders (p. 123)

coup (p. 126)

Unit V (p. P. 129 - 163) Part I First Reading

A. Thinking about the Chapters

What feelings did Henry Winshaw inspire in you? What can you say about him as a personality, a public man, a politician?

B. Understanding the Plot

1. What did you learn about Henry? (p. 14, p. 82)

Who played a decisive role in his outlook and his career? (p. p.

122 - 123) Whom did he marry? (p. 119) What was the attitude to his wife? (p. 128, p. p. 130 - 131)

2. What information troubled Henry? (p. 129)

3. What did you learn about Margaret Thatcher? Her career as a politician? (p. p. 127 - 128, p. 134) What can you say about her reform? (p. p. 135 - 136, p. 140)

4. What can you say about Henry's attitude to Margaret Thatcher? What did he think about her economical and political reforms? Why was he interested in them? (p. p. 130, 133, 140)

5. Was the work on the National Health Service very important for him? From what point of view? How does Dr. Dillan's interview characterize him as an MP? (p. 134, p. p. 137 - 139)

6. What position did Henry get in the Parliament in 1967? Was he pleased? What was his attitude to his Party Members? What was his main ambition? (p. 129, p. 133, p. 149)

7. Speak on Dorothy (p. 18) and her career (p. 149)

8. Why did Alan Beamish call himself a disillusioned broadcaster in his memoirs? (p. 137)

9. Why did Michael choose the Mandarin restaurant for his dinner with Fiona? (p. 146)

10. What did Michael and Fiona tell each other about their previous marriages? (p. 147, p. p. 150 - 151)

11. What information did Michael learn about the death at Winshaw Towers which took place on the night of Mortimer's birthday and what way could Fiona help him? (p. p. 148 - 149)

12. What took place when they were returning home? (p. p. 152 - 156)

13. What did you learn about Michael's childhood? Speak on his mother and father and their role in his life (p. p. 157 - 163)

Part II Second Reading

A. Exploring Themes

1. Explain: (p. 133) 'Real policy lies in the media and in backroom policy-making'

2. Translate and explain: (p. 135) 'He'd seen my latest appearance … to be paying off.'

3. Explain and expand on: (p. 140) 'Quality is quantifiable.'

4. Explain and expand on: (p. 146) 'You have to work at … there's nothing worse than being on your own.'

5. Connect what is given on p. p. 157 - 158, 161 'I was never to know …'` with the epigraphs.

6. Do you agree with Michael's words on p. 153 'It never really occurred to me that luck can also bring happiness?'

B. Judging for Yourself

1. Why do you think the author introduced Michael's memories of his childhood? His first love?

2. What do you think about Michael judging by his dreams and the quotations from Orphee by Jean Cocteu's film? (p. 157)

3. Have you 'a giving nature' like Fiona? What does it mean?

C. Making Connections

1. Do you think politicians and other public figures in this country come to power the same way as in the novel through media and backroom policy-making? Are you interested in politics?

2. What do you think about our 'здравоохранение'? Is it efficient?

3. What are the brightest memories of your childhood and did they influence your life?