How to Write a Précis

A précis is a summary which retains the essential content of a piece of writing while leaving out minor details, explanations, illustrations, repetitions, and unessential features in general.

In writing a précis, keep the following instructions in mind:

1. Read the entire article before starting on a précis and underline key passages.

2. Maintain the author's point of view. You are reporting, not doing original writing.

3. Use your own phrasing. Don't copy word for word. Using year own words will help you understand the material better. You will naturally have to use some of the words of the author.

4. Use economical wording. The précis is compact and not wordy.

5. Keep effective balance. Each main point receives appropriate space.

6. Retain the organization of the original. Each paragraph of the précis summarizes several paragraphs of the original, and the original order is maintained.

Ex 55 Read the passage. Answer the questions. Retell the passage in English.

АПОЛЛИНАРИЙ ВАСНЕЦОВ

Ни один учебник по русской истории не обходится без картин Аполлинария Михайловича Васнецова, удивительно точно передающих облик древней Москвы в разные периоды ее исторического бытия. Всего художником создано около двухсот произведений, посвященных Москве.

Картины А. Васнецова не являются плодом фантазии и вымысла. Художник тщательно изучает не только сохранившиеся памятники архитектуры, но и старинные книги, летописи, изображения на иконах.

С 1883 года А. М. Васнецов начинает показывать свои работы на выставках Товарищества передвижных художественных выставок и уже с первой выставки приобретает большую известность. Около десяти его произведений заняли почетное место в Третьяковской галерее. Известность принесли художнику его пейзажи. Пейзажи А. Васнецова — это увиденный им лик Родины.

Пейзаж ценен не своей протокольной констатацией определенного куска природы, а своим настроением. Настроение в пейзаже есть скрытая мысль. Потому и есть понятие лирического пейзажа — Саврасов, Васильев, Левитан, Нестеров, Остроухов, Жуковский, Виноградов, Горбатов, Колесников. А Васнецов, Рерих, Богаевский, Рылов — создатели эпического пейзажа.

В 1927 году открылась выставка А. Васнецова по случаю 50-летия творческой деятельности. Успех А. Васнецова продемонстрировал еще раз мощь реализма, глубокую жизненность тех традиций, которым он беззаветно служил, как и многие поколения русских художников.

Questions

1. Why does practically every textbook on Russian history have reproductions of paintings by A. Vasnetsov? 2. How did the study of architectural monuments, ancient manuscripts, chronicles and icon images help the artist in his work? 3. When did the artist first exhibit his paintings? 4. What paintings brought A. Vasnetsov instant fame⁵ 5. What is so precious about A. Vasnetsov's landscapes? 6. Why is mood all-important in a landscape painting? 7. Are A. Vasnetsov's landscapes lyrical or epic? 8. In what way does a lyrical landscape differ from an epic one? 9. What did the exhibition of A. Vasnetsov's paintings marking the 50th anniversary of his creative work prove once more? 10. What makes A. Vasnetsov a truly great Russian painter?

Ex 56 Act as interpreter. Sum up the dialogue.

A: The great Russian writer Dostoyevsky said: "Beauty will save the world." How do you understand this?

В: По моему мнению, в этом и есть назначение искусства — показать гармонию и красоту мира, уберечь его от разрушения.

A: How do you understand freedom in art?

В: В первую очередь, это свобода не от общества, а для общества, для народа.

A: You mean to say that art is an active way to shape society and a good way to unite people.

В: Именно так.

A: The cultural life of Soviet society is becoming richer. One can feel a new tide rising in Soviet art.

В: Да, это действительно так. Повышение культурного уровня жизни трудящихся является одной из главных задач социалистического общества и предмет особых забот советского государства. В последние годы — причем во всех республиках страны — появилось немало талантливых произведений.

A: As far as I could see the heroes of those works are our contemporaries.

В: Конечно, наши современники, трудовые люди нашего общества. Это — бригадир строителей и председатель колхоза, железнодорожный рабочий и офицер, летчик и ученый.

A: I see. Such works must move people as they see their own thoughts and feelings in them.

В: Такие произведения искусства не только волнуют людей, но и заставляют задумываться о настоящем и будущем.

Ех 57 Use the following words and phrases in situations of your own.

1. At the Art Gallery

be fond of art; an art lover; spend several hours at the gallery; enjoy oneself; be full of beautiful works of art; a beautiful still life; a lovely landscape (seascape); a full length portrait of...; be painted by; canvases by world famous painters; bright (sunny, dull, grey, etc) colours; admire sth; go away happy.

2. An Exciting Topic

have a discussion; discuss the place of beauty in our daily life; give one's ideas on sth; have a lot (very little) to say on the subject; keep silence; be for (against); argue that...; (un)important; be eager to speak; interrupt sb; talk all at once; raise a question; be meant for all people; spend the evening discussing sth; enjoy oneself; not miss the next discussion; follow sth with interest.

Ex 58 Discuss the following, giving your arguments for or against.

1. Together with a party of friends you have just been to a museum showing modern art. You find these works of art very beautiful, your friends are most critical about them.

2. You believe that a real work of art will be understood by just anybody. Your friend believes that art can be understood only by those who have had a special education.

3. Your friend says that a painter of genius becomes famous only after his death. You disagree with him.

4. You say that the function of art is to create beauty. In your friend's opinion the function of art is to show the world the way it is.

Ex 59 Subjects for oral and written composition.

1. Give character-sketches of: (a) Pere Tanguy, the art dealer; (b) Madame Tanguy, (c) the customer.

2. Retell the story in the person of (a) Pere Tanguy; (b) Madame Tanguy; (c) the customer, (d) a stranger who entered the shop and saw it all happen before his eyes.

3. Explain how it happened that Cezanne's painting was spoiled.

4. Write a letter to a friend, telling him in short about the incident described in the passage and saying what you think of what had happened.

5. My favourite painter.

6. Describe a painting.

7. At the picture gallery (museum of Fine Arts, etc).

LESSON EIGHT

Text: How Einstein Discovered the Law of Relativity (from Ch. Chaplin's Autobiography).¹

Grammar: Passive Voice (contd). Perfect Tense Forms. Continuous Tense Forms.