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«Московский государственный областной социально-гуманитарный институт »
Кафедра лингвистики и межкультурной коммуникации
Направление подготовки дипломированных специалистов –
«ЛИНГВИСТИКА И МЕЖКУЛЬТУРНАЯ КОММУНИКАЦИЯ»
(специальность: 031202. 65 «ПЕРЕВОД И ПЕРЕВОДОВЕДЕНИЕ»)
Individual Reading
Составители: Фоменко О.В., к.ф.н., доцент (МГОСГИ)
Фоменко Т.А., к.ф.н., доцент (МГОСГИ)
Коломна 2011
Contents:
How to Write a Summary (Expressions for the analysis of the text )
Useful phrase reference
Some more useful expressions
Stylistic helpful hints
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
P.Highsmith The Talented Mr. Ripley
Penelope Lively The House in Norham Gardens
Giving a Character Sketch
Literature
Expressions for the analysis of the text
1. THE WRITER AND HIS/HER BACKGROUND
The extract (text, chapter, story) under study is taken from the book (novel) by a famous (outstanding) writer…….
The extract I’m going to speak about is from …….
The author is a contemporary writer (classic, realist, of science fiction)
He is famous for such novels (stories) as ….
The author is concerned with…..
The writer gives a realistic representation of …..
2. THE TITLE
expresses the main idea of the text/ extract
reflects the contents of the text
displays the time (place) of action
is clear in meaning
is puzzling
is ambiguous
has several meanings
made me read the story
Useful words:
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3. THE PLOT
A)The extracts presents a highly emotional (unemotional) description (representation) of ……
The extracts contains a description of the society, a portrayal of some individual
The text represents a narration (a dialogue between ………)
It’s partly a narration and partly a dialogue between ….
The text represents exciting (convincing, witty, touching, realistic, brilliant) description of nature (portrayal of character, account of an event)
The extract is satirical (humorous) portrayal of …..
The situation is common (usual, exceptional, exotic, etc)
The text under study contains a description of …….
The plot is logical (illogical)
B) The action takes place … (where and when)
The action develops against the background of ….. (a peaceful life, storm, bright morning, gloomy day, historical event)
C) The starting point of the extract is ………
D) The climax
As far as I can understand (judge) it is the crucial moment of the plot.
E) The author brings the reader to an unexpected (happy, dramatic) event
The context (the plot) of the text under study is the following (retell the contents in 150 – 300 words)…….
F) The text falls into …. parts
G) It can be logically divided into…. parts
(Study and use the information from the section Some More Useful Expressions)
4. THE CHARACTERS
The characters are realistically (emotionally, vividly) portrayed (drawn).
They are convincing (vivid)
The characters personify vice (virtue)
They are exaggerated
This character serves as a mouthpiece to the author’s ideas
He/ she possesses such traits of character as…..
5. THE MAIN IDEA
The writer gives a realistic presentation of ….
The author is with ……..
The story touches upon the problem of ………
The text is a passionate appeal to the reader
Useful words:
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6.THE LANGUAGE OF THE EXTRACT AND ITS GENERAL MOOD
The text is remarkable for its brilliant wit (bitter irony, sadness)
The mood of the action is calm (gloomy, of great emotional tension)
The description is lyric.
The language is imaginative both in the narrative and in the dialogue.
The description is mild (tense, terse, passionate, humorous, pathetic, dramatic, satiric, vivid, fantastic, dynamic, etc.)
The language is lofty, simple, pompous, emphatic.
It abounds in stylistic devices
The particular extract reveals the humorous (dramatic, satiric) side of the author’s genius.
It shows him as a humorist (a satirist, a story-teller, etc)
7.STYLISTIC DEVICES
Special stylistic devices make the language very expressive (colloquial, etc)
The story is rich in literary (artistic) devices, such as … metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, irony, humour, play of words, elliptical sentences, chain of synonyms (antonyms), periphrasis lyrical digression, alliteration, dialectisms.
Stylistic devices may:
Convey the feeling of ….
Create the idea of…..
Make the characters more vivid
Be used for the sake of irony
Be used to show …. Better
Intensify the impression of….
Stress the idea
Attract our attention
(Study and use the information from the section Stylistic Helpful Hints)
8.OUR IMPRESSION
I liked (enjoyed, disliked) the text, because……..
This particular text reveals the humorous (dramatic, satiric) side of the author’s genius.
It shows him as a humorist (satirist, a remarkable story-teller, a master of character-drawing)
I’ve learned much about ……..
The plot is interesting (exciting, boring).
The vocabulary is rich.
The author places high emphasis on the plot and its significant role...
The plot is a very important element of the story, it serves not only as the order of events but it also reveals the main characters, their inner world...
The plot cannot be separated from the characters of the story as every character has his or her goals that form the basis for characters' motivation to act. The author thrusts the characters into a situation that may test them and by their different reaction to this or that situation the characters themselves may change the plot.
In the plot we can single out several parts...
The author provides the reader with necessary background information without any details or explanations...
The reader gets acquainted with the characters...
With the help of description of the characters and situations from their lives the reader cannot form his or her own opinion as the author expresses his subjunctive viewpoint. That is why it is necessary to see the characters in action and only in this case the reader evaluating their deeds can form a personal opinion about the characters.
The conflict is introduced.. .in this part the characters begin to show their nature...
The characters reveal their feelings, their attitude to each other, and their thoughts.
Manner of speaking. .
The point of highest tension, the culmination of the story...
All tensions are over and the situation is clarifying...
The role of the plot is indisputable... throughout the plot of the story the reader sees the evolution of the characters, evolution and resolving of the difficulties...
The describing of the scene of action gives the reader the clue to the further development of action.
Story
time phrases |
It all began ... It was one of those days when ... At first... Some time later... Meanwhile... Later... Eventually... In the end,... Finally... |
Dramatic devices |
Suddenly,... All of a sudden,... Just at that moment... |
Direct speech |
'...,' said x. " ...," said x. |
verbs with direct / indirect speech |
tell whisper shout say think cry |
concluding
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It had all been ... After everything that had happened, ... |
Discursive composition
introducing the first point in a list of points |
First,... Firstly,... First of all,... To start with,... To begin with,.. |
introducing a further point of points in a list |
Second(ly),... Third(ly),... Moreover,... Furthermore,... In addition,... What is more... Apart from that... Also….. Another point to be made is that………. |
introducing a final point in a list of points |
Finally,... Lastly,.
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presenting two (dis)advantages together |
... not only…… but...... also………
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presenting two opposing points of view |
On the one hand,... On the other hand, ...
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expressing results
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For this reason,... Because of this,... As a result,... Therefore,... Thus,... |
expressing contrast |
however but although though even though in spite of despite nevertheless In contrast to this,... |
giving examples |
for example for instance such as like |
expressing your opinion |
In my opinion ... As I see it,... To my mind,. As far as I'm concerned,... In my view, ... I believe (that).
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expressing someone else's opinion |
Some people believe (that)... According to ... It is said (that)...
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introducing a conclusion
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To conclude,... In conclusion,... To sum up,... In summary,.
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conclusion
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The advantages of... outweigh the disadvantages.
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Article
engaging the reader |
Have you ever ...? Do you find that...? Are you one of those people who ...? |
making suggestions
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Imagine ... Let's suppose ... Why not...? Have you thought of ...? Try ... |
giving examples |
Take ... for example/instance ...
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expressing opinion
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As I see it,... To my mind,... I believe (that). In my view,... As far as I'm concerned,... |
Figure of Speech, word or group of words used to give particular emphasis to an idea or sentiment. The special emphasis is typically accomplished by the user's conscious deviation from the strict literal sense of a word, or from the more commonly used form of word order or sentence construction. From ancient times to the present, such figurative locutions have been extensively employed by orators and writers to strengthen and embellish their styles of speech and composition. These sequences which seem to be specifically patterned - semantically, lexically, syntactically, phonetically - are called tropes and figures of speech. Let us name but a few of them.
Anticlimax, sequence of ideas that abruptly diminish in dignity or importance at the end of a sentence or passage, generally for satirical effect. The following sentence contains an illustration of anticlimax: "Among the great achievements of Benito Mussolini's regime were the revival of a strong national consciousness, the expansion of the Italian Empire, and the running of the trains on time." (Compare with climax, below.)
Antithesis, juxtaposition of two words, phrases, clauses, or sentences contrasted or opposed in meaning in such a way as to give emphasis to contrasting ideas. An example of antithesis is the following line by the English poet Alexander Pope: "To err is human, to forgive divine."
Chiaimus a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases, as in “This love feel I, that feel no love in thi”s.
Climax, arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences in the order of their importance, the least forcible coming first and the others rising in power until the last, as in the following sentence: "It is an outrage to bind a Roman citizen; it is a crime to scourge him; it is almost parricide to kill him; but to crucify him—what shall I say of this?" (Compare with anticlimax, above.)
Euphemism, substitution of a delicate or inoffensive term or phrase for one that has coarse, sordid, or otherwise unpleasant associations, as in the use of "lavatory" or "rest room" for "toilet," and "pass away" for "die."
Hyperbole, form of inordinate exaggeration according to which a person or thing is depicted as being better or worse, or larger or smaller, than is actually the case, as in the sentence from an essay by the English writer Thomas Babington Macaulay: "Dr. Johnson drank his tea in oceans." (Compare with litotes, below.)
Irony, dryly humorous or lightly sarcastic mode of speech, in which words are used to convey a meaning contrary to their literal sense. An instance of irony is the suggestion, put forward with apparent seriousness by the English satirist Jonathan Swift in his "A Modest Proposal", that the poor people of Ireland should rid themselves of poverty by selling their children to the rich to eat.
Litotes, understatement employed for the purpose of enhancing the effect of the ideas expressed, especiallу that in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary: “not bad at all”..
Metaphor, use of a word or phrase to an object or concept which it does not really denote, in order to suggest comparison with another object or concept.. Example: “Autumn leaves, summer's coinage spent”.
Metonymy, use of a word or phrase for another to which it bears an important relation, as the effect for the cause, the abstract for the concrete, and similar constructions. Examples of metonymy are "He was an avid reader of Chaucer," "The hostess kept a good table".
Onomatopoeia, imitation of natural sounds by words. Examples in English are the italicized words in the phrases "the humming bee", "the cackling hen", "the whizzing arrow," and "the buzzing saw."
Oxymoron, combination of two seemingly contradictory or incongruous words, as in loving hate, brawling love, cruel kindness, etc.
Paradox, statement or sentiment that appears contradictory to common sense yet is true in fact. Ex.: All art is quite useless, or mobilisation for peace, a well-known secret agent.
Personification, representation of inanimate objects or abstract ideas as living beings, as in the sentences “Necessity is the mother of invention”.
Rhetorical question, asking of questions not to gain information but to assert more emphatically the obvious answer to what is asked. No answer, in fact, is expected by the speaker.
Simile, specific comparison by means of the words "like" or "as" between two kinds of ideas or objects.
Synecdoche, figurative locution whereby the part is made to stand for the whole, the whole for a part, the species for the genus, and vice versa. Ex.: England won (in cricket)