4. Which of the following could be said to be:

1. the theme of the story

Love and money. Art and money. Commercialization of art.

2. the message of the story

He that is full of himself is very empty.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

An ass louded with gold climbs to the top of the castle.

5. Speak on or write an essay about your assessment of the story and your impression of it. The Boarding House

1. Discuss some problem-questions.

1. Judging by the character of Mrs Mooney, do you think it was partly her fault that her husband began to go to the devil?

2. Does Polly seem to be taking after her mother?

3. Why was Mrs Mooney so sure that her plan would materia­lize? Was she a good schemer?

4. What do you think of Mr Doran? Do you feel sorry that he fell a victim to Mrs Mooney's scheme?

5. Is the marriage of Polly and Mr Doran likely to be happy?

2. Explain how the main characters of the story become revealed in the following.

Mrs Mooney 1. "She dealt with moral problems as a cleaver deals with meat." (5) 2. "She made Mary collect the crusts and pieces of broken bread to help to make Tuesday's bread-pud­ding." (6) 3. in "the interview" with Polly that she had had the night before. (6)

Polly 1. "Her eyes, which were grey with a shade of green through them, had a habit of glancing upwards when she spoke with anyone, which made her look like a little perverse madon­na." (4) 2. in her "interview" with Mrs Mooney. (8) 3. in her affair with Mr Doran. (17, 18, 19) 4. in her talk with Mr Doran. (16) 5. when she sat waiting in Mr Doran's room. (24)

Mr Doran 1. Mrs Mooney's thoughts about him. (11) 2. how anxious he was this Sunday morning. (13) 3. his confession. (13) 4. his fear of the employer. (14) 5. his past as compared with his present. (15) 6. his thoughts about Polly. (15) 7. "He longed to ascend through the roof and fly away to another country where he would never hear again of his trouble, and yet a force pushed him downstairs step by step." (22)

3. Say if you agree or disagree with the following observation of Mr Doran.

"Once you are married you are done for." (15)

4. Which of the following phrases could be said to be:

1. the theme of the story

A way to get your daughter off your hands.

As the tree, so the fruit - like mother, like daughter.

The survival of the fittest.

2. the message of the story

It's most advisable to try and right the wrong in time. Nothing venture nothing won.

If you cannot have the best make the best of what you have.

5. Speak on or write an essay about your assessment of the story and your impression of it.

The Rocking-Horse Winner

1. Discuss some problem-questions.

1. Does the family described in the story seem to you a typical English middle-class family or not and why?

2. Why was the boy so anxious to believe that he was lucky? Did he hope to change his mother's mood and her attitude to the children?

3. Why was it racing that the boy became so much interested

1. in? 80

4. What role did Uncle Oscar play in the life of the little boy? Why did not he put an end to Paul's betting as soon as he noticed something uncanny about the boy?

5. Does the situation described in the story seem quite probable or entirely improbable to you? Do the elements of extraordinary emphasize something quite ordinary or quite realistic?

6. What made the mother keep the news about her unusual birthday present all to herself?

7. What do "the voices in the house", the whispering stand as a symbol of?

8. What was it that brought on Paul's brain-fever? What was the true cause of his death?