МИНИСТЕРСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ И НАУКЕ

ЧЕРЕПОВЕЦКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

Yulia Belova

A STYLISTIC GUIDE TO HOME READING

“SUMMER OF MY GERMAN SOLDIER”

by Bette Greene

Учебно-методическое пособие по домашнему чтению на III - IV курсе романа Бетти Грин Summer of my German Soldier.

Череповец 2006

ВВЕДЕНИЕ

Учебно-методические задания предназначены для студентов 4 курса факультета раннего обучения иностранным языкам и имеют целью организацию самостоятельной работы студентов при подготовке к аудиторным занятиям по домашнему чтению романа Бетти Грин "Summer of my German Soldier". Задания направлены на достижение следующих це­лей:

1) помощь читающему художественную литературу на английском языке в приобретении рациональных приемов работы с текстом, с тем, что­бы научиться извлекать максимум как содержательной, так и лингвис­тической информации,

2) расширение активного и пассивного словаря студентов;

3) развитие навыков устной и письменной речи;

4) умение сделать на английском языке критический разбор литературного произведения (содержания и художественной формы) в виде док­лада или сочинения на предложенную тему;

5) приобретение навыков художественного перевода.

Задания включают:

1. Список лексических единиц, подлежащих усвоению. При работе над лексикой направленность внимания на языковую форму создается при помощи специальных заданий типа: объясните, перефразируйте, подбе­рите синонимы и антонимы, переведите, подберите русские эквивален­ты. Успешная работа на занятиях обеспечивается предварительной про­работкой студентами словарного списка по толковому словарю.

2. Вопросы и задания по небольшим отрывкам текста (микротекстам). При отборе микротекстов мы руководствовались стилистическими особен­ностями отрывка, его релевантностью в контексте целого. Вопросы ставят целью постепенно знакомить студентов со стилистическими сред­ствами и приемами, учить анализировать стилистическую функцию при­емов и их конвергенций.

3. Вопросы для проверки понимания прочитанного, которые в ходе ауди­торного обсуждения могут быть использованы как полностью, так и частично.

4. Отрывок для чтения и художественного перевода.

5. Индивидуальные задания в конце семестра, темы сочинений.

CHAPTER I

Analyse the strong positions of the book after reading the information about the author:

a). Study carefully the title: what are your assosiations with every word in the title?

b). Read attentively the first page of the chapter. Who is the narrator of the story? What is the place of the action? What is the time of the action (the year and the month)? What helped you to define them? What do we get to know about the narrator's per­sonality, social and educational background? How do we get to know her name?

PART I (p.17)

II. 1. Analyse in detail all the citizens of Jenkensville reflec­ting their social position and the main character's attitude to them. The characters for your analysis Jimmy Wells, Chester, Mary Wrenn, Missis Benn, Sheriff Cauldwell, Mг George C.Henkins, Mr Blakey.

2. Analyse the ways Patty's family is introduced into the nar­ration. In what context do we meet them first? What is the sty­listic function of each presentation?

III. Analyse some microcontexts. Revise or get acquainted with stylistic devices used in the contexts.

1. p.10 l.10 Define the function of gradation enforced by alli­teration.

2. p.10 l.21 Account for the name given to the garden.

3. p.12 l.5 Explain the usage of antonomasia in the sentence.

4. p.12 l.10-22 Study the passage carefully to understand the real meaning of the phrase "today's word",

5. p.13 l.20-27 This is the first time we know that Patty is a Jew. Try to forsее what complications it might cause in a town like Jenkensville.

6. p.l4 l.9 Explain the phrase "we keep our jubilee in easy reach" .

7. P.14. l.13-27 a) Reveal the significance of Patty's dream. Look for the epithets and inversion that help to create the picture of a severe winter. b) Patty includes into her dream all the family but Sharon, Think of the reasons for doing that.

8. p.15 l.20-22 Explain the difference between fathers and dad­dies as you see it.

9. p.15 l.23-29 Speak on Patty's ideas of being a teenager. Why is it so important for her to become one?

10. p.16 l.19-35 Look up in the dictionary the difference between uppity and pride, proud and pгideful.

11. p.17 l.3-4 Explain the saying "hot by noon, Hades by afternoon".

PART II (p.17-24)

1. Lexical work.

to ease one's disappointment

to be particular

homely

his heart wasn’t in

II. Microcontext analysis.

1. p.18 l.4 Explain the геаsоns for the phrase "better to test the water first".

2. p.19 l.10-I5 Does Mrs. Fields expect a detailed answer? What is revealed about Patty in this passage?

3. p.21-22 l.ll-7 Analyse the conversation between Mrs Benn and Mrs Bergen. What is their attitude to the incident? What is their relation to each other? Why was Patty mistaken about her mother's reasons? State Patty's attitude to both.

4. p.22 l.11 - p.23 l.2 Act out the dialogue between Mr Bergen and Patty. State Hr Bergen's attitude to the girl and the news. Think of the reasons for his behaviour.

III. l. Speak in detail on all the members of Patty's family (in­cluding Ruth) using the examples from the chapter.

2. Find the instances of racial prejudice in the chapter, comment on them.

CHAPTER 2

1. Lexical work.

( I make a lot of ) Cs

to run the insurance end of things

to remind smb of smb

to be choked up with gratitude

to bother

to up and buy smth spur of the moment

widow's peak

a sleepyhead

a blabber-mouth

hot temper

a real card

a ladies' man

II. Analysing microcontexts,convergences of stylistic devices

1. p.26 12-21 What is Harry Bergen's attitude to favours. Why?

2. p-27 1.8-12. Why did Patty prefer to tell the story of Cindirella? Did anyone grasp her hint?

3. p.27-28 1.30-35, 1.1-8 What is the stylistic function of this digression? What does this developed metaphor reveal about Patty?

4. р.28 1.12-33. Pick out the words describing Patty's mixed atti­tude towards her mother.

5. p.29 1.25-30. Explain Grandpa's phrase. Compare Patty's (p.27) and Grandpa's vision of life.

б. Comment on the stylistic function of foreign words in the text.

Ill. Analysing the chapter

1. Speak as much as you can on Patty's grandparents and both her parents' families.

a) What were the Bergens? Ноw many children were there? Could Grandpa Bergen become rich after buying a stitching-machine? Speak about uncle Max.Why wasn't he ashamed of his past? How did Harry Bergen manage to marry a rich girl? Prove Patty's idea that Harry Bergen had bad relations with his parents. Who did Patty resemble? b) What were the Frieds? Were they rich? How many children were in their family? Why did they lend Harry Bergen money instead of asking him into family business? Find in the text the phrases showing the relations between Harry Bergen and the Frieds. Speak on Pearl and her relations with her father and mother. Why didn't she want Patty take money from Mrs Fried? c) Speak on the stylistic function of portraying grandparents (p. 26-27, p.30)

2. Speak in full on Patty's relations with Grandpa and Grandma Fried. p.26 1.1-15, p.30 1.8

3. p.32 1.8-16, p.32 1-29-33 , p.36 1.3-6, p.33 l.1-4, p.33 l.10-33, p.34 l. 16-24. Comment on the last phrase of the chapter.

IV. A reading and translation paraghraph p.27 1.30 - p.28 1. 8

CHAPTER 3

I. Lexical work

down the street

to pass out

men's straws

to last smb for years

make a joke at smb's expense

half of forever

to wait on

II. Analysing microcontexts and convergences of stylistic devices

1. p.39 1.31-32, Comment on the simile used by Patty.

2. p.40 1.28-34. Find characteristic features of inner speech, what is the stylistic function of it? Look for other examples of inner speech in the book, make a conclusion on the stylistic func­tion of the device.

3. р.41 1.8-9, Comment on the stylistic function of abundant re­petition.

4. p.41 1.15. What additional emphasis does alliteration add to the idea?

5. p.41 1.33 Why did Patty "immediately regret her "gee"?

6. p.42-43 l.31-4· Why didn't Reiker understand Patty's joke about Eli Whitney? Did you know who he was (before you read the passage)? Do you think it's a shame for a foreigner not to know famous people of another country? Prove your viewpoint.

7. p.41-43, Act out the conversation between Patty and Anton. What is the mood of the dialogue?

8. p.43-44 1.30-3. Think of some reasons for Reiker to buy the pin.