Control work
V-VI
1. Text “Death
of a Hero” (extract 2) by R. Aldington
What’s the main idea of the
text? Why does the author resort to the description of the battle scene to
render this idea? (1 page)
In the extract the author
describes “the long-expected battle”. By the peculiar choice of words he helps
us to gain the atmosphere of danger and peril. In my opinion, the author
accumulates details in order to allow us to penetrate deeper into his
personage’s thoughts and to feel his mood.
There isn’t much action in
the extract. Winterbourne wakes up, runs, watches the battle and runs back to
his cellar with “tears in his eyes”. All this takes him some minutes, not more.
But during this short period his soul seems to live hundreds of lives. He
couldn’t but admire the force, and the brightness, and even the vividness of the
battle, but at the same time he is frightened by its brutality and abnormality.
Using many concrete details to describe the battle, the author creates the
precise background for showing Winterbourne’s feelings. Those flashes,
explosions, rattle and roaring seem to be hints for us to guess the personage’s
sensations in that “pandemonium”. We see gun-flashes and clouds of smoke with
Winterbourne’s eyes, hear “rumble and roaring” with his ears, and feel his heart
“shaking with the shaking earth”. At first he only watches the scene, and then
comes to understanding that every sound means death or mutilation of a human
being.
Sentence after sentence
the author uses stronger words to show us the development of the battle and the
growing of Winterbourne’s terror and despair. Word by word the author leads us
to the climax: “the battle was begun” and the climax of the personage’s feelings
– he ran away in tears, couldn’t stand it any more. And his reaction is a
reaction of a man who is not accustomed to war, to outbreaks of hostility.
The final
produces an immense effect – we are convinced that war is abnormal, that no
rational being can bear its terror. The detailed description of the battle scene
the author resorts to lets us see the perversity of war and understand the value
of human life.
2. Text
“Tribute” A. Coppard
MA-7: Speak on the two families during the war. Pay attention to
the word “tribute” as it first spears in the story and after. Comment on its
connotations.
Tribute. When I pronounce this
word I imagine poor people “white and thin and sullen with the strain of
constant labour”, their dead sons and husbands, their women in grief. When your
country is at war, in need, and you have nothing to give, you give your hands,
your children and at last – your life, like the Vassals. But if you have money
and think that money can solve all your problems, you pay your tribute (and even
get it back with large sums of interest), like the Regents. Giving the word
“tribute” as a title, the author implies that it has several meanings and the
way his personages understand it depends on their income, position in society
and human qualities.
The word “tribute” in the title
is a challenge, it is the embodiment of all contradictions, it is the title that
makes this funny story so mournful.
(It is government that wages war,
not people. And one day many years ago
Oscar Wilde
said: “Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious”. I quite agree with him.
And, frankly, if all people
have enough money to pay their tribute, war would be impossible because
countries would have no people to combat and it is very difficult to fight by
banknotes instead of soldiers.)
MAN AND NATURE
1. Text
“Overload” A. Hailey
LA-2: Find the following word combinations in the text, explain
what they mean and reproduce the context.
|
A
responsible restraining force |
A force that keeps something under control or within limits, or prevents
somebody (or something) from doing something
… Therefore a responsible restraining force was needed. … |
|
To
thwart a programme |
to prevent a
programme
or a plan from being successful
… it was an organization which frequently opposed the
programmes
of GSP & L, and sometimes thwarted them… |
|
The
California based club |
A club with the headquarters located in California
The California based club had achieved a national reputation for skill and
dedication in fights to preserve what remained of the natural unspoiled
beauty of America. |
|
To
leave someone to his own devices |
to let somebody do as he or she (or a corporation) wishes, instead of
giving the person (or a corporation) direction or assistance
History showed that when giant industrial concerns … were left to their
own devices, they paid little or no heed to protecting the environment. |
|
The
incumbent chairman |
The chairman who currently holds a position or office
One reason was the Sequoia Club leadership, which through its eighty years
of existence, had been of the highest
calibre,
a tradition which the incumbent chairman … was continuing. |
|
To be
moderate in opposition |
To be not extreme or radical, to be neither particularly good nor
particularly bad, to be temperate in opposition
… the Sequoia Club might not oppose the projects or at least would be
moderate in opposition. |
|
The
urgent need |
something that is a requirement or is wanted, absolute necessity
… he argued the urgent need convincingly… |
|
To pay
no heed to smth |
To pay no attention to; to ignore; to close (smb’s) eyes to
…they (giant industrial concerns) paid little or no heed to protecting the
environment. |
|
Ecological reasons |
relating to the environment, concerned with the protection and
preservation of the natural environment
… “There are ecological reasons why that choice is wrong.” |
|
To be
in progress |
To be in gradual development or improvement
… a project is already in progress… |
|
To
take an opposite view |
To take totally different position; to have totally different point of
view
…Perhaps, for the public hearings we’ll find a botanist who takes an
opposite view. |
|
To
locate a plant |
to establish a plant in a particular place
… “Would you locate any of those plants?” |
|
Industry dislocation |
the displacement of industries, plants etc from their usual positions
… That means industry dislocation and massive unemployment… |
|
Massive unemployment |
A great number of people who have no job; a great number of people who are
unemployed in an area, often given as a percentage of the total labor
force
… That means industry dislocation and massive unemployment… |
|
To
look at the long-range future |
To look at the period of time extending a long time into the future trying
to predict events
…
Environmentalists
are looking at the long-range future. |
|
To
plead for moderation |
to make an earnest or urgent entreaty, often in emotional terms; to beg,
to ask for moderation
… “All that I’m pleading for is moderation.”
… Then, when the
spoilage
is pointed out, your kind of people pleads for “moderation”… |
|
A
habitable world |
A world that fits to live in or is considered fit to be lived in
… “And taking it wouldn’t preserve a habitable world.” |
|
Gross
national product (GNP) |
country’s income including foreign investments; the total value of all
goods and services produced within a country in a year, including net
income from investments in other countries
… “So they worship “gross national product” and “full employment”…” |
|
To
overlook a fact |
to miss or fail to notice a fact; to ignore a fact
… “So they worship “gross national product” and “full employment”,
overlooking the fact that both are suffocating and poisoning us.” |
|
Natural resources |
naturally occurring exploitable material; a naturally occurring material
such as coal or wood that can be exploited by people.
… plus holding back a share of natural resources for generations not yet
born… |
LA-5 (1): Paraphrase and expand on the following.
1.
Any coal-burning plant must be sited with extreme care
Any
coal-burning (or coal-fired) plant must be established with great caution.
Plants of this kind cause harm to the environment of a natural area - the air,
soil, or water - by introducing damaging substances such as chemicals or waste
products. They are an immediate and leading cause of air pollution. Pollution is
changing the earth’s atmosphere so that it lets in more harmful radiation from
the sun. At the same time, our polluted atmosphere is becoming a better
insulator, preventing heat from escaping back into space and leading to a rise
in global average temperatures. Scientists predict that the temperature
increase, referred to as a global warming, will affect world food supply, alter
sea level, make weather more extreme, and increase the spread of tropical
disease.
In developing
countries, there can hardly be a more widespread pollution problem today than
air pollution, caused by coal-burning plants. So, we should
look into the long-range future and try to use alternative energy sources such
like atomic energy, wind power etc. We should site coal-fired plants as far as
possible from cities and
settlements, and
take into consideration all ecological aspects of the area.
WS-2: Look up the following words for their exact meanings:
|
A.
nouns |
|
1.
Ecology |
1.
study of organisms and the environment:
the study of the relationships and interactions between living organisms
and their natural or developed environment
2.
relationship between an organism and the environment:
the relationships between individual organisms and between organisms and
their environment |
|
2.
Pollution |
1.
act of polluting:
the act of polluting something, especially the natural environment
2.
polluted state:
the state or condition of being polluted, or the presence of pollutants
• Pollution
will destroy fish in the rivers. |
|
3.
Environment |
1.
ENVIRONMENT
natural world:
the natural world, within which people, animals, and plants live. It is
regarded by many as being at risk from the harmful influences of
industrialized societies.
2.
ENVIRONMENT,
ECOLOGY
surrounding influences:
all the external factors influencing the life of organisms, such as light
or food supply
3.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
social and physical conditions:
the conditions that surround people and affect the way they live
• the
nurturing environment a child needs |
|
4.
Environmentalist |
1.
POLITICS
somebody working to protect the environment:
somebody involved in issues relating to the protection of the natural
world, especially a member of a political group campaigning against the
perceived harmful effects of industrialized societies
2.
PSYCHOLOGY
believer in the developmental importance of environment:
a supporter of the theory that a person’s environment is more influential
than heredity in determining his or her development. |
|
5.
Botanist |
plant scientist:
somebody with an expert scientific knowledge of, or a strong interest in,
plants |
|
6.
Expansion |
1.
process of becoming enlarged:
the process of increasing, or increasing something, in size, extent,
scope, or number
• This
site does not give us enough room for expansion.
2.
increase:
an increase, or the amount by which something increases, in size, extent,
or scope
• Geologists
measured the expansion of the volcanic island.
3.
PHYSICS
increase in dimensions:
an increase in the dimensions of something as a result of a rise in
temperature or decrease in pressure
4.
growth by acquisition:
the increase of a country’s size by the acquisition of new territory
• westward
expansion
5.
act of expanding:
the act or state of expanding, opening, or spreading out
6.
fuller treatment:
a fuller or more detailed treatment or version of something
• The
expansion of “Dr.” is “Doctor.” |
|
7.
Concrete |
1.
CONSTRUCTION
hard construction material:
a mixture of cement, sand, aggregate, and water in specific proportions
that hardens to a strong stony consistency over varying lengths of time |
|
8.
Species |
1.
BIOLOGY
taxonomic group:
a subdivision of a genus considered as a basic biological classification
and containing individuals that resemble one another and that may
interbreed
2.
BIOLOGY
organisms in species:
the organisms belonging to a particular species
3.
kind or sort:
a kind, sort, or variety of something |
|
9.
Dump |
1.
MILITARY
munitions and supply area:
a place for the temporary storage of munitions, food, water, fuel, and
other supplies for distribution to troops
2.
waste disposal site:
a place where waste materials can be left
3.
unpleasant place:
an unpleasant or dirty place (informal)
• The
hotel was a real dump.
4.
offensive term:
an offensive term for an act of evacuating the bowels (slang)
5.
act of throwing something away:
an act of discarding something |
|
10.
Wasteland |
1.
desolate land:
an area of land that is desolate or barren and not used
2.
barren place or time:
an environment that is thought to be spiritually or intellectually barren
• the
wasteland of daytime TV |
|
11.
Spoliation |
1.
plundering:
the seizing of things by force
2.
seizure of ships:
the seizure or plundering of neutral ships at sea by a belligerent power
in time of war
3.
alteration of document:
the alteration or destruction of a document so as to make it invalid or
unusable as evidence |
|
12.
Expediency |
1.
use of short-term effective methods:
the use of methods that bring the most immediate benefits, based on
practical rather than moral considerations (disapproving)
2.
appropriateness:
the usefulness, appropriateness, or advisability of something, especially
of a particular action or type of behavior in a particular situation
• doubts
about the expediency of such a course in the present crisis |
|
B.
adjectives |
|
1.
Judicious |
sensible and wise:
showing wisdom, good sense, or discretion, often with the underlying aim
of avoiding trouble or waste
• a
little judicious pruning |
|
2.
Sound |
1.
not damaged:
without any serious damage or decay
2.
healthy:
free from injury, disease, or illness
3.
sensible:
based on good sense and valid reasoning
• a
sound argument
4.
completely acceptable:
worthy of approval, especially as agreeing with traditional views or
conforming to conventional behavior
5.
deep and peaceful:
unbroken by waking and untroubled by dreams or discomfort
• She
had a sound night’s sleep.
6.
complete:
including all necessary aspects and details
• sound
knowledge of the subject
7.
thorough:
painful and thorough
8.
FINANCE
with little financial risk:
financially secure and likely to make money
9.
LOGIC
valid with true premises:
having a true conclusion that follows from true premises
10.
LAW
legally valid:
legally valid |
|
3.
Extinct |
1.
BIOLOGY
having no living members:
having no members of the species or family in existence, as is the case
with many organisms known only from fossils
2.
no longer in existence:
having died out or ceased to exist
• relics
of extinct and forgotten civilizations
3.
GEOLOGY
no longer erupting:
no longer active or likely to erupt
• an
extinct volcano
4.
SOCIAL SCIENCES,
LAW
not now valid:
no longer valid or practiced
• This
custom has for many years been almost extinct.
5.
extinguished:
extinguished, quenched, or no longer burning |
|
4.
Habitable |
fit to live in:
considered fit to be lived in
• A
lot of structural work will be needed before the house is habitable. |
|
C.
Verbs |
|
1.
Benefit |
give or receive benefit:
to give or receive help, an advantage, or another benefit
• The
research would benefit from an injection of new ideas. |
|
2.
Caution |
1.
warn:
to warn or advise somebody that something is risky or dangerous
2.
U.K.
LAW
give warning about evidence:
to give a formal warning to somebody who has been arrested that anything
he or she says may be used in evidence |
|
3.
Preserve |
1.
make sure something lasts:
to keep something protected from anything that would cause its current
quality or condition to change or deteriorate or fall out of use
• They
are anxious to preserve the area’s rural character.
2.
maintain something to:
keep up or maintain something
• She
preserved a cool and composed manner throughout the interrogation.
3.
stop food from going bad:
to treat or store food in such a way as to protect it from decay, for
example, by pickling, drying, salting, freezing, or canning
4.
make jam:
to make jelly, jam, or marmalade
5.
protect somebody or something:
to protect somebody or something from danger, especially the danger of
being killed or damaged (formal or literary)
• “The
Lord shall preserve thee from all evil” (Psalm 121)
6.
keep animals in secure area:
to rear wild animals, especially fish and birds, in a protected area of
water or land, so that they can be fished or shot for sport in the hunting
season |
|
4.
Brainwash |
1.
impose beliefs on somebody:
to impose a set of usually political or religious beliefs on somebody by
the use of various coercive methods of indoctrination, including
destruction of the victim’s prior beliefs
2.
condition somebody to behave differently:
to induce somebody to believe or do something, for example, to buy a new
product, especially by constant repetition or advertising |
|
5.
Squander |
1.
transitive verb
use something wastefully:
to spend or use something precious in a wasteful and extravagant way
2.
intransitive and transitive verb
strew something:
to scatter something, or be scattered (archaic) |
|
6.
Suffocate |
1.
stop breathing:
to deprive somebody of air or prevent somebody from breathing, or to be
unable to breathe
2.
die from lack of air:
to die from lack of air or kill somebody by stopping him or her from
breathing
3.
make or feel too warm:
to feel uncomfortable or make somebody feel uncomfortable through
excessive heat and lack of fresh air
4.
not allow to develop:
to confine and restrict somebody or something with adverse effects, or be
or feel confined and restricted in development or self-expression |
|
7.
Worship |
1.
transitive verb
love somebody deeply:
to love, admire, or respect somebody or something greatly and perhaps
excessively or unquestioningly
2.
intransitive and transitive verb
RELIGION
treat somebody or something as deity:
to treat somebody or something as divine and show respect by engaging in
acts of prayer and devotion
3.
intransitive verb
RELIGION
take part in religious service:
to take part in a religious service |
|
D.
adverbs |
|
1.
Impetuously |
1.
acting impulsively:
acting on the spur of the moment, without considering the consequences
2.
done on impulse:
done without thought as a reaction to an emotion or impulse
3.
violent:
moving with great force and energy (literary) |
|
2.
Internationally |
1.
involving several countries:
involving two or more countries or their citizens
2.
crossing national boundaries:
extending beyond or across national boundaries
3.
of relations among nations:
concerned with relations between nations |
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