How special is star parenthood? Would you like your father or mother (or both) to be celebrities?
If my parents were celebrities, I would not receive proper attention, and I do not know who would be engaged in my upbringing. I guess I would be a completely different person. It is more important for me that my parents are near me, and not in constant traveling and tours. Glory is a transitory thing. Today it is, but tomorrow it is not. But the family will always be. What can glory give? Only money. And the family is the source of happiness. Family - these are the people who love you no matter what. And the family can give you the main treasure - love. And it is priceless.
Exercise 1. Explain the meaning of the following words in English and reproduce the episodes from the extract where they are used:
1) wings - кулисы (backstage) - 8 абзац
2) to work up - все во мне горело (feeling of euphoria) - 8 абзац
3) to leave out - не включать (do not turn on) - 8 абзац
4) to be taken in - попасться (to be caught) - 10 абзац
5) disarming - обезоруживающий (neutralize) - 11 абзац
Exercise 2. Give the Russian equivalents of the following phrases from the extract and make up your own sentences using them:
1) to bring down the house - вызывать оглушительные аплодисменты
- This scene used to bring down the house. - Эта сцена всегда срывала оглушительные аплодисменты.
2) to uplift - чувствовать необыкновенный душевный подъем
- After his confession he was uplifted. - После признания он почувствовал необыкновенный душевный подъем.
3) indulgent - снисходительный
- He gave her his indulgent smile. - Он снисходительно улыбнулся.
4) make-believe - выдумка
- My little brother believes that ghosts are not make-believe. - Мой младший брат верит в призраков.
5) eerie - жуткий
- I heard an eerie sound. - Я услышал жуткий звук.
6) shiver - дрожь
- I was shivering with cold. - Я дрожал от холода.
Exercise 3. Find out the odd word in each line:
1) openly (публично, гласно)
2) unknown (неизвестный)
3) genuine (подлинный)
4) lovely (прекрасный)
5) content (содержание)
Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words and phrases from exercises 1-3:
1) was taken in
2) indulgent
3) underhand
4) torment
5) uplift
6) renowned
7) make-believe
1. What is the verbal composition of the text? Какова словесная композиция текста?
- It's fiction literarure, a novel.
2. Comment on the syntax of the son's monologue. What stylistic devices create the feeling of emotional anxiety?
Прокомментируйте синтаксис монолога сына. Какие стилистические средства создают ощущение эмоционального беспокойства?
- Syntactic parallelism, lexical repetition, irony, metaphors, rhetorical questions, epithets comparisons.
3. What is the stylistic function of the vulgar “bloody” in the context?
Какова стилистическая функция бранного слова "чертов" в данном контексте?
- Expresses excessive discontent. - Выражает чрезмерное недовольство.
4. How important is the simile in the last paragraph? Comment on its meaning. Which is more effective – simile or metaphor? Give examples.
Насколько важно сравнение в последнем абзаце? Прокомментируйте его значение. Что более эффективно - сравнение или метафора? Приведите примеры.
- In my opinion, this simile determines the whole point of the monologue of the son. Therein lies the key point. This simile sums up everything he said. I think that the simile stronger. Metaphors are the details, while in the simile is the main conclusion.
Naturalness has become a hardly affordable rarity. Do you agree? Are you always YOU?
I fully agree with this opinion.
I can't say that I'm always I am. I often have to hide my true identity, and there are a number of reasons. The main probably is that I don't want to open up myself to people because, knowing me, they can hurt me. I have a poor experience from the past, and I would not like to repeat it. So I am very selective in relationships and I can be myself only with really close to me people. And then not always. There are things and aspects of my personality that no one, except me, should not know.
I think it's almost impossible to be yourself in full measure. But if it does happen, I think this is true happiness. Because there is nothing better than to be yourself under any circumstances. Always be yourself, no matter what.
