Вечер для старшеклассников в рамках
поведения недели английского языка.
План.
1.Биографические
сведения о великих американских писателях.
2.
Отрывки из произведений американских писателей.
3.
Викторина для зрителей.
American Writers.
Dear
friends, today we shall speak about American literature and American writers.
American literature is not so rich in traditions as Russian or English ones.
But there are some American writers known all over the world, translated into
many languages and read by millions of people in many countries.
Mark Twain.
His
real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was the founder of realistic
American novel. In his youth he worked as a river pilot on the Mississippi
River, as a miner in Nevada and as a journalist. His best works” The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “The Adventures of Huckelbery Finn”, “The Prince
and the Pauper” are read in many countries by children and grown-ups.
Mark Twain was also a great
humorist. There are many anecdotes created by him. This is one of them.
Mark Twain and the
Inspector
One
day when Mark Twain was fishing, a man came and watched him.
“Good
morning!” said the newcomer.
“Good
morning!” said Mark Twain. “Splendid weather we are having today, isn’t it?”
“It
is indeed”, said the newcomer. “Are you catching any fish?”
“The
fishing is very good here. I caught three trout here yesterday in about an
hour.”
“Is
that so?”
‘Yes
and I’m very fond of trout.”
“By
the way, do you know who I am?” said the man.
“No,
I haven’t got any idea,” said Mark Twain.
“Well,
I’m a fishery inspector,” said the stranger. “And trout are out of season”
Mark
Twain was silent a minute. Then he said.”By the way, do you know who I am?”
“No”,
said the man.
“I’m
the greatest liar in the country.”
Mark
Twain.
Whitewashing
the Fence.
Sunday morning.
Aunt Polly and Tom come up to the fence.
Tom. Oh, aunty but
it is Sunday today. I can’t work on Sunday.
Aunt Polly. Your
behavior was very bad, Tom, you’ll work today. You must whitewash this fence.
Now, begin to work.
Tom. Oh, it’s
rather large. (Jim comes with a bucket in his hand.) Jim, Jim, listen, Jim,
I’ll bring the water if you whitewash a little.
Jim. I can’t
Master Tom, the old mistress told me to go and get some water and not stop with
anybody.
Tom. Oh, never
mind what she said. She won’t ever know, Jim, I’ll give you a marble.
Jim. No, I can’t.
(runs away.)
Ben.(eating an
apple). Hello, Tom, have you got to work today? (Tom continues to work.)To-m,
hello,
Tom. It’s you,
Ben, I did not notice you.
Ben. Tom, I’m
going to the river to swim. Don’t you want to go with me? But of course you
have got to work today.
Tom. What do you
call work?
Ben. Why, isn’t
that work?
Tom. Well, maybe
it is, and maybe it isn’t. All I know, Tom Sawyer likes it.
Ben. Oh, nonsense,
do you mean to say you like it?
Tom. Like it?
Well, I don’t see why not? Does a boy whitewash a fence every day?
Ben. Every day?
Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little!
Tom. No, no, I
can’t agree to that. You see, aunt Polly wants the fence to be done well,
especially here in the street. I’m afraid you won’t be able to do it well.
Ben. Oh, Tom, let
me just try, just a little. I’ll give you a piece of my apple.
Tom. No, Ben, I’m
afraid.
Ben. I’ll give you
a lot of it.
Tom. Well, here is
the brush. But be careful.
(Joseph, Johnny
and Billy come up to the fence.)
Joseph. Hello,
what are you doing?
Tom. I’m eating an
apple.
Ben. I’m
whitewashing the fence. Does a boy whitewash a fence every day?
Johnny. No, he
doesn’t. Let me whitewash a little.
Ben. You won’t be
able to do it well.
Billy. Of course,
he won’t be able to. But I know how to do it. Tom, I’ll give you a dad rat and
a string.
Joseph. And I’ll
give you a kite.
Tom. Ben, let
Billy whitewash a little.
(Billy takes the
brush.)
Johnny. Be quick,
Bill, let us whitewash the fence too.
Tom. Boys, don’t
quarrel. Now, Johnny, it’s your turn to whitewash. What can you give me?
Johnny. A kite.
Here it is. Take it.
(The boys
whitewash the fence in turn.)
Tom. A-u-n-t P-o-o-l-l-y,
aunty, come up here, please.
Aunt’s voice. What
do you want?
Tom. I have
finished.
(Aunt Polly
appears.)
Tom. May I go and
play now, aunty?
Aunt Polly. What!
Already?
Tom. It’s all
done, aunt.
Aunt Polly. Tom,
don’t lie to me. Little boys must not lie.
Tom. I’m not
lying, aunty. It’s all done. Look for yourself.
Aunt Polly. Oh,
it’s really all done. Well, Tom, you can work well when you want to. Now you
may play.
Tom. Hurrah, boys,
let’s run to the river and have a swim.
Jack London.
Jack
London was born in San-Francisco. He had changed a lot of jobs before he became
a famous writer. When gold was discovered in Alaska Jack London joined a gold
rush to the Klondike. He didn’t find any gold, but he found heroes for his
future stories. Jack London’s most famous works are; “The Call of the Wild”,
“The Sea Wolf”, “White Fang”, “Martin Eden” and many others.
Here
is the short story- To Kill a Man.
To Kill a Man.
Oh,
what do you want?
I
think I want to get out. I’ve lost my way here.
What
are you doing here?
Just
robbing Miss, that’s all. I didn’t expect to find you in, as I saw you with
your old man in an auto. You are Miss Setliffe aren’t you?
Now
show me the way out
And
what if I cry out for help?
I
must kill you then. You see Miss, I can’t go to prison. A friend is waiting for
me outside, and I promised to help him.
I’ve
never met a robber before, and I can’t tell you how exciting it is. Won’t you
stay a few minutes and talk? I want you to explain the whole thing to me. You
don’t look like a robber at all. Why don’t you work?
I
did my best but there’s no work for me in this city. I used to be an honest man
before I started looking for a job. And now I must go.
I
can’t really make you stay, but come sit down, and tell me all about it- here
at the table.
It’s
like this miss, I’m not a robber and I didn’t come here to steal. You see, I
had a little mine once and old Sutcliffe took it away from me, I had nothing
left. And as my friend needs money badly I just came to take something back
from your father. I’m really taking what is mine.
I
feel you are right, but still robbery is robbery.
I
know that, what is right is not always legal. That’s why I must go.
No
wait. Thomas, call the police. When you are in prison think of the lesson I’ve
taught you. Now, tell the truth. I didn’t believe a single word of your story.
You lied to me. …… Say something, why don’t you ask me to let you go?
Yes
I’ll say something. You looked so kind and soft and all the time your hand was
on the bell. Do you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to get up from this
chair and walk out of that door. But you are not going to shoot. It’s not easy
to kill a man and I’m sure you can’t do it. Pull harder. Pull it and kill a
man.
O’Henry.
His
real name is William Sydney Porter. Before his name changed he had been a bank
office worker, a cowboy, a reporter, a tramp. He had a broad knowledge of the
life of common people. They are the main characters of his stories. O’Henry
wrote 273 short stories. Most of them are filled with sympathy to common
Americans, some of them are filled with humor.
Here
is the passage from his story “The Red Chief”
The Red Chief.
Sam.
My friend Bill and I came to a little town. We wanted to kidnap a child. He was
the only child of a farmer whose name was Dorset. The boy was 10 years old.
There were a lot of freckles on his face and his hair was red.
Bill.
We decided to kidnap the boy and to demand 2000 dollars from Dorcet for him. We
found a cave in the mountains and took some food there. We planned to take the
boy into the cave.
Sam.
When we got to the house the boy was in the street.
(The
boy is throwing stones at a cat.)
Bill.
Hey, little boy, do you want to have some sweets and go with us?
(The
boy throws a stone at Bill’s eye. Two gentlemen take the boy and bring him to
the cave.)
Sam.
I’ll go to the village to see, what’s going on.
(Sam
comes back and sees the boy with two feathers in his red hair and with a spare
in his hand, crying like Indians usually do.)
Red
Chief. Ha, cursed Paleface, how dare you enter the camp of the Red chief!
Bill.
We are playing Indians. He is the Red Chief and I’m his captive, he’ll take my
scalp in the morning.
Red
Chief (to Sam). You’ll be Snake eye, and now I want to eat (They sit down to
eat).
Red
Chief. I like the cave, I don’t like to go to school. Are there any real
Indians in the forest? I want some more meat. Why is your nose so red, Snake
Eye? I don’t like girls.
Sam.
Red Chief, do you want to go home?
Red
Chief. No, there is nothing interesting at home, I don’t like to go to school,
I like it here. Don’t take me back home, Snake Eye.
(In
the morning Red Chief tries to take Bill’s scalp. During the breakfast he puts
a hot potato down Bill’s back).
Sam.
I’ll take you home. Are you going to be good or bad?
Red
Chief. I’ll be a good boy if you don’t bring me home and if you let me play
black scout.
Sam.
I don’t know the game. Bill will play with you.
Bill.
Sam, please, let us ask 1000 dollars for him and don’t leave me with him for
long.
(Sam
comes back and sees Bill and Red Chief playing black scout.)
Sam.
What are you doing?
Red
Chief. I’m black scout and this is my horse.
Bill.
Oh, Sam, why haven’t we asked 500 dollars for him.
Sam.
This is a letter from Mr. Dorset (Reads.)
Two
gentlemen, I have received your letter today. I think you ask too much for my
son. I want to make a counter preposition. I think you will agree. Bring my son
home and pay me 250 dollars and I’ll agree to take him from you. Better come at
night, because the neighbors think that he is lost and I cannot say what they
may do to anybody who brings him back.
E.
Dorset.
Bill.
Oh, Sam, what is 250 dollars for us. We do have money. Mr. Dorset is a kind
man. One more night with this little imp and I……..
So,
two gentlemen take the boy and try to bring him home. The boy cries; I don’t
want to go home, I don’t like to go to school, oh, please, Sam, I’ll be a good
boy, don’t take me home, I like it here, I want to be a Red Chief…….
Mr.
Dorset. I’m not as strong as I was before, but 10 minutes you have.
Two
gentlemen run as quickly as they can.
Викторина для
зрителей: назовите авторов произведений.
1.
Любовь
к жизни. (Джек Лондон)
2.
Принц
и нищий. (Марк Твен)
3.
Мексиканец.
(Джек Лондон.)
4.
Последний
лист. (О, Генри)
5.
Вождь
краснокожих. (О, Генри.)
6.
Янки
при дворе короля Артура.(Марк Твен.)
7.
Конец
сказки. (Джек Лондон.)
8.
Дары
волхвов.(О,Генри)
9.
Зов
предков. (Джек Лондон.)
10.
Позолоченный
век. (Марк Твен.)
11.
На
берегах Сакраменто.(Джек Лондон.)
12.
Пока
ждет автомобиль.(О, Генри.)
13.
Русские
соболя.(О, Генри.)
14.
Маленькая
хозяйка большого дома. (Джек Лондон.)
15.
Деловые
люди. (О, Генри)
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