Учебник английского языка
7 класс

7 unit.
Popular Arts

Speaking

Discussing the Text

52. Say which of these three sentences describes the idea of the story.

1. It’s better to dance and listen to music than to work.
2. Art makes people’s lives brighter and happier.
3. You never know where you will find your happiness.

53. Explain why:

1. the family didn’t want to miss the fair;
2. Merrymind found it difficult to buy something for himself;
3. Merrymind’s brothers and sisters laughed at his bargain;
4. the inhabitants of the valley seemed strange to the boy;
5. Merrymind wanted to talk to someone;
6. Lady Littlecare became Dame Dreary;
7. Dame Dreary dropped her distaff;
8. everybody praised Merrymind and his fiddle.

54. A. Tell the story of Merrymind. Organize your story with the help of Unit 6, Ex. 3.

B. Tell the same story on the part of:

1. Merrymind,
2. one of his sisters or brothers,
3. the soldier,
4. Lady Littlecare,
5. one of her maidens,
6. the king of the country.

55. Imagine talks between these people and act them out:

1. two of Merrymind’s brothers or sisters;
2. two maidens of the court.

56. Say how you understand this proverb and comment on it.

All work and 110 play makes Jack a dull boy.

Discussing the Topic

* I *

Let’s speak about theatre in English. People go either to the theatre to see plays or to the opera house to see a ballet or to listen to an opera. There are several famous opera houses in the world: The Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow; The Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg; The Royal Opera House, London; La Scala, Milan, and others.

Some of the popular theatres in Moscow are:

The Moscow Art Theatre
The Young Generation Theatre (TYuZ)
The Sovremennik Theatre
The Taganka Theatre
The Maly Theatre
The Satire Theatre
The Mayakovsky Theatre

Inside the theatre you can go to:

• the box office
• the bar
• the foyer
• the house
• the cloakrooms

The part of the building that is used by actors and actresses has:

• a stage (with scenery on it)
• backstage
• wings
• dressing rooms

Plays are written by playwrights or dramatists and can be of different kinds:

• a tragedy
• a comedy
• a tragicomedy
• a drama (or a straight play)
• a musical

People who work in the theatre:

• stage (put on) plays
• rehearse plays (have rehearsals)
• play (sing or dance)
• wear make-up and costumes
• perform for the audience
• have curtain calls

Dancers, actors, actresses, singers dance, play or sing:

• the main part (role)
• the leading part (role)
• supporting parts (roles)

People who come to the theatre (the audience):

• buy tickets/seats for a play (opera or ballet)
• leave their coats and hats in the cloakroom
• buy a programme
• take out (prepare) opera glasses
• find their seats
• watch the performance
• applaud to the actors
• call the actors

Before the performance:

• the lights go down
• the musicians tune up
• the actors and the musicians take their places
• the curtain goes up/rises (the curtains draw)

After the performance:

• the lights go up
• the actors answer/take curtain calls
• the curtain falls/drops/goes down (the curtains draw)

57. Say what you call them.

1. a dancer who takes part in a ballet;
2. something actors and actresses put on their faces to change their appearances;
3. the part of a theatre/cinema where the audience sits;
4. a funny or light play in the theatre;
5. a large area inside the theatre/cinema where people meet or wait and walk in the interval;
6. a sad or serious play in the theatre;
7. a person who shows people where their seats are;
8. someone who leads a group of music players or singers;
9. a person whose job is to design things by making drawings of them;
10. a very famous and popular actor/actress;
11. something that helps you to see the actor and the stage better;
12. a group of actors appearing in a particular performance;
13. a room where a performer can get dressed;
14. the sides of the stage which the audience cannot see because of the curtains and scenery;
15. everything that is on the stage to give an impression of the place where the play (ballet, opera) is happening.

58. Answer these questions.

1. How often do you go to the theatre or an opera house?
2. What is (are) your favourite theatre(s)?
3. What was the performance you liked most of all/least of all?
4. What seats in the theatre do you prefer?
5. With whom do you like to go to the theatre? Why?
6. What do you usually do during the interval?
7. Have you ever been backstage? Would you like to go? Why?
8. What makes a performance successful?
9. Is there a drama circle in your school? What is it like? If you haven’t got one, would you like to have one? Why?
10. Have you ever acted in a play? When? What part did you play?

59. Describe one of your visits to the theatre or an opera house. Decide whose story was the best and why.

60. Read these talks and say in what parts of the theatre they are taking place.

1. A: Are there any seats left for Saturday night?
   B: Would you like something in the front stalls?
   A: Haven’t you got anything cheaper?
   B: Let me see ... I think you can have seats in the dress circle.
2. A: Well, how did you like the first act?
   В: I loved it! Especially the soloists. I think it’s the best singing I’ve ever heard.
   A: Quite so. It was really good.
   В: I hope the second act will be just as excellent.
3. A: It’s a little hot in here, isn’t it? I’m thirsty. I think I’ll have some lemonade. And what about you?
   B: I’ll have a glass of lemonade or an ice cream.
   A: Ice cream? I can have it too.
   B: Good. I hope they have my favourite strawberry ice cream.
4. A: Are these seats ours?
   B: No, I don’t think so. These are C-14 and C-15, and we have C-16 and C-17.
   A: I see, they are further in the row.
   B: Let’s hurry up. The lights will be going down in a minute.

* II *

Let’s speak about cinema in English. Cinema means the same as pictures and movies (AmE). So you can say that you often go to the cinema, pictures or movies. But you see or watch films. People who go to the cinema are cinemagoers. Cinemas usually have names like:

The Coliseum [.knli'siism], the Zenith I'zeniQj, the Saturn ['seetan], the Rossia, the Odeon ['audianj, the Forum.

Inside a cinema has:

You can sit:

You can go to:

There are different kinds of films:

People who make films are:

61. Match the names of these films with their types.

62. Answer the questions.

1. Is cinema a popular art nowadays? Do people often go to the cinema? What about your family and friends?
2. Where do you like to sit when you go to the cinema?
3. Do you think television and videos influence the popularity of cinema? In what way?
4. Which of the two arts, cinema or theatre is more popular? Why do you think it is so?
5. What are the most popular cinemas in the place where you live? Where are they situated?
6. What war or historical films do you know? Do you like such films?
7. What famous cartoons are made in Russia/in the USA? Can you say a few words about their characters?
8. Do you think small children should be allowed to watch horror films? Why (not)?
9. Why do you think a lot of people are interested in documentaries?
10. What are your favourite kinds of films?

63. Match the names of these actors and actresses with the infor mation about them. Ask your parents if necessary.

1. He was born in 1889 in England and lived a long life. He was a film actor and director who worked mainly in the US in silent black-and-white comedy films. His favourite role was that of a tramp¹ wearing funny clothes and walking in a funny way. During his life he was tremendously popular and is still admired. He died in 1977.
2. She is a beautiful Italian actress, born in 1934, who has become an interesting film star and has won several Academy Awards. She was most popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Her art is loved and admired in Russia.
3. This Russian actor was born in 1921. He was at the front during the Second World War. In 1950 he began to work in the circus as a clown. He became a popular film actor and is remembered for his comic and tragicomic parts.
4. She is an American film actress, born in 1926, whose real name was Norma Jean Baker. She played a number of characters in many successful films. She was a perfect example of a Hollywood studio star. She had a tragic life and died at the age of 36. Since her death she has become one of the most written-about film stars.
5. He is a popular French actor who was born in 1913 and died in 1998. He starred in a number of well-known films. Probably, he is best remembered for the parts of the count of Monte Cristo and Phantomas.
6. She was born in 1902 in Russia and died in 1975. She played in one of the Moscow theatres but was better known as a film star. Some of her parts are in the films The Spring, The Circus and Volga-Volga.

64. A. Find information about a modern actor or actress and speak about him or her. To make your story more logical write its outline first.

B. Speak about one of the films that you like. Say who directed the film and played in it. Explain why you like it. Decide whose story was the best and why.