Marina Nitsinska - Tommy’s house

IVWrite sentences about your future plans using to be going to or will . Explain your choice.

DISCUSSION TASKS

I Describe the living room in Tommy’s house.

IIAnswer the following questions.

1. What did the family usually do in the room?

2. Why did Tommy try to keep order in the house?

3. What incident happened in the living room?

4. What was Tommy’s reaction when he broke the vase?

5. What was his mother’s reaction?

6. How did Lilly act in that situation?

7. Why did Tommy’s mum take his toy cars from him?

8. What did the incident with the broken vase lead to?

9. What aspects of Tommy’s life did his parents control?

10. What new subjects was Tommy supposed to take up?

11. Why did his mum want her son to study so hard?

12. Did Tommy have the same intentions?

13. Did the child want to spend much time studying?

14. What would Tommy like to do instead?

15. What was his mother’s attitude to his own interests?

16. Why were Tommy’s parents strict with the boy?

17. Did Tommy follow all his parents’ rules? Why?

18. What was the living room associated with?

IIIAnalyse the following:

1. Lilly’s behaviour in the situation with the broken vase;

How does it characterise the girl?

2. Conversation between Tommy and his mother; How does it characterise the boy, and his mum?

TALKING POINTS

I Tell about the room that you associate with your family place. Describe it.

IIAnswer the following questions.

1. Is there a tradition in your family? Tell about it.

2. Are you accustomed to keeping order in your room?

3. Do you have to follow a lot of rules at home? What are they?

IIITell about your parents. Are they strict or mild?

The game room presented a great variety of things for entertainment.

There were some board games, toys, stationery and everything you can imagine for a kid to play. Tin soldiers, small planes, toy cars of different models and colours were on the shelf and on the floor. The railroad on the carpet was an object of the boy’s pride. Playing it, he passed a lot of stations as an engine driver in his fantasy travelling.

Tommy usually put on a record. When he was listening to music, he went on dreaming. The magic sounds aroused in his soul strange unknown feelings, they were unclear to him. He couldn’t explain why one liquid melody evoked melancholy while another beautiful piece of music made him smile.

Tommy really liked drawing. He took his sketchbook, coloured pencils, markers, crayons, then he placed himself on the floоr and started to express his ideas on paper. The child drew everything that came into his head. His fantasy revealed some incredible images, and he often was astonished at his own pictures. They looked as if somebody else depicted the amazing stories.

Lilly visited the room as often as possible. She knew every object in the room in detail. A toy or game, pen or pencil, marker or eraser – the girl could tell a story about any subject.

When Tommy was in a good mood and ready to play with her, she chose costumes for them to play some roles in their home theatre.

“Tommy, I will be a Princess and you’ll play a pirate.. no, you’ll be a hero who will save me! …or you’ll free me from an evil wizard’s castle! Here is my sparkling gown! Where is your prince’s suit?”

“Lill, we have already played this game. Let’s make another one for a change! Maybe lotto? Or the sea battle?”

“It is very complicated and boring for me. Tommy, please!”

“Oh, my building kit is here, I haven’t finished construction of the airport yet. Will you help me?”

“I don’t know… I can only help with decoration… Do you want your airport to be luxurious?”

“What?! Are you kidding? Lilly, this is the airport! Have you ever seen a luxurious airport?”

“Why not create it right now?”

“No. I’ll build the best airport myself, without your silly decoration.”

“You won’t! And it’s not silly!

What makes you think that your airport will be the best?!”

“I know for sure, because I’m the best constructor!”

“Ahahaha! Who said it?”

“My mum! She says that I’m the best! Don’t dare to laugh! And don’t speak to me like that.”

“Ok. Tommy, will we play today?”

“Lill, let’s make your theatre performance.

Put on your dress, and I will find my sword.”

“And fetch my crown, please!”

“Have you ever seen anybody hidden in the wizard’s castle as a prisoner, still wearing a crown?!”

“You are too down-to-earth!

Have you ever seen a princess without a golden or at least silver crown?!!”

“Wear whatever you want, Lill!”

“Hurry up! I’ve already dressed up!”

“I’m not going to save you without my sword! Wait a minute!”

Ten minutes later they prepared decorations made of chairs, blankets, and some stuff from the room, and started their play. It was quite exciting.

Tommy was surprised with Lilly’s creativity and her ability to invent new scenarios. She was free to express her feelings.

HELPFUL WORDS AND NOTES

entertainment[_entət e ɪnmənt] – развлечение, веселье

stationery[st e ɪʃ(ə)n(ə)rɪ] – канцелярские принадлежности

liquid melody[l ɪ kwɪd] [m e lədɪ] – плавная мелодия

to evoke[ɪv ə uk] – пробуждать, вызывать

sketchbook[sk e ʧbuk] – альбом для

рисования

crayons[kr e ɪɔnz] – цветные карандаши, мелки

to reveal[rɪv i_ l] – открывать, показывать, обнаруживать

to be astonished at smth[əst ɔ nɪʃt] – поражаться, крайне удивляться чему-либо

to depict[dɪp ɪ kt] – изображать, рисовать, описывать

evil wizard’s castle[ i_ v(ə)l] [w ɪ zədz] [k ɑ_ sl] – замок злого волшебника, колдуна

sparkling gown[sp ɑ_ klɪŋ] [gaun] – блестящее платье

building kit[b ɪ ldɪŋ] [kɪt] – конструктор

luxurious[lʌgʒ u (ə)rɪəs] – роскошный

sword[sɔ d] – меч, шпага

to fetch[feʧ] – принести, сходить за чем-либо

down-to-earth[_dauntu ɜ θ] – приземлённый, практичный

VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR TASKS

I Here are several expressions from the text. Give Russian equivalents to them.

An object of one’s pride; to arouse some feelings; to make somebody smile/cry; to place oneself; to express somebody’s ideas, feelings; to come into one’s head; to be astonished at something; to know something in detail; to be in a good/bad mood; dare (not) do something.

IIMake up sentences of your own with the expressions from exercise I.

IIIComplete the crossword puzzle.

Across

1. Paper, envelopes, and other materials or equipment used for writing. (noun)

4. A pad or book of drawing paper for sketching on. (noun)

6. A dress, usually a long one, which women wear on formal occasions. (noun)

7. The action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment. (noun)

10. A pencil or stick of coloured chalk or wax, used for drawing. (noun)

Down

2. To bring or recall (a feeling, memory, or image) to the conscious mind. (verb)

3. To cause or allow (something) to be seen. (verb)

5. Extremely comfortable or elegant, especially when involving great expense. (adj)

8. To go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone. (verb)

9. A weapon with a handle and a long sharp blade. (noun)

11. A man who has magical power, especially in legends and fairy tales. (noun)

12. To show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form. (verb)

IVTranslate the sentences paying attention to Present Perfect Tense .

1. Дети уже удобно устроились на полу в игровой, они ждут начала их любимого мультфильма.

2. Дэвид еще не играл со своими друзьями в прятки в этом просторном доме. Здесь полно потайных мест, где его будет трудно найти.

3. Люси никогда раньше не слышала такой красивой плавной мелодии, которая пробуждает неуловимое чувство грусти в её юной душе.

4. Ты когда-нибудь играл в детском домашнем спектакле? Присоединяйся к нам! Мы уже распределили роли, но у нас есть для тебя что-то особенное!

5. Кевин уже нарисовал целый зоопарк, а его родители всё ещё разговаривают с учителем о его поведении в классе.

6. Лилли ещё не выбрала маскарадный костюм, который она наденет на новогодний бал.

7. Она только что дала этому юному художнику задание изобразить улицу, на которой он живёт. Он уже нарисовал здание театра, который находится недалеко от его дома.

8. “Ты уже нашёл вещи для декораций нашего шоу?” – спросила его младшая сестра. “Ещё нет. Но я уже приготовил чудесные костюмы.”

9. – Тебе когда-нибудь говорили родители, что ты лучший во всём? – Мама недавно сказала, что я непременно достигну самых высоких целей в жизни.

10. Томми дважды заходил в игровую этим утром, но не увидел там новый конструктор, который вчера вечером принесли родители.

DISCUSSION TASKS

I Say true or false. Correct the false statements.

1. There were a lot of different toys in Tommy’s game room.