Ex. 13. Look through the text about holidays and celebrations in Great Britain and prepare your topic on the theme.

Ex. 14. HOME READING

Read the text and suggest your own title for it. Make up a plan for retelling. Retell the text.

Author Unknown

Years ago, there was a very rich man whose main interest in life was art collecting. He was a widower and he had an only child, a son, who from an early age shared his father’s passion. Together they traveled around the world, buying the finest pictures for their collection. Priceless works by old masters as well as pictures of Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet adorned the walls of their house.

The old man looked on with satisfaction as his son became an experienced art collector. The young man had a trained eye and sharp business mind and his father beamed with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

War put an end to their travels. As winter approached, the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while taking a fellow soldier to hospital.

Miserable and lonely, the old man thought about the upcoming Christmas holidays with pain and sadness. The joy of the season – a season that he and his son had so looked forward to – would visit his house no longer. On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home.

As he opened the door, he saw a young soldier with a large package in his hand. The soldier introduced himself to the man by saying, “I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you”.

The soldier told the old man how his son had saved his life and how everyone in the regiment loved and respected him. “I’m an artist”, said the soldier, “and I want to give you this”. He handed the package to the old man. The old man unwrapped the package and saw that it was a picture – a portrait of his son.

The old man knew enough about art to understand that the picture would never be called the work of a genius, but it was his son’s face, his features, his expression… The likeness was striking. Overcome with emotions, the man thanked the soldier. A few hours later, after the soldier had left, the old man poured himself a glass of whisky, sat in his armchair and spent the Christmas night looking at the gift he had received.

During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy’s life would go on because of those who remembered him. He soon learnt that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart. As the stories of his son’s gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease the grief.

The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession. He valued it more than the pieces which museums around the world would be proud to have, and he told everybody it was the greatest gift he had ever received.

The following spring the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was all anticipation. As the collector had no relatives and his only son was dead, all his paintings would be sold at an auction. According to the will of the old man, the pictures had to be auctioned on Christmas day, the day he had received his greatest gift. The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most famous paintings.

The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. “Who will open the bidding with $100?” he asked. No one spoke. Minutes passed. From the back of the room came, “Who cares about that painting? It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s forget it and go on to the good stuff”. More voices echoed in agreement.

“No, we have to sell this one first,” replied the auctioneer. “Now, who will take the son?” After a few minutes a man stood up and said, “I’m not an art collector, I just came here because I used to know the father and the son, and I’d like to have the boy’s portrait, if nobody wants it. But I have only ten dollars. Will it be enough?”

“I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?” called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, “Going once, going twice. Gone.” The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, “Now we can get on with it and bid on these treasures!”

The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over. The room went silent. Everybody looked at the auctioneer in stunned disbelief. Then somebody asked, “What do you mean it’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old man’s son painted by an artist nobody has heard of. What about all these paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what’s going on here!”

The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son… gets it all”.

widower [‘widэuэ] – вдовец

Picasso [pi’k sэu] – Пикассо

Van Gogh [v n ‘g u] – ВанГог

Monet [‘m nei] – Моне

to adorn [э’d :n] – украшать

to look on – наблюдать

trained [‘treind] eye – наметанныйглаз

to beam with pride – сиятьотгордости

beloved [bi’l vid] – любимый

to be missing in action – пропастьбезвести

masterpiece [‘ma:stэpi:s] – шедевр

regiment [‘red imэnt] – полк

to be overcome with emotion – бытьглубокотронутым

gallantry [‘g lэntri] – доблесть

to pass away – скончаться

anticipation – предвкушение

to bid – назначатьцену

good stuff – стоящиевещи

gavel [‘gvl] – молоточек (на аукционе)

stunned [‘stnd] - ошеломленный

Ex. 15. Write a composition of about 100 words, based on the text of your home reading. Use the words given below the text. Pay special attention while transforming direct speech into indirect. Use such phrases as “To my mind…”, “As for me…”, “Unfortunately…”, etc.

UNIT 18.