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Explain the meaning of the following words and word-combinations. Recall the situations where they were used in the text.

Roald Dahl The Landlady

 

Explain the meaning of the following words and word-combinations. Recall the situations where they were used in the text.


 

blotchy facades

briskness

congenial

compulsion

conjure up

swanky residence

boarding-house

rapacious lady

to be off one's rocker

jack-in-the-box

tantalize

to ring the bell

not in the least

teeny-weeny

dotty

all in all

set out

pop out

on the off chance

originate

flaw


2. Vocabulary: paraphrase/ explain the meaning of the sentences:

1.…on the off chance that an acceptable young gentleman will come along

2.… bright fire burning in the hearth

3.The name itself evoked images of watery cabbage, rapacious landladies, and a powerful smell of fish in the living-room

4.And now a queer thing happened to him. He was in the act of stepping back and turning away from the window when all at once his eye was caught…

5.But the air was deadly cold and the wind was like a flat blade of ice on his cheeks.

6.The big shots up at Head Office were fantastically brisk…

7.…go along and report to the Branch Manager as soon as you’ve got yourself settled

8.In one ear and out of the other, that’s me, Mr. Weaver.

 

3. Match the meanings:

1.to be slightly off the rocker a) edge, limit, boundary

2.get over something b) tidily, carefully, in order

3.cosy c) come to one’s mind

4.entry d) recover form some hard experience or illness

5.ring a bell e) look at something quickly, a quick look

6.glance f) a little strange, odd, queer, peculiar

7.positive g) comfortable, comfy

8.border h) record

9.neatly i) certain, sure

4. Synonym match:

1.at length a) to touch gently, stroke

2.pat b) delightful, attention-grabbing, exciting,

3.fascinating c) come from, spring

4.admiration d) smell, aroma

5.whiff e) confuse, mystify

6.puzzle f) finally, in the end, eventually

7.originate g) respect, high regard, awe

 

5. Pick up the synonyms to the word queer, explain their usage and difference in stylistic colouring.

6. Vocabulary: peer neglect act of willing briskly pop now and again evoke compulsion decent porch residence pane illuminate inclined to

1.Where are you going dressed like this? Don’t you have a ________________ jacket?

2.He _____________________ through the wet windscreen at the cars ahead, when he saw a car hit another.

3.These photographs ___________________ strong memories of our holidays in France.

4.Many tenants complain about the total landlord’s ___________________ of the flats.

5.I watched the rain as it pounded against the window _____________________.

6.He was caught in the very ____________________ stealing water melons.

7.I don’t hear from him regularly, but we talk ______________________________.

8.Susan felt an overwhelming ________________________ to tell him the whole truth.



9.A single candle ____________________his face.

10. The egg cracked open and out ___________________a tiny head.

11. Commandos are ________________ shoot first and ask questions later.

12. He walked ___________________ to let off steam.

13. They were sitting on the front __________________ drinking beer.

14. I told them I was perfectly ___________________ to help.

15. Downing Street is the British Prime Minister's official _____________________

 

7. Answer the questions:

1. Why do you think the title of the story is The Landlady? How is she important for this story?

2. What were the Branch Manger’s instructions for the young man?

3. What is a common characteristic of every successful businessman?

4. What does Billy think of the ordinary landladies?

5. What was his first decision after reading the B&B notice on the window pane? Why?

6. When the landlady says that she is a teeny weeny choosy, what does she mean?

7. Why does Billy think that she lost her son in the war?

8. Why does the landlady offer to reduce the charge for the room?

9. What is extraordinarily interesting about both the names Billy saw in the quest book?

10. Is there anything else strange about the house itself?

11. Where do we see that Billy is starting to get a bit scared?

12. Why does the lady want her guests to sign the book?

8. Discussion:

 

1. What qualities make Billy Weaver “just right” as the central character of this story? How does Billy’s first impression of the landlady’s house give him a sense of warmth and security? Why does Billy forget about going to The Bell and Dragon?

2. Billy gradually picks up clues that eventually will lead to his understanding the reality of the situation. List as many of these clues as you can. When did you first sense that something was “wrong”?

3. How satisfactory is the end of this story? Is Billy Weaver’s fate clear to the reader? Is the end humorous or horrible or both? Explain.

4. Examine the landlady’s remarks and fine several that carry double meanings. How does the reader’s interpretation of these remarks differ from that of Billy Weaver?

5. The writer of this story presents details in such a way as to create a believable world on the basis of an unbelievable premise. Cite several details from the story that ordinarily would be dismissed as preposterous or highly unlikely. To what extend does Billy Weaver accept them as credible? To what extend are you convinced while reading the story?

6. This story has an open ending. Continue in a similar style, think of a closed ending, showing through narration, description, and dialogue what happens to Billy and to the landlady.


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1488


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