Task 3. Questions for discussion

1. The title of the book is Black Swan Green. How do you understand it?

2. How can you describe the way the main character perceives his father's study judging by the way he behaves in there? What can it suggest about his relationship with his father? What is the main character’s name?

3. On p.3 the Hangman steps into the narrative. Who do you think it might be? Justify your answer.

4. On p.4 the main character dwells quite a lot upon the rules of conduct. What do these thoughts suggest about the situation he has to live in and about the character’s standing in this social system?

5. Throughout the book the characters swear quite a lot. Do you think they are being offensive, or it is something else that makes them use bad language?

6. Several times throughout the chapters the main character makes remarks about the Russians possibly willing to invade. Is he really so politically concerned, or is there something else that is behind it?

7. What does the main character think about the British Bulldogs game (pp.6-8)? How can this attitude be explained?

8. Dwell upon the episode by the House in the Woods. What made the main character particularly nervous?

9. Describe the family of the main character. What are the relations within the family?

10. What does the episode with hiding the Omega watch in a specially hidden tin tell us about the main character?

11. Who do you think the Unborn Twin might be? (p.20)

12. How do you understand the episode by the lake and the events that followed it? (pp.21-27)

13. Who is Mrs de Roo? Of what importance is she for the main character?

14. The main character has a marvelous skill with words but at the same time suffers from a serious speech disorder. What can this suggest about his character and personality?

15. What is school like for the main character? Does he like it? Comment on the events which happened during the form assembly.

16. Some elements of the main character’s life experiences and thoughts are presented in the form of images (pp 36, 38). What do you think was the reason for that?

17. What do we learn about the relatives of the main character? What is Jason's attitude towards them?

18. What are the relations between Uncle Brian and Jason's father like?

19. Give a character sketch of Hugo.

20. What does the conversation between Jason’s mother and her sister reveal about the problems of the family?

21. Dwell on the episodes of hanging out, shoplifting and smoking (pp.74-83). Comment of the way Jason sees the situation.

22. Comment on Jason's behavior in the morning. Why did he find a particular pleasure in doing so?

23. Comment on Jason’s encounter with the owner of the dogs. What doesn't the man particularly like about Jason? (pp. 88-89)

24. What is the importance of the fight between Grant Burch and Ross Wilcox for Jason?

25. Jason seems to fancy Dawn Madden. What do you think the reason might be? Does Dawn herself find Jason in any sense attractive? (p.103-109)

ASSIGNMENT 2.

Part 2 (p.121 – 248)

Task 1. Read and translate the culture words:

The Falklands War, HMS, GOTCHA, CND sticker, Harper’s Bazzar, LP, Oxfam Shop, Cornetto.

Task 2. Read and translate the words:

Dickie-bird, mug, jeer at, rockery, libber, stuff, revelation, frazzled, yomping, mortgage, to put smb finger on smth, oodles, to make smb cringe, apeshit/to go apeshit, to wash smb’s hands of the affair, jammy, risky venture, scrawny, dodgy, to dash down the path, stumpedness, to get pins and needles, dredge up, to be combustible, quid, lean through the doorway, flumbingly, lush, feisty child, scrunch up, bumfluff.

Task 3. Questions for discussion:

Rocks

1. What historical event is described in the chapter? How was this event viewed by mass media/ people/ the prime minister? Why did Jason decide to keep records of the events in his scrapbook?
2. What was the atmosphere like in Taylor’s house? How did the children react to the situation?
3. What do we get to know about Ewan? How did he talk to Mrs Taylor? Was he glad to be invited to dinner? How did their conversation reflect the values of that time?
4. Comment on the phrase: “War may be an auction for countries. For soldiers it’s a lottery” (p.137)
5. What do we get to know about Tom Yew? Why was he so ‘popular’ among people in Black Swan Green at that time?
6. What was Jason’s mother going to do in the garden? How did the family react to that?
7. How is the Falklands War viewed at the end of the chapter?
8. To what important conclusion does Jason come at the end of the chapter?

Spooky

1. Why did Jason take part in that ‘dangerous’ game? Did he climb up the hierarchy of teenagers? Prove your answer by examples from the text. How did ‘a certain reputation as a bit of a hard-knock’ change Jason’s relationship with pupils at school?
2. What kind of organization was ‘spooky’? Was Jason surprised to find a note? What worried Jason most of all? Describe Jason’s feelings on his way to the appointed place. Whom did he meet there?
3. What was the test for Jason? What obstacles did he face? Did he manage with the task?
4. What do we get to know about Moran? How did Jason react to Moran’s failure? What did he do at the end of the chapter?

Solarium

1. Why was Jason invited to the vicarage’s? Was it the place he had expected to see?
2. What do we get to know about Madame Crommelynch (appearance/manner of speaking/behavior).
3. How did Madame Crommelynch treat Jason?
4. What were their conversations about poems and poetry, human beauty and age like?
5. Why did Jason use a pseudonym for his poems? How did he explain it to Madame Crommelynch? What was her perception of the thing?
6. Comment on the statement: “True poetry is truth. Truth is not popular, so poetry also is not” (p.196)
7. Why was Jason so eager to see Madame Crommelynch? Did he feel sorry for not seeing Madame Crommelynch again? What was important in their meetings? How did Madame Crommelynch help Jason?

Souvenirs

1. Where did Jason go with his father? Was he pleased to be with his father? What went wrong?
2. How did Jason react to his father’s memories about his youth? How does it characterize the boy?
3. What happened at the beach? What conclusion did Jason draw at after it?
4. What do we get to know about Danny Lawlor? How do we see Jason’s father through the eyes of Danny?
5. How did the relationship between Jason and his father change over the trip?
6. Why was Jason looking for an antique shop? How long had he been looking for the watch? How did he change his mind about the Omega-watch? Why was he afraid to tell the truth to his family?
7. What happened at the end of the chapter in the gallery? Do you think Jason was right to tell everything to his Mom?

Task 4. Prepare one character sketch of any character to your taste from the chapters you have read. Make use of the active vocabulary “Personal Appearance and character”.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1711