, "Конкурс The Macmillan Readers Expert" 2013 г Творческие работы студентов.

Абросимова Александра

18 лет

Петровский колледж, группа 2143

Преподаватель Дубицкая Татьяна Анатольевна

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The Red and The Black

Stendhal

The tragic novel ‘The Red and The Black’ cannot remain you indifferent. The events happening with the young heroes evoke readers` sympathy from the first.

Stendhal was known as the earliest practitioner of realism. His stories tell us about real events used to take place in France.

‘The Red and The Black’ is a historical novel in two volumes.

On the one hand the plot focuses on the story of an ambitious son of a peasant. His name is Julien Sorel. This young man has to work his fathers` business, although he hates his family and their property. He is highly intelligent person. He does his best to become a priest and to have a great power.

On the other hand the book tells us about Julien`s heart affairs. Sorel has no soil, he is cold as cucumber. Furthermore, he is an impulsive, reckless youth. However he is trying to succeed seducing the naive women. Sure thing his mistresses are the famous person`s wifes, who are unhappy in their marriage. One day it all goes wrong while Julien murders his paramour.

As far as I remember, in the very end Julien will be horribly punished for his guilt, despite his lover survived. It should be noted that before dying Julien repents his sin.

The story has a surprising end so you might remember it forever. I suppose the story contains lovely romantic chapters, especially at the end. However, the protagonist gets his due, I feel a bit sorry for Julien Sorel.

If you ask me, ‘The Red and The Black’ is well worth reading. Probably you will join thousands of Stendhal admirers.

Selected stories

Love Among the Haystacks

Lawrence

The wonderful story ‘Love Among the Haystacks’ may leave a good taste in your`s mouth. I must confess I adore this tale very much. While I had finished reading, I felt a breath of hopefulness.

Dawid Lawrence is the early 20th century novelist. He was affected by such modern philosophers as Schopenhauer, Shestow, Nietzsche and the other. Perhaps their ideas, embodied in Lawrence`s books, earned him so much enemies.

‘Love Among the Haystacks’ was published with a huge scandal. There were many conservative people about a century ago. They found the book libertine and shameful.

The story takes place at the wild fields full of ripe plants. Probably it occurs in Ireland or England. This is a short story about the farmer and his sons. The main characters are two brothers Maurice and Geoffrey. They are in different age, but both of them are pretty and searching for love. At the very beginning Maurice and Geoffrey are both in love with a pretty foreigner. It came to a big quarrel, jealousy and hassle. However, one day things totally change.

Do you believe the summer rain can exchange all your life? The story proves it. While it was the harvest brothers meet the sneaky tramp and his proud wife. Her name is Lydia and she is very unhappy woman. As luck would have it, Geoffrey and Lydia spend the night together in the barn because of heavy rain. He fells over the hills and promises to marry her. At this time Maurice was in a haystack with a foreign girl. From now on brothers make up a quarrel. Everyone is happy, Geoffrey married Lydia and they went to Canada. Maurice is happy with his girl.

As for me, this is a bit unpredictable ending because the narrative is absolutely stressful. Based on the foregoing, I recommend you the story. And I hope you will not regret time spent on it.

A Kiss Before Dying

Ira Levin

The title attracted me at the first blush. To take cognizance of the novel completely suites this heading. I think you ought to get ready to the tense narration and the tragic end.

Ira Levin is an American writer, whose bestselling novels are made into awesome films. ‘A Kiss Before Dying ‘is his first creation written in postwar 1952. It was adapted twice into Hollywood films.

‘A Kiss Before Dying ‘tells us about such extraordinary characters as the man of property, fancy man and the other. I guess this can worse turn your mind to the problem of rushing for wealth.

The story begins with a conversation between Dorothy Kingship and her boyfriend Bud Corliss. At first, the plot revolves around the girls` unwanted pregnancy. Bud is an ambitious young man and he don`t want bind his hand and foot. He only wants Dorothys` money and a baby can really take the wind out of his sales.

Furthermore, the situation is not in his favor and this grizzly man murders his paramour. Bud is planning Dorothys` sister Ellen his next witness. For a start he wants to marry the girl with a rich folks and after that he could get her money. However, the lassie unravels fancy mans` trick. After a couple of months she finds evidence that Bud knew Dorothy and then Ellen dreadfully revenges him.

In conclusion I want you to pay an attention that ‘A Kiss Before Dying’ is not an entertaining reading. Probably the book is written for adult people and anything will not be clear for teenagers.

Имя и фамилия:Ковалерова Валерия

Возраст: 17 лет

Группа: 2122

Учебное заведение: Петровский колледж

Имя, отчество и фамилия преподавателя английского языка:

Дубицкая Татьяна Анатольевна

Номер телефона: 8 981 832 44 12

“David Copperfield”

Recently I’ve read one book, which is called “David Copperfield”. The author of this book is Charles Dickens who was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens left school to work in a factory after his father was thrown into debtors' prison.

This novel is not only interesting like other Charles Dickens’ works, but moreover his creation (David Copperfield) is breathtaking from the first page. The story traces the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. His life was full of bright colors. Some of them had bad shade on his life, another good. He met a lot of various people, who had enormous influence on his development of social skills and personality. For example, his stepfather, who was ruthless and furious to him.

I suggest that everyone should read this novel, because I adore this novel , because every word ,every collocation, sentence are breathtaking for me. This story not only for pleasure but even for improving your language skills.

“A kiss before dying”

One month ago my teacher suggested me to read one book which is called “ A kiss before dying “.The author is Ira Levin, who was not only an American author, dramatist but and songwriter. He was born in August 27, 1929 and he died in November 12, 2007.Levin's first novel, A Kiss Before Dying, was well received, earning him the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.

Very exciting novel about love, about deception .The young man knew that his girlfriend in a bad relationship with his father (who was a very rich and powerful man in New York) and about her pregnancy. And his girlfriend wasn’t going to get father’s inheritance. Groom was disappointed with prospect to have a life of poverty with pregnant woman. And commit a cold-blooded murder of a pregnant girl. Than he was trying toimprove relations and marry sister (of his formal girl) on him. But the plan fails again because sister suspected him in murder.

I have mixed feelings about this novel, because, I don’t like this novel ,but I think this book is good for improving your speaking and grammas skills. I appreciate Ellen Kingship for her perseverance and her scene and I am totally displeased with Burton (Bud) Corliss because he is coward,gigolo. Such death, that he had, wasdeserved.

“Sense and Sensibility”

There are a lot of various kind of books .Some can be boring or fascinating. Of course all depends on people’s taste, that’s why one person can be disillusioned with one book, and another will be stunned with the same book.

I’ve read one book, which is called ‘’Sense and Sensibility “.The Author of this is Jane Austen. She was a major English novelist, who was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries . Jane Austen is still considered to be "first lady" of English literature. Her works are required to study in all colleges and universities in the UK.

Roughly speaking, this story about two sisters: Elinor Dashwood, who was in love with Edward Ferrars, and in spite of her enormous, pure love she couldn’t tell anyone about her feelings, because she claimed that sense is more important in life than sensibility. And her sister Marianne Dashwood, who was very sensitive and her lover was John Willoughby .Actually there were another characters, who played important and significant role in this novel. For example, Mrs Jennings, who liked gossips but, nevertheless she was kind and good-natured person or Fanny Dashwood ,who was , selfish, and snobbish and very harsh to her husband's half-sisters and stepmother.

I like this novel. I think that everyone should read such wise books like that.

Bиттенберг Надежда

17 лет

Группа 2122, 2 курс

Петровский колледж, Санкт-Петербург

Преподаватель английского языка-

Дубицкая Татьяна Анатольевна

+79516477081

Macmillan Readers, Intermediate.

“Sense and Sensibility “by Jane Austin

Jane Austen was born 16 December 1775.She was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature. Her realism and biting social commentary have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to her development as a professional writer. Her first book was ‘Sense and Sensibility’ it was releaseв in 1811. Her work brought her little personal fame and only a few positive reviews during her lifetime. She died 18 July 1817.
I have read her novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’. It tells story of two sisters. About different ways of living and ways of loving. Mainly this book is about a contrast between two lifestyles. It shows that there are not only one right way, all ways are right! Just tastes differ.

Also this book is about treachery and good luck. The craft of writer gives you a chance not only to understand the plot, but to feel this amazing spectrum of emotions.

I will recommend this book to all my friends, who are girls.

Macmillan Readers, Intermediate.

“ David Copperfield’” by Charles Dickens

Charles  Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) Born in Portsmouth, was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular. Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. Over his career he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, 5 novellas and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectures.

I want to tell you about his novel ‘David Copperfield’. Partly it is an autobiographic work. Dickens wrote, "...like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favorite child. And his name is David Copperfield.

The story traces the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. We can observe all his troubles, which makes his life really hard. For example, a relationship with his stepfather. When I read this book I was really excited by the strong personality of this little boy. We can see many difficult situations in his life and he solves all of them. This book inspires me, it shows that all your problems can be solved, you just should be more optimistic!

I think, I would recommend this book to all my friends, especially to those who do not believe in themselves.

Macmillan Readers, Pre- Intermediate

Short stories by David Herbert Lawrence

David Herbert Lawrence was born 11 September 1885 in England. He was a famous novelist, poet, play writer, essayist, and literary critic. He confronts issues relating to emotional health and vitality spontaneity and instincts. His opinion earned him a lot of enemies and he endured official persecution and censorship. But E.M. Foster said about him: “The greatest imaginative novelist of our generation”. And Lawrence is valued by many writers as a visionary thinker and a significant representative of modernism in English literature.

As for me, his stories are a bit strange and in some way dark. I didn’t understand these stories for the first time, but I like them! These stories force you to think! Think about your life, compare it with characters’ lives. That’s like “The virgin and the gipsy” helps me to understand that you should be braver if you don’t want to lose your happiness!

I have chosen this book because I really love short stories. I think, it’s the biggest craft to write this book, because the author fit all this senses in a few pages. And these couples of thousands words can literary change your life. Maybe not life, but the point of view, sure.
I will recommend this book to my friends.