Адаптация текста и разработка лексико-грамматических заданий по книге Даниеля Дефо "Робинзон Крузо"
книга по английскому языку (7 класс) по теме

Daniel Defoe. Лексические задания к тексту

З.И. Тибилова

Daniel Defoe (1660-1731)

Daniel Defoe, the great English writer of the 17th century, was born in London. His father was a butcher. Daniel got a good education and was especially good at mathematics, geography and knew several languages: French, Italian, Spanish, Latin and ancient Greek. His father wanted Daniel to become a priest but the boy dreamt of being a wealthy merchant. For some years Daniel was a merchant in overseas trade. He visited a lot of countries and learnt a lot. But Daniel Defoe didn't have success in business. He was often in debt.

Then he became a journalist. He wrote several political pamphlets but was sent to prison for one of them.

Daniel Defoe wrote two hundred works, among them a lot of pamphlets, novels, and historical works.

One of his most famous novels, "Robinson Crusoe", appeared in 1719 as "The Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe ". It was based on the story of Alexander Selkirk, the sailor who had spent four years alone on one of the Juan Fernandez Islands. Daniel Defoe made the story so realistic that all the events in it are taken to be fully true.

After the book was published, Defoe became famous and rich and was able to pay his credits in full.

Other adventure novels that Defoe wrote were also very much talked about during his lifetime. At the end of his life he fell victim to a serious mental disease. He loved his wife and children but he kept his hiding-place a secret, as he didn't want them to see him in that state. He died in poverty, quite alone, far away from his family.

1. My Home.

I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York. My father was from Bremen. His real name was Kreutznaer which later changed to Crusoe. In York he had married my mother, whose family name was Robinson, a very good family in that country, and from whom I was called Robinson Crusoe.

For a number of years my father had been a merchant in overseas trade.

I had two elder brothers, one of which was lieutenant-colonel, killed at the battle against the Spaniards; what became of my second brother I never knew.

Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any trade, my head began to be filled with adventures. My father had sent me to school and then he wanted me to become a lawyer but I wanted to go to sea, to be a sailor and to see the world.

One morning my father called me into his bedroom and asked me politely to change my mind as he didn't want to lose his third son. He told me there was no necessity of seeking my bread and if I disobeyed him I would be miserable. My parents did their best to keep me from going to sea.

I respected my father's wise warnings against the dangers of the sea and made up my mind to obey him and follow his advice.

For a year I really tried to give up my great wish as I didn't want to bring sorrow to my parents and friends who had also begged me to stay.

Notes:

'York - a city in North Yorkshire, England.

2Bremen [breimen] - a city in Germany.

3Kreutznaer [' kroits,na:e ]

4lieutenant-colonel [lef'tenэnt 'kз:nl ] - подполковник.

I Vocabulary exercises.

1.Translate the words and expressions into Russian. Memorise them.

Miserable, to respect, sorrow, warnings, to change one’s mind, lawyer, to seek (sought, sought) after, to seek one’s fortune, to seek fame and fortune;

to breed (bred, bred)

breed (n)

a breeding-ground (n)

a sheep breeder (n)

to satisfy (v)

satisfying (adj)

satisfaction (at, with)

satisfactory (adv)

to be satisfied with

to satisfy smb’s needs

to dissatisfy (v)

dissatisfaction (n)

unsatisfation (n)

unsatisfactory (adv)

to keep on doing smth

to keep smb. from doing smth.

to keep away from

to keep one’s word

to give up smth.

to give up doing smth.

to give in

2. The following words all appear in the text. Match each one with its correct definition below.

3. Give Russian equivalents.

to give up, miserable, to keep smb, from doing sth., to respect, sorrow, warnings, to change one’s mind, satisfied, lawyer

4. Replace the underlined words with their synonyms from the list below:

Follow my advice; made up his mind; sorrow; do my best; begged; gave up.

The boy decided  to stay after classes and play football.

I’ll try hard to finish it on time.

Why didn’t you take my advice?

We all share your grief over this sad loss.

She asked me not to tell her parents about her behavior at the party.

They abandoned all hope of finding the lost men.

5. Complete the sentences using the words from the box:

Sought, seek advice, given up, keep, to keep the bad news, are satisfied, just to satisfy my curiosity, to seek his fortune, kept on, gave in.

I … to temptation and had a cigarette.

Can’t you … your dog from coming into my garden?

The travellers … shelter from the rain.

You should … from your lawyer on this matter.

I’ve … eating meat.

We thought it best … from him.

The police … that their witness is telling the truth.

…, how much did you pay for your car?

He left home … .

I wanted to explain but he … talking and didn’t give me a chance to say anything.

6. Fill in the correct preposition:

from, on, in, to, with, up, for

His last name later changed … Crusoe.

… a number of years my father had been a merchant.

My parents did their best to keep me … going to sea.

I made … my mind to obey my father.

I am not satisfied … your explanation.

The boys fought until one gave… .

Though it was late, he kept … working.

II. Checking understanding.

When and where was Robinson born?

What was Robinson’s father?

What happened to his elder brothers?

What did his parents want Robinson to be?

What did the father tell Robinson about his decision to become a seaman?

Why did he have to give up his great wish?

III. Discuss the following.

1. Give a character sketch of Robinson Crusoe.

2. Do you approve of Robinson’s decision to give up his great wish to please his parents?

3. Would you do the same if you were Robinson Crusoe?

IV. Speaking.

Retell the story on the part of:

1). Robinson.

2). His father.

2. The Fatal Meeting

One day I went to Hull on business. There, quite unexpectedly, I met a friend of mine who was going by sea to London in his father's ship. He prompted me to go with them. He said it would cost me nothing for my passage.

I could no longer resist the temptation. Without asking for my parents' permission, without even sending a word to them about my voyage, without asking God's blessing, without any consideration of circumstances or consequences, I went on board the ship on the first of September, 1651.

My dream came true. As soon as the ship got out of the Humber, a strong wind began to blow and the waves rose in a most frightful manner. As I had never been at sea before I was terribly frightened and seasick. I began to regret what I had done. I was sure it was the punishment for my wicked leaving my father's house. All this while the storm increased and the sea went very high ready to swallow us up.

In the agony of mind I made many resolutions not to put my foot on board a ship again while I lived, if only God could spare my life I promised God to go directly home to my father like a true repenting prodigal son and that I would take his advice.

Towards night the weather cleared up, the wind was over, the rough sea became smooth and a charming fine evening followed.

I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-sick but very cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that had been so rough and terrible the day before.

In the morning my friend who had tempted me to sail came to me: "Well, Bob," he said, "How are you after all that? I am sure you were scared last night when it blew a little". "A little?" I said. "It was a terrible storm".

"A storm, you fool”, he replied, "do you call that a storm? Well, it was nothing at all. You are a fresh-water sailor, Bob...".

As the sea returned to its smoothness and calmness, my fears of being swallowed up by the sea were completely forgotten, former desires returned and I entirely forgot the promises that I had made in my distress.

On the sixth day we came into Yarmouth roads. The wind was contrary and we had to come to an anchor so as to wait for a favourable wind. We waited five days but instead of changing, the wind began to blow very hard. Our ship was very strong and the sailors didn't expect danger.

But on the eighth day in the morning the wind increased. By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed, and now I began to see terror in the faces of the seamen. I was dreadfully frightened. The storm was so violent that everybody expected the ship to go to the bottom.

In the middle of the night one of the sailors cried out: "She's leaking!” Another said, "There's four feet of water in the hold". Then all hands were called to the pump. The captain ordered to fire guns for help A light ship ahead of us ventured out a boat to help us. The men in the boat worked hard and at the risk of their lives got us all into their boat.

A quarter of an hour later we saw the ship sink. At this sight my heart sank as I was terribly frightened.

Some time passed and we saw land and a great many people running along the shore to assist us. With much difficulty we got all safe on shore, and walked to Yarmouth, where we were treated with great humanity by the magistrates of the town, merchants and owners of ships. They gave us some money to go to London or back to Hull.

Vocabulary exercises.

1. Translate the words into Russian:

Unexpectedly, permission, God’s blessing, consideration, to resist the temptation, frightful, to spare, to tempt, entirely, instead of, terror, to sink, to assist, circumstances and consequences, my dream came true, a true repenting prodigal son, to swallow, a rough sea, pump, to leak, to venture, a smooth sea, a fresh- water sailor, in my distress, a favourable wind, a contrary wind, to come to an anchor.

2. Replace the underlined words with the appropriate synonyms from the list below:

In distress          ventured       frightened                  to assist           unexpectedly                 resolutions

Their, quite accidentally, I met a friend of mine.

I was terrified.

I made many promises hoping to save my life.

He forgot the resolutions that he had made being in trouble.

A light ship in front of us risked sending out a boat to help us.

I saw a great many people running along the shore to help us.

3. Translate the words and memorise them.

1. fright (n)

to frighten (v)

frightened (adj)

frightful (adj)

Frightened, afraid, scared or terrified?

You can be frightened by a particular object, animal, person or event.

You can be afraid of something which causes long-lasting fear.

Terrified is the strongest.

Scared is the weakest in this group of words.

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Terror – extreme fear.

2. to expect (v)

expectancy (n)

expectation (n)

expectant (adj)

unexpected to smb (adv)

unexpectedly (adv)

To wait or expect?

If you wait for someone you will do nothing but wait.

Waiting is a sort of activity.

If you expect something or someone, you just think that the person will come or the event will happen.

Expecting is a state of mind.

4. Complete the sentences with the correct derivatives of the words in bold.

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5. Fill in the missing prepositions.

with, at(2), up, in, on, for(2)

I went to Hull …… business.

I made …… my mind to go back home.

I forgot the promises that I had made …… my distress.

We had to wait …… a favourable wind.

The captain ordered to fire guns …… help.

…… the risk of their lives they saved us all.

…… this sight my heart sank.

We were treated …… great humanity by the magistrates of the town.

6. Think of the word which best fits each space. Write only one word.

I could no 1)……. resist the temptation.

Without asking 2)…… my parents’ permission, without even sending a word 3)…… them about my voyage, I went on 4)…… the ship on the first of September, 1651.

My dream came true. As 5).….. as the ship got out of the port, a strong wind began 6)…… blow and the waves rose 7)…… a most frightful manner. As I 8) …… never been 9) …… sea before I was terribly frightened and seasick. I began to regret what I had 10)…… . All this while 11) …… storm increased and the sea went very high ready to swallow us 12) …… .

13) …… the agony of mind I made many resolutions 14) …… to put my foot on board a ship 15) …… while I lived.

 II. Checking understanding

1. True or false?

1. Robinson asked his parents for permission to sail to London.  

2. Robinson regretted what he had done.  ……

3. Robinson wasn’t frightened during the storm. ……

4. On the sixth day the weather changed for the better. ……

5. The ship was not strong and the sailors expected danger. ……

2. Match the two parts to make complete sentences from the text.

1. I met a friend of mine            a). I made many resolutions.

2. I was sure it was          b). one of the sailors cried out: “She’s leaking”.                        

3. In the agony of my mind        c). my former desires returned.

4. As the sea returned to its calmness and smoothness

d). ventured a boat out to help us.

    5. The wind was contrary           e). we got all safe on shore.                                                                        

6. In the middle of the night           f). and we had to come to an anchor.

7. A light ship ahead of us             g). who was going to London.

8. With much difficulty                 h). the punishment for my leaving home.

3. Put the sentences in the correct order.

a. A quarter of an hour later we saw the ship sink.

b. In Hull I met a friend of mine who prompted me to sail with him to London.

c. A light ship ahead of us ventured out a boat to help us and at the risk of their lives they got us all into it.

d. One day I went to Hull on business.

e. On the eighth day a terrible storm broke and I was dreadfully frightened.

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f. Without asking for my parents’ permission I went on board the ship on the first of September, 1651.

g. With much difficulty we got all safe on shore.

h. In the middle of the night the ship sprang a leak and we fired guns for help.

III. Discuss the following.

1. Unexpected or accidental meetings play an important role in people’s lives. Do you agree with it?

2. Prove that Robinson was unfair to his parents?

3. Robinson had made promises and resolutions during the first storm but he didn’t do the same during the second one though it was more terrible. Why?

IV.  Speaking.

Retell the story on the part of:

1). Robinson Crusoe;

2). his friend.