Дидактический (раздаточный) материал на тему "Известные личности Великобритании" по учебной дисциплине ОУД.03 Иностранный язык
учебно-методический материал по английскому языку

THE SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE^[1]

William Shakespeare was a famous English poet and playwright. He was born in 1564 in a small English city Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote more than 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long poems and a great number of other poems. The main genres of Shakespeare’s works were tragedies and comedies. Almost all his literary works have been translated into more than 30 languages. His most famous works include such plays as “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “King Lear”, “Othello”, and many others.

        Shakespeare was educated at the King's New School, a free chartered grammar school that was located in Stratford.

        In 1582, an 18-year-old Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who, on the occasion of her wedding, was 26 years old and already with child.

        Shakespeare, along with a group of players that acted in his play, created his own theatre on the River Thames in 1599 and named it the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare continued to work with his company of men at the Globe Theatre until around 1610, the year that he retired from working on the stage. He, however, continued to support the Globe Theatre, including buying apartments for playwrights and actors to live in, all of which were near to the theatre. The playwright has travelled to London to collaborate with other playwrights, such as John Fletcher, and to spend time with his son-in-law John Hall, who married his elder daughter Susanna in 1607.

        The playwright was an active dramatist and writer up until 1613 when the last of his great works was finished. From then on, Shakespeare spent most of his time in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he had purchased the second-largest home in town for his family.

        William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, and was buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford, with a curse written on his tombstone to ward off those who would disturb his bones. He was 52 years old at the time of his death and was survived by his wife, Anna, and their two daughters. There are no direct descendants from Shakespeare's line, as both daughters had children who did not make it to adulthood.

Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. William Shakespeare was a famous English poet and musician, he was born in 1564.
2. His literary works have been translated into more than 30 languages.
3. In 1582, Shakespeare married an 18-year-old Anne Hathaway.
4. He created his own theatre on the River Thames and named it the Globe Theatre.
5. He was buying apartments for his friends to live in.
6. The playwright has travelled to London to collaborate with John Hall.
7. His elder daughter Susanna married in 1609.
8. Shakespeare spent little of his time in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he had purchased the second-largest home in town for his family.
9. William Shakespeare died on April 12, 1616, and was buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
10.  At the time of his death he had wife, two daughters and one grandson.

THE SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN^[2]

Charlie Spencer Chaplin was born in London, England, on April 16th, 1889. His father was a versatile vocalist and actor; and his mother, known under the stage name of Lily Harley, was an attractive actress and singer, who gained a reputation for her work in the light opera field.

At the age of ten, Charlie and his brother Sidney had to take care of themselves as their father died early and their mother was very ill.

Having inherited natural talents from their parents, the youngsters took to the stage as the best opportunity for a career. Charlie made his professional debut as a member of a juvenile group called “The Eight Lancashire Lads” and rapidly won popular favour as an outstanding tap dancer.

At the age of 12, he appeared in various productions of Sherlock Holmes, in 1910 he went in USA as a featured player with the Fred Karno Repertoire Company.

When the Fred Karno troupe returned to the United States in the fall of 1912 for a repeat tour, Chaplin was offered a motion picture contract. His initial salary was $150 a week, but his overnight success on the screen spurred other producers to start negotiations for his services.

When his contract with Mutual expired in 1917, Chaplin decided to become an independent producer in a desire for more freedom and greater leisure in making his movies. To that end, he busied himself with the construction of his own studios. This plant was situated in the heart of the residential section of Hollywood at La Brea Avenue.

Early in 1918, Chaplin entered into an agreement with First National Exhibitors’ Circuit, a new organization specially formed to exploit his pictures. His first film under this new deal was “A Dog’s Life”. After this production, he turned his attention to a national tour on behalf of the war effort, following which he made a film the US government used to popularize the Liberty Loan drive: “The Bond”.

His next commercial venture was the production of a comedy dealing with the war. “Shoulder Arms”, released in 1918 at a most opportune time, proved a veritable mirthquake at the box office and added enormously to Chaplin’s popularity.

Awards & Achievements

In 1929, he was the recipient of the Honorary Academy Award for “versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing”.

In 1972, he received the Honorary Academy Award for “the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century”.

In 1972, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1973, he received the Academy Award in the category, “Best Music, Original Dramatic Score” for the film “Limelight”.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married four times and three of his marriages with Mildred Harris, Lita Grey and Paulette Goddard ended in divorce.

In 1943, he married his fourth wife Oona O'Neill and the couple had eight children together. This award-winning comedian was 54 when he married his fourth wife, who, at that time, was 18, the couple had a 36 years age difference. They remained together until his death.

He died at the age of 88 in his sleep, after he suffered from a stroke. He was laid to rest at the Vevey cemetery, Switzerland.

To honour his achievements, “Charlie Chaplin – The Great Londoner”, an exclusive exhibition on his life was opened at the London Film Museum in 2010.

Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Charlie Chaplin’s father was a pianist and singer.
2. He had a brother Sidney and a sister Lily.
3. At the age of ten, Charlie and his brother Sidney had to take care of themselves.
4. His initial salary was $150 a week in the USA in 1912.
5. When his contract with Mutual expired in 1917, Chaplin decided to become a playwright.
6. He was the recipient of the Honorary Academy Award in 1929.
7. In 1973, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
8. He married four times and four of his marriages.
9. He was 36 when he married his fourth wife.
10. They had 18 years age difference and the couple had eight children together.
11.  Charlie Chaplin died at the age of 88 in his sleep.
12.  An exclusive exhibition on Charlie Chaplin’ life was opened at the London Film Museum in 2010.

THE SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES DARWIN^[3]

Charles Robert Darwin was a British naturalist and biologist known for his theory of evolution and his understanding of the process of natural selection. In 1831, he embarked on a five-year voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle, during which time his studies of various plants and an led him to formulate his theories. In 1859, he published his landmark book “On the Origin of Species”.

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in the tiny merchant town of Shrewsbury, England. A child of wealth and privilege who loved to explore nature, Darwin was the second youngest of six kids.

Darwin came from a long line of scientists: His father, Dr. R.W. Darwin, was a medical doctor, and his grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, was a renowned botanist. Darwin’s mother, Susanna, died when he was only eight years old.

In October 1825, at age 16, Darwin enrolled at University of Edinburgh along with his brother Erasmus. Two years later, he became a student at Christ's College in Cambridge.

The ship, commanded by Captain Robert FitzRoy, was to take a five-year survey trip around the world. The voyage would prove the opportunity of a lifetime for the budding young naturalist.

On December 27, 1831, the HMS Beagle launched its voyage around the world with Darwin aboard. Over the course of the trip, Darwin collected a variety of natural specimens, including birds, plants and fossils.

Upon his return to England in 1836, Darwin began to write up his findings in the Journal of Researches. The trip had a monumental effect on Darwin’s view of natural history. He began to develop a revolutionary theory about the origin of living beings that ran contrary to the popular view of other naturalists at the time.

In 1858, after years of scientific investigation, Darwin publicly introduced his revolutionary theory of evolution in a letter read at a meeting of the Linnean Society. On November 24, 1859, he published a detailed explanation of his theory in his best-known work, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

Following a lifetime of devout research, Charles Darwin died at his family home, Down House, in London, on April 19, 1882. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Charles Robert Darwin was a British naturalist and biologist.
2. He embarked on a five-year voyage around the world in 1831 by plane.
3. During his voyage, he studied of various plants and an led him to formulate his theories.
4. Charles Darwin was born 1808, in the tiny merchant town of Shrewsbury, England.
5. Darwin was the second youngest of seven kids.
6. In 1825, he became a student at Christ's College in Cambridge.
7. After his voyage, Darwin had the collection of natural specimens.
8. In 1836 in England, he  began to write up his findings in the Journal of Researches.
9. Darwin publicly introduced his revolutionary theory of evolution in a letter read at a meeting of the Linnean Society.
10.  In 1859, he published a detailed explanation of his theory in his best-known work.
11. Charles Darwin died at his family home in London, 1882.
12. No one knows where he was buried.