William Shakespeare.
(http://www.correctenglish.ru/reading/biographies/william-shakespeare/)
Content
стр.
1. Read the text.
2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and
expressions.
3. Complete the sentences.
4. Make up questions and answer them.
5. Decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).
6. These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Фамилия ______________________
Имя __________________________
Класс _________________________
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1. Read the text.
William Shakespeare is often called the world's greatest
playwright. He wrote comedies, tragedies and historical plays in
England in the last part of the 16th and the early 17th century.
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the English town of
Stratford-upon-Avon. His father was a businessman and the town's
mayor. His mother came from a family that owned land near Stratford.
William had three younger brothers and two younger sisters.
Like other boys of middle-class families, William attended a
grammar school in Stratford where he got a good education and also
learned Latin.
When William was 18 he married Anne Hathaway. They had three
children, first Susanna and then twins, a son named Hamlet and a
daughter named Judith. Hamlet died when he was 11.
We don't really know what William did during the following years
but in 1592 he went to London to work as a writer and actor. It was a
difficult job and only the best found work in London.
From 1592 to 1594 the Black Death spread across England. Many
public places were closed and plays couldn't be performed either.
Shakespeare spent these years writing sonnets and poems.
When the theatres opened up again in 1594 Shakespeare joined the
best acting company of the country—Lord Chamberlain's Men. It had
the best actors, the best writers and the most famous theatre—the Globe.
The Globe was a huge amphitheatre without a roof. The seats were
curved around a stage that was built on many levels.
Plays always started at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. People who
didn't have the money to buy a seat were allowed to stand in the front of
the stage. All kinds of people came to see the shows– housewives,
children, noblemen and even visitors from other countries. The company
also presented special plays for kings and queens.
Shakespeare and his fellow actors were responsible for everything
in the Globe theatre. They owned the building and the costumes, they
wrote the scripts and they also shared the profits that they made. The
actors and writers of the theatre worked together successfully for many
years.
In the twenty years that he worked on stage Shakespeare wrote 37
plays. They can be put into three big categories:
Tragedies are plays that show the downfall of a main character. His
most famous tragedies are Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth.
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Comedies are funny plays that have a happy ending most of the
time. A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It and The Merry
Wives of Windsor are among the most popular.
Historical plays are dramas about the lives of some of England's
most powerful kings like Henry IV or Richard II.
William Shakespeare retired from the theatre in 1610 and went
back to his home town Stratford, where he lived until his death in 1616.
At that time the people of England did not know that their country's
greatest poet and playwright had died. They thought of him only as a
popular actor and writer.
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2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and
expressions:
1) the world's greatest playwright
2) comedies, tragedies
3) historical plays
4) the town's mayor
5) attended a grammar school
6) a good education
7) he married
8) a difficult job
9) plays couldn't be performed either
10) a huge amphitheatre without a roof
11) actors were responsible
12) the scripts
13) His most famous tragedies
14) funny plays
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3. Complete the sentences:
1. He wrote comedies, tragedies
2. William Shakespeare was born in 1564
3. William attended a grammar school in Stratford where
4. It was a difficult job and only
5. Many public places were closed
6. It had the best actors, the best writers
7. The actors and writers of the theatre worked together
8. His most famous tragedies are
a) he got a good education and also learned Latin.
b) in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon.
c) Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth.
d) and plays couldn't be performed either
e) and the most famous theatre—the Globe.
f) and historical plays in England in the last part of the 16th and
the early 17th century.
g) successfully for many years.
h) the best found work in London.
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4. Make up questions and answer them.
1) When, William Shakespeare,born, was?
2) What, he did, write?
3) His, was, father, a, businessman?
4) William, what school, did, attend?
5) How many, Shakespeare, plays, did, write?
6) Are, his,what, tragedies, famous, most?
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5. Decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
William Shakespeare was born in London.
His father was a businessman and the town's mayor.
He hadn’t brothers and sister.
William attended a grammar school in Stratford.
From 1592 to 1594 the Black Death spread across England.
The Globe was a restaurant.
In the twenty years that he worked on stage Shakespeare
wrote 37 plays.
8. His tragedies are not famous.
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6. These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
1. Hsi tfhare was a businessman and the town's mayor.
2. Wlilima Sahekespare was born in 1564 in the English town of
Stratford-upon-Avon.
3. Shakespeare psnet these years writing sonnets and poems.
4. In 1592 he went to nLodno to work as a writer and actor.
5. In the twenty years that he rwedok on stage Shakespeare wrote
37 plays.
6. The atrosc and rtiwsre of the theatre worked together
successfully for many years.
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