Skim the text (read quickly without attention to detail). In the first 4 paragraphs the main points are underlined. Select what you think are the main points in paragraphs 5-10

Read paragraphs 4, 8, 11, 14 more carefully and decide which of the following statements are true and which are false.

1. Ambition is old-fashioned.

2. Individuality and ambition are opposed.

3. Being ambitious implies the desire to rise above group interests.

4. The world is cruel, so the ambitious just act to rule.

5. Ambition is strongly opposed in society, its proponents are scarce.

6. Ambition is at an end in the United States.

7. The contemporary promoters of ambition are held to be vulgar.

8. The majority of people do not participate in public debates on ambition.

9. If ambition is removed, nothing would change in society.

10. Ambition is something the society can not survive without.

11. To have a family in modern society is unthinkable without ambition.

12. Ambition is the domain of aristocrats.

13. Ambition has nothing to do with futurity.

14. The attack against ambition is an attack on what the middle class stands for.

15. All the classes are known to run on ambition.

16. In reality no choices are made by people on their own.

17. The universe guides people in all their choices.

18. There exists a certain realm of choicelessness.

19. Our lives are formed in accordance with the decisions we make.

20. The main thing one should understand about ambition is that it is an important life forming factor, which should not be overlooked by anyone, who wants to achieve something.

Make a list of key words and phrases for every paragraph. Choose from those in italics.

A. Make a list of transition signals connecting the paragraphs of the text. Choose from those in italics.

B. Make a list of words and phrases (choose from those in italics) performing within every paragraph one of the following functions:

1. to introduce a similar (additional) idea,

2. to introduce an opposite idea or contrast,

3. to introduce an example

4. to introduce an alternative,

5. to introduce a cause or reason,

6. to introduce an effect or result,

7. to introduce an emotion,

8. to compare things,

9. to emphasize,

10. to explain and restate,

11. to signal order,

12. to conclude.

5. Read the text paying attention to detail and find answers to the following questions:

1. Why is ambition described as “one of those peculiar words”?

2. Who are said to be considered by some “people most to be distrusted”?

3. What is ambition said to be behind of?

4. What is said to be no reason to cease dreaming?

5. What is described as “never a pretty prospect to ponder” and why?

6. Is it reasonable enough ‘to drive ambition under counter”?

7. What are the worst things to be said about ambition?

8. What conclusion logically follows from enlisting the worst features of ambition?

9. What is described as a “weighty burden in a high climb”?

10. What rewards of ambition must be deemed worthy of sacrifices, if ambition is to be well regarded?

11. What category of people is said to have given up on ambition as an ideal and why it is them who the author chooses to discuss?

12. Which items are said to be in no less demand today than formally?

13. What does the expression “to be treated to fine pharisaical spectacles” imply?

14. What is said to be the proper formulation of the idea of ambition?

15. Why is the support for ambition as a healthy impulse lower now than it has ever been in the United States?

16. What is the actual situation with ambition in society at the moment?

17. What is the reason for people being “naturally distrustful of ambition”?

18. What does the idea of ambition as a two-sided area imply?

19. What does the author describe as “to go at things wrongly” and why?

20. Is ambition truly the linchpin of society or not?

21. What does ambition imply if opposed to mere fantasizing about desires?

22. What is said to be “a good economic argument against having children”?

23. Will the world without ambition be genuinely kinder?

24. What is “the true myth” according to the author and what its result is?

25. What do we choose within the realm of choicelessness and why it is important for us?

Mind-map the text.

7. Read the text again and translate all the italicized word-combinations and phrases into Russian.

Work at the list of topical vocabulary.

A. Divide all the entries into categories in accordance with the suggested headings and give their Russian equivalents:

People’s feelings as regards ambition.

People’s actions as regards ambition.

to be ambitious for the public good; to drive ambition under counter; the truly ambitious; to be ambitious for each other; to achieve the common goals of ambition; to give up on ambition as an ideal; to benefit from ambition; the rewards of ambition; the support for ambition as a healthy impulse; to be possessed by ambition; to handle ambition; an expression of ambition; to be strongly imbued with ambition; an ambitious individual; to make sacrifices on ambition behalf; to refrain from appearing ambitious; attacks on ambition; public defenders of ambition; to be naturally distrustful of ambition; blind ambition; to profess ambition; to feel stirrings and promptings of ambition; obtuse supporters of ambition; contemporary promoter of ambition; to drive ambition underground, ambition is a sham.