Exercise 1. Read the text. Mark the statements true (T) or false (F).

Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie is possibly the world’s most famous detective story writer. She wrote 79 novels and several plays. Her sales outnumber those of William Shakespeare. However, behind her 4,680,000 words was a painfully shy woman whose life was often lonely and unhappy. She was born in 1890 in Devon, the third child of Clarissa and Frederick Miller, and grew into a beautiful and sensitive girl with waist-length golden hair. She didn’t go to school but was educated at home by her mother. Her father died when she was 11 and both she and her mother were grief-stricken. During World War I, while she was working in a hospital dispensary, she learned about chemicals and poisons, which proved to be very useful to her in her later career. She wrote her first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920. In it she introduced Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective who appeared in many subsequent novels. Her other main detective was an elderly spinster called Miss Marple.

Statements:

1 Agatha Christie wrote a total of 4,680,000 words in 79 novels and several plays. ____

2 Agatha Christie’s writing sells better than William Shakespeare’s. ____

3 Agatha Christie was unhappy because she was often in pain. ____

4 Agatha Christie didn’t have any brothers or sisters. ____

5 Agatha Christie had long, blonde hair. ____

6 Agatha Christie was taught by her mother at home. ____

7 Agatha Christie’s father died in 1911. ____

8 Agatha Christie learnt about poisons and chemicals when she was ill in hospital. ____

9 Agatha Christie wrote her first detective novel when she 30. ____

10 Agatha Christie used the character of Hercule Poirot as the main detective more often than Miss Marple. ____

Text 5

Exercise 1. Read the text and insert articles where it is necessary.

Notes: adult ['ad/\lt] взрослый

legend ['ledʒәnd] легенда

negotiate [ni'gou∫ieit] вести переговоры

Sergei Obraztsov is ... founder of the State Central Puppet Theatre. ... theatre was founded in 1931. In ... fifty years of its existence ... theatre produced over sixty plays.

When ... theatre was opened it was intended for ... children. But time showed that ... adults* became interested in ... puppet theatre, too. .... first show produced for ... adults in 1940 was called "Aladdin's Lamp". It became ... hit. "... Unusual Concert", another show for ... adults, has been ... tremendous success for many years now.

*Следующее задание повышенной сложности:

Reading and Speaking

Text 6

Exercise 1. Read the text and try to understand it without translation.

Exercise 2. Ask your group mates as many questions as possible about a well-known Swedish cellist Astrid Johnson. Mind your grammar. Let your friends give full answers to your questions.