Read the short story The Way up to Heaven by R. Dahl and do the following tasks.
I. Expand your vocabulary.
1. Insert the missing prepositions. Recall the situations from the story where these word combinations were used. Make up your own examples with the same word combinations.
to have a fear missing a train;
to grow a serious obsession;
to be aware aware of her state smb’s state;
to drive smb hysterics;
a great deal of bustling ;
to have a word smb;
to insist coming;
to set one’s eyes smb/smth;
to call in the house;
to be the point of leaving;
to search the pockets.
2. Make up word combinations as they were used in the story.
vellicating
simple
unreasonable
gloomy
diminutive
disconsolate
anxious
temporarily
peculiar
chatty
place
day
letter
man
apprehension
muscle
postponed
hardness
attitude
passengers
3. Insert the words from the box into the sentences below. If necessary change their form.
She finally the new album between two thick books on the bookshelf.
As soon as the alarm-clock went off I out of bed.
You have to exercise a lot to get rid of these muscles.
I am not quite sure this film is to the book.
The study the impact of horror films on children.
The witness will what I have told you.
4. Write out the words from the story that the author uses to describe Mr. and Mrs. Foster. Categorize them as follows: traits of character, habits, appearances, clothes. Compare the two lists. What conclusions can you make based on this comparison?
5. The following examples from the story are different ways of describing habitual actions. What other ways of expressing the same idea do you know? Give examples of your own.
The mere thought of being late on occasions like these would throw her into such a state of nerves that she would begin to twitch…
Mrs Foster would step out of the elevator all ready to go … and then, being quite unable to sit down, she would flutter and fidget about from room to room…
This, she kept telling herself, was the one plane she must not miss.
Once a week, on Tuesdays, she wrote a letter to her husband…
…Whenever they were to go somewhere, his timing was so accurate…
II. Check your understanding of the story.
1. Choose the answer as appropriate.
2. Find evidence in the text proving that Mrs. Foster has suffered her husband’s delaying tactics for years and has only recently begun to suspect that smth was wrong.
3. In what situations did the characters of the story use the following words? In what situation would you use them?
You never know what people get up to.
It’s bound to be cancelled now.
Confound it!
I won’t be a moment.
This is something I’m afraid you may not be doing when I’m not with you.
Could you send someone round as soon as possible, do you think?
4. The short story The Way Up to Heaven is often called “a revenge tale”. Do you believe it complies with this name? Give your reasons.
5. Do you approve of Mrs. Foster’s desire to live in Paris on her own, i.e. without her husband? Shouldn’t husbands and wives always travel together? Give your reasons.
6. The end of the story is foreshadowed in several ways. From your point of view, what was the most obvious foreshadowing?
7. The story raises the question of the accepted societal roles of women in the mid-twentieth century. Throughout the story Mrs. Foster is called an “unhappy lady”, a “poor woman” etc. What other facts point at her miserable position?
8. Role play. You are a family psychologist, and Mrs. Foster has recently become a client of yours. Warn her about the signs that her marriage is in danger.
9. Role play. You are Mr. Foster. On one of your regular visits to the club, boast to your friends about how you brutalize your wife.
10. Role play. You are a psychologist. Comment on Mr. Foster’s sadistic way of treating his wife.
III. Follow up activities.
1. Write a humorous article on one of the following topics: a) Ten ways to annoy your spouse; b) Ten ways to improve relations with your spouse.
2. Read the following story and think up 5 techniques to handle your nervousness or cope with impatience when you have to wait for smb/smth for a long time.
I was working at the base exchange one busy day when the line grew quite long. There was much grumbling among those waiting, but one man made light of the situation. He approached a woman who was obviously very pregnant and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Would you mind my asking a personal question?” he said. “Were you pregnant when you got in this line?”
From Reader’s Digest, 09.2004
3. You are a time management coach. Before delivering a speech to your audience on the necessity of being punctual write extended notes. Make use of the following story.
A guy shows up late for work. The boss yells, “You should’ve been here at 8:30!”
