Beauty and Love.

10. Read the text and discuss:

a. what one of Chekhov’s characters said;

b. how you understand beauty of a person;

c. what is man’s “spirit and mind”;

d. love and happiness.

BEAUTY AND LOVE

One of Chekhov’s characters said that everything must be beautiful in a person: face, dress, spirit, and mind.

We don’t mean good looks alone when we speak about someone’s beauty. We want also to see as Chekhov wrote, “a beautiful spirit and mind" in a person. And very important are his or her character and actions.

But what is to be done if the face isn’t so beautiful? Should we take this fact too seriously? Of course, not! Besides, as an American proverb goes, "Beauty is a very fine thing, but you can’t live on it”.

At the same time a modest, kind and honest person is respected and liked by everybody. “One good deed deserves another”, says an English proverb.

Do you think there is beauty in a person who has good looks but doesn't respect old people? And those who wear fashionable clothes are not beautiful at all if their conduct in the street and in the public places isn’t good. There is an old English proverb about such people: “Clothes don’t make the man”.

Real beauty means more than a perfect body and clothes. A person may have good looks but what about his or her “spirit and mind?”

Try to find out his or her interests and what he thinks about. Then a rich and beautiful world may open before you. It is love and happiness.

Love is a popular topic in youth newspapers and magazines. When a discussion about love begins, one of the main questions is “What is love?” You may have your own answer but it’s interesting to know what some English proverbs say about love. Here they are: “Where love is, all is”, “Love is neither bought nor sold”, “Love will find a way”, “Love makes one fit for any work”, “Love makes the world go round”.

We can see a lot of examples of great love. But everybody has to strive for his or her own happiness. As an English proverb goes. “Love is not found in the market . We should always remember to be tactful towards a person whom we love.