This Amazing Writer

• Read the following extract and guess: Who was that queen? Who was the author of the book? What is the title of the book?

В числе лиц, заинтересовавшихся этой книгой, была и английская королева. Заметив, как восторгаются её дети сказкой-повестью, королева пожелала узнать, что ещё написал этот писатель. Каково же было её удивление, когда она увидела целую кипу серьёзных произведений по математике. Как мог учёный математик написать такую интересную и вместе с тем такую забавную книгу для детей? Королева, когда ей представили писателя, спросила у него, не помогал ли ему кто-либо в его работе над книгой. В ответ королева услышала: "Ваше Величество, у меня были две помощницы - любовь к детям и фея фантазия. И, если моя книга имеет успех, я обязан этим двум помощницам".

• Now that you've read the extract you can answer the following questions: What was the Queen most surprised at? Who or what helped the author write his book?

PROJECT. The Great ^Monarch

• Do you now know the name of the Queen? She gave her name to the historical period and was the Monarch of Britain for the greater part of the 19^th century (1837-1901).

• What names, events, achievements, etc. are associated with the reign of this Queen?

• Find the most interesting facts about the reign of the British Queen.

• You are going to read some information about this writer. As you read find the most interesting and important facts and details in his life.

Some helpful hints:

- As you read put the parts of the text in the logical order.

- Pay attention to the most important facts and dates in his life.

- Work in pairs, helping each other to understand the text better.

- The following questions will be of some help.

• When and where was this British writer bom?

• What schools was he sent to? Which of them is the most famous? Why?

• How did he entertain his brothers and sisters?

• What important events took place in his life?

• Who inspired him to tell stories about Alice adventures?

• What country did he visit and when? What did he see there?

• What was Charles Dodgson's pen name? Where did he get his pseudonym?

• In what sphere did he excel most: in mathematics or as a writer?

• Why is the 4^th of July memorable in the history of British Literature as it is in the history of the United States?

1. In 1855 two most important events took place in Dodgson's life. He was introduced to photography and Henry Liddell's family. Liddell had a son, Harry, and three daughters: Lorina Charlotte, Alice and Edith. He was comfortable when with children. In their company his stammer usually disappeared.

2. By the end of June 1865 the Clarendon Press had printed 2000 copies of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and Dodgson was able to present Alice Liddel with her own copy. That was the first publication of the book.

3. Ch. Dodgson became great friends with the Liddel children and frequently visited them to take their pictures. Alice's adventures began on boating trips on the Thames in the summer of 1862 during which he told the children Alice stories to entertain them. Some months later he began to write them down.

4. Ch. Lutwidge Dodgson was born on January 27^th 1832 at Daresbury in Cheshire. He was the eldest son and third child out of eleven children. His father was a clergyman. At twelve he was sent to Richmond school in Yorkshire as a boarder, where he discovered his potential in mathematics.

5. In 1846 Charles was enrolled at Rugby school and stayed there for three years. It was at this time that he entertained his brothers and sisters by writing his own magazines, containing poems, stories and drawings. One of his magazines was entitled "Useful and Instructive Poetry."

6. In 1867 Dodgson and his friend Henry Liddon went on a tour of Russia where they visited St.Petersburg, Moscow and the famous fair in Nizhni Novgorod. This was Dodgson's only travel abroad.

7. The editor of the magazine "The Train" to which Dodgson also wrote asked him for a full pen-name (he signed himself "BB") and Dodgson sent him four to choose from. The editor chose the fourth, which Dodgson created by latinising his own Christian names: Lutwidge - Ludovicus - Lewis; Charles - Carolus - Carroll.

1. Apart from writing 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' Lewis Carroll wrote many nonsense and serious poems, mathematical textbooks, as well as many mathematical works which appeared under his own name. Among his books there is 'A Tangled Tale' which was designed to interest children in mathematics.

2. Carroll often recalled the afternoon of the 4^th of July 1862 when the Alice stories began. He wrote 'Full many a year has slipped away, since that "golden afternoon" (...) but I recall it up almost as clearly as if it were yesterday - the cloudless blue above, and the watery mirror below (...) and three eager faces, hungry for news offairy-land'. (Compiled from different sources)

• Read the NOTE. What information do you get from it?

The most important facts in Lewis Carroll's life (1832-1898)

^ Fill in the fact file. The fact file will help you put the parts of the text in the logical order

Your personal opinion

• What facts in L. Carroll's life impress you most?

• Have you read 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' or 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'? Did you enjoy reading them? Can you in all earnesty say that you understand everything?

• What is it that you like about these books: the story, fancy or fantasy, the fairy-tale flavour?

• Are you interested in mathematics? Would you like to read L. Carroll's book 'A Tangled Tale'? Has the book been translated into Russian? Where can you find this information?

• Who of the Russian children's writers enjoys the same popularity? Who was your favourite Russian/British writer/writers when you were a child, in your teens?

Lewis Carroll's Limericks

The author of "Alice in Wonderland"- that extraordinary book which delights children and adults alike - enjoyed writing comic and curious verse. It was his means of escape from his ordered world of mathematics into a world of fantasy - a wonderland of his own.

• Here are two of L. Carroll's limericks. As you read them, try to find the answers to the questions below.

• Who are they about?

• Who got shorter and shorter?

• Who got thinner and thinner? What was the reason?

• Do you know where Oporta is situated? Is it a real place? Can you find it on the map?

• What part of Great Britain do they (Lucy O’Finner and her brother) come from?

• What will help you find the answer to this question?

What makes L. Carroll's limericks different from Б. Lear's limericks?

• Read the following verses and try to spot the difference. The NOTE below will help you understand the limericks better.

• How many lines are there in each limerck?

• You may even count the lines and the syllables to make the distinction clear!

• What is each of the limericks about?

• Do we come to know what place the young lady of station come from?

• Which of the limericks is most amusing?

• Which of the limericks do you like? Why? Why not?

Lewis Carroll Edward Lear

PROJECT- My favourite British/Russian writer

• Choose a writer whose books you admire.

• Find out as much as possible about him/her. (His/her childhood, what inspired him/her to write books, the most important events in his/her life, etc.)

• Does he/she write prose, poetry or both?

• Write his/her biography.

• Tell a story from his/her life.

• Explain why his/her books are important for you.

• Present your project to the class.