Literature is the greatest human property. It is generally known that Russian literature is one of the most voluminous in the world. A. Pushkin, I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky, A. Chekhov are the leaders of the world classical literature. They set a pattern for language, subject matter, and narrative techniques of Russian and world literature. Their works attract readers even today, because everybody can find something special there.
Ivan Turgenev successfully linked social problems with true literary art. His "Hunter"s Sketches" and "Fathers and Sons" depict Russia"s life with realism and with artistry which make these works classics. The problem of the generation gap discussed in his "Fathers and Sons" is very acute today. The everyday life of the Russian provincial gentry is perfectly described by Goncharov in his famous novel "Oblomov". The writer shows how the best and the brightest men can degenerate if they do not see how to use and develop their talents.
Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky are recognised as the best Russian writers. They give a realistic picture of the Russian society of the 19-th century. Their research in a person"s inner world is unique. Their characters do not always know what they really want, and when they think they do know, the fate breaks their illusions. Moral issues are raised in Tolstoy"s and Dostoevsky"s works. Tolstoy"s "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" as well as Dostoevsky"s "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brother Karamazov" focus on serious human problems.
The end of the 19-th century was dominated by Anton Chekhov. He contributed to two genres: short stories and drama. His short stories are really short, but powerful. They make people laugh and cry at the same time. Some of his stories may seem very cruel, but Chekhov simply reflected the Russian life in his prose. His plays are not numerous, but they are really outstanding. "The Cherry Orchard" is his best known play. It is an emotional drama of the decline of a Russian noble family, which shares the fate of the Russian nation.
I also like British literature. My favourite writer is Oscar Wilde. His reputation as a dramatist rests on his comic masterpiece "The Importance of Being Earnest". Within the social intrigues and artificial devices to resolve conflict, Wilde used his wit to create a form of comedy new to the English theatre. Oscar Wilde was the representative of the late 19-th century Aesthetic movement in England. It proclaimed art for art"s sake. Wilde was born in Ireland; he went to Trinity College in Dublin, and later continued his education at Oxford. During the years of study Wilde distinguished himself not only as a classical scholar, but also as a poet by winning the popular prize for his poem. In the early 1880s Wilde established himself in social and artistic circles. His most powerful novel is "The Picture of Dorian Gray." In this novel Wilde shows the darkest corners of a man"s soul. The author"s message can be interpreted in the following way: a person who loves only himself will never be able to realise himself.
America gave the world many great writers. Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Рое, and Walt Whitman dominated in the 19-th century literature. The great American writers of the 20-th century were Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
My favourite American writer is Edgar Allan Рое. Не was an outstanding poet and a short story writer. In Europe Рое was considered the only American poet of significance, the one who created literary works of many varied forms. Рое expressed his deep and sincere feelings in his poems. Edgar Allan Рое is mostly remembered for establishing new symbolic poetry. The "Raven" is his best known poem. The poet used symbols, following the ancient traditions. It is the ancient poetry that helped him to find the unusual rhythm. The symbolic meaning of the "Raven" is unclear; raven is a symbol of eternal life as well as the herald of death. Numerous readers in the United States and other countries admire Poe"s short stories. He was the inventor of the detective stories that became very popular in the 20-th century. Рое won recognition and admiration of the Russian readers very quickly. "The Gold Bug", one of Poe"s best stories, was published in the United States in 1843 and in 1847 it was translated into Russian. Poe"s poetry had tremendous influence on the Russian poets of the beginning of the 20-th century. Such outstanding Russian poets as Balmont and Brusov admired Poe"s poetry. They translated his poems into Russian, and used his motives in their lyrics.
Do you like to return to the books that you have once read?
Yes, I do. There are certain books that I can read any time from virtually any page. Each time I open these books I discover there something new, something that I have missed or misinterpreted during my previous reading. Some people say that rereading books is boring, that there are so many books that they have not read yet, that they will never return to the books they have already read. I can not agree with it. There are many books that are not worth even a single reading, while there are others that have numerous layers. Most of all I like to return to the books that 1 have already read every couple of years just to compare in which way my perception of the author and his book has changed.
What are these books?
It would take me some time simply to mention the books that I love to reread. One of these books is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. When I first got acquainted with this wonderful novel I did not know how to read and my mother read it to me. The first thing I did when I started reading myself was reading "Tom Sawyer." It was as if I met the old friend. Later I was rereading some episodes that I liked most of all and each time I discovered something new. For example, when I was a kid I thought that the adventures of Tom and Huck constituted the most important part of the book. Later I started to understand the humour of Mark Twain. Since my first acquaintance with this author I have read many other novels and short stories by Mark Twain. Reading "Tom Sawyer" again and again enhanced my understanding of Mark Twain not only as a writer, but also as a personality. Now I am trying to read the novel in the original, I think that this will help me to understand both Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer better.
What do you read when you want to have some rest?
As I have already mentioned I read Mark Twain"s stories and novels a lot. But of course there are other English and American writers whom I admire. When I want to have some rest I like to read Jack London"s Alaskan stories such as "The White Silence", "Call of the Wild", and "Burning Daylight." They are unforgettable. Jack London knew the life of the North perfectly well. He met his characters in real life. He was familiar with their needs and troubles. One of J. London"s best stories is "White Fang." It is a story about the adventures of a wolf, who was tamed by the Indians as a sledge dog, and who little by little perceived the law of life: to eat or be eaten. White Fang, is not only the title of the novel, but the name of the wolf as well, who eventually understood that love and kindness ruled the world. I believe that Jack London loved animals. He wrote a lot about them.
Do you read the books of British and American writers in the original or in translation?
It is much easier to read books that are already translated into Russian. At the same time I am reading some books in English that are specifically adapted for Russian pupils. Reading such books is not only fun; it helps me to improve my English, so that I shall be able to read the works of British and American authors in the original. As I have already said, at the moment I am reading "Tom Sawyer" in the original. This is not an easy task for me. But I know this book very well, and this helps me a lot. Thus I can say that reading Russian translations of the English books is the first step toward reading them in the original.
Reading
Child psychologists believe that reading is one of the best
habits that should be encouraged in children. Ninety percent of
the things we learn during our lifetime come through books;
therefore if we can"t read, we can"t learn.
Books appeared long ago. At first they were written by hand, but
after printing was invented, it became easier to publish books.
There are two large groups of books: fiction and non-fiction
books. Fiction books are most popular with readers and include
short stories and novels of different genres and poetry.
Non-fiction books are dictionaries, reference books, historical
books, biographies, encyclopaedias and others.
In my childhood, my mother read different books to me and that
helped me to love reading. When I learnt to read, I was really
happy because I could read books which I wanted and liked. At
first, they were fairy tales, adventure stories and comics.
Later, I was fond of detective stories and thrillers. Now I read
historical novels and I realise that I do not know many things
from history and it is so wonderful that I can learn them now
and understand facts that I could not understand in my
childhood. During my studies I also use non-fiction books like
dictionaries and encyclopaedias to find necessary information.
Today television and the Internet have almost replaced books
because these resources provide any information one wants and
some people think that in the modern world we do not need books
at all. I think, however, that books will never disappear,
because reading gives us pleasure.
Modern technologies also made it possible for us to use
electronic readers instead of paper copies of books. On the one
hand, such readers are very convenient as you do not have to
carry a thick book in your bag: you just take the reader and
upload text files into it, so instead of several books you just
carry one light electronic device! In addition, you may also
keep pictures and even music files on it. Lastly, it is more
environmentally friendly to use an electronic reader - cutting
down trees is not needed for their development unlike the
process of producing paper copies.
However, everything has its disadvantages. To begin with, such
readers are rather expensive and not everyone can afford them.
One point against it is that free electronic texts to download
are hard to find. Finally, paper books are more pleasant to hold
in hands: touch their pages, turn them over, feel their smell. I
have an electronic reader and it is convenient, but I still read
paper copies of books too.
To sum up, it is impossible to live without reading and even if
paper books may disappear in the future, people will never stop
reading.
ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. READING
1. Вступление (the importance of reading, if we can"t read,
we can"t learn, etc.).
2. Рассказать кратко об истории книгопечатания и двух группах
книг (appeared long ago, were written by hand, printing was
invented, two large groups, fiction: short stories and novels of
different genres and poetry; non-fiction: dictionaries,
reference books, historical books, biographies, encyclopaedias).
3. Рассказать о том, что вы читали в детстве, какие книги
предпочитаете читать сейчас (In my childhood, fairy
tales/adventure stories, etc.; Now I read...; During my studies
I also use...).
4. Рассказать о чтении и книгах в современном мире и современных
технологиях (television and the Internet, do not need books at
all, modern technologies, electronic readers: advantages and
disadvantages, etc.).
5. Заключение (То sum up, it is impossible to live without
reading and even if paper books may disappear in the future,
people will never stop reading.).
QUESTIONS
1. Do you read much?
2. What sort of books do you read?
3. Do you enjoy reading?
4. Should children be encouraged to read?
5. What are the advantages of reading? Are there any
disadvantages? What are they?
6. Is it good to get the reading habit?
7. Do you read in English or in your own language?
8. Does reading help to learn a language?
9. When do you usually read?
10. Do you read newspapers?
11. Do you read magazines or journals?
12. What books do you usually use to get ready for your classes?
13. Do you think people should read more?
14. What will happen if we don"t read?
15. When should we start reading?
16. Do you think that people don"t read so much because they are
busy watching television or surfing the Internet?
17. What would you do to encourage people to read? Is it
difficult to encourage yourself to read? Why (not)?
18. What was your favourite book in your childhood? What is your
favourite book now?
19. What is your favourite genre of books?
20. Do you read electronic books or prefer paper copies of
books? Why?
21. What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic
readers?
22. Do you think that books may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
23. Where do you usually buy books?
24. Do you borrow books from a library or do you buy them?
25. Do you think that libraries may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Fiction Художественная литература
action and adventure боевики и приключения
children"s книги для детей
contemporary современная проза
crime детектив
fantasy фэнтези
graphic novels/comics комиксы
historical fiction исторический роман
horror ужасы
humour юмористическая проза
mystery детективный роман
romance любовный роман
science fiction научная фантастика
short story collection . сборник рассказов
thrillers триллеры
young adult литература для подростков
Non-Fiction Научно-популярная литература
almanac альманах
art & photography книги по искусству
biography & memoirs биография/мемуары
blueprint план, чертёж
booklet буклет, брошюра
brochure брошюра
business & finance бизнес и финансы
cookbook кулинарная книга
dictionary словарь
encyclopaedia энциклопедия
gardening садоводство
gift books подарочные издания
guide гид, путеводитель
handbook справочник, руководство
history книги по истории
"how-to" инструкция
journalism журналистика
manual руководство пользователя
medical health & fitness медицина и фитнес
nature & ecology природа и экология
periodical периодические издания
pets о домашних животных
picture book словарь в картинках
psychology психология
reference справочник
self-help книги «помоги себе сам»
sports спорт
textbook учебник
travel книги о путешествиях
Reading
Child psychologists believe that reading is one of the best
habits that should be encouraged in children. Ninety percent of
the things we learn during our lifetime come through books;
therefore if we can"t read, we can"t learn.
Books appeared long ago. At first they were written by hand, but
after printing was invented, it became easier to publish books.
There are two large groups of books: fiction and non-fiction
books. Fiction books are most popular with readers and include
short stories and novels of different genres and poetry.
Non-fiction books are dictionaries, reference books, historical
books, biographies, encyclopaedias and others.
In my childhood, my mother read different books to me and that
helped me to love reading. When I learnt to read, I was really
happy because I could read books which I wanted and liked. At
first, they were fairy tales, adventure stories and comics.
Later, I was fond of detective stories and thrillers. Now I read
historical novels and I realise that I do not know many things
from history and it is so wonderful that I can learn them now
and understand facts that I could not understand in my
childhood. During my studies I also use non-fiction books like
dictionaries and encyclopaedias to find necessary information.
Today television and the Internet have almost replaced books
because these resources provide any information one wants and
some people think that in the modern world we do not need books
at all. I think, however, that books will never disappear,
because reading gives us pleasure.
Modern technologies also made it possible for us to use
electronic readers instead of paper copies of books. On the one
hand, such readers are very convenient as you do not have to
carry a thick book in your bag: you just take the reader and
upload text files into it, so instead of several books you just
carry one light electronic device! In addition, you may also
keep pictures and even music files on it. Lastly, it is more
environmentally friendly to use an electronic reader - cutting
down trees is not needed for their development unlike the
process of producing paper copies.
However, everything has its disadvantages. To begin with, such
readers are rather expensive and not everyone can afford them.
One point against it is that free electronic texts to download
are hard to find. Finally, paper books are more pleasant to hold
in hands: touch their pages, turn them over, feel their smell. I
have an electronic reader and it is convenient, but I still read
paper copies of books too.
To sum up, it is impossible to live without reading and even if
paper books may disappear in the future, people will never stop
reading.
ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. READING
1. Вступление (the importance of reading, if we can"t read,
we can"t learn, etc.).
2. Рассказать кратко об истории книгопечатания и двух группах
книг (appeared long ago, were written by hand, printing was
invented, two large groups, fiction: short stories and novels of
different genres and poetry; non-fiction: dictionaries,
reference books, historical books, biographies, encyclopaedias).
3. Рассказать о том, что вы читали в детстве, какие книги
предпочитаете читать сейчас (In my childhood, fairy
tales/adventure stories, etc.; Now I read...; During my studies
I also use...).
4. Рассказать о чтении и книгах в современном мире и современных
технологиях (television and the Internet, do not need books at
all, modern technologies, electronic readers: advantages and
disadvantages, etc.).
5. Заключение (То sum up, it is impossible to live without
reading and even if paper books may disappear in the future,
people will never stop reading.).
QUESTIONS
1. Do you read much?
2. What sort of books do you read?
3. Do you enjoy reading?
4. Should children be encouraged to read?
5. What are the advantages of reading? Are there any
disadvantages? What are they?
6. Is it good to get the reading habit?
7. Do you read in English or in your own language?
8. Does reading help to learn a language?
9. When do you usually read?
10. Do you read newspapers?
11. Do you read magazines or journals?
12. What books do you usually use to get ready for your classes?
13. Do you think people should read more?
14. What will happen if we don"t read?
15. When should we start reading?
16. Do you think that people don"t read so much because they are
busy watching television or surfing the Internet?
17. What would you do to encourage people to read? Is it
difficult to encourage yourself to read? Why (not)?
18. What was your favourite book in your childhood? What is your
favourite book now?
19. What is your favourite genre of books?
20. Do you read electronic books or prefer paper copies of
books? Why?
21. What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic
readers?
22. Do you think that books may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
23. Where do you usually buy books?
24. Do you borrow books from a library or do you buy them?
25. Do you think that libraries may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Fiction Художественная литература
action and adventure боевики и приключения
children"s книги для детей
contemporary современная проза
crime детектив
fantasy фэнтези
graphic novels/comics комиксы
historical fiction исторический роман
horror ужасы
humour юмористическая проза
mystery детективный роман
romance любовный роман
science fiction научная фантастика
short story collection . сборник рассказов
thrillers триллеры
young adult литература для подростков
Non-Fiction Научно-популярная литература
almanac альманах
art & photography книги по искусству
biography & memoirs биография/мемуары
blueprint план, чертёж
booklet буклет, брошюра
brochure брошюра
business & finance бизнес и финансы
cookbook кулинарная книга
dictionary словарь
encyclopaedia энциклопедия
gardening садоводство
gift books подарочные издания
guide гид, путеводитель
handbook справочник, руководство
history книги по истории
"how-to" инструкция
journalism журналистика
manual руководство пользователя
medical health & fitness медицина и фитнес
nature & ecology природа и экология
periodical периодические издания
pets о домашних животных
picture book словарь в картинках
psychology психология
reference справочник
self-help книги «помоги себе сам»
sports спорт
textbook учебник
travel книги о путешествиях
My hobby is reading. It has been a great pleasure for me since my childhood. The world of literature is fascinating and infinite. It certainly doesn’t mean that I love all the books. To tell the truth, finding a good book is not so easy. I prefer historical novels, classical and informative literature and some professional books concerning business and management as I am going to run a business of my own in future. I never choose a book only by its colorful cover. As a rule, I look through its pages, read about the writer and his awards. My favorite writers are Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Dan Brown.
It goes without saying that some of the books have become my favorites. When I open one of them I immerse in the world of my favorite heroes at once. A book is able to make me laugh or cry because I start feeling exactly what the characters feel. I experience somebody’s pain or joy and I understand that the art of the word in some books is extremely powerful. The book gives me a chance to look at our life through the author’s eyes, to analyze and agree or disagree with his point of view. Sometimes a book can completely change my way of thinking or help me to solve some serious personal or psychological problem.
Unfortunately today most of people and teenagers are not fond of reading. They would rather prefer going to night clubs or just watching TV. They find reading a bit boring or a waste of time. To my mind everything depends on the book. I am sure that without reading one cannot become an intelligent and educated person. People would consider him to be ignorant, illiterate or even ill-mannered, his vocabulary would be quite poor.
I should say that I enjoy reading not only books. I read magazines and I also surf the net and subscribe to interesting sites. These media can undoubtedly provide me with boundless and useful knowledge too. And by the way I often read e-books instead of the paper ones.
The book is my best and precious friend and it’s always with me. I devote most of my free time to reading. I read in transport or when I have to wait in a queue. I always take a good book with me when I travel or go on holidays. And I usually read before going to bed because it helps me to unwind at the end of a long and stressful day. I never feel lonely when I have a great book in my hands.
Перевод
Мое хобби - чтение. Оно доставляет мне огромное удовольствие с детства. Мир литературы увлекателен и бесконечен. Разумеется, это не означает, что я люблю все книги. Честно говоря, найти хорошую книгу не так-то и легко. Я предпочитаю исторические романы, классическую и познавательную литературу и некоторые профессиональные книги, касающиеся бизнеса и менеджмента, так как я собираюсь руководить собственным делом в будущем. Я никогда не выбираю книгу только по красочной обложке. Как правило, я перелистываю страницы, читаю об авторе и его наградах. Мои любимые писатели - это Виктор Гюго, Александр Дюма и Дэн Браун.
Разумеется, некоторые книги стали мои фаворитами. Когда я открываю одну из них, я сразу же погружаюсь в мир моих любимых героев. Книга способна заставить меня смеяться или плакать, потому что я начинаю чувствовать именно то, что чувствуют герои. Я испытываю чью-то боль или радость, и я осознаю, что искусство слова в некоторых книгах обладает исключительной силой. Книга дает мне возможность взглянуть на нашу жизнь глазами автора, проанализировать и согласиться или нет с его точкой зрения. Иногда книга может полностью изменить мой образ мышления или помочь мне разрешить серьезную личную или психологическую проблему.
К сожалению, сегодня большинство людей и подростков не увлекаются чтением. Они предпочитают походы в ночные клубы или же просто просмотр телевизора. Они считают чтение скучным или пустой тратой времени. По-моему мнению, все зависит от книги. Уверен, что без чтения человек не может стать умным и образованным человеком. Люди будут считать его невежественным, безграмотным и даже невоспитанным, его словарный запас будет бедным.
Следует отметить, что я люблю читать не только книги. Я читаю журналы и также брожу по интернету и регистрируюсь на интересных сайтах. Эти средства информации также могут бесспорно обеспечивать меня безграничными и полезными знаниями. И, между прочим, я часто читаю электронные книги вместо бумажных.
Книга - мой лучший и бесценный друг, и она всегда со мной. Я посвящаю большую часть свободного времени чтению. Я читаю в транспорте или когда мне нужно ждать в очереди. Я всегда беру с собой хорошую книгу в путешествие или в отпуск (на каникулы). И я обычно читаю перед сном, так как это помогает мне отвлечься в конце длинного, стрессового дня. Мне никогда не бывает одиноко, когда в руках есть классная книга.
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Literature is the greatest human property. It is generally known that Russian literature is one of the most voluminous in the world. A. Pushkin, I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky, A. Chekhov are the leaders of the world classical literature. They set a pattern for language, subject matter, and narrative techniques of Russian and world literature. Their works attract readers even today, because everybody can find something special there.
Ivan Turgenev successfully linked social problems with true literary art. His "Hunter"s Sketches" and "Fathers and Sons" depict Russia"s life with realism and with artistry which make these works classics. The problem of the generation gap discussed in his "Fathers and Sons" is very acute today. The everyday life of the Russian provincial gentry is perfectly described by Goncharov in his famous novel "Oblomov". The writer shows how the best and the brightest men can degenerate if they do not see how to use and develop their talents.
Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky are recognised as the best Russian writers. They give a realistic picture of the Russian society of the 19-th century. Their research in a person"s inner world is unique. Their characters do not always know what they really want, and when they think they do know, the fate breaks their illusions. Moral issues are raised in Tolstoy"s and Dostoevsky"s works. Tolstoy"s "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" as well as Dostoevsky"s "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brother Karamazov" focus on serious human problems.
The end of the 19-th century was dominated by Anton Chekhov. He contributed to two genres: short stories and drama. His short stories are really short, but powerful. They make people laugh and cry at the same time. Some of his stories may seem very cruel, but Chekhov simply reflected the Russian life in his prose. His plays are not numerous, but they are really outstanding. "The Cherry Orchard" is his best known play. It is an emotional drama of the decline of a Russian noble family, which shares the fate of the Russian nation.
I also like British literature. My favourite writer is Oscar Wilde. His reputation as a dramatist rests on his comic masterpiece "The Importance of Being Earnest". Within the social intrigues and artificial devices to resolve conflict, Wilde used his wit to create a form of comedy new to the English theatre. Oscar Wilde was the representative of the late 19-th century Aesthetic movement in England. It proclaimed art for art"s sake. Wilde was born in Ireland; he went to Trinity College in Dublin, and later continued his education at Oxford. During the years of study Wilde distinguished himself not only as a classical scholar, but also as a poet by winning the popular prize for his poem. In the early 1880s Wilde established himself in social and artistic circles. His most powerful novel is "The Picture of Dorian Gray." In this novel Wilde shows the darkest corners of a man"s soul. The author"s message can be interpreted in the following way: a person who loves only himself will never be able to realise himself.
America gave the world many great writers. Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Рое, and Walt Whitman dominated in the 19-th century literature. The great American writers of the 20-th century were Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
My favourite American writer is Edgar Allan Рое. Не was an outstanding poet and a short story writer. In Europe Рое was considered the only American poet of significance, the one who created literary works of many varied forms. Рое expressed his deep and sincere feelings in his poems. Edgar Allan Рое is mostly remembered for establishing new symbolic poetry. The "Raven" is his best known poem. The poet used symbols, following the ancient traditions. It is the ancient poetry that helped him to find the unusual rhythm. The symbolic meaning of the "Raven" is unclear; raven is a symbol of eternal life as well as the herald of death. Numerous readers in the United States and other countries admire Poe"s short stories. He was the inventor of the detective stories that became very popular in the 20-th century. Рое won recognition and admiration of the Russian readers very quickly. "The Gold Bug", one of Poe"s best stories, was published in the United States in 1843 and in 1847 it was translated into Russian. Poe"s poetry had tremendous influence on the Russian poets of the beginning of the 20-th century. Such outstanding Russian poets as Balmont and Brusov admired Poe"s poetry. They translated his poems into Russian, and used his motives in their lyrics.
Do you like to return to the books that you have once read?
Yes, I do. There are certain books that I can read any time from virtually any page. Each time I open these books I discover there something new, something that I have missed or misinterpreted during my previous reading. Some people say that rereading books is boring, that there are so many books that they have not read yet, that they will never return to the books they have already read. I can not agree with it. There are many books that are not worth even a single reading, while there are others that have numerous layers. Most of all I like to return to the books that 1 have already read every couple of years just to compare in which way my perception of the author and his book has changed.
What are these books?
It would take me some time simply to mention the books that I love to reread. One of these books is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. When I first got acquainted with this wonderful novel I did not know how to read and my mother read it to me. The first thing I did when I started reading myself was reading "Tom Sawyer." It was as if I met the old friend. Later I was rereading some episodes that I liked most of all and each time I discovered something new. For example, when I was a kid I thought that the adventures of Tom and Huck constituted the most important part of the book. Later I started to understand the humour of Mark Twain. Since my first acquaintance with this author I have read many other novels and short stories by Mark Twain. Reading "Tom Sawyer" again and again enhanced my understanding of Mark Twain not only as a writer, but also as a personality. Now I am trying to read the novel in the original, I think that this will help me to understand both Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer better.
What do you read when you want to have some rest?
As I have already mentioned I read Mark Twain"s stories and novels a lot. But of course there are other English and American writers whom I admire. When I want to have some rest I like to read Jack London"s Alaskan stories such as "The White Silence", "Call of the Wild", and "Burning Daylight." They are unforgettable. Jack London knew the life of the North perfectly well. He met his characters in real life. He was familiar with their needs and troubles. One of J. London"s best stories is "White Fang." It is a story about the adventures of a wolf, who was tamed by the Indians as a sledge dog, and who little by little perceived the law of life: to eat or be eaten. White Fang, is not only the title of the novel, but the name of the wolf as well, who eventually understood that love and kindness ruled the world. I believe that Jack London loved animals. He wrote a lot about them.
Do you read the books of British and American writers in the original or in translation?
It is much easier to read books that are already translated into Russian. At the same time I am reading some books in English that are specifically adapted for Russian pupils. Reading such books is not only fun; it helps me to improve my English, so that I shall be able to read the works of British and American authors in the original. As I have already said, at the moment I am reading "Tom Sawyer" in the original. This is not an easy task for me. But I know this book very well, and this helps me a lot. Thus I can say that reading Russian translations of the English books is the first step toward reading them in the original.
Список литературы
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