Dealing with unfamiliar words
4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.
1 to make someone feel that they do not belong to your group (exclude)
A good read Unit 2 51
2 to fail to do something that you should do (neglect) 3 to mention something as an example (cite)
4 to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something (withstand) 5 in most situations or cases (normally) 6 to be about to happen in the future (await)
5 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.
When I lived in Britain, one of my favourite radio programmes was called “Desert Island Discs”. The
format was always the same: Guest celebrities were asked to imagine they had been washed ashore on a
desert island, and had to choose nine books – (1) excluding the Bible and Shakespeare, which they were
already provided with – to take with them to the island, to help them (2) withstand the physical and mental
isolation. I sometimes like to think which books I would take. (3) Normally, like most people, I don’t
have much time for reading, and I could (4) cite dozens of books which I have never read but which I
would like to. It’s an opportunity I have (5) awaited all my life, in fact. But what would I choose? Mostly
novels, probably, but I wouldn’t (6) neglect to include a volume or two of poetry. My first choice, I think,
would be Tolstoy’s War and Peace. I’ve never read it, but I’m ready to believe that it is one of the most
marvelous books ever written.
6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. 1 In a good novel, the writer and reader communicate with each other. (interact) 2 I have to face up to the problem sooner or later. (confront) 3 I read the book in one sitting and Mary did too. (likewise)
4 E. M. Forster was one of the most important and respected British novelists of the 20th century. (influential)
5 Do you believe that a work of literature can actually lead to social changes? (induce) 6 Robert Burns was a great poet who wrote in the language variety spoken in Scotland. (dialect)
7 The Time Traveller’s Wife is the story of a man who has a strange and inexplicable genetic disorder. (mysterious)
7 Answer the questions about the words.
1 If you have had a disconcerting experience, do you feel a bit (a) tired, or (b) confused? 2 If you have a vista of something, can you (a) see or imagine it, or (b) go and visit it? 3 Would you express great wrath by (a) smiling at someone, or (b) shouting at them? 4 If you feel enchanted by a book, do you (a) like it a lot, or (b) not like it at all? 5 Is a writer who is supremely talented (a) very good, or (b) quite good at his job?
6 If reading fosters an understanding of certain problems, does it (a) help understanding, or (b) prevent it?
7 If you are desperately trying to get a job, are you (a) trying very hard to get it, or (b) caring little
whether you get it or not?
8 Is a sensation (a) a certainty, or (b) just a feeling?
Active reading (2)
Reading and understanding
2 Choose the best answer to the questions.
1 What does Miller consider to have been an advantage during his writing career? (a) To have been able to read all the books he wanted. (b) To have grown up in a room full of books. (c) To have written without the aid of a library. (d) The fact that he never wanted to own any books.
2 What did three stars on a book mean in the public library in Miller’s youth? (a) Young people weren’t allowed to read them. (b) They were the most popular books in the library. (c) They were intended for children.
(d) They were more exciting than one-star books.
3 Why does Miller hope the star system still exists in public libraries? (a) It is an efficient system which works well.
(b) It discourages people from reading inappropriate books. (c) It makes people interested in reading.
(d) It makes it easier for people to recognize books. 4 Why do people lend books, in Miller’s opinion? (a) Because they feel the need to share their feelings. (b) It’s the best way to make a friend. (c) It’s less risky than lending money.
(d) Because it’s not possible to possess a book for ever.
5 According to Miller, what should you do when you find a book you want to read?
(a) Pick it up and start reading.
(b) Ask a friend for advice about the book.
(c) Think about whether you really need to read it. (d) Only read it if it is original.
6 What does Miller especially admire about Blaise Cendrars? (a) He had a very adventurous life. (b) He was a great writer.
(c) He knew what to do with his time. (d) He read as well as wrote a lot.
Dealing with unfamiliar words
3 Match the words in the box with their definitions.
1 the quality of being new, interesting, and different from anything that anyone has created before
(originality)
2 the process of putting people or things into particular groups according to the features they have
(classification)
3 to make an organized and determined attempt to deal with a problem (tackle) 4 to make something better or more enjoyable (enrich)
5 a difficulty or problem that prevents you from achieving something (obstacle) 6 to sink under water and die (drown) 7 not being used (idle)
8 a suggestion that someone or something is especially suitable or useful for a particular situation
(recommendation)
9 to make a lot of effort to achieve something (strive)
4 Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 3
A Professor Ridgeway, you’ve just written a biography of the poet Shelley, who (1) drowned off the coast
of Italy in 1822 in a sailing accident. As you remind us in the introduction, people’s lives have been
(2) enriched by poetry for thousands of years. What (3) recommendation could you make to a young
poet who is just beginning their career?
B That they should always (4) strive to be themselves, and not to worry about (5) originality. Once they’ve
found their own voice, it will be original in its own way, because everyone is unique.
A So you don’t believe in the (6) classifications which label poets as “romantic” or “modernist” and so on?
B I do, but they have limited value.
A What do you think is the main (7) obstacle facing young poets today?
B I think it is to accept that you cannot be productive all the time. A poet’s mind is never (8) idle and
waiting for the right moment is part of the creative process. All other problems are relative, and can be
(9) tackled when you get to them.
5 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the following words. You may need to make
other changes.
1 I felt depressed and lacking in confidence after reading his criticism of my novel. (demoralized) 2 Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life is about, as the name suggests, the story of his life. (autobiographical)
Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life is, as the name suggests, autobiographical.
3 Shakespeare had an extraordinary talent as a writer, which is without comparison in the history of
English literature. (prodigious; unparalleled)
4 Some people look to a book for pleasure rather than for understanding. (enlightenment)
5 The experiment in banning alcohol drinks in the United States actually led to an increase in crime.
(prohibiting)
6 I’m not sure if it is to their advantage for readers to read this review before they start the book. (advantageous)
7 Miller’s Tropic of Cancer was, without doubt, one of the most infamous novels of the 20th century.
(indubitably)
6 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.
1 If someone makes a confession, do they tell you something (a) personal and secret, or (b) which everyone knows?
2 If someone whets your appetite for something, do they make you (a) desire for it, or (b) dislike it?
3 If you wade through piles of documents, do you (a) read or deal with them, or (b) just ignore them?
4 If you have to forego something, do you (a) finish it quickly, or (b) do without it?
5 Is someone who has business acumen (a) good at business, or (b) without any business skills? 6 Is a repetitive job one in which you do (a) different things, or (b) the same thing every day?
7 If you do something on the side, do you do it (a) in addition to a regular activity, or (b) where no one can see you do it?
Language in use
word formation: -ous
1 Write the adjectives which describe:
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