Разработка к урокам по домашнему чтению на английском языке по сказке "Золушка"

GLOSSARY

Once upon a time, a widower had a daughter who was wonderfully kind and good. He married a second wife who was proud, and very selfish. She had two daughters, and they were as mean as their mother.

The wedding over, the second wife no longer pretended to be pleasant. She knew well that the sweetness of her husband’s child made her own daughters seem even more unpleasant. So she hated the girl, and made her work at all the meanest household tasks.

The poor girl cooked, and scrubbed, and cleaned her sloppy stepsisters’ big, fancy rooms. Her own room was in a tiny, cold attic. But she never complained. She knew it would have disturbed her father, who had troubles enough. His new wife bossed the poor man terribly.

In the evenings, she’d sit by the fire in the cinders. Her stepmother called her Cindercrawler. Her younger sisters, bit quite so mean, changed the name to Cinderella. Despite her name, she was far lovelier in rags than her stepsisters in their expensive gowns.

One day, the king’s son sent invitations to a ball. The girls chattered and scurried, trying on dozens of dresses.

“I’ll wear my red velvet,” said the elder, “the one with red lace.”

“I’ll wear my plain ball gown,” the other sister said. “But I have my diamonds, too. And my cape with gold flowers.”

They had the best beautician in town come to the house to tell them how to do their hair. Cinderella had excellent taste, and they sent for her to ask her opinion.

“I’ll do your hair, if you like,” she said.

As Cinderella brushed away at their hair, they teased her. “Would you like to go to the ball, Cinderella?”

“I’m afraid a ballroom is no place for me,” she answered.

“You are so right. Imagine, a Cindercrawler at a ball. How people would laugh!”

A girl lass good than Cinderella would have made their hair look like haystacks. But she did her best to make her stepsisters stylish. They were pleased. They were so busy primping and prancing at their mirrors that they forgot to eat. They broke dozens of laces, trying to make their waists small. But at last they were ready to leave for the ball. Cinderella watched, and when they had gone, she wept a little for loneliness. Her fairy godmother came to see why she cried.

“I wish I could go to the ball,” Cinderella sobbed.

“Do as I say, and we’ll see,” said the fairy. “Get me a pumpkin from the garden.”

Cinderella brought the biggest pumpkin she could find. The fairy hollowed it out, and tapped it with her wand. It became a splendid golden coach.

Then she saw six mice in a trap. She let them out, tapped them with her wand, and there stood six fine horses.

She still needed a coachman. “Would a rat do?” asked Cinderella.

“Yes, indeed,” said her fairy godmother.

Cinderella brought a rat trap. The fairy chose a rat with long whiskers, and made him into a tall, bearded coachman.

Then the fairy said, “There are six lizards by the garden gate. Bring me them.”

Cinderella brought them. The fairy turned them into lively, trim servants, who hopped up beside the coach.

“There, now,” said the fairy. “You can go to the ball. Are you glad?”

“Yes,” said Cinderella, shyly. “But can I go in these torn, old clothes?”

Then the fairy’s wand really worked a wonder. Cinderella’s rags became a jeweled gown of gold and silver. Her shoes turned into glass slippers, ermine-lined, and just made for dancing. She looked beautiful.

Cinderella got into her coach. Her godmother said, “Have a good time. But remember one thing. You must leave the ball by midnight. If you don’t, your coach will be a pumpkin again. Your horses will be mice. Your servants will be lizards. Your glorious gown will turn back into torn old clothes.”

Cinderella promised to leave before midnight and started out for the ball.

The prince’s courtiers ran to tell him an unknown, beautiful princess had arrived. He came to meet her, and led her into the ballroom. A hush fell over the guests. All eyes were on the exquisite girl. The old king stared, too, and whispered to the queen that it was years since he’d seen anyone so lovely. The ladies noted her hair and gown. They planned to buy things like Cinderella’s, if they could.

The prince led her out to dance. Her dancing was a joy to see. Supper was served, but the prince’s eyes never left Cinderella. She sat with her stepsisters, and gave them some fruit from a basket the prince had given her. They twittered with pride at being noticed – for they didn’t recognize Cinderella at all.

As they chatted, the clock struck a quarter to twelve. Cinderella made her farewells, and left. When she got home she thanked her fairy godmother over and over. Then she asked if she might go to the ball again the next night. The prince had begged her to come. Her godmother said that she could.

Just then, her stepsisters arrived. Cinderella went, yawning, to the door, hoping they’d think she’d been asleep.

They were still exclaiming over the lovely unknown princess. “She was nicer to us than to anyone else,” said the elder. “She even gave us some fruit.”

Cinderella smiled, and asked, “What was her name?”

“No one knows. The prince would give anything to find out.”

“How I’d love to see her. Won’t you lend me a dress, so that I can go to the ball?” said Cinderella.

“What? Cindercrawler in our dresses? Never,” snapped her stepsisters.

Cinderella thought it was just as well. If the mean girls had said yes, Cinderella wouldn’t have known what to do.

The next night, the stepsisters went to the ball again. Cinderella went, too, even more gloriously dressed. The prince never left her side. He was so charming that she forgot the fairy’s warning. She heard the clock strike twelve. Light and quick as a startled deer, she ran off. The prince couldn’t catch her. But one of her slippers fell off and he picked it up tenderly. By the time she reached the gates, coach, servants, and all had gone. Nothing remained of her finery but one glass slipper.

She got home just ahead of her stepsisters. They said, “We saw the princess again. She was more beautiful than ever. But she left so suddenly she lost a glass slipper. The prince found it, and hid it next to his heart. We’re sure he’s in love with her.”

They were right. The next day, the prince announced he would marry the girl whose foot would fit the glass slipper. Princesses, duchesses, ladies, all tried, without success. The herald brought the slipper to Cinderella’s stepsisters, who tried their hardest to make the slipper fit. But they failed. Smiling, Cinderella said, “May I try too?”

Her stepsisters laughed. But the herald said, “My orders are to give a fair try to all.”

Cinderella’s foot fit the slipper as if it had been made for her. And, in fact, it had. The stepsisters almost fainted when Cinderella pulled the other slipper from her pocket, and put it on.

Then the fairy godmother appeared, and with a tap of her wand, Cinderella’s rags were changed into the most beautiful dress you can imagine.

At last her stepsisters recognized her. They knelt at her feet, and said they were sorry for all their meanness. Cinderella hugged them, and said, “Of course I forgive you. Let’s be friends from now on.”

Cinderella was brought in state to the palace. There the eager prince waited. A few days later they were married, with much rejoicing.

Cinderella was just as good as she was beautiful. She brought her sisters to live in the palace, and found them good husbands as soon as she could.

I. Give the English equivalents of the following Russian words:

1. вдовец
2. милый, хороший
3. жаловаться
4. приглашать
5. мнение (по-моему)
6. быть приятным
7. вести приятную и праздную жизнь
8. приезжать, прибывать
9. прятать(ся)
10. обещать
11. Золушке приходилось выполнять всю грязную работу по дому.
12. Золушка никогда не жаловалась.

II. Answer the questions:

1. Why did Cinderella have to do all the meanest household tasks?
2. Did she ever complain?
3. What kind of girl was she?
4. Why did they call her Cinderella?
5. Were the stepmother and her daughters glad to receive (to get) the invitation to a ball?
6. What did the elder sister decide to wear?
7. What did the younger sister want to wear?
8. Who helped them to get ready for the ball?
9. Did Cinderella do her best to make her sisters stylish?
10. Were the girls pleased with their hairdos?
11. What did the sisters do when Cinderella was doing their hair?
12. Why did the girls scurry trying on dozens of dresses?
13. Did they want the prince to fall in love with them?
14. What did the sisters look like? Were they pretty, ugly, fat, thick, thin, lean, funny?

III. Prove that Cinderella’s life was really hard:

Use the expressions:

• What kind of girl was Cinderella?
• What life did her sisters lead?

IV. Decide if the sentences are true or false:

1. The stepmother and her daughters were glad to leave for the ball.
2. The girls chattered and scurried, trying on dozens of dresses.
3. The girls did all the meanest household tasks: cooked, scrubbed and cleaned the rooms.
4. They had the best beautician in town come to the house to tell them how to do their hair.
5. As Cinderella brushed away at their hair, they teased her.
6. When the girls and their mother had gone to the ball, Cinderella wept a little.
7. Cinderella did her best to make their hair stylish.
8. They were primping and prancing at their mirrors.
9. Cinderella brought the biggest pumpkin she could find.
10. Then the fairy’s wand really made a wonder.
11. They broke dozens of laces, trying to make their waists small.
12. Cinderella helped her stepsisters to get ready for the ball.

V. Agree or disagree:

1. Once upon a time there lived a widower who had one daughter and two sons.
2. One day he married a nice and kind woman.
3. His second wife had two daughters who were as mean as their mother.
4. The stepmother and stepsisters loved Cinderella very much.
5. Cinderella lived in a big comfortable room.
6. The stepmother and her daughters did nothing. Cinderella did all the meanest household tasks.
7. One day the stepmother sent invitations to a ball.
8. Cinderella didn’t want to go to the ball.
9. Cinderella went to the ball in her rags.
10. The fairy helped the stepsisters to get ready for the ball.
11. The prince fell in love with Cinderella.
12. The prince was so charming that Cinderella forgot the fairy’s warning.
13. When Cinderella was running off, she’d lost a glass slipper.
14. The prince married Cinderella’s younger sister.

VI. TEST

 Choose the correct variant:

1. Cinderella’s father married …
   a. a second wife
   b. a tenth wife
   c. a fifth wife

2. The younger sister wanted to wear …
   a. a red silk dress with real lace
   b. a white satin dress
   c. a plain ball gown with diamonds

3. The fairy helped Cinderella …
   a. to cook dinner
   b. to get ready for the ball
   c. to do her homework

4. The prince fell in love with …
   a. Cinderella
   b. the elder stepsister
   c. the stepmother

5. The prince married Cinderella and she brought her stepsisters to live …
   a. in the tent
   b. in the palace
   c. in the village

Put the sentences in the correct order:

1. The stepmother hated Cinderella.
2. Then the prince found Cinderella and married her.
3. Once there lived a widower who had a good and kind daughter.
4. Cinderella had to do all the meanest household tasks.
5. When Cinderella was running off she had lost one glass slipper.
6. The prince found a slipper and picked it up.
7. They were as mean as their mother.
8. He married a second wife who was proud and very selfish.
9. The fairy godmother came and helped Cinderella to go to the ball.
10. She had two daughters.
11. Cinderella’s stepsisters envied her.
12. One day the prince sent invitations to a ball.
13. The prince fell in love with Cinderella.
14. When the stepmother and her daughters had gone to the ball Cinderella began to cry.