Сборник текстов и упражнений по внеаудиторному чтению для студентов факультета культуры и искусств, изучающих английский язык. Полторак Д.Л. - 22 стр.

words what I wanted to say. You had brought me something higher.              not pleased you. But you are quite right, Dorian. It was foolish of me,
Now I could see that all art is nothing but a reflection. You had made        and yet I couldn't help it. Oh, don't leave me, don't leave me."
me understand what love really is. My love! My love! Prince Charm-                  But Dorian Gray, with his beautiful eyes, looked down at her,
ing! Prince of life! I have grown sick of shadows. You are more to me         and left the room. Sibyl Vane seemed to him to be absurdly unnatural.
than all art can ever be. When I came on the stage tonight, I could not       Her tears annoyed him. In a few moments he was out of the theatre.
understand why everything had gone from me. I thought that I was go-          ___________________
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ing to be wonderful. I found that I could do nothing. What could they                 gave shape and substance to the shadows of art – облекали
know of love such as ours? Take me away, Dorian – take me away                в живую плоть и кровь бесплотные образы искусства
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with you, where we can be quite alone. I hate the stage. You have made                a trampled flower – растоптанный цветок
me see that."
       He sat down on the sofa and turned away his face.                                                    Exercises
       "You have killed my love," he said. She looked at him in wonder
and laughed. He made no answer. She came across to him, knelt down                  1. Are these sentences true or false:
and pressed his hands to her lips. He drew them away. Then he stood                 1. That night the theatre was full of people.
up and went to the door.                                                            2. Sibyl Vane looked as beautiful as she acted.
       "Yes," he cried, "you have killed my love. I loved you because               3. The audience was following the play with great interest.
you had genius and intellect, because you realized the dreams of great              4. Everybody was waiting for the balcony scene.
poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art1. You have                 5. Dorian admired Sibyl’s acting.
thrown it all away. You are empty and stupid. My God! how mad I was                 6. Basil thought that Sybil might be ill.
to love you! What a fool I have been! You are nothing to me now. I                  7. After meeting with Dorian Sibyl loved the theatre even more.
will never see you again. I will never think of you. I will never mention           8. Sybil was a good actress because she believed in what she
your name. You don't know what you were to me, once. Why, once...             played.
Oh, I wish I had never laid eyes upon you! You have spoiled the ro-
mance of my life. Without your art, you are nothing."                                 2. Answer the questions:
       The girl grew white, and trembled. "You are not serious,                       1. Why did Dorian fall in love with Sibyl?
Dorian?" she murmured. "You are acting."                                              2. Why was the theatre crowded that night?
       "Acting! I leave that to you," he answered.                                    3. Why was the audience leaving the theatre during the perform-
       She rose from her knees and, with an expression of pain in her         ance?
face, came across the room to him. She put her hand upon his arm and                  4. Why was Dorian so upset?
looked into his eyes.                                                                 5. Why was Sibyl’s acting so poor that night?
       "Don't touch me!" he cried and pushed her away. She fell on the                6. What do you think the end of this story may be?
floor and lay there like a trampled flower2.                                          7. What kind of person was Dorian Gray?
       "Dorian, Dorian, don't leave me!" she whispered. "I am so sorry
I didn't act well. I was thinking of you all the time. But I will try – in-
deed, I will try. It came so suddenly across me, my love for you. Don't
go away from me. I will work so hard and try to improve. I love you
better than anything in the world. After all, it is only once that I have

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