Gender Readings. Top Ten. Ренц Т.Г - 18 стр.

      “Stop! Stop!” cried Miss Meadows. “This is awful. This is dread-
ful.” And she beamed at her girls. “What’s the matter with you all?
Think, girls, think of what you’re singing. Use your imaginations.
With flowers o’erladen. Baskets of fruit and ribbons to boot. And
congratulate,” Miss Meadows broke off. “Don’t look so doleful, girls. It
ought to sound warm, joyful, eager. Congratulate. Once more. Quickly.
All together. Now then!”
      And this time Miss Meadows’ voice sounded over all the other
voices — full, deep, glowing with expression.

THE AUTHOR
      Katherine Mansfield (1888—1923) was born in New Zealand.
She came to England to finish her education and married J. Mid-
dleton Ìurry, a well-known writer on literary topics. She died in
France after a long illness. Although her life was short, she soon
became well known, both in Britain and on the Continent of Eu-
rope, for her short stories. Her special qualities are, in the words of
one critic, “her tender humanity, her clarity, her wit, and her
courageous gaiety”. “The Singing Lesson” comes from a collection of
short stories which takes its title from the first story in the collec-
tion, “The Garden Party”. Readers who like “The Singing Lesson”
would certainly enjoy “The Garden Party”, which is perhaps her
best-known story.

READING NOTES
      “The Singing Lesson” is a psychological study. The way in which
a music teacher shows her emotion, through the songs that she
teaches her class is cleverly worked out.
      cap and gown: the academic costume which teachers wear in
some secondary schools.
      trod: walked along (present tense, tread).
      a marrying man: the kind of man who wants to get married.
      settling down: leading a quiet, regular life.
      stalked: walked in a stiff manner which showed that she was angry.
      ages and ages: another example of schoolgirls’ slang, in this
case an exaggeration, as the rest of the sentence shows.
      term: the school year in Britain is divided into three sessions
called “terms”, with a holiday after each.

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