IV. Tonal System Read more:

(Borisova – pp.64-69)

1. Define the atmosphere and the tone in the text. What is the author’s attitude to the subject matter determining the tone of the text?

2. What type of irony does the author create? Is this irony developed linguistically or extralinguistically?

3. What language means help to create the prevailing tone? (consider the chosen vocabulary, expressive means and stylistic devices)

Useful Phrases and Clichés on Tonal System

• The text is abound in (with) SD

• SD are scarce

• to resort to/ to make use of/ to underscore

• to detail/ to add to

• to have the knack of portrayal

• to arouse the feeling of

• to convey the sense

• to observe/ trace/ follow through

• The tone of the fragment/ the fragment is performed (maintained) in formal/ semi-formal/ informal/ conversational/ casual/ sympathetic/ cheerful/ vigorous/ humorous/ mock-serious/ lyrical/ dramatic/ excited/ agitated/ passionate/ impassionate/ detached/ matter-of-fact/ dry/ impartial/ melancholy/ moralizing/ unemotional/ pathetic/ sarcastic/ ironical/ bitter/ reproachful key (tone)

• to assume… tone

• The tone is maintained by a number of SD

• to render agreeable/ optimistic/ involved/ detached/ impassive/ indifferent/ critical/ contemptuous/ ironical/cynical attitude

• to jeer, to mock, to satirize, to ridicule, to poke fun of

• to create/ achieve a humorous effect/ a deliberate exasperation.

V. The Message of the Text Read more:

(Borisova – pp.80-86)

1. Define the basic theme of the excerpt and by-themes if any.

2. Formulate the idea that can be gathered from the surface plot of the text and its title. Decide which of the following functions the title has:

1. it may serve as a means of conveying the main idea;

2. as a means of cohesion uniting the components of a story to form a whole;

3. as a means of focusing the reader’s attention on the most relevant characters or details;

4. may characterize the protagonist;

5. may serve as a means of foreshadowing, orienting the reader towards the story.

Useful Phrases and Clichés on Theme, Idea, Message

• The message that the passage carries is/ lies in/ gives censure of/ censures smb/smth

• The idea is suggested…

• The idea that underlies the story gives the authentic (lifelike) picture

• The idea is worded in the following passage

• The outcome of the conflict forcibly stresses the message conveyed by the whole text that…

• The leading idea that runs through the text

• The basic theme is…

• The text is geared to bring home to the reader…

• The plot centres round the problem

• The story is build up around

• The idea finds its particularization in

• The extract concerns/ is devoted/ deals with

• The message is expressed…

• The author is concerned with

• The writers attention is focused on

• The present excerpt treats the subject of

• The central idea lies in exposing the conception of

• The contents are rendered vividly

• a story on the theme of ...

• to raise (pose) a problem

• to reveal its relevance

• the writer's standpoint (views) on

• a moving, exciting, impressive story

• to awaken (arouse) interest

• to retain interest

• to hold the interest of the reader

• to excite (evoke) a feeling, an emotion, a state of mind, the sense of being a witness

• to arouse the reader's excitement, concern, curiosity, emotions

• to excite one's mind

• to touch one's heart

• to stir one's imagination

• to evoke (or elicit) response

• to lay the accent (stress) on, to accentuate, to emphasize , to enforce

• a gifted, talented writer

• a means of conveying the message

• an artistic detail, a particularity

• presupposition

• a means of cohesion

• recurrence, repetition, parallelism

• the author's/ objective message

• a traditional/ personal symbol

• to express something implicitly, indirectly

• to imply, to suggest, to hint at

• to be suggestive, to have implication

• to understand the implied meaning

• a true-to-life story, a realistic story

• to create an impression of truth

• to render reality, to represent life

• to reveal different aspects of human nature, human relationships, people's fates, errors, conflicts, heroism, etc.

• to lay bare, to expose, to reveal.