Life and Love (The Looking Glass)

Ways with words

Match the words with their meanings

Write the meaning and word class of the following words. Then use them in sentences of your own

1. Implore - verb - to urgently and earnestly beg or plead with someone to do something
   Example sentence: "She implored him to reconsider his decision to leave her."
2. Despair - noun - a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
   Example sentence: "She fell into a state of despair after failing the exam."
3. Beseech - verb - to earnestly and urgently ask or plead with someone to do something
   Example sentence: "He besought her to forgive him for his mistake."
4. Eloquent - adjective - fluent and persuasive in speaking or writing
   Example sentence: "The lawyer gave an eloquent argument in court."
5. Whirl - verb - to move or spin rapidly
   Example sentence: "The dancers whirled around the floor."
6. Egoism - noun - concern for one's own interests and well-being above the well-being of others
   Example sentence: "His egoism led him to make selfish decisions."
7. Agony - noun - extreme physical or mental pain
   Example sentence: "She was in agony after breaking her leg."
8. Delirious - adjective - characterized by extreme excitement or uncontrolled emotion
   Example sentence: "She was delirious with joy after winning the lottery."
9. Delusive - adjective - tending to deceive or mislead; deceptive
   Example sentence: "He had a delusive belief that he could win the race."
10. Compensate - verb - to make up for or balance out something
    Example sentence: "The company compensated him for the loss of his job with a severance package."
11. Mortgage - noun - a legal agreement in which a lender agrees to loan money to a borrower to purchase a property, with the property used as collateral for the loan
    Example sentence: "He took out a mortgage to buy his first house."
12. Brood - verb - to think deeply and at length about something, often in a worried or unhappy way
    Example sentence: "She brooded over her decision for days before finally making up her mind."
13. Prelude - noun - an introduction or preparation for something
    Example sentence: "The band's performance was a prelude to the main event."

Choose the correct word

1. Sarita was shocking/shocked to hear about earthquake. → shocked
2. I think that rainy days in winter are depressing/depressed. → depressing
3. The football match was very exciting/excited. I enjoyed it. → exciting
4. The meals at Delight Café are satisfying/satisfied. → satisfying
5. I've got nothing to do. I'm boring/bored. → bored
6. Tanka is very good at telling funny stories. He can be very amusing/amused. → amusing
7. The teacher's explanation was confusing/confused. Most of the students didn't understand it. → confusing
8. He is such a boring/bored person. He never wants to go out. → boring
9. I will be surprising/surprised if she does well in her test. → surprised
10. Are you interesting/interested in politics? → interested

Write the correct form of the adjective in the blanks as in the example

Example - Grammar rules frustrate me. They're not logical. They are so frustrating.

1. They frustrate me but they don't bore me. I never get …… when I study grammar.
2. If teachers want to interest the students, they must use …… materials.
3. Certain stories interest almost everybody. For example, most students are …… in fairy tales.
4. Certain things frighten me, but I never get …… when I speak English.
5. If I get a good grade, that excites me. And if I get more than ninety percent, I am really ……

Answers

1. They frustrate me but they don't bore me. I never get bored when I study grammar.
2. If teachers want to interest the students, they must use interesting materials.
3. Certain stories interest almost everybody. For example, most students are interested in fairy tales.
4. Certain things frighten me, but I never get frightened when I speak English.
5. If I get a good grade, that excites me. And if I get more than ninety percent, I am really excited.

Comprehension

Answer these questions

a. Who was Nellie? What did she use to dream of?

Nellie is a young, pretty girl, daughter of a landowner and general. She dreams of being married.

b. What was she doing with the looking glass?

Nellie was gazing into the looking glass with exhausted, half-closed eyes.

c. Why did she go to the doctor on one winter night?

She went to the doctor because her husband was ill.

d. What was Stepan Lukitch doing when she reached his bedroom?

Stepan Lukitch was sleeping when Nellie reached his bedroom.

e. Why was the doctor not ready to go to see her husband?

The doctor was not ready to go to see her husband because he was very tired and ill from seeing the typhus patients for the last three days.

f. Why did Stepan Lukitch suggest Nellie to go to the Zemstvo doctor?

Stepan Lukitch suggested Nellie to go to the Zemstvo doctor because he was not able to attend to her due to his own illness and believed that Nellie needed immediate medical treatment.

g. Nellie said, "Come, perform that heroic deed! Have pity on us!" What was that pity to be done?

The pity to be done was to treat Nellie's husband.

h. When Nellie said, "I must have fallen asleep." What does it mean?

When Nellie says "I must have fallen asleep," it means that she is not sure whether she was awake or asleep when she was seeing the vision in the looking glass. It is possible that Nellie was in a state of semi-consciousness, where she was neither fully awake nor fully asleep, and the experience of seeing the vision in the looking glass could have been a dream or a hallucination.

Alternatively, "I must have fallen asleep" could also be interpreted to mean that Nellie stopped dreaming and was awakened to the harsh realities of her life. In this interpretation, Nellie's vision in the looking glass could be seen as a dream or a escape from the difficulties of her life, and "falling asleep" could represent coming back to reality and facing those difficulties.

i. What is the main theme of the story?

The main theme of the story could be the power of dreams and imagination in shaping our perceptions of reality. The passage describes Nellie's dream-like vision in the looking glass, where she sees the face of her "destined one" and experiences a sense of bliss and happiness. This suggests that Nellie's dreams and imagination have the power to shape her perceptions of reality and provide her with hope and happiness. The contrast between the grey, empty reality described in the passage and the bright, hopeful vision in the looking glass could also be interpreted as a commentary on the role that dreams and imagination play in helping us cope with the difficulties and hardships of life.

"The looking glass (mirror)" is used as a symbol in the story. What does it symbolise?

The looking glass (mirror) in the story could symbolize a number of different things, depending on how it is interpreted. One potential interpretation is that the looking glass symbolizes Nellie's aspirations and dreams. Nellie is described as gazing into the looking glass with "half-closed eyes," suggesting that she is lost in a dreamlike state and is focused on the vision of her "destined one" that appears in the glass. The looking glass could therefore symbolize Nellie's hopes and wishes for the future, and the vision she sees in the glass could represent her aspirations and dreams.

Another potential interpretation is that the looking glass symbolizes the boundary between reality and imagination, or the dividing line between what is and what could be. The looking glass is described as a "non-existent but apparent vista," suggesting that it is a window into an alternate reality or a dream world. The image of Nellie's "destined one" appearing in the looking glass could therefore symbolize the power of imagination and the way that it can shape our perceptions of reality.

Finally, the looking glass could also symbolize the ways in which we see ourselves and the world around us. The looking glass is described as reflecting Nellie's face, hands, and the frame, suggesting that it represents Nellie's own self-image and the way she sees herself in the world. The looking glass could therefore symbolize the way we perceive and understand ourselves and the world around us, and the role that our perceptions and beliefs play in shaping our experiences and reality.

Chekhov employs the magic trick in the story, using a very elegant transition from reality to imagination to reality sequence. Discuss its relevance to life of young people.

In the story, Chekhov uses the magic trick of transitioning from reality to imagination to reality to convey the young girl Nellie's experience of being caught between the harsh realities of her life and her dreams and desires. The looking glass, or mirror, serves as a symbol of the boundary between reality and imagination, as Nellie gazes into it with exhausted eyes and sees a vision of the man she dreams of marrying. This vision is described as a shifting grey background with the outlines of a head, a face, eyebrows, and a beard gradually appearing, suggesting that it is a product of Nellie's imagination rather than a direct representation of reality.

The magic trick of transitioning from reality to imagination and back again can be seen as relevant to the lives of young people in several ways. For one, it highlights the power of imagination and how it can provide an escape from the difficulties and constraints of everyday life. This can be especially important for young people, who may be struggling to find their place in the world and grappling with the expectations and pressures placed upon them. The magic trick can also be seen as a commentary on the way that young people often idealize their future and the people they hope to become, creating a gap between the reality of their lives and the dreams and aspirations they hold.

Additionally, the magic trick can be seen as a metaphor for the way that young people often oscillate between different states of being, as they navigate the complexities of growing up and figuring out their place in the world. On the one hand, they may be caught up in the present moment and the realities of their lives, while on the other hand, they may be lost in their own thoughts and dreams, imagining the possibilities that lie ahead. This duality can be both exciting and unsettling, as young people seek to balance the demands of the present with the promise of the future.

Write a couple of paragraphs about an interesting dream that you have had.

I had a dream last night that I was on a tropical island, basking in the sun and surrounded by crystal clear waters. I was lounging on a beach chair, sipping on a refreshing drink and feeling the cool ocean breeze on my skin.

As I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the sun envelop me, I heard a faint noise in the distance. I opened my eyes and saw a group of dolphins swimming towards me. I was so surprised and delighted by their presence that I jumped up and ran towards the water. As I waded into the shallow waters, the dolphins swam circles around me, seemingly playing and having fun. I laughed and splashed around with them, feeling a sense of joy and freedom that I had never experienced before. It was such a magical and memorable dream, and I woke up feeling grateful and inspired by the beauty and wonder of nature.

Match the expressions in column A with their functions in column B.

Choose the correct answer

1. A: Are you busy this evening?
   B: Yes, I am going to the movies. (will go/am going to)
2. A: Where are you going for holiday this summer?
   B: Not sure yet. Maybe I will go to Ilam. (will go/am going to)
3. I think you will like this movie. (will /are going to )
4. I can’t join you at the party, I am going to be away for two weeks. (will /am going to)
5. This exercise looks really hard. I will help you. (will/am going to)
6. A: Hello. Can I speak to Sima, please?
   B: Just a minute. I will get her. (will/am going to)
7. Perhaps she will pass the exam. (will/is going to)
8. ‘I haven’t got my phone.’ ‘That’s OK. I will lend you mine.’ (will/am going to)

Complete the sentences using will or be going to with the verbs

1. Hari: Did you call Bina?
   Prem: Oh, I forgot. I will call her now. (call)
2. Sunita: Have you got a ticket for the play?
   Hema: Yes, I am going to watch it on Saturday. (watch)
3. ‘The alarm is ringing. It’s making an awful noise.’ ‘OK, I will switch it off.’ (switch)
4. Do you think they will like the presents we got for them? (like)
5. ‘Lok is starting university tomorrow.’ ‘What is he going to study?’ (he/study)
6. If I meet him, I will tell him the news. (tell)
7. The phone is ringing. I will answer it. (answer)
8. If you don’t stop bullying her, I will tell the teacher. (tell)