Title: Two%20Letters%20from%20London
1Two Letters from London
1. Background Knowledge
2. Text Analysis
3. Exercises
4. Questions for Discussion
2Background Knowledge
1. London London, capital of Great Britain in
the southeast of England, is one of the largest
cities in the world. It is divided into many
administrative units, the largest of which is
Greater London and the City of London is the
heart of this unit. The City of London takes up a
very small area, about one square mile, lying
north of the Thames near London Bridge. This area
is the business centre of the country.
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3Background Knowledge
London is the national centre of government,
trade, commerce, shipping, finance and industry
it is also one of the cultural centres of the
world. London is a historic city with many
beautiful buildings. The Tower of London,
Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and St.
Pauls Cathedral are major tourist attractions.
The city is also famous for its art galleries and
museums. Among these are the British Museum,
which comprises the British National Museum of
Antiquities and Ethnography and the British
National Library, the National Gallery which
contains Britains best-known collection of
pictures, and the National Portrait Gallery.
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4Background Knowledge
2. Blue jeans Blue jeans are trousers made of
strong blue cotton cloth, worn for work and
informally by men, women, and children. Blue
jeans are also called Cowboy jeans because
cowboys liked to wear such trousers.
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5Background Knowledge
Levi Strauss, a German immigrant, was the
inventor of blue jeans. When he went West, where
he hoped to find gold and become rich, he brought
with him some canvas, a kind of strong cloth. He
used this cloth to make canvas pants, which soon
became very popular among the miners. When he ran
out of canvas, he asked his relatives in New York
to send him more. Instead, they sent him the
wrong cloth. This kind of cloth came from Genes.
Levi changed the spelling of Genes to jeans, dyed
the cloth blue, and called his new pants blue
jeans.
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6Background Knowledge
3. Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway
(1899-1961), spokesman for the Lost Generation,
was an influential US novelist and short-story
writer. His simple and direct style of writing
has been widely imitated by many other writers,
and his stories of courage in the face of death
are reread by each new generation.
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7Background Knowledge
The Sun Also Rises, his first major novel,
was published in 1926, and met with great
success. A Farewell to Arms (1929) and For Whom
the Bell Tolls (1940) were based on his own
experiences in WWI and the Spanish Civil War
respectively and added greatly to his reputation
as a writer. In 1952, Hemingway published his
last successful novel, The Old Man and the Sea.
In 1954, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature. Throughout his life, Hemingway wrote
many short stories. The Snows of Kilimanjaro and
The killers are probably the best known.
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8Background Knowledge
Hemingway was a man of many contradictions.
He was extremely generous and extremely selfish.
He loved life, yet he continually pondered death.
His life was bold and courageous, yet his courage
deserted him in the end. Increasingly ill and
depressed, he committed suicide in 1961.
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9Exercises
1. True/False Questions 2. Multiple-choice
Questions
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10True/False Questions
1. Bob and Jessica were on a business-and-pleasure
trip to London. 2. They both liked London
because they could speak English at a bar or a
restaurant. 3. Bob didnt understand why the
English businessmen did not talk business over
lunch. 4. All the time Bob was thinking of blue
jeans market in England and nothing else.
Answer
11True/False Questions
1. Bob and Jessica were on a business-and-pleasure
trip to London. (T) 2. They both liked London
because they could speak English at a bar or a
restaurant. 3. Bob didnt understand why the
English businessmen did not talk business over
lunch. 4. All the time Bob was thinking of blue
jeans market in England and nothing else.
Answer
12True/False Questions
1. Bob and Jessica were on a business-and-pleasure
trip to London. (T) 2. They both liked London
because they could speak English at a bar or a
restaurant. (F) 3. Bob didnt understand why the
English businessmen did not talk business over
lunch. 4. All the time Bob was thinking of blue
jeans market in England and nothing else.
Answer
13True/False Questions
1. Bob and Jessica were on a business-and-pleasure
trip to London. (T) 2. They both liked London
because they could speak English at a bar or a
restaurant. (F) 3. Bob didnt understand why the
English businessmen did not talk business over
lunch. (T) 4. All the time Bob was thinking of
blue jeans market in England and nothing else.
Answer
14True/False Questions
1. Bob and Jessica were on a business-and-pleasure
trip to London. (T) 2. They both liked London
because they could speak English at a bar or a
restaurant. (F) 3. Bob didnt understand why the
English businessmen did not talk business over
lunch. (T) 4. All the time Bob was thinking of
blue jeans market in England and nothing else. (T)
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15True/False Questions
5. Jessica went up to town and did shopping the
whole day. 6. Jessica had a plan to take Bob on
a tour of the city of London the next day.
7. Bob would agree to go with her. 8. Bob is a
good businessman. London is attractive to him not
as a cultural city but as a big market for blue
jeans.
Answer
16True/False Questions
5. Jessica went up to town and did shopping the
whole day. (F) 6. Jessica had a plan to take Bob
on a tour of the city of London the next day.
7. Bob would agree to go with her. 8. Bob is a
good businessman. London is attractive to him not
as a cultural city but as a big market for blue
jeans.
Answer
17True/False Questions
5. Jessica went up to town and did shopping the
whole day. (F) 6. Jessica had a plan to take Bob
on a tour of the city of London the next day.
(T) 7. Bob would agree to go with her. 8. Bob is
a good businessman. London is attractive to him
not as a cultural city but as a big market for
blue jeans.
Answer
18True/False Questions
5. Jessica went up to town and did shopping the
whole day. (F) 6. Jessica had a plan to take Bob
on a tour of the city of London the next day.
(T) 7. Bob would agree to go with her. (F) 8. Bob
is a good businessman. London is attractive to
him not as a cultural city but as a big market
for blue jeans.
Answer
19True/False Questions
5. Jessica went up to town and did shopping the
whole day. (F) 6. Jessica had a plan to take Bob
on a tour of the city of London the next day.
(T) 7. Bob would agree to go with her. (F) 8. Bob
is a good businessman. London is attractive to
him not as a cultural city but as a big market
for blue jeans. (T)
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20True/False Questions
9. Bob can speak three languages English, French
and Italian. 10.Bob thought Hemingway might be a
businessman in blue jeans like him. This shows he
is quite ignorant. 11.Jessica thought London was
a dull place, unlike Rome or Paris. The only
thing she could do there was going shopping.
Answer
21True/False Questions
9. Bob can speak three languages English, French
and Italian. (F) 10.Bob thought Hemingway might
be a businessman in blue jeans like him. This
shows he is quite ignorant. 11.Jessica thought
London was a dull place, unlike Rome or Paris.
The only thing she could do there was going
shopping.
Answer
22True/False Questions
9. Bob can speak three languages English, French
and Italian. (F) 10.Bob thought Hemingway might
be a businessman in blue jeans like him. This
shows he is quite ignorant. (T) 11.Jessica
thought London was a dull place, unlike Rome or
Paris. The only thing she could do there was
going shopping.
Answer
23True/False Questions
9. Bob can speak three languages English, French
and Italian. (F) 10.Bob thought Hemingway might
be a businessman in blue jeans like him. This
shows he is quite ignorant. (T) 11.Jessica
thought London was a dull place, unlike Rome or
Paris. The only thing she could do there was
going shopping. (F)
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24True/False Questions
12. The Thames River was once called liquid
history because it had witnessed so many
invasions. 13. As husband and wife, Bob and
Jessica have the same interests and tastes.
Answer
25True/False Questions
12. The Thames River was once called liquid
history because it had witnessed so many
invasions. (T) 13. As husband and wife, Bob and
Jessica have the same interests and tastes.
Answer
26True/False Questions
12. The Thames River was once called liquid
history because it had witnessed so many
invasions. (T) 13. As husband and wife, Bob and
Jessica have the same interests and tastes. (F)
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27Multiple-choice Questions
1. Bob liked London because . A) Mr.
Needle was there B) it was a historical city C)
he enjoyed its food D) he thought he would make
it a big market for jeans
Answer
28Multiple-choice Questions
1. Bob liked London because D . A) Mr.
Needle was there B) it was a historical city C)
he enjoyed its food D) he thought he would make
it a big market for jeans
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29Multiple-choice Questions
2. Judging from his letter, Bob is the kind of
person who . A) likes to use foreign
languages when ordering dinner B) feels at ease
with strangers C) thinks of making money most of
the time D) enjoys going to the worlds cultural
capitals
Answer
30Multiple-choice Questions
2. Judging from his letter, Bob is the kind of
person who C . A) likes to use foreign
languages when ordering dinner B) feels at ease
with strangers C) thinks of making money most of
the time D) enjoys going to the worlds cultural
capitals
Next
31Multiple-choice Questions
3. Jessica liked London because . A)
there were dozens of shopping centres in
London B) it was the second largest city in the
world C) it was a cultural city with a long
history D) the Thames ran through the centre of
the city
Answer
32Multiple-choice Questions
3. Jessica liked London because C . A)
there were dozens of shopping centres in
London B) it was the second largest city in the
world C) it was a cultural city with a long
history D) the Thames ran through the centre of
the city
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33Multiple-choice Questions
4. Judging from her letter, on a rainy, cold day,
Jessica would feel . A) unhappy about
having to stay indoors B) quite bored and would
probably sleep all day C) very happy to sit at
home reading a good book D) eager to go out and
buy clothes
Answer
34Multiple-choice Questions
4. Judging from her letter, on a rainy, cold day,
Jessica would feel C . A) unhappy about
having to stay indoors B) quite bored and would
probably sleep all day C) very happy to sit at
home reading a good book D) eager to go out and
buy clothes
Next
35Multiple-choice Questions
5. The expression buy up the town means to
. A) buy everything possible B) buy
something one needs downtown C) buy a few
dresses, hats, etc., that one really doesnt
need D) buy the whole city
Answer
36Multiple-choice Questions
5. The expression buy up the town means to
A . A) buy everything possible B) buy
something one needs downtown C) buy a few
dresses, hats, etc., that one really doesnt
need D) buy the whole city
Next
37Multiple-choice Questions
6. In the long history of England, the Thames
River was noted for . A) its beautiful
scenery B) its geographical position C) the big
population of London D) the dozens of invading
armies which had crossed over it
Answer
38Multiple-choice Questions
6. In the long history of England, the Thames
River was noted for D . A) its beautiful
scenery B) its geographical position C) the big
population of London D) the dozens of invading
armies which had crossed over it
Next
39Multiple-choice Questions
7. If Bob and Jessica had lunch together, which
of the following topics do you think they would
talk about for a while? A) The blue jeans
market. B) The writers of the Bloomsbury
group. C) Their impressions of London. D) The joy
of using foreign languages.
Answer
40Multiple-choice Questions
7. If Bob and Jessica had lunch together, which
of the following topics do you think they would
talk about for a while? (C) A) The blue jeans
market. B) The writers of the Bloomsbury
group. C) Their impressions of London. D) The joy
of using foreign languages.
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41Questions for Discussion
1. Can people with completely different tastes
and interests be good friends or even
couples? 2. Do you think Bob and Jessica will
live happily for ever?
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42Text Analysis
- Two Letters from London
- A persons letters often tell the reader a
lot about his or her character. Read the
following two letters and see if you can find
anything about the different characters of the
husband and his wife.
43Text Analysis
- April 14, 1980
- Hotel Diplomat
- London, England
- Lee Simmons
- President, Cowboy Jeans, Inc.
- 329 River Plaza
- Atlanta, Georgia
- U.S.A.
44Text Analysis
- Dear Lee,
- London is great, Lee, its just great. Rome
and Paris were fine places, but I knew as soon as
we landed in London that this is the finest of
the three. Nobody wears blue jeans here! Lee, I
think London will prove to be a very big market
for Cowboy Jeans. Im sure of it!
45Text Analysis
- It sure is nice to be in London. Its also
nice to hear English again. When you speak a
foreign language you can only say what you can
say. But when you speak your own language, you
can say what you want to. Thats why I like the
English restaurants. When I order a piece of
meat, I know just what Ill be getting. - Let me get back to business. I think you were
very smart to pick Mr. Needle as our sales
representative here. I didnt like him very much
at first. Why, I kept wondering, does he wear
suits instead of blue jeans? But Ive changed my
mind about him. He knows the clothes business
from top to bottom. Yesterday he proved it.
46Text Analysis
- While Jessica went shopping, Mr. Needle and I
toured all the big department stores. You once
told me that you should know your buyers not just
as buyers, but as people. Well. Henry Needle
knows them all. He talked for almost half an hour
with one buyer about his wifes health. Then with
another he talked for almost as long. You will
see the results in my sales report, which I plan
to write tomorrow. We got two very big orders as
a result of all that talking.
47Text Analysis
- At one in the afternoon, Mr. Needle took me
to his club for lunch. We ate with a few other
men around a large table. I was very interested
in what kind of business these men were in. But
nobody talked business! What a waste of time! We
Americans do a lot of business over lunch. But
people are different here, I suppose. They prefer
to tell stories and talk about the news.
48Text Analysis
- The man who sat next to me was a complete
fool. First he told me a long story about a
conversation he had almost twenty years ago with,
as he put it, that American of yours, Ernest
Hemingway. When he finished he asked me what I
thought of Hemingway. - Well, I wanted to laugh in his face. I dont
know anyone by this name. Why would this man
think I did?
49Text Analysis
- So I told the Englishman that our country is
very big, and that I dont know everyone in it.
But, I added, someday I may meet this man. Is he
also in the blue jeans business, I asked? - Well, I think the Englishman felt a little
foolish. He just said no, and then got up and
left the table!
50Text Analysis
- Right now Im sitting in our hotel room.
Jessica should return soon. Yesterday she didnt
buy anything, but I think she will today. Shes
been out shopping for almost eight hours. I hope
she doesnt buy up the town.
51Text Analysis
- Mr. Needle says hello. He said he still
remembers the night he took you to the theater.
He invited us to come to the theater with him
tonight, but I told him we couldnt. Jessica will
be too tired, Im sure. But also, I want to get a
good nights sleep. I want to spend all day
tomorrow writing my report. - I cant wait to get back to Atlanta!
- Sincerely yours,
- Bob Gill
52Text Analysis
- Dear Cynthia,
- Oh, to be in London
- Now that Aprils there,
- Robert Browning, that great English poet,
knew what he was talking about! London in the
spring is really very beautiful, Cynthia. The
trees are in bloom and the sky is sunny. Of
course in Atlanta the trees are also in bloom and
the sun shines brightly. But Atlanta doesnt have
Londons museums, or its theaters, or its two
thousand year history.
53Text Analysis
- There are only two small things which I dont
like about London. First of all, everyone speaks
English here. I had so much fun in Rome and in
Paris. There I could speak in foreign languages.
In restaurants and museums I often asked people
the meaning of words. I made a lot of friends
that way. But here everybody can understand me. I
dont have any reason to start up a conversation
with a stranger. And speaking of restaurants
thats the other problem with London. The food
here is no good at all! I havent had one good
meal in the three days weve been here.
54Text Analysis
- Since you asked me to write to you about
everything I learn on this trip, here is what
Ive learned about London. - Londons population of eleven million makes it
the second largest city in the world. It is
bigger than New York but not as big as Tokyo.
London is twice the size of New York. It has an
area of 620 square miles!
55Text Analysis
- The Thames River runs right through the center
of the city. Someone once called the Thames
liquid history. Its a very good name. Dozens
of armies have crossed it over the past few
thousand years. One of the first was the army of
Julius Caesar two thousand years ago. After it
came the armies of the Angles, the Jutes, the
Saxons, the Danes, the Vikings, and the French.
And most recently Mr. And Mrs. Gill!
56Text Analysis
- So far I have had time to visit only one
neighborhood. It is called Bloomsbury. You
wouldnt believe how many famous writers and
poets have lived in Bloomsbury. In fact there is
a group of writers known as the Bloomsbury Group.
It got its name because so many of them lived
here. Virginia Woolf was one of them. I know how
much you like her novels. - Another writer who lived in Bloomsbury was our
own American poet, T.S. Eliot. Have you ever
wondered why Eliot left America to live in
London? When you come to Bloomsbury, you will
understand.
57Text Analysis
- Bloomsbury is more than just the home of great
artists. It is also the home of great art. Both
the National Gallery and the British Museum are
here. The National Gallery has many rooms filled
with great paintings of the Italian Renaissance.
The painting I like the most is the Birth of
Christ by Piero della Francesca. At the British
Museum I stood for a full hour looking at the
Rosetta Stone.
58Text Analysis
- Baker Street is also part of Bloomsbury. Do you
remember who once lived on Baker Street? (When I
asked Bob this question, he answered, A man who
baked bread, right?) Sherlock Holmes, of course.
I wont have time to find his address. Maybe you
will when you come! - Bob has been working very hard, but tomorrow I
am going to take him on a tour of the city. Since
it will be Sunday, I think well start at Hyde
Park Corner. You know what happens there, dont
you? Thats where people can get up and say
anything they want. Im told its fun to go
there, at least once.
59Text Analysis
- In fact, I hope that Bob has finished the work
he had to do. I also hope that he will have
Monday free. Then I can take him to a few of the
museums. We have so little time here. I dont
think I will even get near a store! But, as Sam
Johnson said, When you tire of London, you tire
of life! - Well, I should mail this letter and go upstairs
to our hotel room. I still havent told Bob all
the plans I have for tonight and tomorrow. Im
sure he will agree to everything. He has already
told me that he loves London.
60Text Analysis
- Stay well, Cynthia. Ill write to you again
before I come home. Dont forget to water my
garden! - Love,
- Jessica
- From Travel, ed., Theodore Gross, New York, 1981.
- Approximately 1430 words.
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61sale seIln. ??the exchange of goods or
services for an amount of money or its
equivalent the act of sellinge.g. This year's
sales promotions haven't been very
successful.???????????
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62suit sjutn. ??a set of matching outer
garments, especially one consisting of a coat
with trousers or a skirte.g. Id like to buy a
man's suit.??????????
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63order 5CdE n. ??a commission or an
instruction to buy, sell, or supply
somethinge.g. Our order will not arrive until
next week.???????????
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64club klQb n. ???a group of people organized
for a common purpose, especially a group that
meets regularlye.g. Jack joined the radio
enthusiasts club.???????????????
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65prefer prI5f\ vt. ????? to choose or be in
the habit of choosing as more desirable or as
having more valuee.g. Which of these two dresses
do you prefer? ????????????
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66poet 5pEJIt n. ?? a writer of poemse.g. He
is a romantic poet.??????????
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67bloom blum n. ??floweringe.g. The gardens
are all in bloom.?????
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68liquid 5lIkwId adj. ?????? of or being a
liquide.g. Now the patient can only eat liquid
food.??????????????
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69dozens dEJzEnz n. ????an indefinite, large
numbere.g. There were dozens of people there.
???????
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70novel 5nRvl n. (??)??a long storye.g.
Dickens wrote many novels. ??????????
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71gallery 5AlErI n. ???a building, an
institution, or a room for the exhibition of
artistic work e.g. He likes going to the art
gallery in his spare time.????????????
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72renaissance rE5neisEns n. ??????the period
of the humanistic revival of classical art,
architecture, literature, roughly the 14th
through the 16th century, marking the transition
from medieval to modern timese.g. Da Vinci is a
famous painter of the Renaissance.???????????????
?
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73mail meIlvt. ??send letters, parcels, etc.
by poste.g. He mailed a letter for me.?????????
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74great very enjoyable, splendid, unusually good
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75sure (colloq. esp. U.S.A.) certainly
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76for almost as long for almost as long as with
the first buyer
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77over lunch while having lunch
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78Ernest Hemingway (5Enist 5hemiNwei)
(1898-1961) an influential US novelist and
short story writer whose style was widely
emulated (??)
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79to laugh in his face ?????
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80felt a little foolish felt a little embarrassed
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81Mr. Needle says hello Mr. Needle sends his
greetings to you.
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82Robert Browning (5rRbEt braJnIN) (1812-1889)
a famous English poet of the 19th century. The
two lines at the beginning of the second letter
are in imitation of his poem Home Thoughts,
from Abroad.
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83The Thames (temz) River ????
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84Julius Caesar (dVUljEs 5sizE) (10044
B.C.) Roman statesman, general and historian
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85the Angles (5ANlz), the Jutes(dVuts), the
Saxons (5sAksnz) the three ancient Germanic
tribes which invaded Britain in the 5th century
after the downfall of the Roman Empire
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86the Danes (deInz) one of the Scandinavian
invaders of England in the 9th and 10th centuries
????????????
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87the Vikings (5vaIkINz) any of the
Scandinavian sea robbers who raided the coasts of
Europe, the British Isles, Iceland and Greenland
in the period from the 8th century to the 10th
century ????
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88Bloomsbury (5blumzberi) a district in
London. In the late 19th century, it became the
main intellectual and cultural centre of London,
and in the 20th century between the world wars it
was the centre for a number of writers and other
intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury Group,
whose principal figures included Virginia Woolf.
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89Virginia Woolf (vE5dVInIE 5wulf)
(1882-1941)English novelist and critic
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90T.S. Eliot (5eljEt) (1888-1965) major 20th
century English poet and critic
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91Piero della Francesca (frAntFeskE)
(1420-1492) Italian painter
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92Rosetta (rEu5zetE) Stone ????
(1799??????????????????,???????,??????????)
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93Sherlock Holmes the main character in many
stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)
????
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94Sam (Samuel) Johnson (1709-1784) English man of
letters, poet, critic, and essayist.
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95at first ??e.g. At first it was very hot, but
then it got cooler. ??????,???????
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96from top to bottom ???e.g. I am disappointed
with him from top to bottom.??????????
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97as a result of ??e.g. He has to quit as a result
of his poor health.?????????????
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98first of all ??,??e.g. First of all, we have to
make a good plan.??,?????????????
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99so far ????e.g. So far, China has only taken
part in one World Cup.????,????????????
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100at least ??e.g. He's going away for at least a
week. ???????????
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101Why, I kept wondering, does he wear suits instead
of blue jeans.?????????????????????
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102He knows the clothes business form top to
bottom.????????????????
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103You once told me that you should know your buyers
ont just as buyers, but as people.???????????????
?????,???????????
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104We got two very big orders as a result of all
that talking.????????????????
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105Bloomsbury is more than just the home of great
artists. It is also the home of great
art.??????????????????,???????????more
than????????????????????e.g. Work is
more than a necessity for most human beings it
is the focus of their life, the source of their
identity and creativity.???????,????????????,????
????,???????????
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106 When you tire of London, you tire of
life!???????????
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107When you speak a foreign language you can only
say what you can say. But when you speak your own
language, you can say what you want
to.?????,?????????????????,???????
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108I was very interested in what kind of business
these men were in. But nobody talked business!
What a waste of time!????????????????????????!???
?????!
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109Well, I wanted to laugh in his face. I dont know
anyone by this name.??????????,?????????????
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110I cant wait to get back to Atlanta!????????????!
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111The Thames River runs right through the center of
the city. Someone once called the Thames liquid
history.???????????,?????????????
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112Questions
- How to write a letter in English?
Reference Answer
113Questions
- How to write a letter in English?
- the heading the salutation the body of the
letter the close
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114Questions
- What kind of person is Bob?
Reference Answer
115Questions
- What kind of person is Bob?
- Bob is a good salesman but quite ignorant in some
areas.
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116Questions
- What kind of person is Jessica?
Reference Answer
117Questions
- What kind of person is Jessica?
- Jessica is knowledgeable. She loves art and
literature.
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118Questions
- What kind of letters are these two, business
letters or personal letters?
Reference Answer
119Questions
- What kind of letters are these two, business
letters or personal letters? - Personal letters.
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120Questions
- What is the tone and style of these two letters?
Reference Answer
121Questions
- What is the tone and style of these two letters?
The tone is casual and the style is direct and
clear.
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