Текст для чтения среднего уровня сложности.
It is a well-known fact that the language one speaks influences his mind and his comprehension of the world around him. Literature, and especially fiction, is a way to express our comprehension of the world, ideas, feelings and emotions on the paper. That is why I think it possible to say that the fiction of all the English-speaking countries has much in common. Though, I prefer English literature to American one because I believe that the former is much more original in its ideas, it explores the human psychology more profoundly, its philosophic point is stronger.
My favorite English writer is Lewis Carroll, the author of the famous «Alice in Wonderland» and «Through the Looking-Glass», less famous stories, a series of poems, verses and puzzles. His original name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He was a Mathematical Lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford. In July of 1862 he went for a short trip by boat up the river with three little girls. They were the daughters of the Dean, Mr. Liddell. They asked Dodgson to tell them a fairy-tale, which he started to compose just off-hand. He improvised. The main hero was a little girl who resembled the little Alice Liddell and bore the same name. Some time later, Dodgson wrote the manuscript of the story and called it «Alice’s Adventures Underground». Three years passed, new episodes were added to the story, and it was published under the title of «Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland». The book was signed by Dodgson’s nom de guerre Lewis Carroll.
Lewis Carroll remained a Mathematical Lecturer for about fifty years. He was also a Lecturer of Logic and one of the first portrait photographers. His biographers say he was a very polite and accurate person, sometimes even a pedant. Apart from fiction, he wrote several scientific works. Besides, he wrote many letters. The correspondence which remained after him was really enormous.
After the death of Lewis Carroll in 1898, the story of Alice penetrated the folklore of many countries. As for the book itself, it became more and more famous. It’s popular with the people of all ages. Though I am not a child, every time I read about the adventures of Alice, I’m absolutely carried away by the book. I’d even say that it is addressed rather to the adults than to the children. It reminds the grown-ups how clear and disinterested all their intentions and deeds should be. The story is witty, funny, mysterious and philosophic. On the whole, it’s undoubtedly worth reading.
Слова:
comprehension — восприятие
fiction — художественная литература
the former — первый (из двух)
to explore — исследовать
psychology — психология
profoundly — глубоко
verse — стихи
puzzle — задача, головоломка
dean — декан
off-hand — экспромтом
to resemble — напоминать
manuscript — рукопись
nom de guerre — псевдоним
pedant — педант
correspondence — переписка
enormous — огромный
to penetrate — проникать
disinterested — бескорыстный
undoubtedly — несомненно
worth reading — стоит прочесть
