Task 2. Vocabulary work

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

Task 1. Authors bio

Present brief information on the author, Suzanne Collins, her way to success, her most famous books, the most important themes in her work. Pay attention to the history of the Hunger Games creation.

Task 2. Vocabulary work

The novel abounds in modern vocabulary. Pick out 100 lexical expressions, give their Russian equivalents, memorize them and be ready for the teacher’s check of your knowledge of the word combinations, e.g.:

1) to turn a blind eye to smth – закрывать глаза на что-либо

2) to blurt out dangerous things – выпаливать опасные вещи

3) to braid one’s hair – заплести волосы в косу

4) to keep tabs on smth – присматривать за кем-то

Task 3. Comprehension check:

Give detailed answers to the following questions:

1. What relationship does Katniss share with the left members of her family? What does Katniss know about her parents? What is she angry with her mother? What is her attitude to Primrose? What is the source of Buttercup’s distrust to Katniss?

2. Who is the breadwinner of the family? What happened to Katniss’s father? Why did Katniss start hunting? How is she treated in the Seam and the Hob?

3. What is the function of the fence separating the meadow and the forest? What dangers may await the citizens of the Seam beyond the fence? Is trespassing in the woods and poaching in the woods legal in District 12? How do the officials (Peacekeepers and the Mayor) treat Katniss’s occupation? What is the function of the Hob?

4. What kind of relationship does Katniss share with Gale? What are her feelings for him? Why doesn't Katniss want to have kids? What other friend in the Seam does she have?

5. Why is Katniss’s name twenty times in the reaping this year? What is tesserae? What makes this year’s reaping so worrying for Katniss?

6. Is Katniss rebellious in her thoughts about the system in the District? What is Gale’s attitude to the tesserae? What does she think about Gale’s remarks about the unfairness of the system?

7. How did the state of Panem appear? What is the political structure of Panem? Where is the Capitol situated? How did it help to win the war? Who and how keep order in the districts?

8. Where is District 12 situated? What is its specialization? What hardship do people in District 12 experience? What things are forbidden and punished for in District 12? Do people from District 12 communicate with other parts of the country?

9. How old are the Hunger Games? How did they start? What is the political meaning of the Hunger Games? What gains does the winner get? Who was the past winner from District 12? Is Haymitch a happy person?

10. What is the meaning of the slogan “And may the odds be ever in your favour”? What is the reaping day? How did this ceremony start? What does the Capitol want to prove to the Districts? Can people avoid this ceremony? How do they use arenas after the Games?

11. Why does Katniss volunteer as a girl tribute? Is volunteering in District 12 a standard procedure? Why/ Why not? How do people express their appreciation of Katniss’s action? What is the meaning of this gesture?

12. Why is Katniss particularly horrified to have Peeta Mellark as a boy tribute? Do they mix in the same social circles? What personal bonds does she have with him? How did Peeta help Katniss? Why did his mother hit him? Why does he remind her of a dandelion?

13. Who comes to say good-bye to Katniss? What promises are given inside the Justice Building? What are her worst fears? What tokens does she receive? What is the mockingjay?

14. What are Peeta’s possible strategies, in Katniss’s opinion? Does she know him well enough to trust or distrust him? Is Peeta’s life easier than Katniss’s?

15. What new luxuries does Katniss enjoy on her way to the Capitol and in the Training Center? How does Katniss express her indignity towards Effie and her Capitol snobbism?

16. What tributes attract Katniss’s attention? Why?

17. Why is Haymitch important for Katniss and Peeta? What are the functions of the mentor? Why, in your opinion, despite being the Games’ winner, does Haymitch drink so much? Can it be a warning to Katniss?

18. What traits of character does Peeta reveal during the trip and the preparation? Why does Katniss resent his concern for her and his kindness to her? What common interests unite them? How do they make Haymitch take them seriously? What deal do they make with him?

19. What does Katniss mean when she associates Peeta with hope that helped her to survive? What did Katniss’s father mean when he said “As long as you can find yourself, you’ll never starve”?

20. How does life in the Capitol differ from District 12? How do the capitol people speak, dress, make up? What are their pastimes? Why do they seem despicable to Katniss?

21. What effect do the prep team try to achieve? Why doesn’t Katniss hate them? Is she embarrassed by their treatment of her body? How does Cinna differ from the rest of stylists? What new image for tributes from District 12 do Cinna and Portia try to create? What elements of District 12 do they use for the local flavour? What impression do Peeta and Katniss holding hands produce on the audience? What creates a touch of rebellion?

22. How does Katniss’s attitude to Peeta progress in the process of training for the Games? What emotions does he invoke in her? What new facts does he reveal about his interest in Katniss? Was Katniss oblivious to Peeta? Why is Katniss so suspicious of Peeta’s words and actions? Is Peeta pretending or living up to his feelings?

23. Who is an Avox? How can the policy of cutting tongues characterize the Capitol? Could Katniss save the red-haired girl? Why is she ashamed?

24. What effect does Katniss produce on people? What makes her a survivor? What advantages do Peeta and Katniss have on the arena? Why does Haymitch want them to stick together as a couple? What allies do they form among the contestants? How does Katniss draw the Gamemakers’ attention? What mark does she get for her impulse?

25. What complexes do the interview sessions with Effie and Haymitch reveal? How does the Avox girl help Katniss? What image does Cinna’s dress create? What important things about Katniss and Peeta are revealed by Ceasar Flickerman?

26. What advantages do the image of star-crossed lovers give to Katniss and Peeta? What are Peeta’s greatest fears?

27. What role do Cinna play in the Launch Room? Why does Katniss avoid staying at the Cornicopia? What prevents her from taking a bow and arrows? What stuff does she manage to grab? Where does she escape to? What does she look for? How many tributes are killed on the first day? Where does she hide at night?

28. What conflicting emotions does Katniss have about Peeta? Why is she shocked to see him with the Career tributes? What does she feel for him? How does his new skills affect her?

29. What survival skills does Katniss demonstrate for potential sponsor on the first day of the Games? How does the thirst affect her? How does she form a mental connection with Haymitch? What new disasters await her after she finds water? What injuries does she get? Why are Careers eager to get Katniss? Who helps her to escape the trap? What sponsor gift does she get? How does Katniss punish the Career pack? What important weapons does Katniss get from Glimmer? How does Peeta save her?

30. What are the effects of tracker jackers’ stings (wasp venom)? What are Katniss’s worst fears? What important things does she learn from Rue? What does Katniss get to know about life in District 11? How does the company of Rue influence Katniss?

31. How does Katniss equal her chances against the Careers? What guards the food supplies? What new skills do the tributes demonstrate while protecting and stealing food supplies? What information about Peeta does Katniss learn? How does Katniss destroy the supplies? What injuries does she get? What effect does the explosion have on the Career pack?

32. What happens to Rue? How does Katniss pay her respect to the girl? How does it influence the audience and sponsors?

33. What made the Gamemakers change the rules of the Games? How does the announcement influence Katniss? What does she think of Peeta now?

34. How does Katniss find Peeta? What survival skill helps him to stay untracked? What conditions is he in? How do they get on? What does she feel for him? What is Katniss supposed to do to get the sponsors’ help? What things does the girl reveal to Peeta?

35. How does Katniss make Peeta let her go to the Cornucopia? What does she need? What saves Katniss from Clove? Why does Thresh let Katniss go?

36. What does Katniss feel with Peeta taking care of her? What intimate memories does he share with her? Does Peeta understand the importance of his bread –giving to Katniss? Is Katniss playing her star-crossed lover role up to the Capitol’s expectations or is there anything true in her behavior? Does she realize the role of Peeta in her life? What plans do they have for the future?

37. Who do District 12 tributes have to fight against after Thresh’s death? Why do they leave their hiding place? How does Foxface die? What makes the couple go to the Cornucopia? What are mutts? How does Cato die?

38. Comment on the following: “… Peeta begins to doze off now, and each time he does, I find myself yelling his name louder and louder because if he goes and dies on me now, I know I’ll go completely insane. He’s fighting it, probably more for me than for him, and it’s hard because unconsciousness would be its own form of escape. But the adrenaline pumping through my body would never allow me to follow him, so I can’t let him go. I just can’t…” What does Katniss feel about losing Peeta?

39. What trick do the Gamemakers want to play on Peeta and Katniss? How does each react to the necessity to kill each other? What plan does Katniss form to save herself and Peeta? What does the girl feel after the hovercraft appears? What does she worry about?

40. How do the prep team meet Katniss? What dangers are still in the air? Why is the Capitol furious at Katniss? What does she have to do to keep them all alive? Is Peeta aware of the danger? How does Katniss act at the interview? How does Peeta react learning that Katniss’s behavior was a strategy to survive?

41. Comment on the following: “… Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. “One more time? For the audience? ” he says. His voice isn’t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me. I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go…”

Task 4. Creative task (choose one of the Variants)

Variant 1:

The novel abounds with different terms of weaponry. Make up a list of them accompanied with a Russian translation, e.g.

1) a bow and a sheath of arrow –– лук и колчан стрел

2) a knife – нож

3) spiked maces – булава с шипами

Variant 2:

The book gives much description of the food Katniss tastes throughout the novel. Make up a list of dishes the book mentions (both traditional and experimental) and give their Russian translation, e.g.

1) goat cheese in basil leaves – козий сыр в листьях базилика

2) greens – зелень, ранние овощи

3) stew – тушенное мясо

Variant 3:

In order to survive Katniss learns to find edible and healing plants. Make up a list of plant names mentioned in the book and give their Russian equivalents, e.g.:

1) catnip – котовник, кошачья мята

2) blackberries – ежевика, ягоды ежевики

3) dandelion – одуванчик

Variant 4:

The survival techniques in the book include a great number of verbs denoting physical (sometimes violent) activities. Make up a list of verbs and give their Russian equivalents, e.g.

1) to bludgeon smb – бить дубинкой

2) to punch smb - ударить кулаком

3) to knock smb - сбить с ног