Read the complete biography of Gaston Leroux:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaston_Leroux
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Pre reading activities
Pre-reading tasks
1) Look at the cover of the book. What does the picture suggest? What do you expect the story to be about?
2) Look at these titles from the different chapters in the book. Put them in order according to what you believe the plot could be about:
· A party mask
· Tragedy
· The Persian’s story
· Twenty thousand francs and a Safety Pin
· Box five
· The angel of music
· Erik-Phantom, Monster, or Man?
· Raoul follows the Persian
· The curse
· Is it the ghost?
· A mysterious disappearance
· The scorpion and the grasshopper
Safety pin: a pin with a round cover that fits over the sharp end
Grasshopper: a green insect which jumps about using its long back legs
3) Using the list of titles make up a short story to tell what you expect to read in the book.
4) Do you believe in ghosts?
5) Why may people need to believe in them or invent their existence?
1) Look at the cover of the book. What does the picture suggest? What do you expect the story to be about?
2) Look at these titles from the different chapters in the book. Put them in order according to what you believe the plot could be about:
· A party mask
· Tragedy
· The Persian’s story
· Twenty thousand francs and a Safety Pin
· Box five
· The angel of music
· Erik-Phantom, Monster, or Man?
· Raoul follows the Persian
· The curse
· Is it the ghost?
· A mysterious disappearance
· The scorpion and the grasshopper
Safety pin: a pin with a round cover that fits over the sharp end
Grasshopper: a green insect which jumps about using its long back legs
3) Using the list of titles make up a short story to tell what you expect to read in the book.
4) Do you believe in ghosts?
5) Why may people need to believe in them or invent their existence?
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Final task
Complete the summary of the whole story:
Read the summary and complete it with ONE word in each gap:
This famous classic about a man with a terribly _____________face who falls in love with the beautiful French opera ___________, Christine Daaé, is told after the events happen. Ahistorian researches the events surrounding the mysterious______________ of Viscount Chagny and Christine Daaé and this is his story. He learns from ___________ that the man’sface was so monstrous that ______________ his mother could not look at him when he was a child, and his hope of ever finding ______________was an impossible dream. Much of what we learn about this man, _______________, who almost everyone at the time believes is a _______________, comes at the end of the story when all is revealed ____________the Persian who knew him better ________________ anyone.The story begins when the ghost is _____________ in the Opera __________ the evening of the retirement party for the managers. There is also a ____________ in the Opera that night. The retiring managers inform the new managers that there is a ghost _____________ can bring disaster to the Opera _____________ he does not get what he wants. The new managers laugh and do not _______________ this story until they make the mistake of goingagainst the __________ of the ghost. The ghost is in love ______Christine Daaé and manages to carry her ____________ to his underground house on the lake below the Opera. Shebelieves he is the Angel of Music, ____________ her father promised ________ send after he died. To her ______________ she discovers, when she sees him for the first time that she is in the grip of a terrible monster. Count Chagny’s brother Raoul, the viscount, is ________ in love with Christine but she cannot return his love __________ fear of what the monster will do if he finds them together. The monster and the viscount are ______________ of each other, but the monster is far ____________ and Raoul _____________ up in Erik’s torture room with the Persian who is helping him find Christine. When it seems that there is ____________hope and that they ___________ die in the torture room, the Persian reminds Erik that he once saved Erik’s life. This saves the two men. When Christine touches the monster’s hand, mixes her _______________ with his, and allows the monster to kiss _______________, he has his first and last taste of human affection and _____________. How can he now allow Christine to go _____________ with Raoul? We learn towards the end of the story that Erik was ___________ with no nose and yellow eyes. In fairs all across Europe, he learned ____________. He sang _________________, was the world’s first ventriloquist, and couldperform unbelievable ______________. When a Persian Princess heard about him, she instructed her chief of police, known ______________ the Persian in the story, to bring him to her palace in Mazenderan. The king used Erik’s skills for political _______________. Erik built a palace full of trap doors and secret passages for the king. It was a work of genius and the king ordered Erik’s death so ______________ no one else could have such a palace. The chief of police saved Erik _________________ death and he escaped. Finally, he went to Paris, ______________ he worked for Philippe Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera. During the war, work on the Opera stopped, but Erik continued working alone, building trap doors and secret passages. It is his genius, his talents, and his personal tragedy that _________him to a life as the Phantom of the Opera.
Read the summary and complete it with ONE word in each gap:
This famous classic about a man with a terribly _____________face who falls in love with the beautiful French opera ___________, Christine Daaé, is told after the events happen. Ahistorian researches the events surrounding the mysterious______________ of Viscount Chagny and Christine Daaé and this is his story. He learns from ___________ that the man’sface was so monstrous that ______________ his mother could not look at him when he was a child, and his hope of ever finding ______________was an impossible dream. Much of what we learn about this man, _______________, who almost everyone at the time believes is a _______________, comes at the end of the story when all is revealed ____________the Persian who knew him better ________________ anyone.The story begins when the ghost is _____________ in the Opera __________ the evening of the retirement party for the managers. There is also a ____________ in the Opera that night. The retiring managers inform the new managers that there is a ghost _____________ can bring disaster to the Opera _____________ he does not get what he wants. The new managers laugh and do not _______________ this story until they make the mistake of goingagainst the __________ of the ghost. The ghost is in love ______Christine Daaé and manages to carry her ____________ to his underground house on the lake below the Opera. Shebelieves he is the Angel of Music, ____________ her father promised ________ send after he died. To her ______________ she discovers, when she sees him for the first time that she is in the grip of a terrible monster. Count Chagny’s brother Raoul, the viscount, is ________ in love with Christine but she cannot return his love __________ fear of what the monster will do if he finds them together. The monster and the viscount are ______________ of each other, but the monster is far ____________ and Raoul _____________ up in Erik’s torture room with the Persian who is helping him find Christine. When it seems that there is ____________hope and that they ___________ die in the torture room, the Persian reminds Erik that he once saved Erik’s life. This saves the two men. When Christine touches the monster’s hand, mixes her _______________ with his, and allows the monster to kiss _______________, he has his first and last taste of human affection and _____________. How can he now allow Christine to go _____________ with Raoul? We learn towards the end of the story that Erik was ___________ with no nose and yellow eyes. In fairs all across Europe, he learned ____________. He sang _________________, was the world’s first ventriloquist, and couldperform unbelievable ______________. When a Persian Princess heard about him, she instructed her chief of police, known ______________ the Persian in the story, to bring him to her palace in Mazenderan. The king used Erik’s skills for political _______________. Erik built a palace full of trap doors and secret passages for the king. It was a work of genius and the king ordered Erik’s death so ______________ no one else could have such a palace. The chief of police saved Erik _________________ death and he escaped. Finally, he went to Paris, ______________ he worked for Philippe Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera. During the war, work on the Opera stopped, but Erik continued working alone, building trap doors and secret passages. It is his genius, his talents, and his personal tragedy that _________him to a life as the Phantom of the Opera.
Test
After you finish reading the story do the test to check what you remember:
Chapters 1–3
1 Answer the following questions.
a What are the names of the new managers of theOpera?……………………………………………………
b In which city is the Opera situated?……………………………………………………
c Who is Christine Daaé?……………………………………………………
d What happens to Joseph Buquet?……………………………………………………
e What is the surname of Philippe and Raoul?……………………………………………………
f What demands does the ghost make?……………………………………………………
2 Underline the correct answer.
a Christine Daaé and Raoul Chagny knew each otherfrom the Opera / childhood.
b Christine goes to visit her father’s home / grave.
c Christine’s father is from Germany / Scandinavia.
d Perros-Guirec is in Paris / Brittany.
3 Put the correct word in the sentence.
social /performance/ tongue/ retirement/artistic /retiring /whispers
During this time, the (a) ………… ceremony wastaking place. The most important people in the(b) ………… and (c) ………… world of Parishad met in the entrance hall of the Opera after the(d) ………… . Sorelli waited for the arrival of the(e) ………… managers with a prepared speech onthe tip of her (f ) ………… . Behind her, the corps deballet, young and old, discussed the events of the day in(g) ………… .
Chapters 4–6
4 Match the sentences (a–e) with the numbers (1–5).
a At midnight …..
b If you love me …..
c Raoul saw a red foot followed by another …..
d Raoul answered “Maybe” with so much desperatelove …..
e He kissed her hands and went away, …..
1) then the whole red coat of Red Death met hiseyes.
2) cursing Erik and promising himself to bepatient.
3) be in the little room behind the stairs.
4) that Christine could not hold back the tears.
5) do not let yourself be recognized.
5 Write true (T) or false (F) next to each sentence.
a The ghost wants Madame Giry to get her jobback.
b The ghost wants Carlotta to sing in the opera.
c The ghost threatens to “curse” Faust if hisconditions are not met.
d At the end of Act II of Faust, the managerssee the ghost in Box Five.
e Carlotta sings beautifully during theperformance.
Chapters 7–9
6 Answer the following questions.
a What will happen to Christine if she takes off thering given to her by Erik?……………………………………………………
b Why does Raoul shoot the cat?……………………………………………………
c Who is Monsieur Faure?……………………………………………………
d What is Monsieur Faure investigating?……………………………………………………
e Who lives in the Rue Rivoli?……………………………………………………
7 Tick (3) the sentences which are true.
a Erik tried to drown the Persian.
b The Persian knew Erik from the past.
c Erik used to live in London.
d Erik wears a mask to hide his face.
e Erik was in the war in Persia.
Chapters 10–12
8 Match the following words with their meanings.
a to be confused
b a tragedy
c an emotion
d to be jealous
e a curse
f a ventriloquist
g mysterious
h a genius
1) Something very sad like an accident.
2) A person who can do tricks with his voice.
3) To want something that someone else has.
4) Not to be clear in one’s thinking.
5) Someone who is extremely talented.
6) A feeling.
7) Something strange.
8) A spell that brings bad luck.
Chapters 1–3
1 Answer the following questions.
a What are the names of the new managers of theOpera?……………………………………………………
b In which city is the Opera situated?……………………………………………………
c Who is Christine Daaé?……………………………………………………
d What happens to Joseph Buquet?……………………………………………………
e What is the surname of Philippe and Raoul?……………………………………………………
f What demands does the ghost make?……………………………………………………
2 Underline the correct answer.
a Christine Daaé and Raoul Chagny knew each otherfrom the Opera / childhood.
b Christine goes to visit her father’s home / grave.
c Christine’s father is from Germany / Scandinavia.
d Perros-Guirec is in Paris / Brittany.
3 Put the correct word in the sentence.
social /performance/ tongue/ retirement/artistic /retiring /whispers
During this time, the (a) ………… ceremony wastaking place. The most important people in the(b) ………… and (c) ………… world of Parishad met in the entrance hall of the Opera after the(d) ………… . Sorelli waited for the arrival of the(e) ………… managers with a prepared speech onthe tip of her (f ) ………… . Behind her, the corps deballet, young and old, discussed the events of the day in(g) ………… .
Chapters 4–6
4 Match the sentences (a–e) with the numbers (1–5).
a At midnight …..
b If you love me …..
c Raoul saw a red foot followed by another …..
d Raoul answered “Maybe” with so much desperatelove …..
e He kissed her hands and went away, …..
1) then the whole red coat of Red Death met hiseyes.
2) cursing Erik and promising himself to bepatient.
3) be in the little room behind the stairs.
4) that Christine could not hold back the tears.
5) do not let yourself be recognized.
5 Write true (T) or false (F) next to each sentence.
a The ghost wants Madame Giry to get her jobback.
b The ghost wants Carlotta to sing in the opera.
c The ghost threatens to “curse” Faust if hisconditions are not met.
d At the end of Act II of Faust, the managerssee the ghost in Box Five.
e Carlotta sings beautifully during theperformance.
Chapters 7–9
6 Answer the following questions.
a What will happen to Christine if she takes off thering given to her by Erik?……………………………………………………
b Why does Raoul shoot the cat?……………………………………………………
c Who is Monsieur Faure?……………………………………………………
d What is Monsieur Faure investigating?……………………………………………………
e Who lives in the Rue Rivoli?……………………………………………………
7 Tick (3) the sentences which are true.
a Erik tried to drown the Persian.
b The Persian knew Erik from the past.
c Erik used to live in London.
d Erik wears a mask to hide his face.
e Erik was in the war in Persia.
Chapters 10–12
8 Match the following words with their meanings.
a to be confused
b a tragedy
c an emotion
d to be jealous
e a curse
f a ventriloquist
g mysterious
h a genius
1) Something very sad like an accident.
2) A person who can do tricks with his voice.
3) To want something that someone else has.
4) Not to be clear in one’s thinking.
5) Someone who is extremely talented.
6) A feeling.
7) Something strange.
8) A spell that brings bad luck.
Brief information about the author
Read about the author and answer the questions
Gaston Leroux, born in Paris in 1868, was trained in law, but chose a career in writing. He wrote stories, plays,poems, novels and screenplays. His own extensive travelsaround the world and his knowledge of the layout of theParis Opera are cleverly interwoven into The Phantom ofthe Opera. He was intrigued by the design of the operahouse and thought it would be the perfect setting for adetective story. The story remains as popular today as itwas when he wrote it.
How did the author's experience in travelling help in the development of the story?
Why did he choose the Opera House as the setting for his novel?
Gaston Leroux, born in Paris in 1868, was trained in law, but chose a career in writing. He wrote stories, plays,poems, novels and screenplays. His own extensive travelsaround the world and his knowledge of the layout of theParis Opera are cleverly interwoven into The Phantom ofthe Opera. He was intrigued by the design of the operahouse and thought it would be the perfect setting for adetective story. The story remains as popular today as itwas when he wrote it.
How did the author's experience in travelling help in the development of the story?
Why did he choose the Opera House as the setting for his novel?
Chapters 1- 4 activities
While reading tasks
Chapter 1
1-Who had seen the ghost?
2-What was their reaction?
3-What was the ghost’s appearance?
4-Why do you think the girls in the ballet pretended to have seen the ghost?
5-Who could give a complete description of the ghost and why?
6-Why weren’t they supposed to talk about the ghost?
A theatre box: a small area of a theatre that is separate from where other people are sitting
This is the story of what happened to Joseph Buquet. Read it and find mistakes:
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny held a party to celebrate their retirement. The scenery manager went into Mercier’s office and told them that the body of a man had been found hanging on stage. By the time Monsieur Moncharmin ran to the stage the body had been taken by the ghost. One possible explanation for this could be that the ballet girl had destroyed the rope because they believed it could bring bad luck.
Complete these statements:
Philippe was ____________________________________________
Christine had sung really well but after the performance she________________________________
Raoul went to see Christine but she ____________________________________
Raoul seemed to be _______________________________________________ but he was disappointed as he heard _________________________________________________
When Raoul entered the room and realised _____________________________________
Chapter 2
1-Why do you think the title of the chapter is box five? What could have happened there?Complete this summary of the chapter:
Sorelli was giving a speech for _____________________________________________ when they started shouting as _______________________________________. The ghost vanished in thin air. Later as they were having supper , the ghost ________________________________ but people just looked away. The man at the end of the table told them________________________________ and the managers ___________________. The old managers explained to the new ones that the death of Joseph Buquet was due to ______________________________. The opera ghost had asked for _____________________________and for __________________________. Monsieur Richard disagreed with ______________________________.
2- Role play:
A:Imagine you are the old managers of the Opera House and you are conscious of the fact that the ghost’s will should be respected or else bad consequences could be brought about. You need to convince the new managers of fulfilling the ghost’s requirements in future. Give advice on what to do about the ghost.
B: Imagine you are the new managers of the Opera House. You have had enough of these rumours about a ghost. You believe it is ridiculous to have to respect a ghost’s rules. You are unwilling to continue with this nonsense. You have a meeting with the old managers who will tell you how to manage the theatre. Be ready to justify your point of view on why you oppose their ideas.
Monsieur Richard received a letter that proved that the “joke” about the ghost was not over. Imagine what the content of the letter could be. It was sent by the ghost to the new manager.
Start like this:
Dear Mr. Manager:
I’m sorry to bother you when you must be very busy.........
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your most obedient servant
Opera Ghost
What did Monsieur Richard and Monsieur Moncharmin decide to do about the letter?
What was Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny’s reaction to their invitation? Was it reasonable?
What happened when they sold tickets for box five the following night?
What did they think about Madame Giry’s story?
Chapter 3
Complete these ideas about the chapter:
· The chapter is called The angel of music because.....
· When Raoul saw Christine at the Opera he remembered....
· Raoul confessed to Christine that he ........................
· Raoul was mad at her because......
· Christine explained that her father was dead and that ...........
· If Raoul had opened the door, he ................
Make some speculations about the voice Raoul heard in Christine’s dressing room:
The voice could have been.....
It can’t have been....
It must have been........... because.....
Report what Raoul told the police about the night he followed Christine.
Use these verbs: explain-add-admit-tell-realise
What did the managers see when they inspected box 5?
Chapter 4
What is a curse? Think of situations from films or books in which there was a curse on someone. Tell the other people in the group.
What were the four conditions set by the opera ghost?
What would happen if they didn’t respect the ghost’s conditions?
What was Carlotta threatened with?
What happened that night while Carlotta was singing at the theatre?
Write the newspaper story for the headline that appeared after the “accident” at the theatre:
Two hundred kilos on the head of a servant
Chapter 1
1-Who had seen the ghost?
2-What was their reaction?
3-What was the ghost’s appearance?
4-Why do you think the girls in the ballet pretended to have seen the ghost?
5-Who could give a complete description of the ghost and why?
6-Why weren’t they supposed to talk about the ghost?
A theatre box: a small area of a theatre that is separate from where other people are sitting
This is the story of what happened to Joseph Buquet. Read it and find mistakes:
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny held a party to celebrate their retirement. The scenery manager went into Mercier’s office and told them that the body of a man had been found hanging on stage. By the time Monsieur Moncharmin ran to the stage the body had been taken by the ghost. One possible explanation for this could be that the ballet girl had destroyed the rope because they believed it could bring bad luck.
Complete these statements:
Philippe was ____________________________________________
Christine had sung really well but after the performance she________________________________
Raoul went to see Christine but she ____________________________________
Raoul seemed to be _______________________________________________ but he was disappointed as he heard _________________________________________________
When Raoul entered the room and realised _____________________________________
Chapter 2
1-Why do you think the title of the chapter is box five? What could have happened there?Complete this summary of the chapter:
Sorelli was giving a speech for _____________________________________________ when they started shouting as _______________________________________. The ghost vanished in thin air. Later as they were having supper , the ghost ________________________________ but people just looked away. The man at the end of the table told them________________________________ and the managers ___________________. The old managers explained to the new ones that the death of Joseph Buquet was due to ______________________________. The opera ghost had asked for _____________________________and for __________________________. Monsieur Richard disagreed with ______________________________.
2- Role play:
A:Imagine you are the old managers of the Opera House and you are conscious of the fact that the ghost’s will should be respected or else bad consequences could be brought about. You need to convince the new managers of fulfilling the ghost’s requirements in future. Give advice on what to do about the ghost.
B: Imagine you are the new managers of the Opera House. You have had enough of these rumours about a ghost. You believe it is ridiculous to have to respect a ghost’s rules. You are unwilling to continue with this nonsense. You have a meeting with the old managers who will tell you how to manage the theatre. Be ready to justify your point of view on why you oppose their ideas.
Monsieur Richard received a letter that proved that the “joke” about the ghost was not over. Imagine what the content of the letter could be. It was sent by the ghost to the new manager.
Start like this:
Dear Mr. Manager:
I’m sorry to bother you when you must be very busy.........
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your most obedient servant
Opera Ghost
What did Monsieur Richard and Monsieur Moncharmin decide to do about the letter?
What was Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny’s reaction to their invitation? Was it reasonable?
What happened when they sold tickets for box five the following night?
What did they think about Madame Giry’s story?
Chapter 3
Complete these ideas about the chapter:
· The chapter is called The angel of music because.....
· When Raoul saw Christine at the Opera he remembered....
· Raoul confessed to Christine that he ........................
· Raoul was mad at her because......
· Christine explained that her father was dead and that ...........
· If Raoul had opened the door, he ................
Make some speculations about the voice Raoul heard in Christine’s dressing room:
The voice could have been.....
It can’t have been....
It must have been........... because.....
Report what Raoul told the police about the night he followed Christine.
Use these verbs: explain-add-admit-tell-realise
What did the managers see when they inspected box 5?
Chapter 4
What is a curse? Think of situations from films or books in which there was a curse on someone. Tell the other people in the group.
What were the four conditions set by the opera ghost?
What would happen if they didn’t respect the ghost’s conditions?
What was Carlotta threatened with?
What happened that night while Carlotta was singing at the theatre?
Write the newspaper story for the headline that appeared after the “accident” at the theatre:
Two hundred kilos on the head of a servant
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