UNIT ONE

A FORMAL MOVIE REVIEW

GONE WITH THE WIND

1939 220m........Drama/Historical/Romance
Selznick (U.S.)
Rating:*****/PG

Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivian Leigh (Scarlett OHara), Hattie McDaniel (Mamie), Leslie Howard (Ashley
Wilkes), Olivia De Havilland (Melanie Hamilton)

p, David O Selznick; d, Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood;

The best remembered and most publicized film in Hollywoods flamboyant history, the biggest of David O.
Selznicks good obsessions, and quite probably the most beloved movie of all times.
This star-studded Civil War epic, based on Margaret Mitchells immensely popular novel, is nearly as
powerful and moving today as when first released in 1939. Beneath the surface of a lavish and sometimes awe-
inspiring production lies a deftly handed story about an endlessly fascinating-if not always attractive heroine.
Though shes frequently dismissed as a simpering belle, Scarlett OHara (Vivien Leigh) is a resilient, resourceful
protagonist, equal to acts of real heroism but incapable of cliched nobility. And for many of us, theres a lesson in
her story - that buying into romantic obsession almost certainly guarantees that well end up with the last person we
need.
Leigh won the most coveted role in film history from a field that included Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and
Jean Harlow, among some 2,000 women in a much ballyhooed two-year talent search. Shes nothing short of
perfection. As Rhett Butler, co-star Clark Gable likewise couldnt be bettered. The only player among the major
who disappoints is Leslie Howard - he just isnt handsome or vigorous enough to motivate so much of Scarletts
energy. Supporting performances are generally in high order, though McDaniels heart rugging mammy is rather
cloying.
From a directorial standpoint, the sequences shot by womens director George Cukor are the best. His
style is more lyrical, and more attentive to the literary qualities of the source material, than that of Victor Fleming.
Nowhere is this more evident than the barbecue at Twelve Oaks and the announcement of war-possibly the best
sequence in the piece. Later GWTW under Fleming seems to settle into itself and just tell the story. Despite some
excellent sequences - Scarletts attempt to get Dr.Meade to leave the railroad station springs immediately to mind -
many of the films purely narrative sequences verge on the mundane. Cukor began at the films helm but was
replaced by Fleming (whose WIZARD of OZ was released in 1939). During the course of the production Fleming
suffered a nervous breakdown and Sam Wood stepped in until Fleming was well enough to return.
Although its historical set pieces (e.g. the burning of Atlanta) are brilliantly realized, GWTW should not
be mistaken for history - it romanticizes the slave-owning south and caricatures Reconstruction. Still, its the peak
example of the collaborative artistic achievement for which Hollywoods Golden Age is justly celebrated. To quote
Olivia de Havilland, Every time I see it, I find something fresh, some shade of meaning I hadnt noticed before...
How fortunate that so many gifted people found immortality in GONE WITH THE WIND.
(from The Ninth Virgin Film Guide)

Civil War
The American Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between the mostly northern states of the Union and the southern
states of the Confederacy that declared their independence and claimed the right of secession from the Union. The
Union prevailed in the Civil War.

Reconstruction
In the history of the United States of America, Reconstruction was the period that followed the Civil War when the
southern states were reintegrated in the United States.

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A
READING COMPREHENSION

1. Paraphrase the underlined words and phrases.

2. Is Gone with the Wind one of the most beloved movies of the time in your opinion? Motivate your answer.
3. Why do you think Scarlett OHara is always dismissed as a simpering belle?
4. Why is Scarlett thought to be fascinating, while not always attractive?
5. Do you think the reviewers opinions on the cast are accurate? Motivate your answer.
6. How can you comment upon Olivia de Havillands statement Every time I see it, I find something fresh, some
shade of meaning I hadnt noticed before... How fortunate that so many gifted people found immortality in
GONE WITH THE WIND.?

B
VOCABULARY

1. Fill in the blanks with words and phrases from the text above:
1. GWTW was first _______ in 1939.
2. Many of the films purely narrative sequences verge on the __________.
3. The movie ________ the slave-owning south and ________ Reconstruction.
4. Vivien Leigh is nothing ________ of perfection in this part.
5. McDaniels heart __________ mammy is rather ________.
6. Scarlett is frequently dismissed as a __________ belle.
7. The movie can be seen as a ________ Civil War epic.
8. The main heroine is a _________ resourceful protagonist.
9. The only player among the _______ who disappoints is Leslie Howard.
10. From a directorial ________, the scenes shot by Cukor are the best.
11. Cukor began at the films _______ but was replaced by Fleming.

1. Provide definitions of your own for the following theatre/cinema terms:

1. A dress rehearsal is 2. A title role is
3. A walk-on part is 4. A stagehand is
5. An understudy is 6. A prompter is
7. A stage manager is 8. Props are
9. A continuity girl is 10. A clapper-board man is
11. Extras are 12. Credits are
13. The set is 14. The cast is
15. A flop is 16. A trailer is
17. Subtitles are 18. A close-up shot is
19. A stuntman is 20. A box-office hit is
21. An audition is 22. Editing is

2. Choose the right word:

1. My mother is a very exacting teacher: she does not ______ fools gladly.
A. take to B. suffer C. condone D. accept

2. He ________ after wealth and appreciation despite the success hes had lately.
A. crave B. covet C. hanker D. yearn

3. Dont be so _______! She wont notice you unless you do something. Try offering her something to drink.
A. daft B. deft C. dank D. dire

4. If you dont _______ and claim your inheritance, youll be left penniless.
A. chip in B. barge in C. cave in D. step in
5. She _________spread her slice of toast with marmalade.
A. heavenly B. lavishly C. gloriously D. luxuriously

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6. If you have settled ______the wallpaper, we can now choose the furniture for the new house.
A. for B. on C. in D. into

7. He appeared to be the proud owner of skills of the highest _______.

A. range B. species C. type D. order

8. The money he is supposed to receive are taxed at__________.

A. origin B. source C. start D. onset

9. I think Ill try my luck at winning the big prize. Are you equal _______ the task?
A. for B. at C. of D. to

10. Every time I watch this movie there is a new ________ of meaning that springs to mind.
A. tint B. taint C. tinge D. tingle

3. POLYSEMY: TO BUY. Translate into Romanian:

1. The bank wouldnt help when I was starting the business but they want to buy into it now. 2. What this new
approach buys you is enough time to let the project develop. 3. I cant buy her flimsy excuses, sorry. 4. Unless he
drops the charges, well have to buy him off. 5. A pound today buys much less than it did a year ago. 6. He bought
all his partners out and is now the sole owner of the company. 7. The passengers survived the accident but Im afraid
that the driver bought it. 8. His fame was bought at the expense of health and happiness. 9. Ill have to buy in
potatoes for the winter. 10. Best buys of the week are carrots and cabbages, which are plentiful and cheap.

5. COMPOUNDING. Match the items in the first set to the ones in the second so as to obtain verbal
compounds (some of the items in the first set can be used more than once). Explain the meaning of each
compound you have obtained by trying to find a context for it:

back, sweet, pussy, double, day, blue, cross, man, side, brow, down, match, white, head.

pencil, beat, talk, make, hunt, cross, dream, breed, step, fire, load, dress, date, bite, stab, foot, wash, handle.

C
GRAMMAR
THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

Preliminaries

Lets examine the underlined forms in the sentence below:

(1) The best remembered and most publicized film in Hollywoods flamboyant history, the biggest of David O.
Selznicks good obsessions, and quite probably the most beloved movie of all times.

As we can easily see the underlined participial forms (remembered, publicized), adjectival forms (big, beloved) and
adverbial forms (probably) are integrated in a comparison scale. While in the form quite probably, quite
operates a mere intensification of the degree of probability represented by the adverb probably, the forms best
remembered, most publicized, biggest and most beloved represent an intensification brought to the extreme,
namely superlative forms.

(2) His style is more lyrical, and more attentive to the literary qualities of the source material, than that of Victor
Fleming.

Looking at the sentence above that shows the comparative forms of the adjectives lyrical and attentive, let us
remember some of the main facts about the comparison of adjectives:

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I. Comparing and intensifying

Adjectives can be compared, namely the qualities which they identify may be expressed in varying degrees of
comparison represented by the comparative (bigger, more attentive, less attentive) or the superlative (the biggest,
the most attentive, the least attentive).

Adjectives can be also intensified (quite probable, very probable), without receiving a precise, definite degree or
value. In order to understand the distinction between comparison and intensification, lets examine the following
examples:

(3) Pauls wife is thinner than his mistress. ( Pauls wife weighs six pounds less than Pauls mistress.)
(4) Pauls wife is the thinnest woman in the world. (Pauls wife weighs less than everybody I have seen)

(5) Pauls wife is rather thin, dont you think? (I think she is thin, but I cant precisely tell how thin.)
(6) Pauls wife is very thin. (I think she is definitely thin, but I dont necessarily compare her to others.)
(7) Pauls wife has become horribly thin. (She is thin to a degree that horrifies me.)

The sentences above show clearly that there is a difference between comparison and intensification. Sentences (3),
(4) show precisely what the degree of thinness of Pauls wife is, namely in (3), it is greater than someone elses or,
in (4), it is the greatest degree in the set of the world (thinner than everyone else), according to the speaker.
Sentences (5), (6), (7) do not show values as precise as the ones shown in (3), (4). Here, what the speaker tells us is
that the intensity of Pauls wifes thinness is great, according to him, but he does not indicate the precise degree of
her thinness in comparison to someone elses.

2. Remembering about the comparison of adjectives

The table below will remind you some simple facts about the comparison of adjectives:

hot COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

clever, Superiority Inferiority Superiority Inferiority
attentive,
loyal,
bad
Inflectional hotter, - the hottest, -
cleverer the cleverest
Phrasal more attentive, less hot, the most attentive the least hot,
more loyal less clever the most loyal the least clever,
less attentive, the least attentive,
less loyal, the least loyal,
less bad the least bad

Irregular worse - the worst -

A few rules will makes the table above clearer:

i. Inferiority is always expressed by phrasal comparison as shown above less/least

ii. All adjectives with one syllable (thin, hot, fast) and all adjectives with two syllables ending on -y (easy,
happy, pretty, dirty), -er (clever), -le (simple), -ow (narrow) have inflectional comparison in er/-est
iii. All adjectives with more than one syllable (with the exception of the two syllable adjectives in 2) have
phrasal comparison with more/most
iv. A limited number of widely used adjectives have kept the irregular forms they had in Anglo-Saxon.
Examples: bad-worse-the worst, much-more-the most. Try to remember other examples.

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v. There are spelling rules to be obeyed in order to form inflectional comparison. With the help of examples,
try to remember the spelling rules that you have already learned.

Nota bene!
You have to make a distinction between most as a superlative comparison marker and most as an intensifier (which
is rather formal):

Your daughter is the most beautiful woman in the world. (superlative)

I found a most interesting book in that bookshop down the corner. (intensifier)

3. Gradable and non-gradable adjectives

(8) Jean saw a foreign film.

(9) ??? The film Jean saw is more foreign than the one Bill saw.
(10) ??? The film I saw was the most foreign of them all.
(11)??? The film Jean saw is very foreign.

As you can see in the examples above, not all adjectives can be compared or intensified. This is why we can divide
the class of adjectives into gradable (those that can be compared and intensified), such as hot, attentive or bad and
non-gradable (those that cant be compared and intensified), such as foreign.

Generally, adjectives that show the qualities of a thing are always gradable. We can give a few examples such as
old, new, nice and beautiful. Since all these show qualities, they can be compared and intensified.

Non-gradable adjectives can be adjectives that do not show so much the quality of a thing but its belonging in a
class. Many such classifying adjectives are non-gradable, such as:

French, English, foreign, ajar, ruined, dead, alive, married, single, separate, square, triangular, etc.

If you think about the adjectives above, it becomes clear that they mark an object as belonging to a certain class (that
of French objects/persons or that of married people). They do not mark the quality an object or a person might have,
as old, new or hot can do.

One other group of non-gradable adjectives is represented by those already having absolute or superlative values:

perfect, optimal, maximum, unique, false, utmost, absolute, etc.

Nota bene!
Even non-gradable adjectives can be compared and intensified!
Yes, some of them can indeed, but if you do that you operate a change in meaning. Lets examine the following
examples:

(12) ???This object more French than the other.

(13) ???This is fish is more alive than the other.

(14) Pierre is more French than Marcel.

(15) My mother is very French.

(16) Susan is more alive than you think.

(17) Today I felt very much alive.

The first two sentences are ungrammatical. Here French and alive are used with their basic meaning and this is
why they are non-gradable. However, sentences (14), (15) and (16), (17) can be interpreted as grammatical, even if
alive and French have been compared/intensified. The sentences can be interpreted as correct, if we give a
different meaning, a figurative meaning to the adjectives. In (14) and (15) French can be thought to refer to the
quality of being French. For example, Pierre is seen to be more French than Marcel, because he behaves more like

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French persons do than Marcel, or because, who knows, hes more nationalistic than Marcel. In the same manner,
alive can be taken in its figurative meaning, namely lively or full of life, etc.

4. Various means of intensifying adjectives

We have already seen the ways in which adjectives can be compared. Let us take a look at the means of intensifying
adjectives. There are intensifiers that can do that, such as:

quite
(18) This tea is quite hot.

rather
(19) Her husband is rather old.

really
(20) My linguistics teacher is really annoying.

so
(21) That music you play is so loud!

how (in exclamative sentences)

(22) How interesting this movie is!

very
(23) The movie I saw last night is very entertaining.

As you can see above, some words can be used with no other meanings, but as that of intensifiers, but there are
words that apart from being used as mere intensifiers, can also function independently. Such words are adverbs such
as:

extremely, immensely, hugely, fairly, fantastically, incredibly, etc.

terribly, awfully, dreadfully, horribly, etc.

Compare:
(24) You sang fantastically!
(25) She spent a fantastically large amount of money in that shop.

Compare:
(26) She sang terribly!
(27) She was terribly tired and couldnt come to the party.

5. Intensifying participles used adjectivally

Past participles that are used as adjectives can be compared in the same way as adjectives:

(28) This film has been more publicized than the other.
(29) This has been the most publicized film ever.

There are however some means of intensification that some participles prefer that cant be used for adjectives, such
as better/best or much:

(30) This director is best remembered or better known for this feature.
(31) This is the much acclaimed and the much criticized play that was staged last year.

5. A case of metaphoric intensification

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There are other means of intensification that can be used for certain adjectives. For example in the case of colours,
there is a variety of adjectives/nouns used as modifiers meant to express the degrees and variety of a colour, such as:

bottle green, deep purple, navy blue, dark grey, light blue, pale yellow, soft green, dull grey, etc.

In the same way, metaphoric intensification can be achieved for other adjectives. Lets give some examples:

stark naked, raving mad, stinking rich, etc.

EXERCISES

1*. Translate into English:

1. Malvolio era mbrcat ntr-o jiletc verde przuliu i purta nite ciorpei galbeni iptor cu jartiere ncruciate.
2. Am citit cartea ta mult ludat i nu mi s-a prut cine tie ce. Cred c ai fi mai cunoscut dac te-ai mulumi s
scrii doar piese.
3. Fratele lui Joan a venit asear acas beat mort. Cu ct pleac mai repede de pe capul meu, cu att mai bine.
4. Afar era un ger de crpau pietrele i am ajuns acas cu adevrat ngheat.
5. Ann este cam prostu, dar este chiar priceput la treburile gospodriei.
6. Vino i tu la petrecere cu noi. Cu ct vom fi mai muli, cu att mai bine.
7. Nu-mi place s port haine bleumarin nchis, cu att mai puin n fiecare zi.
8. Apa din cad era ngrozitor de fierbinte i sincer s spun, nu tiu cum ai fcut baie n ea, cu att mai mult cu ct
tiu c eti bolnav de inim.
9. S tii c piesa a fost extraordinar de frumoas i ar fi fost cu mult mai frumos dac ar fi venit i prinii ti s-o
vad.
10. Este oribil de zgrcit cu toate c e putred de bogat i are cei mai muli bani din ora.
11. Nu m-a cstori cu Victor nici dac ar fi ultimul brbat de pe Pmnt!
12. Oglind, oglinjoar, cine-i mai frumoas-n ar?
13. Cred c brbatul tu este destul de chipe ns este ngozitor de slab, pe cnd iubitul lui Ann este al naibii de
artos i pe deasupra extraordinar de musculos.
14. Chiar dac n camer era ntuneric bezn se gndi c ar fi mai simplu s-i atepte prietenul acolo, n cazul n
care acesta venea mai devreme.
15. Dei era gol puc i teribil de obosit, i lu inima-n dini s se mbrace i plec chiar mult mai repede dect
anticipase.
16. Nu vreau absolut deloc s te critic, dar cred c dac ai fi mai puin ngrijorat de reacia celorlali i mai
preocupat de propriile-i griji, ai fi mai fericit.
17. E blond rocat, frumoas de-i taie rsuflarea i, pe deasupra, are o minte brici.
18. Dei era srac lipit pmntului, a reuit s-i construiasc o cas cu mult mai frumoas dect a acelora mai
bogai dect el.
19. Uite, cerneala e uscat iasc, nu cred c se mai poate folosi. Ia un pix la tine i renun la stilou.
20. Nenea Gicu e surd toac i n-aude nici dac i rcneti n ureche. Nu-i rmne dect s i scrii bileele dac vrei
s te faci neles.

2. Fill in the blanks with the right choice or choices. Try to find an appropriate Romanian translation for the
combinations thus obtained:

buck, scarlet, deep, snow, shocking, lime, dirt, jet, inky, piping, blood, rock, midnight, iron, primrose, lemon, cherry,
pea, chrome, navy, olive, lily, razor, dove.

..... pink, .....blue, .....sharp, .....white, .......purple, .....

solid, .......black, .......red, ....cheap, ......yellow, .......green, .....grey, .....naked, .....hot

3*. Translate into Romanian:

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1. The chaplain felt most deceitful presiding at funerals, and it would not have astonished him to learn that the
apparition in the tree that day was a manifestation of the Almightys censure for the blasphemy and pride inherent in
his function. To simulate gravity, feign grief and pretend supernatural intelligence of the hereafter in so fearsome
and arcane a circumstance as death seemed the most criminal of offenses. He recalled or was almost convinced he
recalled the scene at the cemetery perfectly. He could still see Major Danby standing as somber as a broken stone
pillar on his side, see almost the exact number of enlisted men and almost the exact places in which they had stood,
and the large, loose, triumphant mound of reddish-brown earth, and the massive, still, depthless sky, so weirdly
blank and blue that day that it was almost poisonous. He would remember them forever, for they were all part and
parcel of the most extraordinary event that had ever befallen him, an event perhaps marvellous, perhaps
pathological, - the vision of the naked man in the tree. How could he explain it? It was not already seen or never
seen, and certainly not almost seen; neither dj vu, jamais vu or presque vu was elastic enough to cover it. Was it a
ghost, then? The dead mans soul? An angel from heaven or a minion from hell? Or was the whole fantastic episode
merely the figment of a diseased imagination, his own, of a deteriorating mind, a rotting brain? The possibility that
there really had been a naked man in the tree two men, actually, since the first had been joined shortly by a second
man clad in a brown moustache and sinister dark garments from head to toe who bent forward ritualistically along
the limb of the tree to offer the first man something to drink from a brown goblet never crossed the chaplains
mind. (Joseph Heller Catch 22)

2. When she abused him in public, she did so with a diamond smile that suggested she was only teasing, that her
constant belittlements were no more than a way of concealing an adoration too enormous to express; it was an
ironising smile that sought to put her behaviour into quotes. This act was never completely convincing. Often, she
drank the anti-alcohol regulations came and went and when she drank she cursed. Confident of her genius,
armed with a tongue as merciless as her beauty and as violent as her work, she excluded nobody from her coloratura
damnations, all delivered with that cheery stone-hard smile that sought to anaesthetise her victims as she ripped out
their innards. (Ask me how it felt! I was her only son. The closer to the bull you work, the likelier you are to be
gored.) (Salman Rushdie The Moors Last Sigh)

3. This was the closest Aurora came to thanking Abraham for the uncomplaining inexhaustibility of his cheques, for
the city of gold he had so quickly built from her familys wealth, which for all its old-money graciousness had been
no more than, as it were, a village, a country-estate, or a small provincial town, compared to the great metropolis of
their present fortune. Aurora was not unaware that her lavishness required maintenance, so that she was bound to
Abie by her own needs. Sometimes she came close to admitting this, even to worrying that the scale of her spending,
or the looseness of her tongue, might bring the house down. Always fond of macabre bedtime stories, she would tell
me the parable of the scorpion and the frog, in which the scorpion, having hitched a ride across a stretch of water in
return for a promise not to attack his mount, breaks his vow and administers a potent and fatal sting. As the frog and
scorpion are both drowning, the murderer apologises to his victim. I couldnt help it, says the scorpion. Its in my
nature.
(Salman Rushdie The Moors Last Sigh)
4. Translate into English:
1. `De presupus c scrisoarea la care se refereau dicomesienii o trimisese Fibula. I-o trimisese imediat, am zis, dup
ce primise de la mine copia amintit. O scrisoare mnioas i cu gelozii de nepoat batrn care-l certa pe Umilit c
se las ncontinuu pclit de dicomesieni, care-i vor mereu banii si-i folosesc numele spre ctigul lor, dup cum l
certa pe Umilit c se lsase nelat i o primise la Viena pe falsa ngrijitoare Zoe Lucescu care n-avea alt misiune
dect s-l spioneze i s-l trasca spre Dicomesia sau spre Mavrocordat pentru a fi mai bine golit de averi i
moteniri. Aps pe termeni, fiindc limbajul Fibulei la mnie l cunosc foarte bine. Limbajul ei devine tot mai
violent pe msur ce nainteaz n vrst, masculinizarea expresiei lund forme tot mai dure. Sunt sigur c n
scrisoarea ei ctre Umilit pe Zoe Lucescu n-a scos-o din tot felul de blasfemii i insulte. (tefan Bnulescu Cartea
milionarului)

2.Vd c te obsedeaz Dinu, rse ea surprinztor de bucuroas. Da, cu ceva timp n urm ai fi avut motive de
nelinite. Adevrul este c m-am ndrgostit de el brusc, nebunete, de parc m-a fi mbolnvit. Brbat frumos,
cutat, admirat... fost sportiv de performan... armata avea o echip foarte bun... Eram foarte bucuroas c-l rpesc
tuturor femeilor din ora... Dac mi-ar fi cerut, i-a fi oferit orice, fr s ezit o clip, clcnd interdiciile tatei. Din
fericire sau nefericire, Dinu nu mi-a cerut nimic, m trata ca pe o copil de gimnaziu... i, cu ct l cunoteam mai
bine, cu att i reduceam din caliti. Nu are nimic imprevizibil n el, triete dup nite reguli foarte rigide... Pentru
fiecare vizit sau ntlnire cu vreun cunoscut se pregtete de parc merge la un seminar. Plou, ninge, tun, el

8
nva citate, memoreaz replici celebre i nu pierde ocazia de a devia discuia spre ceea ce tie. (Augustin Buzura
Recviem pentru nebuni i bestii)

3*. Desigur, asupra lui timpul i fcuse simit apsarea; avea douazeci i ase de ani i i trise o parte a vieii mai
mult pe sub pmnt i prin mlatini, spnd gropi i pregtind ambuscade i se putea s i moar fr s apuce s
vad sfritul luptei i s respire n libertate, dar nu se putea ca aceti opt ani s nu-l fi atins greu i pe inamic, doar
viaa s-a scurs i pentru el i opt ani nu e o glum cu att mai mult cu ct muli dintre ai lui i-au dat i ei viaa pe
aceste locuri i uneori n chinuri la fel de cumplite ca acelea pe care ei le strneau pe unde treceau (fiindc ei au fost
cei care s-au artat cei dinti fr cruare aruncnd din avioane benzin asupra satelor i oamenilor, fcndu-i s ard
ca nite tore, i atunci i lor au nceput s le fie ntinse pe drumurile lor de patrulare nite curse, nu att de
spectaculoase ca flcrile unui incendiu, dar nu mai puin sinistre prin aparena lor inofensiv, gropi de pild,
acoperite cu un capac bine camuflat, la fel de sensibil ca o balan, care se rsturna fulgertor ndata ce era atins cu
piciorul, de pe fundul crora trupul celui czut era ntmpinat de vrfuri ascuite de bambus care i spintecau rinichii
i maele i ale crui urlete nici mcar nu se mai auzeau.) (Marin Preda -
Friguri)

4.Nang simi cum i se nteesc btile inimii i ascultndu-le se mir. Nu i se ntmpla s-i aud inima dect foarte
rar i nc mai rar de emoie, ci mai mult de efort i numai dac era prea flmnd i prea obosit. O dat capturaser o
baterie de artilerie i o duceau n muni prin pduri neumblate. Urcau foarte greu, trgndu tunurile nhmai la ele.
(Marin Preda - Friguri)

5.Nu mai atept ntunericul, iei din ap i se spl de noroi. Afar era mai frig i ncepu s drdie tot aa de tare
ca Hong genistul cnd trecuser pentru prima dat peste Lach-Tray. (Marin Preda - Friguri)

6.Dar intrarea ei n cauz era strin de raiuni militare, dar tot att de puternice, ca un ordin pe care l primea de ast
dat din el nsui, dintr-un Nang pe care nu-l cunotea bine, dar tot att de hotrt, de prudent i de rbdtor: aceast
fat trebuia ferit! Iar acesta era parc mai mult dect un ordin, o oapt parc a unei diviniti care totdeauna l
protejase, dar niciodat nu-i dezvluise prezena, iar acum i-o dezvluia.
(Marin Preda - Friguri)

7. Nineta se mbrcase, dar nu pleca, sttea n fotoliu i continua astfel despre copii i povestirea ei nu mai naint,
s aflu i eu ce fcuse atia ani, poate chiar zece i, fr un motiv aparent, izbucni deodat ntr-un plns
interminabil, asemenea unei Fantine a crei copii se aflau sub puterea unui Thenardier mizerabil, numai c nu era
nici bolnav ca aceea, nu-i vnduse dinii i prul ca s le trimit bani, iar tatl copiilor era departe de a fi un
Thenardier Cu att mai vinovat deci i fr scpare se simea, cu ct, n afar de faptul c i nscuse, nu fcuse
nimic pentru ei. Acest adevr brutal o mpiedica s deschid un proces i s ctige pentru ea mcar unul. N-ar fi
putut ndura s-i aud pe copii n instan optnd pentru tatl lor. I-am ntrebat, zise Nineta, nseninndu-se ca n
faa unei fataliti, i nu mi-au spus chiar nu, dar nici nu mi-au rspuns nimic, semn c pentru ei hotra tatl, dei
cnd le-am pus ntrebarea el nu era de fa. (Marin Preda Cel mai iubit dintre pmnteni)

8. - De ce? ntreb cu nevinovie. Eu gsesc c uneori Capitala e un ora admirabil! Aceast voie bun nu este un
optimism de ar tnr, de popor tnr, de ora tnr?
Costea Lipan se uit posomort la lanul automobilelor i la mbulzeala cltorilor de pe trotuar.
- Optimism numeti dumneata aceasta? Incontien , iresponsabilitate, oricenu optimism! i vezi cum trec, cum
se salut , cum se invidiaz? Doamnei acesteia, care a trecut pe lng noi i se pare c nu are blana destul de scump,
fiindc doamna de dinaintea ei are una nc mai scump. Fiecare hain, fiecare podoab, automobilul acesta lung ct
un vagon i parfumul pe care l las n urma sa feticana aceasta prea vopsit, toate sunt preul unui compromis.
(Cezar Petrescu Calea Victoriei)

9. Dar, aa cum se ntmpl de obicei, bogaii deveneau tot mai bogai, iar sracii tot mai sraci. Existau bogai att
de bogai nct nu mai aveau nevoie s fure sau s pun pe alii s fure ca s rmn n continuare bogai. Dar dac
nu mai prdau, srceau, pentru c nevoiaii furau de la ei. Atunci i-au pltit pe cei mai sraci dintre sraci ca s-i
apere averea de ceilali sraci. Aa au ajuns s instituie poliia i s ridice nchisori.
(Italo Calvino O lume de hoi)

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D
WRITING

1. FORMAL REVIEW: Examine the structure of the movie review provided above. Write a movie review of your
own for a movie of your own choice that would have a similar structure.
2. FOR OR AGAINST: Buying into romantic obsession almost certainly guarantees that well end up with the
last person we need . Argue for or against this statement choosing examples from the movies you have seen.

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