First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Taras. I'm seventeen years old. I'm at 11-th grade. There are two more kids in the family besides me my elder brother Oleg and my younger sister Marija

The British Painters, (Joseph Mallord William Turner)
William Turner, a great romantic English landscape painter,
was born in Devonshire in 1775. He lived with his uncle in
Middlesex, where he began to attend school. His first drawings
are dated 1787, when he was only twelve years of age. His
childish sketch-books, filled with drawings, are still preserved
in the British Museum.
When he was 21, he began to exhibit oil paintings as well
as water-colours at the Royal Academy. The first, "Fishermen
at Sea" is now in the Gate Gallery.
He traveled much in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy.
But he never lost his interest in his own country.
As a landscape painter Turner was interested mainly in
light and colour effects. One of his famous paintings is even
called "Light and Colour". His work is high praised by great
critics.
Turner died in London in 1851. His pictures and drawings
became the property of the British nation.
William Turner is considered to be one of the world greatest
painters.
Questions:
1. Where and when was Joseph Turner born?
2. Where did he go to school?
3. At what age did he make his first drawings?
4. When did he begin to exhibit his paintings?
5. Did he stay in his country all his life?
6. What was he interested in as landscape painter?
7. When and where did he die?
8. Who is the owner of Turner's works?


The Most Popular British Writers
William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens remain two of
the most popular and widely known British writers all over
the world. Dickens began his writing career as a journalist,
and all his novels were first published serially in periodicals.
Many of his works highlight the injustice of 19th century
social institutions and inequalities between the rich and the
poor. His most famous works include "Oliver Twist" and
"David Copperfield". As to Shakespeare in addition to writing
35 known plays, he wrote 154 sonnets and sometimes acted
in small parts in his own plays- He is known to have played
the Ghost in "Hamlet". His best known plays include "King
Lear", "A Midsummer night's dream" and "Romeo and Juliet".
The Bronte sister, Charlotte (1816—55), Emily (1818—48)
and Anne (1820—49), were three talented 19th century
women novelists whose works are regarded as classics
today. Charlotte is best known for her novel "Jane Eyre".
The novels of Jane Austen are known for their subtlery of
observation and irony, together with their insights into the
provincial life of the middle-class in the early part of 19th
century. Her works include "Emma", "Pride and Prejudice"
and others.
One of the most widely known English poets is remarkable
because his work has been transcribed, published, read and
comment on since his death. He is Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1345—
1400). His best known work is "The Canterbury Tales", a
collection of tales. Chaucer is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Questions:
1. Who is the most popular and widely known British
writer?
2. When did Dickens begin his career?
3. What plays by Shakespeare do you know?
4. What are the Bronte sisters famous for?
5. What other popular British writers do you know?