Ivo Andrić

Look quickly through the text and find the information you need.

1. Ivo Andrić was not only a writer but also a ______________. 2. What kind of prize did he receive? ________________ 3. The story of his book The Bridge on the Drina takes place in_____________. 4. Besides novels he wrote ______________________.

Track 5

READING

The history of the Balkans is full of colourful and important figures. Ivo Andrić, a distinguished diplomat, an influential poet, novelist, anda Nobel Prize winner,is certainly one of them. His works reveal his philosophy and sympathy for the sufferings of people and they are written in an objective and serious way, in language of great beauty and purity. Ivo Andrić (1892–1975) was born in the Bosnian town of Travnik. He was educated in many towns and received his doctorate in history in Graz in 1924. He was in the diplomatic service from 1921 to 1941. He left Berlin in 1941 to settle in Belgrade and devoted his time exclusivelyto writing. He wrote his major works The Bridge on the Drina, The Bosnian Storyand Miss during World War II and published them in 1945. After the war, he wrote many short stories and essays. In 1961, this powerful prose writer received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His works have been translated into all the major world languages. He found the material for his works mainly in the folklore and culture of his native Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire. The Nobel Prize committee particularly praised “the epic force with which he depicted human destinies drawn from the history of his country”, especially inhis best-known book,a historical fiction, The Bridge on the Drina.

The Bridge on the Drina is a book about civilization and its changes. Its focus is on the lives, destinies and relationships of the local inhabitants of a quiet Bosnian town, where the bridge is the central and everlasting feature. This masterpiece is a remarkable depiction of social changes in Bosnia from the late 16th century to the beginning of World War I.

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24 Glossary

distinguished – known because of some quality, importance or achievement purity– cleanness to praise – to admire, express a favourable opinion to depict – todescribe; to represent in words depiction – description

COMPREHENSION

Read the text again and decide whether the information in sentences 1-5 is true or false. If false, give the correct answer. 1. Ivo Andrić was educated in Travnik. 2. He studied literature. 3. He mainly wrote about the people of his native Bosnia. 4. The Nobel Committee commented on his impressive style especially. 5. The Bridge on the Drina describes a period of several years.

VOCABULARY

a c b

1 Match the highlighted words in the text (1-7) to their explanations (a-g).

1. to reveal 2. exclusively 3. destiny 4. masterpiece 5. remarkable 6. to settle 7. to devote a. worthy of remark or notice; unusual or surprising b. the greatest work made or done by a person or group c. to make a place one’s permanent home d. to make known e. particularly, entirely f. to spend most of one’s time and energy on something g. fate

2 Use words from Exercise 1 and the Glossary in their correct form to complete these sentences.

1. He is a _______________ nuclear medical physician. 2. The expression on his face _______________ how he felt. 3. He managed to_____________ the events in his stories in quite an interesting way. 4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a cinematic _______________. 5. Everybody agrees that this is an example of absolute _______________of sound. 6. He is a truly _______________ sportsman and an excellent role model for young people. 7. When they _____________, we will come round for dinner.

3 Find words in box B which have the opposite meaning to the words in box A. Use a dictionary to help you.

A B

contrast celebrated reveal remarkable major complexity conceal minor simplicity ordinary similarity unknown

4 Choose 5-6 words from those given in Exercise 3 and write sentences to illustrate their meaning.

Example: Everybody accused him of concealing the truth.

WORD FORMATION

MAKING ADJECTIVES 2

A Study the list of suffixesused to make adjectives from nouns. BMake adjectives using the given suffixes, making any necessary changes to the base word and being careful with spelling. CWrite sentences using the adjectives from box B. Example: sun – sunny - We enjoyed walking through the fields because it was very sunny.

A

Suffix

-ic -ful -y -ly

B C

Adjective

historic powerful windy daily

Make adjectives from these nouns

diplomat/geography ______________________ colour/hope ______________________ storm/sun ______________________ week/friend ______________________

GRAMMAR

THE PAST SIMPLE TENSE

 We use the past simple for an action that happened at a definite time in the past or to tell a story.  The time expressions we use with the past tense are: yesterday, then, when, last week/year, three days/weeks ago, in 1989, How long ago…? etc.

He left Berlin in 1941 to settle in Belgrade.

When did you last see him?

She didn’t buy any books yesterday.

For more information, see the Grammar summary.

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PRACTICE

1 Write the verbs in the positive, negative or question forms of the past simple. Jane: You know, last night _______(be) terrible. I ________ (lock) myself out of the house. Laura: Oh, no! What___________________ (you/do) then? Jane: I ____________ (go) round the house and I ___________(look) for an open window. Laura: ____________________ (you/find) one? Jane: There _________(not/be) any on the ground floor, but there ______ (be) one upstairs. Laura: It’s a pity you _________________ (not/call) us. You’re always welcome to stay here.

2 Read the following conversation and fill in the gaps using the verbs in the box in the correct form.

do play (2) call buy (2) not be visit go

Michael : Hi, Susan! I __________you on Friday, but you ____________at home. What _________you __________last weekend? Susan : I did a lot of things. On Saturday, first I ___________my cousin and then I ____________ shopping. Michael : _________you ____________anything? Susan : Yes, I _____________ a new bag. And on Sunday I ___________ tennis. Michael : Who __________you __________ with? Susan : A friend.

READING AND VOCABULARY

1 Read the text below and circle the answer A, B, or C which best fits each gap.

The Bridge on the Drina

Plot: The book chronicles the bridge and the town for (1)________ three centuries. It is (2)________ with memorable characters, soldiers, lovers, saloon-keepers, priests, and town leaders. Almost from the beginning of the book, Andrić focuses (3)________ a small boy taken (4)________ his mother as part of the tax that Christians had to pay. Andrić describes how the mothers of these children follow their sons crying, (5)________ they reach a river which the children are taken

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across by ferry and the mothers can no longer follow. That child becomes a Muslim and, taking a Turkish name (Mehmed, later Mehmed pasha Sokolović), is promoted quickly and around the age of 60 becomes Grand Vizier. (6)________, that moment of separation (7)________ disturbs him and he decides to order the building of a bridge (8)________ the point on the river where he was parted from his mother.

1. A over 2. A loaded 3. A at 4. A from B more C lengthy B filled C full

B on C to B of C by 5. A when B while C until 6. A Yet B Even C Despite 7. A yet B nevertheless C still 8. A in B on C at

2 Use the adjectives (1-6) to describe other nouns.

Example: remarkable - remarkable achievement; talent; theory…

1. colourful __________________ 2. influential __________________ 3. powerful __________________ 4. everlasting __________________ 5. distinguished __________________ 6. memorable __________________

3 Fill in the correct preposition, then choose any four phrases and make sentences using them. 1. to devote your time_____ ; 2. to translate ______ another language; 3. to comment_______ something; 4. to focus ____ something; 5.to be opposed _______ ; 6. to part ________ a friend; 7. to settle ______ a place

SPEAKING 

1 Who would you vote for as the Greatest Serbs of all time?

2 Look at the photographs of some famous Serbs and say who they are and what you know about them.

WRITING  •

Think about a famous person you know something about (an artist, a musician, a politician, a sportsman, etc.) and write a few lines about them. Don’t reveal their identity. Use he or she.

Read your sentences and the rest of the class should guess who you are describing.

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