Vocabulary. epic - эпический scholar - ученый customary - обычный trace - прослеживать tribal - племенной reign - правление daring - смелый

epic - эпический scholar - ученый customary - обычный trace - прослеживать tribal - племенной reign - правление daring - смелый, отважный feat - подвиг deprive - лишать

mead-benches - земельные владения, луга terrify - ужасать, вселять ужас foe - враг

waif - беспризорный ребенок, бездомный человек

make amends for - возмещать убытки

prosper - благоденствовать, процветать

praise - хвала, восхваление

neighboring - соседний

oblige - принуждать, обязывать

obey - повиноваться

tribute - дань

noble - величественный, знатный describe - описывать mighty - могущественный warrior - воин quality - качество

щш

admire - восхищаться strength - сила courage - мужество loyalty - верность, преданность generosity - благородство aid - помощь royal - королевский raid - грабить, опустошать savage - свирепый, беспощадный slay - убивать fearsome - грозный, страшный fire-breathing dragon - огнедышащий дракон fatally - смертельно wounded - раненный funeral - похороны

Answer the Questions

1. What poem is considered the first great work of English literature?

2. Who wrote «Beowulf»?

3. When was it written?

4. What language is it written in?

5. What does Old English poetry use instead of rhyme?

6. In what way docs the poem begin?

7. Hrothgar was a noble king, wasn't he? How is this idea sup­ported in the poem?

8. What does the poem describe?

9. Why was Beowulf considered a mighty warrior?

10.What qualities had Beowulf?

11. How many battles of Beowulf are described in the poem?

12.What docs the poem end with?

2.4. Bede

Bede, (673? - 735), also known as the Vulnerable Bede, was ail English historian and theologian (one who studies God and religion). His name is also spelled as Baeda. Bede's writings on history, sci­ence, and theology arc regarded as the most intelligent summary ever prepared of Western knowledge in the 6(X)'s and 7(X)'s. Scholars con­sider his «Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation» (731) the
finest historical work of the early Middle Ages. It is our main source for English history up to that time, and it earned Bede the title, «The Father of English History». Bede's «History» has a simple and direct style, and it includes colorful and interesting tales.

Bede was born in northeastern England, and studied at the mon­asteries of Wearmoulh and Jarrow. Like most educated men of his time, Bede became a monk. He devoted his life to scholarship at Jarrow. Bede understood Greek and probably some Hebrew, and he was familiar with the writings of such earlier theologians as Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory, and Jerome.