Read the text.

Mark Twain wrote ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ in 1884. Since then, the book has been published in at least sixty languages, and some people say it is the best book ever created by an American writer. American students have ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ on their school reading.

The writer’s real name was Samuel Clemens. Samuel was born in 1835. He grew up in the state of Missouri on the Mississippi River. After his father died, young Samuel went to work as an assistant to a publisher. Ten years later, he became a pilot on a steamboat that sailed on the Mississippi.

In 1861 Clemens travelled west and became a reporter for newspapers in Nevada and California. He wrote news stories, editorials and sketches under his pen-name Mark Twain. He became one of the best known storytellers in the West.

Mark Twain travelled a lot during his lifetime not only round the USA but also to Europe and the Holy Land. He naturally began writing books about his travels. ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ was published in 1876, and soon after he began writing a sequel, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’.

It took Mark Twain longer to write ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ than any of his other books. He started writing in 1876, but put the story away after about two years of work. He returned to it in 1883, and the following year it was published.

From the beginning, the book was strongly debated. Some critics praised its realism and honesty but the others strongly disliked it.

Today there is no longer any debate about the importance of ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ in American literature. In 1935 Ernest Hemingway wrote: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called 'Huckleberry Finn.' There was nothing before. And there has been nothing as good since."

No wonder then, that the novel ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ was a great inspiration for film producers – more than 20 versions of the book have been shot not only in America but in Europe, Russia and Japan. There are feature films, musicals, cartoons and even Japanese anime.

1 What is the text about? __________________________________________________________________________

– American literature

– Mark Twain

– Adventures

– Tom Sawyer

2 Find the equivalents of these words in the text:

самый известный рассказчик ________________________________________________

книга вызывала бурные обсуждения___________________________________________

критики хвалили___________________________________________________________

неудивительно_________________________________________________________

большое вдохновение_______________________________________________________

художественные фильмы________________________________________________

3 Write answers to the questions:

1. Is Samuel Clemens Mark Twain’s book character?

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2. What did Samuel Clemens do before writing?

__________________________________________________________________________

3. Why did he write books about travels?

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4. What book is called “the best book ever created by an American writer”?

__________________________________________________________________________

5. When was ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ published?

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6. What was this book praised for?

__________________________________________________________________________

7. Did Ernest Hemingway like ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’?

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1) 2

2)most famous storyteller.

The book provoked heated discussions.

critics praised.

not surprising.

great inspiration.

art films.

3)Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 to 1910), known by pen name Mark Twain

4)He served an apprenticeship with a printer and then worked as a typesetter, contributing articles to the newspaper of his older brother Orion Clemens.

5)-

6)Some experts call “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” the best book written by an American writer.

7)1884.