LETTURE IN LINGUA

Who is this handsome young man with a generous heart and adventurous spirit? The country gentleman who found the baby boy in his large bed gave him the name Tom Jones and asked his sister to bring him up on their wealthy estate, Paradise Hall. Tom’s charm, vigour and trusting nature often get him into trouble and eventually he is forced to leave home and the woman he loves. He sets off on a journey that takes him along the dusty roads of the English countryside and into the vast city of London where he hopes to find his true identity. Along the way, he meets a number of unforgettable characters who all contribute to his destiny.

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills, extra-readings to discover more about cultural and historical aspects and Mp3 files.

Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland is the story’s unlikely heroine. Gothic novels help her to escape from her ordinary life in the countryside. During a short holiday in Bath with some family’s friends she falls in love with Henry Tilney.

Invited to visit Northanger Abbey, Henry’s estate, her obsession for Gothic novels and her tendency to confuse fiction and reality cause her several problems which will make her progress to maturity and self-knowledge. With this novel, Jane Austen parodies the improbabilities of Gothic fiction and criticizes its influence on women readers.

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to discover more about cultural and historical aspects and Mp3 files.

A classic Shakespearean comedy, where the true nature of love and friendship is questioned. In a fast turn of events, both serious and funny, a smart woman’s plan will make a big difference in the battle between good and evil, saving an innocent from a cruel moneylender.

Shakespeare’s original work is enriched with a subplot, where a group of students studies the comedy to pass an important audition.

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to discover more about cultural and historical aspects. The volume also comes with a set of recordings.

This amusing story recounts a two-week holiday spent on the River Thames by three young men and a dog.

While it describes their adventures, much of the fun is contained in stories which the young men tell.

All the humourous incidents or situations are simple and realistic; they might happen to any of us as part of our daily life. The author also gives us historical and geographical information about the places they visit. Each chapter includes activities testing the four skills and some Pet-style exercises. The volume is further enriched by lexical notes, grammar points, internet projects, dossiers and ends with a final text with Pet-style level B1 activities.

The volume is accompanied by a full recording of the text and online keys to the activities.

The spirited young orphan, Jane Eyre, begins her journey in the home of her uncle and heartless aunt. She is soon sent off to a charity school where she finds cruelty once again.

When she decides to work as a governess for the rich but moody Rochester, she enters a world of locked doors and strange happenings. Here in this house of hidden secrets she finds unexpected happiness, but only for a short time. Tragedy returns, forcing her to leave Rochester’s home and face a hostile world. Will she ever find the true love and independence she is looking for?

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to explore and expand the cultural and historical aspects associated with the story. The volume also provides a recording of some parts of the text.

Animal Farm, with its combination of political allegory and children’s fairy tale, still fascinates readers all over the world. When the animals on Manor Farm overthrow their human master, they attempt to create a utopian state which will give them freedom and equality and be an example to the rest of the world. However, they soon discover that some animals are more equal than others. Orwell explores the dark side of human nature showing how greed and selfishness can lead to tyranny if people are not aware of what is happening around them.

This apparently simple novella gives a clear picture of how power corrupts and how easy it is to manipulate the truth, themes which are just as relevant today as they were in 1945.

Beowulf è l’eroe forte e coraggioso di un poema epico anglosassone di un autore anonimo. Dalla Svezia, Beowulf si reca in Danimarca in aiuto del vecchio re vittima degli attacchi di Grendel, un mostro sanguinario, che semina il terrore nella sua reggia. Dopo aver ferito a morte Grendel, e dopo aver affrontato coraggiosamente la violenza vendicatrice della made di Grendel, Beowulf ritorna in Svezia dove diventa re e regna a lungo finché un altro mostro lo riporterà in combattimento.

Il volume è corredato di apparato didattico, registrazione audio e tre dossier di espansione.

Othello è il protagonista di questo dramma di William Shakespeare composto intorno al 1604. Tra i capolavori del teatro shakespeariano, l’opera è famosa come la tragedia della gelosia, anche se molti altri temi, quali invidia, odio e tradimento si intrecciano nella trama. La tragedia comincia con lo scandalo causato dalla fuga della bella Desdemona con Othello, un generale di pelle nera al servizio della Repubblica di Venezia. Othello è profondamente innamorato di Desdemona ed è da lei riamato. È il suo luogotenente, Iago, a turbare questa armonia tessendo una complicata trama per far credere al suo generale che Desdemona lo tradisca.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream è una delle commedie più famose e rappresentate di William Shakespeare. Nelle imminenti nozze tra Teseo, duca d’Atene, e Ippolita, regina delle Amazzoni, alcuni artigiani-attori preparano una recita per l’occasione, mentre Titania e Oberon, rispettivamente regina e re delle fate, sono in lite fra loro e assistono nel bosco, tra un dispetto e l’altro, all’incontro tra amanti incompresi e amanti in fuga. Equivoci, malintesi, folletti dispettosi e creature magiche sono gli ingredienti ideali per questa commedia divertente, dove il mondo reale interagisce con il mondo fantastico del sogno.

I volumi della serie Biografie raccontano attraverso un linguaggio semplice ma coinvolgente le tappe più significative della vita dei grandi personaggi.

Una biografia appassionante sui 4 baronetti di Liverpool, ricca di aneddotti più o meno noti, da leggere tutta d’un fiato. Dagli esordi al successo con la Beatlemania, fino allo scioglimento del gruppo e alla morte tragica di Jonh Lennon. I Beatles hanno segnato un’epoca non solo nella musica, ma anche nel costume, nella moda e nella pop art. A distanza di vari decenni dal loro scioglimento ufficiale e con oltre un miliardo di dischi venduti, i Beatles contano ancora un enorme seguito e numerosissimi fan club in ogni parte del mondo.

Ogni sequenza di lettura è seguita da attività didattiche con esercizi di comprensione, grammatica e lessico. Completano il volume dossier di approfondimento (CLIL) e il CD-Audio.