A. Exploring Themes

1. Why did Michael think that Fiona was very much alone? How was it reflected in her funeral?

2. How was the situation in the hospital connected with what politicians like Mark Winshaw were doing in the country? (p. 425)

3. What effect did Fiona's illness and her death have on Mochael? Did he change inwardly and outwardly? (p. 424)

4. What did Michael expect from his reconciliation with his mother? Did it make him happy? How did he explain the period of his withdrawal for three years?

5. What did the situation in Winshaw Towers remind Michael of? (p. 431) How did it influence Michael?

6. What information did Michael get from the book 'I was celery'. What's the meaning of Lawrence's note: biscuit, cheese, celery? (p. 426)

7. What effect did mother's confession about his father have on Michael? (p. p. 418 — 419)

B. Judging for Yourself

1. (p. 408) Explain: 'It was fate, except that I don't believe in fate'. Do you believe in fate?

2. Why do you think Michael compared his situation with that from the film 'Orpheus' by Jean Cocto? (p. 411)

3. Why do you think Fiona's death is depicted as if it were a scene from a film? (p. p. 416 — 418)

4. Why do you think Michael told Fiona 'Thank you'? (p. 417)

C. Making Connections

1. How are patients accepted in the hospitals of this country? Are beds always available and the patients don't have to stay in the corridor?

2. Do the politicians in this couintry have always been thinking about ordinary people and their needs?

Part III

Building the Vocabulary

A. Consult the English-English and English-Russian dictionaries

cubicle (p. 401)

grimness (p. 401)

presumably (p. 403)

thesaurus (p. 403)

kin (p. 405)

subliminally (p. 412)

obscene (p. 413)

incoherent (p. 417)

to allude (p. 417)

impassive (p. 423)

recumbent (p. 423)

untrustworthiness (p. 424)

to surmise (p. 424)

to expire (p. 425)

sparsely (p. 426)

to convene (p. 426)

to inflict (p. 426)

flabbergasted (p. 428)