1. Last night I saw the City breathing

2. Think of a big city.
Write down 10 words or phrases
to describe it.

3. Answer the questions: Are your ideas mostly positive? Negative?
Did you mostly use nouns? adjectives? verbs? Why do you think it was so?
Did you have any words or phrases which describe views? sounds? smells?

4. Which of the pictures is closest to your vision of a big city?

5. Read the poem by Andrew Fusek Peters
Read the poem by Andrew Fusek Peters. Can any of the pictures above illustrate it?
gust – a sudden strong wind
rush – to hurry in order to get somewhere very quickly
puff – to blow out air noisily
giggle – a high laugh, especially a nervous or silly one
split your sides – infl to laugh a lot
crease – смять, сморщить
wiggle – to make short quick movements from side to side
put on a show – to organize a show
starve – to suffer because there isn’t enough food
smack your lips – to show that you are enjoying food by making a loud noise with your lips and tongue
get stuffed – eat a lot
gloat over– to show that you are happy and proud at someone’s failure
cracked – треснутый
pour – лить, проливать
paved – covered with
boast – хвастаться
snooze – to sleep for a short period of time, especially during the day
nook – a small corner or sheltered space

6. Read the poem again and make a list of characters which live in the city.

7. Complete the table with examples from the poem
Poetic device
Explanation
Examples
Simile
A comparison of two things; uses the words “like” or “as”.
Alliteration
In a line, more than one word begins with the same consonant letter.
Personification
Giving a nonhuman thing human characteristics.
Repetition
When words, phrases, or entire lines of a poem are repeated.
Rhyme
Words or phrases that end or sound like they end the same.
Imagery
Using descriptive language (five senses) to help paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

8. Translate the phrases into Russian:
got the giggles –
split their sides –
completely creased themselves –
cheek to cheek –
wiggled their hips –
smacked her lips –
got stuffed with light –
gloated over –
poured falling stars –

9. Answer the questions:
What kind of picture do you hav ein mind after reading the poem?
Does the author like the city? Why?
Does the poem put you in a good or bad mood?
Is your image of the city the same or different from the poem?