LEITURA: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

William Shakespeare was born in the market town of Stratford-upon-Avon . It is said that he attended the local grammar school, where the principal subject taught was Latin. Nothing certain is known of what he did between the time he left school and his departure for London . Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth, the world can be grateful that he did so. What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London . It is said that at first he was without money or friends there, but after that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentlemen who attended the plays at the theatre. In time, as he became a familiar figure to the actors in the theatre, they stopped and spoke to him .They found his conversation so brilliant that finally he was invited to join their company . By 1592 he became one of the three leading members of a company of actors called the Lord Chamberlain's Men . This company was under the protection of the Queen's Court. From what we know of his later life, it is clear that Shakespeare's connection with the theatre made him a wealthy man, since his plays attracted large audiences and he shared in the profits .Towards the beginning of the seventeenth century not less than eleven of his plays were produced. These included the great tragedies;" Othello "," Macbeth " and " King Lear" His last work was" The Tempest".

1.Why did the actors at the theatre invite Shakespeare to join their company ?

2.What language did Shakespeare learn at his early life ? Where ?

3.Why did Shakespeare look after the gentlemen's horses when he first arrived in London ?

B) Choose the correct answer from a, b, c or d :

4. The words" he did so" written, in blue-type, refer to......

a)   he set his foot on the road to fame        
b)   he left school

c)    he learnt Latin                               
d)   he left Stratford-upon-Avon

5.The passage gives us a good lesson that it is better......

a)   to look after horses                           
b)   to talk to actors

c)   to endure hardships or obstacles          
d)   to be a wealthy man.

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