Lessons 40–41 · 2 lessons · M. E. Rozhnova, U. T. Yaminova. Russian Language, Grade 8 (textbook for general secondary schools with Uzbek and other languages of instruction), 2nd revised edition. “Uzbekistan” Publishing and Printing Creative House, Tashkent, 2019
40
S. V. Mikhalkov: life. «Как старик корову продавал»
Textbook: pp. 151–153
GoalLearn about S. V. Mikhalkov; read the verse tale «Как старик корову продавал» in roles and retell it; evaluate the characters’ actions.
S. V. Mikhalkov was born on 13 March 1913 in Moscow. His father came from a noble family, his mother was a teacher. With his younger brothers he spent his childhood near Moscow and began writing poems at nine. In 1927 the family moved to Pyatigorsk, and in 1928 his first poem appeared in the journal «На подъёме». After school he returned to Moscow and worked in a textile factory and a geological expedition; from 1933 he worked for the newspaper «Известия». In 1935 his first well-known work, the poem «Дядя Стёпа», came out. In 1935–1937 he studied at the Literary Institute, and collections of poems and fables were published. Mikhalkov worked in poetry, prose and drama and wrote film and cartoon scripts; children love his works. He died on 27 August 2009 in Moscow.
Worked examples
Content of the tale: an old man is trying to sell his cow at the market, but nobody names a price. The buyers say the cow is thin, sick and gives no milk; the old man honestly says, “We haven’t seen any milk yet.” He haggles all day and does not sell her.
Continuation: a lad pities the old man and wants to help, and he begins praising the cow: “Not a cow, a treasure! She gives so much milk your hand will tire.” A rich buyer becomes interested. The old man listens, looks at his cow, thinks and gives up the sale: “Such a cow we need ourselves!”
Class activity
“Reading in roles”. Three pupils read the tale as the old man, the lad and the buyer; the class says what it noticed in the lad’s praise.
Practice
1
Which was Mikhalkov’s first well-known work?
«Дядя Стёпа» (1935).
2
Why could the old man not sell the cow?
The cow was thin and gave no milk, and people did not like her.
3
How did the lad try to sell the cow?
He praised her: “a treasure”, “gives a lot of milk”.
4
Why did the old man change his mind?
Hearing the praise, he saw the cow’s value: they needed her themselves.