Unit 11: The Count of Monte Cristo
Tape Script
Presenter: Welcome to The Book Programme. Today, we're going to find out something about Alexandre Dumas. Dumas was one of France's most famous writers of adventure stories, including The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. To tell us more, today's studio guest is John Holder, a lecturer in French literature at the City University. John, could you start by telling us something about Dumas's early life?
Holder : Hello. Well, let's start at the beginning Dumas was born near Paris in 1802. His father was an important man in the French army, but as a young soldier he had suffered from imprisonment and he died when Alexandre was only four years old.
Presenter: So, was he brought up by his mother?
Holder : That's right. After his father had died, he didn't send Alexandre to school .so she kept him at home. This meant that the young Alexandre had a lonely childhood.
Presenter: How did he start to write?
Holder : Well, by the time Alexandre was twenty, his mother had spent all her money and he went to live in Paris. He found work as a secretary to someone who had been a friend of his father's in the army. But he found this work boring and stared writing plays.
Presenter: Plays, not novels?
Holder : That's right. Today we know Dumas for his novels, hut long before he wrote The Three Musketeers or the Count of Monte Cristo, he had become famous as a playwright. In one year, 1831, five of his plays were performed in Paris.
Presenter: That’s amazing! So when did he write his adventure novels?
Holder : The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo were published in 1844 and 1845. They were immediate successes and made Dumas a rich man.
Presenter: These were historical novels, weren’t they?
Holder : Yes, they were, but they weren't all historically accurate. Dumas was mainly interested in writing exciting adventure stories, so he often changed what really happened in history.
Presenter: And his readers didn't object to this?
Holder : No, although some people were not happy when they discovered that Dumas had been employing other people to write for him.
Presenter: Do you mean he didn't write the hooks himself?
Holder : That's right. Sometimes, he paid assistants to write the stories in his style. Then he corrected and improved what they had written and the hooks were published with his name on the cover.
Presenter: But he was a successful writer, wasn't he?
(1)
Holder : Yes, very successful. He had a very good life, and became very rich. Unfortunately, although he made a lot of money, he also lost it very quickly. Towards the end of his life, his son took care of his father's finances, until he died in 1870.
Presenter: That’s very interesting. Thank you very much for telling us about the life and work of Alexandre Dumas
Reading: The Count of Monte Cristo
At the beginning of the story, Edmond Dantes, the 19-year-old hero of The Count of Monte Cristo, is a happy, successful young man. He is a ship’s captain and he is soon going to be married to his fiancée, Mercedes. However, some of Edmond’s friends are envious of him and they write a letter accusing him of treason. Edmond is arrested on his wedding day and is sent to prison for life.
After Edmond has been in prison for a number of years, Mercedes marries another man. In prison, Edmond meets an old man called Faria, who teaches him about History and Science. He also tells Edmond that he can have the valuable treasure he has hidden on the island of Monte Cristo.
When Faria dies, Edmond escapes from prison, goes to Monte Cristo and finds the treasure. Now a wealthy man, he decides to use his new money to reward the people who have helped him and to punish his enemies.
He finds one of these enemies, Caderousse, who gives him the names of the others. Caderousse now regrets what he did and because of this, Edmond gives him a diamond. Then he finds Morrel, the ship-owner he had worked for, and helps him with his financial problems.
Ten years later, Edmond, who now calls himself the “Count of Monte Cristo”, arrives in Paris. His old friends do not recognize him, but Edmond knows the people who were envious of him and begins his revenge. In different ways, Edmond punishes all the men who accused him of treason.
Finally, Edmond helps Maximillian Morrel, the son of the ship-owner, by rescuing his fiancée, Valentine from her cruel family. Edmond, too, finally finds happiness when he marries Haydee, the daughter of another Victim of his old enemies.
Key Vocabulary
finance (n / v) تمويل / يمول accuse of يتهم بـ
finance موارد مالية envious حسود
historical تاريخى fiancé خطيب
lecturer مُحاضر fiancée خطيبة
object to (v) يعترض علي recognize يتعرف علي
assistant مساعد revenge الثأر / الانتقام / ينتقم
imprisonment الحبس / السجن treason الخيانة
playwright كاتب مسرحي victim ضحية
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Vocabulary
number يرقم / يعدد truth الحقيقة
musketeer فارس victimize يتجنى على
French literature الأدب الفرنسى treasonable خائن
lonely يشعر بالوحدة treasure كنز
childhood طفولة hidden مختبئ
count كونت (لقب أوروبي) wedding زفاف
countess كونتيسة engagement خطوبة
adventure novels روايات المغامرات boring ممل
adventure stories قصص المغامرات innocent برئ
immediate success نجاح فوري difficult times أوقات عصيبة
accurate دقيق buried مدفون
accuracy دقة ship owner مالك السفينة
historical novel رواية تاريخية reward يكاقئ
historical story قصة تاريخية punish يعاقب
employ يوظف value يقدر / قيمة
unfortunately للأسف / لسوء الحظ enemy عدو
politician سياسي (الشخص) channel قناة
newspaper article مقالة صحفية captain قبطان
cover غلاف mathematician عالم رياضيات
novelist روائي bride عروس
poems قصائد bridegroom عريس
poet شاعر dowry مهر
poetry الشعر divorce طلاق
accountant محاسب orphan يتيم
financial problems مشكلات مالية nephew ابن الأخ أو الأخت
financial crisis أزمة مالية niece بنت الأخ أو الأخت
technical problem مشكلة فنية mother-in-law والدة الزوج أو الزوجة
credit ثقة father-in-law والد الزوج أو الزوجة
imprison يحبس / يسجن step mother زوجة الأب
serve يخدم step father زوج الأم
servant خادم widow أرملة
service خدمة widower أرمل
virtually عمليا / فعليا / واقعيا guest ضيف
desire رغبة / يرغب host مُضيف
envy الحسد crime جريمة
appreciate يقدر criminology علم الجرائم
pack يعبئ / يحزم (الأمتعة) prisoner of war أسير حرب
diamond ماس jail سجن / زنزانة
nation أمة / دولة convict يُدين / مُدان
nationality جنسية confront يواجه
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Prepositions, Idioms & Expressions
give out يوزع accusation against اتهام ضد
related to مرتبط بـ be sent to prison for life يُحكم عليه بالسجن المؤبد
approve of يوافق على at the end of في نهاية
find out about يعرف عن work for someone يعمل لدي شخص
bring up يربى escape from prison يهرب من السجن
object to يعترض على on the cover of the book علي غلاف الكتاب
take care of يعتنى بـ a secretary to someone سكرتير لـ
at the beginning of في بداية .. in different ways بطرق مختلفة
near to قريب من share ideas with يتشارك في الأفكار مع
be envious of حسود لـ get married to يتزوج من
be jealous of غيور من rescue from ينقذ من
innocent of بريء من look up يبحث عن (معلومة)
guilty of مذنب بـ in revenge for انتقاماَ لـ
on his wedding day في يوم زفافه get engaged to يخطب (فتاة)
in recognition of اعترافا بـ / تقديرا لـ inform of/about يخبر بـ / يبلغ بـ
catch up with يساير / يواكب enviable situation موقف يحسد عليه
objection to/against اعتراض علي look with envy ينظر بحقد و حسد
take revenge ينتقم reach an agreement يتوصل لاتفاق
desire for revenge رغبة للانتقام make money يكون مالا
get the credit ينال التقدير والمديح be easy prey for يكون فريسة سهلة لـ
Antonyms كلمات و عكسها
Word الكلمة Antonym العكس
treason الخيانة loyalty ولاء / إخلاص
object يعترض approve/accept يوافق / يقبل
accuse يتهم acquit يبرئ
reward يكافأ punish يعاقب
owner مالك tenant مستأجر
married متزوج single أعزب
Synonyms مترادفات
Word الكلمة synonym المردف
accuse يتهم charge يتهم
recognize يتعرف علي identify يتعرف علي
history التاريخ the past الماضى
lecturer محاضر professor أستاذ جامعى
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Derivatives المشتقات
Verb فعل Noun اسم Adjective صفة
accuse يتهم accusation اتهام
the accused المتهم
accuser صاحب الاتهام accusatory متضمن اتهام
envy يحسد envy الحسد envious حسود
enviable يُحسَد عليه
recognize يتعرف علي recognitionتعرف / اعتراف / تقدير recognizable يمكن التعرف عليه
history التاريخ historical تاريخى
finance يمول finance التمويل / مورد مالي financial مالي
lecture يحاضر lecturer محاضر
assist يساعد assistant مساعد
assistance مساعد
object يعترض objection اعتراض objectionable محل اعتراض
marry يتزوج marriage الزواج married متزوج
marital زواجي
Definitionsتعريفات
Finances (n) موارد مالية the money that a person, company, etc., has
Historical تاريخى events, people, etc. that happened or existed in the past; based on events in the past; relating to the past
Lecturer محاضر
someone who teaches a group of people about a subject, especially at a university or college
Object (v) يعترض to say that you do not like or approve of something
Assistant مساعد someone who helps someone else to do their work by doing the less important jobs
Imprisonment السجن the fact of being put or kept in prison
Playwright كاتب مسرحي someone who writes plays
Accuse يتهم to say that someone has done something wrong or illegal
Envious حسود wishing that you had something that someone else has, or that you could do something they do
fiancée خطيبة the woman you have said officially that you are going to marry
Recognize يتعرف علي to know someone or something because you have seen them before
Revenge الانتقام / ينتقم something you do in order to punish someone who has harmed you
Treason الخيانة the crime of doing something that could cause great harm to your country or government, especially by helping its enemies
Victim ضحية someone who has been hurt or killed by someone or something
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Suffixes
-ant / -ment مقاطع تضاف لنهاية الكلمات لتكوين الاسم
serve servant assist assistant attend attendant
account accountant complain complainant contest contestant
imprison imprisonment argue argument punish punishment
agree agreement move movement invest investment
Confusable words
reward يكاقئ / مكافأة (يحصل عليها الفرد مقابل خدمة قام بها)
award (v./ n.) يمنح جائزة / جائزة (يحصل عليها الفرد نتيجة إنجاز حققه)
Ex: The company rewarded him for his honesty.
He gave the boy a reward for bringing back the lost dog.
Her dog was awarded the blue ribbon شريط in the club show.
She won the ‘Best Actress’ award.
alone بمفرده
onely لديه شعور بالوحدة لكونه بعيدا عن الآخرين
Ex: It’s wrong to leave children at home alone.
She gets lonely now that all the kids have left home.
marry بدون مفعول يتزوج be / get married to + مفعـول تزوج / متزوج من
marry + مفعول يتزوج be (get) married with متزوج ولديه
Ex: They don't have any plans to marry at present.
Paul married Lucy four years ago.
She is (got) married to a rich doctor.
She is married with three nice boys.
retire يحـال للمعـاش / يتقـاعـد resign يستقيـل من العمـل
Ex: Egyptian employees retire at the age of 60.
He resigned from the company in order to take a more challenging job.
Language Notes
be successful = be a success يكون ناجحا
Ex: His first novel was successful.
His first novel was a success.
object to + v. + ing / noun يعترض على
Ex: He objected to his friends' accusations.
He objected to having to rewrite the article.
(6)
Language Functions
Offering Help Replies to Offers
Is there anything I can do to help? That's very kind of you.
Would you like me to…………? Would you mind?
If you like, I could …….… for you. Thanks very much
Shall I …..…for you? That's great.
Let me …….… I'd really appreciate that. Thanks.
Respond to the following situations:
1- An old man can't cross the road alone. You are willing to help her. What do you say?
2- Your friend doesn't want to go to the club alone. You offer to go with him.
3- Your offer to phone your friend’s parents and tell them he is going to be late.
4- Your friend needs to carry some things to the car. You offer to help him.
Choose the correct answer:
1- Famous artists sometimes had (accountants-assistants-applicants-ancestors) to help them.
2- Shakespeare is one of the world's most famous (playwrights-novelists-players-playmates).
3- My uncle works, as a maths (adventurer-politician-guide-lecturer) at the university in Alexandria.
4- I really (disagree-argue-can’t stand-object) to people using mobile phones in the library.
5- After five years' (imprisonment-environment-instrument-involvement), the criminal wanted to live as an honest man.
6- I'm very interested in the past. That's why I like (geographical-historical-archaeological-physical) novels.
7- Accountants help people with their (fiancées-fireplaces-fences-finances).
8- Some of Edmond's friends (accused-released-recognised-changed) him of something he had not done.
9- They were (concerned-envious-victimized-cold) of him because he was happy and successful.
10- Edmond was planning to get married to his (fiancée-colleague-victim-genius).
11- After he was arrested, Edmond was sent to prison (with-in-for-of) life.
12- Edmond escaped (at-into-about-from) prison and found Faria’s hidden treasure.
13- Edmond objected (in-to-with-from) his friends' accusations.
14- Edmond (blamed-appointed-rescued-asked) Valentine from her cruel family.
15- I studied modern European (history-historian-historic-historical) at college.
16- He works as a (natural-money-financial-normal) adviser to the prime minister.
17- She travelled widely in North America, (picturing-assuring-measuring-lecturing) on women's rights.
18- The army arrived to (consist-arrest-assist-insist) in the search.
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19- Her (injection-function-objection-instruction) to the plan is based on incorrect facts.
20- The crime of being disloyal to your country is called (greed-treason-revenge-fiancée).
21- Something you do to punish someone who has harmed you is called (change-exchange-challenge-revenge).
22- To (recognize-memorize-authorize-theorize) means to know someone because you have seen them before.
23- Wishing you had something that someone else has means that you are (previous-impervious-envious-oblivious).
24- You shouldn't leave a child (only-alone-lonely-loneliness) in the house.
25- She (signed-designed-resigned-tired) from the government last week and she's going to set up her own business.
26- He was being very careful (of-at-in-with) the coffee so as not to spill it.
27- He strongly (disagrees-argues-can’t stand-objects) to the terms of the contract.
28- If she is guilty, she will be (imagined-imitated-improved-imprisoned) for at least six years.
29- I really (envy-deny-sky-convey) you. You have so much money.
30- The man managed to escape (of-in-from-with) prison.
31- Someone who has been hurt by someone or something is a/an (accused-judge-victim-prey).
32- Do we put people in prison because we want (revenge-envy-victim-fiancée) or because we hope to reform them?
33- The newspaper has a photo of a man with amnesia after a car accident. The police are asking if anyone (accuses-objects-revenges-recognises) him.
34- I (accuse-release-avoid-object)! This plan cannot go forward as it is.
35- After the earthquake, the village was not (recognizable-advisable-achievable-countable).
36- They lost the case because there was not enough evidence to support their (accusation-accuse-accuser-accused).
37- You are not (recognizable-advisable-achievable-countable) at all in that disguise. No one will know who you are.
38- That was the most boring (picture-lecture-culture-agriculture) I have ever attended at university.
39- After many years, Edmond (killed-regretted-adventured-revenged) himself on the men who had falsely accused him of treason.
40- Leila's (fiancé-fiancée-finance-victim) is going to Canada to study for his doctorate. She will marry him and join him there.
41- The students (disagrees-argues-can’t stand-objects) to the plan to extend school hours until 4 pm.
42- Overspending was at the root of Mr Ahmed’s (economical-financial-historical-political) problems.
43- After the death of her parents she was brought (down-up-in-about) by her grandmother.
44- To (cause-cease-accuse-compose) means to say someone had done something wrong or illegal.
(
45- My little brother looked with (hate-envy-convey-lovely) at my new computer game.
46- When his grandfather was a boy, he worked as a (arrogant – brilliant – giant - servant) for a rich man.
47- After the earthquake, the village was not (recognizable-advisable-achievable-countable).
48- Some of his (adventurers-admirers-accusers-astronomers) were his best friends. That's why he was so disappointed.
49- She is so clever that she is in the (bearable-believable-curable-enviable) situation of being able to choose her university.
50- He looked at the old man with no sign of (addition-adoption-recognition-ambition).