Svolgi gli esercizi seguenti sul quaderno o direttamente sulla scheda. Lavora in inglese quando richiesto, motiva brevemente le risposte aperte e controlla con attenzione date, nomi propri e titoli delle opere. Puoi consultare la spiegazione solo dopo aver tentato ciascun esercizio in autonomia.
- In which year did Queen Victoria ascend the throne of the United Kingdom?
- A) 1815
- B) 1832
- C) 1837
- D) 1851
- The expression 'Victorian compromise' refers to the contrast between the official moral values of respectability and the hidden social problems of the age.
- Vero / Falso
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Dickens published most of his novels in monthly or weekly ___ in popular magazines, a practice that encouraged cliffhangers and memorable characters.
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Match each Dickensian novel with its central theme or setting. | Colonna A | Colonna B | |---|---| | Oliver Twist | Utilitarian education in industrial Coketown | | Hard Times | A young orphan's ambition and personal growth | | Great Expectations | Scrooge's moral conversion and the Christmas spirit | | A Christmas Carol | Workhouses and the London criminal underworld |
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Which event of 1851 became a symbol of Victorian confidence in progress, industry and the British Empire?
- A) The publication of On the Origin of Species
- B) The Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace
- C) The first Reform Act
- D) The opening of the Suez Canal
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Explain in 3-4 lines why Dickens often used 'speaking names' such as Gradgrind, Bumble or Scrooge for his characters.
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Read this short fictional passage and analyse it: 'In the grey town of Ashfield, smoke covered the rooftops while small children, no more than eight years old, carried heavy bricks from dawn to dusk; meanwhile, in the elegant drawing rooms of the High Street, ladies discussed charity teas and Sunday sermons.' Identify (a) two Victorian historical-social elements present in the text, (b) the literary technique used to contrast the two scenes, (c) which Dickens novel it most closely recalls and why.
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Write a structured paragraph of about 150-180 words in English on the following topic: 'Charles Dickens as a mirror of the Victorian Age'. In your answer refer to at least two historical-social aspects of the period, two specific novels and one stylistic feature of the author.