dIf by R.Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Biography
British author and poet, born in Bombay, India. He had a very happy childhood until, at the age of six, he and his sister were sent to England to be educated. His next six years were miserable. He was neglected and treated cruelly by the couple who were looking after him. At 12, he went to live with his aunt and only then spoke of what he had gone through. At the age of 16, he returned to his beloved India where he worked as a journalist.
He wrote many poems and short stories, including Mandalay (1890) and Gunga Din (1892). These were published in the paper along with his news reports and later as collections. He travelled extensively and married in 1892. Over the next few years Kipling wrote The Jungle Books (1894-1895), Captains Courageous (1897), The Day's Work (1898) and many more.
He had two daughters and a son, and life was wonderful until his eldest daughter died of pneumonia at the age of 7. From then on, life was never the same again, and the family moved to the English countryside for a secluded (isolated) life .

Famous works

Answer the questions
What difficulties did Kipling face in his childhood?
When did Kipling begin writing poems and short stories?
What is his most famous poem?

A story behind the poem
“While the poem is addressed to Kipling's son John, it was inspired by a great friend of his, Leander Starr Jameson, the Scots-born colonial politician and adventurer. "If" contains a multitude of characteristics deemed essential to the ideal man. They almost all express stoicism and reserve – the classic British "stiff upper lip." In particular, a man must be humble, patient, rational, truthful, dependable and persevering”.

Match
1. ability to identify with ordinary people-
2. changed in meaning-
3. things/ people dishonest pretending to be sth else
4. pile-
5. old or damaged-
6. stand/ walk with shoulders bent forward-
7. stay calm-
8. determination to do sth-
9. thinking and doing what’s right-
10. money won-
A. worn-out
B. will
C. virtue
D. twisted
E. impostors
F. stoop
G. the common touch
H. keep your head
I. heap
J. winnings
H

Find references in the poem
Verse 1
ignore doubt
be patient
be honest
be courageous
be modest
Verse 2
be imaginative
be thoughtful
be understand in g accept that pe ople lie
be strong
Verse 3
take risks
be positive
be uncomplaining
be determined
Verse 4
be polite
be modest
be tolerant
be respectful
be productive

Verse 1
ignore doubt: trust yourself
be patient: wait and not be tired by waiting
be honest: don’t deal in lies
be courageous: can keep your head, when all about you are losing theirs
be modest: don’t look to good, nor talk too wise
Verse 2
be imaginative: dream ― and not make dreams your master
be thoughtful: think ― and not make thoughts your aim
be understanding: can meet with triumph and disaster and threat those two imposters just the same
accept that people lie: bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken twisted
Check

Verse 3
take risks: risk it on one turn of ...
be positive: And lose, and start again at your beginnings
be uncomplaining: never breath a word of your loss
be determined: hold on when there is nothing in you/Except the will which says to them: ‘Hold on’
Verse 4
be polite: talk with crowds and keep your virtue
be modest: nor lose the common touch
be tolerant: neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you
be respectful: all men count with you
be productive: with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run