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spent his last four days. The cause of his death remains a mystery, as all medical records, including his death certificate, have been lost. It’s known that Poe was kept in a windowless room, and the only one who interacted with him was Dr. John Moran. However, the question about the accuracy of the information provided by him remains controversial. Poe is said to call out the name Reynolds, but it’s still unclear to whom he referred. There was much speculation about the cause of his death including rabies, murder, alcohol, and illness. One of the most popular theories was that Poe was a victim of “cooping” – a common pre-election tactic by which people were kidnapped on the streets and forced to vote for a certain candidate against their will. This theory was supported by the fact that Poe was found on Election Day. There were rumors that Poe drank himself to death. However, the truth was that, according to many historians, Poe couldn’t handle alcohol. It had been documented that after a glass of wine he got drunk very quickly. Besides, a physician who tested Edgar Poe’s hair samples claimed that he had been avoiding alcohol for a few months. As for the rabies theory, some suggest that he could contract it from his cat Cattarina, who went to her eternal rest within weeks after his death. In fact, at the time there were no vaccines for pets. Another theory suggests that Poe could die of the flu complications – pneumonia. A few days before his departure from Richmond, he visited a physician complaining of illness. Surprisingly, his fiancée, Sarah, confirmed this theory, claiming that Edgar had a fever and a weak pulse. There were also rumors that Poe was likely murdered by Sarah’s brothers, who were against their marriage and might have threatened Edgar. The legendary writer like his fictional characters may have disguised himself and disappeared for a week, but was eventually found and beaten. However, none of these theories explain the mysterious death of the greatest writer.

Even after the iconic writer’s passing, his life began to overgrow with legends and false rumors. And who do you think could be behind this? Right, Poe’s rival who was jealous of his talent. When the writer died, Rufus Griswold became his self-proclaimed biographer who forged letters and painted him in a bad light as a drunkard and а madman. No matter what, Poe will always be remembered as one of the greatest writers of all time. Yet, there’s more to come. The mystery continues. What is known is that for sixty years after the writer’s death, a mysterious man dressed in black would visit Poe’s grave and leave three red roses (for Poe, his wife Virginia, and his mother-in-law Maria Clemm), and a note that said, “Edgar, I haven’t forgotten you.” Curiously, but nobody knows who that man was.

Edgar Allan Poe wrote many stories on different topics. Among his most famous works are “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat,” “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt,” “The Purloined Letter,” and, of course, his best-known poem “The Raven,” which brought him world-wide fame and recognition.

Vocabulary

be born under a lucky star [biː bɔːn ˈʌndə ə ˈlʌkɪ stɑː] – родиться под счастливой звездой

resist blows of fate [rɪˈzɪst bləʊz ɒv feɪt] – противостоять ударам судьбы

purify [ˈpjʊərɪfaɪ] – очищать

trial [ˈtraɪəl] – испытание

circumstances [ˈsɜːkəmstənsɪz] – обстоятельства

sequence of events [ˈsiːkwəns əv ɪˈvents] – последовательность событий

illustrious [ɪˈlʌstrɪəs] – знаменитый, выдающийся, блестящий

enigmatic [ˌenɪgˈmætɪk] – загадочный, таинственный

extraordinary [ɪkˈstrɔːrdəneri] – необычный, незаурядный

abandon one’s family [əˈbændən wʌnz ˈfæməli] – бросить семью

orphan [ˈɔːfən] – сирота; осиротевший

adopt [əˈdɑːpt] – усыновить, удочерить

well-to-do [wel tuː duː] – богатый, обеспеченный, состоятельный

wealthy [ˈwelθɪ] – состоятельный, богатый, зажиточный

reunite [ˌriːjuːˈnaɪt] – воссоединяться

fortune turned its back (on) [ˈfɔːʧən tɜːnd ɪts bæk ɑːn] – удача отвернулась (от)

adolescent sweetheart [ædəˈlesnt ˈswiːthɑːt] – возлюбленная в юности

misfortune [mɪsˈfɔːʧən] – несчастье, беда, злоключение

supposedly [səˈpəʊzɪdlɪ] – предположительно, якобы, по общему мнению

prominent actor [ˈprɑːmɪnənt ˈæktə] – известный актер

add fuel to the fire [æd fjʊəl tuː ðiː ˈfaɪə] – подливать масла в огонь

leave a fortune [liːv əˈfɔːʧən] – оставить состояние

sole heiress [səʊl ˈɛrəs] – единственная наследница

will [wɪl] – наследство

to treat [triːt] – обращаться, относиться

frustrated [frʌˈstreɪtɪd] – разочарованный, расстроенный

devastated [ˈdevəsteɪtɪd] – опустошенный, подавленный

to survive [səˈvaɪv] – выжить

to earn one’s living [ɜːn wʌnz ˈlɪvɪŋ] – зарабатывать себе на жизнь

charity home [ˈʧærɪtɪ həʊm] – дом милосердия

foster family [ˈfɑːstə ˈfæməlɪ] – приемная семья

to find a common language (with) [faɪnd ə ˈkɒmənˈlæŋgwɪʤ wɪð] – находить общий язык

to approve (of) [əˈpruːv əv] – одобрять

to get along well [get əˈlɒŋ wel] – хорошо ладить

opposites attract [ˈɑːpəzɪts əˈtrækt] – противоположности притягиваются

down-to-earth [daʊn tuː ɜːθ] – приземленный, не витающий в облаках

material goods [məˈtɪrɪəl gʊdz] – материальные блага

touchy subject [ˈtʌʧɪ ˈsʌbʤɪkt] – щекотливая тема

to encourage [ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ] – поощрять, одобрять

to be engaged to [biː ɪnˈgeɪʤd tuː] – быть помолвленным

unsuitable match [ʌnˈsuːtəbl mæʧ] – неподходящая партия

intercept [ˌɪntərˈsept] – перехватывать

drop out [drɑːp aʊt] – бросить, оставить

abandon studies [əˈbændən ˈstʌdɪz] – бросить учебу

gambling [ˈgæmblɪŋ] – азартная игра

fiancée [ˌfiːɑːnˈseɪ] – невеста, избранница

head [hed] – направляться, отправляться

start afresh [stɑːt əˈfreʃ] – начать заново, с чистого листа

have no means of livelihood [hæv nəʊ miːnz ɒv ˈlaɪvlɪhʊd] – не иметь средств к существованию

work things out [wɜːk θɪŋz aʊt] – наладить отношения, помириться, со всем разобраться

reconcile [ˈrekənsaɪl] – примириться

be expelled [biː ɪkˈspeld] – быть отчисленным, исключенным

rebel [rebl] – бунтовать

true calling [truː ˈkɔːlɪŋ] – истинное призвание

еvery cloud has a silver lining [ˈevrɪ klaʊd hæz ə ˈsɪlvə ˈlaɪnɪŋ] – нет худа без добра

reunite [riːjuːˈnaɪt] – воссоединяться, вновь объединяться

controversial [ˌkɑːntrəˈvɜːʃl] – спорный, сомнительный, противоречивый

muse [mjuːz] – муза

pass away [pɑːs əˈweɪ] – скончаться, умереть

devastated [ˈdevəsteɪtɪd] – опустошенный, подавленный

be widowed [biː ˈwɪdəʊd] – овдоветь

semi-conscious [ˈsemɪˈkɑːnʃəs] – в полубессознательном состоянии

be delirious [biː dɪˈlɪrɪəs] – быть в бреду, бредить

medical records [ˈmedɪkəl ˈrekɔːdz] – медицинские записи

rabies [ˈreɪbiːz] – бешенство

pre-election [priːɪˈlekʃn] – предвыборный

vote [vəʊt] – голосовать, избирать

flu complications [fluː kɑːmplɪˈkeɪʃnz] – осложнения гриппа

pneumonia [nuːˈməʊnɪə] – пневмония, воспаление легких

threaten [θretn] – угрожать, запугивать

disguise oneself [dɪsˈgaɪz wʌnˈself] – маскироваться

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) When and where was Edgar Allan Poe born?

2) Who were his parents? What were their names?

3) What happened to his father?

4) How old was Edgar when he became an orphan?

5) Did Edgar Allan Poe have any siblings?

6) Who adopted Edgar Allan Poe?

7) What type of relationship did he have with his foster parents?

8) What was John Allan by profession?

9) How did the lives of Edgar’s siblings turn out?

10) Did Edgar Allan Poe get a decent education?

11) Who was Edgar Allan Poe’s adolescent sweetheart?

12) Why didn’t Edgar and Sarah get married when they were young?

13) Why did Edgar abandon his studies?

14) Why did he enlist in the army?

15) What was the first literary work that Edgar Allan Poe published?

16) Under what name did Edgar Allan Poe publish his first collection of poetry?

17) What was Edgar’s relationship with his wife?

18) Did Edgar Allan Poe have a muse?

19) What happened to his wife Virginia?

20) Did Sarah Royster Shelton divorce her husband?

21) Were Edgar and Sarah engaged?

22) Why did the wedding of Sarah and Edgar never take place?

23) Where was Edgar Allan Poe supposed to go on the day of his disappearance?

24) Where and under what