“The Little Tramp”, the unforgettable character Charlie Chaplin
invented, was born purely by accident in 1915. While rushing to a film soot in
California, he grabbed clothes what other people had left behind in the changing
room. And when he emerged, he found, he had created a personality everybody
loved in a little guy in a bowler hat, a close-fitting jacket, a cane, a pair of outsized
shoes and a brush-like moustache.
Before long, Chaplin found himself a star. That puzzled him, for he saw
himself essentially as a shy British Music Hall Comedian. The U.S., acknowledged
him as its king of silent film comedy. Soon, so did crowds all over the world.
But life wasn't always a laugh for Charles Spenser Chaplin. Both his parents
were Music Hall artists, who separated when Charlie was every young. His
childhood was very sad, for his mother never earned enough to look after her
children. Sometimes, Chaplin had to sleep on the streets.
Charlie took his first bow on the stage, when his mother made her last
appearance. It happened when her voice broke during a song. Her son stepped on
stage and sang a popular song. That's when a star was born.
Questions:
a) Which unforgettable character did Charlie Chaplin invent?
b) Describe the personality created by Charlie, whom everybody loved.
c) What did Charlie see himself as?
d) Give one reason to show that Charlie's early life was very sad.
e) Find the word in the passage that is opposite in meaning to
(I) “bold” and (ii) “tragedy”
