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Alan Alexander Milne

Alan Alexander Milne was born in London in 1882. At the age of eleven he won a scholarship to the Westminster School. Then he went to Cambridge University and became an editor of the university paper. 

By 1906 he had worked as an editor at Punch, a classic British humour magazine.

When World War I started, he joined the army and served in France. Here he wrote his first play, which was produced in London in 1917.

By 1919 Milne completed one book and several plays. Some of his plays were staged in London and one of them even in New York City. Milne became well-known as a popular London playwright. In 1920 his son Christopher Robin Milne was born. It was the event that changed the history of children’s literature. In 1923 Milne began to work on a collection of poems for children. The result was When We Were Very Young, published in 1924.

In 1926 he added to his success with the publication of Winnie - the - Pooh. Milne was always saying that it was his wife and his young son, who inspired him to write the poems and stories for children.

Sometimes it seemed to Milne that he should write something more important, like a detective story. In fact, in 1922 he wrote a detective novel, The Red House Mystery, as well as many novels, essays, short stories and poems. He wrote over twenty-five plays and his autobiography It’s Too Late Now, published in 1939.

When he died, 30 years later, there was already no doubt that Alan Milne achieved the world-wide popularity not as he wished due to his plays and novels, but to the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh Bear. The Pooh books are favourites with old and young alike and have been translated into many languages.

1. Complete the sentences:

1. At the age…
2. When World…
3. Some of his…
4. Milne was always…
5. He wrote over…

2. Put the sentences in the right order:

a) The Pooh books are favourites with old and young alike and have been translated into many languages.

b) The result was When We Were Very Young, published in 1924.

c) Then he went to Cambridge University and became an editor of the university paper.

d) He wrote over 25 plays and his autobiography It’s Too Late Now, published in 1939.

e) In 1920 his son Christopher Robin Milne was born .

3. Write if the sentences are true or false:

1) Alan Milne was born in New York in 1882.

2) He studied at the Westminster School and Cambridge University.

3) He wrote his first play when he served in France.

4) A. Milne published his Winnie - the - Pooh in 1995.

5) Milne became well - known as a popular London playwright.

6) A. Milne wrote only Winnie - the - Pooh.

7) A. Milne didn’t have a son Christopher Robin.

4. Answer the questions on the text:

1) What is the name of this English author?

 2) When and where was A. Milne born?  

3) What was Punch?

 4) When and where was his first play produced? 

5) What event changed the history of children’s literature? 

6) Who inspired A. Milne to write the stories and the poems for children?

7) What was the name of his detective novel?

8) How many plays did he write?

9) Have you ever read the books of this writer? If yes, did you like them and why? What is your favourite character?