UNIT 2
Sister Wendy, TV Star!
Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun _____ nearly 50 years, since she was 16. Most _____ the time
she lives _____ solitary confinement _____ a caravan _____ the grounds _____ a Carmelite monastery
_____ Norfolk, often not speaking _____ anyone _____ 22 hours a day. But every few months she
leaves her caravan and travels round Europe, staying _____ international hotels and eating _____
famous restaurants. Why is she leading this double life? How does a nun who has devoted her life
_____ solitude and prayer become a visitor _____ the Ritz?
Sister Wendy has a remarkable other life. She writes and presents an arts programme _____ BBC
television called "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour". _____ it, she visits European art capitals and gives her
personal opinions _____ some _____ the world's most famous works _____ art. She begins each
programme _____ these words: "_____ _____ 20 years I lived _____ solitude.Now I'm seeing Europe
_____ the first time. I'm visiting the world's most famous art treasures."
She speaks clearly and plainly, _____ none _____ the academic verbosity _____ art historians. TV
viewers love her common-sense wisdom, and are fascinated _____ watch a kind, elderly,
bespectacled, nun who is so obviously delighted _____ all she sees. They are infected _____ her
enthusiasm. Sister Wendy believes that although God wants her _____ have a life _____ prayer and
solitary contemplation, He has also given her a mission _____ explain art _____ a simple manner
_____ ordinary people. She says:
"I think God has been very good _____ me. Really I am a disaster as a person. Solitude is right
_____ me because I'm not good _____ being _____ other people. But _____ course I enjoy going
_____ tour. I have a comfortable bed, a luxurious bath and good meals, but the joy is mild compared
_____ the joy _____ solitude and silent prayer. I always rush back _____
my caravan. People find this hard _____ understand. I have never wanted anything else, I am a
blissfully happy woman."
Sister Wendy's love _____ God and art is matched only _____ her love _____ good food and wine.
She takes delight _____ poring _____ menus, choosing a good wine and wondering whether the steak
is tender enough _____ her _____ eat because she has no back teeth. However, she is not delighted
_____ her performance _____ television.
"I can't bear _____ watch myself _____ television. I feel that I look so silly - a ridiculous black-
clothed figure. Thank God we don't have a television _____ the monastery. I suppose I am famous _____
a way, but as 95 _____ cent _____ my time is spent alone _____ my caravan, it really doesn't affect
me.
I'm unimportant."
Sister Wendy earned 1,200 pounds _____ the first series. The success _____ this resulted _____ an
increase _____ the second series. The money is being used _____ provide new shower rooms
_____ the Carmelite monastery.
F002M02
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UNIT 2
Sister Wendy, TV Star!
Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun for nearly 50 years since she was 16. Most of the time she
lives in solitary confinement in a caravan in the grounds of a Carmelite monastery
in Norfolk, often not speaking to anyone for 22 hours a day.
_____ every few months she leaves her caravan _____ travels round Europe, staying in international
hotels _____ eating in famous restaurants. Why is she leading this double life? How does a nun who
has devoted her life to solitude _____ prayer become a visitor to the Ritz?
Sister Wendy has a remarkable other life. She writes _____
presents an arts programme for BBC television called "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour". In it, she visits
European art capitals _____ gives her personal opinions on some of the world's most famous works of
art. She begins each programme with these
words: "For over 20 years I lived in solitude. Now I'm seeing
Europe for the first time. I'm visiting the world's most famous
art treasures."
She speaks clearly _____ plainly, with none of the academic
verbosity of art historians. TV viewers love her common-sense
wisdom, _____ are fascinated to watch a kind, elderly,
bespectacled, nun who is _____ obviously delighted by all she
sees. They are infected by her enthusiasm. Sister Wendy believes
that __________ God wants her to have a life of prayer _____
solitary contemplation, He has also given her a mission to
explain art in a simple manner to ordinary people. She says:
"I think God has been very good to me. Really I am a disaster
as a person. Solitude is right for me __________ I'm not good
at being with other people. _____ of course I enjoy going on
tour. I have a comfortable bed, a luxurious bath _____ good
meals, _____ the joy is mild compared with the joy of solitude
_____ silent prayer. I always rush back to my caravan. People
find this hard to understand. I have never wanted anything
else, I am a blissfully happy woman."
Sister Wendy's love of God _____ art is matched only by her
love of good food _____ wine. She takes delight in poring
over menus, choosing a good wine _____ wondering whether the
steak is tender enough for her to eat __________ she has no
back teeth. However, she is not delighted by her performance
on television.
"I can't bear to watch myself on television. I feel that I
look _____ silly - a ridiculous black-clothed figure. Thank
God we don't have a television at the monastery. I suppose
I am famous in a way, _____ as 95 per cent of my time is
spent alone in my caravan, it really doesn't affect me. I'm
unimportant."
Sister Wendy earned 1,200 pounds for the first series. The
success of this resulted in an increase for the second series.
The money is being used to provide new shower rooms for the
Carmelite monastery.
F002N01
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UNIT 2
Sister Wendy, TV Star!
Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun for nearly 50 years,
since she was 16. Most of t__ time s__ lives i_ solitary
confi______ in a car____ in t__ grounds o_ a Carmelite monastery
i_ Norfolk, often n__ speaking t_ anyone f__ 22 hours a d__.
But every f__ months s__ leaves h__ caravan a__ travels ro___
Europe, staying i_ international hot___ and eat___ in fam___
restaurants. Why i_ she lea____ this dou___ life? How do__ a
nun w__ has dev____ her li__ to soli____ and pra___ become
a vis____ to t__ Ritz?
Sister Wendy has a remar_____ other li__. She writes a__
presents a_ arts prog_____ for BBC telev_____ called "Sister
Wendy's Grand Tour". In i_, she vis___ European art capi____
and gi___ her pers____ opinions o_ some o_ the wo___'s most
fam___ works o_ art. She beg___ each prog_____ with th___
words: "For ov__ 20 years I li___ in soli____. Now I'm seeing
Europe f__ the fi___ time. I'm visi____ the wo___'s most fam___
art trea_____."
She speaks cle____ and pla____, with no__ of t__ academic
verb_____ of a__ historians. TV vie____ love h__ common-se___
wisdom, a__ are fasci_____ to wa___ a kind, eld____, bespectacled,
n__ who i_ so obvi_____ delighted b_ all s__ sees. They a__
infected b_ her enthu_____. Sister Wendy believes th__ although
God wa___ her t_ have a li__ of pra___ and soli____ contemplation,
He h__ also gi___ her a mis____ to exp____ art i_ a simple
man___ to ordi____ people.
F002P01
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Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun for nearly 50 years,
since she was 16. Most of the time she lives in solitary
confinement in a caravan in the grounds of a Carmelite monastery
in Norfolk, often not speaking to anyone for 22 hours a day.
But every few months she leaves her caravan and travels round
Europe, staying in international hotels and eating in famous
restaurants. Why is she leading this double life? How does a
nun who has devoted her life to solitude and prayer become
a visitor to the Ritz?
F002P02
-------
Sister Wendy's love of God and art is matched only by her
love of good food and wine. She takes delight in poring over
menus, choosing a good wine and wondering whether the steak
is tender enough for her to eat because she has no back
teeth. However, she is not delighted by her performance on
television.
