An older woman approached him and is looking at him attentively

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=approached+him%2C+came+up+to+him&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3&direct_url=t1%3B%2Capproached%20him%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Ccame%20up%20to%20him%3B%2Cc0
...такого я не ожидал 🙃

Uly, "К нему подошла женщина в возрасте" - this word order may imply both A/THE woman, but most likely that was A woman - К нему подошла какя-то пожилая женщина.
To say about a particular woman, the order should be "(эта) женщина в возрасте подошла к нему." Maybe that's arguable, but I insist nevertheless...

Alex, THIS woman in a spoken narrative is actually indefinite AND definite at the same time. We use it for people and things when we first mention them if they’re going to figure in the narrative. So this THIS actually means A.

Yeah, the same thing is with THE, I remember. Someone or somethig to act in the future narrative. Thank you. However, I wouidn't use THIS, maybe because I don't feel it yet...

It's not the same. THE is the definite article - it requires that both the speaker and the listener know the person or thing it refers to. But THIS and A don't. They can both be used to introduce a new element in a narrative. The only difference is that (1) indefinite THIS is only used in narrative and stories; and (2) the person or thing it refers to has to have a significant role in that story: "While I was in Starbucks waiting for my coffee, this woman walked up to me and asked me if I would buy her a coffee. I, of course, said yes. She looked destitute and was probably homeless. She ordered herself a coffee and I paid for it. While we waited for our orders, we had a little chat. The more she talked, the more familiar she seemed. I couldn't place the face, but her voice was very familiar. When she mentioned that she had been a teacher, I realized it was Mrs. Taylor, my third grade teacher, who had fallen on hard times."

In that narrative, I could've said A WOMAN walked up to me with exactly the same meaning. However, by using THIS, I'm telling the listener that it wasn't just any random woman, but someone who's going to figure in what I'm about to tell them. Like saying "Pay attention to this woman, she's going to be important in my story."

👍🏼

Yes, yes, I got your point from the first comment. It was just something new to me, so now I know, and your last ecample put everithing in place.
Good to know and thanks again! 🤓

Uly, perfect and clear explanation about THIS vs A.
While reading your translation, in my head it actually clicked that THIS woman could be any woman and I've heard it in everyday talks but now we know why you used THIS. Pretty cool.
Now is time for Q&A ))))
could you explain why "is staring"? the first part of the sentence was in the past tense " woman walked up to him ". Aren't we supposed to say:
"This elderly woman walked up to him and WAS staring at him intently"
?

Russ, you’re very welcome. I’m glad that explanation made sense to you. In terms of the tenses, I was also a bit confused. That’s why I added (has). But in essence, I think it’s ok to mix the past with the present, although it sounds better with the past perfect: Her daughter (has) enrolled in my school and is in three of my classes.

So, mixing simple past tense with the present tense in one sentence is ok sometimes? If so, when can we do that? Some exceptions? Some examples?

“I spoke to your teacher this morning and I believe you can get a scholarship.”

До этого момента думала, что staring is таращиться, пялиться

да, пялиться

Смотреть внимательно по-русски не значит пялиться)

Внимательно - с интересом, как будто что-то изучая.
Пялиться - не спускать глаз. Это даже в какой-то степени невежливо.

Например : - Ты знаешь этого типа? Стоит, пялится.

Негативный оттенок. Про пожилых женщин так обычно не говорят. Могут сказать - смотрит изучающе.

People sometimes call the elderly women security near the entrance :)

In a humorous way, of course)

If you give someone something longer than a glance in English, it’s considered staring.

Преподаватель внимательно посмотрел на молодого аспиранта. ( как будто оценивая его идею).

Но это совсем не значит, что он пялился.

Значит, в английском по-другому. Good to know

You can also say the teacher intently studied the young student.

Yes, thanks.

👍🏼

Since THIS is used to attract listener's attention to a new character, it can be equal to the Russian ВОТ: "Вот, к нему подошла женщина в возрасте..."

Aha! How very interesting!

Somtimes ВОТ literarly means THIS:
A: А где / какая здесь твоя собака?
В (показывает рукой): Вот.

...или так:
Вот к Вуди подошла девчонка
И отвела в сторонку...
This gal came up to Woody
She said to Woody wouldya?
Woody said he would
But the gal said couldya?

Cool!

She's looking at him astutely (?)