L . S.

GOLOVCHINSKAYA

SPEAK
GOOD
ENGLISH
 L. S. GOLOVCHINSKAYA

SPEAK.
’ GOOD
ENGLISH
P R A C T IC A L A ID IN O R A L S P E E C H

2nd Y e a r
Д о п у щ е н о М и нистерством
в ы сш его и средн его
сп ец и а л ь н о го о б р а зо в а н и я СССР
в к ач ес тве учебн ого пособи я
д л я с ту д е н то в и н сти тутов
и ф а к у л ь т е т о в и н о ст р ан н ы х я зы к о в

M O SCO W “H I G H E R S C H O O L ” 1976
4 И (Англ)
Г61

Головчинская JI. С.
Г61 Совершенствуйте устную речь. Пособие по разви­
тию навыков устной речи. Учеб. пособие для II курса
ин-тов и фак. иностр. яз. М ., «Высш. школа», 1976.
303 с. с рис.
Н а т и т. л . за гл .: L . S. G o lo v c h in s k a y a . S peak Good E n g ­
lish. P ra c tic a l A id in O ral Speech.

К н и га п р о до л ж ает серию учебных пособий по р азви ти ю навы ков у с т ­

ной речи дл я студентов I—V курсов институтов и ф акул ьтетов и ностран ­
ных я зы к о в. Она содерж и т только ори ги н ал ьн ы е тексты английских
и ам ерикан ских авторов и расш иренную систем у у п р аж н ен и й д л я р а зв и ­
ти я и авто м атизац ии навыков устной р ечи , в том числе тренировочные
у п р аж н ен и я на закр епл ен ие отобранны х я зы к о вы х стр у кту р , ди алоги
с п одстановкам и, кв и зы и т. п.

70104-011 4 И (Англ)
173-76
001 (01)-76

© И зд ате л ь ств о «В ы сш ая ш кол а», 1976 г.

 ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

П редл агаем ая к нига п редставляет собой 2-ю часть серии учебных

пособий по разви ти ю навы ков устной речи д л я студентов 1—5 курсов
институтов и ф ак у льтето в иностранны х язы к ов и предназначена д л я
студентов 2-го к у р са . Пособие д л я студентов 1-го к у р са вы ш ло в свет
в 1975 г. В основу 2-й части пособия полож ен переработан ны й и зн ач и ­
тельн о дополненны й в ар и ан т книги “O ral P ra c tic e in M odern E nglish” ,
вы ходивш ей ран ее д в у м я изданиям и в 1963 и 1967 гг. С тр у кту р а книги
та ж е, что и пособия д л я 1-го курса: часть 1 — м инитексты (басни, очер­
ки, эссе), часть II — новеллы . В пособии исп ол ьзован ы то л ь ко ориги­
нальны е тексты .
И зм енения текстового м атериала при подготовке к настоящ ем у и з­
данию п род иктованы , помимо соображ ений м етодических, стремлением
сделать кн и гу более современной, вклю чить в нее свеж ий м атериал и
расш ирить к р у г под леж ащ и х обсуж дению проблем.
Среди н о е о г о м атер и ал а, которы й дает возм ож ность поднять и об­
судить р яд а к т у а л ь н ы х проблем , мож но в качестве п ри м ера привести
очерки Д ж . М икиш а «О туризме» и «Х вал а телевидению », фельетон
А рта Б у х в а л ь д а «Убери свою комнату» (о п ри езж аю щ ей домой на к ан и ­
кул ы студентке к о л л ед ж а ), «Снова за письменным столом» Роберта Л и н д а
(остроумны й эссе о том, к а к надо или не надо проводи ть отпуск) и др.
Среди новелл отметим тонкий и тал ан тл и вы й р а сс к аз Ф ицдж еральда
«Сотрудничая с гением» и сильны й рассказ А л л ан а С иллитоу на рабочую
тему (« Д яд ю ш ка Эрнст»).
В кн и гу вклю чены разнообразн ы е и, к ак нам п ред став л яется, инте­
ресные образцы современного англи йского я зы к а , где подлеж ащ ий ус­
воению язы ковой м атери ал (лексические единицы , модели и грам м атиче­
ски е конструкции) восп риним ается эм оц ионально и обрастает множ ест­
вом ассоциаций , способствую щ их бы строму усвоению , прочному за п о ­
минанию и свободному его использованию в устной речи. П оэтому все
предлагаем ы е нами тексты представляю т собой закон чен н ы е прои зве­
ден и я. Б ол ьш и н ство из них небольш ого объема и л егк о доступны д л я
пересказа. О черки и новеллы интересны своей язы к овой х а р ак тер и с ти ­
кой: они изобилую т ди ал о гам и , содерж ат зн ач и тел ьн ое число полезны х
лексич еских едини ц и с тр у к т у р , идиоматичны . В них почти отсутствую т
авторски е разм ы ш л ен и я, философские разд у м ья героев, опи сательность,
затр у д н яю щ ая в о сп ри яти е и пересказ. И дейно-худож ественны й замы сел
подобранны х текстов, к а к прави л о, раскры вается в д ей ств и ях и поступ­
к ах героев, что создает динам ичную ф абул у, свободное членение р асск а­
зов и, следовател ьн о, способствует л егкости в осп роизведения. П ри этом
необходимо отметить, что простота сю ж ета и н еслож ность я зы к а отнюдь
не сниж аю т вы сокой идейной и худож ественной ценности вы бранны х р а с ­
ск а зо в . С тудент найдет в пособии р асск азы и новеллы Эрнеста Х ем ин­
1* 3
г у э я , Сомерсета М оэма, Э рскина К о л д у эл л а, У и л ьям а С арояна и многих
д р у г и х м астеров короткого р асск аза.
Сопровож даю щ ий текст а п п ар ат подвергся коренной переработке
и я в л яется естественны м и логическим продолж ением методических
установок, полож ен ны х в основу 1-й части серии . У ч иты вая, однако,
более вы сокий уровен ь подготовки студентов, которы м предстоит р аб о ­
т ат ь над данной к нигой, мы уделили здесь больш е вним ания и места р а ­
боте над свободным излож ением русского текста («рендеринг») и добавили
новый вид работы — «комиксы» (м икроф ильм ы ). К а к п оказы вает опы т,
эт о т вид работы вносит р азн ообрази е в учебны й процесс и дает о тл и ч ­
ны е результаты , п р и у ч а я студентов к спонтанной речи. К а к и в первой
части, каж ды й раздел пособия зам ы кается «квизом». «Квизы », к а к мы
имели возм ож ность убедиться, не то л ь к о разв и в аю т студентов и п р о ­
буж даю т ж ел ан и е больш е вним ания у д ел ять сам ообразованию , но и
с л у ж а т отличны м трам плином д л я спонтанной беседы или ди скуссии .
Тексты располож ен ы по принципу возрастаю щ ей трудности. Х а р а к ­
т ер заданий постепенно м еняется: от воспроизведения мы переходим к з а ­
даниям более слож ны м , требую щ им сам остоятельной работы студента.
О сновная ц ел ь, которую мы себе ставили при работе над этой к ни­
гой , та ж е, что и в 1-й части: стим улировать устную речь на основе рас­
ш ирения и обогащ ен ия словарного зап аса студента.
Автор в ы р аж ает благод арность рецензентам рукописи — каф едре
английского я зы к а Л ен и н град ского педагогического института им.
А . И. Г ерцена и ст. преп. М ГП И И Я им. М ориса Т ореза В. О . В ол одар­
скому за ценны е зам еч ан и я и реком ендации.

Л . О, Головчинская
 PA RT I

CLEAN U P YOUR ROOM

by Art Buchw ald

You don’t really feel the generation gap 1 in this country

u n til a son or daughter comes home from college for C hrist­
mas. Then it strikes you how out of it you really are.2
This dialogue is probably taking place all over America
this week.
“Nancy, you’ve been home from school for three days now.
W hy don’t you clean up your room ?”
“We don’t have to clean up our room at college, m other.”
“T h a t’s very nice, and I ’m happy you’re going to such
a free-wheeling in stitu tio n 3. B ut w hile you are in the house,
your father and I would like you to clean up your room .”
“W hat difference does it make? I t ’s my room .”
“I know, dear, and it really doesn’t mean th a t much 4
to me. B ut your father has a great fear of the plague. He said
this m orning if i t ’s going to s ta rt anyw here in this country,
i t ’s going to sta rt in your room .”
“M other, you people aren’t interested in an ything th a t’s
re le v an t.6 Do you realize how the m ajor corporations are
po llu tin g our environm ent?”6
“Your father and I are very w orried about it. B ut right
now we’re more concerned w ith 7 the pollution in your bed­
room. You h av en ’t made your bed since you came hom e.”
“I never make it up a t the dorm .”8
“Of course you don’t, and I ’m sure the tim e you save goes
tow ard your education. B ut we still have these old-fashioned
ideas about m aking beds in the m orning and we c a n ’t shake
th em .9 Since you’re home for such a short tim e, why don’t
you do it to hum or 10 us?”
“For heaven’s sake, m other, I ’m grown up now. W hy
do you have to tre a t me like a child?”
5

i
 “W e’re n o t tre a tin g you like a child. B ut i t ’s very hard
for us to realize you’re an ad u lt when you throw all your
clothes on the floor.”
“I hav en ’t throw n all my clothes on the floor. Those are
ju st the clothes I wore yesterday.”
“Forgive me. I exaggerated. W ell, how about the d irty
dishes and em pty soft-drink cans 11 on your desk? Are you
collecting them for a science project?” 12
“M other, you don’t understand us. You people were
brought up to have clean rooms. B ut our generation doesn’t
care about things like th at. I t ’s w hat you have in your head
th a t co u n ts.” 13
“No one respects education more than your father and
I do, p artic u la rly at the prices th e y ’re charging.14 B ut we
ca n ’t see how liv ing in squalor 15 can im prove your m ind.”
“T h a t’s because of your p rio rities.16 You would ra th e r
have me m ake up m y bed and pick up my clothes than be­
come a free sp irit who thinks for m yself.”
“W e are not try in g to stifle 17 your free sp irit. I t ’s ju st
th a t our B lue Cross has run out, and we have no p ro te c tio n 18
in case anybody catches typhoid.”
“All rig h t I ’ll clean up m y room if it means th a t much
to you. B ut I w ant you to know you’ve ruined m y vacatio n .”
“It was a calculated risk 191 had to take. Oh, by the way —
I know th is is a terrib le thing to ask of you, bu t would you
m ind helping me wash the dinner dishes?”
“W ash dishes? Nobody washes dishes at school.”
“Y our father and I were afraid of th a t.”

NOTES

1 generation g a p — problem No 1 no t only in fam ily re ­

lationships, b u t in society as a whole. The phrase has been
frequently used of late to indicate estrangem ent between the
younger and th e older generations, the lack of m utual under­
stan d in g and common interests, the disrespect of the children
for th eir paren ts and their desire to em phasize they are modern
as com pared to th eir old-fashioned m others and fathers, supe­
rio r'a n d the like. Comp. Russ, отцы и дети
2 it strikes you how out of it you really are — you suddenly
realize how little you actually know w hat your daughter has
developed into
 3 free-wheeling institution — an in stitu tio n w ith few or
no restrictions, where you do as you please, e. g. a free-wheeling
life, existence, etc.; often used ironically, as, for instance,
a free-wheeling account of an event, i. e. a n account which is
far from being accurate; also a free-wheeling description, trans­
lation, interpretation, etc.
4 that much (colloq.) — so much
5 relevant— (here) im portant; relevant is used when speaks
ing of sm th. th a t is connected or has sm th. to do w ith the
m atter in question, e.g. a relevant remark, question, detail’,
H e gave re lev an t evidence th a t threw new light on the case.
A n t. irrelevant
6 to pollute the environment — to m ake the environ­
m ent foul, filth y , u n fit to live (Russ, засорять окружающую
среду); pollution n, e. g. air pollution, water pollution, etc.
7 concerned with — worried about, preoccupied w ith, anx­
ious about (Russ, обеспокоен)
8 dorm (abbr.) — dorm itory, a build in g providing sleep­
ing and living accom m odations, especially at a school college
9 can’t shake them — ca n ’t give them up, stop believing
they are rig h t
10 to humor — to please, to do things a person w ants you
to, to indulge, e. g. W ith everybody in the fam ily hum oring
the child, it grew in to a little ty ra n t. W hy no t hum or G ranny?
She is old and in pain.
11 soft-drink — non-alcoholic drink; a soft-drink can is
a m etal container for holding soft drinks; Comp, milk-can,
oil-can, etc.
12 science project — scientific research or experim ent
18 to count — (here) to m atter, to be of im portance (Russ.
идти в счет)
14 particularly at the prices they’re charging — if you
take into consideration how high college fees are
15 squalor — d irtin ess and filth usually com bined w ith
neglect and slovenliness; the w ord often, b u t no t necessarily,
suggests poverty; squalid adj.
16 priority — a th in g th a t comes first, a point of utm ost
im portance, most urgent, e. g. P u t it on the prio rity
list.
17 to stifle — (here) to suppress, e. g. to stifle a desire, am bi­
tion, rebellion-, to stifle also means 1) to m ake b reathing dif­
ficult, e. g. H e was stifled by the dust (smoke, gas). The heat
was stifling; 2) to p u t out the fire, to conceal or hush up sm th.,
e. g. E v ery th in g was resorted to in order to stifle the possible
scandal.
18 our Blue Cross has run out — hospital treatm ent in
USA is very expensive, whereas B lue Cross m em bership e n ti­
tles a person to hospital treatm ent at a discount of about 70% .
The members are expected to pay fees periodically. By saying
th a t their Blue Cross “has run o u t” and they “have no protec­
tion in c a s e ...”, the m other im plies th a t they have used up their
funds and under the circum stances cannot count on g ettin g
hospital trea tm e n t at a discount; to protect (in commerce) —
to provide funds, to guarantee paym ent of
19 a calculated risk — a planned, intended risk taken by
a person who is fully aware of the possible disastrous conse­
quences (Russ, знать на что идешь, сознательно идти на
риск)

E X E R C IS E S
E x erc ise I. P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and
phrases:

a) generation gap, C hristm as, free-wheeling, plague, re l­

evant, environm ent, pollution, concerned, adult, clothes,
d irty dishes, science project, squalor, p rio rity , stifle, typhoid
b) j u 1 'd o u n t T ia li 'f i d ^ S a d3 ena'reij"n 'gsep in '3 is ^ k x n t r i |
x n t il a 's x n a - 'd o :ta 'k x m z 'h o u m fram 'k o lid 3 fa X k n s m a s ||
aim 'haepi ju a 'g o u ig ta 's x tf a 'f r i:'w i:lig ,in s ti" y tju :J n ||
jo- 'fa:Sa h a z a 'g re it 'f i a r ^ a v За X p le ig ||
j a - 'fa :3 a r,_ a n d y a i | ct 'v e ri X w x rid a ,b a u t it ||
w i- 's til 'hsev '3 i:z 'o u ld 'faejnd a iJ diaz | a b a u t 'm eik ii) "ybedz
i n ^ 3 a ,m o:niq ||
E x e rc ise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. We don’t have to go shopping today.

They d o n 't have to clean up their room s a t college.
She doesn't have to cook her meals.
She doesn't have to wash dishes.
2. W hen you listen to classic music it strikes you how lovely
it is.
W hen you take an early w alk it strikes you how invigorating
it is.
8
 W hen I v isit an A rt G allery it strikes me how fine the Old
M asters are.
W hen he w atches young people dance it strikes him how
crazy it looks.
W hen he looks at modern boys and girls it strikes him how
very much alike they look.
3. I know it sounds aw ful bu t I never air the room.
I know it sounds aw ful but I never m ake my bed.
/ know it sounds aw ful bu t I never clean my clothes.
I know it sounds aw ful bu t I never wash my socks.
I know it sounds aw ful bu t I don’t care a b it w hat she
says.
В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A.: W hy don’t you go o u t for a walk?

B.: W hy should I?
A.: D on’t you realize it would do you good?
B.: I c a n ’t see how taking a walk w ould make me happier
(make things b etter).
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d phrases from
colum ns (1) a n d (2):

A.: W hy don’t you . . . (1)?

B.: W hy should I?
A.: D on’t you realize it would do you good?
B.: I c a n ’t see how . . . (2) would m ake me happier (make
things b etter).

( 1) (2)
go to the country going to the country
a ir th e room a irin g the room
tak e a shower ta k in g a shower
go and see your friends going to see my friends
get out of bed gettin g out of bed
tak e a course at college ta k in g a course at college
have a h aircu t having a haircu t
go in for sports going in for sports
give up sm oking giving up sm oking
play golf playing golf
learn to swim (skate, ski) learning to swim , etc.
keep ea rly hours keeping ea rly hours
9
 E x e rc is e I I I . R ep lace th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords
an d p h ra ses from th e te x t:
1. I t ’s good to hear that there are no strict rules at the college
you go to. 2. W hat does it matter w hether I do my room or
not? 3. Y our fath er is very much afraid of infectious diseases.
4. U n fo rtu n ately you don't take an interest in things that really
matter. 5. T here is no doubt that the time you save is spent on
your education. 6. I ’m aw fully sorry we still stick to our old-
fashioned ideas. 7. W hy don’t you try to do things that w ill
please us? 8. I ’ve been wondering w hether you’re storing up
soft-drink cans for some scientific experiment. 9. I t ’s w hat you
h av e in your head th a t is of importance.
E x e rc is e IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

убирать комнату; стелить постель; мыть посуду; засоре­

ние окружающей среды; поколение; разрыв между поколе­
ниями; плата, которая взимается за обучение; жить в гр я­
зи; самостоятельно мыслить; подавлять; заразиться тифом;
испортить каникулы; сознательный риск; идти на созна­
тельный риск; кстати; не могла бы ты
E x e rc is e V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W h a t is it th a t the parents don’t realize u n til the ch il­

dren come from college for C hristm as? 2. W hat question does
the m other ask her daughter after a couple of days? 3. W hy
does th e girl believe she doesn’t have to clean up her room?
And why is she n o t used to doing it? 4. W hat does her father
fear? 5. W h at was he heard saying in the m orning? 6. W hat
shows th a t th e girl looks down upon her parents and be­
lieves herself to have a wider scope of m ind? 7. W hat are the
parents, concerned w ith under the circum stances? 8. How does
th e girl supposedly use the tim e saved from not doing things
every norm al person does? 9. W hat makes the girl feel hurt?
10. W hy is it h ard for the m other to realize the girl is an adult?
11. In w hat way does the girl th in k her generation differs
from the older one? 12. W hat w ould hum oring her parents
mean to the girl? 13. W hat terrible discovery does the m other
make tow ard th e end of the conversation?
E x e rc is e V I . R e te ll th e sto ry u sin g th e follow ing w ords a n d phrases:

generation gap; home for C hristm as; to strike one; prob­

ably; to clean up; a free-wheeling in stitu tio n ; to make a dif­
ference; to mean th a t much; a great fear of; to sta rt in this
10
 country; to be in terested in; relevant; m ajor corporations;
to p o llute environm ent; to be more concerned w ith; dorm
(dorm itory); to save tim e; old-fashioned ideas; to hum or;
grown up; to trea t (like); hard to realize; ad u lt; to throw; to
exaggerate; em pty cans; desk; science project; to be brought
up; to care about; it counts; to respect education; p a rtic u la r­
ly; to charge prices; to live in squalor; to im prove one’s m ind;
priorities; w ould ra th e r; to pick up; free sp irit; to th in k for
- oneself; to stifle; Blue Cross; to run out; in case; to catch ty ­
phoid; to ruin; to take a calculated risk; to ask of sm b.; would
you mind; dinner dishes
E x erc ise V I I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to R u ss ia n , p a y in g a tte n tio n
to th e w ords a) r u in , b) treat:

to ru in : a person, one’s life, clothes, holiday, plans, health,

career, a new gown, a car, one’s re p u tatio n
to treat: to tre a t one cruelly (kindly); to tre a t one like a dog;
to tre a t a person to dinner; to trea t a p atien t; to tre a t a m at­
ter seriously (lightly, thoroughly); to tre a t sm th. as a joke;
to trea t the inform ation as relevant
E x e rc ise V I I I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to E n g lish u sin g a) to run
o u t, b) to stifle , c) relevant ( irrelevant):

a) 1. М альчик не плохой, но очень упрямый (stubborn).

Когда м а т ь т е р я е т т е р п е н и е , она дает ему хо­
роший шлепок (to give a good slap). 2. Прошло полгода с тех
пор, как м-р Д аррелл разорился. Его текущий счет в банке
и с с я к , и никто не хотел давать ему деньги в долг. 3. Наш е
время истекает. Надо принимать срочные меры
(urgent measures). 4. Роберт не мог найти работу. Отложен­
ные на черный день деньги (saved for a rainy day) давно
б ы л и и с т р а ч е н ы . Ему грозила нищета (staring in his
face). 5. Что делать? К о н ч а е т с я горючее (fuel).
b) 1. Он быстро захлопнул окно, чтобы з а г л у ш и т ь
шум. 2. Она п о д а в и л а желание утаить письма, которые
могли бы быть использованы в качестве улики (evidence)
против ее муж а. 3. Ж ара была у д у ш а ю щ е й . 4. Он з а -
' д ы х а л с я от жары. 5. Она п о д а в и л а стон, когда
боль стала невыносимой.
c) 1. Было много с в я з а н н ы х с проектом проблем,
которые еще не рассматривались. 2. Вопрос показался н е-
у м е с т н ы м , и присутствующие сочли возможным про­
пустить его мимо ушей (chose to ignore). 3. Единственным
ll
свидетелем, давшим п о л е з н ы е (относящиеся
к д е л у ) показания, был деревенский кузнец. 4. Судья
объявил заданный прокурором вопрос к д е л у н е о т ­
носящимся.
E xercise IX . Q u o te th e te x t to pro v e th a t a) th e m o th e r is e x tre m e ­
ly p a tie n t a n d ta c tfu l; has a sense of h u m o u r; uses irony; b)' th e d a u g h te r
is in clin ed to th in k she is v e ry m uch u p -to -d a te ; speaks in cliches; is none
too clever.
E xercise X . T opics for discussion:
1. The generation gap.
2. College and home.
3. W h at is essential for bridging the generation gap?
4. D escribe a fam ily in which a) this problem hardly
exists; b) the “gap” is problem num ber 1.
5. How would you like your parents to tre a t you? Are you
inclined to th in k they are always wrong?
6. How are you going to bring up your children?
7. D escribe an Am erican (English) college.
8. R etell an episode from college life (from a book or
film).
9. W h at is the ideal approach to the younger generation?
10. C haracterize the style and vocabulary of a) the m o
er, b) the daughter.
E xercise X I . D escribe th e follow ing p ictu re;

:W h o ’s th a t lo n g -h aired y o u n g m a n ? ”
‘I t ’s not a y o u n g m an . I t ’s m y d a u g h te r .”
In d e e d ? Y o u ’re such aO yl r oo un nnrgf fofVlOT
‘I n rlnorlO У л н ’ г о c n n t l
fa th e r .”
“I ’m n o t th e fa th e r . I ’m th e m o ther."
 E x erc ise X I I . R en d er th e follow ing te x ts in E nglish:

а) Что делать двоечникам (poor students)? Казалось бы,

заниматься усерднее. Но это старомодно. В наш синтети­
ческий век есть, оказывается, и другие варианты. Американ­
ское министерство просвещения всерьез обеспокоено инте­
ресной инициативой нью-йоркской фирмы «Термпейперс»,
взявшей на себя благородную миссию помощи (за солидное
вознаграждение — high fees) отстающим старшеклассникам
и студентам. Фирма берет на себя обязательство (undertakes
to supply) в кратчайш ие сроки выполнять контрольные по
математике, писать сочинения и т. д. Д л я этого правление
прибегает к услугам (resorts to the help of) квалифициро­
ванных преподавателей колледжа, пожелавших, само со­
бой разумеется, остаться неизвестными (anonymous). Д ос­
таточно принести работу по указанному адресу, и через сут­
ки она будет сделана на «отлично». В настоящее время луч­
шие умы (brains) фирмы заняты новой, не менее интересной
проблемой: они разрабатывают проект (are w orking on а
project), как помогать двоечникам на устных экзаменах.

Ь) Акселерация (Acceleration)

— Какой чудесный слоник! Какого слоника подарили

Алику! — твердила бабушка (kept saying).
— Сама ты слоник. Это ж е элементарный (common) кот.
Совсем ничего не соображает старуха,— думал Алик, ух­
ватив игрушечного кота за хвост.
— А что это у Алика такое маленькое, розовенькое? —
ворковала мама.
— Н огу у человека что ли не видела? Л евая ступня с
фалангами (foot w ith phalanxes). Вот глупая!
■— А как у нас Алик носочки сам снимает? — упорст­
вовал (persist) папа.
— Это уж чересчур (more than I can stand). Сам возь­
ми, да и сними, если надо. Совсем нет покоя,— думал Алик,
стаскивая носок с правой ноги к восторгу (to the delight of)
всей семьи.
— Алик любит тетю? — приставила (kept asking) те­
тушка.
— Знала бы как люблю, духу бы твоего тут не было, ста­
рая дура (I wish you were on the other side of the door),—
думал Алик, протягивая тете руки (stretch out).
13
 — А куш ать Алик хочет? К ак он молочка попросит? —
пыхтел дедушка (puff and pant).
— Д а не хочу я есть. Иди ты к черту (to hell w ith you)! —
подумал Алик и заплакал от досады (burst ou t crying w ith
annoyance).
— Спать хочет наше солнышко, радость наша единст­
венная (our only darling).
— Когда ж е это все кончится? — думал Алик, когда его
уклады вали в кровать и бабушка запела колыбельную (lu ll­
aby).— И слова бессмысленные, и лицо у нее какое-то...
Нет, никогда мне не вырваться из этого плена варварства и
тупости (prison of savagery and stu p id ity ).
Он грустно улыбнулся и закрыл глаза.
Тетя, за ней дядя, а потом папа с мамой и дедуш ка на
цыпочках вышли из комнаты (tiptoed out of...). Последней
выскользнула бабушка (was the last to).
— Н у и семейка мне досталась (W hat a fam ily I ’ve got
m yself into)! — думал Алик, засыпая.

THE PEACELIKE MONGOOSE1

by Jam es Thurber

In C o b ra2 co u ntry a mongoose was born one day who d id n ’t

w ant to fight cobras or anything else. The word spread 3 from
mongoose to mortgoose th a t there was a mongoose who d id n ’t
w ant to fight cobras. If he d id n ’t w ant to fight anything else,
it was his own business, bu t it was the duty of every mongoose
to k ill cobras or be killed by cobras.
“W hy?” asked the peacelike mongoose, and the word w ent
around th a t the strange new mongoose was not only pro­
cobra 4 and anti-m ongoose 5 but in tellectu ally curious and
against th e ideals and trad itio n s of mongoosism.
“H e is crazy,” cried the young mongoose’s father.
“He is sick,”6 said his m other.
“He is a cow ard,” shouted his brothers.
“He is a m ongoosexual,” 7 w hispered his sisters.
S trangers who had never laid eyes o n 8 the peacelike mon­
goose rem em bered th a t they had seen him craw ling on his
stom ach, or try in g on cobra hoods,9 or p lo ttin g the violent
overthrow of Mongoosia.
14
 “I am try in g to user.eason and intelligence,” said the strange
new mongoose.
“Reason is six-sevenths of treason,” said one of his neigh­
bors.
“Intelligence 10 is w hat the enemy uses,” said another.
F in ally , th e rum our spread th a t the mongoose had venom
in his sting, like a cobra, and he was trie d ,11 convicted 12by a
show of paw s,13 and condemned to banishm ent.
Moral: Ashes to ashes, and clay to clay,
if your enem y doesn’t get you,
your own folk may.

NO TES

1 mongoose t'm ogguis] (pi. mongooses) — a sm all anim al

common in In d ia which attacks and kills poisonous snakes
2 cobra — a very poisonous snake found in Asia and A fri­
ca th a t can expand its neck into a broad hood
3 The word spread (see further: the word went around) =
the news spread. Word in the sense ‘new s’, ‘inform ation’ is
often used w ith o u t any article, e. g. to bring word, to get (send)
word, etc. W ord cam e th a t a new doctor was arriv in g at the
village.
4 pro-cobra — pro- [prou] is a prefix m eaning ‘in favour
of’, ‘on the side of’, as in pro-American, pro-fascist, etc.
5 anti-mongoose — anti- ['senti] is a prefix m eaning
‘ag ain st’, ‘opposed to ’, as in anti-fascist, anti-clerical, a n ti­
colonial, etc.
6 sick (A m .) = ill. In B ritish English sick in this sense
is used only a ttrib u tiv e ly , e. g. a sick child. W hen used predi-
catively sick has a more specific m eaning ‘overcome w ith
nausea ['nm sja], inclined to vom it ['v o m it]’, e. g. H e felt
sick.-— Его тошнило. The boy was v io len tly sick.— У маль-.
чика была сильная рвота. Also to be seasick, airsick, etc.
In colloquial style sick is used predicatively m eaning ‘annoyed’,
‘disgusted’, e. g. I 'm sick of it (or sick and tired of it).— Мне
это опротивело.
7 mongoosexual — the author coins th is word, using homo­
sexual as a model, to convey the idea of perversion or corrup­
tion. O ther words coined by the author are mongoosism and
Mongoosia.
15
 8 had never laid eyes on = had never seen
9 trying on cobra hoods — a p lay on the two meanings of
the word hood: 1) a soft covering for the head and neck —
капюшон, 2) th e hood of a cobra
10 a play on the two m eanings of the word intelligence:
1) quickness of understanding, 2) inform ation, e. g. In te lli­
gence Service — разведка
11 he was tried — he was exam ined in a court of law to
determ ine his g u ilt or innocence, e. g. H e was tried for m ur­
der; trial, п., e. g. He was on tria l for treason.
12 to convict — to prove in a court of law th a t a person
is g u ilty , e. g. The prisoner was tried and convicted (we don’t
know w hat his punishm ent will be); see further to condemn
[kan'dem ] — to sentence to punishm ent for a crim e com m it­
ted, e. g. H e was condem ned to death (to im prisonm ent, hard
labour, etc.).
13 by a show o f paws — the author uses as a model the
phrase “by a show of hands”, m eaning a m ethod of voting
by holding up the hand, e. g. The m embers of the conference
voted by a show of hands. The chairm an counted the show of
hands.

E X E R C IS E S

E xercise I. P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:

a) mongoose, cobra, pro-cobra, coward, stom ach, over­

throw , venom , folk
b) i t w a z ^ S a 'd j u :t i av _ /e v r i ,m a g g u :s | ta 'k il 'k o u b ra z a- b i'
~ \k ild bai ,k o u b ra z ||
Sa 'w a :d 'w e n t a j r a u n d | 0 a t ^ 9 a 'stre m d 5 'm o q g u :s w az fn o t
'o u n li p ro u ,k o u b ra | b at g n ti'le k tu a li ~ykjuarias ||
9ei h a d 's i:n him 'k r o :lii) ^ o n hiz ^ s tx m a k ||
'r i:z a n iz fsik s 'se v a n b av ~ \tri:z a n j|

E xercise II . D rills.

a) R e ad a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. I f you d o n 't speak to him , somebody else may.

I f they don't open her eyes, somebody else may.
16
 I f he doesn't apply for the job, his friend may.
I f you don't speak up, somebody else m ay.
I f she doesn't w ant to m arry you, her sister may.
2. Intelligence is what the enemy uses.
Patience is what a teacher needs.
Research is what a scientist does.
Brains is what an executive needs.
W ill power is what an explorer has.
T ra in in g is what a sportsm an needs.
3. If he doesn’t w ant to fight, it's his own business.
If she doesn’t w ant to join us, it's her own business.
If he w ants to rem ain ignorant, i t ’s his own business.
If they miss the train , i t ’s their own business.
If he doesn’t w ant to have a haircut, it's his own business.
В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:
A .: W hat if he doesn’t agree to our plan?
B.: W ell, if he doesn’t, somebody else m ay.
A.: Suppose, nobody does.
B.: Never m ind. Then we’ll think of something else.
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e dialo g u e fram e w ith w ords and phrases from
colum ns (1), (2), (3):
A.: W hat if . . . (1) doesn’t agree to ... (2)?
B.: Well if he (she) doesn’t, somebody else may.
A.: Suppose, nobody does.
B.: Never m ind. Then we’l l . . . (3).

( 1) ( 2) ( 3)
Ju d ith lend us the car ask somebody else
D o nald’s father buy my tra n sisto r go to some other
your m other-in- come to luncheon place
law give me a le tte r of invite another man
your stepm other recom m endation borrow it from Dad
(stepfather) find a job for Bobby do w ith o u t it
Alice in v ite our crow d go to the pawnshop
H orace for the week-end speak to F red about
S te lla give us a free pass it
your su ito r supply us w ith get M r. B. to do it
his g irl friend money
E dgar
Florence
17
 E x erc ise I I I . R ep lace th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sen ten ces b y e q u iv ­
a le n ts from th e te x t:
1. The news spread th a t there was a mongoose who was
unlike his brothers and sisters. 2. If he d id n ’t feel like fighting,
it d id n 't concern anybody, provided he was prepared to kill
cobras. 3. S trange as it may seem, some of the in h ab itan ts of
the jungle, who had never seen the strange mongoose, suddenly
recollected having w atched him try in g on cobra hoods. 4. E ven­
tu ally the strange mongoose was brought to court, found g u ilty
and sentenced to exile.
E x erc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

прошел слух; его личное дело; не только . . ., но и . . .;

помешанный; и в глаза не видели; ползать на животе; при­
мерять; замышлять (участвовать в заговоре); насильствен­
ный переворот; государственная измена; разведка; яд; ж ало;
судить; осудить; голосование посредством поднятия рук;
изгнание
E x erc ise V . A dd ta il-q u e s tio n s to th e follow ing:

1. There was a mongoose who d id n ’t w ant to fight cobras,

. . . ? 2. It was his own business, after all, . . . ? 3. He d id n ’t
w ant to fight cobras, . . . ? 4. The word w ent around th a t the
strange mongoose was pro-cobra, . . .? 5. “I ’m try in g to use
reason, . . .?” he said. 6. There was a rum our of a com ing
tria l, . . .? 7. “W hy should I be prosecuted?” he asked. “I ’m
innocent, . . .?” 8. The strange mongoose was banished, . . .?
E x erc ise V I . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W hat kind of mongoose was born in Cobra country?

2. How did everybody come to know th a t the new mongoose
was som ewhat strange? 3. W hat was believed to be the sacred
d uty of every mongoose? 4. W hat was it th a t m ade the new
mongoose seem still more unreliable and suspicious? 5. W hat
different opinions were expressed by the members of his
fam ily? 6. W h at were the various charges brought against
him? 7. W ere the witnesses reliable enough? 8. W hy was
the strange mongoose brought to court? 9. W hat was he
sentenced to? 10. W hat is the moral of the story?
E x ercise V I I . R e te ll th e fable usin g th e follo w in g w ords and phrases:

one day; to be born; to fight sm b.; the word (rumour)

spread; one’s own business; duty; not only , . . bu t (also)
18
 . . in tellectu ally curious; ideals; crazy; sick; coward; strang­
e r; to lay eyes on; to crawl; stom ach; to try on; to plot;
violent; overthrow ; to use reason; intelligence; venom; sting;
to try; to convict; to condemn

E x erc ise V I I I . C om m ent on th e four sentences in w h ic h th e m em bers

of th e stra n g e M ongoose’s fa m ily account for his u n u su a l b e h av io u r. P a y
a tte n tio n to th e v e rb s th e a u th o r uses to in tro d u c e th e ir speech (cried, said,
e tc.) and e x p la in w h y th ese p a rtic u la r w ords a re used.

E x erc ise IX . P ic k o u t of th e te x t th e sentences in w h ich th e w ord fry

is used. (T here are th re e of them .) M ake up s im ila r sentences.

E x erc ise X . R e te ll th e sto ry in In d ire c t Speech, b e g in n in g w ith

th e second p a ra g ra p h .

E x erc ise X I . C hoose th e proper w ord:

(crazy — mad)
1. The girl was . . . about pop music. 2. D on’t be . . . at
me. I ’ve got n o th in g to do w ith the whole thing. 3. He w a s . . .
when he realized th a t somebody had entered the room in
his absence. 4. The boy is driving them . . . w ith his . . . ideas.
5. In the final scene the hero takes the g irl’s hand and whis­
pers: “I ’m . . . about you. I love you.” 6. “H ard to say why he
should have done it. He m ust have gone . . . .”
(sick — ill)
1. The book is cheap and vulgar. It makes you . , . .
2. A . . . child was taken to hospital and im m ediately operat­
ed on. 3. F red would hardly eat anything. The very sight
of food made him . . . . 4. “If you are . . ., you’d better stay
in bed.” 5. He was . . . and tired of the job and made up his
m ind to q u it. 6. “If a trip by air makes you air . . le t’s go by
tra in .”
E x erc ise X I I . T ra n s la te th e R u ssia n w ords a n d phrases:

1. The accused was (признан виновным) and (присужден

к) ten y ears’ im prisonm ent. 2. The sergeant (полз на животе)
for the better p a rt of the day; it was already dusk when he
reached the cam p. 3. How could she possibly be a witness
(на суде)? It is known for certain th a t she has never (в глаза
не видела подсудимого). 4. A num ber of newspaperm en a t­
tended (процесс). 5. (Прошел слух) th a t the senator was dan­
gerously (болен) and there was little hope he m ight ever re ­
19
cover. 6. The delegates voted (поднятием рук). 7. The young
officer (примерил) his brand-new uniform and definitely
liked it.

Exercise X I I I . T opics for discussion:

1. W hat does Thurber attack in the fable?

2. Discuss intolerance in its various forms (religious,
moral, etc.).
3. Speak on the prosecution of a) Cassius Clay (Mohammed
Ali), b) Dr. Spock and others during the war in V ietnam .
4. Speak on intolerance in the moral sphere (in literature:
The Scarlet Letter by N athaniel H aw thorne, A n n a Karenina
by L. T olstoi, etc.).
5. U nconventional behaviour m ay m ake a person the
target of vicious attack s on the p art of puritans, bourgeois
m oralists and the like (give exam ples from literature).
6. Describe a trial.
7. Describe a w itness, whose evidence is unreliable or
false.
8. Speak on a K ipling story in which the mongoose plays
a prom inent p art.

E xercise XI V. D escrib e th e p ictu re:

 E x erc ise X V . R en d er the follow ing te x t in E n g lish ;

Д омаш няя (dom estic) кобра

Мы были поражены (amazed) и не верили своим глазам.

Змея леж ала на плечах своего хозяина и ела у него с руки.
Ручная (tame) змея? Возможно ли это?
«Да, вполне,— говорит хозяин квартиры Валерий Н и ­
китин.— З а восемь лет не было ни одного чрезвычайного
происшествия (accident). Д а и сейчас у меня живет не одна
ее «родственница».
Глядя на грозных (formidable) змей, трудно поверить,
что у всех пресмыкающихся (rep tiles) зубы с опаснейшим
ядом удалены (had their poisonous teeth removed).
Никитин из Д уш анбе научился не только ловко ловить
змей. Он месяцами (m onths on end) приручает их (to tam e
and train). Это его хобби. Вначале осторожно, а потом все
свободнее кормит змей с рук. А «трудновоспитуемых» он
отдает (hands over to) таджикской зообазе или университету.
Никитин — большой любитель охоты (am ateur hunter).
Во дворе бегают четыре великолепные лайки, а в комнате
рядом с ружьем стоит фотоувеличитель (m agnifier). Альбом
его полон фотографий птиц, кабанов (w ild boars), медве­
дей... Все свободные дни он проводит в горах.

T here Once W as a P uffin

Oh, there once was a Puffin

J u s t the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the b right blue sea!

He ate little fishes,

T h at were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

B ut this poor little Puffin,

He co u ldn’t play n o th in ’,
For he h a d n ’t anybody
To play w ith at all.
21
w

So he sat on the island

And he cried for awhile, and
H e felt very lonely,
And he felt very sm all,

Then along came the fishes,

And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playm ates,
Instead of for tea!”

So they now play together,

In all sorts of w eather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
L ike you and like me.

Florence Page Jaques

j HOW TO DIE
i,
!
by George M ikes

The English are the only race in the w orld who enjoy dying.
Most other people contem plate death w ith fear; the English
5 look forward to it w ith gusto.1
| They speak of death as if it were som ething n atu ral.
Foreign insurance agents speak of ‘certain p o ssibilities’ 2
and the ‘e v e n tu a lity ’ th at ‘som ething m ight happen to you’.
■ The English m ake careful calculations and the thought th a t
the insurance com pany will have to pay up always sweetens
1 their last hours. Nowhere in the world do people m ake so m any
cruel jokes about the aged and the weak as here. In C ontinen­
tal fam ilies you sim ply do not refer to 3 the fact th a t a parent
{ or a grandparent is not im m ortal. B ut no t long ago my two
children burst into my room and asked me:
“D addy, which of us will get your cam era when you die?”
“I ’ll let you know,” I replied. “By the way, I am sorry to
I be still alive. I t ’s not my fault. I can’t help it.” 4
I They were a little hurt.
“D on’t be silly. W e don’t really m ind at all. W e only w an t­
ed to know w ho’ll get the cam era.”
22
 And when the m om ent comes, the English make no fuss.5
They are n o t a great people for famous last words. Dead or
alive, they h ate being conspicuous or saying any thing uncon­
ventional.
I shall never forget the poor old gentlem an who once tra v ­
elled w ith me on the Channel boat. O nly the two of us were
on deck as a vio len t storm was raging. W e huddled there for
a while, w ith o u t saying anything. S uddenly a fearful gust
blew him overboard. His head emerged 6 ju st once from the
w ater below me. H e looked at me calm ly and rem arked
som ewhat casually:
“R ather w indy, isn ’t it? ”

NO TES

1 gusto — keen enjoym ent, agreeable excitem ent, e. g.

Jo h n was a big eater and always ate w ith gusto. A untie knew
no end of stories and would tell them w ith gusto; to do smth.
with gusto — Russ, colloq. со смаком
2 ‘certain possibilities’ — a euphem ism , a phrase used to
avoid offensive words such as death and the like
3 to refer to — to speak of, to m ention, to allude to (Russ.
ссылаться, упоминать), e. g. He never referred to the circum ­
stances of his divorce. The recollection m ust have been much
too painful. In his talk he referred to the docum ents and jo u r­
n als he had m ade use of. L e t’s not refer to it, it doesn’t really
m atter; to refer m ay also mean ‘to d irect’, e. g. W hen I called
at the lib rary for inform ation I was referred to the B ibliog­
rap h y D epartm ent.
4 I can’t help it — It doesn’t depend upon me, I can do
n o th in g about it, e. g. I ju st happen to dislike his girl friends;
I can ’t help it (= 1 ca n ’t help disliking them ).
6 the English make no fuss — don’t com plain, don’t
get nervous or excited; to make a fuss (about, over, of) —
to attach too much im portance to sm th. (or sm b.), to get u n ­
necessarily excited, nervous or angry about u nim portant
things th a t don’t really m atter much, e. g. W hy should
she make such a fuss about her com ing trip? She is the
kind of devoted m other who is alw ays fussing over her
children.
6 to emerge — to rise, come into view; said of sm th. (or
sm b.) th a t has been concealed or unknow n, e .g . A cloaked
figure emerged from the house. The d iv er’s head emerged
23
from the w ater. W hen every thing seemed to have been settled
a new difficulty emerged; emergency — a sudden condition
or happening callin g for im m ediate action, e. g. in case of
emergency, state of emergency, emergency call, emergency land­
ing, etc.

E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise I . P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords a n d

phrases:
a) contem plate, gusto, n atu ra l, insurance, refer, im m or­
tal, cam era, C hannel, violent, fearful, casually
b) 9 i- 'o u n li 're is in w Ss "y w sd d ||
'm o u st 'л З э 'p i:p l 'l u k ffoiw od tu it w i3 "ygA stou [|
'o:lw iz 's w id o n z ^ d e a f la :s t “У аиэг ||
'k ru a l 'd 3 0 uks э Ь а и ^ З г X eid 3 id |[
h u - ' w a h s 't r a v a l d w i5 m i- з п ^ ,3 э ‘y tjr e n a l ,b o u t ||
w i3 a u t 'se iiq X e n iS ig ||
r i 'm a k t 'sA m w at 'kse 3 ju ali ||

E x erc ise I I . D rills.

a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. M ost people fear death.

M ost boys enjoy playing football.
M ost young people like pop music.
M ost people have their lives insured.

2. He spoke h altin g ly as if he were not sure of w hat he was

saying.
She looked around as if she were there for the first tim e.
He looked at the boy as if he were a stranger to him.
He laughed at the question as if it were som ething funny.
He spoke casually as if he were not interested.

3. I ’ll let you know when you are to come.

H e’ll let us know w hat his plans are.
S he’ll let me know where she will p u t up.
Let us know if there is som ething we can do for you.
I ’ll let you know as soon as he arrives.
24
 в
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:
A.: Look! I t ’s tim e to go. The performance begins at 8 o ’clock.
B.: I ’m afraid I sh an ’t be able to join you to-night.
A.: W hat do you mean by not being able to join me? Y ou’ve
promised!
B.: I ’m aw fully sorry. B ut I ’ve got work to do. I t ’s urgent.
I can ’t help it.
A.: T h a t’s too bad. I do enjoy going places w ith you.
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords and p hrases from
colum ns (1) and (2):

A.: Look! I t ’s tim e to go. The . . . (1) begins at . . . o ’clock.

B.: I ’m afraid I sh an ’t be able to join you to-night.
A.: W h at do you mean by not being able to join me? Y ou’ve
promised!
B.: I ’m aw fully sorry. B ut I ’ve g o t . . . (2). I t ’s urgent. I ca n ’t
help it.
A.: T h a t’s too bad. I do enjoy going places w ith you.

(!) (2)
concert some papers to check
p arty a book to review
film some ty p in g to do
ban q u et to ed it an article
reception to keep an appointm ent
m atch to m ake a business call
preview to fetch a doctor
tennis to u rn am en t
talk
cocktail p arty

E x erc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic ize d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords

a n d p hrases from th e te x t:

1. The English are the only people who think about dying
w ith o u t fear. 2. On his deathbed the E nglishm an always enjoys
thinking of the sum the insurance com pany will have to pay
when he breathes his last. 3. On the C ontinent people usually
avoid speaking about the possible death of an aged or sick relative.
4. One day the children rushed into F a th e r’s room. 5. He
prom ised to inform the boys which of them w ould inherit his
25
F-

cam era. 6. He apologized for being still alive and added th a t

he could do nothing about it. 7. W hen the last mom ent comes
the English show neither fear nor anxiety.
E x e rc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing a n d use
th em in sentences of your own:

размышлять о чем-л.; предвкушать что-л.; страховой

агент; страховая контора (компания); тщательно подсчиты­
вать; выплачивать; шутить о чем-л., упоминать что-л. (ссы­
латься на что-л.); врываться (в); ставить кого-л. в извест­
ность; ничего не могу поделать; обидеться; подымать шум
(устраивать переполох); сильный шторм; порыв ветра; по­
казаться над водой
E x e rc ise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:
1. In w hat way does the author believe the English differ
from most other people? 2. How do they speak of death?
3. W hat calculations do they make? 4. W hat sweetens their
last hour? 5. W h at is never done in C ontinental families?
6. W hy .did th e a u th o r’s children burst into his room? 7. How
do the English behave when the last m om ent comes? 8. W here
did the author find him self in the com pany of an old English
gentlem an? 9. W h at happened to the gentlem an? 10. W hat
did he rem ark when his head emerged from the water?

E x erc ise V I. R e te ll th e sto ry usin g th e follow ing w ords and phrases:

the only race; to enjoy; most people; to contem plate; to

look forward to; as if; n atu ral; careful calculations; insurance
com pany; to pay up; to sweeten; cruel jokes; the aged; to
refer (to); im m ortal; to burst into; w hich of us; let you know;
by the way; c a n ’t help it; a little hurt; silly; to make no fuss;
famous last words; Channel boat; on deck; violent storm ;
to huddle; fearful gust; to blow smb. overboard; to emerge;
casually; w indy
E x e rc ise V I I . T ra n s la te in to E n g lish u sin g a) e njoy, b) look forw ard
to, c) refer to:
a) 1. Она л ю б и л а гулять одна. 2. В детстве е м у
д о с т а в л я л о у д о в о л ь с т в и е наблюдать за ж и з­
нью животных. 3. Последний роман Фолкнера д о с т а ­
вил н а м б о л ь ш о е у д о в о л ь с т в и е . 4. Им
п о н р а в и л с я прием у Додсонов. И м б ы л о о ч е н ь
весело.
26
 ■ b) 1. Студенты обычно, с р а д о с т ь ю ж д у т кани­
кул. 2 . Они п р е д в к у ш а л и экскурсию в Ленинград.
3. О возвращении домой он д у м а л с у д о в о л ь с т ­
вием.
с) 1. Н а лекции преподаватель у п о м я н у л только
ранние произведения Ш експира. 2. Воспитанный человек
обычно не у п о м и н а е т факты, неприятные слуш ате­
лям. 3. Автор с с ы л а е т с я н а ряд характерны х для
англичан черт.
E x erc ise V I I I . Choose th e proper w ord:
(do — make)
1. The fam ily . . . all they could to sweeten his last hours.
2. W h at did he . . . to . . . you so angry? 3. E verybody found
the jokes he . . . ra th e r tactless. 4. You shouldn’t . . . such
a fuss over the boy. It w ill spoil him . 5. H e is used to . . .
whatever he pleases.
(appear — emerge)
1. The host . . . in the dining-room when the guests were at
table. 2. W hen dusk fell a deeply veiled lady . . . from the
deserted v illa. 3. W hen the secret conference was in full swing
an arm ed m an . . . from the closet. 4. C harlie C haplin’s
“A utobiography” . . . in the 60’s. 5. The subm arine was
near the coast when it . . . from the w ater.
(im m ortal — eternal)
1. W h a t’s the use of trying to prolong one’s life? Man is
not . . ., anyw ay. 2. A braham Lincoln was a great man. No
wonder he has won . . . fame. 3. The actress was still fascinating
when we saw her last; she seemed to have discovered the se­
cret of . . . youth. 4. In m any ways . . . gods differ little from
hum an beings, he would often say. 5. He was an idealist who
firm ly believed in some of the . . . tru th s. 6. “Stop th a t . . .
nagging, please! I t ’s most aggravating.”
(famous — notorious)
1. W h a t’s the nam e of the man who has m ade himself
. . . by burning down the tem ple of A rtem is, the goddess of
the moon? 2. E nrico Caruso was one of the m ost . . . Italian
operatic tenors the w orld has known. 3. B ath is a w atering
place in E ngland . . . for its m ineral springs. I t a ttra c ts many
foreigners.
27
 E xercise IX . T opics for discussion:
(T he te x t is sh o rt b u t m any to p ics m ay be discussed in c o n n ec tio n
w ith it. W e suggest b u t a few, and in v ite you to th in k of som e m ore to a d d .)
1. An E nglishm an is known for his reserve, his d istaste
for all kind of em otional outbursts. G ive instances of th a t
(jokes, episodes from books).
2. How does an E nglishm an behave in a crisis?

C h ildhood Y o u th O ld age
D ream s, d re am s, d re a m s...

3. Discuss different attitu d e s to death. (The them e has

been extensively dealt w ith in lite ratu re : some people cling
to life, others face death w ith calm and dignity.)
4. Fam ous last words.
5. C hildren are unable to understand the phenom enon of
death. Tell the class a story or episode to illu stra te th at.
6. “Cowards die many tim es before th eir deaths
The v a lia n t never taste of death b u t once. ’’(Shakespeare)
7. D eath brings not only sorrow b u t also profit. Discuss
the work of a) insurance com panies, b) funeral parlours.
(Some of th e stu d ents may have read E velyn W augh’s sa tiri­
cal novel “The Loved One” . H ave them tell the class about it.)
8. The sketch is undoubtedly a hyperbole. And yet there
is a ring of tru th in it. W hat did the author wish to bring
home to the reader?
28
 E xercise X . D escribe th e pictures on p. 28.

Exercise X I . R en d er in E n g lish th e follow ing:

a) — Бабуш ка, ты умрешь?

— Умру.
— Тебя в яму закопают (bury)?
■— Закопают.
— Глубоко?
•— Глубоко.
— Вот когда я буду твою швейную машину вертеть!
(К- И . Ч у к о в с к и й «От 2 до 5»)

Ь) В августе 1970 г. под броскими (sensational) заголов­

ками «Один шанс из (in) миллиона» газеты и радио сообщили
об удивительном мужестве 28-летнего англичанина У ильяма
Хонивилла, упавшего ночью за борт (fell overboard)
пассажирского лайнера «Ваал» в сотне миль к северу от
Канарских островов (Canary Islands).
В четвертом часу ночи Уильям вышел на корму. Закурив,
он устроился на бухте троса (coil of горе) и просидел здесь
немногим более часа. Когда часы показывали 4.30 утра, он
поднялся и ш агнул... за борт (stepped overboard). О проис­
шедшем Хонивилл рассказал потом следующее.
«Первой реакцией после падения в море было — скорее
догнать (to overtake) корабль. Но «Ваал» был уже далеко.
Я продолжал мерно плыть брассом. Море было спокойно и,
может быть, чуть холоднее, чем нужно. Ориентироваться мне
было не почему. (There was nothing to help m e find my bear­
ings.) Я решил плыть в сторону ушедшего теплохода —
конечно, не с целью догнать его, а просто чтобы не стоять
на месте (just for the sake of moving).
Я стал шарить по карманам в поисках (to feel in my pock­
ets in the hope to find) чего-нибудь съестного. Но там наш­
лись лишь две кредитки по пять фунтов и пилка для ног­
тей (nail file) — и то и другое вряд ли могло мне сейчас
пригодиться. «Ничего не поделаешь,— решил я ,— при­
дется продолжать водную процедуру (water cure) на голод­
ный ж елудок...» (on an em pty stom ach).
Все так ж е тихонько гребя, я стал прикидывать (figure
out), что происходит сейчас на борту. Соседи (cabin mates)
по каюте вряд ли хватятся (to have noticed) моего отсутствия.
29
Значит, только в десять, когда стюард (steward) постучит в
дверь, приглаш ая к завтраку, они могут заметить, что
меня нет. Если не заметят,— моя песенка спета (I’m
done for).
Немного позднее в мою голову закралась (crept in)
мысль об акулах. Это было уже действительно неприятно.
Я стал двигать руками быстрее. Мне вспомнился рассказ
одного школьного приятеля. Ему пришлось однажды плыть
около четырех часов, борясь с волнами, и он спасся только
благодаря своему упрямству (stubbornness). Надо сказать,
по характеру я тоже не самый сговорчивый человек (I don’t
change my m ind easily), а коль скоро мне втемяшилось в го­
лову остаться жить (I got it into m y head th a t I was going to
survive), я решил, что буду сопротивляться (I shall not give
in), пока хватит сил.
Ровно в полдень (по моим часам) примерно в миле от себя
я увидел пароход. Он на всех парах (at full speed) шел мимо.
Я начал махать рукой и кричать изо всех сил (shout as
loud as I could). Н о это было равносильно тому, как если бы
я «голосовал» автобусу, находясь от него за две улицы (raise
your hand to be picked up by a bus two blocks away).
К двум часам я начал ощущать усталость. Только тут
я обратил внимание на то, что плыву в туфлях. Подумав, я
решил остаться в них — какой смысл раздеваться? К четы­
рем часам я почти перестал грести (m oving m y arms), но все
же оставался на плаву (remained afloat).
Когда я увидел приближающийся ко мне теплоход, я
вначале принял его за галлюцинацию. И действительно, п а­
роход на всех парах мчался мимо, всего в ста метрах от ме­
ня. Н и одного человека на палубе... Н у, конечно, «файв-о-
клок» — священный пятичасовой чай!»
Н а лайнере о пропаже пассажира хватились (realized а
passenger was m issing) только через четыре с половиной часа.
Судно легло на обратный курс (changed its course and was
going back). Н ачался поиск. Хонивилла обнаружили в океа­
не через одиннадцать с половиной часов. С лайнера выслали
спасательную шлюпку (life-boat).
— Добрый день, чудесная погода сегодня! — произнес
сведенными губами Уильям (W illiam was hardly able to
m ove his lips), когда его подняли на борт, и без сознания
рухнул на палубу (collapsed on the deck).

30
 HOW TO AVOID TRAVELLING

by George M ikes

‘T ravel’ is the nam e of a m odern disease which became

r a m p a n t1 in th e m id-fifties and is still spreading. The dis­
ease — its scientific nam e is travelitis furiosus 2 — is carried
by a germ called prosperity. Its sym ptom s are easily recogniz­
able. The p a tie n t grows restless in the early spring and starts
rush in g about from one travel agent 3 to another collecting
useless inform ation about places he does no t intend to visit;
then he, or usu ally she, will do a round o f 4 tailors, sum m er
sales, sports shops and spend three and a half tim es as much
as he or she can afford; finally, in A ugust, the p a tie n t will
board 5 a plane, tra in , coach or car and proceed to foreign
p arts along w ith thousands of fellow-sufferers not because he
is interested in or a ttra c te d by the place he is bound for,6 nor
because he can afford to go, b u t sim ply because he cannot af­
ford not to. The disease is highly infectious. Nowadays you
catch foreign trav el ra th e r as you caught influenza in the tw en­
ties, only more so.
The result is th a t in the sum m er m onths (and in the last
few years also during the w inter season) everybody is on the
m ove.7 In P o sitan o 8 you hear no Ita lia n b u t only German
(for E ngland is not the only victim of the disease); in some
French p arts you cannot get along unless you speak A m eri­
can; and the official language of the Costa B ravo 9 is English.
W h at is th e aim of all this travelling? Each n atio n ality
has its own different one. The A m ericans w ant to take pho­
tographs of them selves in: (a) T rafalgar S quare 10 w ith the
pigeons, (b) in S t M ark’s Square, V enice,11 w ith the pigeons
and (c) in front of th e Arc de T riom phe,12 in P aris, w ithout
pigeons. The idea is sim ply to collect docum entary proof
th a t they have been there. The G erm an travels to check up
on his guide-books: 13 when he sees th a t the P onte di R ialto 14
is really at its proper venue, th a t the L eaning Tower 15 is
in its appointed place in P isa and is leaning at the prom ised
•angle — he ticks these things off16 in his guide-book and re ­
turn s home w ith the g ratifying feeling th a t he has not been
swindled. B ut why do the English travel?
F irst, because th eir neighbour does and they have caught
the bug from h im .17 Secondly, they used to be tau g h t th at
travel broadens the m ind and although they have by nowdiscov-
31
ered the sad tru th th a t w hatever travel may do to the mind,
Swiss or G erm an food certainly broadens other parts of the
body, the old notion still lingers o n .18 B ut lastly — and per­
haps m ainly — they travel to avoid foreigners. Here, in our
cosm opolitan E ngland, one is always exposed to the danger of
m eeting all sorts of peculiar aliens. Not so on one’s journeys
in Europe, if one manages things in tellig en tly . I know many
English people who travel in groups, stay in hotels where even
the staff is E nglish, eat roast beef and Y orkshire pudding on
Sundays and W elsh ra re b it 18 and steak-and-kidney pudding20
on weekdays, all over Europe. The m ain aim of the Englishm an
abroad is to meet people; I mean, of course, nice English
people from next door 21 or from the n ext street. N orm ally one
avoids one’s neighbour (‘It is best to keep yourself to your­
self’, ‘We leave others alone and w ant to be left alone’, etc.,
etc.). If you meet your next door neighbour in the H igh S treet
or at your front door you pretend not to see him or, at best,
nod coolly; b u t if you meet him in C apri or G ran ad a,22 you
em brace him fondly and stand him a drink 23 or two; and you
may even discover th a t he is quite a nice chap after all and
both of you m ight ju st as well have stayed at home in C hip­
ping N o rto n .24
All this, however, refers to trav ellin g for the general pub­
lic. If you w ant to avoid giving the u n fo rtu n ate impression
th a t you belong to the lower-m iddle class, you m ust learn
the elementary snobbery 25 of travelling'.
1) A void any place frequented by others. Declare: all
the hotels are full, one cannot get in anyw here. (No one will
ever rem ark: hotels are fu ll of people who actually managed to
get in.)
2) C arry this a stage further and try to avoid all places
interesting enough to a ttra c t other people — or, as others
prefer to p u t it — you m ust get off the beaten track. 26 In
practice th is means th a t in Ita ly you avoid Venice and F lor­
ence but v isit a few filthy and poverty-stricken fishing v il­
lages no one has ever heard of; and if your m isfortune does
take you to Florence, you avoid the Uffizi G allery27 and
refuse to look at M ichelangelo’s D avid.2S You v isit, instead,
a d irty little pub on the outskirts where Tuscan 29 food is
supposed to be divine and where you can listen to a drunken
and deaf accordion player.
3) The m ain problem is, of course, where to go? This is
not an easy question. The hoi polloi 30 may go to P aris or
32
S pain, but such an obvious choice will certain ly not do for
anyone w ith a little self-respect. There is a sm all international
set th a t leads the fashion and you m ust w atch them . Some
years ago they discovered Capri, but now Capri is teem ing
w ith 31 rich G erm an and English businessm en, so you ca n ’t
go near the place. M ajorca 32 was next on the list, bu t Majorca
has become qu ite ridiculous in the last few years: it is now
an odd m ixture of M unich and Oxford S treet, and has n o th ­
ing to offer (because, needless to say, beauty and sunshine
do not count). At the mom ent I may recom m end Tangier; 33
Rhodes 34 is fairly safe too. The year after th a t, who knows,
Capri may be tried again.
Remem ber: travel is supposed to make you sophisticated.36
W hen buying your souvenirs and later when most casually —•
you really m ust practise how to be casual — you refer to any
foreign food, you should speak of these things in the vernac­
u la r.36 Even fried chicken sounds rath er rom antic when you
speak of Backhendl 37
It is possible, however, th a t the m ania for trav ellin g is
declining. I wonder if a Rom an friend of m ine was sim ply an
eccentric or the forerunner of a new era in snobbery.
‘I no longer travel at a ll’, he told me. ‘I stay here because
I w ant to meet my friends from all over the w o rld .’
‘W hat exactly do you m ean?’ I asked.
‘It is sim p le ,’ he explained. ‘W henever I go to London,
my friend S m ith is sure to be in Tokyo and Brown in S icily.
If I go to P aris, D upont is sure to be in London and Lebrun in
M adagascar 38 or L yons.39 And so on. B ut if I stay in Rome,
all my friends are absolutely sure to tu rn up at one tim e or
another. The w orld means people for me. I stay here because
1 w ant to see the w o rld .’
And he added after a short pause:
‘Besides, stay in g at home broadens the m in d .’

NO TES

1 rampant — w idespread (said of fam ine, crime, super­

stition, etc.)
2 travelitis furiosus (L a t.) — a hum orous term invented
ju st for fun
3 travel agent (agency) — a person (company) th a t ar­
ranges journeys and sells tickets
2 № 3060 33
 4 to do a round of — to v isit a num ber of places; w. c.
to make (go) one's rounds — to make one’s regular v isit of
inspection (said of a doctor, w atchm an, policem an, etc.)
5 to board (a plane, train, ship, etc.) — to get on (a plane,
train , ship, etc.); w. c. on board — on a ship (Am . ‘on a
tra in ’), e. g. passengers on board
6 to be bound for — to be trav ellin g towards, e. g. The
tourists were bound for P ort Said. The ship is bound for San
Francisco.
7 to be on the move — ter be travelling
8 Positano [pouza'taenou] — a com m une in South Italy
on the Gulf of Salerno
8 Costa Bravo ['kosta 'b ravou] — a coast region in NE
Spain in C atalonia on the M editerranean, NE of Barcelona
10 Trafalgar Square — one of the finest squares in Lon­
don; com m em orates N elson’s glorious death and victory at
th e b a ttle of T rafalgar in 1805. In the centre of the square rises
the g ran ite Nelson Column.
11 St Mark’s Square, Venice t'venis] — a beautiful square,
in front of S t M ark’s cathedral, one of the attra ctio n s of the
city
12 the Arc de Triomphe ['a:k do tri'oiif] — (Fr. Arc de
T riom phe de l ’E toile), a m onum ent erected to glorify the
French arm y. The corner stone was laid by Napoleon in 1806.
The Arc was com pleted in 1836.
13 to check up on his guide-books — to make sure th a t
everything in the guide-books is true to fact
14 Ponte di R ialto (I ta l.) [ri'seltou] — a fam ous bridge
in Venice, b u ilt in the 16th century
15 the Leaning Tower (in Pisa) — the tower, famous for
its great arch itectonic idea — it com bines clearness and
strength — was b u ilt from 1174 to 1350; Russ, падающая
башня в Пизе
16 to tick off — to make a m ark in a list
17 to catch the bug from (colloq. ) — to get infected
18 to linger on — (here) to be still alive
18 Welsh rarebit ['reabit] (= W e lsh ra b b it) — m elted
or toasted cheese served on toasted bread
20 steak-and-kidney pudding — a sausage of seasoned m in­
ced m eat, blood, or the like,’usually boiled or broiled, a ty p ­
ical English dish
21 people from next door — neighbours
22 Capri I'k ap ri] — a sm all island fam ed for its beauty,
34
south of the Bay of Naples; Granada [gra'nada] — an ancient
Moorish city , Spain
23 to stand a drink (colloq.) — to buy sm b. a drink
24 Chipping Norton — a sm all town in E ngland (chosen
by the author for its insignificance)
25 snobbery — a ttitu d e of a snob, i. e. a person who seeks
to be associated w ith persons of higher social position than
him self, and who looks down upon persons he considers
of lower rank or position
26 to get off the beaten track — (here) to go to a place th a t
is not well-known, frequently visited, etc. (beaten track —
the usual p ath followed by m any; (fig .) the usual way of doing
things)
27 Uffizi Gallery — a famous collection of paintings in
Florence
28 David — a statu e made by M ichelangelo when he was
26.years old. The “D avid” was first pu t in front of the Palazzo
Vecchio, where you find bu t a copy nowadays; the original
is in G alleria d ell’A cadem ia in Florence.
29 Tuscan — of Tuscan, a region in NE Ita ly
30 hoi polloi ['hoi pa'loi] (Greek) — m ost people, the masses
31 to teem with — to be full w ith, to abound in, as to
teem with fish, game, etc.
32 Majorca [m a'd g g ik a ]— a S panish island
33 Tangier [taen'dsia] — a city and port in N. Morocco on
S tra it of G ib ra lta r
34 Rhodes [roudz] — an island in Greece in the SE Aegan
35 sophisticated — w orldly wise, knowing all about life
and the w orld, deprived of n atu ra l sim p licity , artificial;
also subtle, highly com plicated. A n t. unsophisticated, e. g.
an unsophisticated village girl
33 vernacular [vo'nsekjula] — m other tongue of in h ab itan ts
of a certain country, group or class
37 Backhendl ['bAkhendl] (Germ.) — fried chicken
38 Madagascar ^m aeda'gaesko]— an island in the Indian
Ocean off the SE coast of Africa
39 Lyons [Taionz] — a city in SE F rance
E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise I . P ra c tise th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:
a) disease, ram p an t, germ, prosperity, recognizable,
board, coach, infectuous, influenza, n a tio n a lity , pigeon, docu­
2* 35
m entary, proof, venue, gratifying, broaden, although, cosmo­
p olitan, alien, journey, frequent(ed), further, accordion,
pudding, kidney, in tern atio n al, sophisticated, souvenirs,
vernacular, m ania, eccentric, forerunner, world

b) Venice, T rafalgar, Florence, M ichelangelo, Capri,

G ranada, M unich, Tangier, Rhodes, Tokyo, S icily, Lyons,
M adagascar, Y orkshire
c) 'trse v l iz 5 э fn e im av э 'm a d a n d i^ z i.-z [|
За d i'z i:z iz 'kasrid bai a fd 3 a:m 'k a :ld p r a s 'j p e r i ti ||
its 's im p ta m z e r r 'i:z ili "^rek ag n aizab l ||
's t a t s 'r A j i q ^ a 'b a u t tram fwA n 'trasval 'eidsensi tu аЛ плЭ эЦ
За 'p e i j n t w il 'b a :d a , / p l e i n | ^ r tr e m | J koutf | o - " y k a | and
p r a 's i i d ^ t a 'fa r m ^ p a t s ||
J n a u ad e iz | j u - kan 'kaetf 'farm J 'tra e v a l | 'r a :3 a r ^ a z j u - 'k a :t
i n f lu 'i e n z a m ^ 3 a ,tw e n tiz ||
За ri'z A lt i s ^ S a t in fsA m a ^ т л п б э [ 'e v rib a d i iz э п ^ З э t m u : v ||

E xercise II . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e -s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. In some French p arts you cannot get along unless you speak
Am erican.
In a southern country you cannot get along unless you’ve
adapted yourself to the clim ate.
In the N orth you cannot get along unless you are fit to do
hard work. \
In sports you cannot get along unless you are a man of
character.
In big business you cannot get along unless you are real
tough.
2. In our Cosm opolitan E ngland one is always exposed to
the danger of m eeting aliens.
In m ountain-clim bing one is always exposed to the danger
of m eeting w ith an accident.
In big gam e h u n tin g one is frequently exposed to the danger
of being injured.
Nowadays one is seldom exposed to the danger of catching
cholera.
W hen m arrying in a hurry one is always exposed to the danger
of picking out the wrong person.
36
3. The idea is sim ply to collect proof th a t you have been there.
The idea is sim ply to possess a docum ent th a t will give
you access to the place you wish to v isit.
The idea is sim ply not to interfere and w ait for the cat to
jum p.
The idea is sim ply not to budge an inch out of the house
where you live.

В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A.: Hello! W h at are your plans for the sum m er?

B.: I have a m ind to board a plane and see the world.
A.: T hat would be fun! B ut can you afford it?
B.: C ertainly not. Ann w ill not hear of it. She is saving
money for a fur coat.
A.: So w hat?
B.: Perhaps I can borrow.
A.: W hy not stay in the country and go on a fishing holiday?
One doesn’t need cash for th a t.
b) F ill in th e gap s in th e dialogue fram e w ith w ords a n d ph rases from
c olum ns (1), (2) and (3):

A.: Hello! W h at are your plans for the sum m er?

B.: I have a m ind to. . . (1)
A.: T h at would be fun! B ut can you afford it?
B.: C ertainly not. . . . (2)
A.: So w hat?
B.: Perhaps I can borrow.
A.: W hy not stay in the country and . . . (3)? One doesn’t
need cash for th a t.

(1) ( 2) ( 3)
atten d the O lym ­ M other says she is go hiking
pic games not throw ing go duck-shooting
go on a round- aw ay good mon­ look after.your kids
the-w orld t r i p ey. give your cottage
m ake a trip to I ’ve never made a a fresh coat of
P aris good living. paint
atten d the film The Old Man tak e it easy
festival in doesn’t w ant me relax
Cannes. to budge out of
the house.
37
board a ship and My book doesn’t
go to Spain sell.
hire a car and I live from hand
to u r the Con­ to m outh.
tin en t I ’m in debt, as it is.
cruise in the I ’ve got my fami l y
M editerranean (parents) to sup­
port.

E x erc ise H I . R ep lace th e ita lic ize d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords

and phrases from th e te x t:

1. A new term has been coined for a m odern disease th a t

is spreading rapidly and becoming dangerous. 2. W hen spring
comes a man gets on board a plane or ship and goes abroad,
because he ca n ’t help doing it. 3. In the sum m er m onths eve­
rybody seems to be travelling. 4. In m any parts of France and
S p ain you w ill fin d things difficult if you don’t speak English.
5. The Am ericans take photographs of them selves so that nobody
shoulddoubt their having visited all the famous places in Europe.
6. The G erm ans w ant to make sure that the information the
guide-books contain is correct and feel satisfied they have not
been m isinform ed. 7. An E nglishm an firm ly believes th a t
you learn a lot by travelling (travelling adds to one’s education).
8. A nother reason th a t makes an E nglishm an leave his n a ­
tiv e land is th e desire to keep away from those damned foreign­
ers. 9. One is alw ays w illing to treat his fellow-countryman to
a glass of wine. 10. If you don’t w ant people to suspect th a t
you belong to the low er-m iddle class you should by no means
visit places where most people usually go.

E x e rc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for:

свирепствовать (принимать угрожающ ие размеры); весь­

ма заразное заболевание; в середине 50-х годов; передавать­
ся возбудителем; проявлять беспокойство; носиться (из
одного места в другое); может (не может) себе позволить;
путешествовать (переезжать с места на место); жертва забо­
левания; делать фотоснимки; собирать документальные дока­
зательства; проверить что-л.; поставить галочку; чувство
удовлетворения; расширить кругозор; представление о
чем-то; избегать; подвергать опасности; иноземец; сосед (2);
лучше ни с кем не общаться; холодно кивнуть головой;
нежно обнять; славный парень; часто посещать; на этом не
38
 останавливайтесь; не пользоваться заезженными марш ру­
тами; грязный; нищий (бедный); на окраине; божественный;
то, что явно напрашивается; это не годится; кишеть; стран­
ная помесь; в счет не идет; изощренный (утонченный); не­
брежно (без нажима); предвестник новой эры; появиться
E x e rc ise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W h at disease became ram p a n t in the m id-fifties? W hat

germ is it carried by? 2. W hat are its sym ptom s? 3. W hat
' w ill the p a tie n t fin ally do? 4. W hy w ill he proceed to foreign
parts? 5. W hy clo A m ericans travel? 6. W hy does the Germ an
travel? 7. W h at m akes the E nglish travel? 8. W hat is one a l­
ways exposed to in E ngland? 9. How do m any English people
m anage to travel? W hat is their m ain aim abroad? 10. In
w hat case m ust one learn the elem entary snobbery of trav e l­
ling? 11. W h at sort of places are you supposed to avoid?
12. W here is it advisable to go? 13. W ho leads the fashion?
14. W hat is travel supposed to do to you? 15. W hat makes the
author th in k th a t the m ania for trav ellin g m ay be declining?
16. W hat does he call a Rom an friend of his?
E x erc ise V I . R e te ll th e te x t u sin g th e follo w in g w ords a n d phrases:

modern disease; to become ram p an t; highly infectious;

carried by a germ; prosperity; to grow restless; to sta rt rushing
about; to collect inform ation; to do a round of; three tim es as
much as; to board a plane (ship); foreign parts; to be bound
for; afford; the last few years; on the move; v ictim ; to get
along; to take photographs (of); pigeons; the idea is. . .; to
check up on; to tick sm th. off; guide-book; g ratifying feeling;
to be swindled; to catch the bug (from); to broaden the mind;
sad tru th ; to linger on; to avoid; cosm opolitan; to be exposed
to th e danger (of); peculiar aliens; to m anage things in te lli­
gently; in groups; staff; all over Europe; from next door; to
nod coolly; to em brace fondly; to stand a drink; nice chap;
m ight ju st as well; to refer (to); general public; unfortunate
im pression; snobbery; frequented by; carry sm th. a stage fu rth ­
er; to attra c t; to get off the beaten track; filthy; poverty-
stricken; on the o u tskirts; divine; obvious choice; will not
do; small in tern a tio n al set; to lead the fashion; to discover;
to teem w ith; next on the list; odd m ixture; to have nothing
to offer; needless to say; sophisticated; souvenirs; casually;
m ania; to decline; eccentric; forerunner; new era; no longer;
whenever; is sure to; to turn up
39
 E x erc ise V I I . F ill in th e b la n k s w ith p re p o sitio n s, if necessary:

F irst th in g . . . the m orning B ertram was summoned . . .

the Chief and told briefly to get ready to sta rt . . . P aris . . .
the following day. It was his first business trip . . . the Con­
tin en t and he was ruffled. . . . com ing home he made a list
. . . w hat was to be done . . . the few rem aining hours he had
. . . his disposal. “W hen you get an order . . . short notice
it sort . . . upsets you,” he said . . . loud. A nyway he collected
his w its and carefully c h e c k e d .................... the shopping
list to m ake sure he had not left . . . an y th in g . . . im portance.
H e was quick to find . . . th a t his list was incom plete: he
certain ly needed a new suit . . . clothes and a nice rain-coat
to look presentable. A nd he could ju st as well cross . . . the
um brella. P aris w asn’t London, . . . all. He had thought
. . . doing a round . . . shops, bu t then decided . . . it. So
he w ent . . . a shopping centre . . . the neighbourhood, care­
fully tick in g . . . the item s he bought . . . the list. He came . . .
hom e tired, loaded . . . parcels. . . . gulping . . . a glass
. . . tea, he g o t .............. packing only to realize th a t he needed
a larger suit-case. So he rushed . . . to buy a suit-case. . . .
10 p. m. B ertram gave a sigh . . . relief. H e had packed . . .
and his suit-case and handbag were w aiting . . . him . . .
the hall. H e showered, shaved, wound . . . his alarm clock
and w ent . . . bed. H e was leaving . . . the 5 a. m. plane.

E x erc ise V I I I . C hoose th e proper w ord:

( unfortunate — unhappy — unlucky)

1. P hil knew H elen d id n ’t love him and never would;
th is thought m ade him . . . . 2. It was a most . . . rem ark
th a t m ight have ru in ed his chances com pletely. 3. Shy as he
was, he gave the . . . im pression of feeling superior, which
was very annoying. 4. W hy should he alw ays look so . . .?
T here’s re ally n o th in g wrong w ith him , is there? 5. The project
was safe enough. I t ’s ju st th a t the m an him self was born . . .:
w hatever he undertook turned to ashes. 6. They met under
m ost . . . circum stances: the war was on and the future uncer­
tain . Y et they never despaired.
(collect — gather)
1. F arm ing m eant hard work in sum m er; bu t in the fall
they . . . a rich crop. 2. He has been . . . stam ps since his
40
schooldays. 3. A t dawn she would go to the woods to . . .
mushrooms; she enjoyed it. 4. “. . . your w its and think of
a p lan ,” he said, “or else we are lost.” 5. Basil got down to
. . . evidence to clear his b ro th er’s character. 6. I t ’s essential
one should . . . all the inform ation available before proceeding
to foreign parts.
E x erc ise IX . a) D e riv e v e rb s from th e follow ing a d je ctiv es as in th e
m odel. P ic k out n o u n s th e y co u ld be used w ith . U se th e w o rd -c o m b in a tio n s
in sentences of y o u r ow n.

M o d e l : broad — broaden
to broaden one’s m ind (outlook)
thick, black, tig h t, wide, red, deep, light, mad, sick,
deaf, rough
b) Form a d je c tiv e s from th e d erived v erb s a n d p ick o u t nouns th a t
could be used w ith th em , as in th e m odel.

M o d e l : sicken — sickening
a sickening feeling (sight)
E x erc ise X . S tu d y th e follow ing w o rd -c o m b in a tio n s a n d p a y a tte n ­
tio n to th e w ay th e w ords a) sophisticated and b) odd a re used. I llu s tra te
these w ords b y u sin g th em in sentences or s itu a tio n s:

a) a sophisticated m ind, a sophisticated book, sophis­

ticated m achinery, sophisticated style, a sophisticated gadget,
sophisticated m anners, a sophisticated taste, sophisticated
weapons
b) odd m ixture, odd com bination, an odd num ber, odd
socks (shoes, gloves), odd m anners, odds and ends, 5 shillings
odd, odd m onths, odd accent, odd volum es
E x erc ise X I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing sentences in to E n g lis h ,u s in g
a) whatever (w henever, wherever) , b) to be sure to, c) m ig h t ju s t as well:

a) 1. Ч т о б ы в ы н и г о в о р и л и , он настоящий
сноб. 2. Мне бы хотелось поехать в какое-нибудь тихое мес­
то. Г д е б ы в ы н и п р о в о д и л и отпуск, в ы
обязательно встретите своих соотечествен­
ников. 3. К о г д а б ы м ы н и в с т р е т и л и с ь , о н
н е п р е м е н н о , как бы мимоходом, у п о м я н е т о
тех экзотических местах, где он побывал. 4. Ч т о б ы в ы
о нем н и д у м а л и , вы ведь не будете отрицать, что он че­
ловек одаренный и с широким кругозором. 5. Ч т о б ы
там н и г о в о р и л и , путешествия расширяют кругозор.
41
 b) 1. Я не знаю его точный адрес, но о н н а в е р н я "
к а ж и в е т в отеле, где останавливаются англичане. 2-
Американец н е п р е м е н н о п р и в е з е т е собой из
поездки по Европе кучу фотографий.
c) 1. Если самое главное для вас — это есть йоркш ир­
ский пудинг и угощать вином соседа, то вы м о ж е т е
с т а к и м ж е у с п е х о м сидеть дома. 2. Если ты мо­
жеш ь себе позволить поездку в США, то м о ж е ш ь с
т а к и м ж е у с п е х о м посетить Японию.
E x e rc ise X I I . T opics for discussion:

1. Speak on th e advantages of travelling.

2. Speak on the m ania for travelling.
3. Speak on historical landm arks in a) E ngland, b) France,
c) Ita ly , d) India.
4. D escribe a snob (any v ariety you know).
5. Speak on snobbery.
6. D escribe a great explorer (C hristopher Columbus, D a­
vid L ivingstone, R oald Am undsen, etc.).

E x e rc is e X I I I . D escribe th e p ic tu re s o n p. 43.

E x e rc ise X I V . R en d er th e follow ing e x tra c ts in E nglish:

а) Случилось так, что мне удалось заглянуть в Британ

ский музей в Лондоне и, разумеется, в первую очередь в его
этнографические залы. У меня было чувство, что я очутил­
ся как бы среди океана.
В этом нет ничего удивительного. У англичан в течение
веков были преимущественные возможности (great advan­
tages) создать уникальную этнографическую коллекцию.
Недаром теперь, путешествуя по залам Британского музея,
единственного по богатству и масштабам в целом мире, мы
читаем таблички (labels): «Этнография Бермудских (Ber­
m uda) островов», «Этнография Полинезии (Polynesia)»,
«Этнография Соломоновых (Solomon) островов», «Этногра­
фия папуасов (Papuans)», «Этнография Австралии», ну и
т. д.: Гвинея, Канада, А ляска, бесчисленные африканские
племена...
Доподлинные (genuine) пироги (canoes), бумеранги (boom ­
erangs), маски африканских вождей, оружие, наряды,
утварь (household utensils), искусство всех племен' (я имею
в виду не статуи Греции, не скульптуру древней Ассирии
и Египта — это там тоже есть, но именно народное искусст-
42
C ities. T raffic
во (folk art): умопомрачительные ж енские украшения (breath
taking ornam ents) из кораллов (corals), раковин (shells)
и медвежьих клыков (fangs), деревянные божки (idols),
глиняная посуда (earthenware) в древнейших орнаментах).
Быт (everyday life) американских индейцев один мог бы з а ­
нять пространный музей. А здесь это не более, чем штрих
(detail), яркая капля в разливанном море Британского
музея.

Ь) М аленький «Москвич» темно-вишневого цвета. З а ру­

лем — болгарский писатель, бывший партизан, Станислав
Сивриев. Он небольшого роста, круглолицый, разговорчи­
вый, хорошо говорит по-русски. «Москвич» его собственный,-
водит он его отлично. Когда у Союза писателей иноземный
гость, обращаются к Сивриеву.
Станислав рассказывает:
— В последний раз со мной ездил по Болгарии Констан­
тин Георгиевич Паустовский. Он сидел там, где сидите вы,
на этом самом месте. Н у а я, конечно, на своем — за баран­
кой (wheel).
Время от времени Станислав заводит разговор, который
заставляет меня задуматься. Например:
— Вы знаете, когда мы ехали с Паустовским, он сказал:
«Можете называть меня плохим писателем, можете называть
меня тупицей (dunce), но не говорите, что я плохой рыбак.
Этого я не прощу».
Немного погодя снова:
— Знаете почему Константин Георгиевич не побывал в
Родопах? Мы были в Созополе и собирались ехать в Родопы.
Однажды ночью, около отеля, раздался женский крик о по­
мощи. Паустовский побежал. У дороги леж ала женщина,
видимо, с сердечным приступом (heart attack). Одна из маго­
метанок (M ohammedan women), как потом выяснилось, из
подобострастия и раболепия (out of servility) побоялась бу­
дить ночью мужа и пошла ночью в больницу'одна. Естест­
венно, что приступ по дороге усилился (it aggravated the
attack ), и вот она в канаве (ditch).
Паустовский стремглав побежал (rush),в отель, в верх­
ний этаж отеля, за валидолом. Л екарство он принес, но сам
свалился в сильнейшем приступе астмы (asthm a). Вот поче­
му он не побывал в Родопах.
Т ак и продолжалось весь первый день. «Паустовский ска­
зал», «Паустовский говорил», «Паустовский рассказывал».
44
 Вот я и задумался. Паустовский, конечно, яркая лич­
ность (a personality). Ревновать (to be jealous of) тут нечего.
Но все ж е в следующий раз, если Станислав будет путешест­
вовать с кем-нибудь по Болгарии, скажет ли он хоть од­
нажды: вот здесь, мол, сидел Солоухин, Солоухин говорил,
Солоухин рассказы вал...
Как важно, как нужно, как хочется оставить после себя
добрый след в человеческом сердце! И как это не просто...

(И з « Л и тер а ту р н о го этюда» В л ад и м и р а С олоухи н а)

W HAT’S WRONG WITH THE KID?

by Parke Cum ming

R ecently a well-known p sychiatrist 1 stated th a t modern

psychiatry has made us change 2 our opinions of w hat m ust
be regarded as norm al behaviour.
He may be absolutely right, for all I know .3 1 am no t going
to argue w ith him anyhow . I should like, however, to point
out th a t the best way to get an idea of norm al behaviour
(at least so far as children are concerned 4) is to get m arried
and raise 5 a few. As I look back on my bachelor days, I ’m
surprised at the wrong views I held on the m atter.
W ell, the best way to make myself clear, I think, is to
take a few exam ples.
E x a m p l e 1. A young boy in his early teens 6 works
for his neighbour, cleaning out the cellar, fetching 7 wood,
mowing the lawn and running errands 8 in order to earn the
money for a new tennis racket. F in ally he gets the hard-earned
money and buys a tennis-racket.
Result: a) A b n o r m a l behaviour (i . e.
the behaviour expected by an unm arried person or inexperi­
enced parent): the boy practices regularly, and in some tim e
becomes an accom plished tennis-player.
b) N o r m a l b e h a v i o u r ; two days after buying
the tennis-racket, he removes all the strings and converts them
into a line for a “telephone” system . A short tim e later, the
fram e of th e rack et is converted into a g ian t slin g sh o t.9
E x a m p l e 2. A sm all gir4 — let us say aged three —
is presented w ith a new pail and shovel for her sand box.
45
 A b n o r m a l b e h a v i o u r : the child takes the toys
to the sand box and plays w ith them day after day.
N o r m a l b e h a v i o u r : the child plays w ith the
toys for ten m inutes after which 10 she throws them into a d u st­
b in. She then m akes several trip s to the house and starts
m aking sand pies w ith the following tools: one silver spoon,
her fa th e r’s best crystal cocktail-shaker, her m other’s favourite
ro asting pan.
E x a m p l e 3. A five-year-old child shows interest in
the n eighbour’s police dog, an anim al the size of a m ountain
lion 11 and w ith much sharper teeth. H is parents seeing his
interest in dogs, buy him the cutest 12 little tw o-m onth-old
spaniel puppy 13 you ever saw.
A b n o r m a l b e h a v i o u r : the child is crazy about 14
th e new p e t.15
Normal behaviour: the child is crazy w ith
terror at seeing the puppy and attem p ts to run next door to
th e police dog for protection.
E xam p le 4. Six year-old Effie raises hell 18
when her m other doesn’t in v ite Susie Connors to her b irth d ay
p arty , and continues to do so u n til the m other finally yields.
Abnormal behaviour: Effie greets Susie af­
fectionately when she appears.
N o r m a l b e h a v i o u r : Effie attack s Susie fu ri­
ously, scratches her face and pulls her hair u n til S usie’s m other
carries aw ay th e scream ing child.
E x a m p 1 e 5. By means of hard work and considerable
skill a 10-year-old boy succeeds in m aking an excellent pair
of skis, b u t then he has to w ait three weeks u n til there is snow.
A b n o r m a l b e h a v i o u r : the boy is crazy w ith
joy, rushes out-doors and tries his skis.
Normal b e h a v i o u r : the boy stays the entire
day at hom e teasing the cat and driv in g m other m ad.17
I believe these five exam ples should be sufficient to enable
p ra ctically anybody to foretell w hat a child will do under
certain circum stances.

NO TES

1 psychiatrist [sai'kaiatrist] — a doctor who specializes

in m ental diseases (Russ, психиатр)
2 to change — to m ake or become different, e .g . She has
g reatly changed since I saw her last (she looks different or
46
has become a different person); w. c. to change views, habits,
opinions, clothes, one's address, etc.
S y n . to alter to change p artia lly , in some respect, e. g.
She changed her dress ( = p u t on another one). She altered her
dress (= m a d e it shorter, longer, trim m ed it w ith buttons,
etc.).
S y n . to exchange — to give one thing and receive another
one for it, e. g. to exchange views, opinions, glances, etc.
3 for all I know — as far as I know
4 so far as children are concerned — as to children (Russ,
что касается детей)
5 to raise — to bring up, e .g . to raise children, to raise
a fam ily
6 in his early teens — aged thirteen or fourteen (teens —
the years of one’s age from 13 to 19; to be in one’s teens, e .g .
She was in her late teens when I first m et her (== was 18 or
19 years old); teenager — a boy or girl in one’s teens, e. g„
There are special activ ities for teenagers at the club.
7 to fetch — to go to a place for som ething (or somebody)
and then bring it back, e. g. Fetch the children from the k in ­
dergarten.
S y n . to carry, bring. To carry — to take a thing from one
place to another, when no definite direction is im plied, e. g.
He never carries an um brella. I ’m tired of carry ing about
this heavy bag. To bring always im plies m oving tow ards the
place the speaker is in, e. g. I ’m afraid I ’ve brought bad news.
W ho has brought these lovely flowers? A n t. to take
8 to run errands — to act as a messenger (Russ, быть
на посылках)
9 slingshot — Russ, рогатка
10 after which — after playing w ith the toys for 10 m in­
utes (Russ, после чего). H ere which stands for a whole clause,
e. g. She broke her leg after which she lay in bed for two m onths.
11 mountain lion — an anim al of the leopard type (Russ,
пума)
12 cute (A m . colloq.)— p re tty and charm ing
13 spaniel puppy — a young spaniel I'spaenjdl] (a dog w ith
long silky hair and large drooping ears, Russ, спаниель)
14 crazy about — (here) w ild w ith joy, very fond nf,
The second m eaning of the word is “enthusiastic about some­
thin g and neglecting everything else”, e. g. She is crazy
about jazz-m usic. He is crazy about tak in g photos. (Russ.
помешан)
47
 15 pet — an anim al kept as a com panion and treated w ith
affection (a cat, a dog, a canary, etc.)! The word pet m ay be
also used as a synonym to favourite, e. g. Bob is the pet of
the fam ily.
16 to raise hell (colloq.) — to sta rt a big row (Russ, под­
нять скандал)
17 to drive somebody mad — to cause a person to be mad
(Russ, сводить с ума). Comp, to go m a d = to become mad
(Russ, сойти с ума).

E X E R C IS E S
E xercise I. P ra c tise th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and
phrases:

a) p sy ch iatry , psychiatrist, argue, m odern, absolutely,

bachelor, however, mowing, errand, earn, abnorm al, adult,
racket, regularly, accom plished, convert, giant, pail, shovel,
cry stal, cocktail-shaker, spaniel, yield, affectionately, fu ri­
ously, enable, entire
b) hsz 'm e id a s ~ \tjeind 3 ||
aim s a 'p ra iz d a t w 0a 'год "yvju:z |[
m h iz 'э : li ^ t i m z [|
'g e ts 0э fh a :d ,o :n d у т л ш ||
to Зэ ^ s ae n d b o k s ||
'p le iz w i 9 _ 3 a ■ytoiz 1|
Зэ 's a iz ov о 'm a u n tin "^laion |[
'kseriz o'w ei 0o 's k ri:m ig ~ytjaild [|

E xercise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) Use th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. M odern p sy ch iatry has made me change my opinions of

norm al behaviour.
Our teacher of English has made us read the novel in the
original.
S kiing has made him give up other hobbies.
The new boss has made them work like slaves.
2. W hat's wrong with your hand? (= H a v e you h u rt it?)
. W hat's wrong with the child? (= W h y does it behave in
such a way?)
W hat's wrong with the room? (= W h y doesn’t it suit you?)
. W hat's wrong with your coat? (= W h y don’t you wear it?)
W hat’s wrong w ith me? (= W h y don’t you like me?)
3. Helen has a five-year-old child.
Jo h n was a seven-year-old boy when he was sent to school.
This p re tty young m other has ten-year-old twins.

a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A.: I should like to invite my new friends to my b irth d ay

p arty . They are the most good-looking fellows you ever
saw. I ’m ju st crazy about them .
B.: W ell, they m ay be very good-looking, for all I know.
B ut w on’t your m other raise hell if they come?
A.: W hy should she?
B.: For the very sim ple reason th a t instead of working
at your English (after having flunked your exam) you’re
having company every blessed night.

b) F ill in th e gaps in th e m odel d ialo g u e w ith w ords and phrases

from colum ns (1) a n d (2):

A.: I should like to invite my new friends to my birth d ay

p arty. They are the . . . (1) fellows (people) you ever
saw. I ’m ju st crazy about them .
B .: W ell, they m ay be very . . . (1), for all I know. B ut w on’t
your m other raise hell if they come?
A.: W hy should she?
B.: For the very sim ple reason th a t instead of working at
your E nglish (m aths, etc.) (after having flunked your
exam) . . . (2).

( 1) (2 )
c’everest y o u ’re giving parties every o th ­
■. ittiest er day
: nyest y o u ’re enjoying yourself the best
■; la rte st you can
; ,ost am using you’re having the tim e of your
!/;ost in tellig en t life
m ost w ell-read you keep picking up new friends
you seem to th in k you m ust
have com pany every day
you keep b rin g in g to the house
people you h a rd ly know
49
 E xercise I I I . R ep lace th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords
and p h rases from th e te x t:
1. W e have recently changed our opinions concerning nor­
mal behaviour owing to modern psychiatry. 2. I shall give you
a couple of exam ples so that you could clearly see what I mean.
3. A boy of about thirteen or fourteen made up his m ind to earn
some money by working on a farm. 4. W hen I th in k of the
days when I was unmarried I am surprised to fin d how wrong
m y views were at th a t tim e. 5. A t last he gets the money he has
earned by means of hard work. 6. In some tim e the boy becomes
a well-trained tennis-player. 7. Shortly afterwards he turns
the fram e of the racket into a very big slingshot. 8. A small
girl of about three gets a pail and shovel as a present. 9. The
neighbour’s police dog is as big as a m ountain lion. 10. The
child is delighted w ith the little puppy. 11. The child is wild
with terror at seeing the spaniel puppy. 12. The boy is wild
with joy when he sees the snow falling. 13. F ive exam ples are
enough to make anybody able to foretell a c h ild ’s norm al be­
haviour under certain circum stances.
E xercise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing
and use th em in sentences of y o u r own:

изменить мнение; ненормальный; составить себе пред­

ставление о чем-либо; по крайней мере; воспитать детей; ж е ­
ниться; холостяк; неопытный отец; что касается детей; под­
росток (мальчик, девочка); приносить дрова; с трудом зар а­
ботанные деньги; ведерко и совок; песочница; куличики (из
песка); мусорный ящ ик; безумно любить кого-либо; забав­
ный щеночек; обезуметь от ужаса; пригласить на рожде­
ние; выбежать на улицу; сводить кого-либо с ума; дразнить;
домашнее животное
E xercise V. F ill in th e b la n k s w ith p re p o sitio n s or adverbs:

1. A unt A n n ’s younger son, a boy still . . . his teens, is

a great help . . . her. . . . sum m er he worked . . . a farm . . .
order to earn the money needed . . . repairs th a t m ust be done
. . . the house. H e is a nice boy and a great com fort . . . his
m other. 2. After m aking . . . his m ind to move . . . the country
Mr. D avenport bought a cute little cottage n ext door . , . the
village club. . . . sum m er-tim e he was often seen accom pa­
nied . . . a huge dog the size . . . a pony, th a t carried his m aster’s
bag . . . its teeth. Mr. D avenport is said to be crazy . . . his
pet. W hen he m ade a trip , . . S w itzerland , , . w inter (he
50
is an accom plished skier and goes , . . the m ountains every
year) he h ired a special man to look . . . the dog. . . . the day
. . , his departure, however, he looked upset and worried.
3. , . . his ten th b irth d ay H arry was presented . . . a bicycle.
H e was crazy . . . joy and spent all the tim e out-doors prac­
tising reg u larly . 4. Nell has got a cute little room w ith super­
modern furniture: the bed can be converted . . . a sofa and
the arm chair . . . a table.
E x e rc ise V I. A nsw er th e follow ing q uestions:

1. W h at did a well-known p sy ch iatrist recently state?

2. W hat has m ade us change our opinion of modern behaviour?
3. W hat is the best way to get an idea of norm al behaviour
so far as children are concerned? 4. Does a bachelor usually
hold wrong or rig h t views on ch ild re n ’s norm al behaviour?
5. W h at is th e au thor surprised at as he looks back on his
bachelor days? 6. W hat is the best way to m ake oneself clear?
7. W ho works for his neighbour in order to earn some money?
8. W hat does a young boy in his early teens w ant to earn mon­
ey for? 9. W h at sort of work does the boy do for his neighbour?
10. W hat does the boy buy when he gets the hard-earned money?
11. Does th e boy use the racket in the way expected by an
unm arried person? 12. How does an inexperienced parent or
u n m arried person expect the boy to use his racket? 13. W hat
does the boy ac tu ally do w ith his racket? 14. Is the boy’s
behaviour norm al or abnorm al? 15. W hat is a sm all girl pre­
sented w ith? 16. W h at is the child expected to do? 17. W here
does the ch ild throw her new toys? 18. W hy does she make
several trip s to the house? 19. W hat does she sta rt m aking
sand pies w ith? 20. W hat does a five-year-old boy show in te r­
est in? 21. W h at size is the police dog? 22. W hat does the
police dog look like? 23. W hat do the c h ild ’s parents do, see­
ing his in terest in dogs? 24. W hy do they buy him a cute li t ­
tle spaniel puppy? 25. Is the child crazy ab o u t the puppy or
is it crazy w ith terror at seeing it? 26. W here does the boy
a ttem p t to run? 27. W hen does six-year-old Effie raise hell?
28. Does m other fin ally yield or does(she rem ain firm? 29. Does
Effie greet her friend affectionately or does she attack her
furiously? 30. W h at does a 10-year-old boy succeed in doing?
31. Does he m ake a pair of skis or a tennis-racket? 32. Is there
snow w hen th e skis are ready? 33. How long does the boy have
to w ait u n til there is snow? 34. Does the boy rush out-doors
and try his skis, when there is enough snow to sta rt skiing?
51
35. Does the boy spend the day out-doors or at home? 36. How
does the boy spend the entire day?

E xercise V I I . R e te ll th e te x t u sin g th e follo w in g w ords:

to argue w ith; to get an idea of; at least; so far as . . .

are (is) concerned; to look back (on); to hold views (on);
to make oneself clear; in one’s teens; clean out; fetch wood;
inexperienced parent; accom plished; to rem ove; a short tim e
later; pail; shovel; dust-bin; a 10-year-old boy; to show interest
in; crazy about; new pet; crazy w ith terror; to run next door;
to raise hell; b irth d ay party; affectionately; to attack furi­
ously; to scratch; to succeed in; out-doors; to drive mad; suf­
ficient

E xercise V I I I . C hange th e follow ing sentences b y usin g th e stru c tu re

so fa r as I (he, we, they, e tc .) am (is, are, was, were) concerned as in b).

E x a m p 1 e: a) As to the children they alw ays spend

th e ir holiday at the seaside,
b) So far as the children are concerned
they always spend their holiday at the
seaside.
1. As to me I prefer the classics to modern music. 2. As
to sports I go in for skiing and skating. 3. As to John he is
the brightest stu d en t in the group. 4. As to the countryside
it is at its best in spring. 5. I spend the greater part of the
year in town. As to my v acation I go to the m ountains, as a rule.

E xercise IX . C hange th e follow ing sentences as in b).

E x a m p l e : a) She is ten years old. (She is aged ten,

etc.)
b) She is a ten-year-old girl.

1. D avid was seven years old when he started going to

school. 2. Jo h n is a happy young father; he has tw ins aged
six. 3. A child of five was m aking sand-pies in the garden.
4 . 1 like children at the age of three: they are so cute. 5. Mother
started teaching him music, when he was six years old. 6. Has
Kathleen any children? — She has two, a boy of eight and
a girl of ten.
52
 Exercise X . Choose th e correct w ord from those in brackets:

(do — make)
1. W hy don’t you let the children play on the beach?
They will . . . sand-pies and keep quiet. 2. Can you . . . a new
su it for me? 3. You m ust . . . som ething to help her. She is
so m iserable. 4. W hy don’t you . . . yourself useful? 5. “W hat
are fountain-pens . . . of?” “They are . . . of plastic, I believe.”
6. You may . . . w hatever you wish, I shall not interfere.
7. W hat are you . . . here all alone? 8. W ho . . . this dress for
you? I t ’s exquisite. 9. I ’ll . . . my best to help you. 10. I ’ll
come a b it later; M other always . . . me . . . the dishes.
11. “W hat did you . . . yesterday?” “I . . . practically nothing;
read and rested most of the day.” 12. How m any m istakes did
you . . . in your dictation? 13. W ho is the next to . . . a re­
port? 14. W h at did you . . . at the seaside? I swam and lay
in the sun all day long. 15. It . . . me happy to th in k th at you
have a fam ily of your own.
(change — alter — exchange)
1. They bowed politely and . . . greetings. 2. “You c a n ’t
possibly wear the dress the way it is. You m ust have it . . . .”
3. He had . . . his address and nobody knew where he lived
now. 4. P rim e M inisters of four countries met at a conference
to . . . views on the v ital problem s of the day. 5. “I ’m not
going to the S outh th is year. I ’ve . . . my m ind,” he said.
6. “Som ething m ust have happened to the boy. H e has greatly
. . . of la te .”
(fetch — carry — bring)
1. She was w alking slowly uphill, . . . a baby in her arms.
2. “You do n ’t seem to be well. Let me go and . . . a doctor.”
3. The postm an . . . letters and new spapers in a bag. 4. The
postm an . . . the m orning papers at 7 o ’clock. 5. “. . . my
shawl, please. I t ’s chilly here.” 6. Jam es came to see us the
other day. H e . . . his sister w ith him . 7. The w eather is so
changeable th a t I ’ve alw ays got to . . . a rain co at in my bag.
E xercise X I . U se th e c o n stru c tio n the c u t e s t .................. ever saw (heard,
etc.) in sen ten ces of y o u r own.

Examples: I t ’s - the nicest song, I ever heard. She

entered the cosiest room she had ever seen.
He is the ugliest fellow we ever met.
33
 E x e rc ise X I I . Use there is (was, e tc .), or i t is (was, etc.) in th e se n ­
tences below:
1. . . . was dark when we reached the edge of the wood.
2. . . . will be an in teresting p arty at our club tom orrow. 3. Is
. . . anybody in? 4. . . . was interesting to w atch young ch il­
dren playing on the beach. 5. . . . is snow everywhere. L et's
go skiing. 6. . . . is snowing to-day. L e t’s go skiing. 7. We
went rowing in the m orning. . . . was no w ind w hatsoever.
8. . . . is too late to sta rt a new game. . . . is no tim e left be­
fore supper. 9. W as . . . anything interesting at the picnic?
I mean was . . . interesting or dull? 10. . . . was great fun.
We enjoyed our trip greatly.
E x erc ise X I I I . T ra n s la te into E nglish:

a) 1. Ч e м н е г о д и т с я эта дача? Я нахожу, что она

нам подходит. 2. С твоим братом п р о и с х о д и т ч т о -
т о н е л а д н о е . У него какой-то расстроенный вид. 3.
Ч е м п л о х а эта пьеса? Мне она нравится. 4. Почему ты
все время ворчишь (grumble) на меня? Ч е м я т е б е н е
нравлюсь?
b) 1. Этот шум с в о д и т м е н я с у м а . Я не могу
работать и не могу читать. 2. Он п о м е ш а н н а совре­
менной поэзии. 3. Она ч у т ь с у м а н е с о ш л а от
радости, когда получила телеграмму.
c) 1. Она очень любит детей и недавно усыновила (adopt­
ed) двух ребятишек (kids): п я т и л е т н е г о маль­
ч и к а и т р е х л е т н ю ю д е в о ч к у . 2. Он стал про­
давать газеты, когда был д е с я т и л е т н и м м а л ь ­
ч и к о м . 3. Ей е щ е н е т д в а д ц а т и л е т .
E x ercise X I V . T opics for discussion:
1. Speak on children and some of their peculiarities.
2. Give some more exam ples to illu stra te ch ild ren ’s “nor­
m al” behaviour.
3. Tell a story or an episode describing: a) a very sm all
child, b) a youngster.
4. A teenager is the hero of several modern stories and
novels. W hich of them have you read? Speak on one of them .
E x erc ise X V . D escribe th e p ic tu re on p. 55.
E x erc ise X V I . R en d er th e follow ing te x ts in R u ssian :
а) Когда Шопен, будучи еще ребенком, должен был впер­
вые участвовать в публичном концерте, его долго и тщ атель­
54
но одевали, давали массу советов, как надо себя вести, что­
бы не нарушить торжественной обстановки. После концер­
та, когда мальчика дома расспрашивали, что больше всего
понравилось публике, он с гордостью ответил:
— Мой белый воротничок!
Ь) Эрцгерцогиня Мария Антуанетта (Archduchess M arie
A ntoinette) водила маленького Моцарта (Mozart ['m o u t,sat]),

F a m ily hierarch y
W h ic h of them is th e head of th e fam ily?

будущего композитора, по венскому дворцу. Мальчик

поскользнулся на паркетном полу (parquet) и упал. Эрц­
герцогиня поспешила поднять его.
— Вы очень добры,— сказал ей юный музыкант,— я на
вас женюсь. .
М ария Антуанетта передала слова М оцарта своей матери.
— Почему ты хочешь жениться на ее высочестве (Her
M ajesty)? — спросила императрица.
— Из благодарности,— ответил Моцарт.
с) Когда юный Моцарт в семилетием возрасте давал кон­
церты во Франкфурте-на-Майне, к нему подошел мальчик
лет четырнадцати.
— К ак замечательно ты играешь! Мне никогда так не
научиться.
55
 — Отчего же? Ты ведь совсем большой. Попробуй, это
очень просто. А если не получится, начни писать ноты
(notes).
— Д а я пиш у... стихи...
— Это ведь тоже очень интересно. Писать хорошие сти­
хи, вероятно, труднее, чем сочинять музыку (compose
music).
— Д а это совсем легко. Ты попробуй (just try).
Собеседником (interlocutor) М оцарта был Вольфганг
Гёте (W olfgang G oethe ['д зТ э]).

BACK ТО THE DESK

by Robert Lynd

There is som ething peculiarly restful 1 in retu rn in g to

work after a holiday. A fter the rigours of doing nothing for
a m o n th ,2 how peaceful it seems to be s ittin g once more before
a desk in an arm chair! W ork, I som etim es think, is the u lti­
m ate recreation 3 of the really lazy man.
The first th in g I do when I retu rn to work after a holiday
is to have the breakfast sent up to me in bed. How different
from all those miseries of early rising which are alm ost insepa­
rable from a holiday! It may be re to rte d th a t it is perfectly
easy to arrange to have one’s breakfast in bed in any seaside
hotel in E ngland; b u t the fact is, when I am on holiday, my
conscience w ill not p erm it this. If I lay late in bed at the sea­
side, I should feel th a t I was w asting the best p art of the
day. In London, I am thankful to say, there is no such thing
as a best p art of the day — or, if there is, it occurs at a much
later hour th an at the seaside.
A part from this, the hotel breakfast is a much more form i­
dable 4 affair than breakfast at home. The menu which the
w aiter hands you is an in v ita tio n to g lu tto n y before you are
quite awake. If you were in full possession of your senses you
would w ave th e th in g aw ay and ask for a k ip p e r 5 or a boiled
egg. As it is,6 your will is so weak as a result of the sopo­
rific 7 effects of early rising th a t you yield to tem ptation and
go through a breakfast th a t would satisfy a m an after a week’s
fasting.
56
 From th a t p oint on 8 your troubles m ultiply. After break­
fast, since you are on holiday, you cannot sit down in
a chair, like a ra tio n a l being, and work or otherw ise enjoy
yourself. Some demon inside you drives you out into the open
air. This usu ally involves w alking 9 — one of the most ex­
hausting of exercises, if persisted in by the novice 10 for long
periods. The best view of the bay m ay be from a chair in
a window of your hotel; but, when on holiday, you cannot help
believing th a t it is round the corner, and you set out for it,
however steep the local hills may be. The bay was certain ly
ex trao rd in ary b eau tiful, w ith w hite sails m oving across its
ruffled 11 surface under the sun, but, as I trudged along its
coast road on foot, I could not help w ishing at tim es th at some
less strenuous 12 form of exercise than w alking had been dis­
covered. I reckon th a t during the first week my pedestrian
hours 13 were from 10 A. M. to 10 P. М., w ith intervals for
meals and one ride on a m erry-go-round.
Professor J u lia n H uxley 14 has been w ritin g on the neces­
sity of organising leisure,15 and, no doubt, when this is done,
a local com m ittee at every seaside town w ill take the seden­
tary v isito r in hand 16 and show him how he can enjoy himself
w ith o u t tirin g him self. I certainly do not know how. I can­
not enjoy myself on a holiday w ithout ending the day as
a physical w reck.17 Golf is an innocent-looking game; but
I m ust say th a t if I felt as exhausted after a d ay ’s work in
the office as I did after a d ay ’s golf in Cornwall 18 I should
denounce my em ployers as ty ran ts. You m ay guess how stren ­
uous the golf was from the fact th a t on the first morning
my opponent and I took two hours and a half to get round
nine holes.19 It was real ham m er-and-tongs stu ff,20 w ith no
quarter given to the b a ll,21 the air, or any th in g else.
I th in k the most exhausting part of golf, perhaps, is the
stooping required to take the balls out of the hole. This
u n n a tu ra l posture, when practised repeatedly, overworks a
num ber h ith erto unsuspected sinews, which protest at the end
of the day by sim u latin g a num ber of the sym ptom s of lum ba­
go and sciatica. 22. And the dreadful thing is th at, when once
one has begun, one cannot stop playing. There is no hope of re­
lief except in a re tu rn to work.
Y et there was p len ty to occupy an indolent 23 man, if one
had had the stren g th of character to be indolent. There were
curlews and sanderiings and ringed plovers 24 on the tide-
deserted sands, but it takes a man of powerful will to trouble
57
about curlews when there is a golf-course w ith in reach. L a­
ter, in D evonshire, there were buzzards 23 mewing overhead
and a raven croaking, but who w ith a w ild and never-to-be-
fulfilled dream of gettin g on to the first green in one 26 has
tim e to pay much atten tio n to buzzards and ravens?
I used to be able to take a restful holiday when I was
young, but, now th a t I am m iddle-aged and believe in the
v irtu e of fresh air and exercise and all th a t sort of thing,
I can no more take a restful holiday th an I could fly the A t­
lantic.
Now th a t I am back at work, I am beginning to feel much
b etter. E very m uscle is already subsiding 27 into a delicious
in activ ity . I am borne lazily from place to place 28 on the
top of a bus instead of w orking like a n av v y 29 in ■pursuit of a
sm all w hite ball. I can w atch the pink clouds above the set­
ting sun from the office window w ithout regarding them as
an in v ita tio n to take yet another unnecessary w alk. I can do
all my work sittin g and even w ith my feet on the table. The
only muscles th a t I need exercise are the muscles of my
fingers and my w rist as I guide the pencil across the paper;
and a great golfer or oarsm an w ould th in k nothing of th is.
A lift is provided to save me from the drudgery 30 of clim b­
ing, so common on a holiday. I can go home in the evening
and not budge 31 out of the house again till bedtim e w ith
a perfectly clear conscience.
W ho can deny th a t there is much to be said for the work­
ing life? To have escaped from the tyranny of fresh air
and exercise — is not this, perhaps, to have gained some­
thing? Once more I am my own m aster — more or less. More,
a t least, than during any holiday I have had for years.

NO TES

1 restful — com fortable, soothing, e. g. I t ’s restful to

retu rn home after a long absence. His life was quiet and re st­
ful. A n t. restless — nervous, im p atien t, suggesting m ental
ag itatio n or continuous m ovem ent, e.g. He has been p a rtic ­
u larly restless the last few days. H is restless drum m ing w ith
the fingers on the table was most annoying. For hours on end
she could w atch the restless sea.
2 the rigours of doing nothing for a month — the words
im ply th a t a m onth of idleness was more than he could stand,
it was an ordeal; rigour ['rigs] (in the p i.) — hardships,
58
difficulties, e. g. the rigours of an arctic winter, the rigours of
an explorer's life; Russ, невзгоды, тяготы, бедствия; w. с. the
rigour of law; rigorous — harsh, stern, e. g. rigorous measures,
rigorous climate
3 ultimate recreation — the best possible rest (relaxation),
diversion
4 form idable — inspiring fear or awe, sm th. th at makes
one feel helpless, e. g. formidable fortress, opponent, here the
phrase formidable affair is used hum orously, m eaning a much
bigger breakfast than the author usually has.
5 kipper — a sm oked or salted herring
6 As it is — in fact, in reality
7 soporific — m aking one sleepy
8 from that point on — beginning w ith th a t moment,
since th a t m om ent
9 This usually involves walking — w alking is the neces­
sary consequence of being out-of-doors; to involve — 1) to
be mixed up w ith sm th ., e.g. to be involved in a plot, in debt,
in a war, etc. I c a n ’t be silent when my honour is involved;
2) to have as a necessary consequence of, e. g. His prom otion
will involve more work and greater responsibility.
10 novice — a beginner, a person w ith o u t experience;
Russ, новичок; to be a novice in (at) smth., e. g. He is a nov­
ice in a political cam paign.
11 ruffled — not sm ooth, e. g. ruffled hair (feathers, sur­
face, etc.); (fig .) said of a person who has lost his calmness,
e. g. He was ruffled by the unexpected turn of events (= o ff
his balance, angry); ruffle v.: to ruffle one's feathers (hair), to
ruffle the water
12 strenuous — req u irin g great strength and energy, e.g.
strenuous work, profession, opposition, etc.
13 my pedestrian hours (humor, periphrasis) — my work­
ing hours involving endless w alking
14 Julian Huxley — an em inent B ritish biologist (1887—)
15 leisure — tim e when one may rest from work, when
there is no need to work, e.g. leisure time, a month of leisure, a
life of leisure ( = when one doesn’t have to w ork for one’s living);
W ork consumes most of his time, leaving little leisure for read­
ing. S y n . rest — doing nothing to let one’s body or mind
recover from fatigue (whereas leisure — doing w hat one likes,
having no duties or obligations); leisurely adj.— im plies
am ple time, absence of pressure, e. g. He took a leisurely
walk in the woods. She had a leisurely breakfast in bed.
59
 16 to take the sedentary visitor in hand — to get con­
trol over the sedentary v isitor (to make arrangem ents for him,
to see th at he does the right thing, etc.); sedentary — inac­
tive, e. g. sedentary work, sedentary life-, Russ, малоподвиж­
ный, сидячий
17 physical wreck — a person unfit to make any physical
effort, exhausted, tired out; wreck — any th in g destroyed by
accident, storm , fire, etc., a person whose health has been
ruined, e. g. He is good for nothing, a mere wreck; (fig .) the
wreck of one's career (plans, hopes)
18 Cornwall — a county in S. W . E ngland on a peninsula
projecting into the A tlan tic
19 to get round nine holes — to drive the ball into nine
holes by strik in g it w ith a golf-club
20 It was real hammer-and-tongs stuff — It was some­
thing th a t required all your strength and energy; w. c. to fall
(get) at smth. hammer and tongs — to attac k vigorously
21 no quarter given to the ball — (fig-) strik in g the ball
furiously; to give quarter to — to show mercy to the enemy,
g rant life to one who has surrendered (w . c. to receive quarter,
ask for quarter)
22 lumbago [U m 'beigou] — pain in the lower p art of
the back; sciatica [sai'cetika] — pain in the back of the thigh;
Russ, ишиас
23 indolent — lazy, passive; A n t. energetic
24 curlew, sanderling, ringed plover ['р1луэ] — various
birds; Russ, кроншнеп, кулик, рж анка
25 buzzard — one of several slow -flying hawks
26 to get on to the first green in one — to drive the ball
into the first hole in one stroke
27 to subside — to sink, fall to a lower level, become less
violent, e. g. The storm (the waves) subsided. Every muscle
is subsiding into a delicious in activ ity . = One feels relaxed,
there is no longer any sense of strain . He subsided into an arm ­
chair.
28 I am borne from place to place — I am taken (driven,
etc.) from place to place. Comp, airborne troops; Russ, де­
сантные войска
29 navvy — an unskilled w orker who is em ployed in
m aking roads, canals, etc. where digging is required; Russ.
землекоп
30 drudgery — dull, distasteful work, som ething one
dislikes doing
60
 31 to budge ( used in n egative sentences) — to move or
cause to move, e. g. He tried to push the window open but
it w ouldn’t budge. He d id n ’t budge an inch. No m atter how
hard they tried they couldn’t budge him .

E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise I. P ra c tise th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:

a) peculiarly, rigours, u ltim ate, inseparable, form idable,

glu tto n y , soporific, m ultip ly , demon, novice, strenuous,
pedestrian, leisure, sedentary, sinews, lum bago, sciatica,
raven, in activ ity , pursuit, muscles, drudgery, clim bing
b) B e a r^ iz 'sAm0ii] p i'k ju :ljs li ^ r e s t f u l ] in пЧэ:пгГ) ta ^ w s ik ||
0э 'rig az av 'd u :ii) 'плбпд f a r ^ a " \ т л п 0 ||
9a 'fa :st '0 ig ai fd u : w en ai r i'ta :n ta 'v w a ik ||
'o :l^ ,0 o u z 'm iz a riz av 'a :h A r a i z i g ||
0a 'm en ju : w itf 0a 'w e ita J hsendz j u - | iz an ,m v i 't e i jn ta
^ g U t a n i I!
if j u - w a -r w in ffu l p a 'z e fn av j a 1 _ /se n siz | j u - w u d 'vveiv 5a
'O ig^ a^ w ei ||
E x ercise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly restfu l in re tu rn in g to work.

There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly sooth in g in w atching the
waves.
There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly d ista stefu l in gettin g up early.
There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly re stfu l in subsiding into an
arm chair.
There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly a n n o y in g in listening to
th a t noise.
There is som eth in g p e c u lia rly in v ig o r a tin g in taking an early
walk.
2. There is no such th in g as fine w eather here.
There is no such th in g as a restful holiday.
There is no such th in g as a com plete happiness.
There is no such th in g as organized leisure.

3. There is m uch to be sa id for early rising.

There is much to be sa id for having breakfast in bed.
61
 There is m uch to be sa id for taking long walks after dinner.
There is much to be sa id a g a in st playing golf all day long.
There is m uch to be sa id a g a in st a sedentary life.

В
a) R e ad a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A.: I hear you are going on holiday n ext m onth.

B.: So I am . I ’m looking forward to playing golf.
A.: If you were in full possession of your senses you w ouldn’t
dream of such a thing.
B.: W hy not?
A.: Because i t ’s extrem ely tiring.
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e dialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d p hrases from
c olum ns (1) and (2):

A.: I hear you are going on holiday n ex t m onth.

B.: So I am . I ’m looking forward to . . . (1).
A.: If you were in full possession of your senses you w ouldn’t
dream of such a thing.
B.: W hy not?
A.: Because it is . , . (2).

( 1) (2)
going to the seaside te rrib ly hot
clim bing th e hills m ost exhausting
going on a tram p (hike) b ad for your h ealth
staying at a place w here th e best way to get ruined
th ere is a race-course dangerous
duck-shooting m ost unsatisfactory
not the w ay to relax
ridiculous at your age
E x erc ise I I I . F in d in th e te x t e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing w ords and
phrases:
особенно успокаивающий; тяготы безделья; муки ранне­
го вставания; полный отдых; неотделимый; быть в отпуску
(на отдыхе); возражать; совесть не позволяет; солидный
завтрак; обжорство; на самом деле; поддаться соблазну;
недельный пост; изнурительный; новичок; вид на залив; за
углом; крутые горы; покрытая рябью поверхность; брести
с трудом; физическая нагрузка, требующая усилий; орга­
низация досуга; малоподвижный; развалина; нагибаться;
62
неестественная поза; праздный; сила характера; от человека
требуется сильная воля, чтобы; меня перевозят с места на
место; заходящ ее солнце; напрягать мышцы; предоставлять
лифт; не трогаться из дома; чистая совесть; можно много
сказать в пользу...; быть самому себе хозяином

E x erc ise IV . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences w ith w ords

and phrases from th e te x t:

1. O ddly enough one feels relaxed when gettin g back to

work after a holiday. 2. You realize how peaceful you feel
at your office only after the hardships of an id le m onth. 3. As
soon as I get back to work I s ta r t h a v in g b reakfast in bed. 4.
One c a n 't h elp r is in g e a r ly when on holiday which makes
you feel m ost u ncom fortable. 5. I feel it's w ro n g to lie late in
bed at the seaside. 6. The hotel breakfast is m uch b ig g er
than the one you are used to at home. 7. If you were in yo u r
r ig h t m in d you would refuse to eat th a t breakfast, yet you
are too w e a k -w illed to re sist the te m p ta tio n . 8. T h in g s d o n 't
become easier after breakfast. 9. Towards the end of the day,
after w alking miles an d miles, I f e lt m ore dead than a live.
10. There are lots of th in g s an id le m an cou ld do, if he w a s stro n g
enough to rem ain id le. 11. Now th a t I ’m back home / d o n 't
have to go ou t of the house till bedtim e and th is do esn 't m ake me
feel m iserable.

E x e rc ise V. A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. How does one feel after retu rn in g to w ork after a holi­

day? 2. W hat is work for a really lazy man in the au th o r’s opin­
ion? 3. W hy doesn’t one have breakfast in bed when on hol­
iday? 4. In w hat way does the hotel breakfast differ from
breakfast at home? 5. W hat does the author mean by saying
th a t after breakfast your troubles m ultiply? 6. W hy does he
end the day as a physical wreck? 7. W hat kind of game is
golf? 8. W hich is the most exhausting p art of golf? 9. W hat
else is there at the seaside th a t could a ttra c t a holiday-m aker?
10. W h at prevents him from enjoying the b eauty of the scene?
11. W hy is it no longer possible for him to take a restful
holiday? 12. W h at makes him feel much b etter when he is
back at work? 13. W hich are the only muscles he need exer­
cise now? 14.W h at are the advantages of working?
G3
 E x erc ise V I. U se th e key w ords to m ak e up sentences sim ila r to th e
suggested m o d el.

M o d e l : take a restful holiday, fly the A tlantic

I can no more take a restful holiday than I
could fly the A tlan tic.
1. enjoy a quiet evening at home, w alk on my hands; 2.
go hiking, do con jurer’s tricks; 3. look after a baby, make a
trip to the moon; 4. w rite hum orous sketches, clim b M ount
Everest; 5. cook an edible dinner, speak Japanese; 6. com ­
pose jazz music, drive a truck
E x erc ise V I I . R e te ll th e te c t usin g th e follow ing w ords and phrases:

peculiarly restful; the rigours (of); the u ltim ate recrea­

tion; the first th in g to do; to have the breakfast sent up;
miseries; early rising; inseparable; perfectly easy; seaside
hotel; conscience; to perm it; the best p a rt of the day; for­
m idable affair; menu; in full possession of one’s senses; to
wave away; kipper; boiled egg; as it is; weak w ill; to yield to
the tem p tatio n ; troubles m ultiply; demon; to drive out; to
involve w alking; exhausting exercise; novice; steep hills; to
trudge along; strenuous; to organize leisure; sedentary; to
take in hand; physical wreck; stooping; un n atu ral posture;
to practise repeatedly; to overwork; sinews; relief; indolent;
strength of character; believe in the v irtu e of; to subside
(into); to exercise the muscles; drudgery; to budge; to deny;
to be one’s own m aster
E x erc ise V I I I . F in d R u ssia n e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:
a) clear conscience, guilty conscience, pricks (pangs) of
conscience, a m atter of conscience, to get som ething off one’s
conscience, public conscience, for conscience sake
b) vice and v irtu e, the v irtu e of fresh air (exercise), the
p ath of v irtu e, to believe in the v irtu e of pills, the trium ph
of v irtue, to make a v irtu e of necessity, the special v irtu e
of the new m ethod
E x e rc ise IX . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to E n g lish u sin g a) involved,
b) subside, c) yield:
a) 1. П ерестройка дома п о в л е ч е т за собой большие
расходы. 2. Ш вейцария была одной из немногих стран, н е
в т я н у т ы х в войну. 3. Он сделал все возможное, чтобы
о с т а т ь с я в с т о р о н е от дискуссии. 4. Родон был
в е с ь в д о л г а х , и ему грозила тюрьма. 5. Вполне
64
возможно, что он у ч а с т в о в а л в заговоре, но это не
было доказано. 6. Трудно сказать, в какой мере он был з а-
м е ш а н в этом деле.
b) 1. Когда буря с т и х л а , отдыхающие отправились на
пляж . 2. Он о п у с т и л с я в кресло и закурил сигару.
3. Только после того, как гнев его с т и х , мы подробно
рассказали, что произошло в его отсутствие.
c) 1. Солдаты сраж ались храбро, полные решимости не
у с т у п и т ь свою землю врагу. 2. Когда больной попал
наконец в руки опытного врача, оказалось, что болезнь
все ж е п о д д а е т с я л е ч е н и ю . 3. Предложение было
слишком заманчиво, чтобы не п о д д а т ь с я с о б л а з ­
ну.
E x e rc ise X . T opics for discussion:
1. Sum up the au th o r’s view of the way one should not
spend his holiday.
2. A t the seaside.
3. Going on a hike.
4. Speak of th e advantages and disadvantages of a) spend­
ing your v acation “aw ay from the m adding crow d”, b) in a
“civ ilized ” way (at a hotel, a fashionable resort, etc.).
5. The best holiday you have ever had.
E x e rc ise X I. D escribe th e p ictu re:

O ne is never re a lly h a p p y
3 fib 3060 65
 E xercise X I I . Render the follow in g text in English:

Я пошел вдоль небольшой улицы, заросшей по обеим сто­

ронам мелкими лилиями. Цветы были трех различных о кр а­
сок: желтые, ярко-розовые, и белые. В этом городе лилии
росли повсюду. Их никто не вы саживал, за ними не ухаж и ­
вали, и ни у кого не возникал вопрос, откуда они появились.
Вскоре я сбился с пути и неожиданно попал в здание по­
жарной команды, где красная пож арная машина сорокалет­
него возраста привела меня в восхищение. Н ачальник с т а ­
кой гордостью ее показы вал, а она была так отчаянно стара,
что я даже расчувствовался (felt sentim ental). Но основной-
причиной моей сентиментальности было ж елание позавтра­
кать, и, распрощавшись, я отправился на поиски ресто­
рана.
Я шел боковой улицей вдоль деревянных домов с веран­
дами, расположенными на уровне мостовой. Вскоре я выб­
рался на широкую улицу и, пройдя еще немного, увидел
вывеску ресторана «Мэрфи» и площадь, находившуюся 'в
двух кварталах (blocks) от ресторана.
Ресторан «Мэрфи» я отыскал еще третьего д н я . Здесь мож ­
но было отлично покушать, однако лишь после того, как
вас переставали считать североамериканцем. В первый раз
меня накормили фаршем из солонины (chopped corned beef),
жареным картофелем и консервированным зеленым горош­
ком (canned green peas), которые, по мнению большинства
карибов, считаются национальными блюдами североамери­
канцев. Вскоре я нашел общий Язык с хозяином ресторана
мистером Мэрфи — жизнерадостным человеком средних
лет, уроженцем Кайманских островов (Cayman Islands).
Мистер Мэрфи быстро избавился от первоначального за ­
блуждения относительно моих вкусов и был доволен тем,
что я предпочитаю местные блюда. Чтобы доказать, насколь­
ко сильно мое предпочтение, я купил дюжину отличных ома­
ров (lobsters) и принес их с собой. У Мэрфи был большой ке­
росиновый холодильник и отменная повариха. Я сказал хо­
зяину ресторана, что имея море под боком, можно угощать
меня и более вкусной пищей. У ж е в следующий раз меня
накормили лучше, а сегодня мой неожиданный приход в
полуденный час не вызвал общего смущения.
— У нас сегодня черепаха (turtle)! — сказал мистер
Мэрфи.
— Приготовьте мне омара в придачу,— попросил я.
66
 З а большой дверью послышалось хихиканье (giggling)
поварихи, усмотревшей в моих словах признание ее кули­
нарных способностей. Мистер Мэрфи открыл холодильник,
вынул омара и передал его на кухню. Я вышел, чтобы уме­
рить свое томление голодом (to m oderate my hunger) з а .
круж кой пива.
Когда я вернулся, омар красовался на столе, и я распра­
вился с ним (to devour), запивая (to wash down w ith) пивом..
Затем десятилетняя подавальщица индианка, необычайно
напоминавш ая японку, подала ж аркое из черепахи. Это
блюдо было изумительным на вкус. Мистер Мэрфи расска­
зал мне, что мясо сначала выдерживают (to soak) в вине, по­
том готовят с испанским луком и маленькими помидорами
и что рецепт (recipe) приготовления получен им из Сан-
Андреса. После ж аркого из черепахи были поданы черные
бобы, рис, дольки нарезанного ананаса (pineapple) и кофе.
Я заплатил по счету и, несмотря на ужасную ж ару, на­
правился к городской площади, которая называется парком
Боливара.

(Из «Н аветренной дороги» Арчи К а р р а)

IN P R A ISE OF TELEVISION .

by George Mikes

W hen I first cam e to E ngland, television was still a kind

of en tertain m en t and no t a n atio n al disease. D uring the hap­
py war years 1 it was off the air altogether b u t afterw ards it
retu rn ed w ith a vengeance. 2
Television, however, has slowly conquered — in varying
degree — all layers of society and, w hether we like it or not —
it has come to stay . 3
I have w atched innum erable statesm en boarding and
leaving aeroplanes w ith heavy, m eaningful faces 4 and have
always been astonished to find th a t the sam e platitu d es 6
can be expressed in so m any different ways. D uring our
strikes, I have listened to trade union leaders and em ployers
on M ondays and was im pressed to learn th a t no concessions
could be m ade in m atters of principle; only to be told on W ed­
nesdays th a t th eir relinquishing 6 of these principles was —on
3* 67
their p art — v icto ry for common sense and a true service to
the com m unity. I have heard innum erable p arty politicians
explaining th a t defeat is v ictory. I like the B rains T rust, 4
too — its poets and interior decorators 8 w ith the gift of the
g ab ,9 who are able to u tte r w eighty opinions on every subject
under the sun w ith o u t a m om ent’s reflection. I am fond of
w atching people in T anganyika 10 or M adagascar 11 catching
ra ts, snakes and worm s for pets. 12
The basis and m ain p illar of the art of television is the
T E L E V ISIO N P E R S O N A L IT Y . 13 If you w ant to become a
Television P erso n ality, you need a personality of some sort.
It may be u n a ttra c tiv e or sim ply repulsive; but a personality
is indispensable. 14
On the w hole I like television very much indeed. The re a­
sons for my devotion are these:
1) Television is one of the chief architects 16 of prosperity.
C ertain television personalities can give aw ay money w ith
great charm on th e slightest provocation. It is their h ab it —
indeed, th eir second n atu re — to give you a refrigerator or
a m otor-scooter if you happen to pass near them . Should you
chance to know w h at the capital of F rance is called, or who
our w ar-tim e P rim e M inister was w ith the in itia ls of W . S. C . , 16
if you are able to scratch your left ear w ith your rig h t foot
w hile lying on th e floor blindfold and w atched by ten m il­
lion giggling spectators, then you are practically certain to
be sent to M ajorca 17 for a three week’s holiday.
2) Television is also one of the m ain architects of slum ps.18
A short w hile ago P a n o ra m a 19 made a report on the stock-
exchange boom, in the course of which one or two people,
m ade some cautious rem arks about the boom not lasting for­
ever, and recalled the W all S treet crash 20 when people
threw them selves out of the windows of skyscrapers. N ext day
hordes of people sold their shares, thus causing a fall unknow n
since the days of th e Suez crisis. 21 The bank ra te had to be
raised three days later and if D o tto and a few other pro­
gram m es had not rectified the co u n try ’s economic balance by
giving aw ay even more washing-m achines, bubble-cars 22 and
tea-sets, we w ould have faced u tte r ru in .
3) Television, has united the fam ily — by keeping the
fam ily at home, gaping at it round the fam ily hearth.
4) Television causes more friction in fam ily life than any
other single factor by offering unique scope for quarrels as
to which program m e to watch.
 5) Television is of great educational value. It teaches
you w hile still really young how to (a) k ill, (b ) rob, (c) shoot,
(d) poison, and generally speaking, (e) how to grow up into
a W ild W est outlaw or gangster by the tim e you leave school.
6) Television p u ts a stop to crim e because all the burglars
and robbers, instead of going to burgle and rob, sit at home
w atching The Lone Ranger, Emergency Ward Ten and Dotto.
7) Television has undeniably raised the general level of
cu ltu re throughout the country. Some people allege th a t it
has killed the h ab it of reading and th in k in g — b u t there is no
tru th in this. I have yet to meet a person who gave up his m eth­
odical study of, say, early E truscan 23 civ ilisatio n in order
to be able to w atch more of Sunday N ig h t at the London P alla­
dium or who has stopped reading P roust 24 or P lu ta rch 26 be­
cause he could not tear him self away from W hat's M y Line?
or S p o t the Tune.

(abridged)

NO TES

1 the happy war years (irony) — the word happy im plies

th a t Т. V. did not function during the w ar years
2 it returned with a vengeance — it re tu rn ed and began
to play a bigger role than before (with a vengeance ^ to a
greater ex ten t th an could be desired or expected, e.g. T hat
was ill luck w ith a vengeance (Russ, с лихвой, чертовски,
больше чем можно было ожидать). Н е was a racqueteer (gam­
bler, crook, demagogue, etc.) w ith a vengeance (Russ.
отъявленный, да еще какой); vengeance — revenge, the
retu rn of evil for evil (Russ, месть)
3 it has come to s ta y — it is going to be a perm anent fea­
tu re of modern life
4 heavy faces — serious faces
6 platitude — a trite or flat rem ark, a phrase which
doesn’t say much, esp. one made seriously (Russ, пошлость,
тривиальность); S y n . commonplace; a commonplace is some­
thing obvious, easy to think of, lacking o rig in ality , w here­
as a platitude adds to a commonplace the suggestion of fla t­
ness or triteness and often of a rem ark m ade w ith an air of
im portance or novelty
6 to relinquish — to give up com pletely, e. g. to relinquish
one's control, one's hold (post, idea, hope, etc.). S y n . to leave,
69
to abandon; to leave is often used colloquially instead of
relinquish and m ay suggest various m otives; to abandon
stresses fin a lity and com pleteness, especially of intangible
things, such as hopes, opinions, methods, etc.
7 B rains T ru s t— (here) television program m e in which’ a
group of prom inent people or experts discuss questions of gen­
eral in terest sent to the program m e by the public; Brain
T rust (A m .) — a phrase coined in 1933 for a group
of experts in po litical science and econom y who advised the
president
8 in terio r decorators — those who decorate the inside of
the building, give advice on how to furnish a house (flat),
choose th e rig h t colour scheme to m atch th e furniture, etc.
9 the g ift of the gab (colloq.) — th e ta le n t to talk well;
gab — talk , esp. id le talk
10 Tanganyika ^taerjgo'njkko] — co u n try in E ast Africa
between Lake T anganyika and the In d ian O cean, former
B ritish colony, later member of B ritish Com m onw ealth;
since 1964 u n ited w ith Zanzibar as U n ited R epublic of T an­
zan ia ^ ts n 'z a n jo l
11 M adagascar ^maeda'gaeska] — island in the Indian
Ocean off SE coast of Africa
12 catching rats, snakes and worms for pets (iron.) — a
pet is an anim al tam ed and kept as a favqprite (a dog, cat,
m onkey, p a rro t,.e tc .); the whole sentence is an ironical exag­
geration intended to show th a t the television program m es are
often u n in terestin g and som etim es ridiculous
13 Television P ersonality — a person who often appears
on Т. V. and possesses some d istin ctiv e features, habits,
attitu d e s and the like (the phrase m ay apply to а Т. V. an ­
nouncer, com m entator, com edian, etc., popular w ith the
public)
14 indispensable (here used ironically) — absolutely nec­
essary,. som ething one cannot do w ithout, e. g. an indispensa­
ble person, indispensable part of one's education, indispensable
to life, etc. H e considered him self to be indispensable; Russ.
незаменимый
16 a rch itect — (fig .) creator, e. g. H e was often referred
to as the arch itect of the co u n try ’s foreign policy. Man is the
arch itect of his own happiness (see fu rth er “. . . one of the a r­
chitects of slum ps”)
18 W. S. C.— W inston Spencer C hurchill
70
 17 Majorca — see p. 35, Note 32
18 slump — a fall in prices, business, prosperity, etc.
19 Panorama — (here) nam e of а Т. V. program m e;
other popular program m es m entioned in the te x t are Dotto,
The Lone Ranger, Emergency Ward Ten, Su n d a y N ight at the
London Palladium , W hat is M y Line, and S p o t the Tune.
They are intended to cater to various tastes depending on the
background, age group, etc. Some of them are quizzes, te s t­
ing one’s knowledge of literatu re, m usic, etc. O thers are
serials based on crim e stories or stories of adventure.
80 Wall Street crash — allusion to the stock-exchange
panic in 1929
21 Suez crisis l'su:iz] — an allusion to the events in
J u ly 1956 when E g y pt under P resident Nasser took control
of the Suez C anal
22 bubble-car — a very sm all car
23 Etruscan — belonging or re la tin g to ancient E tru ria .
The E truscans cam e to Italy about 1000 В. C.; in the 6th
century В. C. they conquered the Po d istrict
24 Proust [pru:st] Marcel (1871-1922)— famous French
novelist, author of the great novel A la recherche du temps
perdu (Russ. «В поисках утраченного времени»)
26 Plutarch [p lu :'ta:k ] (A. D. 46?— 120?)— Greek histo ­
rian and biographer

E X E R C IS E S

E xercise I. Practise the pronunciation of the follow in g words and

phrases:

a) en tertain m en t, n atio n al, disease, p la titu d e , varying,

layers, innum erable, aeroplanes, relinquish, in terio r decora­
tor, personality, indispensable, architect, rectify, unique,
emergency, un d en iab ly, allege, T anganyika, M adagascar,
M ajorca, Suez, E truscan, P roust, P lu ta rch
b) a 'nsejnal d i" izi:z ||
it ri'ta:nd wiS a ^venc^ans ||
aiv 'w atft ifnju:m arabl ^/steitsm an | 'b a:d ig_.an d 'li:v ig Je a ra-
plein z | wi0 'hevi 'm irnrgful "yfeisis ||
waz im 'prest ta Jla:n | 0at 'nou kan 'sejn z kud b i1 J m eid | in
'maetaz av H prin sipl | | .
a 'tru: 'sa:vis ta Sa k a'ym ju im ti ||
'te li,v i 3n iz 'w xn av 0a ftfi:f 'cukitekts av p ras^ p eriti ||
'k o :z ig ^ a J fa:l | ,xn 'n ou n sm s^ ,0a 'deiz av 0a -fsuuz ^ k ra isis ||
 E x erc ise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. I was impressed to learn th a t no concessions could be made

in m atters of principle.
They were surprised to find out th a t no changes were
planned.
She was delighted to learn th a t the show would be televized.
E verybody was shocked to hear th a t an innocent man had
been convicted.
He was pleased to see th a t things were changing for the
b etter.
2. Т. V. is of great educational value.
The reported events proved to be of great consequence.
The research under way is of great scientific significance.
The suggested changes are of no importance.
One of the ex h ib its was an alabaster m ask of rare beauty.
3. Т. V. has u n ited the fam ily by keeping everybody at home.
D urrell has learn t a lot about insects by watching them
closely.
The teacher has cu ltiv ated her p u p ils’ taste by reading
. fine stories to them .
The young a rtis t has achieved a Tot by experimenting
w ith colours.
4. I am fond of w atching people hunt.
She was fond of watching children play.
They were fond of watching youngsters dance.
He was fond of watching sportsmen train.

В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e follow ing dialogue:
A .: W ould you m ind sw itching off T.V .?
B.: W hy should I? I ’m w atching a film!
A.: You are, aren ’t you? And w hat if I happen to be tired? I
ju st c a n ’t stan d the thing. I t ’s so dam ned noisy . . .
B.: D on’t w aste your breath. I ’m going to w atch on w hether
you like it or not. T h a t’s final.
A.: T h a t’s nice to hear. I ’ve yet to m eet a person like
you, so utterly selfish.
72
 b) F ill in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d ph rases from colum ns
(1), (2) a n d (3):

A.: W ould you m ind sw itching off T. V.P

B.: W hy should I? I ’m w atching . . . (1)!
A.: You are, aren ’t you? And w hat if I happen to . . . (2)? I
ju st can ’t stan d the thing. I t ’s so dam ned noisy. . .
B.: D on’t w aste your b reath. I ’m going to w atch on, w heth­
er you like it or n ot. T h a t’s final.
A.: T h a t’s nice to hear. I ’ve yet to meet a person like you,
. . . (3).

( 1) (2) ( 3)
a play be washed out w ith such poor taste
a show be sleepy so u tte rly stubborn
a cartoon be d ead-tired so unfeeling
a football m atch be rundow n so insolent
a hockey m atch have a headache so ill-bred
“In th e Anim al have some work to w ith no m anners
W o rld ” do w hatever
figu re-sk atin g have a paper to so self-willed
w rite such bad com pany
have some journals so im polite and
to look through unfriendly
need a rest
need an hour of
peace and quiet
h ate Т. V.

E xercise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y equiv­

a le n ts from th e te x t:

1. Television stopped functioning during the w ar. W hen the

war was over the Т. V. craze became greater than before. 2.
L ittle by little the whole population of B rita in got into the
habit of watching television. 3. It has alw ays surprised me th at
there are so m any ways of saying trivial things that everybody
knows. 4. I f you happen to know som ething th a t every school­
boy knows you are sure to be sent to M ajorca for a holiday.
6. You can learn a lot by watching Т . V. 6. It is obvious that
owing to television people have become more cultured. 7. It
seems doubtful that television prevents people from reading and
thinking, as some people assert.
73
 E xercise IV . F ind in the text eq u ivalen ts for the follow ing:

с лихвой (с еще большей силой); все слои общества; бес­

численные государственные (политические) деятели; ба­
нальность; идти на уступки; отказаться от принципов; по­
беда здравого смысла; основная опора; отталкивающий; не­
заменимый; по малейшему поводу; оживление на бирже; вне­
запное падение цен (на акции); экономическое равновесие;
разорение; вызывать трения; иметь большую общеобразо­
вательную ценность; повысить культурный уровень; утвер­
ждать (без достаточных «снований); мне еще не доводилось
встречать (человека); бросить (какое-л. занятие)

E xercise V . Answer the follow ing questions:

1. W h at was the difference between prewar and postwar

television in England? 2. W hom has the author w atched on
Т. V.? W hat has he been astonished to find? 3. W hat was
he im pressed to learn when listening to trade union leaders?
4. W hat is the m ain p illar of the a rt of television? 5. W hat
makes the author believe th a t television is a) one of the main
architects of prosperity, b) one of the chief architects of
slumps? 6. Can you prove th a t television unites the fam ily?;
th a t it causes friction in fam ily life? 7. W hat shows th a t Т. V.
is of great educational value? 8. In w hat way does television
help to p u t a stop to erime? 9. W hat do you th in k about the
role of television in raising the general level of culture? 10.
W hat makes the author think there is no tru th in the allega­
tion th a t'te le v isio n has killed the h ab it of reading and th in k ­
ing?
E xercise V I. R etell the text using the follow in g words:

en tertain m en t; national disease; to be off the air; to retu rn

w ith a vengeance; to conquer; in v ary in g degrees; layers of
society; to come to stay; to w atch; innum erable; to board
(leave) aeroplanes; platitude; strike; trade-union leader;
to make concessions; to relinquish one’s principles; com­
mon sense; true service; com m unity; defeat; victory; B rains
T rust; to u tter; w eighty opinions; w ithout a m om ent’s re ­
flection; m ain p illar; personality; repulsive; indispensable;
one of the chief architects; on the slightest provocation;
second n atu re; should you chance; giggling spectators; p ra c ti­
cally certain ; slum p; stock-exchange boom; cautious rem ark;
to sell shares; to unite; to gape; to cause friction; educational
74
value; outlaw ; gangster; to pu t a stop to; to burgle; u n d e n ia b ly ;
to allege; to k ill the h ab it; to give up; to tear oneself aw ay

E xercise VI I . U se the key words to m ake up sentences sim ilar to the

model:

Model: television, to come to stay

Television has come to stay, whether we like it
or not.

1. rom antic poetry, to be out of fashion; 2. jazz music, to

come to stay; 3. the same platitu d es, to express in different
ways; 4. coeducation, to come to stay; 5. concessions in m at­
ters of principle, to m ake sometimes

E xercise V I I I . Translate the follow in g sentences into EngHsh using

a) to tear oneself aw ay fro m , b) on the slig h te st provocation, c) w ith o u t a
m o m en t’s re fle xio n :

a) 1. Книга захватила его. Он н е м о г о т н е е о т о ­

р в а т ь с я , пока не прочитал до конца. 2. Его несколько
раз приглаш али на конференцию, но он не м о г о т о р ­
в а т ь с я о т опыта. 3. Почему бы тебе не о т о р в а т ь-
с я о т доклада хоть на час?
b) 1. Он устал, стал раздражительным, иной раз п о
м а л е й ш е м у п о в о д у выходил из себя (lose one’s
tem per). 2. Мистер Бэрлинг был известен тем, что мог вы­
гнать служащего фирмы и з - з а п у с т я к а . 3. Ч у т ь
ч т о , он садился писать инструкции и распоряж ения: это
было его хобби.
c) 1. При виде тонущего человека матрос, н е р а з д у ­
м ы в а я , . бросился в воду. 2. Он с р а з у ж е вызвался
(volunteer) выполнить задание. 3. Реш ения он принимал
мгновенно и, как ни странно (strangely enough),
редко ошибался.

E xercise IX . Translate the follow in g sentences into R ussian, paying

attention to the words a) ra te , b) value-.

a) 1. He was d riving the car at the rate of 100 miles an

hour. 2. The birth-rate in Europe is going down. I t w ill soon
grow into a n atio n al problem . 3. Torpenhoe was a first-rate
jou rn alist w ith much professional experience. 4. The man is
seriously ill. If you refuse to have him taken to hospital,
you m ust, at any rate, send for the doctor. 5. R eading second-
rate novels is a mere w aste of time.
75
 b) 1. He has the re p u tatio n of a man who is sure to ge
fu ll value for his money. 2. It would be w rong to tak e w h a t he
says at its face value. 3. Real estate was going up in value.
4. They bought fu rn itu re to the value of 500 pounds to fur­
nish the new cottage. 5. He often doubted w hether he should
set much value on A lan’s friendship. 6. M oral values was
som ething he was no t concerned about.
E xercise X . T opics for discussion:

1. The a rt of television.
2. The advantages of Т. V.
3. A Television P ersonality.
4. Com m ent on the statem ent: “Т. V. is k illin g the h a b it
of read in g ”.
5. W hich of the Т. V. program m es do you find in terest­
ing?
6. How m any hours a day (a week) does an average stu ­
dent w atch Т. V.?
7. Does Т. V. interfere w ith your studies? Or does it
broaden your m ind? Or both?
E xercise X I . D escribe th e follow ing p ictu re:

E xercise X I I . R en d er th e follow ing te x ts in E nglish:

а) ...П очти 90 процентов семей в Ф РГ имеют собствен

ные телевизоры. Иными словами, практически каждый граж ­
данин Ф Р Г является сегодня телезрителем.
76
 З а счет того, что (owing to the fact) 60 миллионов нем­
цев исправно потребляют зрелища (regularly consume shows),
изготовленные небольшой группой людей, стремительно
прогрессируют шаблонность, унифицированность (uniform ­
ity) мышления, причем масштабы этого явления не имеют
себе равных в истории (on an unprecedented scale). Все го­
ворят об одном и том же. Почти каждый человек испытыва­
ет это на себе, когда на работе ему случается со стыдом при­
знаться, что он пропустил ту или иную телепередачу,— ведь
это означает, что он не идет в ногу со временем (to keep
abreast of the times). Телевидение производит «массового че­
ловека», того самого «довольного молодого человека», ко­
торый может говорить о чем угодно, в действительности
ни о чем ничего не зная.
Еще 15—20 лет тому назад мы, немцы, посмеивались над
американцами,, порабощенными (enslaved) телевидением.
Теперь мы сами недалеки от них. Телевизор — наподобие
автомобиля — стал одним из тех магических феноменов тех­
ники столетия, перед которыми мы совершенно беззащитны.
А между тем этого демона весьма нетрудно обуздать
(curb) — достаточно нажать кнопку выключателя. Н ужно
только заставить себя смотреть лишь то, что отвечает твоим
интересам, иными словами, две — три передачи в неделю.
В остальное время — совсем не включать и не думать о
том, что, не дай бог, ты что-нибудь пропустишь. Пропустить
нечто действительно важное можно очень редко. Короче го­
воря: совладай с телевидением, иначе оно совладает с то­
бой (to m ake a slave of). Это — единственное средство, по­
зволяющее укротить (to tame) нами ж е вызванного джина
(jinn).

b) В течение полутора десятилетий телевидение покорило

Америку и стало силой, способной управлять эмоциями и
мыслями всего народа...
Американцы, которым сегодня по 30 лет или меньше,
знакомились с жизнью только через посредство телевизора.
Это первое «телевизионное поколение» проводило ежеднев­
но перед экраном телевизора в среднем 3 часа 40 минут.
В возрасте 18 лет сумма «телевизионной жизни» составля­
ет уж е 22 ООО часов. Д ети, которые еще до поступления в дет­
ский сад успевают провести у телевизора в среднем 4 тыся­
чи часов, слишком быстро осваиваются (fam iliarize them ­
selves w ith) с миром взрослых. В первый раз садясь за
77
школьную парту, они уж е знают о мире больше, чем знали
их бабушки и дедушки, прожившие долгую ж изнь. Тради­
ционные формы школьного образования уж е непригодны
для этих «телевизионных детей». Чему ж е учит американское
телевидение?
Оно учит, что у всякой проблемы есть готовое решение.
Альтернатив не бывает. Мнения, права и чувства других?
Это неважно! Закон и общественный порядок? Тож е не имеет
значения!
...Богаты е фирмы платят до 60 тысяч долларов за 60
секунд рекламного времени. Они не стали бы этого делать,
если бы такие затраты не окупались с лихвой. Все програм­
мы постоянно прерываются рекламными вставками.
Цель всякой рекламы состоит в том, чтобы заставить зри­
теля обязательно купить определенный товар. И притом не­
медленно. Купите наш автомобиль, и вам будут принадле­
ж ать самые прекрасные женщины на свете! Покупайте толь­
ко наше снотворное (sleeping pills), и вы будете спать, как
ангел! Пейте наше пиво, и вы станете душой общества (the
life of the party)!
(И з зар у б еж н о й прессы)
 PA RT II

THE SPH IN X WITHOUT A SECRET

by Oscar W ilde

One afternoon I was sittin g outside the Cafe de la P aix, 1

w atching the splendour and shabbiness of P arisian life,
and w ondering over m y verm outh at the strange panoram a of
pride and poverty th a t was passing before me, when I
heard some one call my nam e. I turned round, and saw Lord
M urchison. W e had no t met since we had been a t college to­
gether, nearly ten years before, so I was delighted to come
across him again, and we shook hands w arm ly. At Oxford we
had been great friends. I had liked him im m ensely, he was so
handsom e, so high-spirited, and so honourable. W e used to
say of him th a t he w ould be the best of fellows, if he did not
alw ays speak the tru th , but I th in k we really adm ired him all
the more for his frankness. I found him a good deal changed.
He looked anxious and puzzled, and seemed to be in doubt
about som ething. I felt it could not be modern scepticism ,
for M urchison was the stoutest of Tories, and believed in the
P en tateu ch 2 as firm ly as he believed in the House of P eers;3
so I concluded th a t it was a woman, an d asked him if he was
m arried yet.
“I don’t und erstand women well enough,” he answered.
“My dear G erald,” I said, “women are m eant to be loved,
n o t to be understood.”
“I cannot love where I cannot tru s t,” he replied.
“I believe you have a m ystery in your life, G erald,” I
exclaim ed; “tell me about it.”
“Let us go for a drive,” he answered, “it is too crowded
here. No, n o t a yellow carriage, any other colour — there,
th a t dark green one w ill do”; and in a few m om ents we were
tro ttin g down the boulevard in the direction of the M adeleine.4
“W here shall we go to?” I said.
“Oh, anyw here you like!” he answered — “to the restau­
79
ra n t in th e Bois;- we w ill dine there, and you shall tell
me all ab out y o u rself.”
“I w ant to hear about you first,” I said. “Tell me your
m ystery.”
He took from his pocket a little silver-clasped morocco
case, and handed it to me. Ropened it. Inside there was the
photograph of a wom an. She was tall and slight, and strange­
ly picturesque w ith her large vague eyes and loosened hair.
She looked like a clairvoyatiie, and was w rapped in rich furs.
“W hat do you th in k of th a t face?” he said; “is it tru th fu l?”
I exam ined it carefully. It seemed to me the face of some
one who had a secret, but w hether th a t secret was good or
evil I could not say. Its beauty was a beauty m oulded out
of many m y steries— the beauty, in fact, w hich is psycho­
logical, not p lastic — and the faint sm ile th a t ju st played
across the lips was far too subtle to be really sweet.
“W ell,” he cried im p atien tly , “w hat do you say?”
“She is the Gioconda 6 in sables,” I answered. “Let me
know all about her.”
“Not now,” he said; “after dinner,” and began to talk of
other things.
W hen the w aiter brought us our coffee and cigarettes I
rem inded G erald of his promise. He rose from his seat, w alked
two or three tim es up and down the room , and, sinking into
an arm chair, told me the following story: —
“One evening,” he said, “I was w alking down Bond S tr e e t 1
about five o ’clock. There was a terrific crush of carriages,
and the traffic was alm ost stopped. Close to the pavem ent was
standing a little yellow brougham, which for some reason or
other, a ttra c te d my atten tio n . As I passed by there looked
out from it the face I showed you this afternoon. It fascinated
me im m ediately. A ll th a t n ight I kept th in k in g of it, and
all the n ex t day. I w andered up and down th a t w retched
Row, 8 peering in to every carriage, and w aiting for the yellow
brougham ; b u t I could not find та belle inconnue, 9 and at
last I began to th in k she was merely a dream . A bout a week
afterw ards I was dining w ith M adame de R a sta il. D inner was
for eight o ’clock; bu t at half past eight we- were still
w aitin g in the drawing-room . F inally the servant threw
open the door, and announced Lady Alroy. It was the woman
I had been looking for. She came in very slowly; looking
like a m oonbeam in grey lace, and, to my intense
delight, I was asked to take her in to dinner. After we had
80
 sat down, I rem arked quite innocently, ‘I th in k I caught sight
of you in B ond S treet some tim e ago, L ady A lro y .’ She grew
very pale, and said to me in a low voice, ‘P ray do not talk so
loud; you m ay be o v erheard.’ I felt m iserable at having made
such a bad beginning, and plunged recklessly into the subject
of the French plays. She spoke very little , alw ays in the same
low musical voice, and seemed as if she was afraid of some
one listening. I fell passionately, stu p id ly in love, and the
indefinable atm osphere of m ystery th a t surrounded her ex­
cited my m ost ard ent curiosity. W hen she was going away,
which she did very soon after dinner, I asked her if I m ight
call and see her. She hesitated for a m om ent, glanced round
to see if any one was near us, and then said, ‘Yes; to-morrow
at a quarter to fiv e .’ I begged M adame de R astail to tell me
about her; b u t all th a t I could learn was th a t she was a widow
w ith a beautiful house in P ark Lane, 10 and as some scientif­
ic bore began a d issertation on widows, as exem plifying the
survival of the m atrim onially f i t t e s t ,11 I left and w ent home.
“The n ex t day I arrived at P ark Lane punctual to the mo­
m ent, but was told by the butler th at L ady Alroy had just
gone out. I w ent down to the club quite unhappy and
very much puzzled, and after long consideration w rote
her a letter, asking if I m ight be allow ed to try my chance
some other afternoon. I had no answer for several days, but
' a t last I got a little note saying she w ould be at home on S un­
day at four and w ith this extraordinary postscript: ‘Please
do not w rite to me here again; I will explain when I see you.’
On Sunday she received me, and was perfectly charm ing; but
when I was going aw ay she begged of me, if I ever had occa­
sion to w rite to her again, to address my letter to ‘Mrs. Knox,
care of W h itta k e r’s L ibrary, Green S tr e e t.’12 ‘There are rea­
so ns,’ she said, ‘why I cannot receive letters in my own
house.’
“All through the season 13 I saw a great deal of her, and the
atm osphere of m ystery never left her. Som etim es I thought
th a t she was in the power of some m an, but she looked so
unapproachable th a t I could not believe it. I t was really very
difficult for me to come to any conclusion, for she was like
one of those strange cry stals th a t one sees in museums, which
are at one m om ent clear, and at another clouded. At last
I determ ined to ask her to be my wife: I was sick and tired
of the incessant secrecy th a t she im posed on all my visits,
and on the few letters I sent her. I w rote to her at the library
81
to ask her if she could see me the following M onday at six.
She answered yes, and I was in the seventh heaven of delight.
I was in fatu ated w ith her: in spite of the m ystery, I thought
then — in consequence of it, I see now. No; it was the woman
herself I loved. The m ystery troubled me, m addened me. W hy
did chance p u t me in its Track?”
“You discovered it, then?” I cried.
“I fear so,” he answered. “You can judge for yourself.”
“W hen M onday came round I w ent to lunch w ith my uncle,
and about four o ’clock found myself in the M arylebone R o ad .14
My uncle, you know, lives in R egent’s P a rk .15 I w anted to
get to P ic c a d illy ,16 and took a short c u t 17 through a lot
o f shabby little streets. S uddenly I saw in front of me Lady
Alroy, deeply veiled and w alking very fast. On com ing to the
last house in the street, she w ent up the steps, took out a latch ­
key, and let herself in. ‘Here is the m y stery ,’ I said to myself;
and I hurried on and exam ined the house. It seemed a sort
of place for lettin g lodgings. On the doorstep lay her handker­
chief, w hich she had dropped. I picked it up and p u t it in my
pocket. Then I began to consider w h at I should do. I came to
the conclusion th a t I had no rig h t to spy on her, and I drove
down to the club. A t six I called to see her. She was lying
on a sofa, in a tea-gown of silver tissue looped up by some
strange m oonstones th a t she always wore. She was looking quite
lovely. ‘I am so glad to see you,’ she said; ‘I have not been
out all d a y .’ I stared at her in am azem ent, and pulling the
handkerchief out of my pocket, handed it to her. ‘You dropped
this in Cum nor S treet this afternoon, L ady A lroy,’ I said very
calm ly. She looked a t me in terror, b u t m ade no a ttem p t to
take the handkerchief. ‘W h atw ere you doing there?’ I asked.
‘W hat rig h t have you to question m e?’ she answered. ‘The
rig h t of a m an who loves y o u ,’ I replied; ‘I cam e here to ask
you to be my w ife.’ She hid her face in her hands, and burst
in to floods of tears. ‘You m ust tell m e,’ I continued. She
stood up, and, looking me straig h t in the face, said, ‘Lord
M urchison, there is nothing to tell y o u .’— ‘You went to meet
some o ne,’ I cried; ‘this is your m y stery .’ She grew dread­
fully w hite, and said, ‘I w ent to meet no o n e.’— ‘C an’t you tell
th e tru th ? ’ I exclaim ed. ‘I have told i t , ’ she replied. I was
mad, frantic; I don’t know w hat I said, b u t I said terrible
things to her. F in a lly I rushed out of the house. She wrote
me a letter the n ex t day: I sent it back unopened, and s ta r t­
ed for Norway w ith Alan C olville. A fter a m onth I came back,
82
and the first th in g I saw in the M orning Post was the death of
Lady A lroy. She had caught a chill at the O pera, and had died
in five days of congestion of the lungs. I shut myself up and
sa w no one. I had loved her so much, I had loved her so m ad­
ly. Good God! how I had loved th a t w om an!” .
“You w ent to th e street,- to the house in it?” I said.
“Yes,” he answered.
“One day I w ent to Cum nor S treet. I could no t help it;
I was to rtu red w ith doubt. 1 knocked a t the door, and a
respectable-looking woman opened it to me. I asked her if
she had any rooms to let. ‘W ell, s ir,’ she replied, ‘the draw ­
ing-rooms are supposed to be let; b u t I have not seen the
lady for three m onths, and as ren t is ow ing on them , you can
have th em .’— ‘Is th is the lady?’ I said, showing the photo­
g rap h . ‘T h a t’s her* sure enough,’ she exclaim ed; ‘and when
is she com ing back, sir?’ — ‘The lady is d ead ,’ I replied.
‘O h, sir, I hope n o t!’ said the woman; ‘she was my best lodg­
er. She paid me three guineas a week merely to sit in my
draw ing-room s now an d th e n .’— ‘She m et some one here?’
I said; b u t th e wom an assured me th a t it was not so, th at she
alw ays cam e alone, and saw no one. ‘W hat on earth 18 did
she do here?’ I cried. ‘She sim ply sat in the drawing-room ,
sir, reading books, and som etimes had te a ,’ the woman an ­
swered. I did n o t know w hat to say, so I gave her a sovereign
and w ent aw ay. Now, w hat do you th in k it all m eant? You
don’t believe th e wom an was telling the tru th ? ”
“I. do.”
“Then w hy d id L ady Alroy go there?”
“My dear G erald ,” I answered, “L ady A lroy was sim ply a
woman w ith a m ania 'for m ystery. She took room s for the
pleasure of going there w ith her veil down, and im agining
she was a heroine. She had a passion for secrecy, b u t she herself
was merely a Sphinx w ithout a secret.”
“Do you really th in k so?”
“I am sure of it,” I replied.
He took out the morocco case, opened it, and looked at
the photograph. “I wonder?” he said a t last.
N O TES

1 Са}ё de la P a ix [k a'fe da la 'p e l — a fashionable

cafe in P aris.
2 P entateuch ['p en tatju :k ] — the first five books of
the O ld T estam ent; here taken to mean the B ible as a whole
83
 3 the House of Peers = the House of Lords (a peer is
en title d to sit in the House of Lords)
4 the Madeleine — one of the landm arks of P aris, a beau­
tiful 18th cen tu ry church situ ated in P lace de la M adeleine
5 the Bois — Bois de Boulogne ['bw a da b u :'b n ], a large
park in the west of P aris
6 Gioconda ( = Mona Lisa) — Leonardo da V in ci’s p o rt­
ra it of Lisa, th e wife of a F lorentine, Francesco del Giocon-
do, which is famous for its subtle sm ile
7 Bond Street — a fashionable shopping street in London,
near P iccadilly, W est E nd
8 Row — R o tten Row, a fashionable rid in g p ath in H yde
P ark
9 та belle inconnue (F r.) — my beautiful stranger
10 Park Lane — a street in the W est E nd th a t skirts the
E ast side of H yde P ark and connects P iccad illy and Oxford
Street. P ark Lane is a centre of w ealth and fashion, w ith
many handsom e residences. Jam es F orsyte from The For­
syte Saga had a house in P ark Lane.
11 the survival of the matrimonially fittest — the survival
of those who are best suited for m atrim ony (the survival of ~
the fittest (b io l.) — выживание наиболее приспособленных)
12 care of W hittaker’s Library, Green Street — care of
(abbreviated c/o) is w ritten on letters before the nam e of
the person (or in stitu tio n ) to whose house, office, etc. a letter
for another person is sent
13 season — th e London season, i. e. early sum m er when
the R oyal C ourt is in London and there is great ac tiv ity in
fashionable society (balls, concerts, receptions, etc.)
14 Marylebone Road — a street in the W est End
15 Regent’s Park — a park in the W est End
16 Piccadilly — a street in the W est E nd
17 a short cut — a shorter way th a n by the generally
recognized road
18 What on earth . . . — on earth is used in questions ex­
pressing great surprise, e.g. W here on earth did you hear it?
How on earth will you get there?
E X E R C IS E S
E xercise I. P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follo w in g w ords and
phrases:
a) verm outh, panoram a, P arisian , scepticism , boulevard,
restau ran t, evil, psychological, subtle, sables, brougham ,
84
picturesque, loosened, extraordinary, atm osphere, infatuate,
consequence, congestion, guinea, sovereign, m ania, morocco

b) 'w A n d a n q _ o u v a m ai _ /v a :m a 9 | a t_ ,0 a 'stre in d 3 ,р 8 е п э 'г а т э

av f p r a id a n d ~}povati ||
a n d 's i:m d ta bi- in 'y d a u t a b a u t SAm0iij ||
az 'fa :m li az h i - b i 'li : v d in ^ .9 a fh a u s av "Vpiaz ||
w i- w s 1 't r a t i q d a u n 9a "v b u lv a - ||
08Э w az a te 'rif ik 'к г л | av 'ik te rid jiz [ a n d ,_ 0 a ' trsefik waz
'o d m o u s t ~ ^ stap t ||
'fa in a li 0a 's a :v a n t^ ,'0 r u : 'o u p a n w 0a. ~^da: ||
'a :l._ 0 r u : 0a 'si:z a n ai fsa: a 'g re it ^ d i i l av ha- ||
'sA m ta im z ai '0 a :tw 0 a t Ji- waz in _ .0 a f p a u a r w av sAm ^ m a e n ||
ai w az 'ta :tfa d w i9 ~ ydaut ||

E xercise I I . D rills .
* *
A
a) R e ad a n d re p e a t, b) Use th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your owni

1. W hen she was leaving, which she did very soon, I came up to
her.
W hen she came in, which sfte did much later than expected,
all the guests rose to greet her.
On th a t day he missed the reception, which he hardly ever
did.
She sent us an in v ita tio n card, which she always did.
She had a passion for secrecy, which I dislike intensely.
The honoured guest stopped to shake hands w ith me,
which surprised me greatly.

2. I got a little note, saying she would be at home.

W e cam e across an item in the new spaper, saying the show
was cancelled.
He got a letter from his friends, saying they would arrive
in P aris soon.
They saw a notice on the notice board, saying the m eeting
was postponed.

3. They saw much of him all through the season.

Lord M urchison, saw a great deal of the woman he was
in fatu a te d w ith.
She leads a secluded life and people see little of her now.
In sum m er w e’ll see much of each other.
Now th a t h e’s m arried we see little of him .
85
 в
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e follow ing dialogue:

A.: H ello, A lan! You look glum , I ’m afraid. Is any th in g the

, m atter?
B^: L e t’s get o u t of the place. I t ’s too crowded here.
A.: I don’t m ind if we do. Is there an ything you w ish to tell
me?
Bj: There is. A nd w h a t’s more, I w ant advice.
A.: I do hope you h a v e n ’t got yourself into a mess,
в !: W ho knows?
b) F ill in th e gap s in th e dialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d p hrases from
colum ns (1) a n d (2):

A.: H ello, . . .! You look . . . (1), I ’m afraid. Is anything the

m atter?
B.: L e t’s get o u t of the place. I t ’s too crowded here.
A.: I don’t m ind if we do. Is there an y th in g you wish to
tell me?
B.: T here is. And w h a t’s more, I w ant advice.
A.: I do hope you . . . (2).
B.: W ho knows?

(1) (2)
grave are not in tro u b le
upset d id n ’t have a q u arrel w ith your
ruffled boy (g irl) friend
d istracted th e re is n o th in g serious
gloomy are no t in love again
distressed h a v e n ’t been fired
sad h av e n ’t flunked th e history of
stran g e the language
w o rried are no t in d e b t
are not plan n in g a divorce
are feeling well

E x e rc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences by e q u iv ­

a le n ts from th e te x t:

1. I was extrem ely pleased to meet him unexpectedly in

P aris. 2. T hough it was fun m aking jokes about his tru th fu l­
ness, I suppose we liked him still more because of his frankness.
3. My dear fellow , you are supposed to love a woman, not to
understand her. 4. I ’d rath er go to a quieter place to talk,
86
there are too m any people here. 5. This carriage will be quite
suitable, le t’s hire it. 6. The woman in the photo was tall and
slim . She was wearing expensive furs. 7. The delicate face th at
looked out from the yellow carriage attracted him at once.
8. On the following day he walked up and down the R otten Row,
looking searchingly into every carriage, hoping to see the lady
again. 9. To his greatest joy he was asked to take Lady Alroy
in to dinner. 10. He came to P ark Lane just in time (at the
appointed tim e). 11. She took out a latch-key and opened
( unlocked) the entrance door. 12. It was a house where rooms
were let. 13. She caught a cold at the O pera and died of inflam ­
m ation of the lungs.
E xercise IV . F ind in the tex t eq u ivalen ts for the follow in g words qnd
phrases and use them in sentences of your own:

учились вместе в колледже (школе); встретить случайно;

годится (подойдет); тщательно осмотреть; вглядываться;
по той или иной причине; распахнуть дверь; увидеть мель­
ком; побледнеть; подслушать; часто встречаться (с); не­
приступный; мне до смерти надоело; увлечься кем-л.; по­
пытать счастья; навести на след; пойти кратчайшим путем;
захудалая улица; идти быстрым шагом; открыть входную
дверь; поднять (подобрать); шпионить; простудиться; не
мог ничего поделать; сдаются комнаты; квартирант; изред­
ка; говорить правду; судите сами
E xercise V . Answer the follow in g questions:

1. W hat was the author doing when he cam e across Lord

M urchison? 2. How does he describe Lord M urchison as he
rem em bers him at Oxford? 3. In w hat way had Lord M urchi­
son changed? 4. W hy did he not wish to hire a yellow car­
riage? 5. W h at did Lord M urchison show the author? 6. W hat
did the author th in k of the face he was shown? 7. W here had
Lord M urchison first met Lady Alroy? W hat had he done to see
her again? 8. U nder w hat circum stances did the second m eet­
ing take place? 9. W hat did they talk about at dinner? 10.
W hy did Lord M urchison w rite a letter to L ady Alroy? 11.
W hat did Lord M urchison think of Lady Alroy? 12. W hy did
he decide to ask Lady Alroy to be his wife? W hy was he in fa t­
u ated w ith her? 13. How did Lord M urchison happen to
see Lady A lroy in a shabby street? W hat did he accidentally
find out? 14. W h at happened when Lord M urchison called
on her later? W hy did she burst into tears? 15. W hat made
87
Lord M urchison mad and frantic? W hat did he do the next
day? 16. How did Lady Alroy die? 17. W hat did Lord
M urchison learn from his v isit to Cumnor street? 18. W hat
kind of ex planation of Lady A lroy’s behaviour was suggested
by the author? 19. W hat is your opinion of L ady Alroy?
E xercise V I. R e te ll th e sto ry acco rd in g to th e g iv en p la n u sin g th e
follow ing w ords a n d phrases:

I. Lord Murchison runs into an old friend of his

to call one’s nam e; to be at college together; delighted;
to come across; to shake hands 'w arm ly; im m ensely; han d ­
some; used to say (of); to adm ire; all the more; frankness; a
good deal changed; anxious; puzzled; in doubt; to tru st; to
go for a drive; too crowded

II. Lord Murchison produces a photo

vague eyes; w rapped in rich furs; evil; subtle

III. Lord Murchison makes Lady A lroy's acquaintance

traffic; to fascinate; to keep thinking (of); merely a dream;
to throw open the door; to one’s intense delight; to catch
sight of; in a low voice; to be overheard; passionately; to ex­
cite one’s curiosity; to hesitate; after long consideration

IV. Lord M urchison finds the atmosphere of mystery m ad­

dening
to see a great deal of; in the power of; unapproachable;
to be sick and tired of; secrecy; to be in fatu a te d w ith

V. Chance p u t Lord Murchison in the track of Lady A lroy's

mystery
to take a short cut; shabby; deeply veiled; latch-key; to let
oneself in; to let lodgings; to pick up; to spy on

VI. Lord Murchison visits the lodging house

could n o t help it; tortured w ith doubt; respectable-look­
ing; rooms to let; best lodger; now and then
E xercise VI I . M ake up sentences u sin g th e follo w in g phrases:

I. w ill do ( = is, are suitable), w ill not do, w on't do ( =

is, are not suitable)
 S e e T e x t : No, not a yellow carriage . ... th a t dark
green one w ill do.
E x a m p l e s : These shoes w on’t do for every day wear.
Two books w ill do ( = are enough), thank you.
II. to catch (lose) sight of
S e e T e x t: “I th in k I caught sight of you in Bond street!”
E x a m p l e s : On the ten th day of the voyage they
caught sight of land. The street was crowded and he soon lost
sight of her in the crowd.
II I. to excite one's curiosity (admiration, interest, jealousy,
etc.)
S e e T e x t : The atm osphere of m ystery th a t surround­
ed her excited m y curiosity.
E x a m p l e s : H er rare and delicate beauty always
excited attention. The teacher’s story excited the admiration
of the boys.
IV. can't you (w on't she, doesn't he', etc.) do smth.
S e e T e x t : “C an’t you tell_ the tru th ? ”
E x a m p l e s : D oesn't he live here? Is n 't she coming
tonight? A ren 't you ready?
E x erc ise VI I I . M ake u p sentences s im ila r to th o se g iv en below :

1. He would be the best of fellows, if he didn’t always

speak the tru th . 2. All the night I kept thinking of it. 3. Then
I began to consider w hat I should do.
E x e rc ise IX. C hange th e ^Following sentences u sin g a g re a t deal:

M o d e 1: H e has read a lo t.— He has read a great deal.

1. He has travelled quite a lot. 2. H is work takes up
very much of his tim e. 3. She was greatly changed. 4. He
spends a lot of money on books. 5. In sum m er they saw much
of him .
E x e rc ise X . C hange th ese sentences in to in d ire c t q u e stio n s u sin g th e
w ords in b rack ets:

1. May I call in the afternoon? (He asked) 2. May I have

a look at the photo? (He wondered) 3. H ave you been at home
all day? (I should like to know) 4. Is this the lady? (Tell me)
5. May I w rite to you? (He asked) 6. W hat rig h t have you to
1 89
question me? (I wonder) 7. W hy did Lady Alroy go there?
(Tell me) 8. Do you really think so? (I wonder)

E xercise X I . R e p la ce th e n o u n w hich is re p e a te d b y one or ones:

M o d e l : No, not a yellow carriage, th a t dark green car­

riage will do.
No, not a yellow carriage, th a t d ark green one
w ill do.

1. T h at dress does not suit you; th is dress is more becom­

ing. 2. I don’t like detective novels, I prefer psychologi­
cal novels. 3. Let me introduce you to my friend, the friend
I told you about. 4. M other is passionately fond of flowers,
but tu lips and daffodils are fhe flowers she likes best. 5. As
I passed by the carriage a face looked ou t from it, the face
I showed you th is afternoon.

E xercise X I I . F ill in th e b la n k s w ith e ith e r used to or be used to:

1. He . . . call on her once or twice a week. 2. We . . .

say of him th a t he was the best of fellows. 3. They . . . getting
up early. 4. She . . . living alone. 5. I can take care of the
children. I . . . it. 6. He . . . play golf very well.

E xercise X I I I . T ra n s la te in to E n g lish th e follow ing sentences using

a) drop, b) p ic k u p , c) fascinate (fa sc in a tin g ):

a) 1. Опустите, пожалуйста, письмо в почтовый ящ ик на

углу. 2. Д авайте не будем разговаривать на эту тем у. 3.
Во время воздушного налета на школу и больницу были
сброшены бомбы. 4. Вы уронили пропуск.
b) 1. Моя приятельница обещала заехать за мной по до­
роге в Университет. 2. В детстве легко научиться иностран­
ному язы ку. 3. Он без труда собрал все необходимые сведе­
ния. 4. Л орд Мэрчисон поднял носовой платок и положил
его в карман. 5. Выпейте стакан крепкого чая с коньяком,
это вас подбодрит.
c) 1. Молодая талантливая актриса сразу пленила зри­
телей. 2. К расота древних развалин очаровала туристов.
3. Предстоящая поездка в Италию привела художника в вос­
хищение. 4. Речь оратора оказала гипнотическое действие на
толпу.
90
 E xercise X I V . T opics for discussion:

1. G ive a character sketch of L ady A lroy.

2. W hat do you th in k was w ritten in the letter Lord M ur­
chison sent back unopened?
3. G ive your opinion of the story.
E xercise X V . D escribe the picture:

A t the Registry
Clerk: W ell, I never... W hich of you is the bride?

E x e rc ise X V I . Render the follow in g te x ts in English:

а) «Взялся Леонардо выполнить для Франческо дель

Джокондо портрет Моны Лизы, жены его, и трудился над
ним четыре года. Это произведение находится ныне у фран­
цузского короля в Фонтенбло.
В этом произведении воспроизведены все мельчайшие
подробности, какие только может передать искусство ж и ­
вописи. Поэтому глаза имеют то? блеск и ту влажность,
какие обычно видны у живого человека. Рот слегка приот­
крытый, с алыми (scarlet) губами, кажется не красками, а
настоящей плотью (flesh). В углублении (in the hollow) шеи
при внимательном взгляде можно видеть биение пульса
(beating of the pulse).
Между прочим, Леонардо прибег к следующему приему:
так как Л и за была очень красива, то во время писания порт­
рета он держ ал людей, которые играли на лире или пели,
и тут постоянно были шуты (jesters), поддерживавшие в ней
веселость и удалявш ие меланхолию, которую обычно при­
91
дает живопись выполняемым портретам. У Леонардо ж е
на этом портрете улыбка дана столь приятной, что кажется,
будто ты созерцаешь скорее божественное (divine), чем че­
ловеческое существо; самый ж е портрет почитается произ­
ведением необычным, ибо и сама ж изнь не могла бы быть
иной».
Так писал Д ж ордж о Вазари («Жизнь Леонардо да Вин­
чи») о шедевре великого мастера. Его характеристике «Мона
Лиза» в значительной мере и обязана была своей популяр­
ностью. Портрет был приобретен Франциском I за 4000 зо­
лотых скуди и находится в Лувре.

Ь) «Портрет Д ориана Грея» был первым произведением

зарубежной классики, экранизированным (made into а
film) для советского телевидения (1968 г.). Это было удачное
начало. Здесь была не «вообще Англия», а именно Англия то­
го времени, и не «вообще А нглия того времени», а Англия
У айльда — с ее парадоксальностью (paradoxes) и изыскан­
ностью (elegance). Было типажное сходство с персонажами
(хотя Д ориан мог бы быть красивее, а Сибил изящнее).
Был сюжет, изложенный достаточно четко. П равда, вторая
серия удалась меньше. Но в целом фильм сделан хорошо
и со вкусом.
В оформлении (designing) «Портрета Д ориана Грея»
было что-то от так называемой «единой установки» (unity
of style) — сцены у Бэзила Холлуорда, у лорда Генри и у
Д ориана Грея шли на фоне (against the background of) и зящ ­
ной белой решетки. Это была своего рода примета (sign)
принадлежности всех троих к одному кругу (set), подвласт­
ному (ruled by) одним и тем же вкусам. Различать место
действия она не мешала: детали, помогающие определить,
где что происходит, очень выразительны и уместны (rele­
vant).
Режиссер (director) В. Турбин (он ж е сценарист; sc rip t­
writer) точно следовал роману. Его удачи в первой части
за счет того (owing to), что он верно отобрал эпизоды и реп­
лики (responses). Он такж е подчеркнул притчевую (parable)
природу вещи, очень тонко показав метаморфозу, совершив­
шуюся с портретом. Вначале мы не видим лица Д ориана на
портрете, ведь перед нами сам прекрасный оригинал. Затем
дважды перед нами появляется изменившийся портрет, изоб­
ражающий злодейскую (villainous) душу-Дориана. И только
после его смерти на экране впервые возникает весь портрет
92
в его первоначальном виде — на полу валяется отврати­
тельный (repulsive) старик, казавшийся до последнего мгно­
вения молодым красавцем, а на стене висит его портрет, к а ­
ким его некогда нарисовал Бэзил Х оллуорд...

QUIZ I

1. W ho said: a) “This was the most unkindest cut of

a ll”? b) “Thou sh alt see me at P h ilip p i”?
2. a) Give the nam e of the first perm anent English set­
tlem ent in the New W orld, b) W here did its nam e come from?
3. Name the central character in detective stories by
a) Conan Doyle, b) G. K- C hesterton, c) A gatha C hristie.
4. Identify the pictures on the front cover.
5. Name the only person who won the Nobel P rize twice.
6. W hat is the m eaning of the expressions: a) to eat some­
body out of house and home, b) to keep a stiff upper lip, c) to
take something in one's stride?
7. a) W hich is the most fashionable p art of H yde Park?
b) N am e the track reserved for horse riding, c) W here does the
nam e come from?
8. In Greek m ythology there is a river, a drink of whose
w ater brings oblivion of the p ast, a) W hat is the nam e of the
river? b) W here is it? c) W hat is the nam e of another river
in the same region?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) One swallow does
not make. . ., b) I f you don’t like i t . . ., с) A rolling
stone. . . .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: a)
U. K -, b) P . М ., с) M . P ., d) T U C ?

THE F IL IP IN O 1 AND THE D R U N K A R D

by W illiam Saroyan

This loud-m outhed 2 guy 3 in the brown cam el-hair coat

was not really mean, 4 he was drunk. H e took a sudden dis­
like to the sm all well-dressed F ilip in o and began to order
him around 5 the w aiting room, telling him to get back, not to
crowd among the w hite people. They were w aitin g to get on
the boat and cross the bay to O akland. 6 If he h a d n ’t been
93
drunk no one w ould have bothered to notice him at all, 7
but as it was, 8 he was m aking a com m otion 9 in the w aiting
room, and w hile everyone seemed to be in sym pathy w ith 10
the F ilipino, no one seemed to w ant to bother about com ing to
the boy’s rescue, and the poor F ilip in o was becoming very
frightened.
He stood am ong the people, and th is d ru n k a rd 'k ep t push­
ing up against him and saying, I told you to get back. Now
get back. Go aw ay back. I fought tw enty-four m onths in
France. I ’m a r e a l Am erican. I don’t w ant you standing up
here 11 among w hite people.
The boy kept squeezing nim bly and politely out of the
drunkard’s way, hurrying through the crowd, n o t saying
anything and try in g his best 12 to be as decent as possible.
He kept dodging in and out, w ith the drunkard stum bling
after him , and as tim e went on the d ru n k a rd ’s dislike grew
and he began to swear at the boy. H e kept saying, You fel­
lows are the best-dressed men in San Francisco, and you make
your money w ashing dishes. Y ou’ve no rig h t to wear such
fine clothes.
He swore a lot, and it got so bad th a t a lot of ladies had
to im agine they were deaf and w eren’t hearing any of the
things he was saying.
W hen the big door opened, the young F ilipino moved sw ift­
ly among the people, fleeing from th e drunkard, reaching the
boat before anyone else. H e ran to a corner, sat down for a
moment, then got up and began looking for a more hidden
place. A t the other end of the boat was the drunkard. He could
hear the m an swearing. He looked about for a place to hide,
and rushed into the lavatory. He w ent into one of the open
com partm ents and bolted the door.
The drunkard entered the lavatory and began asking o th ­
ers in the room if they had seen the boy. He was a real Am er­
ican, he said. H e had been wounded twice in the W ar.
In the lavatory he swore more freely, using words he
could never use where women were present. H e began to stoop
and look beyond the shut doors of the various com partm ents.
I beg your pardon, he said to those he was not seeking, and
when he cam e to the com partm ent where the boy was standing,
he began sw earing and dem anding th a t the boy come out.
You c a n ’t get away from me, he said. You got no r i g h t 13
to use the place w hite men use. Come out or I ’ll break the
door.
94
 Go aw ay, the boy said.
The dru n k ard began to pound on the door.
You got to come out som etim e, 14 he said, I ’ll w ait here
till you do.
Go away, said the boy. I ’ve done n o thing to you.
He wondered why none of the men in the la v a to ry h a d the
decency to calm the drunkard and take him away, and then
he realized there were no other men in the lavatory.
Go away, he said.
The drunkard answered w ith curses, pounding on the door.
Behind the door, the boy’s bitterness grew to rage. He
began to trem ble, not fearing the man bu t fearing the rage
growing in him self. H e brought the knife from his pocket
and drew open the sharp blade, holding the knife in his fist so
tig h tly th at the n ails of his fingers cut into the flesh of his
palm .
Go away, he said. I have a knife. I do not w ant any trou­
ble.
The dru n k ard said he was an A m erican. Twenty-four
m onths in F rance. W ounded twice. Once in the leg, and once
in th e thigh. H e would no t go away. H e was afraid of no dirty
little yellow-belly 16 F ilipino w ith a knife. Let the F ilipino
come out, he was an Am erican.
I will kill you, said the boy. I do not w ant to kill any man.
You are drunk. Go aw ay. Please do not make any trouble,
he said earnestly.
H e could hear th e m otor of the boat pounding. It was
like his rage pounding. It was a feeling of having been hum il­
iated, chased ab out and m ade to hide, and now it was a wish
to be free, even if he had to k ill. He threw the door open and
tried to rush beyond the man, the knife tig h t in his fist,
bu t the dru n k ard caught him by the sleeve and drew him back.
The sleeve of th e bo y ’s coat ripped, and the boy turned and
th ru st the knife in to the side of the drunkard, feeling it
scrape against the rib-bone. The d runkard shouted and
screamed at once, then caught the boy at the throat, and the
boy began to th ru st the knife into the side of the man many
tim es as a boxer jabs in the clinches. 16
W hen the dru n k ard could no longer hold him and had fal­
len to the floor, the boy rushed from the room, the knife
still in his hand, blood dripping from the blade, his hat gone,
his hair mussed, 17 and the sleeve of his coat badly 18 torn.
E veryone knew w hat he had done, yet no one moved.
95
 The boy ran to the front of the boat, seeking some place
to go, then ran back to a corner, no one daring to speak to
him , and everyone aw are of his crim e.
There was no place to go, and before the officers of the
boat arriv ed he stopped suddenly an d began to shout at
th e people.
I did n o t w ant to hu rt him , he said. W hy d id n ’t you stop
him? Is it rig h t to chase a man like a ra t? You knew he was
drunk. I did not w ant to h u rt him , bu t he would not let me
go. He tore my coat and tried to choke me. I told him I
would kill him if he would not go aw ay. It is not my fau lt.
I must go to O akland to see my brother. He is sick. 19 Do
you think I am looking for trouble 20 when my brother is
sick? W hy d id n ’t you stop him ?

NOTES

1 Filipino [fili'pi:nou] {pi. -nos [nouz])— a n ativ e of the

P h ilip p in e Islands
2 loud-mouthed — talking noisily and vulgarly, trying
to draw a tte n tio n in a vulgar way
8 guy (A m . colloq.)= chap, fellow
. 4 mean (A m . colloq.) — m alicious, having crim inal
intentions
5 to order him around — to order him to go from one place
to another {Russ, гонять с места на место)
(Don’t confuse the construction w ith to order about —to
keep on giving orders to a person.)
9 Oakland I'oukland] — a city in W est C alifornia, on the
east side of the San Francisco Bay
7 at all = in the least. M ostly used in negative sentenc­
es, e. g. I don’t know him at all. H e is not at all handsom e.
8 as it was = under the circum stances
9 making a commotion = m aking a noise, causing
trouble and disorder
10 to be in sympathy with = to sym pathize w ith
11 I don’t want you standing up here (colloq.) = I don’t
w ant you to stan d up here
12 trying his best = doing his best
13 You got no right (A m .) = Y ou’ve got no right
14 You got to come out sometime (A m .) = Y ou’ll have to
come out sooner or later
16 yellow-belly — желтопузый
96
 18 as a boxer jabs in the clinches — as a boxer hits w ith
quick short blows when he and his opponent are locked
together
17 mussed ( A m .) — in disorder (also, of clothes — crea­
sed)
18 badly = very much, e. g. badly injured, badly wounded-,
I am badly in need of m oney. I need you badly.
19 He is sick., ( A m .) = Нё is ill. (B r it.) See Note 6,
page 15.
20 to look for trouble (colloq.) — to act in such a way
th a t som ething un p leasant or dangerous is bound to occur

E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise I. P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follo w in g w ords and

phrases:

a) F ilip in o , drunkard, nim bly, lavatory, bolt, various,

palm , thigh, earnestly, hum iliate, cam el-hair, loud-m outhed,
O akland, San Francisco, Saroyan
b) '0 is 'b ig 'la u d ,m a u d d 'g a i in ^ O a f b r a u n 'ksem alhea "y k o u t ||
bi'gaen tu 'o :d a h im a 'r a u n d _ 0 a "^w eitiq ru m ||
if hi- 'h se d n t b i:n _ y d rx g k | 'n o u wAn w u d hav 'b a 0 a d ,_ ta 'n o u tis
him a t "\o :l ||
'n o u W A n s i:m d w ta 'w o n tw ta 'b o 0 a r ^ a b a u t fkA m iq ta 0a 'b a iz
" ire s k ju : [|
9a 'bai 'k e p t 'sk w i:z ig fn im b li and p a 'la itli 'a u t av 0a 'drA qkadz
■ywei ||
h i - '0 ru : 0a 'd a :r , / o u p n | and 't r a i d ^ , t a 'r x f D i'jo:ndw 0a y m s n ||

E x erc ise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sen ten ces of your own:

1. The dru n k ard kept saying he was a real Am erican.

The man kept repeating he had been wounded twice.
The boy kept squeezing out of the d ru n k a rd ’s way.
The F ilip in o kept dodging in and out.
The wom an kept com plaining her husband was a brute,
2. He swung the door open and tried to rush out.
She pushed the window open to let in some fresh air.
H e drew the blade open and th ru st the knife into the m an’s
side.
H e flu n g the balcony door open and jum ped out.
4 № 3060 97
3. If the m an ha dn't been drunk, nobody would have noticed
him .
If the m an h a d n't insulted the F ilipino, the boy wouldn't
have tried to keep out of his way.
If somebody had interfered, the tragedy m ight have been
prevented.
If the boy hadn’t been humiliated, his bitterness wouldn't
have grown to rage.
В
a) R e ad a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:
A .: W ell, I never. W hat on earth are you doing here?
B .: I ’m looking for a place to hide.
A.: B ut y o u ’re not supposed to use this office (the D ean’s,the
Professor’s, the C hief’s office), I ’m afraid.
B.: Oh, P h il, do n ’t turn me out, please. Do have (he decency
not to m ake trouble.
A.: Look here. I don’t w ant to make trouble. B ut you don’t
seem to realize th a t I ca n ’t let you stay here. I t ’s impos­
sible.
b) F ill in th e g a p s in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d phrases from
colum ns (1), (2) a n d (3):

A .: W ell, I never. W hat on earth are you doing here?

B.: I ’ m looking for a place . . . (1).
A'.:- B ut yo u ’re not supposed to use this office (the D ean’s, the
P rofessor’s, the C hief’s office), I ’m afraid.
B .: Oh, P h il, don’t . . . (2), please. Do have the decency not
to m ake trouble.
A .: Look here. I d on’t w ant to make trouble. B ut you don’t
seem to realize th a t I can ’t let you stay here. I t ’s
. ■ . (3).

( 1) ( 2) (3)
to, keep out of re p o rt me s tric tly forbidden
th e way let me down against the rules
to w o rk in peace kick me out unheard of
to sit down and give me aw ay out of the question
collect m y w its do me an ill tu rn m ore th an I can do
to rest for a tell anybody w here
w hile I am
to be all by m y­ be a cad
self be a tra ito r
98
 E x e rc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords
a n d p h rases from th e te x t:
1. The m om ent the Am erican saw the smart F ilip in o he felt
he disliked him intensely. 2. He was causing trouble in the w ait­
ing room. 3. No one felt like doing som eM ng to help the boy.
4. The F ilip in o kept m oving out of the d ru n k ard ’s way. 5.
The man used bad language and a lot of ladies pretended they
couldn't hear anything. 6. The boy couldn't understand why
nobody was decent enough to stop the drunkard. 7. He got the
knife out of his pocket and plunged it into the m an’s side.
E x erc ise IV . G ive E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

горластый парень; сразу ж е не взлюбить (кого-л.); го- •

нять с места на место; тесниться; сесть на пароход; при дан­
ных обстоятельствах; поднять шум; сочувствовать кому-л.;
прийти на помощь; то и дело говорить (твердить); держаться
подальше (не попадаться на глаза); время шло; осыпать бра­
нью; мыть посуду; бежать от кого-л.; место, где можно спря­
таться; закрыть дверь на задвиж ку; стучать кулаком по
двери; ногти врезались в ладонь; ранен в бедро; унижать;
гоняться (за); распахнуть дверь; схватить за рукав; рукав
порвался; воткнуть нож; схватить за горло; капать с лез­
вия ножа; бежать было некуда; задушить
E x ercise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W ho took a sudden dislike to the w ell-dressed F ilipino?

2. W here did th e fellow m eet the young m an? 3. W hat did he
do to show th a t he looked down upon the F ilipino? 4. W hy
did everybody notice the man? 5. How did the people in the
w aitin g room react to the way the d runkard behaved? 6. W hat
did the A m erican keep saying? 7. How did the boy behave to
avoid trouble? 8. W h at happened as tim e w ent on? 9. W hat
seemed to p a rtic u la rly annoy the drunkard? 10. How did the
ladies behave when the m an started swearing? 11. W hat did
the F ilip in o do when the big door opened? 12. W hy did he
rush to the lav ato ry ? W hat did he do there? 13. How did
the dru n k ard try to get hold of the boy? 14. W hat was it th at
m ade the F ilip in o wonder? 15. W hat change came over the
boy? 16. How did he hold the knife? 17. W hat did the boy
w arn the d ru n k ard against? 18. W hy did he throw the door
open? 19. W h a t did the m an do when the F ilip in o tried to
rush past him ? 20. How was the A m erican killed? 21. W hat
did the boy look like as he rushed from the room? 22. W hat
4* 99
was the passengers’ reaction to the crim e? 23. W hy did the
boy shout at the people? W hat did he ac tu ally say?

E xercise V I. a) P ic k out of th e te x t 1) th e a d je c tiv e s d escrib in g th e

F ilip in o (his looks, c lo th e s, e tc .), 2) th e v e rb s a n d a d v e rb s d e sc rib in g h is
a ctio n s, b) A cco u n t for th e use of th ese p a r tic u la r w ords.

E xercise V I I . R e te ll th e sto ry a cc o rd in g to th e g iv en p la n , u sin g th e

follow ing w ords a n d phrases:
I. The drunkard makes himself extremely unpleasant
loud-m outhed guy; to take a sudden dislike (to); to order
one around; to crowd; w aiting room; to get on the boat; to
cross the bay; to bother; as it was; to make a com m otion;
everyone seemed to be . . .; to bother about; to come to one’s
rescue; to keep pushing up (against), saying, etc.; to get back;
t о stan d am ong
II. The F ilip in o tries to keep out of the m an's way
to keep squeezing (hurrying); decent; to dodge in (out);
to stum ble (after); to swear; best-dressed men; to wear fine
clothes; to swear a lot; to im agine; deaf

III. The F ilipino wants to avoid trouble

sw iftly; to flee (from); to look about; a place to hide;
to rush; co m partm ent; to bolt the door; to swear more freely;
to dem and; to pound (on)

IV. The boy's bitterness grows to rage

to w onder; to have the decency to; to trem ble; to fear the
rage; to draw open the blade; fist; tig h tly ; to cut into the flesh

V. The F ilip in o 's hand is forced

to kill; to m ake trouble; hu m iliated ; chased about; a
wish to be free; to throw the door open; to rush beyond; to
catch by th e sleeve; to rip; to thrust; to scream ; to catch at
the th ro at; no longer; blood dripping (from); mussed; badly
torn
V I. The F ilip in o talks
dare; aw are of; no place to go; to shout at; to hurt; to
chase; like a ra t; would not let me go; to tear; to choke;
fau lt; sick; to look for trouble
100
 E x e rc ise V I I I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to R u ssia n p a y in g a tte n tio n
to th e w ords a) trouble a n d b) dodge:

a) 1. H e seems to be perm anently looking for trouble.

2. It looks as if he were in trouble. 3. W e don’t know where
he is; he m ust have got into trouble. 4. The wisest thing to do
is n o t to make trouble. 5. So far as she was concerned she
d id n 't want any trouble. 6. D o n 't trouble trouble u n til trouble
troubles you.
b) 1. The boy rushed across the street, dodging the m ov­
ing traffic. 2. H e dodged in and out of the m an’s way. 3.
He dodged th e blow and hid behind the tree.
E x e rc ise IX . Choose th e proper w ord:

(strike — pound)
1. She . . . him on the face. 2. The boy . . . on his chest
im ploring to be listened to. 3. . . . the iron w hile it is hot. 4.
Jo h n . . . the first blow. 5. Som ebddy was . . . on the door
w ith his fist, but the landlady was afraid to unbolt the door.
( thrust — plunge — stab)
1. He . . . his hands in the pockets of his overcoat, pu t up
th e collar and w alked away. 2. Before he knew w hat he was
doing the overseer had . . . the knife into the Negro’s th ro at.
3. “W ho has shot the m an?” the police officer asked. “He
w asn’t shot. He was . . .,” came the answer. 4. The th in g to
do is to . . . him out of the house. 5. He knows how to . . .
him self into an influential m an’s friendship. 6. The running
boy . . . into the w ater and swam across the river. 7. It looks
like the country is prepared to . . . into w ar. 8. The news . . .
him into despair.
(drunk — drunken — drunkard)
1. Ju d g in g by the way he behaves the man is a re g u la r . . . .
2. The fellow may not have been mean, he was merely ... .
3. The F ilip in o was looking for a place to hide from the . . .
A m erican, because he w anted to av o id a row.
E x erc ise X . C o m p lete th e follow ing sen ten ces (see E xercise II,
s tru c tu re 3):

1. If the F ilip in o h ad n ’t been so tim id . . . 2. If the

passengers h a d n ’t been so indifferent . . . 3. If the boy had n ’t
been so well-dressed . . . 4. If the F ilip in o had found a place
101
to hide . . . 5. If somebody had had the decency to stop the
d runkard . . .
E x erc ise X I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing sen ten ces in to R u ssian :
1. He entered the restau ran t, looked about and went up
to the corner tab le laid for two. 2. “H e h ad no business chasing
me about,” the boy exclaim ed b itte rly . 3. It was a lovely
day and lots of people were sitting about in the park. 4. “W hat
makes you th in k you have the rig h t to order people about?”
5. S tudents were standing about in the corridor; the lecture
h a d n ’t yet begun. 6. “You ju st run about to get warm , while
I have a sw im ,” E d said to his two boys. 7. “I don’t really
know w hat his job is, but I often see the man hanging about
the studio premises.
E x erc ise X I I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to E n g lish using a) wonder,
b) keep (sta n d , etc.) o u t o f the w ay, c) keep doing, d) every reason to ... :
a) 1. Где он, и н т е р е с н о , нашел укрытие? 2. J1 го­
б о и ы т н о, кто мог сказать такую вещь? 3. Филиппинец
недоумевал, почему все молчат. 4. Всем х о т е ­
л о с ь з н а т ь , чем кончится дело. 5. У д и в и т е л ь -
н о, почему никто н е пришел ему на помощь.
b) 1. Постарайтесь н е п о п а д а т ь с я е м у на
г л а з а . 2. О т о й д и т е , пожалуйста, в с т о р о н у .
3. Шеф сегодня не в духе. Д е р ж и т е с ь о т н е г о
п о д а л ь ш е . 4. Если ты это сделаешь, советую тебе н е
п о п а д а т ь с я м н е н а г л а з а . 5. Ему было не­
понятно, п о ч е м у в с е е г о с т о р о н я т с я .
c) 1. Парень т о и д е л о с п р а ш и в а л* когда при­
дет пароход. 2. Американец н е п е р е с т а в а я т в е р ­
д и л , что он был ранен в ногу. 3. Юноша в с е в р е м я
п ы т а л с я ускользнуть от горластого американца.
d) 1. Е с т ь в с е о с н о в а н и я п о л а г а т ь , что
работа будет закончена в срок. 2. У врача б ы л и в с е
о с н о в а н и я п о д о з р е в а т ь , что больной не выпол­
няет его предписаний. 3. Е с т ь о с н о в а н и я н а д е ­
я т ь с я , что время еще не потеряно. 4. У меня е с т ь
о с н о в а н и я в е р и т ь , что он нас не подведет (let
down).
E x erc ise X I I I . Q u o te th e s to ry to pro v e th a t a) th e people in th e w a it­
ing room a n d on b o a rd th e sh ip preferred n o t to g e t in v o lv e d ; b )th e d ru n k ­
a rd , seeing th e re w as n o b o d y to sto p h im , becam e m ore a n d m ore aggres­
sive; c) th e F ilip in o , w ho w as far from lo oking for tro u b le , w as e v e n tu a lly
d riv en to a n a ct of d e sp e ra tio n .
102
 E x erc ise X I V . T opics for discussion:

1. E x p lain why the “real A m erican” believes in his rig h t

to bully others.
2. Discuss one of the psychological points the story is hinged
on: a man who is “n o t mean bu t merely d runk” gets him self
killed and ru in s the life of an innocent person.
3. Here is another psychological point to be discussed:
a) W hat m ade it possible for the A m erican to behave the way
he did? b) W hy did nobody stir a finger to protect the boy?
4. Trace the boy’s a ttitu d e to the A m erican throughout
the story and account for the sudden change th a t came over
him .
5. Speak on the au th o r’s a ttitu d e to the characters in the
story.
6. Who does the author hold responsible for the murder?
7. Tell the story of a crim e th a t could have been prevent­
ed but for the indifference of the people.

E x erc ise X V . D escrib e the. picture:

L e c t u r e r (a d dressing the audience): “N ow , th is , gen­

tle m e n , is a specim en of w h a t w as once kn o w n as H om o S a ­
p ien s. W h en th is p a rtic u la r species in h a b ite d th e E a rth is
s till u n k n o w n ...”

103'
 E xercise X V I . R en d er the follow ing te x ts in E nglish:
а) П рисяж ны е линчеватели
23-летний Д ж он Генри Д ж онс был приговорен к смерт­
ной казни за то, что украл у женщины 30 долларов.
Возможно ли это?
Д а, возможно. Д ж он Генри Д ж онс — негр.
Суд присяжных состоял исключительно из белых. Семь
женщин и пять муж чин. Д ело происходило в городе Б и р ­
мингеме (штат Алабама). Д ля вынесения вердикта присяж ­
ным (the jury) понадобилось всего три часа.
Я не буду напоминать читателям, сколько времени про­
шло с тех пор, как в Соединенных Ш татах отменили раб­
ство (abolition of slavery).
(М. С ту р у а. «Известия», 1974)
Ь) Неверное па
Танцкласс миссис Шиппен существует в Вашингтоне без
малого сорок лет. К азалось, никакие политические бури, ни­
какие штормовые ветры века не способны поколебать это
незыблемое великосветское учреждение (upper crust estab­
lishm ent), где в свое время скользили по паркету девочки
Б увье — будущая Ж аклин Кеннеди и ее сестра, и целые по­
коления юных отпрысков (offspring) «первых» семейств Аме­
рики овладевали фокстротом и вальсом.
И, вдруг, как сообщает ж урнал «Ньюсуик», миссис Шип­
пен была ош араш ена (shocked) вопросом, который с невин­
ным видом задал ей тринадцатилетний питомец: «А почему
сюда не ходят негры?» Почтенная (respectable) дама в ответ
пролепетала (babble) что-то о предосторожностях (precau­
tions) против «смешанных браков» (m ixed m arriages).
Однако дело этим не ограничилось. Прош ло немного вре­
мени, и один из ее ассистентов снял телефонную трубку (re­
ceiver). Мать мальчика услышала, что дальнейшее присут­
ствие ее сына в танцклассе миссис Шиппен нежелательно
(undesirable).
Остается сообщить имя возмутителя спокойствия (tro u ­
ble-m aker): М арк Рузвельт, правнук 26-го президента Сое­
диненных Штатов.

Q UIZ II
1. W ho said: “Beware the ides of M arch”? W hat novel
has the above words for a title?
104
 2. Identify the pictures on the back cover.
3. Who is the author of a) The D evil's D ictionary,
b) The D evil’s Disciple, c) The A ngel Pavement, d) The Very
Heaven?
4. According to Greek legend a nym ph escaping from
a God turned into an evergreen shrub. Name a) the nym ph,
b) the God, c) the shrub whose leaves have decorated the
G od’s quiver ever since.
5. W hat is the centre of the theatre d istrict in a) London,
b) New York?
6. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the expres­
sions: a) a skeleton in the cupboard, b) to ride for a fall, c)
to send to the chair?
7. In one of the finest cities of Ita ly there is a bridge
th at bears a poetic nam e. There is also a bridge in one of
E n g lan d ’s oldest u n iv ersities and a passageway of the same
nam e in an A m erican city . Name a) the cities and the u n i­
versity, b) the bridge and say how it was form erly used.
8. a) W here is New England? b) W hat states is it composed
of? c) W hat period of Am erican history is it associated with?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) You can’t have
your cake . . .; b) Every dark cloud . . .; c) The chain is no
stronger . . . .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stan d for: a)
B . A ., b) М . А ., с) C. F ., d) R . A . S .?

TH E ANT A N D TH E G R A S S H O P P E R

b y W . S om erset M augham
*

W hen I was a very sm all boy I was m ade to learn by heart

certain of the fables of La F ontaine, 1 and the moral of
each was carefully explained to me. Am ong those I learnt was
The A n t and the Grasshopper, which is devised to bring home
to2 the young the useful lesson th a t in an im perfect w orld
ind ustry is rew arded ? and giddiness 4 punished. In this
adm irable fable (I apologise for telling som ething which every­
one is p olitely, b u t inexactly, supposed to know s) the ant
spends a laborious sum m er gathering its w inter store; while
the grasshoper sits on a blade of grass singing to the sun.
105
W inter comes and the ant is com fortably provided for, but the
grasshopper has an em pty larder: he goes to the an t and begs
for a little food. Then the ant gives him her classic answer:
“W hat were you doing in the sum m er tim e?”
“S aving your presence, 8 I sang, I sang all day, all n ig h t.”
“You sang. W hy, then go and dance.”
I do n o t ascribe it to perversity on my part, but rath er
to the inconsequence of childhood, 7 which is deficient in
m oral sense, th a t I could never quite reconcile myself to 8
the lesspn. My sym pathies were w ith the grasshopper and for
some tim e I never saw an an t w ithout p u ttin g my foot on it.
In this sum m ary 9 (and, as I have discovered since, entirely
hirman) fashion I sought to express my disapproval of pru­
dence and commonsense.
I could not help thinking of this fable when the other
day I saw George R am say lunching by him self in a restaurant.
I never saw anyone wear an expression of such deep gloom.
H e was starin g into space. H e looked as though the burden
of the whole world sat on his shoulders. I was sorry for him :
I suspected at once th at his u nfortunate brother had been
causing trouble again. I went up to him and held out my hand.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I ’m not in hilarious sp irits,” 10 he answered.
“Is it Tom again?”
He sighed.
“Yes, i t ’s Tom again.”
“W hy d on’t you chuck him ? 11 Y ou’ve done everything
in the w orld for him . You m ust know by now th a t he’s quite
hopeless.”
I suppose every fam ily has a black sheep. 12 Tom had been
a sore trial 13 to his for tw enty years. H e had begun life de­
cently; enough: he went into business, m arried and had two
children. The R am says were perfectly respectable people and
there was every reason to~suppose th a t Tom R am say would
have a useful and honourable career. B ut one day, w ithout
w arning, he announced th a t h e d id n ’t like work and th a t he
w asn’t su ited for marriage.. H e w an ted to enjoy him self.
H e w ould listen to no expostulations.. He Left his wife and
his office. H e had a little money and h e spent two happy
years in th e various capitals, of Europe. R um ours of his doings
reached his relatio ns from tim e to tim e and they were pro­
foundly shocked. He certainly had a very good tim e..They shook
their heads and asked w hat would hap p en when his money
106
 was spent. They soon found out: he borrowed. He was charm ­
ing and unscrupulous. I have never met anyone to whom
it was more d ifficult to refuse a loan. H e m ade a steady
income from his friends and he m ade friends easily. B ut he
always said th a t the money you spent on necessities was
boring; the money th a t was am using to spend was the money
you spent on luxuries. For this he depended on his brother
George. He did n o t w aste his charm on him . 14 George was a
serious man and insensible to such enticem ents. George was
respectable. Once or tw ice he fell to Tom ’s prom ises of am end­
ment 16 and gave him considerable sum s in order th a t he
m ight make a fresh sta rt. On these Tom bought a m otorcar
and some very nice jew ellery. B ut when circum stances forced
George to realise th a t his brother w ould never settle down 19
a n d he washed his hands of him , 17 Tom, w ith o u t a qualm ,
began to blackm ail him . I t was not v ery nice for a respectable
lawyer to find his brother shaking cocktails behind the bar of
His favourite re sta u ran t or to see him w aitin g on the box-
seat of a taxi outside his club. Tom said th a t to serve in a
bar or to drive a tax i was a perfectly decent occupation, but
if George could oblige him w ith a couple of hundred pounds
he d id n ’t m ind for the honour of the fam ily giving it up.
George paid.
Once Tom n early went to prison^ George was terribly
upset. He w ent in to the whole discreditable affair. R eally
Tom had gone too far. He had been w ild, thoughtless and
selfish, but he h ad never before done an y th in g dishonest,
by which George m eant illegal; and if he were prosecuted he
would assuredly be convicted. B ut you cannot allow your on­
ly brother to go to gaol. The man Tom had cheated, a man
called Cronshaw, was vindictive. He was determ ined to take
the m atter in to court; he said Tom was a scoundrel and-should
be punished. It cost George an infinite deal of trouble and
five hundred pounds to settle the affair. I have never seen
him in such a rage as when he heard th a t Tom and Cronsha\y
had gone off together to M onte Carlo 18 the m om ent they
cashed the cheque. They spent a happy m onth there.
For tw enty years Tom raced 19 and gam bled, philandered
w ith the p rettiest girls, danced, ate in the most expensive
restau ran ts, and dressed beautifully. H e alw ays looked as
if he had ju st stepped out of a bandbox. 20 Though he was for­
ty-six you w ould never have taken him for more than th irty -
. five. He was a most am using com panion and though you knew
107
he was perfectly w orthless you could not bu t enjoy 21 his
society. H e had high spirits, an unfailing gaiety and incre­
dible charm . I never grudged the con trib u tio n s he regularly
levied on me 22 for the necessities of his existence. I n ev ­
er lent him fifty pounds w ithout feeling th a t I was in his
debt. Tom R am say knew everyone and everyone knew Tom
R am say. You could not approve of him , but you could not
help lik in g him .
Poor George, only a year older than his scapegrace b ro th ­
er, 28 looked six ty . He had never taken more than a fo rt­
n ig h t’s holiday in the year for a quarter of a century. He was
in his office every m orning at n in e-th irty and never left
it till six. H e was honest, industrious and w orthy. He had a
good wife, to whom he had never been unfaithful even in
thought, and four daughters to whom he was the best of
fathers. H e made a point of saving a th ird of his income and
his plan was to re tire at fifty-five to a little house in the
country where he proposed to c u ltiv a te his garden and play
golf. H is life Was blam eless. H e was glad th a t he was growing
old because Tom was growing old to©. He rubbed his hands
and said:
“It was all very well when Tom was young and good-look­
ing, b u t h e’s only a year younger than I am. In four years
h e’ll be fifty. He w on’t find life so easy then. I shall have
th irty thousand pounds by the tim e I ’m fifty. For tw enty-
five years I ’ve said th at Tom would end in the gutter. And
we shall see how he likes th a t. W e shall see if it really pays
best to work or be idle.”
Poor George! I sym pathized w ith him . I wondered now as
I sat down beside him w hat infam ous thing Tom had done.
George was ev id en tly very much upset.
“Dp you know w h a t’s happened now?” he asked me.
I was prepared for the worst. I w ondered if Tom had got
in to the hands of the police at last. George could hardly bring
him self to speak.
“Y ou’re n o t going to deny th a t all my life I ’ve been h ard ­
working, decent, respectable and straightforw ard. After
a life of in d u stry and th rift I can look forward to re tirin g
on a sm all incom e in gilt-edged securities. 24 I ’ve always done
my d uty in th a t state of life in which it has pleased P ro v i­
dence to place me”.
“T rue.”
“And you ca n ’t deny th a t Tom has been an idle, worthless,
108
dissolute and dishonourable rogue. If there were any justice
he’d be in the w orkhouse.”
“True.”
George grew red in the face.
“A few weeks ago he became engaged to a wom an old
enough to be his m other. And now she’s died and left him
everything she had. H alf a m illion pounds, a yacht, a house
in London and a house in the country.”
George R am say beat his clenched fist on the table. “I t ’s
not fair, I tell you; i t ’s not fair. D am n it, i t ’s not fair.”
I could not help it. I burst into a shout of laughter as I
looked at George’s w rathful face, I rolled in my chair; I very
nearly fell on the floor. George never forgave me. B ut Tom
often asked me to excellent dinners in his charm ing house in
M ayfair, 25 and if he occasionally borrows a trifle from me,
th at is merely from force of h ab it. It is never more than a
sovereign.

NOTES

1 La Fontaine, Jean de (1621-1695) [lcufom'tenl — French

w riter, known for his fables .
2 to bring home to smb.— to make smb. realize sm th.,
to convince one of sm th., e. g. The letter brought home to
her the v ast gap th a t divided him from her set.
3 to reward — to repay, to give sm th. in retu rn for, e. g.
He hoped to be rew arded for years of hard work by g ettin g
his prom otion. The nurse took good care of the sick child and
was am ply rew arded by the fond parents. N o t e : D on’t
confuse reward w ith award — to give or g ran t sm th., as
to be awarded a prize, an order, a title, etc., e. g. The Soviet
figure skaters were aw arded the first prize.
4 giddiness — (here) lightm indedness, absence of steady
principles, fondness for pleasure,, e. g. the giddiness of youth-,
giddy — dizzy, unable to stand firm ly, i. e. as when sick,
intoxicated, etc. (Russ, голова круж ится); e. g. Looking
down from the balcony always made her feel giddy. He had
eaten nothing since m orning and the first glass of cham pagne
m ade him feel giddy.
6 everyone is politely, but inexactly, supposed to know—
for politeness’ sake we take it for gran ted th a t everybody
knows this, b u t ac tu ally not everybody does
109
 6 Saving your presence {or saving your reverence) — an
old-fashioned apology for using an indecent or vulgar expres­
sion — извините 'за выражение
7 inconsequence of childhood — the author means th at
children are inclined to act and think contrary to logic
8 to reconcile oneself to sm th.— to be content w ith,
n o t to expect more, e. g. She reconciled herself to a lonely
existence (adapted herself to th a t kind of life). He will nev­
er reconcile him self to the loss of his child. I t ’s hard to
reconcile yourself to the thought th a t you are a failure.
9 summary — prom pt, w ithout cerem ony, e. g. summary
justice, punishment, conviction
10 in hilarious [hi'lesrias] spirits — gay, cheerful;
comp, in high (low) spirits
11 to chuck smb. (colloq.) — to give up a person; to
chuck work = to stop working; to chuck up one’s job = to
leave one’s job
12 black sheep (fig .) — a scoundrel, a disreputable mem­
ber of an otherw ise decent fam ily or society. This is an al­
lusion to the proverb: “There is a black sheep in every flock.”
Russ, «паршивая овца»
13 sore trial — a person who is most irrita tin g , annoying,
testing one’s patience, giving more trouble than one can en­
dure; trying adj.— most annoying, em barrassing, e.g. a
trying time, experience, etc.
14 He did not waste his charm on h im .— Tom made no a t­
tem pt to win George’s affection, to make his brother like
him .
15 he fell to Tom’s promises of amendment — he believed
T om ’s prom ises to become a better man
18 to settle down — (here) to become decent (respecta­
ble), to have a regular way of life, e. g. A fter m arrying Helen
he became a different man: he gave up gam bling and settled
down; Russ, остепениться; to settle down (in) — to live
p erm anently, to place oneself in a fixed position (Russ.
обосноваться, удобно устроиться). A fter the war Greg set­
tled down in the suburbs of London. Jo h n is said to have set­
tled down in A u stralia. In the evening he w ould settle him self
down in an arm -chair near the fireplace; w. c. settle oneself
down to work
17 washed his hands of — declined all further responsibil­
ity for, e. g. If you m arry th a t fellow I wash my hands of
you.
110
 18 Monte Carlo Pm onti 'kccloul — a town in Monaco
['m onakou] on the M editerranean coast, a famous gam bling
resort
19 raced — (here) spent money in b ettin g on horse-races
20 as if he had'just stepped out of a bandbox — neat and
sm art
21 could not but enjoy = could not help enjoying
22 I never grudged the contributions he regularly levied
on me = I was never unw illing to give him the money he
borrowed from me; to grudge — to envy, to feel resentful,
to be u n w illing to let a person have sm th. he needs or enjoys,
e. g. to grudge smb. money, food, pleasure, etc. (Russ, жалеть).
She d id n ’t grudge his brother his p o p u larity . H e grudges me
every little joy I have; grudge n.\ w. c. to bear (have, nurse,
owe) smb. a grudge; to have a grudge against somebody
(Russ. Ч1меть зуб против кого-л.), е. g. “Come round tonight.
I don’t bear you a grudge.’r
23 scapegrace brother — his w orthless brother who kept
gettin g in to trouble
24 gilt-edged securities — stocks and bonds which are
considered to be very safe investm ents
26 Mayfair — a fashionable residential quarter of the
W est End, London. The nam e is often used figuratively to
denote fashionable and w ealthy society.

•E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise I . P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords a n d

phrases:

a) giddiness; adm irable; apologise; laborious; perversity;

inconsequence; deficient; re stau ran t; hilarious; unscrupu­
lous; luxuries; qualm ; gaol; v indictive; infam ous; rogue;
yacht; dam n; w rathful; sovereign

b) ai w az 'm e id _ /ta 'la :n b ai . / h a t | 's a :ta n av da 'fe ib lz bai

l a f a i n 'i t e n ||
ta 'b r ig 'h o u m ta da J j x g | da 'ju :s fu l "ylesn | dat in a n im 'p a :-
fakt J w a:ld | 'in d A stri iz r O w a : d i d ||
'w in ta Л к л т г | a n d w d i - 'sent iz 'kA m fatabli p r a T v a i d i d fo- ||
ai du 'n o t a s 'k r a ib it. .ta p a ’y v a is iti an m a i , p a t |j
m ai 'sim paB iz w a - w i d ^ d a ~ ;g ra s h a p a ||
111
 E xercise I I . D rills.

A
a) R e ad a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:
I. I was made to learn by heart certain fables of La F ontaine.
She was made to wash up and clean the house.
He was made to earn his living.
She is made to rise at dawn.
They are made to chop wood and cook breakfast.
II. He looked as if he had just stepped out of a bandbox.
She looked as if she had just hcid a shower.
He looks as if he had come into a fortune.
She behaves as if nothing had happened.
He behaved as if he had been crushed by the news.
II I . He made a point of taking long w alks after sunset.
She made a point of supporting her younger brother.
He made a point of p u ttin g by money regularly.
She made a point of not interfering in the fam ily quarrel.
IV. He would listen to no expostulations.
He would not pay the slightest a tte n tio n to w hat you
said.
She would do as she pleased.
He would follow the p ath he had chosen.
He would give dinner parties in his charm ing house in
M ayfair.
В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:
A .: W h a t’s the tim e?
B .: I t ’s 7 o ’clock already.
A .: Supposing you go and book yourself a room and I’ll
come along about a quarter to eight and take you out
to dinner. How would th at su it you?
B .: It sounds w onderful. Do you really mean it?
A .: Yes, I really mean it. Now I ’m going to put you in a
tax i and you go off to the hotel.
b) F ill in th e gaps- in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords a n d phrases from
co lu m n s (1), (2) a n d (3):
A.: W h a t’s the tim e?
B .: I t ’s . , . already.
112
A.: Supposing you go and . . . (1) and I ’ll come along about
. . . and . . . (2). How w ould th a t suit you?
B.: It sounds w onderful. Do you really mean it?
A.: Yes, I really m ean it. Now I ’m going to put you in a
tax i and you go off . . . (3).

( 2)
have a shower d riv e you out to to the hairdresser
have a b ite th e co u n try to the hotel
drop in at the ta k e you out to to your m other’s
lib ra ry supper home
call on M rs. B. tak e you to a con­ to th e shopping
tak e a sh o rt rest cert centre
a t home ta k e you out to a to the lib rary
buy yourself a cocktail p arty to your friends’
new gown d riv e you home
have your h a ir ta k e you to an
done ex h ib itio n
see you off
d riv e you to the
a irp o rt

E x erc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y words

and phrases from th e te x t:

1. The story made us realize how much injustice there

was in th is im perfect world. 2. He spent the summer working
hard so as to be well provided for the winter. 3. The fable is
intended to m ake th e reader appreciate hard work and disap­
prove of lightmindedness. 4. The boy, however, did not think it
was fair to treat the grasshopper unkindly (did not agree with
the moral of the fable). 5. Consequently, whenever he saw an
ant he would invariably p u t his foot o n j t . 6. This prom pt re ­
action should not be accounted for by any abnormality in the
boy. 7. The m an lunching alone in a restau ran t looked extreme­
ly gloomy. 8. In most families.there is someone who his rela­
tives are ashamed of. 9. One ca n ’t very well let one's own broth­
er go to prison. 10. The man whom Tom had swindled was
revengeful-, he was bent on bringing an action against George’s
brother. 11. Tom flirted w ith the p re ttiest girls and was
always sm art and elegant. 12. He was good for nothing, but
you couldn’t help enjoying his company.
113
 E x e rc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing
a n d use th em in sentences of yo u r own:
меня заставляли; довести до сознания; усердие; восхити­
тельный; запас на зиму; травинка; быть вполне обеспечен­
ным; пустая кладовая; приписывать (что-л); с моей стороны;
примириться с чем-л.; мои симпатии были на стороне; пре­
дусмотрительность; здравый смысл; на днях; в одиночестве;
мрачность; причинять неприятности; парш ивая овца; ува­
жаемый; были все основания предполагать; без предупреж­
дения; подходить для чего-л.; веселиться; глубоко потря­
сен; неразборчивый в средствах; отказать в займе (одолжить
деньги); регулярный доход; легко сходиться с людь­
ми; предметы первой необходимости; предметы роскоши;
рассчитывать на кого-л.; поверить обещаниям; взяться за
какое-нибудь дело; остепениться; умыть руки; вполне при­
личное занятие; чуть не попал в тюрьму; вникнуть (ознако­
миться); судить; осудить; мстительный; уладить дело; полу­
чить деньги по чеку; играть на скачках; играть в азартные
игры; волочиться за девушками; непередаваемое обаяние;
нельзя было не любить (его); изменять жене; поставить себе
за правило; выйти в отставку; кончить ж изнь под забором;
недостойный; праздный; развратный; пустяк; просто по
привычке
E x erc ise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W hat was the author made to do when he was a very

sm all boy? 2. W hat is the fable “The A nt and the G rasshop­
per” devised to bring home to the young? 3. W hat is the plot
of the fable? 4. W hy could the boy never reconcile him self to
this useful lesson? 5. In w hat way did he express his sym pa­
thies w ith the grasshopper and his disapproval of common
sense? 6. W hat did George R am say look like when the author
saw him lunching by him self in a restau ran t? 7. W hat did
the author suspect at once? 8. W hat sort of fam ily were the
Ramsays? 9. W hat does the author im ply by saying th at
Tom had always been “a sore tr ia l” to his relativ es for many
years? 10. W here and how did Tom m anage to get the money
he spent on luxuries? 11. W hat made George wash his hands
of Tom? 12. How did Tom change his tactics after realizing
he could no longer depend on George? 13. W hat trick did
Tom resort to in order to ex tract 500 pounds from his brother?
14. How did Tom enjoy himself for tw enty years? 15. How did
he succeed in m aking people like him ? 16. In w hat way
114
did George differ from Tom? 17. W hy was George glad he
was growing old and w hat did he look forward to? 18. W hat
did the author suspect had upset George so terribly? 19.
How had Tom m anaged to become a w ealth y man? 20. W hat
did George mean by saying “i t ’s not fa ir”? 21. W hat made
the author bu rst out laughing?

E xercise V I. R e te ll th e sto ry acco rd in g to th e g iv en p la n a n d use the

suggested w ords a n d p hrases:

I. The fable the author was made to learn by heart in his

childhood
to be made to learn; to be carefully explained (to); to
brin g home (to); industry; adm irable; laborious; w inter
store; blade of grass; to be provided for; em pty larder; to
beg (for); to ascribe to; deficient (in); to reconcile oneself
(to); to put one’s foot (on); to seek to express; disapproval
(of)
II. George lunches by himself in a restaurant
the other day; to lunch by oneself; to w ear an expression
(of); gloom; to suspect; unfortunate brother; to cause trou­
ble; to chuck; hopeless
III. Tom has been a sore trial to his fam ily
black sheep; a sore trial (to); decently enough; to go into
business; perfectly respectable; every reason to suppose;
honourable; w ith o u t w arning; not suited (for); to enjoy one­
self; rum ours of his doings; profoundly shocked; to borrow;
unscrupulous; to refuse a loan; steady income; to make
friends; necessities; boring; luxuries; to depend (on); to w aste
one’s charm ; insensible (to); to fall to smb.’s promises; to make
a fresh start; to settle down; to wash one’s hands (of)
IV. Tom resorts to blackmail
w ithout a qualm ; to shake cocktails; to drive a taxi;
decent occupation; to oblige sm b. (w ith); for the honour of
the fam ily; to give up
V. George saves his brother from prison
terrib ly upset; to go too far; to be prosecuted; to be con­
victed; to go to gaol; to cheat; vindictive; to take the m atter
into court; to settle the affair; to cash the cheque
115
 V I. Tom is having a good time
to race; to gam ble; to philander; am using companion;
could not b u t enjoy his society; high spirits; incredible
charm ; to grudge; to feel in s m b .’s debt; co u ld n ’t help liking
V II. George is looking forward to old age and security
to make a p oint of; to save; to re tire at 55; to cultivate;
to play golf; blam eless; glad to grow old; to rub one’s hands;
w on’t find life easy; by the tim e; in the g u tter; it pays best
V III. George breaks the news
to wonder; infam ous; to be prepared fot the worst; to
b rin g oneself to speak; to deny; decent; straightforw ard;
in d u stry and th rift; to look forward to; to re tire on a small
income; idle; dishonourable rogue; justice; red in the face;
engaged; old enough to be his m other; i t ’s not fair; clenched
fist; w rathful
E xercise V I I . Choose th e proper w ord:

(prosecute — persecute)
1. It was obvious th a t the man w ould be . . . if the m atter
w asn ’t settled at once. 2. D uring the notorious McCarthy
period com m unists and progressive public figures were . . . .
3. “Are Negroes still . . . in the S outh?” the newspaper man
asked his trav ellin g com panion, but his question was left
unansw ered. 4. The boy ignored the sign: “Tresspassers
will be . . ” and continued on his way.
(respectable — respectful)
1. The young m an belonged to a m ost . . . fam ily. 2.
There was . . . silence in the hall w hile the old professor
was slowly m ounting the p u lp it. 3. P a u l’s clothes were a b it
shabby b u t on the whole he looked . . . enough. “Poor bu t
. . .” was the phrase often applied to him . 4. The boy had been
specifically in structed to be . . . to his rich aunt.
(unfortunate — unhappy)
1. R um ours reached the city th a t the . . . younger broth­
er, the black sheep of the R am say fam ily, had got himself
in to a mess again. 2. All the relatives felt . . . about it, m ost­
ly because the honour of the fam ily was involved. 3. W hat
an . . . coincidence!
116
 E xercise V I I I . D e riv e a d je ctiv es from th e n o u n s below as in M odels I
a n d II a n d use th em w ith su ita b le nouns:

M o d e l : hope — hope/ess, e. g. a hopeless case

father, blam e, heart, sense, fault, rest, brain, shame,
tree, spot
Model: gloom — gloom#, e. g. a gloomy prospect
ra in , m ud, dust, bush, jerk, dirt, jum p, filth, mess
E xercise IX . F ill in th e b la n k s w ith p re p o sitio n s w herever necessary:
D an was . . . his first year . . . college when it occurred
. . . him th a t instead . . . reading law he had better tak e . . .
a rt. T his prospect appealed . . . him much more than working
. . . his fa th e r’s firm .
H is father, however, expected the boy to go . . . business
. . . com pleting his education and was prepared to provide
. . . him . . . a lavish scale . . . he got his degree. The old man
h ated the idea . . . having strangers w ork . . . him and firm ly
believed he could depend . . . his son . . . every way when he
felt it was tim e . . . him to retire. No wonder he was profound­
ly shocked when rum ours reached him th a t Dan was rubbing
shoulders . . . all k ind . . . worthless people and having the
tim e . . . his life. H e was frequenting some disreputable
studio, it was said, and had flunked his exam s. The old man
would never reconcile him self . . . the fact th a t his only
son m ixed . . . people known to be w orthless and penniless.
The thing to do was to bring home . . . the fellow th at if
he d id n ’t m ake . . . his m ind to become decent and h ard ­
w orking his father w ould cut h i m ............... a shilling. Yes,
sir! Y ou’ll have to settle . . ., no m atter w hether you like it
or not, or else you’ll end . . . the gutter.
E xercise X . S tu d y th e follow ing w o rd -c o m b in a tio n s a n d p a y a tte n ­
tio n to th e w ay th e w ords a) grudge, b) sore, c) stea d y and d) settle are used.
I llu s tr a te th e m in sentences:
a) to grudge the contributions; to bear sm b. a grudge;
to have a grudge against sm b.; to owe sm b. a grudge; to grudge
sm b. th e money (food, etc.)
b) a sore trial; a sore throat; a sore point; sore feet; to
feel sore ab out som ething; a sight for sore eyes
c) a steady income; a steady rain; a steady flow of in­
form ation (conversation); a steady look; a steady memory;
a steady young man
117
 d) to se ttle the affair; to get settled ; to settle down;
to settle down to work

E xercise X I . T ra n s la te th e sentences b elow , u sin g th e follow ing p h ra ­

ses: a) there is (w a s) every reason to believe (fear, e tc .), b) on one's p a r t,
c) to b rin g o neself to:

a) 1. Б ы л и все о сн ов ан ия пред пол а­

г а т ь , что из Тома выйдет порядочный семьянин (fam ily
m an). 2. Б ы л о д о с т а т о ч н о о с н о в а н и й о п а ­
с а т ь с я , что он кончит свою ж изнь под забором. 3. У род­
ственников б ы л и в с е о с н о в а н и я подозре­
в а т ь , что Том снова попал в беду. 4. Е с т ь в с е о с н о ­
в а н и я д у м а т ь , что он наслаждается жизнью.
b) 1. С о с т о р о н ы Т о м а было непорядочно позо­
рить семью, утверждал его брат. 2. С о с т о р о н ы
Д ж о р д ж а было вполне естественно выручать брата
(get him o u t of trouble). 3. Р азве не забавно было с о с т о ­
р о н ы Д ж о р д ж а , что он так негодовал, по поводу
удачи брата. 4. С в а ш е й с т о р о н ы было бестактно
задавать т ак и е вопросы.
c) 1. Е м у б ы л о т р у д н о р а с с к а з а т ь прия­
телю о том, что произошло накануне. 2. О н н е м о г з а -
с т а в и т ь с е б я поднять этот больной вопрос. 3. Н е знаю,
как п р и н у д и т ь с е б я сказать им правду. 4. Она
н е м о г л а в ы м о л в и т ь ни слова.

E xercise X I I . Q u o te th e s to ry to p ro v e t h a t I. G eorge a) w as p erfectly

re sp e c ta b le , b) c o n v e n tio n a lly m in d e d , c) e x tre m e ly d u ll, d) keen on sav in g
m oney, e) a ty p ic a l m em b er of th e m id d le c la ss, f) b o re h is b ro th e r a grudge,
g) w as e n v io u s a n d v in d ic tiv e . II. T om a) w as u n sc ru p u lo u s a n d d isre p u ­
ta b le , b) d espised h is b ro th e r, c) enjoyed b la c k m a ilin g h im , d) w as c h arm ­
ing, so c iab le, a m u s in g , e) knew how to enjoy life.

E xercise X I I I . T o p ics for discussion:

1. Com pare the two brothers (pick ou t the epithets and
phrases th e au th o r uses in describing them ).
2. W h at m ade the author begin the story by rem inding
the reader of the fable “The A n t and the G rasshopper”? Sum
up his a ttitu d e to Tom and George.
3. On th e face of it it m ay seem a paradox th a t the author
should obviously prefer the younger brother. Yet by care­
fully reread in g th e story you will find certain clues th a t
will help you ju stify such a strange reactio n on his part.
W h at are these clues?
r-
118
 4. The two brothers are poles ap art: one of them respect­
ab le and industrious, but petty-m inded and dull; the other
im m oral and unscrupulous but charm ing and likeable. W hat
characters from E nglish and Russian lite ra tu re do they re­
m ind you of? (G alsw orthy, Chekhov, Tolstoy, etc.).
5. Speak on the type of person a) people find attra ctiv e ,
b) you personally are attra cted to.
6. Tell a story to prove th at v irtu e and in d u stry do not
always trium ph.

E x erc ise X I V . R e n d er th e follow ing te x t in E n g lish :

Гриша и Аннушка (Gregory and Ann)

У знал я, что происходит сейчас во всем мире экологи­
ческий взрыв: кто собаку себе заводит, кто — кошку, а
кто — ежа.
Человек я одинокий и тоже давно мечтал завести кого-
нибудь. Хотелось бы, конечно, собаку, но соседи по к в ар ­
тире не разрешили, да и поедает она много. И завел я себе
муравья. Н азвал его Гришей. Бегает он, ры ж енький, в
спичечной коробке, шуршит (rustles) лапками, и делается у
меня на душе спокойней (more restful). С начала-то я равно­
душен к нему был, а потом привязался (got attached to
him ), даж е в театр взял его как-то с собой.
Гуляли уы однажды с Григорием в парке. Подходит ко
мне мой сослуживец (the clerk from our office) Прошин и го­
ворит:
— Что ты тут, Попов, делаешь?
— С Гришей гуляю.
— С каким Гришей?
— С муравьем.
Застыл Прошин от удивления (w as. struck dum b w ith
surprise), а потом захохотал издевательски:
— Ты что же, на поводке его водишь (to take o u t on а
hash)?
H e стал я отвечать на этот дурацкий вопрос, пошел
дальше.
А на работе на следующий день шуточки начались:
— Это правда,— спрашивает Зиночка,— что у вас
муравей живет?
А сама от смеха давится (to choke w ith laughter).
— П равда. Вам ж е не кажется странным, что у некото­
рых рыбки имеются?
1Ш
 Вошел тут Иларион Ильич, насупился и говорит:
— Вы бы, Попов, вместо того чтобы с муравьем гулять,
доклад подготовили.
— При чем здесь муравей? (W hat has it got to do w ith
the ant?)
— А при том,— хмурится (to frown) Иларион И льич,—
что у вас нездоровые наклонности (perverse inclinations).
Опоздал я случайно на другой день на работу, тут ж е
Семенов набросился (attacked) на меня:
— Засиделись (to be delayed by) вы сегодня что-то со
своим муравьем, Попов!
Надоело мне все это, я и выпалил (blurted out):
— Умер мой муравей!
Посмеялись все и разошлись.
Не рассказывать ж е им (One doesn’t expect me to tell
them), что я вчера Грише Аннушку принес.

(J1. К орсунский)

A nts, Although Admirable

Are A wfully Aggravating

The busy an t works hard all day

And never stops to rest or play.
H e carries things ten tim es His size,
And never grum bles, whines or cries.
A nd even clim bing flower stalks,
H e alw ays runs, he never walks.
H e loves his work, he never tires,
A nd never puffs, pants or perspires.
Y et though I praise his boundless vim
I am not re ally fond of him.

W a lte r R . B rooks

Reasons for Being in a Bad Temper

A philosopher was asked;

“W hy are envious people always in a bad tem per?”
“Because,” he answered, “they are Worried not only by
their own failures, b u t also by the success of other people.”
120
 QUIZ I I I

1. Who said:
“W h a t’s in a nam e? th a t which we call a rose
By any other nam e would smell as sweet . . .”?
2. W hich London streets have nam es denoting the kind
of wares th a t used to be sold there?
3. a) W ho w rote the play A Streetcar N amed Desire? b)
W hat H ollywood actor starred in a screen version of the play?
c) W hat Moscow th eatre has produced the play?
4. According to legend a beautiful widow slew an Assy­
rian general, to rescue her countrym en. Name a) the woman,
b) th e general, с ) the opera and the picture in the H erm itage
based on the legend.
5. Name two famous brothers, grandsons of an o u tstan d ­
ing scientist, one of whom is an em inent biologist, the
other a prom inent B ritish author.
6. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the expressions:
a) to bury the hatchet, b) to burn one's bridges (boats)?
7. a) How m any states are there in the U nited S tates? b)
How m any states were there originally when the U nion was
formed?
8. A hundred-eyed m onster in a Greek legend was killed
by a Greek god. Name a) the m onster, b) the Greek god.
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a). E arly to bed,
early to rise...] b) To p u t all one's eggs...] c) To cut off one's
nose... .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for:
a) М . B ., b) M . D ., с) М . 0 ., d) С. 0.?

TH E DEAD DOG

by Mark Shorer

I t was a quiet, shady street, on a S unday afternoon, and

the houses, set back on long la w n s,1 looked closed up, desert-
s ed. A few people were w alking along the street, under the
trees, and some children were playing in an em pty lot next
to a sm all ap artm en t b u ild in g .2 A car passed me, and ju st
then a dog ran out in to the street, and the front wheels of
the car h it it. The car did not stop, and by the tim e I had
121
stopped m ine it had disappeared round a corner. The old man
who had been w alking w ith the dog was standing on the curb,
bent over a little , looking down at the dog where it had been
thrown in the g u tter. The children stopped playing and drew
n e a re r;8 a man and woman paused on the sidew alk 4 behind
the old m an and stared at him curiously 6 for a m om ent, said
som ething to each other, and went on, looking back at him
over th eir shoulder. I got out and started to walk toward
him , and then he did a curious thing.
He bent over and fastened the leash which he had in his
hand on to the collar of the dead dog, I was beside him when
he straightened up, b u t he did not look a t me. He was look­
ing down at the anim al and pulling at the leash w ith in­
sistent little tugs, as if he thought th a t the dog m ight be per­
suaded to come along. It was. perfectly clear th a t the dog was
dead.
He was a very old man who had behaved as a child would
behave in the sam e situation, pretending in the face of ca­
tastrophe th a t no catastrophe had occurred. A t th'e same tim e,
he was trem bling w ith shock and grief, w ith the knowledge
of w hat had happened. I was afraid th a t he m ight topple over,6
so I said, “S it down here and I ’ll bring my car closer,” and
helped him to a sittin g position on the curb. S till he said
nothing, s till had no t even looked a t me. H e sat starin g a t
the dog, w ith the leash shaking in his hand.
The children had moved into the m iddle of the street,
where the three of them stood in a line and stared. One of
them suddenly began a shrill crying, “S he’s dead! S he’s dead!”
and ran back to the sidewalk across the street. The others
followed, and then they all ran into the m iddle of the street and
circled back again, all crying in a shrill, excited chorus,
“She’s dead!” I was going to tell them to be quiet, but
then I saw th a t the old m an did no t hear even their
racket. 7 I w alked back to my car to save him th at many
steps.
I drove up to where he was and got out again. I touched
his shoulder and said, “Tell me w hat I can do. W here do you
live?”
He looked u p at me w ith w atering eyes, and then down
at the dog again, and said, “S he’s dead. C issy’s dead.” He
said it w ith som ething like awe in his voice, w ith a ch ild ’s
frightened in cred u lity . H e was trem bling more, than ever;

122
u tte rly confused, really sick 8 w ith fright and shock, and,
of course, grief for his dog. And again he said. “Cissy’s dead,”
as if he had to restate the fact to him self if he was to under­
stan d it.
“I ’ll p u t the dog in the back, and you get in the front
w ith m e,” I said.
I bent over the dog and was about to unfasten the leash
from the collar when he said, “No, leave th a t on. D on’t take
th a t off.”
I said, “All rig h t. S hall I take the other end of it? ” 9
H e handed me th e end of the leash, and I picked up the
dog. It was a w ire-haired terrier w ith some A iredale in it, 10
and overfed, n o t much of a dog. 11 A nd now it was heavy,
sagging w ith the heavy lim pness of new ly dead anim als,
and a trickle of blood was -drying on its muzzle. I picked
it up and p u t it on the floor in the back of the car, and ro ll­
ed up the tra ilin g leash.
From his seat on the curb the old m an w atched me handle
the dog, and when I had closed the back door and came toward
him he said, “Take me to 14 S tephens S treet, will you?”
‘ I said, “Yes. Let me help you in.”
He seemed now to have more or less taken in 12 his situ a­
tion, b u t he was not able to get to his feet. I helped him up
and then had alm ost to lift him into the car. I could feel how
frail he was, and how powerful the blow which, for the moment,
had sh attered w hat sm all strength he h a d .13
I w ent around and got in beside him and started the mo­
tor. “Stephens S tre e t’s only a few blocks 14 from here,” I said.
“I ’ll have you hom e in a m om ent.”
As we started off, the th ree children, who were standing
quietly on the other curb now, staring, began their high scream­
ing again, “S he’s dead! S he’s dead!”
The old m an looked at the fixtures on the door of the car
and said, “May I have some air?”
I ran down the window on his side. Then he said, “I ’m
n o t well, I ’ve been sick 15 for five years — not feeling quite
w ell.”
“I ’m sorry. Y ou’ll be all rig h t now, w on’t you, until
you get hom e?”
H e breathed quickly, as if to let as much of the fresh
air in to his lungs as he could, and said, “Y ou’ll see th a t I get
home? 16 I t ’s 14 Stephens S tre e t.”

123
 I said, “Yes,” and drove a little faster.
His hands, w hich he held gripped together in his lap, were
clean and well kept, w hite hair hung in neat wisps tinder
the u p tu rn ed brim of his black h at, and he had a carefully
tended w hite beard. H is clothes were black, clean, and a
little worn. A ltogether, he looked like a retire d professor,
like a man who had grown old in gentle surroundings and
a pleasant profession.
We tu rn ed into Stephens S treet. I would have placed him
somewhere e ls e .17 Stephens S treet was deserted, drab, w ith ­
out trees. Num ber 14 Stephens S treet was exactly like the
houses on eith er side of it.
“This is it, isn ’t it? ”
He looked out at the building and said nothing, and ex­
cept for his trem bling, w hich had not abated, he did not
move.
“I live w ith my daughter-in-law ,” he said finally. “My
son’s dead. I t ’s her house.”
The b u ild in g was hard and ugly in the afternoon light.
It was obviously a three-flat arrangem ent, w ith ugly dark
in terio rs,18 and grim people.
“My son’s been dead for four years,” he said.
“I'll take you in ,” I said.
He looked at me w ith his sorrowing eyes as if he were ask­
ing a question, and I thought I answered the question when
I said, “Yes, I ’ll carry the dog in.”
I helped him out, bu t instead of m oving tow ard the house
w ith me he clung to the open door of the car and looked down
into the back where his dog lay w ith the leash on her collar.
“W ell, C issy’s yours, after a ll,” I said. H is voice turned
a little s h rill.19 “Oh, no! No!” he cried. “S h e ’s always told
me — she’s told me tim e and again 20 th a t I m ust never let
Cissy off the leash! I knew it, I knew it — I was to ld .”
And then suddenly he let go of the door and sat down heav­
ily on the ru n ning board,21 and I saw th a t he was looking
at me not w ith grief at all, bu t w ith absolute terror. It was
the terror of a child who knows the punishm ent ahead.
I looked at the bare front of the house, and for a mom ent
I had an im pulse not to take him in there at all. B ut of course
there was n o th in g else to do.

124
 NOTES
1 set back on long lawns — there were lawns in front of
the houses
2 apartment building ( A m .) — a house w ith m any a p a rt­
m ents (flats) (B rit.— a block of flats)
3 drew nearer — cam e nearer
4 sidewalk (A m .) — (B rit.) pavem ent (Russ, тротуар)
5 curiously — anxious to find out w hat had happened
N o t e : curious has two m eanings 1) anxious to know
(Russ, любопытный); 2) strange, odd (Russ, странный).
See in the te x t the sentence th a t follows: . .and then
he did a curious th in g .”
6 to topple over — to fall down, tum ble down
7 racket — c latterin g noise (Russ, гам, шум); w.c.
to make a racket, to kick up a racket (Russ, поднять шум,
скандал)
8 sick — (here) physically affected by the shock (see
Note 15)
9 Shall 1 take the other end of it? — Do you w ant me to
take the other end of it? S h a ll is used in questions when asking
for instructions or m aking suggestions, e. g. Shall I help
you pack? S hall I hurry on and get the tickets? *
10 a wire-haired terrier with some Airedale in it — терьер
с жесткой шерстью, с небольшой примесью эрдельтерьера
11 not much of a dog (colloq.)— no t a very good dog
12 to take in — to understand, to be aw are of
13 what small strength he had — тот ничтожный запас
сил, который у него был, е. g. W hat little money he has he
spends on stam ps
14 block (A m .) — квартал
16 sick (A m .) = ill. In B ritish English sick in this sense
is used only a ttrib u tiv e ly , e. g. a sick man (but the man is
ill) (see p. 15 N ote 6).
16 You’ll see that I get home? — You will take care
th at I get hom e (Russ. Вы позаботьтесь о том, чтобы . . .)
17 I would have placed him somewhere else.— I had
expected him to live in a different sort of street.
18 interior — the inside of a house (A nt. exterior); inte­
rior decorator — one who decorates the inside of the house
19 turned shrjll — becam e shrill
20 time and again — m any times
21 running board — подножка автомобиля

125
 EXERCISES

E xercise I. Practise the pronunciation of the follow ing words and

phrases:

a) quiet, deserted, apartm ent, curiously, persuade, catas­

trophe, chorus, racket, awe, incredulity, u tte rly , A iredale,
frail, breathe, retired , either, obviously, interior, absolute,
im pulse
b) and^_0a 'hauziz 'lukt^_/klouzd “\ л р ||
'wo:kii) w i0 ^ 0 a "ydag ||
'pa:zd эп,_,бэ ~>saidwa:k ||
'sed 'sAm0ig tu 'i:tj ~ул0э ||
'0эп h i- 'did э 'kjuarias ~\0Ц) ||
a t^ d a 'seim ‘y ta im ||
hi- waz 'lu k ig -'■daun at. ,0i- -ysenimal ||
fram hiz. .'si:t эп_^0э /k a :b | 0i- 'ould 'm®n 'w a tftm i- 'hsend l^dn
A dag ||
hi- 'bri:0d "ykwikli | az if ta 'le t az av 0a 'frej 'ea inta
hiz 'U g z az hi- 'yku d ||

E xereise I I . D rills.

A
a) Read and repeat, b) U se the structures in sentences of your own:
1. The old m an was trembling with grief.
He was sick with fright and shock.
The ch ild shivered with cold.
H is face was purple with rage.
They shook w ith laughter.
2. I ’ve been sick for five years.
He has been well for a couple of days.
She has been away for a m onth.
They have been very busy for a fortnight.
She has been ever so happy for two years or so.
3. I would have placed him somewhere else. (See Note 17.)
I would have helped you gladly. (I had no idea you needed
help.)
He would have told me everything. ( I t’s a p ity we d id n ’t
happen to m eet at the tim e.)
She would have lent me the m oney. (I never asked for it;
I d id n ’t know she was in town.)
4. The old man watched me handle the dog.
The children saw the car h it the dog.
126
 I watched the car disappear round the corner.
We heard them begin a shrill crying.
I made him rise to his feet.

5. I 'll see that you get home.

Please see that ev ery thing is done properly.
She w ill see that the children go to bed in tim e.
I 'll see that all the doors are locked.

6. S h a ll I help you in?

S h a ll I run down the window on your side?
S h a ll I drive a little faster?
S h a ll I carry the dog in?
S h a ll I call on you tomorrow?
S h a ll I w ait for you at the entrance door?

a) R e ad a n d in to n e t h e m odel dialogue:

- A.:Hello, Jea n . W hat on earth are you doing here?

В.:I ju st ca n ’t w alk on, I ’m afraid.
A.:W hat would you like me to do?
B.:I ’d like you to give me a lift.
A.: I’d be delighted. L et me help you in. W here shall I take
you?
B.: T ake me home, w ill you? I do feel tired.
A.: I ’ll have you home in a moment.
B.: How kind of you! T hanks a lot.

b) F ill in th e gap s in th e d ialogue fram e w ith words a n d p hra ses

from c o lum ns (1), (2) a n d (3):

A.: H ello, . . . . W h at on earth are you doing here?

B.: I ju st c a n ’t w alk on, I ’m afraid.
A .: W hat would you like me to do?
B.: I ’d like you to give me a lift.
A.: . . . (1). L et me help you in. W here shall I take you?
B .: T ak e me home, w ill you? I do feel . . . (2).
A.: I ’ll have you hom e . . . (3).
B.: How kind of you! T hanks a lot.
127
 (1) (2) (3)
W ith pleasure. sick in a jiffy
W hy not? dizzy in no tim e
Sure. weak in a m a tte r of m in­
You are welcome. run down utes
I don’t m ind if I do. ro tten before you know
I t ’ll m ake me happy. w here you are
before you could say
knife
E x erc is e I I I . R e p la ce th e italicized p a rts of these sentences b y words
a n d phrases from th e text:

1. The house looked as if nobody lived there. 2. Then the

man did a strange thing. 3. H e attached the leash to the collar
of the dead dog. 4. I was afraid th a t he m ight tumble down,
so I helped him to s it down. 5. The old m an did not hear even
their noise. 6. He said, “S he’s dead,” w ith som ething like
fear in his voice. 7. H e gave me the other end of the leash,
and I lifted the dog. 8. Let me help you to get in. 9. I was going
to unfasten the leash from the collar when he said, “No, leave
it where it is.” 10. The man did not let go of the open door of
the car. 11. She has told me repeatedly th a t I m ust never let
Cissy off the leash.
E x erc is e I V . G ive E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e following a n d use
them in sentences of yo u r own:

опустевш ая улица; нежилой дом; выбежать на улиц}/;

скрыться за углом; обочина'тротуара; тротуар (2); канава;
уставиться на кого-л. с любопытством; странная вещь;
одеть (снять) поводок; спускать с поводка; дрожать от горя
(страха); поднять (2); струйка крови; кричать хором; со­
бираться сделать что-л. (2); помочь войти (в машину); по­
заботиться (о); на коленях; холеные руки; аккуратно под­
стриж енная бородка; поношенная одежда; по обеим сторо­
нам; за исключением; утихнуть (уменьшиться); внутрен­
нее помещение; внести; прильнуть (к); неоднократно; от­
пустить (дверь); побуждение (порыв)
E x erc is e V. Answer th e fo llo w in g questions:

1. W here and how did the accident occur? 2. Several

people w itnessed the accident (the author him self, the ch il­
dren and a couple on the sidewalk). How did they react to the
accident? W hy did they react to the accident in different
128
ways? 3. W hat made the author think the old man behaved
like a child? 4. W hat did the old man look like? W hy had the
author expected him to live in a different sort of place? 5.
W hat kind of im pulse had the author for a mom ent? W hy did
he check it? 6. W hat was the real cause of the old m an’s
grief?
E xerc ise V I . Ask each other questions a b o u t th e tex t.

E xercise V I I . C o nstru c t 8 s t a te m e n ts t h a t are not t r u e to fact and

ask your com rades to correct them , e. g.
a) It was a busy street, crowded w ith people.— No,
it w asn’t. It was a quiet deserted street.
b) The old man was very calm .— B ut he w asn’t. (Oh, he
w asn’t.) He was trem bling w ith shock and grief.
E x ercise V I I I . Retell th e story using the follo w in g words and phra s­
es:

quiet; shady street; deserted; to run out into; front wheels;

to disappear round the corner; on the curb; gutter; to stare
curiously (at); curious thing; to fasten the leash (on tc);
to pull at the leash; to trem ble w ith shock and grief; to help
somebody to a sittin g position; in a shrill chorus; to save him
th a t m any steps; awe; leave th at on; to pick up; to roll up;
a trickle of blood; to handle the dog; to help in (up); to take
in the situ atio n ; to get to one’s feet; frail; for the moment;
a few blocks (from); to have some air; to run down the window;
to breathe quickly; to see th a t . . .; to drive faster; gripped
together; well kept; carefully tended; a little worn; on either
side; except for; to abate; dark interiors; sorrow ing eyes;
to cling (to); tim e and again; to let . . . off the leash; to
let go of . . .; running board; the punishm ent ahead; bare
front; to have an im pulse; nothing else to do
E x erc ise IX . a) F in d in the text sentences w h ere th e ve rb to look
is used w ith different p rep ositions (to look a t, to look down a t, to look up a t,
to look o u t a t) a n d retell th e passage to w h ich th e se ntences belong, b) Use
the verbs in sentences of your own.

Exerc ise X . Make up s itu a tio n s using the follo w in g phrases: a three-
f la t house, a five-dollar b ill, etc.

In t h e t e x t: It was obviously a three-flat arrange­

ment.
E x a m p l e s , a) He was given a two-room flat.
b) She bought a cheap six-dollar suit.
5 № 3060 i29
 E xerc ise X I . Change the following sentences as in b).

Examples: a) He was frail and thin.

b) How frail and thin he was\
1. The puppy was sm all. 2. His clothes were shabby. 3.
H er hands were w ell-kept. 4. H is beard was carefully tended.
5. The building was ugly. 6. It was ugly. 7. The w eather is
fine. 8. She is kind and gentle. 9. The interiors were ugly and
dark. 10. He was old and weak.
Exerc ise X I I . Change the following sentences as in b).
Examples: a) I was going to help him in.
b) I was about to help him in.
1. He was going to fasten the leash on to the collar. 2. I
was going to draw nearer. 3. He was going to pick up the dog
and put it on the back of the car. 4. She is going to take the
child out for a walk.
E xerc ise X I I I . A dd ta il-qu estio ns (is n 't it? , a r e n 't you?, are you?,
etc.) to these sentences.

N o t e : He used to live here, d id n 't he? I am busy, aren't /?

1. The old man trem bled w ith fear, . . .? 2. You will
help me in, . . .? 3.H e lives w ith his daughter-in-law , . . .?
4. He used to have interesting work, .. .? 5. There were
few people in the street, . . .? 6. H e isn ’t happy, . . .?
7. I am here to help you, . . .?
E x erc ise X I V . P a r a p h r a s e these sentences u sing th e p hrase n ot m uch
o f used in colloqu ial style.
Example: He is a poor actor.
He is not much of an actor.
1. For all I know, the man is not a skilful doctor. 2. This
cottage doesn’t seem to be nice and com fortable. 3. Love and
Roses is ra th e r a poor play. 4. I don’t think he is a good
teacher. 5. She can ’t cook w ell. 6 . 1 w ouldn’t say he is a very
good husband.
E x erc is e X V . T ra n s la te th e sentences u sing th e ve rb to help w i t h dif­
ferent p repositions (to help somebody in, ou t, u p , to):

1. Он п о м о г м н е в ы й т и из машины. 2. Я п о м о г
старушке п о л о ж и т ь наверх чемодан (with her
trunk). 3. Мы п о м о г л и е й в с т а т ь и повели ее к
130
входной двери. 4. У меня кружится голова (to feel dizzy).
П о м о г и т е м н е с е с т ь в такси.

E x erc is e X V I . Chan ge these sentences as in b).

Examples: a) Please, take me home.
b) Take me home, w ill you?
1. Please, help me into the car. 2. Please, run down the
window on my side. 3. Please, give me the leash. 4. Please,
carry in the dog. 5. Please, help me out of the car. 6. Please,
leave on the leash.

E x erc is e X V I I . T r a n s la te into English:

1. Е м у с к а з а л и , чтобы он запер комнату. 2.

Е г о п о п р о с и л и написать заметку в стенгазету. 3.
Е м у в е л е л и не трогать книги на столе. 4. Е е п о ­
п р о с и л и присмотреть за детьми. 5. И м в е л е л и
не опаздывать к обеду. 6. Е м у в е л е л и не спускать
собаку с поводка.

E xerc ise X V I I I . Choose the correct word from those in brackets:

(sick — ill)
1. Go and fetch the doctor. The boy has been . . . for three
days. 2. W hat he needs is a change of scene: he feels . . . and
tired of everything. 3. The am bulance will arrive w ithin ten
m inutes and take the . . . man to hospital. 4. It makes me
. . . to hear him talk the way he does. 5. W hy is Alec absent?
Is he . . . . or is he on leave?
(hard — heavy)
1. It was . . . work to do, yet it had to be done. 2. The
bag was much too . . . for her to carry.
(persuade — convince)
1. I . . . him to do as he was told if he w ished to avoid
trouble. 2. A fter a long argum ent the hunter . . . them they
had m iscalculated the distance and the lake was m iles ahead.
(bring — take)
1. W ait a m inute. I ’ll . . . my car here and .. . you home.
2. W hat lovely flowers! Who has . . . them ?
5* 131
 ( look — glance — stare)
1. C hildren! . . . at the picture and tell me w hat you can
see in it. 2. He stood there for a long tim e . . . at the lifeless
body. 3. The passers-by . . . indifferently at the dead dog
and w alked on.

(empty — vacant)
1. If there is a . . . seat in the box you may take it. 2. The
lodger had left and the furniture had been removed; the flat
was quite . . . .

(seat — place)
1. From his . . . on the curb the old man w atched me han­
dle the dog. 2. If I were in your . . . I w ouldn’t interfere. 3.
There are two . . . in the stalls, you may have them if you
wish.

(shake — tremble — shiver)

1. The old man looked shocked and his hands were . . . .
2. He . . . to th in k of w hat would happen when he got home.
3. P u t on som ething warm! You are . . . w ith cold. 4. He . . .
w ith fear.

E x erc ise X I X . Q u o te the sto ry to prove t h a t a) th e house d i d n ’t

impre ss the a u th o r fav o u ra b ly ; b) b oth the c h ild r e n in th e stre et and the
passers-by showed no s y m p a th y for the old m an; c) the old m a n had known
b e tte r days; d) th e a u th o r 1) was k ind and t h o u g h tfu l 2) had an eye for
d eta il; e) th e old m a n ’s da ug hte r-in-la w d o m in a te d h im completely.

E x ercise X X . Topics for discussion:

a) 1. Describe the old man (his appearance, the im pres­

sion he produced, etc.).
2. W hat are the various possible explanations for the old
m an’s curious behaviour? How soon do you realize there is
more to it than grief for Cissy?
3. W hat kind of person is the daughter-in-law ? Describe
her.
4. W hat purpose do.you think the children serve in the
story?
5. Tell a story you know dealing w ith relations w ithin
the fam ily.
b) Describe an accident in the street.
132
 Exercise X X I . R e nd er the following e x tra c ts in English:

a) Англия традиционно славится обилием дождей, гулять

под которыми не очень-то приятно не только людям, но и
собакам. А как известно, собаки, кошки и прочие домашние
животные пользуются особой любовью англичан и окруж е­
ны вниманием, которое многим двуногим (bipeds) и не сни­
лось. Учитывая это обстоятельство, не приходится удивлять­
ся тому, что сейчас начато производство специальных зон­
тиков-поводков (um brella-leash), которые надежно защища»
ют собак от любых дождей.
b ) Во дворе по крыше котельной (boiler-house) носились
осатаневшие (wild) десятилетние мальчишки. По их рази­
нутым (wide open) ртам можно было представить, какой за
нашими стеклами стоит гвалт (racket).
Из палисадника боязливо (tim idly) вышла культурная
старуха, осторожно, словно лань, повернулась в сторону
котельной. М альчишки при виде старухи попрыгали с кры­
ши наземь.
Старуха эта, каждый вечер выходившая во двор поды­
шать кислородом (to till her lungs w ith oxygen) и подклады-
вающая под свой бедный зад надувную резиновую поду­
шечку (rubber float), была постоянным объектом злых (wick­
ed) мальчишеских шуток. Она давно привы кла к ним и тер­
пеливо сносила проделки (bore their tricks w ith patience)
этих загадочных, по ее мнению, коварных (treacherous)
и быстрых дворовых террористов, терпеливо сносила, но
все-таки боялась, всегда боялась.
Сейчас мальчишки пустили поперек ее пути струю (jet)
из дворницкого ш ланга (yard-keeper’s hose) и развлекались
(enjoyed them selves), дико прыгали с открытыми в хохоте
ртами, а старуха терпеливо топталась, ожидая, когда им на­
скучит их затея. Появилась дворничиха, подруга старухи, и
бросилась в атаку, широко раскрывая при этом рот (gaping)
и размахивая (waving) руками.
И так, старуха благополучно (safely) пересекла двор, а
террористы бесились (rage) на крыше котельной, не думая
о том, что близкая уже смерть старухи произведет в их
душах, может быть, первое, незначительное, конечно, оп­
устошение (frustration).
(В. Аксенов)

133
 A ccident

1. R obert Proctor
was a good driver for a
beginner.The road curved
gently ahead of him . It
was a good morning for
driving.

2. He glanced at the
slim , grey-haired woman
sittin g in the front seat
w ith him . He said, “E n ­
joying it, Mom?” “Yes,
R o b ert.”

3. Up ahead he saw
a great truck. Behind it
was a long blue conver­
tible, content to drive
in the wake of the truck.
R obert was slowly over­
tak in g them .
H e listened to the
sm ooth purr of the en­
gine, and he was pleased
w ith the sound. His speed
was a few miles above
the lim it, but his car
was under perfect con­
trol.
4. S uddenly the blue
convertible swung out
from behind the truck.
It swung out w ithout
w arning and struck his
car, knocking it to the
edge of the roadway on
the left side of the lane.
134
 5. R obert was a good
driver, too wise to slam
on the brakes. He fought
the steering wheel to hold
the car on a straight
p ath. Then the wheel
struck a rock and the
left front tire blew out.
The car slued, and it was
then th a t his m other be­
gan to scream.

6. The car turned

sideways and skidded
p art of the way out into
the other lanes. An on­
com ing car struck the
rad ia to r from the side
and spun him viciously,
full into the left-hand
lanes.
He was flung into
his m other’s lap, and
she was thrown against
the rig h t door. It held.
W ith his left hand he
reached for the steering
wheel, pulled himself
erect and tried to stop the
spin.

7. He tw isted the
wheel straig h t and the
car stopped spinning and
headed down the lane.
Before R obert could turn
it off the pike to safe­
ty a car loomed ahead
of him , bearing down on
him .

135
 8. There was a man
at the wheel of th at other
car sittin g rigid, eyes
filled w ith fright. Along­
side the man was a love­
ly girl, her eyes closed
in easy sleep. It was
n o t the fear in the m an’s
eyes th at reached into
R obert. It was the tru st­
ing helpnessness in the
face of the sleeping girl.

9. The cars sped clos­

er to each other. He
heard no crash when the
cars collided. He felt
som ething push into his
stom ach. Then came
darkness.

10. R obert seemed to

be at the bottom of a
deep well. There was a
spot of faint light in the
distance and the rum ble
of a d istan t voice. The
light grew brighter and
the voice louder.

11. Then he opened

his eyes and looked at
the m an sittin g in front
of him . “You all right,
Son?” asked the man. He
wore a blue uniform . His
face was fam iliar.
 12. Robert discovered
he was seated in a re­
clining chair, unharm ed,
able to move his arms
and legs. The man in
the uniform said, “No
harm done, Son. You
ju st took the last part
of your d riv er’s test.”

13. The uniform ed

man continued to speak:
“We put you through an
accident under hypno­
sis — do it to everybody
these days. Makes better
drivers of them , more
careful drivers the rest
of their lives.”

14. R obert nodded,

thin k in g of the sleeping
girl. She never would
have awakened. His
m other would have died
too.

15. The uniform ed

man was still speaking:
“So you’re all set now.
You pay me the ten dol­
lar fee, and sign the ap­
p lication, and you’ll get
your license in a day or
tw o.”
R obert placed a ten
dollar bill on the table
and signed the applica­
tion.
137
 16. He looked up to
fin d tw o w hite-uniform ed
men, stan d in g one on
each side of him . The
uniform ed man said:
“Sorry, Son. You failed.
Y ou’re sick. You need
tre a tm e n t.”

17. The two men lift­

ed R obert to his feet,
and he said, “Take your
hands off me. W hat is
this?”

18. The uniform ed

man said, “Nobody
should w ant to drive a
car after going through
w hat you just went
through. It should take
m onths before you can
even think of driving
again. B ut killing people
doesn’t bother you. We
don’t let your kind run
around loose in society
any more. B ut don’t you
worry, Son. T hey’ll fix
you u p .”

19. The uniform ed

m an nodded to the two
men and they marched
R obert out.

( A fte r T heod ore Thomas)

138
 QUIZ IV

1. Who said: “I m ust be cruel only to be kin d ”?

2.Here are the nicknam es of two Am erican states:
a) the V alentine S ta te, b) the M other of P residents. Name the
states and ex plain why they have been nicknam ed so.
3. Who wrote: a) Love and M r. Lewisham, b)Sons and
Lovers, c) The Loved One?
4. There is a m onum ent to Duke of W ellington in Hyde
P ark . By w hat nam e is it known? W hat metal was it
cast from?
5. Name a French physicist known as a Nobel prize w in­
ner and prom inent fighter for peace. W ho was his wife who
shared the aw ard w ith him?
6. W h a t’s the m eaning and the origin of the expressions:
a) to wash one's hands (of), b) Good Sam aritan, c) Judas kiss?
7. Here are some of D ickens’ women characters: a) Agness,
b) Louisa, c) E d ith , d) Dora, e) Florence, f) Nell. In w hat
novels do they appear?
8. a) Name the first rally in g point of the W ar of Independ­
ence. b) Name the place where the D eclaration of Independ­
ence was adopted.
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) A drowning man
. . b) I t is the last straw . . c) Sow the wind . . . .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for:
a) UNO, b) N A T O , c) S . C.?

MAN AND WOMAN

b y E r s k i n e Cald w ell

They came slowly up the road through the colorless dawn

like shadows left behind by the night. There was no m otion in
their bodies, and yet their feet scuffed up dust th at settled
behind them as quickly as it was raised. They lifted their
eyes w ith each step they took, peering tow ard the horizon
for the first red rays of the sun.
The wom an held her lower lip clam ped tig h tly between
her teeth. It h u rt to do th at, but it was the only way she could
u rg e 1 herself forward step after step. There was no other way
to drag her feet one behind the other, m ile after mile. She
whim pered 2 occasionally, but she did not cry out.
“I t ’s tim e to stop and rest again,” R ing said.
139
 She did n o t answer him .
They kept on. 3
At the top of the hill, they came face to face w ith
the sun. It was a q u arter of the way up, 4 cut like a knife by
the treeless horizon. Down below them was a valley lying
under a cover of m ist th a t was rising slowly from the earth.
They could see several houses and farm s, bu t most of them
were so far away they were alm ost indistinguishable in the
m ist. There was smoke rising from the chim ney of the first
house.
R uth looked at the man beside her. The red rays of the
sun had begun to color his pale face like blood. B ut still his
eyes were tired and lifeless. He looked as if he were balancing
him self on his two feet w ith great effort, and as if the next
moment he m ight lose his balance and fall to the ground.
* “W e’ll be able to get a little som ething to eat at th a t first
house,” she said, w aiting m inute after m inute for him to
reply.
“W e’ll get som ething there,” she said, answering for him .
“We w ill.” 5
The sun came up above the horizon, fast and red. Streaks
of grey clouds, like layers of wood smoke, swam across the
face of it. A lm ost as quickly as it had risen, the sun shrank
into a sm all fiery b utto n th at seared the eyes u n til it was
im possible to look at it any longer.
“L et’s try , anyw ay,” R uth said.
Ring looked at her in the clear daylight, seeing her for
th e first tim e since the sun had set the night before. Her
face was paler, her cheeks more sunken.
W ithout words, he started forward down the h ill. He did
not turn his head to see if she was following him , but w ent
down the road draw ing one foot from behind and hurlihg 6
it in front of him w ith all his m ight. There was no other
way he could move him self over the ground. He had stopped
at the front of the house, looking at the smoke th a t floated
overhead, when she caught up w ith him at last.
“I ’ll go and try ,” she said. “You sit down and rest, R ing.”
He opened his m outh to say som ething, but his throat be­
came choked and no words came. He looked at the house,
w ith its worn doorstep and curtain-filled windows and its
sm oke-filled chim ney, and he did not feel like a stranger in
a strange country as long as he kept his eyes upon those things.
R u th went through the gate, and around the side of the house,
140
and stopped at the kitchen door. She looked behind her and
saw R ing com ing across the yard from the road.
Someone was w atching them from behind a cu rtain at the
window.
“Knock,” R ing said.
She placed the knuckles of her rig h t hand against the
side of the house and rapped on the clapboards 7 until her
hand began to hurt.
She turned around and glanced quickly at Ring, and he
nodded his head.
Presently the kitchen door opened a few inches and a
w om an’s head could be seen through the crack. She was m id­
dle-aged and brown-faced and had a long, thick scar on her
forehead th at looked as if it m ight have been made by a
bursting fruit jar.
“Go aw ay,” she told them.
“We won’t bother you,” R uth said as quickly as she could.
“All we w anted was to ask you if you could give us a little
som ething to eat. J u s t a potato, if you have any, or bread,
or som ething.”
“I don’t know w hat you are doing here,” the woman said.
“I don’t like to have strange people around my house.”
She alm ost closed the door, but in a mom ent the crack
widened, and her face could be seen once more.
“I ’ll feed the g irl,” she said finally, “but I can ’t let the
man have anything. I don’t have enough for both of you,
anyw ay.”
R uth turned quickly around, her heels digging into
the sandy earth. She looked at Ring. He nodded his head
eagerly.
He could see the word forming on her lips even though he
could not hear it. She shook her head.
Ring went several steps tow ard her.
“W e’ll try somewhere else,” she said.
“No,” he said. “You go in and eat w hat she’ll give you.
I ’ll try at the next house we come to.”
She still did not wish to go into the house w ithout him .
The woman opened the door a foot more, and w aited for her
to come up the steps.
R ing sat down on a bench under a tree.
“I ’m going to sit here and w ait u n til you go in and get
som ething to eat for yourself,” he said.
R uth went up the steps slowly to the porch and entered
141
the door. W hen she was inside, the wom an p o in ted out a
chair by a table, and R u th sat down.
There were potatoes, warmed over from the night before,
and cold biscuits. These were pu t on the table in front of her,
and then the wom an poured a cup of hot coffee and set it
beside the plate.
R u th began to eat as quickly as she could, sip p in g the
hot black coffee and chewing the potatoes and bread w hile
the brown-faced wom an stood behind her at the door, where
she could w atch R ing and her by turns. Twice R u th managed
to slip pieces of bread into her blouse, and finally she got
half a p o tato into th e pocket of her sk irt. The woman eyed
her suspiciously when she was not w atching R ing in the yard
outside.
“Going far?” the wom an asked.
“Yes,” R u th answered.
“Who is th a t man w ith you?”
“H e’s my h usband,” R u th told her.
The woman looked out into the yard again, then back at
R u th . She did not say anything more for a while.
R u th tried to p u t another piece of p o tato into her pocket,
b u t by then the wom an was w atching her more closely than
ever.
“I don’t believe he is your husband,” the woman said.
“W ell,” R u th answered, “he is.”
“I w ouldn’t call him much of a husband 8 to let you w alk
through the country begging food like you did ju st a little
w hile ago.”
“H e’s been sick,” 9 R uth said quickly, tu rn in g in the
chair to face the woman. “He was sick in bed for five weeks
before we started o u t.”
“W hy d id n ’t you stay where you were, instead of m aking
tram ps out of yourselves? C an’t he hold a job, or don’t he 10
w ant to w ork?”
R u th got up, dropping the bread in her hand.
“T hank you for the breakfast,” she said. “I am going now .”
“If you tak e my advice,” the wom an said, “you’ll leave
th at man the first chance you get. 11 If he w on’t work at
a job, you’ll be a fool — ”
“He had a job, b u t he got sick w ith a kind of fever.”
“I don’t believe you. I ’d pu t you down for lying 12 about
him .”
R u th w ent to the door, opened it herself, and w ent o u t­
142
 side. She tu rn ed around on the porch and looked at the woman
who had given her som ething to eat.
“If he was sick in bed, like you said,” the woman asked,
following her past the door, “why did he get up and sta rt
tram ping like this w ith nothing for you and him to
eat?”
R u th saw R ing sittin g on the bench under the tree, and
she was not going to answer the woman, but she couldn’t
keep from saying som ething. 13
“The reason we started out w alking like this was because
my sister wrote and told me th a t оч, baby had died. W hen
my husband first got sick, I sent ,.и baby to my sister’s.
Now we’re going to see the grave where she’s bur­
ied.”
She ran down the steps and w alked across the yard as
rap id ly as she could. When she reached the corner of the
house, R ing got up and followed her to the road. N either of
them said an ything, but she could not keep from looking
back at the house, where the woman was w atching them
through the crack in the door.
After they had gone a hundred feet or more, R uth unfast­
ened her blouse and pulled out the pieces of bread she had
carried there. R ing took them from her w ithout a word.
W hen he had eaten all there was, she gave him the potato.
He ate it h u n grily, talk in g to her w ith his eyes while he
chewed and swallowed.
They had w alked for nearly half an hour before either
of them spoke again.
“She was a mean old wom an,” R u th said. “If it h ad n ’t been
for the food, I ’d have got up and left before I ate w hat she
gave me.”
R ing did not say anythingfor a long tim e. They had reached
the bottom of the valley and were beginning to go up the
grade on the other side before he spoke again.
“M aybe if she had known where we were going, she might
not have been so mean to you,” R ing said.
R uth choked back a sob.
“How much farther is it, R ing?”
“A bout th irty or forty m iles.”
“W ill we get there tom orrow?”
He shook his head.
“The day after?”
“I don’t know .”
143
 “Maybe if we get a ride, we m ight get there tonight?”
she asked, unable to hold back any longer the sobs th a t choked
her throat and breast.
“Yes,” he said. “If we could get a ride, we would get there
a lot sooner.”
He turned his head and glanced down the road behind
them, but there was nothing in sight. Then he looked down
at the ground he was w alking on, counting the steps he took
w ith his rig h t foot, and then his left.
NOTES

1 to urge — to force one to move on or to make an effort,

to persuade one to do sm th, e. g. The farm er urged the horse
uphill but the anim al was too tired to move on. The tutor
urged the boy to devote all the tim e he could spare to lite r­
ature. When she felt frustrated in her a ttem p t to join the club
her friend urged her to have another try. (Russ, понуждать,
убеждать); urge n .— a strong, irresistible desire, e. g. His
urge to travel th at could not be satisfied gave him a sense
of frustration.
2 to whimper— to cry in a low voice as a sick or frightened
child does (or a puppy) (Russ, тихонько скулить); S yn . to sob —
to breathe convulsively when crying (Russ, рыдать, зады­
хаться от рыданий), е. g. She sobbed out her grief. The child
sobbed itself to sleep; sob sister (Am er. slang) — a sentim ental
woman, reporter or author (comp, sob story, sob stuff); to
weep— to shed tears, often silently, e.g. My heart weeps for
you. The old woman wept for joy when her long-lost son was
found.
3 They kept on. = They continued to w alk on.
4 It was a quarter of the way up— the sun was rising and
only a q u arter of it was yet visible
5 We w ill. — W ill is used in the 1st person to express
determ ination, willingness, certain ty or promise.
6 to hurl — to throw violently, w ith great force, e. g.
The boys hurled stones at the passing cars. S y n . to cast — to
throw, to let drop, as to cast a shadow, to cast a glance, to cast
a net ( when fishing), to cast anchor, to cast suspicion (on)\ to
fling — to throw w ith great speed (or force), e.g. D orian flung
himself on the sofa. She flung the door open but there was
nobody in the room .; w.c. to fling caution to the winds — to
act w ithout th in k in g of the possible consequences (danger,
etc.)
144
 7 clapboard ['klaepbo:d] (A m .) — a board for the outside
covering of a wooden building {Brit, w eatherboard); Russ.
обшивка двери
8 I w ouldn’t call him much of a husband (colloq.) = I
w o u ld n ’t say he is a very good husband; not much o f= not very
good, e.g. She is not much of a cook. (See p. 125, Note 11.)
9 sick (A m .) = ill (see p. 125, Note 15)
10 don’t he (t7reg.) = doesn’t he
11 the first chance you get — as soon as you get a chance
12 I’d put you down for ly in g = I believe you’re lying
13 couldn’t keep from saying sm th .— couldn’t help say­
ing sm th., e.g. She couldn’t keep from giving a cry of surprise
when she saw a total stranger in the room.

EXERCISES

E xercise I. P r a c tis e the pro n u n c ia tio n of th e following words and

phrases:

a) horizon, knuckles, clapboards, forehead, fru it jar, porch,

biscuits, bu ry , valley
b) 3ei 'k e im 's lo uli ' л р За J roud | 0ru- За 'kAlalis ~^do:n [|
Oei ' liftid. .(Зеэг. ,'aiz wid fi:tf 'step 3ei " \ t u k ||
3a 'w u m a n 'h e ld h a - 'l o ua 'l i p 'klsempt.^ , 't a i t l i b itw i:n ha- ~\ti:0 [[
it 'ha :t ha- ta d u : Oset | bv t it w a z ^ 3 i - fo u n l i 'wei Ji- k u d
'a:d 3 ha'self ~yfo:wad ||
Oea waz 'n o u 'л Зэ 'wei ta 'draeg ha- 'fi:t w i n b i ' h a i n d ^ B i - лЭэ |J
'd a u n b i 'lo u 3am waz a ^* vsb1i | 'l a i n j A n d a r ^ a ' k A v a r ^ a v
^ m i s t j 3at waz 'r a iz nj 'slo u li fram 3i- Д э : 0 ||

Exercise I I . Drills.

A
a) Read a n d re p ea t, b) Use th e stru c tu r e s in sentences of y our own:

1. I ’m going to w ait until you go in.

I ’m going to sit in the shade u n til you have a bite.
He is not going to u tter a word u n til you ask him for advice.
H e ’s going to keep out of the way u n til he is sent for.
I ’ll keep knocking on the door u n til she lets me in.
2. R uth was w aiting for the woman to open the door.
They were hoping for somebody to give them a lift.
He was w aiting for the weather to change.
She waited m inute after m inute for him to reply.
They were w aiting for the m ail to arrive.
145
8. He looked as if he were balancing him self on his two feet
w ith great effort.
He spoke as if he were the chairm an at a board of directors’
meeting.
There was a scar on her forehead as if it m ight have been
made by a bursting fruit jar.
He looked as if he had been seriously ill.
She moved as if she were u tterly exhausted.
4. She was not going to answer the woman, but she could not
keep from saying something.
I couldn't keep from sm iling when she came.
He couldn't keep from saying he was disappointed.
They couldn't keep from arguing whenever they met.
She couldn’t keep from reproaching him for the harsh words.
5. I f it hadn’t been for the food, I ’d have got up and left.
I f it hadn't been for his sickness, he w ould have hung on
to his job.
I f it hadn't been for the ch ild ’s sudden death, they w ould
not have started tram ping.
I f it hadn’t been for R u th ’s em aciated look, the woman
would not have taken pity on her.
6. A ll we wanted was to ask for som ething to eat.
A ll they needed was a short rest and a meal.
A ll they wished was to v isit the ch ild ’s grave.
A ll they hoped for was to get a lift.
В
a) Read a n d intone the m odel dialogue:

A.: I feel so uncertain. W hat shall I do?

B.: If you take my advice, you’ll leave the man the first
chance you have.
A.: B ut I ca n ’t make up my m ind. I wish I could.
B.: I t ’s up to you. If you don’t you’ll be a fool.

b) Fill in th e gaps in th e d ialo g u e fram e w i t h phrases from colu m ns

(1) and (2):

A.: I feel so un certain. W hat shall I do?

B.: If you take my advice, you’ll . . . (1) the first chance you
have.
A.: But I c a n ’t make up my m ind. I wish I could.
B.: I t ’s up to you. If you don’t . . . (2).
146
 ( 1) (2)
check in at a hospital you’ll be in trouble
give up th a t filth y job you’ll be sorry
m ove to an o th er place things w ill get out of control
send th e ch ild to a b o ard ­ you’ll miss your chance
ing school it w ill be too late
change your profession you’ll have a nervous break-
ap p ly for a divorce down
s ta rt looking for a job
go on h o lid ay for a couple
of weeks
get some good legal advice
tak e your ch ild to hospital
look for a good doctor
adopt a child
E xerc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic ize d p a rts of th e sentences b y words
a nd phrases from th e text:
1. It h u rt her to hold her lower lip clam ped tig h tly be­
tween her teeth. Y et there was no other way she could make her­
self move on, step by step. 2. The houses in the valley could
hardly be seen in the m ist. 3. R uth managed to hide some piec­
es of bread into her blouse, unnoticed. 4. The wom an looked
at R u th with suspicion. 5. T h a t’s not the kind of husband you
want, if he lets you beg for food. 6. The wom an advised R uth
to leave the man as soon as she had a chance to. 7. W hen R uth
heard R in g ’s words she suppressed a sob. 8. “If we get a lift,
we m ight reach the place to-night.”
E x erc is e I V . F i n d in th e tex t Eng lish e q u iv a l e n t s for th e following
a n d use th em in sentences of your own:
поднять (2); подняться; вглядываться; принудить (по­
будить); всхлипывать, плакать, рыдать; подавить рыдания;
впалые щеки; у нее перехватило дыхание; кивнуть (утвер­
дительно, отрицательно); вчерашний подогретый картофель;
ж евать, глотать, прихлебывать; незаметно положить; на­
блюдать по очереди; не бог весть какой муж; попрошайни­
чать; болеть, заболеть; бродяга; удержаться на работе;
расстегнуть кофточку; порог; крыльцо; ступеньки; труба;
занавески; из-за занавески; дверь черного хода; щель
E x erc is e V. Answer t h e following questions:
1. W hat indicates the man and the wom an were u tterly
weary? 2. W h at was the only way the wom an could urge her­
147
self forward? 3. W hat could they see from the top of the hill?
4. W hat did the man look like? 5. W hat changes did R ing
notice in R u th ’s face? 6. W hat made him sta rt down the hill
w ithout a word? 7. How did he move? W hat shows he was de­
term ined to reach the house in the valley? 8. Why did looking
at the house give him a sort of comfort? 9. W hat did the woman
at the house look like? 10. Why d id n ’t she w ant to let R uth
and Ring in? 11. W hy did the woman change her mind?
12. W hat made R uth relu ctan t to go in alone? 13. W hat did
Ring tell R uth? 14. W hat did the brown-faced woman put on
the table in front of R uth? 15. How did R uth eat? 16. W hat
did she manage to do in spite of being w atched closely? 17.
W hat questions did the woman ask R uth? W hy did she doubt
R ing was her husband? 18. W hat did she advise R uth to do?
19. How did the woman wring the tru th out of R uth? 20. How
far away from the house did R uth feel safe to give R ing the
bread and the potato? 21. W hat shows th a t R u th felt resent­
ful? 22. How soon did R ing think of som ething to comfort
her? 23. How far away were they from their b ab y ’s grave?
24. W hen could they hope to reach it? 25. W hat could help
them to get there sooner?
E x erc ise V I . R etell the story according to th e giv en p la n using the
following words a nd phrases:

I. They walk up the hill

slowly; like shadows; no m otion; to raise; dust; to peer;
horizon; to clam p; it hurt; the only way; to urge oneself
forward; to drag one’s feet; to w him per; occasionally; to
keep on; top of the h ill; valley; cover of m ist; to rise; in d istin ­
guishable; pale face; lifeless; to lose one’s balance; sunken
II. R uth and R in g make for the house in the valley
to sta rt down the hill; to draw; to hurl; w ith all one’s
m ight; no other way; to catch up w ith; to become choked;
stranger; as long as; to keep one’s eyes on; kitchen door;
across the yard; to w atch; from behind a curtain; knuckles;
to rap; clapboard; to glance quickly; to nod
III. R u th goes in
presently; crack; middle-aged; thick scar; to bother;
a little som ething to eat; strange people; alm ost closed; to
widen; to feed; finally; anyway; to turn quickly around;
to nod eagerly; to shake one’s head; to sit down on a bench;
148
porch; to point out; potatoes; warm ed over from the night
before; to pour a cup of coffee; to set
IV. R uth makes the most of the meal
to sip; to chew; to w atch by turns; to slip (into); to get
(into); to eye suspiciously; more closely than ever; not much
of a husband; to beg food; sick in bed; to sta rt out; to make
a tram p of oneself; to hold a job; to drop; the first chance
you get; fever
V. R uth leaves in a hurry
to turn around; couldn’t keep from saying; reason; grave;
bury
V I. R uth joins her husband
to run down the steps; rapidly; neither of them ; to look
back; to unfasten; to pull out; to eat hungrily; to talk w ith
one’s eyes; to chew; to swallow; mean; if it h a d n ’t been for
the food; to reach the bottom of the valley; may be; to choke
back a sob; how much farther; to get a ride; unable to hold
back the sobs; to get there a lot sooner; to tu rn one’s head;
nothing in sight; to count the steps

E x erc ise V I I . Choose th e proper word:

( throw — cast — hurl)
1. Please, . . . the bunch of keys out of the window to me.
I ’ve left it on my desk. 2. He kept . . . abuse at everybody
when he lost his tem per. 3. The clerk . . . a curious glance at
the new stenographer. 4. Nobody volunteered to be the first
to go and finally they had to . . . lots. 5. People who live in
glass houses should not . . . stones.
(eye — stare — gaze — glare)
1. The woman . . . the strangers w ith suspicion. 2. “I t ’s
bad manners to . . . a t people the way you do.” 3 .H e . . . at
the beauty of the N orth in wonder. He had never seen any­
thing like it before. 4. She tried not to . . . at him, but her gaze
w ouldn’t leave his face. 5. He did n ’t say a word, but from
the way he . . . at everybody it was obvious he was in a fury.
(sob — weep — whimper)
1. She would . . . silently, looking at the photo of her
m issing son. 2. “It w asn’t my fa u lt,” she . . . hysterically.
149
“I m eant w ell.” 3. H er body was shaking all over as she . . .
out her story. 4. He raised his eyes and saw her standing in
the doorway. She was . . . silently. She often . . ., but nobody
knew w hat it was th a t was m aking her so m iserable. 5. The
child hardly ever spoke properly, it m ostly . . ., which was
most annoying.
( rise — raise)
1. The lights went down and the cu rtain . . . . 2. There
were but few people who . . . their voices against the scheme.
3. The sun was . . . when they reached the top of the hill.
4. He . . . his eyes to see a stranger in the room . 5. Rob was
the top boy of the class, always the first to . . . his hand when
a question was asked.
(sick — ill)
1. The . . . man was carefully placed on the stretcher
and taken to hospital. 2. Val hasn’t been around for quite a
while; he m ust be . . . again. He is a very . . . person.
3. He was out of sorts, . . . and tired of everything. 4. He
loves m aking his trip s by plane. He never feels air . . . .
5. I t ’s a . . . bird th a t fouls its own nest. 6. He felt lonely
and . . . at heart.

E x erc is e V I I I . Add tail-q u es tio n s to the following:

1. W e’ll be able to get som ething to eat at th at cottage,

. . .? 2. The m an ’s eyes were tired and lifeless, . . .? 3. There
was somebody w atching them from behind the curtain, . . .?
4. “You are total strangers. I ’ve never met you, . . .?” 5. “The
man is not your husband, . . .?” 6. “W hen he was well, he
used to work, . . .?” 7. “I ’m his wife, . . .?” 8. “There is no
car in sight, . . .?” 9. “We are not going to get there today,
. . .? ”

E x erc is e I X . C om p le te the following sentences a ccord ing to the m o d ­

el:

Model: If it h a d n ’t been for the food I ’d have got up

and left.
1. If it h a d n ’t been for the rain . . . . 2. If it h ad n ’t been
for the clim ate . . . . 3. If it h ad n ’t been for his unexpected
arrival . . . . 4. If it h a d n ’t been for him . . . . 5. If it h ad n ’t
150
been for his poor h ealth . . . . 6. If it h a d n ’t been for the acci­
dent . . . . 7. If it h a d n ’t been for his friendly help . . . .
8. If it h ad n ’t been for his sudden sickness... .

E x erc is e X . T r a n s la te th e fo llo w in g in to R u s s ia n p a y in g a tt e n ti o n
to th e words a) balance, b) sh rin k , c) worn:

a) 1. The unforeseen obstacle threw him completely off his

balance. 2. “The th in g to do is to keep your balance during your
dizzy spells.” 3. For some m om ents her whole future hung in
the balance. 4. “The balance of power” is one of the phrases
frequently used by new spaperm en.
b) 1. A fter his m o ther’s death the boy shrank into himself.
2. A rtificial wool does not shrink. 3. He was a shy and tim id
fellow, who shrank from all kind of hum an contact. 4. As a
result of in flation the real wage of a B ritish worker has shrunk
considerably. 5. The m an shrank from the task in fear and hor­
ror.
c) a worn doorstep; worn clothes; a worn look; worn shoes;
a worn face; a worn carpet; a worn joke

E x erc is e X I . Q u o te t h e te x t to prove t h a t a) w e a ry a n d m is era b le as

R u t h and R in g were th e y show ed deep concern for each o th e r, b) they u n ­
derstood each o ther w i t h o u t words, c) R in g is t h e stro nger of th e two, th e
one to m a k e decisions a n d R u t h re a d ily y ields to his a u t h o r i t y , d) the m id ­
dle-aged w o m a n was n o t m ea n , b u t ju st c o n v e n tio n a lly - m in d e d .

E x erc is e X I I . T opic s for discussion:

1. Describe a) R u th (her terrible sense of loss, her devotion

to Ring, her dignity); b) R ing (the kind of m an he was and
may have been).
2. Speak on the bonds th a t kept those two together.
3. R etell th e episode in the words of the wom an from the
cottage.
4. Describe the fam ily in their b etter days (before they
had to send the child away).
5. Tell a story (or episode from a book) describing a) th e
life of a man (woman) who has lost his (her) job, b) the
death of a child (member of the fam ily).
6. Com ment on the proverb: “M isfortunes seldom come
single.” Tell a story th a t confirms the tru th of the proverb.
151
 E x erc ise X I I I . R e n der the following te x t in English:

Ампутированная зарплата

Специалисты возражали, когда я изъявил желание при­

сутствовать при рождении моей зарплаты. В один голос
(unanim ously) они уверяли, что, как показала многолетняя
практика, в операционную (operation room) ни в коем слу­
чае не следует допускать посторонних (adm it outsiders);
слабонервные при виде столь кровавого зрелища (a bloody
spectacle) могут потерять сознание (faint) и тем самым в кри­
тические моменты отвлечь от своего дела акушеров (obs­
tetricians).
Но я настаивал на своем (persist) — ведь в конце концов
речь шла о моей зарплате! Наконец, специалисты с огром­
ной неохотой (reluctantly) пошли мне навстречу (gave in).
Облеченный в белый халат (white surgeon’s coat), с марле­
вой (gauze) маской на лице я устроился в углу операцион­
ной. Н а каталке (wheeling chair) ввезли моего предпринима­
теля, вздувшегося (pregnant w ith) от денег. Прошел мо­
мент — и на свет появилась моя зарплата.
Я сорвался с места (sprang up), чтобы поскорее положить
ее в бумажник (w allet). Но меня остановили.
— В чем дело? — воскликнул я.
— Новорожденная (new-born baby) еще не прошла над­
лежащей обработки,— ответил один из хирургов (surgeon).
Какой еще обработки?... Ведь она такая чистая!
— В таком виде ее ни в коем случае нельзя забирать из
операционной. Мы должны над ней хорошенько поработать.
И, несмотря на мои отчаянные (desperate) протесты, хи­
рург из федерального налогового управления (tax depart­
m ent) отхватил (cut off) от новорожденной целую треть и
спрятал в свой мешок.
— Успокойтесь (Take it easy),— сказал он мне.— Не
стоит (по use) плакать; в нынешнем году федеральные на­
логи будут сокращены (reduced), и ваша следующая зарп ла­
та будет побольше.
— Посмотрим, посмотрим,— скептически фыркнул
(snort) мрачный специалист, который отрезал от моей за р ­
платы еще один большой кусок. Я признал в нем губерна­
тора (Governor) штата.
— В следующий раз федеральные чиновники, быть мо­
ж ет, и возьмут себе поменьше, но я намерен увеличить свою
152
долю (share), дабы спасти штат от банкротства (bancrupcy),—
пояснил он.
— Мне тоже нужен кусок побольше,— сказал мэр
(Mayor) города, где я ж ил, и вонзил (plunged) свой скаль­
пель (scalpel) в новорожденную.
Я обливался горючими слезами (shed b itte r tears). На
моих глазах погибала моя зарплата, и никто из присутст­
вующих врачей не собирался сделать спасительной инъек­
ции.
Н ад новорожденной склонились одновременно три хи­
рурга из страховых компаний (insurance com panies), зани­
мающихся пенсиями.
— Нам почти ничего не осталось,— с досадой (with an­
noyance) заметил один из них.
Когда они кончили, сестра достала лупу (lens) и, под­
хватив пинцетом (pincers) то, что осталось от зарплаты, пе­
редала мне.
— Вот ваша чистая зарплата,— сказала она.— Поста­
райтесь не истратить всю ее на пиво!
Я заж ал свою малютку (my little one) в кулаке. Выйдя из
операционной, я ущипнул (pinched) ее, чтобы удостоверить­
ся (to m ake sure), ж ива ли она. Зарплата издала слабый писк
(squeak).
— Тише, тише (Hush, hush!),— предостерег я .— А не
то кому-нибудь придет в голову (it m ight occur to somebody)
обложить налогом и этот писк (to tax the squeak).

QU IZ V

1. Who said: “Ask me no questions, and I ’ll tell you no

lies (originally fibs)”?
2. In the fight of the Am erican colonies for Independence
a pam phlet published in 1776 had a trem endous im pact. Name
a) the author, b) the title of the pam phlet.
3. Name a legendary film actress of Swedish origin, in the
late 20’s and early 30’s. W hat are the best-know n film s star­
ring her? W hen did she retire?
4. 1. W hat streets in London are associated w ith a) the
medical world, b) the world of finance? 2. W hat are the names
of the Four Inns of C ourt and w hat do they do?
5. Who wrote: a) Our Town, b) A Cat on the H ot T in Roof,
c) M an and Superm an, d) The A utum n Garden?
153
 6. A famous English actor has been three tim es to the
Soviet U nion and played the leading p arts in three of Shake­
speare’s tragedies. Name a) the actor, b) the tragedies.
7. E x p lain the m eaning and the origin of the expressions
a) Pyrrhic victory, b) M an Friday.
8. Name the man referred to as “the greatest celloist of
this cen tu ry ”, who died in 1973 far away from his hom eland.
9. Com plete the following proverbs:’ a) Blood is thicker...,
b) You cannot get blood..., c) He that never climbed... .
10. W hat do the follow ing abbreviations stand for: a) GOP,
b) V IP (v ip ), c) GOM?

A CANARY FOR ONE

b y E rnest H e m ingw ay

The train passed very quickly a long, red stone house w ith
a garden and four thick palm -trees w ith tables under them in
the shade. On the other side was the sea. Then there was a
cu ttin g through red stone and clay, and the sea was only oc­
casionally and far below against rocks.
“I bought him in P alerm o,” 1 the Am erican lady said. “We
only had an hour ashore and it was S unday m orning. The man
w anted to be paid in dollars and I gave him a dollar and a
half. He really sings very b ea u tifu lly .”
It was very hot in the train and it was very hot in the lit
salon 2 com partm ent. There was no breeze came through 3
the open window. The A m erican lady pulled the window-
b lind down and there was no more sea, even occasionally.
On the other side there was glass, then the corridor, then an
open window, and outside the window were dusty trees and
an oiled road and flat fields of grapes, w ith gray-stone hills
behind them .
There was smoke from many tall chim neys — com ing
into M arseilles, 4 and the train slowed down and followed one
track through m any others into the statio n . The train stayed
tw enty-five m inutes in the station at M arseilles and the A m er­
ican lady bought a copy of The D a ily M a i l 5 and a half-bot­
tle of E vian w ater.6 She w alked a little way along the station
platform b u t she stayed near the steps of the car because at
154
C annes,7 where it stopped for twelve m inutes, the train had
left w ith no signal of d eparture and she had gotten 8 on only
just in tim e. The A m erican lady was a little deaf and she was
afraid th a t perhaps signals of departure were given and th at
she did not hear them .
The train left the statio n in M arseilles and there was not
only the sw itch-yards and the factory smoke but, looking
back, the town of M arseilles and the harbor w ith stone hills
behind it and the last of the sun on the w ater. As it was get­
ting dark the train passed a farm house burning in a field.
M otor-cars were stopped along the road and bedding and things
from inside the farm house were spread in the field. Many peo­
ple were w atching the house burn. After it was dark the train
was in Avignon. 9 People got on and off. A t the news-stand
Frenchm en, re tu rn in g to P aris, bought th a t d ay ’s French p a­
pers. On the statio n platform were Negro soldiers. They wore
brown uniform s and were tall and their faces shone, close un­
der the electric lig h t. Their faces were very black and they
were too tall to s ta re .10 The train left Avignon station w ith the
Negroes stan d in g there. A short w hite sergeant was w ith them.
Inside the lit salon com partm ent the porter had pulled
down the three beds from inside the wall and prepared them
for sleeping. In the n ig h t the Am erican lady lay w ithout sleep­
ing because the train was a rapide 11 and went very fast and
she was afraid of the speed in the night. The Am erican lady’s
bed was the one n ex t to the window. The canary from P aler­
mo, a cloth spread over his cage, was out of the draft in the
corridor th at w ent into the com partm ent wash-room. There
was a blue light outside the com partm ent, and all night
the train went very f a s t 13 and the Am erican lady lay awake
and w aited for a w re c k .13
In the m orning the train was near P aris, and after the
A m erican lady had come out from the wash-room, looking
very wholesome 14 and m iddle-aged and A m erican in spite
of not having slept, and had taken the cloth off the birdcage
and hung the cage in the sun, she went back to the restaurant-
car for breakfast. W hen she came back to the lit salon com part­
m ent again, the beds had been pushed back into the wall
and made in to seats, the canary was shaking his feathers in
the su n lig h t th a t cam e through the open window, and the
train was much nearer P aris.
“He loves the sun,” the Am erican lady said. “H e’ll sing
now in a little w hile.”
155
 The canary shook his feathers and pecked into them . “I ’ve
always loved birds,” the Am erican lady said. “I ’m taking
him home to my little girl. There—he’s singing now.”
The canary chirped and the feathers on his throat stood
out, then he dropped his bill and pecked into his feathers
again. The train crossed a river and passed through a very
carefully tended forest. The train passed through many o u t­
side of P aris towns. There were tram -cars in the towns and big
advertisem ents for the Belle J a r d in ie r e 15 and D ubonnet and
P e rn o d 16 on the w alls toward the tra in . All th a t the train
passed through looked as though it were before breakfast.
For several m inutes I had not listened to the A m erican lady,
who was talk in g to my wife.
“Is your husband American too?” asked the lady.
“Yes,” said my wife. “W e’re both A m ericans.”
“I thought you were E nglish.”
“Oh, n o .”
“Perhaps th a t was because I wore braces,” 17 I said. I had
started to say suspenders and changed it to braces in the
m outh, to keep my English character. The Am erican lady did
not hear. She was really quite deaf; she read lips, and I had
not looked tow ard her. I had looked out of the window. She
went on talk in g to my wife.
“I ’m so glad y o u ’re Am ericans. Am erican men make the
best husbands,” the Am erican lady was saying. “T hat was
why we left the C ontinent 18 you know. My daughter fell in
love w ith a man in V evey.” 19 She stopped. “They were sim ply
m adly in love.” She stopped again. “I took her away, of
course.”
“D id she get over it?” asked my wife.
“I don’t th in k so,” said the Am erican lady. “She w ouldn’t
eat any th in g and she w ouldn’t sleep at all. I ’ve tried so very
hard, but she doesn’t seem to take an interest in anything.
She doesn’t care about things. I couldn’t have her m arrying
a foreigner.” She paused. “Some one, a very good friend, told
me once, ‘No foreigner can make an Am erican girl a good
husb an d .’”
“N o,” said my wife, “I suppose n o t.”
The A m erican lady adm ired my w ife’s travelling-coat,
and it turned out th a t the Am erican lady had bought her own
clothes for tw enty years now from the same maison de cou­
tu r e 20 in the Rue S ain t H onore.21 They had her measurem ents,
and a vendeuse 22 who knew her and her tastes picked the dress­
156
es out for her and they were sent to A m erica. They came at
the post-office near where she lived up-tow n in New Y ork,23
and the duty was never exorbitant because they opened the
dresses there in the post-office to appraise them and they were
always very sim ple-looking and w ith no gold lace nor orna­
ments th at would make the dresses look expensive. Before
the present vendeuse, nam ed Therese, there had been another
vendeuse nam ed Amelie. A ltogether there had only been these
two in the tw enty years. It had always been the same cou­
turier,24 Prices, however, had gone up. The exchange, though,
equalized th at. They had her daughter’s m easurem ents now
too. She was grown up and there was not much chance of their
changing now.
The train was now com ing into P aris. The fortifications
were levelled but grass had not grown. There were many cars
standing on tracks — brown wooden restaurant-cars and brown
wooden sleeping-cars th at would go to Ita ly at five o ’clock
th at night, if th a t train still left at five; the cars were m arked
P a ris—Rome, and cars, w ith seats on the roofs, th a t went
back and forth to th e suburbs w ith, at ce rta in hours, people
in all the seats and on the roofs, if th at were the way it were
still done, and passing were the w hite w alls and many win­
dows of houses. N othing had eaten any breakfast.
“Am ericans make the best husbands,” the Am erican lady
said to my wife. I was g etting down the bags. “A m erican men
are the only men in the world to m arry.”
“How long ago did you leave Vevey?” asked my wife.
“Two years ago this fa ll.25 I t ’s her, you know, th at I ’m
taking the canary to .”
“Was the man your daughter was in love w ith a Swiss?”
“Yes,” said the Am erican lady. “He was from a very good
fam ily in Vevey. He was going to be an engineer. They met
there in Vevey. They used to go on long walks togeth­
er.”
“I know Vevey,” said my wife. “We were there on our
honeym oon.”
“Were you really? T hat must have been lovely. I had no
idea, of course, th at she’d fall in love w ith him .”
“It was a very lovely place,” said my wife.
“Yes,” said the Am erican lady. “Isn ’t it lovely? W here did
you stop there?”
“We stayed at t h e .Trois Couronnes," 26 said my wife.
“I t ’s such a fine old hotel,” said the A m erican lady.
157
 “Y es,” said my wife. “W e had a very fine room and in the
fall the country 27 was lovely.”
“W ere you there in the fall?”
“Yes,” said my wife.
We were passing three cars th a t had been in a wreck. They
were sp lintered open and the roofs sagged in.
“Look,” I said. “T here’s been a w reck.”
The A m erican lady looked and saw the last car. “I was
afraid of ju st th a t all n ig h t,” she said, “I have terrific presen­
tim ents about things som etimes. I ’ll never travel on a rapide
again at n ig h t. There m ust be other com fortable trains th at
do n ’t go so fast.”
Then the train was in the dark of the G are de Lyon, 28
and then stopped and porters came up to the windows. I hand­
ed bags through the window, and we were out on the dim
longness of the platform , and the A m erican lady put herself
in charge of one of three men from C ook’s 23 who said: “J u s t
a moment, m adam e, and I ’ll look for your nam e.”
The porter brought a truck 30 and piled on the baggage,
and my wife said good-by and I said good-by to the Am erican
lady, whose nam e had been found by the man from Cook’s on
a ty p ew ritten page in a sheaf of ty p ew ritten pages which he
replaced in his pocket.
We followed the porter w ith the truck down the long ce­
m ent platform beside the train . At the end was a gate and a
man took the tickets.
We were re tu rn in g to P aris to set up separate residences.31

NOTES

1 Palermo [р э'1э:тои ] — the largest city and port of

Sicily
2 lit salon (F r.) — sleeping car
3 There was no breeze came through= there was no breeze
com ing through
4 Marseilles [m a'seilz] — the second largest city of
France and its chief M editerranean port
5 The D a ily M a il — an English conservative paper
6 Evian water — m ineral w ater, bottled and exported
from E vian-les-B ains, a fashionable health resort in SE France
on the shore of the Lake of Geneva
7 Cannes [ksenl — a fashionable resort in the French
R iviera
158
 9 gotten (i4 m .)= g o t (B rit.)
9 Avignon [av i:'n jon] — an ancient city on the left
bank of the Rhone, SE France
10 too tall to stare — the Negroes were so tall th at they
could not stare at w hat was going on in the car
11 rapide (F r.) — a fast train
12 fast adv.— quickly, as to run fast (to ride, drive, speak,
read, think fast)-, fast ad j.— said of a thing or person, as a
fast train, a fast worker, a fast horse, a fast trip. S y n . rapid, ,
swift (a rapid current, a rapid river, the rapids — Russ, поро­
ги; a swift glance, a sw ift arrow, a sw ift movement)-, w. c. swift
to anger, i. e. becoming angry easily and q u ic k ly
13 wreck (A m .) — (here) railw ay accident, crash (Brit.)-,
wreck is also a ship destroyed by the storm or any th in g th at
has been destroyed in an accident, as the wreck of a train,
bus, car, etc.; also said of a person, who has lost his health
or sp irits as a result of a m ental shock, illness and the like,
e. g. He is a perfect wreck. He will never get over the wreck
of his carrier.
S y n . ruin 1) loss of money, property, fig. failure. His
ruin came unexpected. G am bling m ust have been the cause
of his ruin; 2) a thing in a state of decay, e. g. The house was
a mere ruin, not fit to live in. She went to see the ruins of
an ancient castle.
14 wholesome 1) good for one’s health or m ind (Russ.
здоровый, благотворный, полезный), as wholesome food,
climate, atmosphere, surroundings, influence, advice; 2) in d i­
cating good h ealth, as wholesome appearance, look, etc. (Russ.
цветущий вид)
15 Belle Jardiniere — a large departm ent store in Paris
15 Dubonnet, Pernod •— nam es of alcoholic drinks of the
aperitive type popular in France
17 braces (B r it.) = su spenders (A m er.)
18 th e Continent = E u ro p e
19 Vevey [va'vei] — a town in W. S w itzerland on the
Lake of Geneva
20 maison de couture (F r.) — ателье
21 Rue Saint Honore — a street in P aris
22 vendeuse (F r.) — saleswoman
23 up-town in New York (A m .) — the residential part of
the city (comp, down town — the business p art of the city)
24 couturier (F r.) — dressm aker
25 fall (A m .) = au tu m n (B r it.)
159
 26 Т го is Couronnes (F r.) — Three Crowns
27 country — (here) scenery
28 Gare de Lyon — the P aris term inus of the Paris-Lyons-
M editerranean railw ay line
29 Cook’s= C o o k ’s travelling agency
30 truck — a two-wheeled barrow used by railw ay porters
for moving luggage
31 to set up separate residences — to sta rt living ap art;
(here) to arrange for a divorce

EX E R C ISE S

Exercise I. P ra c tise the pro n u n c ia tio n of the following words and

phrases:

a) canary, palm -trees, lit-salon, com partm ent, wholesome,

cloth, birdcage, restaurant-car, feathers, chirp, throat,
clothes, ex o rb itan t, appraise, fortifications, suburbs, presen­
tim ent
b) Ъ : '0 ik J pa:m tri:z 1 wi0 't eib lz 'x n d a З э т inw 3a 'y j e i d ||
onw 3i- 'л З э 's a id w a z w 3a ~y,si: ||
J i 1 'w o:kt э ' l i t l 'wei a 'log Зэ 's t e i j n J p l a e t f o i m ] b x t J i ' 'ste id
ш э Зэ 'steps av Зэ ~\ka: ||
'insaid ._.3 a 'li: sa 'lo g к э т J pa:tm ant | Зэ 'p o:ta had ' p u l d ^ d a u n ^ S a
'0 ri: 'bedz fram ' i n s a i d ^ 3 a J w x A | and p r i 'p s a d ^ O a m fa ' j s l k p i g ||
J i ' waz a 'fre id av За 's p i : d i n ^ 3 a ~^nait ||
Зэ k a 'n ea ri waz 'J e i k i g hiz 'fe3az in^_3a ^ s A n l a i t ||
fp rais iz h a u,e va had 'gon ~улр Ц
3 r ik sf tf e m d 3 3ou “y k k w a l a i z d ^ S s e t ||

E xercise I I . D rills.

A
a) Read a n d re pea t, b) Use the stru c tu re s in sentences of your own:
1. He wanted to be paid in dollars.
She hoped to be met at the station.
They expected to be received w ith cordiality.
She wanted to be given all the inform ation she needed.
He wanted to be examined by an expert.
2. The Negroes were too tall to stare.
She was too weak to move.
He was too wise to interfere.
The lady was too old to travel.
She is too dazed to think c le a rly .
160 ^
3. No foreigner can make a good husband.
No hot-tem pered man can make a good teacher.
No lazy wom an can make a good housewife.
No selfish person can make a good friend.
No coward can make a good fighter.
No fool can make a good executive.
4. The porter made the beds into seats.
The scriptw riter made the story into a scenario.
H e made the shed into a laboratory.
She made the kitchen into a dining-room .
В
a) R e ad a n d in to n e t h e model dialogue:

A.: Doctor Sanders is a nice man (woman). I met him (her) in

Yalta.
B.: I know Yalta. W e were (I was) there on holiday.
A.: W ere you really? T h at m ust have been lovely.
B.: So it was. I ’ve had the tim e of my life.
b) F ill in t h e ga p s in th e dialog ue fram e w i t h words a n d phrases from
c olu m ns (1), (2) a n d (3):
A.: . . . is a nice man (woman). I m et him (her) in . . . (1)„
B.: I know . . . (1). W e were (I was) there . . . (2).
A.: W ere you really? T h at m ust have been . . . (3).
B.: So it was. I ’ve had the tim e of my life.

(1) (2) (3)

B erm uda on our honeym oon exciting
P a ris on an excursion instructive
Caucasus at a conference en tertain in g
C alifornia at a sym posium invigorating
Lake Dis- doing sightseeing wonderful
tric t v isitin g th e A rt G al- m arvellous
C rim ea leries th rillin g
S w itzer- atten d in g a bull fight
land stu d y in g the Old
Venice M asters
M adrid
E xercise I I I . R e p la ce th e italicized p a rts of the sentences by words
a n d ph rases fro m t h e text:
1. The lady was hard of hearing and was afraid she m ight
not hear the guard blow the whistle. 2. The American lady
6 JV« 30 60 161
didn’t sleep a w ink as she was afraid of a train crash. 3. She
d id n ’t know w hat the man was saying because she could un­
derstand a person only in case she was watching him speak. 4. The
lad y ’s friend believed an Am erican girl should not marry a
foreigner. 5. She got her clothes from P aris and the duty was
never too high because the dresses looked sim ple enough.

E xercise IV . F i n d in th e te x t -English e q u iv a l e n t s for t h e following:

a) купе; спальный вагон;'вагон-ресторан; уборная; про­

водник; носильщик; сесть на поезд; сойти с поезда; спустить
штору; снять багаж ; дать сигнал к отправлению; (поезд)
замедлил ход; (поезд) стоял на станции . . . минут; ступень­
ки вагона; передать багаж в окно; тележ ка (для багажа);
уложить багаж
b ) дорожное пальто; мерка; выбирать платья; большая
пошлина; оценить; скромные на вид; круж ево; украшения;
цены повысились

E xercise V . a) Answ er th e following questions:

1. W here had the lady been to before tak in g the train?

2. W hat did she tell the couple she shared the com partm ent
w ith about the canary? 3. W hat sort of scenery could be seen
through the window of the com partm ent? of the corridor?
4. How long did the train stay in the statio n at Marseilles?
5. W hat did the lady buy There? W hy did she stay near the
steps of the car? 6. W hat did the train pass as it was getting
dark? W hat was there in the field near the burning house?
7. W hat did the Negro soldiers on the statio n platform look
like? 8. In w hat way did the sergeant differ from them ? 9. How
did the porter get the com partm ent ready for the night? 10. How
did the A m erican lady spend the night? 11. W hat did she look
like in the m orning? 12. W hat did the porter do while the lady
was having breakfast in the restau ran t car? 13. W hat did the
lady do w ith the birdcage in the m orning? 14. How did the
canary behave? 15. W hat did the lady tell the au th o r’s wife
about her daughter? W hy had they left the C ontinent? W hat
m ade her th in k an A m erican girl should not m arry a foreign­
er? 16. W hat sort of conversation did they have about clothes?
17. W hy did they speak about Vevey? W hat part did
the place play in the lives of the two women? 18. W hat are
the only two sentences the author u ttere d in the story? 19.
W ho was the A m erican lady met by in Paris? W here did the
162
man find her nam e? 20. W hat were the author and his wife
retu rn in g to P aris for?
b) A d d itio n a l questions:

1. W hat are the indications in the tex t th a t a) the war

is over, b) the author has been to P aris and knows the c ity
well? 2. W hy are there so many French words in the text?
E x erc is e V I . a) R e te ll the story a cco rding to t h e giv en plan:

1. The passengers in the lit salon com partm ent.

2. The places they pass on their way to P aris.
3. The A m erican lady spends a restless night.
4. The train approaches P aris.
5. The A m erican lady tells the story of her daughter’s
love.
6. The lady orders her clothes in P aris.
7. The two women talk of Vevey.
8. The end of the trip.

b) Speak on th e fo llo w in g episodes using th e suggested words and

phrases:

The Am erican lady on her way to Paris

to pull down the beds; to lie w ith o u t sleeping; to go fast;
speed; to be afraid of; awake; to w ait for; wreck; wash-room;
to look very wholesome; in spite of; to take the cloth off the
birdcage; restau ran t-car; to come back; to push back into the
wall; to make into seats; in the sunlight; to shake his feathers;
to love birds; to take home
The lady tells her daughter's story
Am erican men m ake the best husbands; to leave the C onti­
nent; to be m adly in love; to take smb. away; to get over
sm th .; w ouldn’t eat (sleep); to take no interest in; not to care
about things; co u ld n ’t have smb. doing
E x erc is e V I I . Change in to indirect speech th e passage beginning
w ith th e w ords “ Is yo u r h u s b a n d A m e ric a n to o ? ” (see p. 156) up to “ No
foreigner can m a k e a n A m e ric a n girl a good h u s b a n d . ”

E x erc is e V I I I . T r a n s la te into R u ss ia n p a y in g a t t e n t i o n to the words

a) thick, b) spread, c) fast:

a) thick: th ick palm -trees, thick hair, a thick forest, thick

soup, a thick volum e, a thick fog, a thick-skinned person, a
6 165
thick-skulled official, through thick and thin, a thick crowd,
to lay it on thick
b) to spread: to spread the cloth on the cage; to spread b u t­
ter on bread; things were spread in the field; microbes spread
disease; rum ours spread quickly; to spread the cloth on the
table; mass-media spread inform ation; to spread a carpet
on the floor; to spread a newspaper; the news spread like
w ildfire; the sands spread for miles
c) fast: a fast train; a fast reader; a fast horse; a fast
friend; a fast foe; a hard and fast rule; a fast grip; to play
fast and loose
E xercise I X . Add ta il- q u e s tio n s to the follow ing sentences:

1. The American lady read lips, . . .? 2. She was a thick-

skinned person, . . .? 3. She d id n ’t sleep a wink, . . .? 4. The
lady proved to be stone deaf, . . .? 5. In M arseilles there was
much smoke from m any tall chim neys, . . .? 6. I am having
the tim e of my life, . . .? 7. She has been buying her clothes
in Paris, . . . ? 8. There w asn’t much chance of her daughter’s
measurements changing, . . . ? 9. There m ust be o th er train s
th a t don’t go so fast, . . . ? 10. There has been a wreck, . . .?
Exercise X. Fill in t h e b la n k s w ith so a n d such (a ):

1. It has been . . . lovely trip . 2. I never do my shopping

there. The prices are . . . ex o rb itan t. 3. She is . . . beauty,
isn’t she? 4. The canary is . . . sweet. My little girl will
love it. 5. It was . . . cold w eather th a t we p u t on all the
things we had. 6. We did enjoy the stay in Vevey. It was . . .
fun, wasn’t it? 7. The lady was . . . deaf th a t she d id n ’t hear
a word you said. 8. M other is . . . early riser. I wonder when
she does sleep.
Exercise X I . Fill in th e gaps w i t h pre p o sitio n s w he rev e r necessary:

A rthur was fond . . . driving fast and was proud . . . his

new car . . . the latest make. Now he was driv in g . . . . the
speed . . . 100 miles . . . an hour and slowed . . . only when
he reached the village. He stopped . . . the filling-station
to collect the inform ation he was . . . need . . . .
The man . . . the filling-station told him . . . other things
th at “The Yellow H ouse” h ad n ’t been let th a t sum m er, as the
Old Lady who had left . . . France . . . Ja n u a ry . . . the
younger niece she was . . . charge . . ., was expected back
home one . . , these days.
164
 The house . . . the hill looked lovely . . . the sunshine.
The windows were flung open, the blinds pulled . . . . The
carpets and c u r t a i n s .....................the house had been brought
. . . the yard to air. The gardener could be seen moving . . .,
trim m in g the bushes and planting flowers. The big house was
g ettin g ready to be lived . . . .
D id n ’t th is mean th a t he would soon see the lovely young
face so dear . . . him? He d id n ’t seem to take interest in
an y th in g since she left. He d id n ’t care . . . things he used to
enjoy. He was m adly . . . love . . . the first tim e . . . his
life! A nd th a t was th a t. W hen the Old Lady took the girl . . .,
he was deeply stricken . . . grief and despair. He felt he
would never get . . . it. As a m atter . . . fact he never did.
E xercise X I I . Choose th e proper word:
(to appraise — to estimate — to value)
1. The clothes were . . . at the post office. 2. The woman
was narrow -m inded and ignorant and . . . money most of
all. 3. One of the reasons Soames Forsyte . . . his art collec­
tion was th a t he expected the prices of the pictures to go up.
4. The young w rite r’s talen t is . . . highly by the critics.
5. “You should consult Doctor H atford, we . . . his opinion.”
(wholesome — healthy — well)
1. He preferred to live in the country where the atm os­
phere was ever so much . . . . 2. Now th at he has started eating
only . . . food he has become a . . . man. 3. The doctor said
there was n o th in g to worry about. The child would be . , ,
in a couple of days.
(wreck — ruin)
1. The frost . . . the crop. 2. The ship was . . . by a vio ­
lent storm . 3. “The sooner you divorce him the better. He
is . . . your life.” 4. The man has changed beyond recognition;
he is a mere . . . of his former self. 5. He was a weak-willed
m an and gam bling was the . . . of him . 6. . . . was staring
him in the face.
E xercise X I I I . T r a n s la te the following sentences into E nglish using
a) c o u ld n 't have somebody doin g (do) s m th ., b) to g e t over sm th.:

a) 1. Отец сказал, что о н н е д о п у с т и т , ч т о б ы

д евушка встречалась со всякими бездельни­
ками (loafers). 2. Н ачальник предупредил, что он ни в коем
165
случае н е д о п у с т и т , ч т о б ы его распоряжения
и г н о р и р о в а л и . 3. «Как я могла д о п у с т и т ь ,
чтобы м о я е д и н с т в е н н а я д о ч ь в ы ш л а з а ­
м у ж за иностранца?» 4. Юноша хотел бросить колледж,
но родители заявили, что о н и э т о г о н е д о п у с ­
тят.
b) 1. Прошло несколько месяцев, прежде чем она о п-
равилась от перенесенного потрясения (shock). 2.
Доктор сказал, что ваш ребенок скоро п о п р а в и т с я .
3. До сих пор о п о м н и т ь с я н е м о г у от испуга.
E x e r c is e X I V . Q u o te th e sto ry to prove t h a t a) t h e A m e ric an l a d y is
t a l k a ti v e , ove rbea ring , p r a c tic a l, unfeelin g, b) t h e wife is reserved a n d not
inclined to t a l k m u ch , c) th e h u sb a n d does n o t t a k e p a r t in th e conv ersation,
keeps t h in k i n g of t h e p a st w h e n he m u s t h a v e been h a p p ie r in P a r is , d) there
a re traces left b y t h e w a r.
- E x erc is e X V . T opic s for discussion:
1. G ive a character sketch of the A m erican lady.
2. P o in t out the details th a t help the author to build up
her character.
3. S peak on the misery of the la d y ’s daughter.
4. There is a touch of sadness about the A m erican couple.
How does th e au th or bring this home to the reader?
5. P aren ts (or relatives) som etim es interfere in the lives
of those they care for, believing th a t they know best w h a t’s
good for them . Do you think they should or should not act the
way they, do?
6. In w hat way can this story be com pared to C hekhov’s
famous story “The House w ith an A ttic ”?
7. How does the author make you feel a) his ironical
a ttitu d e to the Am erican lady, b) the irony of the situation?
E x e r c is e X V I . R e n d e r th e following te x t in English:
В одном из своих писем, в ноябре 1895 г., адресованном
Е . М. Ш авровой, Чехов писал: «Теперь пишу маленький рас­
сказ: «Моя невеста». У меня когда-то была невеста... Ее
звали так: «Мисюсь». Я ее очень любил. Об этом я пишу».
Вопрос об истинных прототипах рассказа «Дом с мезо­
нином» интересен для всех, кому дорого творчество Чехова.
Вот почему я решаюсь поделиться воспоминаниями, быто­
вавшими в нашей семье.
«Имение (estate), в котором она (Лида) ж ила с матерью и
сестрой, называлось Ш елковкой»,— писал Чехов про име­
ние Волчаниновых.
166
 Ш елковка — это название имения моего деда, В. М. Л ав ­
рова, издателя и редактора ж урн ала «Русская мысль» (где,
кстати, и был впервые напечатан рассказ). Впоследствии
место, где было расположено имение, стали называть Мале­
евкой. Н а том месте, где стоял дом Л аврова, сейчас находит­
ся дом творчества писателей (W riters’ Resthom e) «Малеевка».
В 90-х годах в имении Лавровых часто бывал Чехов.
Окрестности усадьбы, вид с террасы белого дома сохрани­
лись и до настоящего времени. Сам ж е дом с мезонином был
сожжен гитлеровцами во время Великой Отечественной
войны.
У В. М. Л аврова были две дочери — старш ая Лидия и
младшая Анастасия, которой в детстве было дано прозви­
ще «Мисюсь». Лидия Л аврова была моей матерью.
Лидия Л аврова, прототип Лидии Волчаниновой, была
искренним, деятельным (active) человеком, убежденной на­
родницей (dedicated N arodnik). Подобно чеховской героине,
она обучала деревенских ребят грамоте, организовывала
медицинские пункты, больницы, школы и т. д. П озж е она
закончила медицинский институт в Петербурге и работала
всю жизнь врачом.
Совсем иной была младшая сестра — Анастасия (Мисюсь).
Она отличалась мягкостью, податливостью натуры (sub­
m issive by nature), добротой и всю ж изнь находилась под
влиянием своей старшей сестры, перед которой в ранней
юности просто преклонялась (worship).
В отличие от Лиды (unlike Lydia), Мисюсь интересова­
лась литературой, много читала, в молодости работала в
редакции «Русская мысль». Она очень любила музыку, са­
ма была неплохим музыкантом.
Зам уж Мисюсь не вышла, и моя мать всю ж изнь считала
себя в этом виноватой.
Я не берусь утверждать (assert), что сюжет «Дома с ме­
зонином» повторяет реальную жизненную ситуацию, но
не был тайной (open secret) тот факт, что Чехов одно время
был увлечен (infatuated with) младшей дочерью В. М. Л а в ­
рова. Относительно того, кто описан в «Доме с мезонином»,
в нашей семье не было никаких сомнений.
Н а столе Анастасии (Мисюсь) всегда стояла фотография
Чехова с его автографом (autograph).

(Из письма А. Дорошевской)

167
 Price of Publicity 1. Carol H u n t lived
in San Francisco w ith
PART I her father. She was about
to leave college and,
like many other college
girls, dream t of going
on the stage. Carol was
sm all, blond and very
beau tifu l.
2. She was ju st out
of college when her fa­
ther died and she was
left w ith only five h u n ­
dred dollars to her nam e.
Her boy friend was a
handsom e young sports­
man, whose fam ily
owned a chain of hotels
on the P acific Coast.
Carol was in love w ith
him and he was crazy
about her.
3. Y et she firm ly told
the young man she
would not m arry him be­
cause she w anted to go to
New York and be an
actress. She was aw are
of the stake she was
risking (her youth, her
w ell-loved sportsm an,
th e .c h a in of hotels and
all th a t went w ith it).
She had figured it all
out because she was a
logical and in tellig en t
girl. After figuring it all
out she took her five
hundred dollars out of
the bank and kissed her
m ournful sportsm an
good-bye.
168
 4. She arrived in New
York along w ith four
thousand or forty thou­
sand other girls. She did
it because she possessed,
she was sure, great ta l­
ent, because there was
nothing else in the
world she wished to do.

5. She had a m odest

success im m ediately. She
got sm all parts and did
them well. Three or four
tim es she was called for
audition for leading
p arts.B u t each tim esom e-
thing happened — a star
telegraphed from H olly­
wood she would be av a il­
able for the season, a
girl, who, in the eyes of
the director, was a more
likely m atch for the lead­
ing man.

6. H arold S inclair,
who worked in the office
w ith me had a brother
C harlie, who was an ac­
tor, and who occasion­
ally took us along w ith
him when he was invited.
I liked th eatrical parties.

169
 7. I m et Carol at a
th e a tric a l cocktail par­
ty . She was standing
a g a in s t a w all, talking
to an eld erly lady, the
wife of a producer. She
gave the im pression of
being frail, innocent and
very young. I felt at
once she was, like me, an
outsider.

8. I m et her alm ost

every night. The more I
learn t about her, the
more I became convinced
she was no t only a beau­
tiful girl but an ex tra­
o rdinary and valuable
one.

9. We were sittin g
in my car in front of
her ap a rtm en t when I
asked her to m arry me.

170
 10. Carol said: “I
was w aitin g for you to
say it. B ut I w ant you
to rem em ber som ething.
I m ean to be a great ac­
tress. If we get m arried
the m ain thing in my
life is not going to be
my husband. I t ’s going
to be my w ork.” “T h a t’s
okay w ith me,” I said.
“It h asn ’t happened yet.
B ut i t ’s going to hap­
pen. My chance. And
when it comes I ’m going
to jum p at it. I ’m not
going to be tending ba­
bies and giving bridge-
p artie s.”
I said: “I t will work
out all rig h t,” and we
kissed.

11. W hen I left her

a t the door, I kissed her
good night and then
said, very seriously: “One
question, Carol. W hat
happens if nothing hap­
pens? If your chance
never comes?”
She h esitated a mo­
m ent. Then she said so­
berly: “I ’ll be disappoint­
ed for the rest of my
life.”
( A fte r Irwin Shaw)

(to be continued)

171
 QUIZ V I

1. Who said: a) “Sweets to the sweet.”? b) “If you have tears

prepare to shed them now.”?
2. A. S. P u shkin w rote a sonnet in which he m entions the
great “sonneteers” of the past, two of them E nglish, a) Name
them , b) W hat lite rary group did one of them belong to?
c) W hat is the title of his sonnet in which he also treats the
subject of the sonnet.
3. W here is A ppom atox Court House? W hat historic event
took place there?
4. a) W hat is the first English novel in prose? b) W here
was it w ritten?
5. W ho w rote The Kreutzer Sonata? W ho composed the
sonata? W hy was it given th at nam e?
6. W hat E nglish w riters does one associate w ith a) the
“F ive Towns”, b) Dorset, c) Oxford, d) M anchester?
7. W h a t’s the m eaning and the origin of the phrases:
a) caviare to the general, b) at (on) the Greek calends, c) P unic
fa ith ?
8. There is an ancient colum n 202 ft. in height in Fish
S treet H ill in London, dating back to the 70’s of the 17th
century, a) W hat is it called? b) W ho designed it? c) In
m em oration of w hat event was it erected?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) To burn one's
house..., b) The fir s t stroke..., c) D o n 't teachyour grandmoth­
er... .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: a) PO,
b) cfo, c) p.t.o . (P .T .O .), d) p.s. (P . S .)?

SALVATORE
b y W . S om erset M augham
I wonder if I can do it.
I knew S alv ato re first when he was a boy of fifteen w ith
a pleasant, ugly face, a laughing m outh and care-free eyes.
H e used to spend the m orning lying about the beach w ith next
to nothing on 1 and his brown body was as th in as a ra il.2
He was full of grace. H e was in and out of the sea 3 all the
tim e, swim m ing w ith the clum sy, effortless stroke common to
th e fisher boys. S cram bling up the jagged rocks on his hard
172
feet, for except on S undays he never wore shoes, he would throw
him self into the deep w ater w ith a cry of delight. H is father
was a fisherm an who owned his own little vineyard and S alv a­
tore acted as nursem aid to his two younger brothers. He shout­
ed to them to come inshore when they ventured out too far
and made them dress when it was tim e to clim b the hot,
vineclad hill for the frugal m idday meal.
B ut boys in those Southern parts grow apace 4 and in a
little while he was m adly in love w ith a p retty girl who lived
on the G rande M arina. 5 She had eyes like forest pools and
held herself like a daughter of the C aesars.6 They were af­
fianced,7 but they could not m arry till S alvatore had done his
m ilitary service, and when he left the island which he had nev­
er left in his life before, to become a sailor in the navy of
King Victor E m m an uel,8 he wept like a child. It was hard for
one who had never been less free than the birds to be at the
beck and call of 9 others, it was harder still to live in a b a t­
tleship w ith strangers instead of in a little w hite cottage among
the vines; and when he was ashore, to w alk in noisy, friendless
cities w ith streets so crowded th at he was frightened to cross
them , when he had been used to silent paths and the moun­
tain s and the sea. I suppose it had never struck him 10 th at Is­
chia, 11 which he looked at every evening (it was like a fairy
island in the sunset) to see w hat the w eather would be like
next day, or V esuvius,12 pearly in the dawn, had anything
to do w ith him at all; but when he ceased to have them before
his eyes he realised in some dim fashion 13 th a t they were as
much p art of him as his hands and his feet. He was dreadfully
hom esick. B ut it was hardest of all to be parted from the girl
he loved w ith all his passionate young heart. He wrote to
her (in his ch ildlike handw riting) long, ill-spelt 14 letters in
which he told her how constantly he thought of her and how
much he longed to be back. He was sent here and there, to
S p e z z ia ,15 to Venice, 16 to Bari 17 and finally to China. Here
he fell ill of some m ysterious ailm ent th a t kept him in hos­
p ital for m onths. He bore it w ith the m ute and uncom prehend­
ing patience of a dog. W hen he learnt th a t it was a form of
rheum atism th a t m ade him unfit for further service his heart
exulted, for he could go home; and he did not bo th er,18 in
fact he scarcely listened, when the doctors told him th at he
would never again be quite well. W hat did he care when he
was going back to the little island he loved so well and the
girl who was w aitin g for him?
173
 W hen he got into the row ing-boat th a t m et the steam er
from Naples 10 and was rowed ashore he saw his father and
m other stan d in g on the je tty and his two brothers, big boys
now, and he waved to them . H is eyes searched among the
crowd th a t w aited there, for the girl. H e could no t see her.
There was a great deal of kissing when he jum ped up the steps
and they all, em otional creatures, cried a little when they ex ­
changed their greetings. H e asked where the girl w as.H is m oth­
er told him th a t she did not know; they had not seen her for
two or three weeks; so in the evening when the moon was shin­
ing over the placid sea and the lights of N aples tw inkled in
the distance he w alked down to the G rande M arina to her
house. She was sittin g on the doorstep w ith her m other. H e
was a little shy because he had not seen her for so long. H e
asked her if she had not received the letter th a t he had w rit­
ten to her to say th a t he was com ing home. Yes, they had re ­
ceived a letter, and they had been told by another of the
island boys th a t he was ill. Yes, th at was why he was back;
was it not a piece of luck? Oh, but they had heard th at he
would never be quite well again. The doctors talked a lot of
nonsense, b u t he knew very w ell th a t now he was home again
he would recover. They were silent for a little , and then the
m other nudged the girl. She did not try to soften the blow.
She told him straig h t out, w ith the b lu n t directness of her
race, th a t she could not m arry a man who would never be
strong enough to work like a m an. They had made up their
minds, her m other and father and she, and her father would
never give consent.
W hen S alv ato re w ent home he found th a t they all knew.
The g irl’s father had been to tell them w hat they had decided,
b u t they had lacked the courage to tell him them selves. He
w ept on his m o th er’s bosom. He was terrib ly unhappy, bu t he
did not blam e the girl. A fisherm an’s life is hard and it needs
strength and endurance. He knew very well th a t a girl co u ld
not afford to m arry a m an who m ight not be able to support
her. Hi's sm ile was very sad and his eyes had the look of a dog
th a t has been beaten, but he did not com plain, and he never
said a hard word of the girl he had loved so well. Then, a few
m onths later, when he had settled down to the common
round20 working in his fa th e r’s vineyard and fishing, his m oth­
er told him th a t there was a young wom an in the village
who was w illing to m arry him . H er nam e was A ssunta.

174
 “She’s as ugly as the devil,” he said.
She was older than he, tw enty-four or tw enty-five, and
she had been engaged to a man who, w hile doing his m ilitary
service, had been killed in Africa. She had a little money of
her own and if S alvatore m arried her she could buy him a
boat of his own and they could take a v ineyard th a t by a happy
chance happened at th a t mom ent to be w ith o u t a ten an t. His
m other told him th a t A ssunta had seen him at the festa 21 and
had fallen in love w ith him . S alvatore sm iled hi.s sweet sm ile
and said he would think about it. On the following S unday,
dressed in the stiff black clothes in w hich he looked so much
less well th an in the ragged sh irt and trousers of every day,
he went up to H igh Mass 22 at the parish church and placed
him self so th a t he could have a good look a t the young woman.
W hen he came down again he told his m other th a t he was
w illing.
W ell, they were m arried and they settled down in a tiny
w hite-w ashed house in the m iddle of a handsom e vineyard.
S alvatore was now a great, big husky fellow, tall and broad,
b u t still w ith th a t ingenuous sm ile and those trusting, kindly
eyes th a t he had as a boy. He had the m ost beautiful m anners
I have ever seen in m y life. A ssunta was a grim -visaged 23
female, w ith decided features, and she looked old for her years.
B ut she h ad a good heart and she was no fool. I used to be
am used by th e little sm ile of devotion th a t she gave her hus­
band when he was being very m asculine and m asterful; she
never ceased to be touched by his gentle sweetness. B ut she
could not bear the girl who had throw n him over, and n o t­
w ith stan d in g S alv ato re’s sm iling expostulations she had n o th ­
ing bu t harsh words for her. P resently children were born
to them .
It was a hard enough life. All through the fishing season
tow ards evening he set out in his boat w ith one of his b ro th ­
ers for th e fishing grounds. It was a long pull of six or seven
m iles,24 and he spent the night catching th e profitable c u t­
tlefish .25 Then th ere was the long row back again in order to
sell th e catch in tim e for it to go on th e early boat to Naples.
A t other tim es he was working in his vineyard from dawn till
th e heat drove him to rest and then again, when it was a trifle
cooler, till dusk. Often his rheum atism prevented him from
doing any th in g at all and then he w ould lie about the beach,
smoking cigarettes, w ith a pleasant word for everyone n o t­
w ith stan d in g th e p ain th a t racked his lim bs. The foreigners
175
who came down to b ath e and saw him there said th a t these
Italian fisherm en were lazy devils.
Sometim es he used to bring his children down to give them
a b ath . They were both boys and at th is tim e th e elder was
three and th e younger less than two. They sprawled about at
the w ater’s edge stark naked and S alvatore standing on a rock
would dip them in th e w ater. The elder one bore it w ith sto i­
cism, b u t th e baby screamed lustily. S alvatore had enormous
hands, like legs of m utton, coarse and hard from constant
toil, b u t when he bathed his children, holding them so tender­
ly, drying them w ith delicate care, upon my word they were
like flowers. H e would seat the naked baby on the palm of his
hand and hold him up, laughing a little at his sm allness, and
his laugh was like th e laughter of an angel. H is eyes then were
as candid as his ch ild ’s.
I started by saying th a t I wondered if I could do it and
now I m ust tell you w hat it is th a t I have tried to do. I w ant­
ed to see w hether I could hold your atten tio n for a few pages
while I drew for you th e p o rtra it of a m an, just an ordinary
fisherm an who possessed nothing in the w orld except a quali­
ty which is th e rarest, the m ost precious and th e loveliest
th at anyone can have. H eaven only knows why he should so
strangely and unexpectedly have possessed it. A ll I know is
th a t it shone in him w ith a radiance th a t, if it had not been
unconscious and so hum ble, would have been to th e common
run of m en 26 hardly bearable. And in case you have not
guessed w hat th e q u ality was, I w ill tell you. Goodness, just
goodness.

NO TES

1 with next to nothing on—having hardly any clothes on,

alm ost naked; next to nothing — hardly anything, e. g. He
was quick to find out th a t the boy knew next to nothing.
2 as thin as a rail — very th in (also as thin as a lath)
3 he was in and out of the sea — he kept going in and out
of th e w ater
4 to grow apace — to grow quickly
5 Grande Marina — Via G rande M arina — the nam e of
a road or street along the seafront in Ita lia n towns
6 Caesar — any of the Rom an em perors succeeding Augus­
tus Caesar (63 B .C .— 14 A .D .); the word is used as a title
7 affianced [o'faianst] — engaged to be m arried
176
 8 King Victor Emmanuel [I'maenjual] — V ictor Em m a­
nuel II, King of Ita ly (1900-1946)
9 to be at the beck and call (of) — to have to come and go
and obey a person’s orders all the tim e (Russ, быть в чьем-то
распоряжении, на побегушках)
10 it had never struck him — it had never occurred to
him , he had never realized, e. g. One day it struck him th at
Em was no longer a child. He strikes me as being very bright.
How does it strike you? ( = W h a t’s your im pression or
opinion?)
11 Ischia ['iskja] — a rocky island near the entrance to
the Bay of N aples, a health resort noted for its warm mineral
springs and beautiful scenery
12 Vesuvius [vi'su:viasl — an active volcano in Italy on
the shore of the Bay of Naples
13 in some dim fashion — vaguely; dim — not clear or
distinct, as a dim light, a dim corridor, a dim idea, a dim rec­
ollection, eyes dim with tears, dim fears, e. g. Even to himself
the past experience had become dim . S y n . vague — indistinct,
not clearly expressed, e. g. He seems to have a vague idea
of w hat the w hole plan am ounts to. W hen said of a person
it im plies ‘n o t clear or certain as to w hat one really means
or w an ts’, e. g. H is answers w'ere vague. He was vague about
his project.
14 ill-spelt—spelt w ith m istakes; here ill is an adverb
used to form com pounds, comp, ill-natured (‘bad-tem pered’),
ill-bred (‘badly brought u p ’), ill-tim ed (‘done at a wrong
tim e’, as an ill-tim ed visit)
15 La Spezzia [la'speitsia] — a seaport in the north-w est
of Italy
16 Venice I'vem s] — a city in NE Ita ly b u ilt on 118 is­
lets in the gulf of Venice
17 Bari t'b a ri] — a port on the A driatic in South Italy, ah
industrial and com m ercial centre
18 to bother — 1) to worry, cause an x iety or trouble, e. g.
His illness d id n ’t seem to bother him . D on’t bother him with
your endless requests. H is heart has been bothering him of
late; 2) to take trouble, e. g. D on’t bother to call if you are
short of tim e. He d id n ’t bother to be civil even in the presence
of a total stranger. S y n . to annoy, worry: to annoy stresses
loss of patience, e. g. H elen’s absence obviously annoyed him.
Her son’s bad m anners always annoyed her; to worry stresses
anxiety, a state of uneasiness caused by som ething th at upsets
177
one, e. g. D on’t worry. He is sure to re tu rn safe and sound.
W hy should you w orry about mere trifles?
19 Naples ['neiplz] — second largest seaport in Italy ,
a major in d u strial and commercial centre
20 common round — everyday occupations, daily routine;
round — a fixed course, as the daily round, e. g. The doctor
makes his rounds in the morning, as a rule. In the evening
he makes only emergency calls.
21 festa ( I t.) — holiday
22 High Mass — a religious service ofthe Rom an C atholi
Church accom panied by singing of the liturgy
23 grim-visaged — w ith a hard, unkind look
24 a long pull of six . . . miles — a long hard row of
six . . . miles (p u ll= effo rt)
26 cuttlefish — a m arine mollusc of w arm w aters, w ith an
ink sac, which when pursued or otherw ise afraid ejects a
dark fluid. This fluid, called sepia, is dried and used by
painters; Russ, каракатица
26 the common run of men — average, ordinary kind of
men

EX E R C ISE S
E x erc is e I. P r a c tis e the p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e fo llo w in g words and
phrases:
a) v ineyard, frugal, Southern, Caesar, affianced, m yste­
rious, uncom prehending, rheum atism , exult, row ing-boat,
placid, nudge, bosom, strength, endurance, ten an t, ragged,
parish, ingenuous, grim -visaged, expostulation, lim b, bathe,
b ath, precious
b) h i - waz э 'bai av f i f ' i t k n | wi9 a 'p l e z a n t 'x g l i _/feis | a
'lctfig J r n a u 0 1 a n d 'keafri: " i a i z [|
h i ' j u : s t _ t a ' s p e n d ^ d a 'm o :n ig ' l a n g a 'b a u t , _ 9 a ~^bi:tf ||
h i - waz 'in a n d 'a u t av 9a 'si: 'o : 1 ^ 9 a 'y t a i m ||
hi- w u d ^ ' 0 r o u himself in ta 9a J wata 1 wi9 a 'k r a i a v d O l a i t ||
hiz 'fa:9a waz a ^ f i j a m a n | hu 'o u n d hiz 'o u n 'litl ^ v i n j a : d j|
Exerc ise I I . Drills.

A
a) Read a n d re p e a t, b) Use the str u c tu r e s in sentences of your own:
1. I wonder if I can do it.
I wonder if you know him .
178
 I wonder why he feels m iserable.
I wonder w hat makes him happy.
I wonder where he comes from.
I wonder when she is leaving.
2. He used to spend the m orning lying about the beach.
He used to spend the days roaming about the woods.
He used to spend the nights strolling about the P aris streets.
She used to spend the afternoon sittin g about the park,
3. H e acted as nursem aid to his younger brother.
She acted as secretary to her husband.
She acted as la d y ’s m aid to her aunt.
She acted as m other to the orphaned children,
4. It was hard for him to be at the beck and call of others.
I t was flattering for him to join such a distinguished com­
pany.
It was strange for him to be away from home.
It was hard for him to bear the pain.
В
a) R e ad a n d in to n e t h e m odel dialogue:
A.: I wonder if you know Alfred.
B.: I don’t th in k I do.
A.: B ut you m ust have met him at yourbrother’s.
B.: I ’m afraid not. I hardly evergo there.
b) Fill in t h e gaps in t h e d ialogue fram e by phrases from colu m ns (1)
an d (2):

A.: I wonder if you know . . . ,

B.: I don’t th in k I do.
A.: B ut you m ust have . . . (1).
B.: I ’m afraid not. . . . (2).

( 1)
m et him at th e club W e are not on friendly
worked at th e sam e office term s.
know n him at college W e are not on visiting
m et him at your in -law s’ term s.
w orked on th e sam e project It m ust have been before
been introduced to him at my tim e.
your cousin’s I ’ve never laid eyes on
belonged to th e sam e team the m an.
179
 E xercise H I . R epla ce the italicized p a rts of the sentences by words
and phrases from th e text:
1. He would lie on the beach almost naked. 2. H is tanned
body was extremely thin. 3. He swam well and w ith ease, the
way fisher boys do. 4. Boys in the S outh grow very quickly.
5. He missed home^terribly. 6. He would w rite long letters
m aking a lot of spelling mistakes. 7. In C hina he fell ill with
some unknown disease. 8. When he learned he was no longer
fit to do m ilitary service he was extrem ely happy. 9. He was
not in the least, upset since this m eant going home. 10. Assunta
was a stern-looking woman. 11. In spite of the sharp pain in
his legs and arms he was never gloomy or irritable.
E xercise IV . F in d in the text e q u iv a len ts for the following:

почти ничего; худой как щепка; неуклюжий; свойствен­

ный кому-л.; виноградник; скудный обед; безумно влюбить­
ся; быть помолвленным; отбыть военную службу; тихие
тропы; приходить в голову; иметь какое-л. отношение (к);
смутно; тосковать по дому; быть разлученным (с); постоян­
но; страстно желать; непонятное заболевание; терпеливо пе­
реносить; непригоден; какое ему было дело; шлюпка; грес­
ти; безмятежный; мерцать; застенчив; удача; выздороветь
(2); подтолкнуть; смягчить удар; напрямик (без обиняков);
не хватало мужества; винить; выносливость; содержать
кого-л.; обручена; собственный; по счастливой случайности;
арендатор; хорошенько разглядеть; крошечный; бесхит­
ростный; не глупа; преданность; не выносить кого-л.; уве­
щевания; вскоре; места лова рыбы; доходный; улов; чуть
прохладнее; выкупать кого-л.; растянуться; совершенно
голый; окунуть; бережно (нежно); редкое и драгоценное
качество; удержать внимание
Exerc ise V. Answer the following questions:

1. W hat was S alvatore like when the author first knew

him? 2. How did he spend most of the tim e? 3. W hat sort of
family did he come from and who was he responsible for?
4. Who was he soon m adly in love w ith? 5. W hat prevented
him from m arrying at the time? 6. W hy was it particularly
hard for S alv atcre to do his m ilitary service? 7. W hat must
have never struck him before? 8. W hat made him particularly
unhappy? 9. W hat happened to S alvatore when he was tran s­
ferred to C hina? 10. How did he take the news he was unfit
for further service? 11. W hy did he scarcely listen to w hat
Д80
the doctors to ld him? 12. How was he m et at home? W hat
did he learn from his m other about his sw eetheart? 13. W here
did S alvatore go in the evening? 14. W hat was he told
straig h t away? 15. W hat did S alvatore find out when he re­
turned home? 16. W hy didS alvatorenever say a hard word of the
girl he loved? W hat did he know well? 17. W hat did his m oth­
er tell him when he had got over the blow? 18. W hat sort
of woman was Assunta? 19. W hy did S alvatore go up to High
Mass on the following Sunday? 20. W here did the couple settle
down? 21. W hat did S alvatore look like at the tim e of his
marriage? 22. W hat kind of wife did A ssunta make? 23. W hat
was the only point they disagreed on? 24. How did S alvatore
make his living? W hy was his life hard enough? 25. W hat
would he do when he was in pain? 26. W hat shows Salvatore
was a kind and affectionate father? 27. W hat was the au th o r’s
purpose in w ritin g the story?

E x erc ise V I . R etell th e story according to th e given p lan using the

following words and phrases:
I. Salvatore aged fifteen
ugly; care-free; used to; to lie about; next to nothing;
thin as a ra il; in and out of the sea; effortless; common to;
to act as; to venture out; to clim b; frugal meal

II. Salvatore does his m ilitary service

to be m adly in love; affianced; sailor; to weep; at the
beck and call; battlesh ip; strangers; ashore; friendless; crowd­
ed; silent paths; to strike sm b.; fairy island; to have to do
w ith; to realize; in some dim fashion; homesick; to be parted
(from); ill-spelt; constantly; to long to

III. Salvatore is taken ill

m ysterious ailm ent; in hospital; to bear sm th. w ith p a­
tience; rheum atism ; unfit (for); to exult; to bother; w hat
did he care

IV. Salvatore arrives home

rowing-boat; steam er; to wave to; to search; a great deal of;
to w alk down to ...; doorstep; shy; a piece of luck; to talk non­
sense; to recover; to nudge; to soften th e blow; blunt direct­
ness; to lack th e courage; bosom; to blam e; endurance; to
afford; to support
181
 V. Salvatore gets married

w illing; ugly; engaged; of one’s own; vineyard; by a happy

chance; ten an t; stiff clothes; parish church; to have a good
look; to settle down; tiny; husky; ingenuous; tru stin g ; grim -
visaged; no fool; devotion; m asterful; could no t bear; harsh;
presently
V I. Salvatore supports the fam ily
fishing season; fishing grounds; profitable; cuttlefish;
to sell th e catch; dawn; dusk; a trifle cooler; to prevent one
(from); to lie about; to rack one’s lim bs; to give a bath; to
sprawl; stark naked; to dip; enormous; delicate care; rare
quality
E x erc is e V I I . F orm verbs from the a d je ctives below a n d use them
in sentences, as in th e model.
M o d e l : th ick — thicken, e.|g. The cook thickened the soup.
soft, sweet, sick, loose, deaf, dark, tig h t, hard
E x erc is e V I I I . T r a n s la te th e following w o rd -c o m b in a tio n s in to Rus­
sian and ill u s t r a te th e m in sentences or situ atio n s:
a) sweet: a sweet smile, sweet flowers, a sweet sm ell, a
sweet voice, sweet m ilk, a sweet song, sweet m anners, a sweet
little girl, a sweet tem per
b) stiff: stiff clothes, a stiff collar, a stiff denial, stiff
prices, a stiff drink, a stiff upper lip, a stiff fight, a stiff sm ile,
a stiff job
E x e rc is e IX . Choose th e proper word:
(naked — bare)
1. He liked to lie about . . . before the sun got too hot.
2. Lady G odiva rode . . . through the town, as legend has it.
3. W ith the pictures and rags rem oved the room had a . . .
look. 4. The b oy’s hair was dishevelled, his . . . feet covered
w ith scratches. 5. H e makes a . . . living by working from
dawn till dusk. 6. The phenom enon could be w atched w ith
the . . . eye.
(cry — weep — sob)
1. “D on’t . . . for the moon! I t ’s no use.” 2. She . . . over
her ru in ed life. 3. The girl was found lying on the bed, . . .
v io len tly .
'182
 E x erc ise X . M ake up sentences a cc o rd in g to m o d els a) a n d b); use
th e key w ords g iv en below :

M o d e l : a) used to, e.g. She used to play bridge very well.

b) to be (get, grow) used to doing smth. (or to
sm th .), e. g. 1. She soon got used to cooking
her m eals. 2. H e never cleaned his room.
He was not used to it.

1. read a lot; 2. look after the kids; 3. go to church; 4. v isit

his in-laws; 5. lie about on the beach; 6. go to the seaside;
7. be at the beck and call of; 8. catch the cu ttlefish ; 9. work
in the vineyard; 10. act as nursem aid (cook); 11. see much of
somebody

E x e rc ise X I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to R u ssia n u sin g a) n e x t to

n o th in g , b) com m on to, c) have to do w ith , d) f i t ( u n fit) :

a) 1. Он всегда хорошо учился (good at) по математике, но

зато по географии, истории и литературе б ы л п о л н ы м
н е в е ж д о й . 2. О казалось, что он п о ч т и н и ч е г о
н е ч и т а л об актрисе, которая пользовалась таким ог­
ромным успехом в 20-х годах. 3. Он бы с радостью оказал
им материальную помощь, но у него у самого п о ч т и н и ­
ч е г о н е б ы л о . 4. Он не был склонен к разговору и
п о ч т и н и ч е г о нам не сообщил.
b) 1. У него была привычка, с в о й с т в е н н а я ре­
бятам его возраста, набивать карманы всяким хламом. 2.
Он говорил с акцентом, п р и с у щ и м некоторой части
жителей Лондона. 3. Н икто не удивлялся тому, что новый
пассажир был не общителен и не разговорчив: англичанам
с в о й с т в е н н а сдержанность.
c) 1. Д ж ордж не хотел и м е т ь д е л а со своим бра­
том, который его опозорил. 2. Ваше замечание н и к а к
н е с в я з а н о с обсуждаемым вопросом. 3. В дальнейшем
выяснилось, что он н е п р и ч а с т е н ко всей этой ис­
тории. 4. «Обратитесь к секретарю. Я т у т н и п р и
ч е м . Это, очевидно, какое-то недоразумение».
d) 1. У нее отличная подготовка, и она г о д и т с я
для этой работы. 2. Суп этот е с т ь н е л ь з я . Он пере­
солен. 3. После медосмотра стало ясно, что он н е п р и г о ­
д е н для военной службы.
183
 E xercise XI I . T opics for discussion:

1. Speak on the setting of the story.

2. Speak on the life of a poor fisherm an as described
the story.
3. Give a character sketch of a) S alvatore, b) the girl
he used to love, c) S alvatore’s wife.
4. Tell the story in the words of a) A ssunta, b) the girl
S alvatore had been engaged to, c) S alv ato re’s mother.
5. Several problem s may be discussed in connection w ith
this story, such as
a) broken engagements (1. Is a broken engagem ent an ex­
ceptional or an ordinary thing to happen? 2. W hat are the
possible reasons th a t may lead to it? 3. Should the young peo­
ple (or at least one of them) feel relieved when this happens?
When could it be regarded as a blessing in disguise?)
b) unrequited love,
c) jealousy,
d) marriage of convenience.
6. Tell a story you’ve read rem iniscent one way or an ­
other of S alv ato re’s love story.
7. Speak on homesickness (nostalgia).
E xercise XI I I . R e n d er th e follow ing te x ts in E nglish:
а) Наверное, никогда нельзя с точностью указать мину
ту, когда к тебе пришла любовь. И я никак не могу решить,
когда я полюбил Лилю . Я только одно знаю, что теперь уже
не могу без нее. Вся моя ж изнь теперь делится на две части:
до нее и при ней. К ак бы я жил и что значил без нее? Я д а­
ж е думать сб этом не хочу, как не хочу думать о возможной
смерти моих близких (possible death of m y near ones).
Но весной я начинаю кое-что замечать. Нет, я ничего не
замечаю, я только чувствую с болью, что наступает что-то
новое (with a pang, some kind of change is coming). Это даж е
трудно выразить. Просто у нас обнаруживается разница
в характерах (begin to show). Ей не нравятся мои взгляды,
она смеется над моими мечтами, смеется жестоко, и мы не­
сколько раз ссоримся. Потом... Потом все катится под го­
ру (goes dow nhill), все быстрей, все уж асн ее... Я чувствую,
как она уходит от меня (I am losing her) с каждым разом все
дальше, все дальш е...
Сколько в мире юных девушек! Но ты знаешь одну,
.только одной ты смотришь в глаза, только ее голос трога­
ет тебя до слез (affects you to the point of tears). Она гово­
рит с тобой, слушает тебя, смеется, молчит, и ты видишь,
что ты единственный ей нужен, что тебя одного она любит,
так ж е как ты ее.
Но вот с ужасом ты замечаешь, что глаза ее, прежде
отдававшие тебе свою теплоту, теперь равнодушны, ушли в
себя (are w ithdraw n) и что вся она ушла от тебя в такую даль
(moved so far away), что тебе ее уже не достать (reach), от­
туда не вернуть (bring her back). Твои порывы (impulses),
затаенные и гордые мысли (innerm ost thoughts) не для нее,
и сам ты со всей сложностью своей души не для нее. Ты го­
нишься за ней, ты напрягаешься (exert yourself), но все ми­
мо, мимо, все не то и не так. Она ускользнула (slipped away),
уш ла, она где-то у себя, в своем чудесном, неповторимом ми­
ре (wonderful unique world of her own), а тебе нет туда дос­
тупа (the door is closed to you). Отчаяние, злоба, сожаление
и горе охватывают тебя (seize you). Ты опустошен (desola­
ted), обманут, уничтожен (crushed) и бессилен. И ты упадешь
и закричишь, она взглянет на тебя, в глазах ее появится
испуг, удивление, жалость, все, но того, что тебе надо, не
появится, и единственного взгляда ты не получишь, ее лю­
бовь, ее ж изнь не для тебя. Ты даже можешь стать героем,
гением, человеком, которым гордится вся страна, но един­
ственного взгляда, которого ты ждешь (hanker for), ты ни­
когда не получишь.

(Из «Двое в декабре» Ю рия К а зак о в а )

Ь) Утверждение, что акулы (sharks) не жадные и не опас­

ные,— почти парадокс, и тем не менее это истина.
Но начнем с рассказа о лангустах. Лангусты — нацио­
нальное блюдо жителей Австралии. В каждой маленькой
закусочной (cafe, pub) и в каждом большом ресторане в О лба­
ни (Albany) и Кингстоне (Kingstown), в Сиднее (Sidney) и
Мельбурне (M elbourne), в Фримантле (Freem antle) и Н ью ­
касле (Newcastle) всегда подавали крабов (crabs), омаров
(lobsters) или чаще всего лангустов (langoustes): лангусты
фри (fried), лангусты под белым соусом, лангусты в собст­
венном соку (in their own juice), салат из лангустов.
Но так было.
Теперь ж е нет там ни крабов, ни омаров, ни лангустов,
которыми так славилась Австралия. И много семей рыбаков,
существовавших (made their living) за счет этого доходного
промысла, бедствуют (live in poverty)... В чем ж е дело?
185
 Д ело в том, что там истреблены (exterm inate) акулы.
Побережье Австралии имеет дурную славу (a bad rep­
utation). Говорили, что там ж ивут злые (dangerous) ак у­
лы, акулы-людоеды (m an-eaters). Чтобы акул стало меньше,
их стали усиленно ловить. Сперва платили премию за к аж ­
дую пойманную рыбу, потом организовали акулий промы­
сел (fishing). К тому же в Астралию приезжает масса ту ­
ристов со всего мира. Среди них, конечно же, много люби­
телей подводной охоты с аквалангами (underw ater fishing,
aqualang). А кула сразу попала в сферу их внимания (caught
atten tio n ).
Однако мало кто из аквалангистов, да и вообще рыбо­
ловов, разбирается в акулах (be an expert, know m uch
about). Мало кто знает, что из 350 известных науке видов
(species) только 28 виновны перед людьми (attack people)!
остальные ж е никогда не трогали человека. Н е все акулы
несут ответственность (responsible for) за те немногие сл у ­
чаи, когда отдельные особи (specimen) в разных местах зем ­
ного ш ара, может быть, единственный раз в ж изни, и то, воз­
можно, случайно, нападали на человека. Ведь среди хищного
племени (predatory tribe) акул много безобидных (harm ­
less): и карликовые (dwarf sharks) ростом в 25 см и двадца­
тиметровые гиганты (20 m eter-long giants). Н и на кого они не
нападают, потому что питаются только планктоном (plank­
ton).
Итак, акул в водах Австралии довольно быстро истре­
били. Почти всех. Их очень легко уничтожить. Д ело в том,
что акулы — домоседы (attached to their home).
В Индийском океане, в водах Нового Южного Уэльса
(New S outh Wales) и у южных берегов Африки ученые мети­
ли акул (m arked), чтобы выяснить их привязанность к до­
му. Ловили малышей (young оцеэ), прикрепляли им на
спинной плавник (fin) метку (tag) с номером и адресом, из­
меряли, взвешивали и выпускали обратно в море. Через
пять, десять, пятнадцать и даже через двадцать лет меченые
акулы (tagged sharks) попадались в тех ж е самых местах.
Можно сказать, что в Мировом океане все акулы за­
креплены (belong to) за определенным районом и даже срав­
нительно небольшим участком (area) и, как правило, ни­
каких далеких миграций (m igration) не совершают. Это
наблюдение позволяет прийти к очень важному выводу: если
в каком-то районе моря всех акул выловили, то ждать, что
они придут туда из другого места, легкомысленно (unrea­
186
sonable). Акул не будет там до тех пор, пока немногие остав­
шиеся в живых (survivors) через много лет, а, может быть,
и десятилетий не восстановят свою былую численность (to
restore the p o p u latio n w ith in former lim its). Большинство
акул размножается (breed) очень медленно. Д ля воспроиз­
водства акула созревает только на 15— 18-м году жизни.
Т ак вот, когда у берегов Австралии акулы были почти
уничтожены, обрадовались (it m ade happy) осьминоги
(octopus). Н у как же! (No wonder!) Ведь акулы самые глав­
ные, самые свирепые враги осьминогов. И вдруг акул не
стало! Осьминоги почувствовали себя свободно и спокойно.
А ведь их любимая пища — омары, крабы и лангусты. Ч ис­
ло осьминогов быстро росло, а морских раков так ж е быстро
не стало. Л иш ь когда ученые разобрались в этих сложных
и достаточно простых взаимоотношениях акул, осьмино­
гов и ракообразных, правительство Австралии запретило
(prohibited) охоту на акул (shark hunting).

P rice of P u b lic ity

P A R T II

1. H er chance came
three weeks later, in Bos­
ton, in a way nobody
predicted, and it fin­
ished us.

2. W e spoke over the

telephone every night,
and the last tim e I called
her it was one o’clock
in the m orning and
she was in her hotel room .
The play had opened
two nights before. She
told me she loved me
and was expecting me to
come up by the S atu r­
day m orning train for
the weekend.
187
 3. Twelve hours later
when I w ent out to lunch
I bought a newspaper
and t there, on the front
page, was C arol’s picture.
The photograph of a man
by the nam e of Samuel
Borensen was next to it,
and the reason the two
pictures were together
was th a t at night Sam uel
Borensen had been found
lying dead on the bed in
C arol’s hotel room in
Boston.

4. Sam uel B orensen’s

photo had been on the
front pages of the news­
papers a good m any
tim es. He was a success­
ful businessm an, fleshy,
handsom e, conscious of
his own value. He was
fifty and had a wife and
two alm ost grown ch il­
dren. I had never m et
him and I h ad n ’t known
Carol knew him .

5. I threw the paper

away and went to my
apartm ent to call Boston.
H er voice was calm: “Do
you w ant m e to come up
there?” “N o,” she said.
“Do you w ant to ex­
plain anything?” “No.”
“W ell,” I said, “good­
bye.” “Good-bye, P e­
te r .”
188
 6. Then I called my
office and said I was
going out of town for
ten days. I had told
people about my engage­
m ent, and they had
- read th e newspapers by
then and they said,
“Sure, go ahead.”
Then I got into the
car and drove into Con­
necticut, to a little town
where there was a pleas­
ant hotel I had stopped
at, the sum m er before. I
was th e only guest.

7. Curiously enough
I found myself worrying
m ore for C arol’s sake
than for m y own. The
vision of Carol, frail, girl­
ish, caught up w ith doc­
tors, policem en, report­
ers, devoured by the
gossiping eyes of a new
audience every evening,
kept m e awake at night.
As for her career I was
sure it was finished.

8. Suddenly I rem em ­
bered C harlie Sinclair,
who was in the same
play and put in a call
for C harlie in Boston.
“H i, Charley, how’s Ca­
rol?” “Bloom ing,” he said. “How are they treatin g her?” I asked,
trying to be p atien t. “H ave they asked her to give notice?”
“Of course, not. W hy do you think we are selling out every
night? W hen she comes on the stage it gets quiet and you feel
them following every move she makes. The director says
she’s tw enty tim es b etter than she was before.”
189
 9. A fter th a t there was
no sense staying away in
an em pty little hotel and
I drove to the city and
went back to work.

10. I had n ’t intended

to see Carol. B u t on the
opening night of her play
I was in the balcony,
alone, hoping no one
would see me. W hen Carol
entered I saw C harlie
had been telling the
tru th . E verybody’s eyes
were fixed on her. A nd
it was tru e she was b e tte r
than she had ever been.

11. I bought all the

papers the next day and
saw she had received a
great deal of notice.
Some c ritic s p re d ic ted
stardom ,
 12. I d id n ’t see C ar­
ol a fte r th a t. Soon she
was offered th e leading
p a rt in a new .play. The
p a rt was chosen shrewdly.
She play ed a young girl
who was sweet and pa­
thetic for two acts and
then turned out to be a
bitch. The curious thing
was she d id n ’t quite
come off. The audience
was polite but the final
result was disappointing.
I thought in her next
play or the one after she
would finally come into
her own.

13. B ut C harlie Sin­

clair told m e I was wrong.
“She’s had it,” he said.
“She had her chance and
she muffed it. She wasn’t
bad. B ut she wasn’t
good enough to carry
a p lay .” “W h a t’ll happen
to her?” I asked.
“This play will flop
in three weeks. And if
she’s sm art, she’ll go
back to playing small
parts. Only she won’t be
sm art, because nobody is.
And some fool will give
her a leading part and
then th e y ’ll really take
off her hide. And she’d
b etter learn to type or
find a m an and m arry
h im .”
191
 14. E v erything worked
out as C harlie said
itw ould. Carol did go into
another play the next
season. And she did get
m ercilessly criticized.
B ut I d id n ’t see her in
the play because I had
met D orris by then and
we had got m arried.
I never saw Carol
again. So by the tim e she
called me th a t morning
I knew nothing about
her.
(A fter Irw in Shaw )

(to be continued)

QUIZ V II

1. Who said: a) “R ule Forty-Tw o. A l l persons more than

a mile high to leave the Court!”} b) “Off w ith his head!”? c) “By
the way w hat became of the baby?”?
2. W hat was B unhill Fields?
3. W ho w rote the following novels: a) M r B ritlin g Sees
I t Through, b) Jude the Obscure, c) Ulysses, d) The Painted
Veil, e) The Power and the Glory?
4. a) W ho invented the first phonograph? b) W hat words
were ‘used for the first recording?
5. W ho was the first Am erican president elected for a
fourth term of office?
6. W h at is the m eaning and the origin of the phrases a) to
live in Queer Street, b) to take something with a grain of salt,
c) the golden touch?
7. a) W ho, in Greek legend, was an invincible wrestler?
b) How did a Greek hero defeat him?
8. W ho succeeded King George V of G reat B ritain? W hen
and why did the m onarch vacate the throne?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) Never fry a fish ...,
b) I t is an ill bird..., c) The cat shuts its eyes... .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: а) В . C.,
b) A . C., c) A . D P
192
 THE PEARLY BEACH

by Lord D unsany

We could n o t rem em ber, any of us at the Club, who it

was th a t first invented the tw openny stam p on checks.1
There were eight or nine of us there, and not one of us could
p u t a nam e to him . Of course a lot of us knew, but we’d all
forgotten it. And th a t started us talking of the tricks memory
plays. Some said memory d id n ’t m atter so much; some said
it was looking forw ard th at m attered most in business, or
even w atching closely w hat was going on around you now.
And at th a t Jo rk en s stepped in .2 No, memory was the thing,
he said; he could have made more by a good steady memory
than by any am ount of looking into the future.
“I don’t see how th a t could be,” said a stockbroker, who
had ju st bought Jaffirs at 62,3 on p re tty good inform ation
th a t they w ould go to 75. As a m atter of fact they fell to
59 V4.
B ut Jorkens stuck to his point. “W ith a good allround mem­
ory,” he said, “I could have made m illions.”
“B ut how?” asked the stockbroker.
“W ell, it was this w ay,” said Jorkens. “I had a rath er nice
pearl in a tiep in . And things w eren’t quite going the way I
liked: financially, I mean. W ell, to cut a long story short,
I decided to hock 4 my pearl. I rem em ber w aitin g till it was
dark one w in ter’s evening, so as to get to the pawn-shop de­
cently unobserved. And I went in and unscrewed -the pearl
off its p-in, and saw it no more. T hat put the financial position
on a sound basis again; but I cam e out a little w hat you call
ruefully, and I suppose my face m ust have shown it, as I
was sticking back w hat was left of my gold pin into my tie.
Funny how anyone could have noticed all th a t, but F ve
observed th a t when people are a little b it drunk they some­
tim es do. A nyway there was a tall man leaning against a wall,
a man I had never seen before in my life, and he looked at
me in a lazy sort of way, not troubling to move his head, only
his eyes, and even them he seemed barely troubling to turn
and keep open; and he said, ‘You w ant to go to C arrapaccas
beach. T h a t’s where you w ant to g o .’ And he gave me the la t­
itude and longitude. ‘P earls to be had for the g a th e rin g 6
th ere ,’ he saick
7 № 3060 193
 “And I asked him w hat he m eant, why he spoke to me.
I asked him all kinds of things. B ut all he would say was, ‘You
go to C arrappas b each,’ not even giving it the same nam e the
second time.
“W ell, I jo tte d the la titu d e and longitude down on my
sh irt cuff, and I thought the thing over a lot. And the first
thing I saw as I thought things over was th at the man was
perfectly genuine; he had probably had this secret for years,
and then one day he had had a drop too m uch,6 and had
b lu rted the th in g o u t.7 You m ay say w hat you like against
drink, but you don’t find a man to tell you a thing like th at,
ju st because h e’s sorry for you for losing a pearl, when he’s
sober. And m ind you the C arrappas beaches, or w hatever
he called them , were there. The longitude was a long way east,
and the la titu d e a lot south, and I sta rte d one day from Lon­
don, heading for A den.8 D id I tell you all this was in London?
No place like it for startin g on journeys. W ell, I started from
London and came again to Aden. I had a very curious ro­
m ance there once.
“So I cam e to Aden and began looking about. W hat I
was looking for was three sailors; I fancied we could do w ith
th at; 9 and one of those queer sm all boats w ith green keels.
Sails, of course. W ell, I found two sailors, ju st the men I was
looking for. One was nam ed B ill, and the other the P ortu-
gee,10 though both looked English to me so far as I could tell.
And they could get another man who was a half-w it, who they
said would do very w ell.11 The beauty of th a t was th at only
two had to be in i t . 12 I told them at once it was som ething
to do w ith treasure, and they said th a t the third hand 13
could be left on board when the rest of us went ashore, and
would be q u ite happy singing a song th a t he sang. I never
knew w hat his nam e was; Bill and the P ortugee used just to
shout at him , and he would always answer. His home was
Aden; I never learned where the other two came from. W ell,
I told Bill the la titu d e and the longitude, and we slipped out
in a tiny ship one m orning from Aden, sailing toward India.
And it was a long, long tim e before we came to C arrappas
beach, or w hatever it was. And day after day the sky was the
same b listerin g blue, till sunset flam ed in our faces, gazing
back over the stern, and there came every evening behind us
the same o u tb u rst of stars, and all the way the half-w it sang
the same song; only the sea altered. And at last we got there,
as Bill had prom ised we would, a tiny bay w ith a w hite beach
194
shining, shut off by rocks from the rest of the coast, and from
the inner land by a cliff, a low cliff steep behind it. The little
bay was no more than fifty yards long. We cast anchor then,
and I swam ashore w ith Bill and the Portugee, and the third
hand sat on the deck singing his song. All th a t the drunken
man had said was more than true. I hardly like to call him
drunken, when I th in k w hat he did for me, all out of pure kind­
ness. B ut you know w hat I mean; he had had a few drinks and
they had made him quick to notice things and quick to feel
for other people, and perfectly tru th fu l; you know the old
proverb.14 P robably, too, the drinks had brightened his mem­
ory, even to tin y d etails like latitu d e and longitude. I shall
never forget the peculiar crunch as we w alked. The pearls
were m ostly the size of good large peas, and seemed to go
down to about six or eight inches on to a hard gray sand; but
to th a t depth of six or eight inches along th a t fifty yards,
and from the sea to the cliff, the beach was entirely composed
of them . From sea to cliff was about fifteen yards, so th at if
you m u ltip ly th a t by fifty yards for the length, and by half
a foot for the depth, you will see how much th a t was of solid
pearls. I h av en ’t done the sum myself. They d id n ’t go out
under the sea. It was nothing but dead oyster shells there.
A funny little cu rrent scooped around th a t bay. We could
see it doing it still, though the shells were all em pty now;
bu t once it m ust have idly gathered those pearls, and idly
flung them on to the little beach, and roam ed away into the
Indian Ocean beyond the gaze of man. W ell, of course there
was nothing to do b u t to fill our pockets, and we set about
doing th a t,16 and it was a very curious th in g —you may hard­
ly believe me— b u t it was all I could do 16 to get Bill to fill
one pocket. Of course we had to swim back to the ship, which
makes a reasonable 17 explanation, but it w asn’t B ill’s reason
at all. It was sim ply a fear he had of growing too rich. ‘W h a t’s
it w orth?’ he kept saying of his one pocketful; ‘Over two hun­
dred th o u san d ,’ I said at a guess. ‘C an’t see the difference be­
tween two hundred thousand and four hundred thousand,’
Bill would say.
“‘T here’s a lot of difference,’ I ’d tell him .
‘“ Yes, when I ’ve spent the two hundred th o u san d ,’ Bill
would go on.
“‘W ell, there you a re ,’ 18 I ’d say.
‘“ And when will th a t be?’ Bill would answer.
“I saw his p o in t.19
7* 195
 “And another thing he was very keen o n ,20 Bill seemed to
have read of men who had come by big fortunes; won lotteries
and one thing and another; and according to Bill they went
all to pieces quickly, 21 and Bill was frightened. It was all
I could do to get him to fill the other pocket. The Portugee
was quietly filling his, but w ith an uneasy ear taking in all
B ill’s w arnings. You know there was som ething a b it frighten­
ing about all th at w ealth. There was enough of it to have
financed a war, or to have ruined a good-sized country in al­
most any o th er way. I d id n ’t stay more than a few m inutes
after my pockets were full, to sit on the beach and let the
pearls run through my fingers. Then we swam back to the
ship. I said to B ill. ‘W hat about one more load of pearls?’ For
it seemed a pity no t to. And Bill said only, ‘Up anchor.’
And the Portugee said, ‘I expect th a t’s b e st.’ And the half­
w it stopped his song and got up the anchor, and we turned
hom eward tow ard Aden.
“In little more than a fortnight we came to th at cindery
harbor, safe w ith our pearls. And there we sold a few in a quiet
way, w ith o u t w aking suspicion, and paid the half-w it a th o u ­
sand pounds for his wages, and went on to P o rt S aid .22 The
three of us took cabins on a large ship bound for London 23
in order to sell our pearls, and late one evening we came into
P o rt S aid and were to sail on next m orning. By the tim e we’d
paid off the half-w it and paid for our cabins we had n ’t much
ready money left, but Bill said he knew how to get some.
Bill had gone p retty slow on drinks 24 since he got the pearls,
but gam bling was a thing he would, never give up. ‘We can
afford it now ,’ he used to say, which is of course w hat you nev­
er can do. So we went ashore at P o rt S aid, and took our
pearls w ith us, as w e’d none of us tru st all th at out of our sight.
A nd we came to a house Bill knew. Now, w asn’t it a curious
thing th a t B ill, who w ouldn’t trouble to pu t another two h u n ­
dred thousand pounds in his pocket, was keen as m ustard to
make a hundred pounds or so 25 in a P o rt S aid gam bling den?
And )t w asn’t th a t he’d altered his m ind about his pocket­
fuls of pearls being enough: he was never going back to th at
bay. Again and again I suggested it, but there was some
sort of terror about th at little w hite beach of pearls th at
seemed to have got hold of him.
“I w asn’t keen on the gam bling myself, but it seemed only
friendly to keep an eye on the other two. So I slipped a revolv­
er into my pocket and came w ith them . And I was probably
196
drawn too by th a t feeling one used to have th at, if the nam e
of P o rt S aid should tu rn up in a conversation, one has seen
all th a t there is to see there. One liked to be able to say, if
any p articu lar den was m entioned, ‘Oh yes, I dropped 28
fifty pounds th e re .’
“I dropped more than th at.
“Anyway we came to the house; and Bill and I and the
P ortugee went in; and soon we were playing and w inning.
The stakes aren ’t high dow nstairs, and you usually win there.
In fact th a t dow nstairs room rem inded me of a trail of grain
over grass leading up to a trap. U pstairs the stakes were much
higher, and u p stairs we asked to go. A Greek ran the show 21
dow nstairs, the sort of Greek you m ight meet at n ight in the
shadier p arts 28 of P o rt S aid and very often did. The man u p ­
stairs was a Greek too, but not the kind th a t you would count
on m eeting; 29 he seemed worse than I ’d been w arned against.
As we walked in he looked at us, each in tu rn , and it was w;hen
he looked at you th a t his eyes seemed to lig h t up, and the
blood seemed to pale in his face, and the m a n ’s power and
energy w ent to those eyes.
‘“ H igh stak es,’ he said.
“I nodded my head, and Bill and the P ortugee began to
babble som ething.
“‘Got the stuff?’ 30 snapped the Greek.
“The m an’s style irrita te d me. I suppose I lost my tem per.
C ertainly Bill and the Portugee looked p re tty angry at the
way he was speaking to us. I never answered a word to him .
I merely slipped a hand into my pocket and brought out a
handful of pearls, all gleam ing in the ugly light of the room.
And the Greek looked at them w ith his lips slowly widening,
for a long w hile before he spoke. And then he said, ‘P e a rls,’ in
quite a funny sm all voice.31 And I was ju st going to say ‘Yes’.
It was like a page in a book, like a page w ith a picture of a
man in a dingy room w ith pearls in his hand, just going to
speak; you tu rn the page and come on som ething quite dif­
ferent, nothing to do w ith pearls, no room, and nobody speak­
ing. J u s t silence and open air. And then the voice of a man
com ing up out of deeps of silence, saying the same thing over
again, but w ith words th a t did n ’t as yet bring any meaning.
A long tim e passed like th at. Then the words again and this
tim e they seemed to mean som ething, if only one steadied
oneself and tried to think.
‘“ He fainted in the stre e t,’ a man was saying.
197
 “I was in a street right enough: I could see th at as soon as
I looked up. And a man I had never seen before was saying
th at to a policem an. F ainted indeed! 82 There I was w ith a
lump on my forehead the size of two eggs, not to m ention a
taste in my m outh th at I always get after chloroform .”
“And the pearls?” blurted out the broker.
“The pearls,” said Jorkens, and a sad sm ile shone for a
moment.
“Men found unconscious at night in the streets of P o rt Said
never have pearls on them .”
Jorkens rem ained shaking his head for a long tim e. “I sup­
pose n o t,” said someone to break the silence and bring him
back to his tale.
“No,” said Jorkens.
And after a while, in a voice th a t seemed low w ith m ourning
for his few weeks of fabulous w ealth, Jorkens gave us w hat was
left of his tale.
“I never saw Bill cr the Portugee again. L iving or dead I
never found trace of them . I took the policem an back to the
house of the Greek, and was easily able to identify it. The
dow nstairs room was the same as ever and I identified the
man who ran it, as soon as we were able to wake him up and get
him to come out of bed. W hat I couldn’t do was to find the
up stairs room , or even the staircase th a t led to it. As far as
I could see we w ent all over the house, and I could neither
say w hat had happened nor w here it had happened, w hile
th e Greek was sw earing by all k in d s of things, th a t to him
and th e policem an were holy, th a t n o th in g had happened
at all. How th ey had m ade th e change I was never able
to see. So I ju st w ith d rew my charges, and gave the police­
m an baksheesh, 33 and got back to th e ship, and never saw
any of m y pearls again, except one th a t got lost in the
lining, or ever saw trace of the u p stairs G reek. I got th a t
one pearl in the lining fitted onto my tiepin. C arrappas or
C arrapaccas I could not find on any map, and no one I ques­
tioned in tw enty seaports had ever heard of it either; so th at
one pearl in my tiepin was all I got out of the kindly advice
of the drunken man by the w all.”
“But the la titu d e and the longitude,” said T erbut, w ith
the quiet air of one playing a m ate.34
“You see, that,” said Jorkens, “was w hat I couldn’t rem em ­
ber.”

198
 NOTES

1 the twopenny stamp on checks — in E ngland all checks

(usually spelt cheques) m ust have a revenue stam p on them
2 stepped in — (here) joined in the conversation
3 Jaffirs at 62 — stock at the price of §, 62 for one 5 100
share
4 to hock (A m . slang) = to pawn
6 Pearls to be had for the gathering — one can have as
many pearls as one can gather {comp, to have smth. for the
asking, for the whistling, etc.)
6 to have a drop too much — to take too much wine
7 to blurt out — to say sm th. on an im pulse, suddenly,
w ithout thinking, as to blurt out the truth, one's intention, plan,
etc. {Russ, выболтать), e.g. Before she knew w hat she was
saying she had b lu rted out their plan. S y n . babble, snap:
to babble — to speak ind istin ctly , incoherently, in an un in tel­
ligible way, often said of children {Russ, бормотать, лепетать);
to snap — to speak sharply, to in terru p t quickly (Russ, резко
оборвать, рявкнуть, огрызнуться)
8 Aden [eidn] — a seaport on the southw est tip of Saudi
A rabia
9 we could do with that — th a t would be enough for our
purpose
10 Portugee (irreg.) — Portuguese
11 would do very well — would suit us perfectly
12 to be in it — to be in the secret
13 hand — (here) a member of a crew
14 you know the old proverb — the proverb is: “In vino
veritas” (L a t.) — “In wine is tru th .”
15 to set about doing smth. = to sta rt doing sm th.
16 it was all I could d o = I could do no more than
17 reasonable 1) acting according to reason, e. g. D on’t
expect too much, try to be reasonable.H e made the only reason­
able decision possible; 2) fair, not absurd, neither too high
nor too low, as a reasonable excuse, explanation, price, rent,
etc. S y n . sensible — reasonable, practical, as a sensible idea,
plan, rule, person (Russ, разумный, благоразумный, целе­
сообразный), e. g. He is too sensible to do an ything rash.
18 Well, there you are (trium phantly) — used to show th at
the speaker was rig h t (Russ. Вот видишь!)
19 I saw his point. = I understood w hat he m eant.
199
 20 keen on — fond of, enthusiastic about. (In this case
B ill was fond of telling stories about men who got ruined after
w inning big fortunes.) See lower: keen as mustard
21 according to Bill they w ent all to pieces q u ic k ly = in
B ill’s opinion they quickly went to ruin
22 P o rt Said [po:t sae'i:d] — a seaport in NE E gypt on
the M editerranean Sea, at the N orth end of the Suez Canal
23 bound for L ondon= going to London
24 h ad gone p retty slow on drinks (colloq.) = had been care­
ful not to take much alcoholic drink
25 a hundred pounds or s o = a b o u t a hundred pounds
(comp. I ’ll spend a week or so there)
26 dropped (colloq.) = spent
27 ran the sh ow = m anaged, supervised the undertaking
28 the shadier p a rts= d isre p u ta b le parts
29 n o t the kind th a t you w ould count on m e e tin g = n o t the
sort of person th a t you would expect to meet
30 Got the stuff? (slang)= H ave you got the money?
31 sm all (voice)= weak, soft, gentle (voice)
32 F ain ted indeed! — the words show irony (Russ, как бы не
так); indeed is frequently used as a com m ent to show surprise,
irony, etc., e.g. ‘You are invited to the p a r ty .’— ‘Oh, indeed.’
(‘Oh, am I? ’)
33 baksheesh [b a e k 'JiiJ] — (in the Near E ast) a tip
34 the q u iet a ir of one playing a m ate (fig .) — the quiet
air of a person who knows he is dealing a crushing blow to his
opponent; to play a m ate — to win a game of chess (Russ.
объявить мат)

EXERCISES

E xercise I. P ra c tis e th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:

a) pearl, financially, basis, ruefully, latitu d e , longitude,

genuine, b lu rt, curious, another, thousand, Portugee, w ealth,
homeward, dingy, fabulous, chloroform , Jorkens, Carapaccas,
Terbut
b) J w el | it w az ^ 9 i s wei ||
ai h a d a 'r a d a 'n a is ^ p a : l i n ^ 9 a ,ta ip in ||
a n d ,_ /0 ii)z 'w a : n t,_ 'k w a it _ 'g o u i g 9a 'w e i ai " ila ik t ||
ta 'k x t a 'loi) 's ta r i ^ J b : t | ai 'd i s a i d i d ^ t a 'h o k m ai "ypad ||
'0eet p u t^ ,9 a fa i'n a sja l p a 'z ijn an a 's a u n d 'b e isiz a ^ g e m [|
ai 'd 3 a tid ^ 9 a 'l<®titju:d a n d ^ 9 a 'la g itju :d 'd a u n an m ai 'i j 'a i t
k x f | a n d ^ / 0 a : t da '0 ig 'o u v a r _ a " lia t ||

200
 E x erc ise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) Use th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your ow n:
1. What I was looking for was three sailors.
What I couldn't understand was how they had made the
changes.
What I can't imagine is w hat had actu ally happened.
What was expected least of all was her untim ely arrival.
What we liked about him was his vigour and intelligence.
What was most disappointing was his indifference.
2. There is no place like London for startin g on journeys.
There is no writer like Sim enon to keep you awake till the
small hours.
There is no sport like boating to keep you in good trim .
There is no music like Tchaikovsky’s to give you a th rill.
3. 1 never knew what his nam e was.
I never learnt where the two sailors cam e from.
We never found out why he had done it.
I never realized what had actually happened on th a t night.
She never understood why he was so keen on travelling.

4. He was quick to notice things.

She is quick to understand w hat people m ight like.
He was quick to pick up foreign languages.
She was quick to feel the mood of the audience.
В
a) R ead a n d in to n e th e m odel dialogue:
A.: I ’ve often wondered w hat m atters most in m aking a b ril­
lian t stu d en t.
B.: To my m ind memory is the thing.
A.: I don’t th in k so. Memory alone w on’t get you anywhere.
B.: W ell, it goes w ith o u t saying th a t one m ust have brains as
well. B ut m em ory is of utm ost im portance, I believe.
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e dialo g u e fram e w ith w ords from colum ns (1),
(2) a n d (3):

A.: I ’ve often w ondered w hat m atters m ost in m aking a bril­

lian t . . . (1).
B.: To my m ind . . . (2) is the thing.
A.: I don’t th in k so . . . . (2) alone w on’t get you anywhere.
201
В.: W ell, it goes w ithout saying th a t one m ust have. . . (3)
as well. B ut memory is of utm ost im portance, I believe.

(1 ) (2 ) (3)
scholar h ard work a background
doctor perseverance in tu itio n
teacher am b itio n ab ilitie s
executive quick wit luck
business­ insight strong w ill
man system connections
engineer sense of responsibility personal charm
p o litician talen t love of one’s profes­
w rite r toughness sion
actor eloquence absence of scruples
jo u rn alist charm personality
bedside m anner
E x erc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences w ith w ords
a n d p hrases from th e te x t:

1. It was then th a t Jorkens took part in the conversation.

2. The most important thing, he believed, was a good memory.
3. He insisted on the importance of a good memory and told a
story to prove it. 4. You should go itoCarrapaccas beach. T hat’s
the place to go. 5. I hastily wrote down the la titu d e and longi­
tude and gave much thought to w hat he had said. 6. I was con­
vinced th at the man had not told me a lie (could be trusted).
7. At last we reached a very sm all bay w ith a w hite beach. 8. He
has heard or read somewhere th a t people som etimes became
unexpectedly rich. 9. B ill couldn’t be kept from playing cards.
10. The man was extremely anxious to win a considerable sum of
money by p la yin g cards. 11. I personally d id n 't care to play
cards, but I d id n 't w ant to let m y friends go by themselves.
12. An unpleasant-looking man was in charge of the downstairs
room. 13. “H igh stakes,” the m an said curtly, this made me
angry. 14. It was believed I had lost consciousness in the street
b u t I knew better than th at.
E x e rc ise IV . A nsw er th e follow ing questio n s:

1. W hat started the discussion at the club? 2. W hat opin­

ions were given concerning the value of a good memory?
3. W hat was the story intended to prove? 4. W hy did Jorkens
have to go to a pawnshop? 5. W hat sort of man started talking
to Jorkens when the la tte r was leaving the shop? 6. W hat
202
did he advise Jorkens to do? 7. W hat did Jorkens realize
after thinking things over? 8. How did he get down to car­
ry in g out his plan? 9. W ho accom panied J orkens on his voyage?
10. W hat did the beach look like? 11. W hat did Jorkens and
his men do when they reached the bay? 12. W hat did he think
of the man who had caused him to come to th a t d istan t place?
13. W hy was Bill unw illing to have more than one pocketful
of pearls? 14. W h at prevented J orkens from bringing one more
load of pearls? 15. W hat had Bill read about? 16. W hat did
they do after reaching Aden? 17. W hy did they need cash?
18. W here did Bill take them in P o rt Said? 19. W hat made
Jorkens join his com panions? 20. W hat sort of place did they
come to? 21. W hy did the dow nstairs room rem ind Jorkens of
‘a trail of grain over grass leading up to a tra p ’? 22. W hat
sort of man ran the show upstairs? 23. W hy did Jorkens lose
his tem per and w hat blunder did he make? 24. W hat was the
next thing he knew? 25. W hat did Jorkens do in an attem p t
to recover the pearls? 26. W hy w asn’t he able to insist on
his charges? 27. W h a t’s the end of the story?
E x erc ise V . R etell th e sto ry a cc o rd in g to th e given p la n , using the
follow ing w ords a n d phrases:

I. The value of a good memory is discussed

to put a nam e to; tricks of mem ory; to m atter much; to
step in; to look forw ard (to look into the future); to w atch
closely; steady memory; to stick to one’s point
II. A m an near the pawnshop talks to Jorkens
it was this way; to cut a long story short; pawnshop; to
get unobserved; to unscrew (off); ruefully; to stick back; to
lean against; in a lazy sort of way; to be had for the gathering;
to jot down (on); to think things over; perfectly genuine; a
drop too much; to b lu rt out; sober
III. Jorkens takes the advice
no place like; to s ta rt on a journey; to look about; to look
for; could do w ith; half-w it; would do very well; to have
to do w ith; treasure; on board; the rest of; to go ashore; to
slip out; to sail towar 1
IV. The promised beach
tiny bay; w hite beach; to shut off (by, from); the rest of
the coast; fifty yards long; to cast anchor; crunch; the size
203
of large peas; to be composed of; to m u ltip ly (by); to do the
sum; current; m ust have idly gathered (flung); there was
nothing to do but; to set about; a curious thing; reasonable
explanation; w h a t’s it w orth; at a guess
V. B ill is filled with fear
to come by big fortunes; to go to pieces; w arnings; to take
in w ith an uneasy ear; a b it frightening; w ealth; w hat about
one more lo ad ...; up anchor
VI. The boat sails homeward
safe; in a quiet way; to wake suspicion; wages; to take
cabins; a ship bound for; to come to P o rt Said; to sail on; to
have ready money left; to go slow on drinks; gam bling; can
afford; to go ashore; to tru st out of sight; to be keen to do
sm th.; terror; to get hold of; to keep an eye on; to drop
V II. Jorkens comes to a gam bling den
high stakes; to rem ind one of; trap; to run the show; to
count on m eeting; to warn against; to nod; to babble; to snap;
to irritate; to lose one’s tem per; p re tty angry; to bring out;
handful; to gleam ; in a sm all voice
V III. Jorkens recovers consciousness
n othing to do w ith; out of deeps (of) ; over again; to steady
oneself; to fain t; lum p; the size of; no t to m ention; to blurt
out; unconscious
IX . Jorkens makes an attem pt to trace the criminal
to find trace of; to identify; the upstairs room ; to swear (by);
to make the change; to w ithdraw the charges; lining; to get
the pearl fitted (onto)

E x e rc ise V I. T ra n s la te in to R u ssia n p a y in g a tte n tio n to th e follow ­

in g w ords: a) p o in t, b) to look (about, fo r, u p to, down upo n , etc.):

a) 1. V arious objections were raised but Jorkens stuck to

the point. 2. T here’s little tim e left, so let's keep to the point.
3. The young m an made a point of going to the swimming
pool every other day. 4. “This is Helen, our stenographer. She
has been on the point of leaving the office for the last five
years, - but when she comes to the point she realizes th at we
c a n ’t do w ith o u t her and yields to our en treaties.” 5. “There
is a woman involved,” she said, p u ttin g an unerring and ex­
204
perienced finger on the point of friction. 6. The point is
the man is not qualified for the job. 7. W hatever you think
of him is beside the point. 8. He was not much of a talker, yet
whatever he said was always to the point.
b) 1. W atch the traffic, don't look about. 2. He arrived
in London where he had neither friends nor enemies, and began
looking about. 3. The president possesses a rare qu ality of
looking into the future. So one may rely on his judgem ent.
4. Professor Bredon was respected and looked up to by the
students and most of his colleagues. 5. A fter her husband’s
death Airs. W ren was in a state of depression most of the tim e.
She was heard saying th at there was noth in g for her to look
forward to now. 6. “He is looking for trouble, I ’m afraid.”
7. “W hy should you look down upon people who haven’t been
given as good a chance as yours?”
E x erc ise V I I . F orm a d je ctiv es from th e nou n s below acco rd in g to
th e m odel and use th em in sentences:

M o d e l : pocket — pocket/«/.
He brought home a pocketful of pebbles.
hand, spoon, basket, tram , room, trunk, bus, glass, arm ,
bottle
E x e rc ise V I I I . C hoose th e proper w ord:
( b l u r t — babble — sn a p )
1. Before he knew w hat he was saying he had . . . out the
secret. 2. The fellow was obviously confused and . . . some­
thing the clerk couldn’t very well make out. 3. There was lit­
tle tim e left and the Boss . . . out his orders, w hile picking
out the papers he m ight need for the com ing conference.
( throw — cast — flin g — hurl)
1. In the evening they went to the river to . . . a net.
2. H e . . . the m irror on the floor and crushed it. 3. Please,
. . . the book to me. I ’ll catch it. 4. She . . . herself on the sofa
in u tter exhaustion. 5. I t ’s your turn to . . . the dice. 6. They
. . . anchor off the shore. 7. T hreats were m ade and stones
were . . . at the policemen who had been trying to disperse
th e crowd of workers.
(reasonable — sensible)
1. “Do be . . , ” the doctor said to the weeping m other.
“The child m ust be taken to h ospital.” 2. She bought a nice
205
spring coat at a . . . price. 3. I t was . . . of him to retire
before he was fired. 4. The excuse she gave seemed . . . enough.
5. H e proved to the audience th a t a . . . change for the better
h ad taken place.
(drunk — drunken)
1. He was not exactly . . ., but he had obviously had a
drop too m uch. 2. The advice of the . . . man had given J o r­
kens a chance to become fabulously rich.

E x erc ise IX . M ake u p sentences using s im ila r stru c tu re s:

1. He could have made more by a good and steady memory.

2. I suppose my face m ust have shown it.
3. They used to shout at him and he would always shout
back at them .
4. We cam e to P o rt S aid and were to sail on.
5. I got th a t one pearl fitted onto my tiepin.

E x erc ise X . T ra n s la te in to E n g lish usin g th e ph rases a) to count on,

b) to g e t (lose) hold o f, c) to keep an eye on, d) to be keen on:

a) 1. Когда он представил (subm it) доклад на правлении

(board of directors), он н и к а к н е р а с с ч и т ы в а л
н а такую враждебную (hostile) реакцию. 2. Он н е р а с ­
с ч и т ы в а л найти много интересной информации в ста­
рых ж урн алах, но все же решил их просмотреть. 3. Он
р а с с ч и т ы в а л на помощь своих помощников и был
глубоко (bitterly ) разочарован, когда понял, что ему при­
дется действовать одному (single-handed).
b) 1. Д е р ж и т е с ь з а мою руку, здесь очень сколь­
зко. 2. Им о в л а д е л о ужасное подозрение, что он по­
пал в ловуш ку. Н а это он никак не рассчитывал. 3. Он у х-
ватился з а веревку и повис над пропастью (preci­
pice). 4. Его о х в а т и л о чувство страха, но он не по­
терял присутствие духа (lose one’s presence of m ind). 5. Он
выпустил из рук ремень и рухнул (collapsed in а
heap) на землю.
c) 1. П р и с м о т р и т е з а б а г а ж о м , а я поищу
носильщика (porter). 2. Мать рассчитывала на то, что соседи
присмотрят з а детьми в ее отсутствие. 3. Н е
с п у с к а й г л а з с варенья, а то оно убежит (boil over).
d) 1. Он очень у в л е к а л с я футболом. 2. У него н е
б ы л о о с о б е н н о г о ж е л а н и я идти на стадион.
206
3. М альчика о с о б е н н о н е и н т е р е с о в а л о чте­
ние. Он предпочитал мастерить (tinker w ith sm th). 4. С дет­
ства он у в л е к а е т с я марками.

E x ercise X I . T opics for discussion:

1

1. W h at w ould h ave happened if Jo rk en s had not ac­

com panied his friends to th e g am bling den?
2. W ould Jorkens have been safe had he continued on his
voyage w ith his friends?
3. How w ould Jorkens have spent the money if he had
succeeded in g ettin g to London w ithout being robbed?
4. W hy was Bill unw illing to take all the pearls he could
carry? Do you th in k he was rig h t or wrong?
5. W hat is the general belief th a t w ealth brings m isfortune
based upon?
6. Read “The P earl” by Jo h n S teinbeck and discuss the
story.
7. Read “J u s t M eat” by Jac k London and tell the class
w hat it suggests to you.
8. Recall books where gam bling or gam blers are described
and speak on the psychology of a gam bler.
9. Discuss the im portance of a good memory.
10. W hat makes people go to a pawnshop? Describe a
character in a book who is reduced to paw ning things (think
of R obert Shannon, M artin Eden, characters in R ussian lit­
erature, etc.).
11. Describe a character in a novel who suddenly and unex­
pectedly comes into a fortune.

E x e rc ise X I I . R e n d er th e follow ing te x t in E n g lish :

Б рази льская спасательная служба (rescue service) весь­

ма озабочена (to be concerned about) количеством людей,
приезжающих в страну с целью разбогатеть (enrich them ­
selves), и как можно скорее. Прослышав о том, что в реках
амазонской сельвы есть алмазы (diam onds), и проглядев
прейскурант (price list) на эти камни, многие американцы и
европейцы решают, что за свой отпуск они вполне смогут
набить рю кзак (rucksack) (пусть даже и небольшой) драго­
ценностями, обеспечив себе в дальнейшем безбедное сущест­
вование (to live com fortably). Выгрузившись (to land) на
аэродроме в Рио или Сан П аулу, они не задерживаются на
207
туристских достопримечательностях (don’t go sightseeing),
а прямиком отправляю тся в джунгли (m ake tor the jungle) —
за богатством. Тут-то спасателям (rescuers) и приходится
держ ать ухо востро (to keep a good look-out for), ибо эти иска­
тели-любители (am ateur diam ond seekers) без конца теря­
ются (lose th eir way) и их приходится вызволять из беды.
Решено было облегчить задачу спасателей. В этом году на
аэродроме старателей встречает специальный служащий, ко­
торый дает им «верный адрес»: речушка Пронгамба. Она не­
далеко, каких-то сто километров от Рио. Алмазов там,
конечно, нет, но кусочки горного хрусталя (rock-crystal)
туда подбрасывают, чтобы совсем не разочаровывать при­
бывших из-за тридевять земель (from afar).
* *

I ’ve never sailed the Amazon,

I ’ve never reached Brazil;
B ut the Don and Magdalena,
They can go there when they will!
Yes, weekly from S outhham pton,
G reat steam ers, w hite and gold,
Go ro lling down to Rio
(Roll down — roll down to Rio!),
And I ’d like to roll to R io
Some day before I ’m old!
I ’ve never seen a Jaguar,
Nor yet an A rm adill —
О dilloing in his armour,
A nd I s ’pose I never will,
Unless I go to Rio
These wonders to behold —
Roll down — roll down to R io —
Roll really down to Rio!
Oh, I ’d love to roll to Rio
Some day before I ’m old!
(F rom “J u s t So S to ries” b y R . K ip lin g )

N o t e : arm adillo — an A m erican b u rro w in g n o c tu rn a l m am m al

h a v in g an a rm o u rlik e c o v erin g of jo in te d p late s (R u ss, арм ади л). R . K ip ­
lin g sp lits th e w ord a n d coins a verb d illo :
N or y et a n A rm adill —
О d illo in g in his a rm o u r...

208
 P rice of P u b licity

P A R T III

1. The phone rang,

and Miss D rake answered
it. Miss D rake was my
secretary. Now I had a
sm all office of my own
and Miss Drake was
a sign th at I was ad­
vancing in life.
“Mr. R oyal, i t ’s for
you. A Miss H unt.
Shall I tell her you’re
busy?” “No,” 1 said, hop­
ing my face was my usual
w eekday face. “I ’ll speak
to her.”
2. I picked up the
phone, and there was
C arol’s voice, trained,
low, m usical, after two
years. “P eter”, she said,
“I ’m leaving this after­
noon, P eter. There is
som ething I w ant to tell
you. I ’m going home,
P eter. My train leaves at
three th irty from Penn­
sylvania station. Meet
me in the bar across
the street. A t, say, two
th irty ? ” “O kay,” I said,
“See you at two th irty .”
3. After th at I
co u ld n ’t work, of course.
F in a lly I put on my hat
and eoat and told my
secretary I w ouldn’t be in
till around four o ’clock.
I walked aim lessly
around the city.
209
 4. She came in at
ex actly two th irty . She
wore expensive clothes
and she looked beautiful.
“W hat are you going to
do in San Francisco?” I
asked.
“Look for a job. H unt
for a husband. Reflect
on my m istakes.”
“I ’m sorry it turned
out this w ay,” I said.
“H azards of the
trad e,” she said. “B ut I ’ve
n o t come here to cry on
your shoulder. I ’ve got
to tell you som ething
about th a t night in Bos­
ton, to keep the record
stra ig h t.”

5. She was alone in

the room , she told me,
when I called her from
New Y ork. She was in
bed. A nd soon went to
sleep.

6. The knocking on
the door aw akened her.
“O pen the door, C arol,”
a w om an’s voice said,
low and urgent. “I t ’s
me, E ileen .” “Oh, Miss
M unsing,” Carol said,
jum ped out of bed and
threw open the door to
the leading lady.
210
 7. E ileenM unsing was
a handsom e woman of
th irty five, who looked
like a handsom e woman
of th irty on the stage,
and a handsom e woman
of forty off the stage.
The door to her suite
was about th irty feet
away, across the cor­
ridor from C arol’s room.

8. “W hat is it?
W h a t’s the m atter, Miss
M unsing?” “I ’m in troub­
le. I need a friend. P u t on
som ething and come back
w ith me to my room,
please.” Carol began to
shiver. “W hat are you
frightened of?” “I ’m not.
I t ’s just th at there
doesn’t seem to be any
reason—” “There is a rea­
son. A very good reason.
There’s a dead man in
m y bed.”

9. The man lay on

the wide bed, on top of
the blankets, his eyes
open. His jacket and tie
were off, hung over the
back of a chair. He was
about fifty years old and
even though he was dead
he looked like a success­
ful and im portant man.
211
 10. Carol recognized
him at once. Sam uel
Borenson. She had seen
his photo in the newspa­
pers and had met him
in the lobby of the hotel
two days before.
11. “H e was startin g
to get undressed,” Eileen
M unsing said b itteriy,
“and then he said: ‘I
feel a little funny. I ’ll
just lie down for a m in­
u te .’ And then he died.
I ’ve known him for ten
years, and then he goes
and does th at to m e.”
12. “May be he isn’t
dead?” Carol said. “H ave
you called a doctor?”
“A doctor!” Miss M un­
sing laughed harshly.
“T h a t’s just w hat we
need! W hat do you think
the papers will be like
tomorrow? Sam Boren­
son dead in Miss Mun-
sing’s room !!!”
Carol was shivering
w ith cold.“I ’m sorry,” she
said, “I think I ’d better
go.”
“You ca n ’t leave me
alone. You must help me
to dress him and get him
back to his room on the
next floor.”
“I t ’s im possible,” Car­
ol exclaim ed. “W e’d
have to pass tw enty
room s dragging him to
the stairs. Somebody is
sure to see us.”
212
 13. “S it down and
have a drin k ,” Miss M un­
sing said firm ly. “And
now listen to me. He
can't be found here. This
would finish me. There
was enough scandal
about my second divorce.”
V aguely Carol remem ­
bered new spaper stories
about detectives, photo­
graphs shown in court,
a labourer run over and
the man driving the car
drunk and not Miss Mun-
sing’s husband at all.
14. Miss M unsing had
poured two stiff whis­
keys and had given one
to Carol.
“ If som ething like
th a t had happened when
I was a young actress,
just startin g , it would
have been all right.
Moreover, it would have
helped. People would
have s a i d ‘W ell, you can’t
blam e her too much. She
is just a young girl on
her ow n.’ And th ey ’d
be interested in me, cu­
rious about me. T hey’d
w ant to see me. Oh! It
would have been better
than a trunkful of reviews.”
15. Carol stood up.
She had stopped shiv­
ering. “E ileen,” she said
calm ly. “I think we’d
better get started if we
w ant to get him into
my room before daylight.”
213
 16. We sat in silence
for a m om ent. “Every­
thing worked exactly as
we had planned. The only
trouble was th at I m is­
calculated. I thought
th at I was better than
I was, th a t’s all. Who
doesn’t make a m istake
now and then?”

17. S he looked at her

w atch and rose. “I have
to go.”
“W hy did you finally
tell me this?” I asked.
“We shall, probably,
never meet again. So I
w anted you to know th at
I haven’t been unfaithful
to you.”

18. She kissed me

lightly on the cheek and
started across the ave­
nue, youthful, delicate,
beautiful, dem ented —
looking w ith her soft fur
coat, fine clothes and
shining blond hair as
though she were setting
out to conquer the city.
214
 QU IZ V III

1. These are the opening lines of one of Shakespeare’s

plays:
“Now is the w inter of our discontent
M ade glorious sum m er by this sun of Y ork”.
a) Name the play, b) In w hat well-known novel are the
words used for a title?
2. Who in Greek m ythology typifies a) filial and sister­
ly devotion, b) wifely constancy, c) male strength and en­
durance?
3. Name the actors (actresses) starring in the following
films: a) The Rom an Holiday, b) M an for A ll Seasons,
c) The Comedians, d) The Bridge Over the River Quai.
4. There are four A rt G alleries in London. Name them and
say w hat they are known for.
5. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the following
expressions: a) a white m an's burden, b) John B u ll (also John
Bullish), c) to go to the wall (the weakest go to the w a lip
6. W hat is the oldest U. S. U niversity? W here does
its nam e come from?
7. W ho wrote: a) Across the River and into the Trees, b)
Tender is the N ight, c) A ll M en are Enemies?
8. W ho were the two most outstanding poets of V ictorian
England?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) In for a penny...,
b ) N othing venture..., c) Life is not... .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: a) IQ,
b ) coed?

TEAMED WITH G ENIUS

by F . S c o tt F itzgerald

‘I took a chance in sending for you,’ 1 said Ja c k Berners.

‘B ut there is job th at you just m ay be able to help out w ith .’
Though P a t H obby was not offended, either as man or
w riter, a formal protest was called for.2
215
 ‘I been 3 in the industry fifteen years, Jack . I ’ve got more
screen credits than a dog has got fleas.’ 4
‘Maybe I chose the wrong w ord,’ said Jac k . ‘W hat I mean
is th at was a long tim e ago. A bout money w e’ll pay you
just w hat R epublic 6 paid you last m onth — three-fifty 8
a week. Now — did you ever hear of a w riter nam ed Rene W il­
cox?’
The nam e was unfam iliar. P at had scarcely opened a
book in a decade.
‘S he’s p retty good,’ he ventured.
‘I t ’s a man, an English playw right. H e’s only here in
L. A .7 for his h ealth. Well — w e’ve had a Russian B allet
picture kicking around 8 for a year — three bad scripts on
it. So last week we signed up Rene W ilcox — he seemed just
the person. We think we can borrow Z orina,9 so we w ant to
hurry things up — do a shooting script 10 instead of just a
tre a tm e n t.11 W ilcox is inexperienced and th a t’s were you
come in .12 You used to be a good man for stru ctu re .’13
‘Used to be!’
‘All right, may be you still a re .’ Jac k beam ed w ith momen­
tary encouragem ent. ‘Find yourself an office and get together
w ith Rene W ilcox.’ As P a t started out he called him back and
put a bill in his hand. ‘F irst of all, get a new hat. You used
to be quite a boy around the secretaries in the old days.
D on’t give up at forty-nine.’
Over in the W riters B uilding P a t glanced at the directo­
ry 14 in the hall and knocked at the door 216. No answer,
but he w ent in to discover 15 a blond willowy youth 16 of
tw enty-five starin g moodily out of the window.
‘Hello, R ene!’ P a t said. ‘I ’m your p a rtn e r.’
W ilcox’s regard questioned even his existence,17 but P a t
continued heartily . ‘I hear we’re going to lick some stuff into
shape.18 Ever collaborate before?’ 19
‘I have never w ritten for the cinem a before.’
W hile this increased P a t’s chance for a screen credit he
badly needed, it m eant th at he m ight have to do some woik.
The very thought made him thirsty.
‘This is different from p lay w ritin g ,’ he suggested, w ith
suitable g rav ity .
‘Yes — I read a book about i t . ’
P at w anted to laugh. In 1928 he and another man had
concocted such a suckertrap,20 Secrets of F ilm W riting. It
would have made money if pictures h ad n ’t started to talk.
216
 ‘It all seems sim ple enough,’ said W ilcox. Suddenly he
took his h at from the rack. ‘I ’ll be running along now .’
‘D on’t you w ant to talk about the sc rip t? ’ dem anded P a t.
‘W hat have you done so far?’
‘I ’ve not done a n y th in g ,’ said W ilcox d e lib e ra te ly .‘T hat
idiot, Berners, gave me some trash and told me to go on from
there. B ut i t ’s too d ism al.’ His blue eyes narrow ed. ‘I say,
w h a t’s a boom sh o t?’ 21
‘A boom shot? W hy, th a t’s when the cam era’s on a crane.’
P a t leaned over the desk and picked up a blue-jacketed
‘T reatm en t’. On the cover he read:
B A L L E T SH O ES
A Treatment
by
Consuela M artin
A n Original from an idea by Consuela M artin
P a t glanced at the beginning and then at the end.
‘I ’d like it better if you could get the war in som ewhere,’
he said frowning. ‘H ave the dancer go as a Red Cross nurse
and then she could get regenerated. See w hat I m ean?’
There was no answer. P a t turned and saw the door softly
closing.
‘W hat is th is?’ he exclaim ed. W hat kind of collaborating
can a man do if he w alks out? W ilcox had not even given the
legitim ate excuse — the races at S an ta A nita! 22
The door opened again, a p re tty g irl’s face, rath er frig h t­
ened, showed itself m om entarily, said ‘O h’, and disappeared.
Then it returned.
‘W hy i t ’s Mr H obby!’ she exclaim ed. ‘I was looking for
Mr W ilcox.’
He fum bled for her nam e but she supplied it.
‘K atherine Hodge. I was your secretary when I worked
here three years ago.’
P a t knew she had once worked w ith him , bu t for the mo­
m ent could not rem em ber w hether there had been a deeper
relation. It did not seem to him th at it had been love — bu t
looking at her now, th a t appeared ra th e r too b ad .23
‘S it dow n,’ said P a t. ‘You assigned to W ilcox?’ 24
‘I thought so — b u t he hasn’t given me any work y e t.’
‘I think h e’s n u ts ,’ 25 P a t said gloom ily. ‘He asked me
w hat a boom shot was. Maybe he’s sick — th a t’s why h e’s
out here.’
217
 ‘H e’s well now ,’ K atherine ventured.
‘He doesn’t look like it to me. Come on in my office. You
can work for me this afternoon.’
P a t lay on his couch while Miss K ath erin e Hodge read the
scrip t of B allet Shoes aloud to him . A bout m idway in the
second sequence he fell asleep w ith his new h at on his chest.
II
Except for the hat, th at was the identical position in
which he found Rene next day at eleven. And it was th at way
for three straig h t days 26 — one was asleep or else the other
and som etim es both. On the fourth day they had several
conferences in w hich P at again put forw ard his idea about
the war as a regenerating force for ballet dancers.
‘C ouldn’t we not talk about the w ar?’ suggested Rene.
‘I have two brothers in the G u ard s.’ 27
‘Y ou’re lucky to be here in H ollyw ood.’
‘T h a t’s as it may b e.’ 28
‘W ell, w h a t’s your idea of the sta rt of the picture?’
‘I do not like the present beginning. It gives me an alm ost
physical n au sea.’
‘So then, we got to have som ething in its place. T h a t’s
why I w ant to p la n t the war — ’
‘I ’m late to luncheon,’ said Rene W ilcox. ‘Good-bye,
M ike!’
‘He can call me anything he likes, but som ebody’s got to
w rite this picture. I ’ll go to Ja c k Berners and tell him —
but I think w e’d both be out on our e a rs.’ 29
For two days more he cam ped in R ene’s office, trying to
rouse him to action, but w ith no a v a il.30 D esperate on the
following day — when the playw right did not even come to
his studio — P a t took a benzedrine tab let 31 and attacked
the story alone. P acing his office w ith the treatm ent in his
hand he d ictated to K atherine — interspersing the dictation
w ith a short biased history of his life in H ollyw ood.32At the
d ay ’s end he had two pages of script.
The ensuing week was the toughest in his life — not even
a moment to make a pass at 33 K atherine Hodge. G radually,
w ith many creaks, his battered hulk got in m otion.34 Benzed­
rine and great drafts of coffee woke him in the m orning,
whiskey anesthetized him at night. In to his feet crept an
old neu ritis and as his nerves began to crackle,35 he developed
a hatred against Rene W ilcox, which served him as a sort of
218
ersatz fuel.36 He was going to finish the script by him self and
hand it to Berners w ith the statem ent th a t W ilcox had not
contributed a single line.
But it was too much — P a t was too far gone.37 He blew
up when he was half through and went on a tw enty-four-hour
bat 38 — and next arrived back at the studio to find 39 a
message th at Mr Berners w anted to see the script at four.
P at was in a sick and confused state when his door opened
and Rene W ilcox came in w ith a typescript in one hand, and
a copy of B erners’ note in the other.
‘I t ’s all r ig h t,’ said W ilcox, ‘I ’ve finished i t . ’
l Whai? H ave you been working?’
‘I always work at n ig h t.’
‘W hat have you done? A treatm en t?’
‘No, a shooting script. At first I was held back by person­
al worries, but once I got started it was very sim ple. You
just get behind the cam era and dream .’
P a t stood up aghast.
‘B ut we were supposed to collaborate. Jac k will be w ild .’
‘I ’ve always worked alone,’ said W ilcox gently. ‘I ’ll
explain to Berners this afternoon.’
P a t sat in a daze. If W ilcox’s script was good — but how
could a first script be good? W ilcox should have fed it to
him 40 as he wrote; then they m ight have had som ething.
P a t started his m ind working — he was struck by the first
original idea since he had been on the job. He phoned to the
script departm ent for K atherine Hodge and when she came
over told her w hat he w anted. K atherine hesitated.
‘I just w ant to read i t , ’ P a t said h astily . ‘If W ilcox is
there you can ’t take it, of course. But he ju st m ight be o u t.’
He w aited nervously. In five m inutes she was back w ith
the script.
‘It isn’t m im eographed or even b o u n d ,’ she said.
He was at the typew riter, trem bling, as he picked out a
letter w ith two fingers.
‘C an’t I help?’ she asked.
‘F ind me a plain envelope and a used stam p and some
p aste.’
P at sealed the letter him self and then gave directions:
‘Listen outside W ilcox’s office. If he’s in, push it under
his door. If h e’s out get a call boy to deliver it to him , wher­
ever he is. Say i t ’s from the mail room. Then you better go
off the lot 41 for the afternoon. So he w on’t catch o n ,42 see?’
219
 As she w ent out P a t wished he had kept a copy of the note.
He was proud of it — there was a rin g of factual sincerity
in it too often m issing from his work.
Dear M r W ilcox:
I am sorry to tell you your two brothers were killed in
action today by a long range Tom m y-gun. You are wanted at
home in E ngland right away.
John Sm ythe
The British consulate, New York
B ut P a t realized th a t this was no tim e for self-applause.
He opened W ilcox’s script.
To his v ast surprise it was technically proficient — the
dissolves,43 fades,44 c u ts,45 pans 4S and trucking shots 47 were
correctly detailed. This sim plified every thing. T urning back
to the first page he w rote at the top:

B A L L E T SH O ES
First Revise.48
From P a t Hobby and Rene W ilcox — presently changing
this to read: From Rene Wilcox and P at Hobby.
Then, w orking frantically, he made several sm all changes.
He su b stitu ted the word ‘Scram !’ 49 for ‘G et out of my sight!’,
he put ‘B ehind the eig h t-b a ll’ 60 instead of ‘in trouble’,
and replaced ‘Y ou’ll be sorry’ w ith the apt coinage ‘Or else!’.
Then he phoned the script departm ent.
‘This is P a t H obby. I ’ve been w orking on a script w ith
Rene W ilcox, and Mr Berners would like to have it mimeo­
graphed by half-past th ree.’
This would give him an h o u r’s sta rt on his unconscious
collaborator.
‘Is it an em ergency?’
‘I ’ll s a y .’
‘W e’ll have to split it up between several g irls.’
P a t continued to im prove the script till the call boy ar­
rived. He w anted to p u t in his war idea bu t tim e was short —
still, he finally told the call boy to sit down, while he wrote
laboriously in pencil on the last page.

C LO SE SH O T : Boris and R ita

R I T A : W hat does anything matter now! I have enlisted as a
trained nurse in the war.
B O R IS (moved): War purifies and regenerates!
220
г

(Не puts his arm s around her in a w ild em brace as the

music soars w ay up and we FADE OUT.)
Lim p and exhausted by his effort he needed a drink so
he left the lot and slipped cautiously into the bar across from
the studio where he ordered gin and w ater.
W ith the glow, he thought warm thoughts. He had done
almost what he had been hired to do — though his hand had
accidentally fallen upon the dialogue ra th e r than the structure.
B ut how could Berners tell th at the stru ctu re w asn’t P a t’s?
K atherine Hodge would tell nothing for fear of im plicating
herself. They were all guiUy but guiltiest of all was Rene
W ilcox for refusing to play the game. Always, according to
his lig h ts,51 P a t had played the game.
He had another drink, bought breath tablets 52 and for
awhile amused him self at the nickel m achine 63 in the drug­
store. Louie, the studio bookie,64 asked if he was interested
in wagers on a bigger scale.65
‘Not today, L o u ie.’
‘W hat are they paying you, P a t? ’
‘Thousand a w eek.’
‘Not so b a d .’
‘Oh, a lot of us old tim ers are com ing b ac k ,’ P a t prophe­
sied. ‘In silent days was where you got real training. Now
i t ’s a sis jo b .58 They got English teachers working in pictures!
W hat do they know ?’
‘How about a little som ething on “Q uaker G irl”?’ 67
‘N o,’ said P a t. ‘This afternoon I got an im portant
angle to work on. I don’t w ant to worry about horses.’
At three-fifteen he returned to his office to find two cop­
ies of his script in bright new covers.

B A L L E T SH O E S
from
Rene Wilcox and P at Hobby
First Revise

It reassured him to see his nam e in type. As he w aited in

Jack B erners’ anteroom he alm ost wished he had reversed
the nam es. W ith the rig h t director this m ight be another I t
Happened One N ig h t,58 and if he got his nam e on som ething
like th at it m eant a three or four years gravy rid e .59 B ut this
tim e he’d save his money — go to S an ta A nita only once a
221
week — get him self a girl along the type of K atherine Hodge,
who w ouldn’t expect a mansion in B everly H ills.60
B erners’ secretary interrupted his reverie, telling him to
go in. As he entered he saw w ith g ra tific atio n th a t a copy of
his new script lay on B erners’ desk.
‘Did your ever — ’ asked Berners suddenly ‘— go to a
psychoanalyst?’
‘N o ,’ ad m itted P a t. ‘B ut I suppose I could get up on
i t .61 Is it a new assignm ent?’
‘Not exactly. I t ’s just th at I think you’ve lost your g rip .62
Even larceny requires a certain cunning. I ’ve ju st talked
w ith W ilcox on the phone.’
‘W ilcox m ust be n u ts ,’ said P a t, aggressively. ‘I d id n ’t
steal an y th in g from him. His nam e is on it, isn ’t? Two weeks
ago I laid out all his structure — every scene. I even wrote
one whole scene — at the end about the w a r.’
‘Oh, yes, the w a r,’ said Berners as if he was thinking of
som ething else.
‘B ut if you like W ilcox’s ending better — ’
‘Yes, I like his ending better. I never saw a man pick up
this work so fa s t.’ He paused. ‘P a t, you’ve told the tru th
ju st once since you came in this room — th a t you d id n ’t
steal an y th in g from W ilcox.’
‘I certain ly did not. I gave him his stu ff.’
B ut a certain dreariness, a grey malaise, 63 crept over him
as Berners continued:
‘I told you we had three scripts. You used an old one we
discarded a year ago. W ilcox was in when your secretary a r­
rived, and he sent one of them to you. Clever, eh?’
P a t was speechless.
‘You see, he and th a t girl like each other. Seems she
typed a play for him this sum m er.’
‘H e’s resp o n sib le,’ P a t cried. ‘H e w ouldn’t collaborate —
and all the tim e — ’
‘ — he was w riting a swell script. And he can w rite his
own ticket 64 if we can persuade him to stay here and do an­
o th er.’
P a t could stan d no more. He stood up.
‘Anyhow th ank you, J a c k ,’ he faltered. ‘Call my agent if
anything turns u p .’ Then he bolted suddenly and surprisingly
for the door.
Jac k Berners signaled on the D ictograph for the P resi­
d en t’s office.
222
 ‘Get a chance 66 to read it? ’ he asked in a tone of eagerness,
‘I t ’s swell. B etter than you said. W ilcox is w ith me now.'
‘H ave you signed him up?’
‘I ’m going to. Seems he w ants to work w ith H obby. Here
you talk to h im .’
W ilcox’s ra th e r high voice came over the wire.
‘Must have M ike H o b b y ,’ he said. ‘G rateful to him . H ad a
quarrel w ith a certain young lady just before he came, but
today H obby brought us together. Besides I w ant to w rite a
play about him . So give him to me — you fellows don’t w ant
him any m ore.’
Berners picked up his secretary’s phone.
‘Go after P a t H obby. H e’s probably in the bar across the
street. W e’re p u ttin g him on salary again but we’ll be sorry.'
He switched off, sw itched on again.
‘Oh! Take him his h at. He forgot his h a t.'

NOTES

1 I took a chance in sending for you — I realize th at

there is a risk in offering you this job; w. c. to take a chance—
to risk; to take no chances — to be careful, not to be pre­
pared to risk, e. g. I am not going to test the apparatus
u n til I ’m sure it will work. I ’m not taking any chances.
2 a formal protest was called for — P a t felt it was neces­
sary to make a formal protest; to call for — to require, to de­
m and, e.g. The changes in the original project called for
add itional expenses.
3 I been (colloq. e llip t.) — I ’ve been
4 I’ve got more screen credits than a dog has got fleas —
I ’ve p artic ip a te d in producing no end of film s; credit (slang) —
credit line, i.e. a line giving the nam e of the director, scrip t­
w riter, producer, etc. Russ, титр
6 Republic — nam e of another cinem a concern (probably
non-existent)
6 three-fifty — three hundred and fifty dollars
7 L .A .— Los Angeles [Ids 'sendgiliiz], a port in southern
C alifornia, the th ird largest city in the U n ited S tates; Holly­
wood, a section of Los Angeles, considered the centre of the
m otion-picture in d u stry in the US
8 kicking around (slang) — being experim ented w ith
8 borrow Zorina ['zorinal — invite a ballerina from
223
another studio. (American ballet dancers frequently assume
R ussian nam es.)
10 shooting script — a m otion picture scenario having
the scenes arranged in the order in which they are to be photo­
graphed; Russ, режиссерский (постановочный) сценарий
с диалогами
11 treatment — a literary handling, especially w ith refer­
ence to style (Russ, литературный сценарий)
12 th at’s where you come in — t h a t’s where you can be
helpful
13 a good man for structure — for the arrangem ent of
parts, elem ents or constituents (Russ, для композиции)
14 directory — a book containing inform ation (names,
room -num bers, addresses, telephone num bers, etc.) Comp.
telephone directory
16 he went in to discover — when he went in he discov­
ered; to discover — in fin itiv e of result, e.g. He searched the
flat to discover the crim inal had left no clues.
16 w illowy youth — young man, gracefully slender and
supple
17 W ilcox’s regard questioned even his existence — the
author im plies th a t W ilcox sort of looked through him , as if
there was nobody there
18 to lick some stuff into shape (colloq.) — to put sm th.
into shape, to make a thing suitable for a certain purpose
19 Ever collaborate before? (e llip t.) = D id you ever col­
laborate before?
20 to concoct a suckertrap (slang) — to produce a cheap
book for those who can be easily deceived into believing i t ’s
the real thing; sucker — one who is easily deceived, a foolish
or g ullible person
21 boom shot — on m otion picture or television stages, a
spar or beam on a m obile crane for holding or m anipulating
a m icrophone or camera; Russ, кадр, снятый с помощью
крана (подвижная штанга на съемочной площадке, на ко­
торой крепится съемочный кран)
22 Santa Anita — the nam e of a park in Los Angeles w ith
a race-course which people from the studio frequented
23 that appeared rather too bad — he was sorry it h ad n ’t
been love; too bad (colloq.) — i t ’s a p ity
24 ‘ You assigned to Wilcox?’ (e llip t.) = A re you assigned
to W ilcox?
26 h e’s nuts (slang) — he’s crazy
224
 28 three straig h t days — three days running
27 the Guards — the regim ents in the arm y whose duty is
to protect the K ing or Em peror; here probably p art of the
B ritish arm y having the special du ty of defending the main
p a rt of the arm y
28 ‘T h a t’s as it m ay b e .’ — Russ. Это как сказать. (Мо­
жет быть да, а может быть нет.)
29 I think w e’d both be out on our ears. (A m .) — I think
we’d both be out of a job (kicked out).
30 w ith no av ail — w ithout avail, unsuccessfully;
w.c. of no av ail — useless, of no use, e.g. H is attem pts to
find a better paid job were of no av ail.
31 benzedrine tab let — a stim u lan t
32 a short biased history of his life in Hollywood — the
words indicate th a t P a t was inclined to exaggerate the role
he used to play in Hollywood, his p o p u larity , success, etc.;
biased — influenced by certain em otions, views, etc., being
strongly in favour or against sm th. (a plan, program ) or
sm b., as to be biased against a certain course, candidate, etc.
A n t. unbiased, e.g. H e gave his unbiased opinion of the situ a ­
tion. The reporter gave an unbiased account of the facts.
33 to make a pass a t (slang) — to try to flirt w ith; Russ.
заигрывать с
34 w ith m any creaks, his b attered hulk got in motion
(m etaph.) — the au th or wishes to say th a t P a t got down to
work w ith great difficulty, com paring the whole thing to the
launching of an old discarded ship
35 his nerves began to crackle (fig .) — he became irrita ­
ble, snappish
38 ersatz fuel — the phrase im plies th a t P a t was urged
on not by in spiration or creative enthusiasm bu t by hatred;
ersatz — som ething used instead of the real thing, a usually
inferior su b stitu te
37 was too fa r gone — the strain was too much for him ,
he had lost control of himself
38 b at — a drunken spree; w.c. to go on a bat; Russ, загу­
лять, запить
39 next arriv ed back . . . to find — when he next arrived
back he found (com p. p. 224, N ote 15)
40 should have fed it to him (colloq.) — should have given
it to him b it by b it as he wrote
41 to go o ff the lot — to leave the premises; lot —a mc-
tion-picture studio and the area belonging to it
8 № 3060 226
 42 So he w on’t catch on (colloq.) — So he won’t sus­
pect anything
43 dissolves — scenes made by dissolving, i. e. fading
out one shot or scene while sim ultaneously fading in the
n ext, overlapping the two during the process (Russ, наплывы)
44 fades: to fade in — to appear gradually, usually by be­
com ing lighter; to fade out— to disappear, usually by becom­
ing darker; n. a gradual increase in the v isib ility of a scene
(Russ, затемнения)
46 cuts — a sudden shift from one shot to another (Russ.
монтажные стыки)
46 pans — short for panoramas (Russ, панорамы)
47 trucking shots — camera shots taken from a, moving
dolly (dolly — a m obile platform for m oving a cam era about
a set; Russ, тележ ка, долли)
48 First Revise — Russ, первая редакция
49 Scram! (slang) — Get out! Be off!
60 behind the eight-ball (slang) — in an uncom fortable
situ atio n (from the game of pool — a black ball bearing
num ber 8)
61 according to his lights — according to his abilities
(Russ, в меру своих возможностей или способностей)
62 breath tablets — tablets taken to conceal the fact one
has been d rinking whiskey
63 nickel machine ( = s lo t machine) — operates when a
nickel (a 5 cent piece in US) is dropped into a slot (Russ.
автомат); (here) a gam bling m achine
64 bookie (short for bookmaker) — one who collects bets
86 wagers on a bigger scale — larger bets
66 sis job (slang) — an easy job any girl can do
67 “Quaker Girl” — nam e of a horse
88 I t Happened One N ight — a film th a t made a clean
sweep in 1934, starrin g Clark G able and C laudette Colbert;
it won several Oscars
89 a three or four years gravy ride (slang) — a position
in which a person receives excessive and u njustified advantag­
es w ith little or no effort (Russ, как сыр в масле катать­
ся)
60 Beverly ['bevali] Hills—city in SW C alifornia, near Los
Angeles, where all the film industry m agnates and cinema
stars live
01 1 could get up on it (colloq.) — I could cope w ith it
62 you’ve lost your grip (A m e r.) — you’ve lost your men­
226
tal hold, the ab ility to handle things (Russ, не тот, что был;
хватка не та)
63 malaise [m a'leiz] — a vague feeling of discom fort and
fatigue
64 he can write his own ticket — he can nam e his own
conditions
66 Get a chance (e llip t.) — D id you get a chance

EXERCISES

E x erc ise I. P ra c tise th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:

a) genius, screen credits, decade, health, b allet, m onetary,

collaborate, th irsty , g ravity, deliberately, idiot, dism al, re­
generated, legitim ate, m om entarily, couch, identical, nausea,
rouse, benzedrine, intersperse, biased, ensuing, anesthetize,
neuritis, ersatz fuel, contribute, aghast, m im eograph, since­
rity , proficient, revise, coinage, laboriously, reverie, g ra ti­
fication, psychoanalyst, larceny, m alaise, incredulously
b) ai ' t u k э 't f a m s in ~ ysend ig fo j u ,sed ,d3 cek ,bo :no z | b A t ^ d s o r ^ i z
э ~^d3 ob | 9ot j u 'd 3 Ast m e i b i - eibl to 'h e lp ^ a u t w i 3 [|
d ou 'p set 'h o b i w oz 'n o t o 'f e n d i d aider^oz 'm s e n o - J raito | э
'f o :m o l ' p r o u t e s t w oz "yko.'ld fo- ||
ai b i ’n in. ,9i* ' i n d o s t n 'f i f t i : n ' \ j o : z J|
w il 'p e i j u - 'd 3 Ast 'w o t r i f p A b l i k ' p e i d j u 1 ' l a s t " у т л п б | '0 ri:
'f ifti o " \ w i : k ||
do ' n e i m w o z A n f o 'y m i l j o ||
'pset hod 'sk so sli 'o u p o n d o 'b u k in о ~ \d ek e id ||

E x erc ise I I . D rills.

A
a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) U se th e s tru c tu re s in sentences of your own:
1. He went in to discover a blond youth starin g m oodily out of
the window.
She rummaged in her bag to find th at her pass and keys
were gone.
He let bim self in to realize w ith a shock th a t somebody was
m aking him self at home in his rooms.
He reread the note to discover th a t he had been picked out
for the job.
He tore open the envelope to realize th a t he had been outw it­
ted.
2. The book would have made money if pictures hadn’t started
to talk .
He would not have lost his job if he had kept abreast w ith
the tim es.
He would have been a rich man if he hadn’t spent most of
his tim e at the race-course.
P at w ouldn't have been offered a job if he hadn't been good
for structure.
3. 1 don’t like the beginning. I t gives me an alm ost physical
nausea.
I like m ountain scenery. I t gives me a sense of peace.
I like the 9th sym phony. I t gives me a th rill.
He d id n ’t like the story. I t gave him the creeps.
He d id n ’t like to see people suffer. I t gave him pain.

4. She would tell nothing for fear of im plicating herself.

He would not ask questions for fear of revealing his igno­
rance.
She pretended to be working for fear of being fired.
He will not ven ture out in such w eather for fear of catching
cold.
He will not visit the fam ily for fear of being compromised.

a) R ead and in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A .: W hat about Chris? You used to be his (her) friend.

B.: Used to be?
A.: All rig h t. May be you still are. B ut we h aven’t seen him
(her) around for quite a while. Is anything the m atter?
B .: H e’s (She’s) busy working a t his thesis.

b) F ill in th e gaps in th e d ialo g u e tram e w ith ph rases from colum ns

(1), (2) and (3):

A.: W hat about . . . (1)? You used to be his (her) friend.

B .: U§ed to be?
A.: All rig h t. May be you still are. B ut we haven’t seen him
(her) around for quite a while. . . . (2)?
B.: H e’s (She’s) . . . (3).
228
 ( 1) (2) ( 3)
D onald W hy so? busy w ritin g his (her)
Horace W h a t’s wrong w ith diplom a
Agnes him (her)? a tten d in g some
B erth a I do hope he (she) is so rt of art
Roger, etc. w ell. school
T h a t’s m ost unusual, learning to play
isn ’t it? got into his (her) head
W h a t’s happened to he (she) is in love
him (her)? about to have a baby
tra in in g for p ara-
chute-jum ping
ju st become a father
(m other)

E x erc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences b y w ords

or ph rases from th e te x t:

1. P at H obby was not hurt yet he felt th a t it was necessary

to protest. 2. He d id n 't know the w rite r’s nam e, as he hadn’t
read anything for ages. 3. He seems to be the man we need.
4. W ilcox has no experience and t h a t’s where you m ay be
useful. 5. He d id n ’t feel he should have given a suitable excuse
for leaving. 6. He made an effort trying to recall her name.
7. P a t found Rene in exactly the same position, m inus the hat.
8. I t all depends on one’s views. 9. The beginning makes me
feel sick. 10. I w ant to introduce the war. 11. For another two
days P a t stayed at R en e’s office, trying to get him started, but
nothing came of it. 12. P a t dictated to K atherine, stopping
now and then to give her a flattering account of his life in H olly­
wood. 13. The week that followed was, the hardest in his life,
he couldn’t even spare a m inute to flir t with K atherine. 14.
L ittle by little he began to hate W ilcox. 15. A t first I couldn't
work because I had some personal worries, but as soon as I
began working it was very sim ple. 16. P a t stood up filled
with surprise and horror. 17. You had b etter leave the studio,
so th a t he should not suspect anything. 18. P a t wrote a letter
to the effect th a t W ilcox’s brothers were killed at the front.
19. K atherine w ould say nothing as she would be afraid of get­
ting involved.
229
 E x erc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E nglish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

a) рискнуть что-л. сделать (2); обидеться; требовать (обя­

зывать); ради здоровья; ускорить дело; встретиться (с);
в прежние времена; не сдаваться; стройный юноша; уныло
уставиться (в); повышать шансы; сильно нуждаться в чем-л.;
подобающая серьезность; состряпать; вешалка; я пошел;
неторопливо; взглянуть; обложка; нахмуриться; возро­
диться; законное оправдание; чокнутый
b ) за исключением; три дня подряд; как сказать; вызы­
вать тошноту; вставить (военный эпизод); расшевелить; без­
успешно; отчаянный; разнообразить (украсить); пристраст­
ный; трудный; заигрывать; участвовать (сделать вклад); зай­
ти далеко; записка; задержать; личные неурядицы; стоило
лиш ь начать; в ужасе; быть вне себя; конверт; гашеная мар­
ка; курьер; мне начать; доставить; упрощать; лихорадочно;
заменить что-л.; срочное дело; старательно; пойти в армию;
медсестра; страстное объятие; умение (ловкость); забракован­
ный; недоверчиво; соединить; успокоить; переставить имена;
с удовлетворением; хватка не та; говорить запинаясь; ри­
нуться (к); ослабевший; осторожно; впутаться; поступать
по правилам; зачислить на оклад
c) драматург; сценарий; титры (с фамилиями режиссера
и т. д.); литературный сценарий; режиссерский сценарий;
подписать контракт (с кем-л.); сотрудничать (с); соавтор;
отпечатать на ротаторе; сценарий, отпечатанный на машин­
ке; переплести; сценарный отдел; режиссер

E x erc ise V . F ill in th e b la n k s w ith p re p o sitio n s:

W hen F orsyth got the message he realized . . . a shock

th a t im m ediate action was called . . . . H e needed somebody
he could rely . . . , a professional, to help h i m a respon­
sible assignm ent. It was essential to hurry things . . . , be­
cause tim e was short.
He fum bled . . . his pockets . . . the key, unlocked the
desk and began to rum m age . . . it. He soon found what he
was looking . . . , a red-jacketed pocket book which con­
tained detailed inform ation . . . people he had s i g n e d ................
jobs to be done . . . short notice. He scanned the list, frowned
and jo tted . . . a couple . . . nam es. Then he picked . . .
the phone and dialed a num ber. A flat voice answered the
call. “Red speaking,” Forsyth said. “You are leaving . . .
Rome . . . 24 hours. I t ’s an em ergency. There is a certain
230
lady . . . you to get . . . touch . . . .Y o u used to be quite a
boy . . . ladies. So t h a t’s where you come . . . . You seem
ju st the person.” F orsyth chuckled. “Do some shopping and
drop . . . when you are ready. W hoever gets interested . . .
your w hereabouts will be told you’ve gone to Ita ly . . . your
health. See?” There was silence . . . a fraction . . . a second.
Then came the answer . . . the same flat voice: “O .K ., boss.”
F orsyth hung . . . .
E x erc ise V I. A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W hy did Ja c k Berners take a chance in sending for

P a t Hobby? 2. W hat did he tell P a t about Rene Wilcox?
3. W hat instructions did he give P at? 4. How did Wilcox
receive his partner? 5. W hat did W ilcox say th a t shows he was
inexperienced in film w riting and d id n ’t think much of Ber­
ners and the task he was given? 6. W hat suggestion did P at
make? 7. How did K atherine Hodge im press P at? 8. W hat
did he make her do th a t afternoon? 9. W hen did P a t and
W ilcox have several conferences and w hat did P a t insist
upon? 10. W hat did P a t do for two more days before he made
up his m ind to attack the story alone? 11. How did he do
it and w hat was the resu lt of his work? 12. W hat were his
plans? 13. How did the strain affect P at? 14. W hat message
did he find on his desk and what did he learn from W ilcox?
15. W hy did he stan d aghast? 16. W hat was K atherine asked
to do? 17. W hat sort of letter did P a t type and w hat directions
did he give K atherine? 18. W hat was the script K atherine
brought him like? 19. W hat changes did P a t introduce in
the script? 20. W hy did he phone the script departm ent? 21.
W hen did he m anage to p lan t his war idea at last? 22. How
did P a t feel about w hat he had done? 23. W hat did he say to
the bookie? 24. W hat made him feel hopeful as he w aited
in J a c k ’s anteroom ? 25. W hy did Berners ask P a t if he had
ever been to an analyst? 26. W hat m ade P a t speechless?
27. W hat could P a t hardly believe? 28. W hat made him bolt
for the door? 29. W hat did Berners talk to the President
about? 30. W hat reasons made W ilcox ask Berners to keep
P a t on salary?
E x erc ise V I I . a) R e te ll th e sto ry acco rd in g to th e follow ing plan:

1. Jac k Berners sends for P a t H obby.

2. P a t Hobby meets the playw right he is to collaborate
with.
231
 3. E n ters K atherine Hodge.
4. P a t H obby fails to rouse W ilcox to action and has got
to tackle the job alone.
5. W ilcox gives P at a surprise of his life.
6. P a t has a brain-w ave.
7. P a t adds some finishing touches to the script.
8. P a t feels he deserves a drink.
9. Berners opens P a t’s eyes.
10. W ilcox speaks to Berners on behalf of P a t H obby.

b) D escribe th e follow ing episodes u sin g th e suggested w ords and

phrases:

P at is given an assignment
to take a chance; to help out w ith a job; offended; formal
protest; screen credits; the wrong word; three-fifty a week;
unfam iliar; decade; to venture; playw right; for one’s health;
Russian B allet picture; to sign up; ju st the person; to borrow;
to hurry things up; shooting; script; treatm ent; inexperi­
enced; where you come in; for structure; to get together (with);
qu ite a boy; do n ’t give up

Collaboration doesn't work

several conferences; put forward one’s idea; a regenerating
force; lucky; the present beginning; physical nausea; to p lan t
the war; to cam p; to rouse to action; w ith no avail; desperate;
to attack the story; to pace; to dictate; to intersperse; biased
history; at the d ay ’s end; ensuing week; tough; to make a
pass; drafts of coffee; to anesthetize; nerves; to develop a
hatred; by him self; to hand to; to co n trib u te; too far gone;
to go on a b at; message; confused state; typescript; a copy of

Taken by surprise, P at works out his masterplan

held back; personal worries; shooting script; once I got
started; aghast; wild; gently; in a daze; to be struck; original
idea; to phone for; to hesitate; h astily ; nervously; mimeo­
graphed; to pick out a letter; plain envelope; used stam p; to
seal; directions; to push in; call boy; m ail room; proud of; a
rin g of; factual sin cerity; too often missing; killed in action;
rig h t away; self-applause; v ast surprise; technically proficient;
to sim plify; fran tically; sm all changes; an hour’s start;
unconscious collaborator
232
 Berners renders P at speechless

psychoanalyst; new assignm ent; to lose one’s grip; lar­

ceny; cunning; aggressively; to steal; ending; to pick up; so
fast; dreariness; to creep over; discarded; speechless; incredu­
lously; responsible; swell; to falter; to bolt

E x erc ise V I I I . Choose th e proper w ord:

(legitim ate — legal — law ful)

1. H is m other’s sickness always provided a . . . reason for
being absent from school. 2. Mr H uggart, one of the younger ...
advisers em ployed by the firm , was to deal w ith the case.
3. For reasons he could hardly account for H arold was some­
w hat relu ctan t to take . . . action against his former wife.
4. He was recom m ended a lawyer, one of the best . . . m inds
of the city. 5. If H elen is proved to be the only . . . child
Sir H enry had, she will be the . . . heiress to the estate. 6.
The search of the premises was perfectly . . . . The inspector
had a w arrant.

(personal — private)

1. “I ’m not a law yer,” he said. “All I can do is give you

my . . . opinion.” 2. “I hate being . . . , b u t I do disapprove
of w hat you have done.” 3. The clerk was specifically in stru ct­
ed not to open his chief’s . . . letters. 4. There was a sign
“. . .” on the door. H e knocked. 5. She was taken to a . . ,
hospital w ith a highly skilled personnel. 6. He is not exactly
good-looking, yet he has much . . . charm . 7. He has rooms
in the city and a . . . house in the suburbs. 8. H e was told to
keep in touch w ith Miss Knox, the d irecto r’s . . . secretary.

(m issing — absent)
1. The man had an ugly scar on his forehead and two fin­
gers . . . from the rig h t hand. 2. The boy had been . . . from
school for three or four days before inquiries were made and
it was found th a t the boy was . . . from home. 3. After the
last clash fifty soldiers were reported wounded and killed
and fourteen . . . . 4. Jam es was . . . on leave when the war
began. 5. Holm es was quick to find the . . . link.
233
 E x erc ise IX . T ra n s la te in to R u ssia n th e follow ing phrases:
to develop a cough; to develop a taste (for); to develop
hatred (against); to develop a h ab it (of); to develop sym ptom s
(of); to develop one’s plans (to sm b.); to develop one’s memory;
to develop a film ; to develop a strong body; to develop one’s
m ind (muscles)

E x erc ise X . T ra n s la te in to E n g lish , u sin g th e follow ing w ords and

phrases: a) to d i s c a r d ( d i s c a r d e d ) , b) biase d ( u n b i a s e d ) , c) to p l a n t :

a) 1. Первоначальный проект был о т в е р г н у т и

заменен новым. 2. Пэт использовал з а б р а к о в а н н ы й
вариант сценария. 3. В сундуке хранилась всякая н е н у ж ­
н а я о д е ж д а . 4. Старик теперь редко вспоминал о
юношеских идеалах, от которых он давно о т к а з а л с я .
b) 1. С ним трудно разговаривать: он н а с т р о е н
п р о т и в всяких перемен. 2. При выборе друзей и знако­
мых она р у к о в о д с т в о в а л а с ь , как правило, прак­
тическими соображениями. 3. Обратитесь к адвокату, ко­
торый ведет дела нашей семьи. Он наверняка даст вам
о б ъ е к т и в н ы й ( б е с п р и с т р а с т н ы й ) совет. 4.
Представленный документ был весьма п р и с т р а с т ­
н ы м отчетом о недавних событиях.
c) 1. Все деревья в саду около дома Чехова в Ялте были
посажены самим писателем. 2. Постепенно ректор
в н у ш а л своим коллегам мысль (in the m inds of his...)
о необходимости ввести более современные методы препо­
давания. 3. Кто-то п о д л о ж и л револьвер в гардероб
гувернантки, предварительно вынув оттуда одну пулю, для
того чтобы подозрение пало на ни в чем не повинную де­
вуш ку. 4. К концу своей жизни писатель о б о с н о в а л ­
с я в рыбачьем поселке на берегу Средиземного моря. 5.
Он был твердо уверен, что необходимо в с у н у т ь какой-
нибудь военный эпизод, чтобы сделать фильм более совре­
менным и патриотичным. 6. Удар был н а н е с е н точно,
и дальнейшее сопротивление было бессмысленно.

E x erc ise X I . Q u o te th e sto ry to prove th a t:

1. P at a) was inclined to boast, b) was most ignorant,

c) was none too clever, d) was uncsrupulous, e) aroused
p ity , f) struggled desperately to secure a place under the
sun, g) was unable to take an unbiased view' of himself.
234
 2. Wilcox a) was reserved and self-contained, b) took
P at for w hat he was, c) got the blues, d) did n ’t care to
express his contem pt for P at, e) was undoubtedly gifted.
3. Jack Berners a) was a shrewd man of business, b) was
not devoid of sym pathy for P a t, c) saw through P a t and
despised him , d) appreciated talent, e) m ight be called
kind in a way.
E x erc ise X I I . T opics for discussion:

1. P a t ’s life histo ry in H ollyw ood.

2. Hollywood, the American film industry.
3. S ilent film s (producers, stars, famous films).
4. Fam ous silent films in R ussia, starrin g Vera Kholod-
naya, Ivan M oszjukhin, etc.
5. Speak on a w orld famous film star (G reta Garbo, M ary
Pickford, Clark G able and others).

E x erc ise X I I I . R e n d er the follow ing te x ts in E nglish:

а) Н есгибаем ая воля
Прочитал я в газете интервью с кинорежиссером Волги­
ным, в котором он заявил, что давно ищет непрофессиональ­
ного актера с интеллигентным лицом, несгибаемой волей и
рыжей бородой.
— Так это ж е он меня давно ищет! — обрадовался я и
побежал на киностудию.
Перед комнатой съемочной группы Волгина толпилось
несколько бородачей с интеллигентными лицами.
— О поздали,— сказал я им.— Волгин уж е нашел, кого
искал.
Затрясли они в отчаянии рыжими бородами и разошлись,
а я зашел в комнату.
— Вот он я! — радостно объявил я Волгину.
— Кто? — не понял он.
— Тот, кого вы искали так долго.
— Я вас не искал,— бросил на ходу (said casually) Вол­
гин и вышел из комнаты.
Когда он открыл дверцу своей машины, я уж е ждал его
на заднем сиденье.
— Ну почему ж е я вам не нравлюсь? — поинтересовал­
ся я.
— Вон! — закричал Волгин.
Когда он вошел в квартиру, я отдыхал на диване.
235
 — В чем ж е все-таки дело? — не понял я.
Волгин выбросил меня из окна.
Когда он открыл холодильник, я сидел там на нижней
полке и счищал сосульки (to remove icicles) с бороды.
— Ты-то мне и нужен! — заскреж етал зубами (grind
one’s teeth) В олгин.— Приходи завтра на студию. У тебя
действительно (you do have...) несгибаемая воля, интелли­
гентное лицо и ры ж ая борода.

Ь) Тайна Тарзана
Олимпийский чемпион по плаванию Вейсмюллер в трид­
цатые годы сделал карьеру в кино, сыграв роль Тарзана.
Его герой на экране охотился, вступал в поединки с хищ ­
ными зверями и, словно обезьяна, прыгал с лианы на лиану.
Во время»этих прыжков он издавал знаменитый «крик Т ар­
зана» (gave the famous cry of...), которому пытались подра­
ж ать в свое время ребята всего мира. Крик был пронзи­
тельный (piercing), дикий (wild), с какими-то драматичес­
кими нотами, одним словом — уникальный (unique) крик.
Считалось, что Вейсмюллер проявил необыкновенное даро­
вание. И вот только совсем недавно выяснилось (it recently
emerged), что крик этот издавал вовсе не Вейсмюллер.
«Крик Тарзана» был получен с помощью записи (recording),
вопроизводящей (reproduce) голоса трех известных теноров,
каждый из которых тянул свою ноту.

с) Снова М эрилин...
Культ американской кинозвезды М эрилин Монро, покон­
чившей с собой в 1962 году, принимает все новые и неожи­
данные формы (assumes new and unexpected aspects). После
ряда книг, пьес, телевизионных фильмов, стихотворений,
посвященных (devoted to ) ее памяти, в Лондоне должна со­
стояться на днях премьера (first night) балета «Мэрилин»
(подзаголовок «Жизнь и смерть Мэрилин»), Ставит балет аме­
риканский хореограф (choreographer) Адам Д ариус. В глав­
ной роли — 22-летняя Тесс Билл-И кэлд, которой эта роль
была поручена главным образом благодаря ее внешним дан­
ным (on account of her looks) — у нее точно такая же фигу­
ра, как у Мэрилин.

d) Новый вариант старинной французской сказки «Си­

няя борода» создан в Голливуде кинорежиссером Эдвардом
236
Дмитрыком. Действие фильма происходит в Австрии в
20-х годах нашего века. Герой, богатый и эксцентричный
владелец замка, барон Курт фон Зеппер — бывший лет­
чик, участник первой мировой войны. О краш енная в синий
цвет борода закрывает рубцы (scars), оставшиеся на его л и ­
це после взрыва (explosion). Авторы фильма сохранили ос­
новную сюжетную канву (stick to the plot) сказки: все восемь
жен барона гибнут насильственной смертью (die a violent
death).
В фильме заняты известные американские, французские
и итальянские артисты. Роль барона исполняет Ричард Б а р ­
тон (Richard B urton).

QUIZ IX

1. Who said: “Men of few words are the best men”?

2. a) W hat do you call the place to which, in Norse m ythol­
ogy, the souls of heroes killed in b a ttle are brought? b) W ho
brings them there? c) W hat composer has set this legend to
music?
3. Who w rote the following plays: a) The Glass Menagerie,
b) A ll M y Sons, c) A n n a Christie, d) L ittle Foxes?
4. According to Greek legend there was a m onster, half­
man, half-bull, which devoured 14 A thenian youths and m aid­
ens every 9 years, u n til killed by a Greek hero, a) W ho was
the Monster? b) W here was it hidden? c) W ho slew it?
d) W ith whose help did the hero find his way back?
5. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the phrases:
a) m ilk and honey, b) to m ilk a bull, c) the m ilk of human
kindness?
6. Name the fem ale characters in a) K in g Lear, b) The
Tam ing of the Shrew, c) The M erchant of Venice.
7. Name the only Am erican state where French is a second
language.
8. How and when were the first Negro slaves im ported
into America?
9.Com plete the following proverbs: a) A ll is fair. . . ,
b) A little learning is. . , c) Never cackle. . . , d) To run with,
the hare. . . .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: a)
G.P., b) G .A ., c) G .I., d) P .W .t
237
 UNCLE ERNEST

b y Alan Sillitoe

A m iddle-aged man wearing a d irty raincoat, who badly

needed a shave and looked as though he h a d n ’t washed for a
m onth, came out of a public lavatory w ith a cloth bag of
tools folded beneath his arm. S tanding for a m om ent on the
edge of the pavem ent to adjust 1 his cap — the cleanest
thing about him — he looked casually to left and right and,
when the flow of traffic had eased off, crossed the road. His
nam e and trad e were always spoken in one b re a th ,2 even
when the n atu re of his trade was not in question: 3 Ernest
Brown the upholsterer. Every night before re tu rn in g to his
lodgings he left the bag of tools for safety w ith a man who
looked after the public lavatory near the town centre, for he
felt there was a risk of them being lost or stolen should he
take them back to his room, and if such a thing were to happen
his living would be gone.4
Chimes to the value of half past ten 6 boomed from the
Council-house clock. E m pty-bellied E rnest was ready for
his breakfast, so he walked through a cafe doorway, instinc­
tiv ely lowering his head as he did so, though the beams were a
foot above his height.
The long spacious eating-place was alm ost full. Ernest
usually arrived for his breakfast at nine o’clock, but having
been paid ten pounds for re-covering a three-piece in a public
house 6 the day before, he had stationed him self in the Saloon
Bar for the rest of the evening to drink jar after jar of beer,
in a slow prolonged and concentrated wrny th a t lonely men
have. As a resu lt it had been difficult to drag him self from
drugged and blissful sleep this m orning. H is face was pale
and his eyes an u n h ealthy yellow: when he spoke only a few
solitary teeth showed behind his lips.
H aving passed through the half dozen noisy people stan d ­
ing about 7 he found him self at the counter. The big fleshy
b ru n ette was busy, so he hastily scanned the list w ritten out
in large w hite letters on the w all behind. He made a tim id
gesture w ith his hand. “A cup of tea, please.”
The b ru n ette tu rned on him .
“A nything else?”
238
 He spoke up h esitan tly . “Tom atoes on toast as w ell.”
Picking up the p late pushed over to him he moved slowly
backwards out of the crowd, then turned and w alked towards
a v acant corner table.
A steam y appetizing smell rose from the plate: he took up
the knife and fork and, w ith the sharp clean action of a crafts­
man, cut off a corner of the toast and tom ato and raised
it slowly to his m outh, eating w ith relish 8 and hardly noticing
people sittin g ro u n dabout. He ate slowly, quietly and co n ten t­
edly, aware only of him self and his body being warm ed and
made tolerable 9 once more by food.
For years he had eaten alone, but was no t yet accustom ed
to loneliness. He could not get used to it, had only adapted
him self to it tem porarily in the hope th a t one day its spell
would break. E rnest rem em bered little of his past, and life
moved under him so th a t he hardly noticed its progress. There
was no strong memory to entice him to w hat had gone by,
except th a t of dead and dying men straggling barbed-wire
between the trenches 10 in the first w orld war. Two sentences
had dom inated his lips during the years th a t followed: “I
should not be here in E ngland. I should be dead w ith the
rest of them in F ran ce.” Tim e bereft him of these sentences,
till only a dull wordless image rem ained.
People, he found, treated him as if he were a ghost, as
if he were n o t made of flesh and blood — or so it seemed —
and from then on he had lived alone. H is wife left him —
due to his too v ile 11 tem per, it was said — and his brothers
went to other towns. L ater he had thought to look them up,
b u t decided against it: for even in this isolation only the will
to go forward and accept more of it seemed w orth while. He
felt in a dim in d efinite way th a t to go back and search out
the slums and landm arks of his y o u th ,12 old friends, the smells
and sounds th a t beckoned .him tangibly from better days, was
a sort of d eath. He argued th at it was best to leave them alo­
ne, because it seemed somehow probable th a t after death —
whenever it came — he would meet all these things once
again.
No pink scar m arked his flesh from shellshock and a jolted
b ra in ,13 and so w hat had happened in the war w arranted no
pension book, and even to him the word ‘in ju ry ’ never came
in to his m ind. I t was just th a t he did no t care anymore:
the wheel of th e years had broken him , and so had made life
tolerable. W hen the next war came his back was not b u r­
239
dened at firs t.14 The nightm are hours of gunfire and exploding
bombs revived a dull image long suppressed as he stared
blankly at the cellar wall of his boarding house. But, consid­
ering the tim e-scale his life was lived o n ,16 the war ended
quickly, and again nothing m attered. He lived from hand to
m o u th ,16 w orking cleverly at settees and sofas and chairs,
caring about no one. W hen work was difficult to find and
life was hard, he did not notice it very much, and now th a t
he was-prosperous and had enough money, he also detected n
little difference, spending w hat he earned on beer, and never
once th in k in g th a t he needed a new coat or a solid pair of
boots.
He lifted the last piece of toast and tom ato from his plate,
then felt dregs of tea moving against his teeth. W hen he
had finished chewing he lit a cigarette and was once more
aware of people sittin g around him . It was eleven o ’clock
and the low-roofed cafe was slowly em ptying, leaving only
a dozen people inside. He knew th at at one table they were
talk in g about horse-racing and at another about war, but
words only flowed in to his ears and entered his m ind at a low
pitch of com prehension,18 leaving it calm and content as he
vaguely contem plated the positions and p atterns of tables
about the room. There would be no work u n til two o ’clock,
so he intended sittin g where he was u n til then. Yet a sudden
em barrassm ent at having no food on the table to justify a
prolonged occupation of it sent him to the counter for tea and
cakes.
As he was being served two small girls came in. One sat
at a tab le b u t the second and elder stood at the counter.
W hen he retu rn ed to his place he found the younger girl
sittin g there. He was confused and shy, but nevertheless
sat down to drink tea and cut a cake into four pieces. The
girl looked at him and continued to do so u n til the elder one
came from the counter carrying two cups of steam ing
te a .19
They sat talk in g and drinking, u tte rly oblivious of E r­
nest, who slowly felt their secretive, childish anim ation en­
ter into him self. He glanced at them from tim e to time, feel­
ing as if he should n o t be there, though when he looked at
them he did so in a gentle way, w ith kind, full-sm iling eyes.
The elder girl, about twelve years old, was dressed in a brown
coat th at was too big for her, and though she was talking and
laughing most of the tim e he noticed the paleness of her face
240
and her large round eyes th at he would have thought beauti­
ful had he not detected the fam iliar type of vivacity th at ex­
pressed neglect and w ant.
The sm aller girl was less lively and merely sm iled as she
answered her sister w ith brief curt words. She drank her tea
and warm ed her hands at the same tim e w ithout p u ttin g the
cup down once u n til she had em ptied it. H er thin red fingers
curled around the cup as she stared into the leaves, and grad­
ually the talk between them died down and they were silent,
leaving the field free for traffic th at could be heard moving
along the street outside, and for inside noises made by the
brunette who washed cups and dishes ready for the rush 20
th at was expected at m idday dinner-tim e.
E rnest was calcu lating how many yards of rexine would
be needed to cover the job he was to do th a t afternoon, but
when the younger girl began speaking he listened to her,
hardly aware th a t he was doing so.
“If you’ve got any money I ’d like a cake.”
“I h aven’t got any more m oney,” the elder one replied
im p atien tly .
“Yes you have, and I ’d like a cake.”
She was ad a m a n t,21 alm ost aggressive. “Then you’ll have
to w ant o n ,22 because I ’ve only got tuppence.”
“You can buy a cake w ith th a t,” the young girl persisted,
tw ining her fingers around the em pty cup. “We don’t need bus
fares home because it a in ’t far 23 to w alk .”
“We can ’t w alk home: it m ight ra in .”
“No it w on’t.”
“W ell I w ant a cake as well, but I ’m not w alking all that
w ay,” the elder girl said conclusively, blocking any last gap
th a t m ight rem ain in her defences.24 The younger girl gave up
and said nothing, looked em ptily in front of her.
E rnest had finished eating and took out a cigarette, struck
a m atch across the iron fastening of a table leg and, having
inhaled deeply, allowed smoke to w ander from his mouth.
A feeling of acute loneliness took hold of him, an agony
th at would not let him weep. The two girls sat before him
wholly engrossed in them selves, still debating whether they
should buy a cake, or w hether they shouid ride home
on a bus.
“B ut i t ’ll be cold,” reasoned the elder, “walking
hom e.”
“No it w o n ’t,” the other said, but w ith no conviction in
241
her words. The sound of their voices told him how lonely he
was, each word feeding him w ith so much more loneliness
th at he felt u tte rly unhappy and em pty.
Tim e w ent slowly: the m inute-hand of the clock seemed
as if it were nailed im m ovably at one angle. The two girls
looked at each other and did not notice him : he w ithdrew
into him self and felt the em ptiness of the world and won­
dered how he would spend all the days th a t seemed to stretch
v acan tly , like goods on a broken-down conveyor belt, before
him . H e tried to rem em ber things th a t had happened and
felt panic when he discovered a th irty -y ear vacuum . All he
could see behind was a grey m ist and all he could see before
him was the same unpredictable fog th a t would hide nothing.
He w anted to w alk out of the cafe and find some ac tiv ity
so th at he w ould henceforth be able to m ark off the passage
of his em pty days, b u t he had no will to move. He heard
someone crying, so shook him self free of such thoughts and
saw the younger girl w ith hands to her eyes, weeping.
“W h a t’s the m atter?” he asked tenderly, leaning across the
table.
The elder girl replied for her saying sternly:
“N othing. S h e’s acting d aft.” 25
“B ut she m ust be crying for some reason. W hat is it? ”
E rnest persisted, quietly and soothingly, bending closer
still towards her. “Tell me w h a t’s wrong.” Then he remem bered
som ething.
The g irls’ conversation came to him through an in tri­
cate 26 process of recollection. “I ’ll get you som ething to
e a t,” he v entured. “Can I?”
She unscrewed clenched fingers from her eyes and looked
up, w hile the elder girl glared at him resentfully and said:
“W e don’t w ant anything. W e’re going now.”
“No, don’t go,” he cried. “You ju st sit down and see w hat
I ’m going to get for you.” He stood up and w alked to the coun­
ter, leaving them w hispering to each other.
He came back w ith a plate of pastries and two cups of
tea, which he set before the girls, who looked on in silence.
The younger was sm iling now. Her round eager eyes were
fascinated, yet followed each m ovem ent of his hands w ith
some apprehension. Though still hostile the elder girl was
gradually subdued 27 by the confidently w orking actions of
his hands, by caressing words and the kindness th a t showed in
his face. H e was w holly absorbed in doing good and, a t the
242
same tim e, fighting the feeling of loneliness th at he
still rem em bered, b u t only as a nightm are is re­
membered.
The two children fell under his spell,28 began to eat cakes
and sip the tea. They glanced at each other, and then at
E rnest as he sat before them sm oking a cigarette. The cafe
was still alm ost em pty, and the few people eating were so
absorbed in them selves, or were in so much of a hurry to
eat their food and get out th a t they took little notice of the
sm all com pany in the corner. Now th a t the atm osphere
between him self and the two girls had grown more friendly
E rnest began to talk to them . “Do you go to school?”
he asked.
The elder girl autom atically assum ed control and an­
swered his questions. “Yes, but today we had to come down
town on an errand for our m am .”
“Does your m other go out to work, then?”
“Yes,” she inform ed him . “All day.”
E rnest was encouraged. “And does she cook your dinners?”
She obliged him w ith another answer. “Not u n til n ig h t.”
“W hat about your father?” he w ent on.
“H e’s 'd e a d ,” said the sm aller girl, her m outh filled with
food, daring to speak outright for the first tim e. Her sister
looked at her w ith disapproval, m aking it plain th a t she had
said the wrong thing and th at she should only speak under
guidance.
“Are you going to school then this afternoon?” Ernest
resumed.
“Yes,” the spokesm an said.
He sm iled at her continued hard control. “And w h a t’s
your nam e then?”
“A lm a,” she told him , “and hers is J o a n .” She indicated
the sm aller girl w ith a slight nod of the head.
“Are you often hungry?”
She stopped eatin g and glanced at him , uncertain how to
answer. “No, not m uch,” she told him non-com m ittally,28
busily eating a second pastry.
“B ut you were today?”
“Yes,” she said, casting away diplom acy like the crum pled
cake paper she let fall to the floor.
He said n o th in g for a few moments, s ittin g w ith knuckles
pressed to his lips. “W ell, look” —he began suddenly talking
again — “I come in here every day for my dinner, just about
243
half past twelve, and if ever you’re feeling hungry, come
down and see me.”
They agreed to this, accepted sixpence for their bus fares
home, thanked him very much, and said goodbye.
D uring the following weeks they cam e to see him alm ost
every day. Som etim es, when he had little money, he filled
his em pty stom ach w ith a cup of tea while Alm a and Joan
satisfied them selves on five shillings’ worth of more solid
food.30 But he was happy and gained immense satisfaction
from seeing them bending hungrily over eggs, bacon and pas­
tries, and he was so sm oothed at last in to a fine feeling of hav­
ing som ething to live for 81 that he hardly rem em bered the
lonely days when his only hope of being able to talk to someone
was by going into a public house to get drunk. He was happy
now because he had his ‘little g irls’ to look after, as he came
to call them.
He began spending all his money to buy them presents, so
th at he was often in debt at his lodgings. He still did not buy
any clothes, for whereas in the past his money had been swilled
away on beer,32 now it was spent on presents and food for
the girls, and he w ent on w earing the same old dirty m ackin­
tosh and still w ith o ut a collar to his sh irt; even his cap was
no longer clean.
Every day, straig h t out of school, Alm a and Jo an ran to
catch a bus for the town centre and, a few m inutes later, sm i­
ling and out of breath, walked into the cafe where Ernest
was w aiting. As days and weeks passed, and as Alm a noticed
how much E rnest depended on them for com pany,33 how
happy he was to see them, and how obviously m iserable when
they did not come for a day — which was rare now — she
began to dem and more and more presents, more food, more
money, but only in a p articu larly naive and childish way,
so th at Ernest, in his oblivious contentm ent, did not notice it.
But certain custom ers of the cafe who cam e in every day
could not help but see how the girls asked him to buy them
this and th at, and how he always gave in w ith a n atu re too
good to be decently tru e ,34 and w ithout the least sign of re al­
izing what was really happening. He w ould never dream to
question their dem ands,36 for to him these two girls whom he
looked upon alm ost as his own daughters were the only people
he had to love.
E rnest, about to begin eating, noticed two sm artly dressed
men sittin g at a tab le a few yards aw ay. They had sat in the
244
same place the previous day, and also the day before that, but
he thought no more about it because Jo an and Alm a came in
and walked quickly across to his table.
“H ello, U ncle E rn est!” they said b rightly. “W hat can we
have for dinner?” A lm a looked across at the chalk-w ritten
list on the wall to read w hat dishes were available.
His face changed from the blank preoccupation of eating,
and a sm ile of happiness infused his cheeks, eyes, and the
curve of his lips. “W hatever you like,” he answered.
“B ut w hat have they got?” Alm a dem anded crossly,
“I can ’t read their scraw l.”
“Go up to the counter and ask for a dinner,” he advised
w ith a laugh.*
“W ill you give me some money then?” she asked, her hand
out. Jo an stood by w ithout speaking, lacking A lm a’s confi­
dence, her face tim id , and nervous because she did not yet
u nderstand th is regular transaction of money between Ernest
and them selves, being afraid th a t one day they would stand
there w aitin g for money and Ernest w ould quite n atu ra lly
look surprised and say there was nothing for them .
He had ju st finished repairing an an tiq u e three-piece and
had been paid th a t morning, so Alm a took five shillings and
they went to the counter for a meal. W hile they were w aiting
to be served the two well-dressed men who had been w atching
E rnest for the last few days stood up and w alked over to him .
Only one of them spoke; the other held his silence
and looked on. “Are these two girls your daughters, or any
relatio n to you?” the first asked, nodding towards the
counter.
E rnest looked up and smiled. “No,” he explained in a m ild
voice, “th e y ’re ju st friends of mine, w hy?”
The m an ’s eyes were hard, and he spoke clearly. “W hat
kind of friends?”
“Ju s t friends. W hy? Who are you?” H e shuddered, feeling
a k ind of half g u ilt growing inside him for a half im agined
reason th at he hoped w asn’t true.
“N ever m ind who we are. I just w ant you to answer my
q uestion.”
E rnest raised his voice slightly, yet did not dare to look
into the m an ’s arrogant eyes. “W hy?” he cried. “W h a t’s
it got to do w ith you? W hy are you asking questions like
this?”
“W e’re from the police statio n ,” the m an rem arked dryly,
245
“and we’ve had com plaints th a t you’re giving these little
girls money and leading them the wrong way!”
Ernest w anted to laugh, but only from misery. Yet he
did not want to laugh in case he should annoy the two detec­
tives. He started to talk: “B u t... b u t...” — then found him ­
self unable to go on. There was much th a t he w anted to say,
yet he could enunciate nothing, and a bewildered anim al
stare moved slowly into his eyes.
“Look,” the man said em phatically, “we don’t w ant any
of your ‘b u ts ’. We know all about you. W e know who you are.
W e’ve known you for years in fact, and w e’re asking you to
leave those girls alone and have nothing more to do w ith
them . Men like you sh ouldn’t be giving money to little girls.
You should know w hat you’re doing, and have more
sense.”
E rnest protested loudly at last. “I tell you th e y ’re friends
of mine. I mean no harm . I look after them and give them
presents just as I would daughters of my own. T hey’re the
only com pany I ’ve got. In any case why sh ouldn’t I look
after them? W hy should you take them away from me? Who
do you think you are? Leave me alone... leave me alone.”
His voice had risen to a weak scream of defiance, and the
other people in the crowded cafe were looking around and
staring at him , w ondering w hat was the cause of the dis­
turbance.
The two detectives acted quickly and com petently, yet
w ithout apparent haste. One stood on each side of him , lifted
him up, and w alked him by the counter, out on to the street,
squeezing his w rists tig h tly as they did so. As E rnest passed
the counter he saw the girls holding their plates, looking in
fear and wonder at him being walked out.
They took him to the end of the street, and stood there
for a few seconds talk in g to him , still keeping hold of his
w rists and pressing their fingers hard into them .
“Now look here, we don’t w ant any more trouble from you,
but if ever we see you near those girls again you’ll find your­
self up before a m ag istrate.” The tone of fin ality in his voice
possessed a physical force th at pushed E rnest to the brink of
s a n ity .86
He stood speechless. He w anted to say so many things,
but the words would not come to his lips. They quivered
helplessly w ith sham e and hatred, and so were incapable
of m aking words. “W e’re asking you in a peaceful m an­
246
ner,” the detective w ent on, “to leave them alone. U nder­
stand?”
“Yes,” E rn est was forced to answer.
“R ight. Go on then. And we don’t w ant to see you with
those girls again.”
He was only aware of the earth sliding away from under
his feet, and a wave of panic crashing into his mind, and he
felt the unbearable and fam iliar em ptiness th at flowed out­
wards from a tiny and unknow able point inside him . Then
he was filled w ith h atre d for everything, then intense pity for
all the m ovem ent th a t was going on around him , and finally
even more intense p ity for himself. He w anted to cry but could
not: he could only w alk away from his sham e.
Then he began to shed agony at each step. His bitterness
eddied away and a feeling the depth of which he had never
known before took its place. There was no more purpose in
the m otion of his footsteps as he went along the pavement
through m idday crowds. And it seemed to him th at he did
not care about an y th in g any more as he pushed through the
swing doors and w alked into the crowded and noisy bar of a
public house, his stare fixed by a beautiful heavily baited
trap of beer pots th a t w ould take him into the one and only
best kind of oblivion.

NOTES

1 to adjust — to set rig h t, to make suitable for a certain

purpose; to adjust a tie (hat, etc.) You m ust have the suit ad­
justed, it doesn’t fit well. I ’ll adjust my plans so as to suit
you. He adjusted his affairs before going on a trip to Europe;
adjustment n.
2 to speak in one breath ( = in the same breath), all in a
breath — w ithout a m om ent’s pause, at the same tim e, e.g.
She says she hates him and in the same breath she says she
can ’t live w ithout him . (Russ, в тот же миг, мгновенно, не
переводя дыхания)
3 was not in question — was not talked about, e.g. Where
is the book in question? T h a t’s not the point in question. Russ.
(то) о чем идет речь; out of the question — Russ, исключено,
и речи быть не может
4 his living would be gone — he would no longer be able to
earn his living; w.c. to make (earn) one’s living, e.g. Does he
make a good living? Russ, зарабаты вать на жизнь
247
 6 Chimes to the value of half past ten — a way of saying
that the clock struck half past ten; w.c. to the value of —
w orth a certain sum, e.g. H e bought furniture to the value
of 500 dollars.
6 for re-covering a three-piece in a public house — for
providing a new covering for three pieces of furniture; three-
piece — a set of fu rniture consisting of three pieces, such as
a sofa and two arm -chairs; comp, a two-piece bathing suit;
public house (in E ngland) is a tavern, a place where alcoholic
drinks are sold (colloq . pub)
7 people standing about — people standing here and there;
comp, to lie about, to walk about, to sit about, etc., e.g. The
park wore a deserted look, just a few elderly people sittin g
ab o u t.
8 eating with relish — eating w ith pleasure, w ith a good
appetite; relish — pleasant taste or sm ell, as to give relish
to smth., e.g. The g arlic sauce gave relish to the meat; to
relish — to enjoy sm th., e.g. He relished c ity life w ith all
the enjoym ents it offered. C an’t say I relish the idea of
spending the week-end w ith my relatives.
9 tolerable — said of sm th. one can bear or endure (see
further made life tolerable); A n t. intolerable, e.g. He fre­
quented the cafe because it was across the street and the food
was tolerable. W hen the third child was born life became in to l­
erable. N o t e : D o n’t confuse the word w ith tolerant said of
a person who is not inclined to interfere w ith other people’s
way of life or principles, ideals, etc. (Russ, терпимый). A n t.
intolerant.
10 dead and dying men straggling barbed-wire between the
trenches — dead or dying men hanging on or im paled against
barbed wire . .
11 vile (colloq.) — extrem ely bad, as vile weather, vile
temper-, otherw ise the word means ‘im m oral, sham eful, de­
graded, d isgusting’, e.g. The poor kid saw nothing but cruelty
and heard nothing b u t v ile language; ...th is vile world (Shake­
speare)
12 landmarks of his youth — places associated w ith im por­
tant events in his youth; landmark — a conspicuous object
that m arks a locality; (fig .) an event th a t m arks a tu rn in g
point or a distinguishing fact, as landmarks in the history of the
Russian revolutionary movement
13 No pink scar marked his flesh from shellshock and
248
a jolted brain — the words im ply th at there were no visible
signs of injuries or any m ental disturbance
14 his back was not burdened at first (fig .) — he d id n ’t
have a p articu larly h ard tim e at first
15 considering the time-scale his life was lived on — con­
sidering the way he m easured tim e (his life being uneventful,
tim e passed quickly)
10 lived from hand to mouth — spent his money as
soon a s’he earned it, e.g. Jen n y lived from hand to m outh and
when she lost her job she found herself penniless.
17 to detect — to notice, find out, discover, i.e. to detect a
smell, a sound, a sign o f smth. (see further in the text: “...h e
detected the fam iliar type of v iv acity th a t expressed neglect
and w ant”); to detect a crime, a criminal; detective п., e.g.
Sherlock Holm es was a famous detective.
18 words . . . entered his mind at a low pitch of com ­
prehension — a way of saying th a t he was hardly aware of
what was being said; pitch (fig .) — the height, degree or
intensity, as high (low ) pitch, e.g. H is p o p u larity rose to a
high pitch; high-pitched (low-pitched) voice; the pitch of
light, intensity, perfection, excitement, popularity,
etc.
19 steaming tea — very hot tea, steam rising from the
cups
20 the rush — the sudden increase of custom ers; comp.
rush-hours — the tim e when lots of people are trav ellin g to
or from work (Russ, часы пик); rush-hour trains — ad d itio n ­
al trains ru nning during rush-hours; the Christmas rush —
the days before C hristm as when people crowd the shops
for C hristm as gifts; a gold rush — Russ, золотая лихорадка
21 adamant — firm , unshakable; nothing could make the
girl change her m ind
22 to want on — to go on w anting
23 it a in ’t far (irreg.) — it isn ’t far
24 blocking any last gap that might remain in her defenc-
es (fig .) — adding the last argum ent to strengthen her posi­
tion, thus preventing any further attem p t on the p art of the
little girl to persuade her to buy a cake
25 daft [daft] — foolish, silly, idiotic; w.c. to go daft —
to go crazy, to become a half-w it
26 intricate — difficult to follow or understand, ex­
trem ely com plicated, as an intricate plan, scheme, plot, etc.
S y n . complex is said of som ething th at requires expert know­
249
ledge or deep study to deal w ith, as the complex modern world,
a complex mechanism, etc.
n subdued — overcome, brought under control, made
subm issive, quiet; in a more general sense it im plies a toning
down, as subdued voices (‘not loud’), subdued colours (‘not
b rig h t’), a subdued mood (‘depressed’)
28 to fall under the spell — to be fascinated, to be greatly
attracted ; spell — charm , fascination; w.c. to cast a spell
on smb.— Russ, очаровать, околдовать; to break a spell —
to put an end to (to remove) a spell (Russ, нарушить оча­
рование)
26 non-com m ittally — w ithout revealing her attitu d e ,
feelings, opinion, etc.; non-committal adj., as a non-commit­
tal reply (Russ, ни к чему не обязывающий, уклончивый
ответ)
30 five shillings’ worth of more solid food — more solid
food bought for five shillings. Comp, a sh illin g ’s worth of
meat, 200 pounds’ worth of jewels, etc.
31 he was so smoothed . . . into . . . a feeling of having
something to live for — a feeling of having a purpose in life
made him feel content. Comp. She was persuaded into ac­
cepting the in v ita tio n . He was coaxed into letting his daughter
go abroad.
32 to sw ill away on beer (colloq.) — to spend (squander)
money on beer
33 depended on them for company — needed their com pany
badly; to depend on smb. or smth. for, i.e. to get help, sup­
port, com fort, etc., e.g. European countries as well as the
US depend on Arab countries for oil supplies. E thel was a
spoiled child and always depended on her relatives for help
and support.
34 with a nature too good to be decently true — people
d id n ’t believe th a t E rnest could be so generous to the girls
prom pted by no other feeling than kindness and a desire to be­
friend the girls; the author im plies th a t people are inclined
to suspect low m otives rather than believe one can be disinter­
ested and kind (w.c. too good to be true)
36 he would never dream to question their demands —
it never occurred to him th at they had no rig h t to dem and
presents, money, etc.
36 pushed Ernest to the brink of sanity — almost drove
E rnest mad

250
 EXERCISES

Exercise I. P ra c tise th e pro n u n c ia tio n of th e following words and

phrases:

a) Alan, cloth, beneath, casually, breath, upholsterer,

height, spacious, Saloon, solitary, brunette, relish, tolerable,
tem porarily, isolation, tangibly, settee, oblivious, secretive,
viv acity , rexine, adam ant, acute, engross, vacuum , unpre­
dictable, soothingly, hostile, subdue, pastries, antique,
com petently, m agistrate, finality
b) э 'm id leid 3 d j msen | ' w s s r i r j ^ o 'd a :ti _ / r e i n k o u t ||
'l u k t a z ^ ,3 o u h i' 'hse d nt 'w o j t f o r _ 9 " Ч т л п б Ц
wi3 э ' k b : 0 bse i av | 'f ou ldid b i 'n i: 0 hiz ' l a m z [|
a n ^ , 9 i - 'ed 3 av 5a "y pe ivm a n t |j
hiz 'n e im a n d 't r e i d wa' 'a :lw iz 'sp o u k n in Чу л п "4bre0 ||
if fsxtf a '0 ig w a - ta j haepn ) hiz 'liv ig w u d bi- Ч д э п ||

E xercise II . D rills.

A
a) Read a n d re p ea t, b) Use the stru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. He badly needed a shave and looked as though he hadn't

washed for a m onth.
He spoke as though he hadn't spoken to anybody for weeks
and weeks.
He ate ra p id ly as though he h adn't eaten any th in g for several
days.
He moved carefully about the house as though he had never
been th ere.
2. He listened to the girl, hardly aware th a t he was doing so.
He entered the pub, hardly aware th a t he was being
watched.
He stared at the newcomer, hardly aware that he was
doing so.
He d id n ’t answer the question, hardly aware th a t he was
being spoken to.
3. Work was hard to find.
Loneliness was hard to bear.
H is speech was d ifficu lt to follow.
Young faces are nice to watch.
The girl was pretty to look at.
251
 в
a) R ead a n d re p e a t th e m odel dialo g u e. In to n e it:

A.: W hy do you never look up your old friends?

B .: I m eant to. B ut later I decided against it.
A.: W hy so?
B.: Because I just don’t care any more.
b) F ill in th e gaps in th e dialo g u e fram e w ith w ords from colum ns (1)
and (2):

A.: W hy do you never . . . (1)?

B .: I m eant to. B ut later I decided against it.
A.: W hy so?
B.: Because . . . (2).

( 1) (2 )
consult a doctor I changed my m ind
get professional advice I began to doubt w hether
buy new clothes I should
tak e a holiday I am not w hat I used to be
try to get a b e tte r job I th o u g h t b e tte r of it
en tertain y o u r friends I no longer tru st anybody
drop in a t th e club i t ’s not w orth while
go abroad I d o n ’t feel like doing it

E x erc ise I I I . R e p la ce th e ita lic iz e d p a rts of th e sentences by w ords

a n d p hrases from th e te x t:

1. An unshaven m an, w ith a dirty raincoat on, was w aiting

at the edge of the pavem ent for a suitable moment to get across
the road. 2. He felt th a t if he took his tools to his room they
m ight be stolen. 3. People behaved as i f he did not exist at all.
4. He felt vaguely th a t it was better not to look for his old
friends and visit once fa m ilia r places. 5. There were no visible
injuries to entitle him to a pension. 6. A ir raids of the next
war brought to his m ind a vague recollection of scenes he tried
not to think of. 7. H e w ent up to the counter as he felt he
couldn't very w ell occupy a table without having any food on it.
8. They sat drinking, without paying the least attention to
E rnest. 9. There was a certain liveliness in the g irl’s face
th at E rnest knew to be the result of insufficient care and pover­
ty. 10. The two girls sat before him w ithout paying attention
252
to anything or anybody. 11. When Ernest offered the girls to
get them som ething to eat the elder girl looked at him angrily
showing that she was insulted. 12. W hen he came back w ith tea
and cakes the younger girl was delighted, though she watched
him with some fear and suspicion.

E x erc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

a) обросший (небритый); холщовый мешок с инструмен­

том; ремесло; одним духом; обойщик; сохранности ради;
оставлять у кого-л.; случись такое; останется без заработ­
ка; просторное кафе; прилавок (стойка); пробежать гл аза­
ми; робкий жест; нерешительно; свободный столик; есть с
удовольствием; привыкнуть к одиночеству; временно
приспособиться (к); обращаться с кем-л.; привидение;
отвратительный характер; смутно чувствовать; шрам;
контузия; психические нарушения; давать право на пен­
сию; ранение; переносимый (терпимый); сводить концы
с концами
b ) смущенный; застенчивый; очень горячий чай; забыв о
чьем-л. присутствии; изредка поглядывать; ласково; боль­
шую часть времени; распознать (различить); живость; не­
ухоженность; нужда; оживленный; разговор затих; не­
преклонный; настаивать; плата за проезд (на автобусе);
не намерена идти пешком; рыдать; нежно; наклониться;
сурово; настаивать (упорствовать;) успокаивающе; слож ­
ный (причудливый); смотреть сердито; негодующе; пи­
рожки; восхищенный (очарованный); с опаской; враждеб­
но; постепенно; успокоиться; ласковые слова; взять на себя
ведущую роль; всецело поглощенный; поддаться обаянию;
по поручению; удостоить; неодобрительно; ясно дать по­
нять; неопределенно; отбросив дипломатию
c) еда на 5 шиллингов; получать огромное удовлетворе­
ние (от); садиться на автобус; запы хаться; не могли не
видеть; уступать; ставить под вопрос их право требовать;
сварливо
d) содрогнуться; неважно; осмеливаться; надменный;
какое это имеет отношение; жалобы; дурно влиять; раздра­
ж ать; иметь дурные намерения; неповиновение; беспоря­
док (шум); со знанием дела; без видимой спешки; выводить
кого-л.; сжимать кисти рук; на грани безумия; ускользать
из-под ног
253
 E x erc ise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. W hat did E rnest Brown look like? 2. W hat did he do

for a living? 3. W hat kind of life did he live? How did people
trea t him? 4. W hat made him feel so terribly lonely? 5. Who
did he find him self sharing the table w ith one morning? 6.
W hat were the girls like? 7. W hat conversation did he over­
hear? 8. W hat made him offer the girls some tea and cakes?
9. How did the girls take the offer? 10. W hat made Ernest
happy? 11. W hat did he find out about the g irls’ family? 12.
In w hat way did the g irls’ behaviour change little by little?
13. W hat was E rnest prom pted by when he invited the girls
to come to the eating-place whenever they were hungry?
14. How had E rn e s t’s life changed since th at day? 15. W hat
filled his heart w ith joy now? 16. W hat were the girls quick
to discover? 17. W ho did E rnest notice w atching him one day?
18. How did the elder girl speak to him when her sister and
she came to the cafe? 19. W hat kind of questions was Ernest
asked by the detectives? 20. W hat did they warn him against?
21. How did he try to protest? 22. W hat made the men act
quickly and com petently? 23. W hat did the detectives finally
threaten E rnest w ith? 24. How did the incident affect Ernest?
25. W hat did he end up w ith? W hat was the only thing he
was seeking now?

E x erc ise V I. a) R e te ll th e sto ry a cc o rd in g to th e giv en plan.

1. E rnest Brown, the upholsterer (his appearance, his

past, the life he lives).
2. Two sm all girls come to the cafe.
3. E rnest m akes their acquaintance.
4. E rnest and the girls become friends.
5. Two well-dressed men sta rt w atching Uncle Ernest.
6. The detectives act quickly and com petently.
7. E rn e s t’s happiness proves to be short-lived.
b) D escribe th e follow ing episodes usin g th e suggested w ords and
phrases:

Ernest shares a table with two little girls

confused; shy; steam ing tea; oblivious of; secretive; ani­
m ation; m ost of the tim e; to detect viv acity ; less lively;
to die down; im p atien tly ; adam ant; to persist; bus fare; con­
254
clusively; w ith no conviction; to w ithdraw into oneself; to
shake oneself free; to weep; tenderly; stern ly ; for some rea­
son; soothingly; in tricate process of recollection; to glare;
resentfully; pastries; fascinated; apprehension; hostile; grad­
ually; subdued; to fall under one’s spell; to sip; to take
little notice; to assume control; on an errand; encouraged;
the wrong thing; non-com m ittally; bus fare

Ernest has somebody to look after

to gain im m ense satisfaction; to be in debt; to go on w ear­
ing; straig h t out of school; out of breath; to depend on smb.
for com pany; obviously m iserable; in a p articu larly childish
(naive) way; custom ers; could not help but see; to give in;
too good to be decently true; to question their dem ands

Enter two detectives

sm artly dressed men; the previous day; brightly; chalk-
w ritten list; available; crossly; scrawl; to lack confidence;
regular transaction; to w alk over to; hard eyes; to shudder;
half g u ilt; never m ind; to raise one’s voice; arrogant; com­
p la in t; to lead sm b. the wrong way; m isery; to annoy; em phat­
ically; to leave alone; to have nothing to do w ith; to have
more sense; to mean no harm ; a weak scream of defiance; to
wonder; disturbance; to act com petently; to squeeze the wrists
tig h tly ; to w alk smb. out; in fear; to keep hold of; any more
trouble; m agistrate; tone of finality; to push to the brink
of sanity; speechless; to quiver (with); to slide away (from);
to be filled w ith ; no more purpose; swing doors; crowded bar;
to take into oblivion

E x e rc ise V I I . F ill in th e b la n k s w ith p rep o sitio n s:

Fred stood . . . the edge . . . the pavem ent, w aiting . . .

the flow . . . traffic to ease . . . .H e was going to d r o p .............
b re a k fa s t. . . a sm all cafe across the street. H e was accustom ed
. . . v isitin g th a t small eating place . . . breakfast because
food was cheap there and most . . . the custom ers seemed to
be . . . a hurry to get through . . . their meals . . . taking
notice . . . one another.
Fred was a lone wolf, a man engrossed . . . himself,
oblivious . . . his surroundings. He did no t depend . . .
anybody . . . com pany, . . . fact he did n ’t care . . . com pany.
255
Always absorbed . . . his thoughts he had no wish to speak or
be spoken . . . . Therefore he preferred to have a late meal
when the rush . . . breakfast-tim e was . . . .
Fred was . . . to cross the street when he felt som ebody
clutch . . . his w rist and squeeze it tig h tly . He lo o k e d ..............
am azem ent to discover a girl . . . her early teens, . . . a school-
bag . . . her hand, standing . . . his side. “Come . . . . L e t’s
cross the street. Keep talk in g . . . me. I ’m . . . danger. My
n am e’s M ary,” she said . . . one breath. Too am azed to ask
questions he took hold . . . the g irl’s hand and talking casual­
ly w alked her . . . the street. O nly then did he become aw are
. . . a lean man wearing a dark suit and a derby hat who
was w atching them- closely.
The girl was a little breathless bu t otherw ise . . . per­
fect control . . . herself. There was som ething . . . her th a t
appealed . . . his sense . . . protection. “H ell,” he m uttered
. . . him self, “w e’ll see . . . th a t.” He sm iled . . . her and
she knew he had taken . . . the challenge.

E x erc ise V I I I . C hoose th e proper w ord:

(tolerable[intolerable — tolerant [intolerant)

1. Some anaesthetic was applied, which made the pain ... ,

2. He could not ad ap t him self to the clim ate. The heat was ... .
3. He felt rig h t away th at one could talk to th a t man and even
reason w ith him . H e was both . . . and sym pathetic. 4. The
brothers statio n ed them selves at a sm all out-of-the-way
seaside hotel where the rooms were light and spacious and
the food . . . . 5 . They found their friend’s father to be a
most . . . old m an. No one was supposed to have an opinion
of his own or in any way disagree w ith him .

(intricate — complex)

1. The plot was so . . . th a t every now and then you had to

stop reading and go back to the previous pages so as to get
things straig h t. 2. The essay revealed an original approach to
the . . . modern world. 3. The man responsible for the assign­
m ent spent m any hours working at settin g up an . . . spy net
to obtain the necessary inform ation. 4. A new . . . system of
education was su b m itted for consideration. 5. G reat skill
is required to handle such . . . m achinery.
256
 E x e rc ise IX . D eriv e a d je c tiv e s from th e g iv en w o rd s acco rd in g to th e
m odel and use th em in sentences:

a) M o d e l : speech — speech/ess
breath, b rain, thought, aim , star, cloud, shape, bottom ,
help, sleep

b) M o d e l : predict — predictaWe {ant. unpredictable)

foresee, believe, shake, bend, desire, advise, reach, touch,
love

E x erc ise X . T ra n s la te th e follow ing w o rd -c o m b in a tio n s in to R ussian:

a) vile-, v ile w eather, a vile tem per, v ile language, this

vile world, the vile trade of an executioner (informer, tr a it­
or)
b) assume-, to assume control, to assum e airs, to assume
responsibility, to assume a new nam e, to assume an air of
im portance, le t’s assume. . .

E x erc ise X I . T ra n s la te in to E n g lish usin g th e follow ing w ords:

a) scale (on a ... sca le), b) n o n -c o m m itta l(ly ), c) to oblige sm b. w ith (by doing
sm th .):

a) 1. Родон был кругом в долгах, но они продолжали жить

н а ш и р о к у ю н о г у . 2. Подготовка к параду велась
в ш и р о к и х м а с ш т а б а х . 3. Он устраивал (to en­
tertain ) б о л ь ш и е приемы в своем загородном доме. 4.
Когда мальчик поправился, она стала устраивать н е б о л ь ­
ш и е вечеринки. 5. Исследования проводились в с к р о м ­
н ы х м а с ш т а б а х , но в ближайшем будущем ожида­
лись дополнительные ассигнования.
b) 1. Когда его спросили, устраивает ли его новая рабо­
та, он ответил как-то н е о п р е д е л е н н о . 2. Такое обе­
щ ание его ровным счетом н и к ч е м у н е о б я з ы в а -
е т. 3. Трудно сделать какой-либо вывод из ее у к л о н ­
ч и в о г о ответа.
c) 1. С д е л а . й т е м н е о д о л ж е н и е , позвоните
мне рано утром: я боюсь проспать. 2. Она у д о с т о и л а
е г о кратким ответом. 3. Н е могли бы вы о д о л ж и т ь
м н е немного денег до получки (pay-day).
9 № 3060 257
 E x e rc ise X I I . Q u o te th e s to ry to pro v e th a t I. E rn e st a) w as a m an
d eeply sh a k e n b y his w ar experience, b) w as sh y a n d u n so c iab le, c) w as
d eep ly h u m a n a n d longed for frien d sh ip w ith o u t b e in g aw are of it, d) was
k in d a n d gen ero u s, e) enjoyed th e change in his life, f) w as gro ssly m is­
ju d g ed , g) w as c ru sh ed b y th e “ law ” ; I I . th e g irls a) belonged to th e lower
classes, b) w ere p o v e rty -s tric k e n , c) spoke a v u lg a r lan g u ag e, d) enjoyed
th e g ifts th a t cam e from th e ir b e n efa cto r, e) w ere q u ick t o discern th a t th e
m an depended on th e m , f) w ere not e x a c tly a lik e , g) w ere shocked to see
th e police in te rfere .
E x e rc ise X I I I . S p eak on th e s ty lis tic d evices th e w rite r uses in th e
follow ing:

1. . . .the wheel of the years had broken him , and so had

made life tolerable. 2. . . .the elder girl said conclu­
sively, blocking any last gap that m ight remain in her defences.
3. . . .felt the em ptiness of the world and wondered how he
would spend all the days th a t seemed to stretch vacantly, like
goods on a broken-down conveyor belt, before him .
E x erc ise X IV . T opics for discussion:

1. Give a character sketch of E rnest, a lonely m iddle-

aged man.
2. Speak about the two girls (their appearance, language,
background, etc.).
3. E rn e st’s kindness and generosity.
4. W hat was it th a t made people suspicious of Ernest?
W hy did they fail to understand his desire to take care of the
girls?
5. The detectives prove qualifed for the job.
H ere a re som e a d d itio n a l th em es you m ay c are to discuss:

a) Loneliness.
b) N on-com m unicability.
c) The tragedy of old age.
d) The postw ar generation.
e) The so-called “lost generation”.
E x e rc ise X V . R e n d e r th e follow ing te x t in E n g lish :

Д ля пам яти

Когда он задумал это дело, ему казалось, что он напишет

огромный толстый том (volume), большую мудрую книгу,
вроде его любимой «Войны и мира». Ему казалось, что все
то, что он увидел на войне в людях, все человеческие судьбы
(destinies), с которыми война его столкнула; все оборвавшие­
258
ся жизни и незавершенные биографии, которые война обор­
вала и которым не дала завершиться; все новые и глубокие
мысли, которые пришли к нему на войне; люди, до сих пор
живущие в его сердце, их мысли и чувства,— что все это
вместе взятое побежит (flow) с кончика пера (nib) на бумагу
простыми и сильными словами (in powerful words) и что,
таким образом, написав о своих братьях по войне (brother-
sold iers), он сделает нечто высокое (great) и нужное для всех
людей на свете.
Ему казалось, что не выполни он этого долга, ему будет
трудно жить среди людей, которым обязательно нужно рас­
сказать все, чем болела его душа (made him sick at heart),
рассказать для примера, для напоминания, для вечного
уважения (eternal respect) к ушедшим...
Это чувство заставило его сесть за стол, взять в правую
изуродованную (m utilated) руку карандаш ш просидеть око­
ло двух месяцев над толстой, специально для этого куплен­
ной конторской книгой (ledger). Писалось-трудно, и это бы­
ло ему удивительно и непонятно. Он был поражен тем, что
слова, столь отчетливо и ясно ощущаемые им, теперь так
медленно и неохотно (reluctantly) переселялись на бумагу.
Но он был человек упорный (stubborn) и хотя и не спал по
ночам, и худел (lost weight), и страдал,— дела начатого не
бросал (w ouldn’t give up).
. И когда пришло время, он неожиданно для себя обнару­
ж ил, что толстого тома ему написать не удалось. Все, что
ему хотелось рассказать, уместилось на шестнадцати страни­
цах конторской книги. Но перечитывая рукопись (m anu­
script), он безошибочно почувствовал, что в этих написан­
ных им строчках таится нечто серьезное и даж е необычное
и что люди, родственные ему по душевному складу, про­
читав или услышав эти строки, тоже, к ак и он, вспомнят
многое такое, о чем они не смеют, не имеют права забывать
никогда. Знакомая машинистка перепечатала рукопись, и
теперь ему было странно и приятно читать на чистом за г­
лавном листе свою фамилию. И особенно волнующим и мно­
гообещающим (thrilling, promising) казался ему заголовок:
«Воспоминания бойца» («А soldier’s memoirs»).
Однажды утром, побрившись и почистившись, он вло­
жил рукопись в папку (folder) и отправился в редакцию (edi­
torial office).
В здание, где помещалась редакция, его пропустили
быстро. Он прошел по мягким коврам и постучал в дверь.
9* 259
Обождав немного и не услышав ответа, он толкнул дверь и
вошел в комнату.
Перед ним был большой письменный стол, заваленный
бумагами (piled w ith), а у стола в низком мягком кресле си­
дела девушка и говорила по телефону. Она недовольно обер­
нулась и сказала:
— Присядьте, пожалуйста. Я сейчас... (Just a m om ent.)
Он не стал садиться и отошел к окну.
Когда девушка окончила разговор, он шагнул к ней,
тихо скрипнув протезом, и, убрав правую изуродованную
(m utilated) руку, чтобы не пугать, левой протянул девушке
свое сочинение:
— Вот,— сказал он,— прочтите пожалуйста.
Д евуш ка взяла рукопись и бегло взглянула на заголо­
вок.
— Это что,— это про войну?
— Н у, конечно,— ласково улыбаясь и немного уди­
вившись этому наивному вопросу, сказал он,— конечно про
войну, про что ж е еще?
Он был очень рад, что такая попалась славная девушка,
она задавала детские вопросы, и ему стало с ней легко и
просто (felt a t ease), как старшему с маленьким, и поэтому
он счел возможным довериться ей (confide in her):
— Это я не для денег написал, нет. И не для славы ...—
он слегка покраснел, потом нахмурился (frown) и сказал
главное: — Это для памяти.
Д евуш ка не стала перелистывать (glance through) ру­
копись. Лицо ее стало скучным (bored), когда она протянула
«Воспоминания бойца» стоявшему перед ней человеку.
— Про войну? — Она не могла скрыть своего разочаро­
вания.— Н у к чему это? Это теперь неинтересно, что вы...
Она все-таки превозмогла себя и улыбнулась, искренне
ж елая, чтобы все обошлось без конфликтов (end peacefully),
которые часто возникают с молодыми авторами. Она еще
раз улыбнулась, просто так, от щедрости, не понимая, к а­
кой она нанесла ему страшный удар (to deal a blow).
Он взял рукопись и, когда брал, увидел, как дрожит
его левая рука. Но он сдержался и виду не показал (con­
trolled himself). Он только подумал, что ему и не такое при­
ходилось выносить (had had worse things to endure) и что
главное дело — не надо виду показывать, что тебе худо (re­
veal one’s misery) — так лучше и для тебя и для других. Он
повернулся и вышел, не проронив ни слова (w ithout u tte r ­
260
ing a word). А девуш ка была рада, что обошлось без длин­
ных и нудных (boring) разговоров.
Он спустился по лестнице, устланной мягкими коврами,
и пошел обратно. Он был потрясен (shocked) и растерян
(bewildered), хотя по лицу его этого сказать нельзя было.
Просто шел по улице средних лет, седоватый инвалид. Дойдя
до бульвара, он остановился у одной из скамеек и вынул ле­
вой своей здоровой (good) рукой пачку папирос. Он присел
на скамью и, отрешенно отодвинув от себя свое сочинение —■
«Воспоминания бойца»,— левой рукой ловко заж ег спичку.
Когда он поднес ее к папиросе, он увидел, что рука его все
еще дрожит.
(В . Д р агун ск и й )

QUIZ X
1. Who said: a) “Give thy thoughts no tongue”? b) “B ut
break, my heart, for I m ust hold my tongue”? Com pare the
tw o quotations which are only seemingly alike.
2. Name one of the first Nobel prize-w inners whose nam e
becam e a common noun.
3. C haracters in novels and plays used to be som etimes
given meaningful nam es to reveal to the reader wha't they
were really like. W here do the following characters belong to
an d w hat do their nam es suggest: a) Mr. A lw orthy, b) Charles
a n d Joseph Surface, c) Lady Sneerwell, d) Miss Languish,
e) Mrs. M alaprop?
4. Name the only B ritish P rim e M inister who has been
elected four tim es to this post.
5. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the phrases:
a) to give somebody a Roland for an Oliver, b) Roman holiday,
c) Romeo error'}
6. Can you com plete each of the following “pairs”? a) The
Walrus and the. . . , b) Jekyll and. . . , c) Castor and. . . ,
d) Cain and. . . , e) Pygm alion and. . . .
7. 1. Name an ou tstanding film director who adapted
for the cinem a a) a great R ussian novel, b) an outstanding
R ussian play, c) one of Shakespeare’s tragedies. 2. Name the
film s and the actor they feature. 3. Name two other film s of
his which are w idely known in the Soviet U nion.
8. Simon B olivar, “the L iberator”, was responsible for
the establishm ent of five of the republics of S outh America.
W hen did Bolivar live, and which are the five republics?
261
 9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) A good anvil. . . ,
b) God defend me from m y friends. . . , c) D o n 't swap horses.. . .
10. W h at do the following ab b reviations stan d for:
a) F B I , b) C IA , c) 5 . Y d, d) D . A ., e) S . C.?

MOLLY MORGAN

by John Steinbeck

Molly M organ got off the train in S alinas 1 and w aited

three quarters of an hour for the bus. The big autom obile was
em pty except for the driver and M olly.
“I ’ve never been to the P astures of H eaven, you know ,”
she said. “Is it far from the m ain road?”
“A bout three m iles,” said the driver.
“W ill there be a car to take me into the valley?”
“N o, n o t unless you are m et.”
“B u t how do people get in there?”
“I dunno.2 W alk, I guess. Most people w alk if they a in ’t *
m et.”
W hen he set her down a t the entrance to the d irt sideroad,
M olly M organ grim ly picked up her suitcase and m arched
tow ard the draw in the hills. An old F ord truck squeaked up
beside her.
“G oin’ in to the valley, m a’am ?”
“Oh — yes, yes, I am .”
“W ell, get in, then. Needn’t be scared. I ’m P a t H um berg.
I got a place in the P astures.”
M olly surveyed the grim y m an and acknowledged his
introduction. “I ’m the new schoolteacher, I mean, I th in k I
am. Do you know where Mr. W hiteside lives?”
“Sure, I go rig h t by there. H e’s clerk of the board. I ’m on
the school board myself, you know. W e w ondered w hat you’d
look like.” Then he grew em barrassed at w hat he had said,
and flushed under his coating of d irt. “ ’Course 4 I mean w hat
you’d be like. L ast teacher we had gave a good deal of trouble.
She was all rig h t, b u t she was sick — I m ean, sick and nerv­
ous. F in a lly q u it because she was sick.”
Molly picked at the fingertips of her gloves. “My le tte r
says I ’m to call on Mr. W hiteside. Is he all right? I don’t
mean th a t. I mean — is he — w hat kind of a man is he?”
“Oh, y o u ’ll get along w ith him all rig h t. H e ’s a fine old
262
man. Born in th a t house he lives in. Been to college, too.
H e’s a good m an. Been clerk of the board for over tw enty
years.”
W hen he p u t her down in front of the big old house of
Jo h n W hiteside, she was really frightened. “Now i t ’s com­
ing,” she said to herself. “B ut th ere’s nothing to be afraid
of. H e can ’t do an y th in g to me.” M olly was only nineteen.
She felt th a t this m om ent of interview for her first job was a
trem endous inch 6 in her whole existence.
The w alk up to the door did not reassure 6 her, for the p ath
lay between tig h t little flower beds hedged in w ith clipped
box ,7 seemingly p lan ted w ith the adm onition, “Now grow and
m u ltiply, but d on’t grow too high, nor m ultiply too greatly,
and above all things, keep out of this p ath .” There was a hand
on those flowers, a guiding and correcting hand. The large
w hite house was very dignified. V enetian blinds 8 of yellow
wood were tilte d down to keep out the noon sun. H alfw ay
up th e p ath she came in sight of the entrance. There was a
veranda as broad and warm and welcoming as an embrace.
Through her m ind flew the thought. “S urely you can tell
the h o sp itality of a house by its entrance. Suppose it had
a little door and no porch.” B ut in spite of the welcoming of
the wide steps and the big doorway, her tim id ities clung to
her when she rang the bell. The big door opened, and a large,
com fortable wom an stood sm iling at Molly.
“I hope yo u ’re n o t selling som ething,” said Mrs. W hiteside.
“I never w ant to buy anything and I alw ays do, and then
I ’m m ad.” 9
M olly laughed. She felt suddenly very happy. U ntil th at
m om ent she h a d n ’t known how frightened she really was.
“Oh, no,” she cried. “I ’m the new schoolteacher. My letter
says I ’m to interview M r. W hiteside. Can I see him ?”
“W ell, i t ’s noon, and he’s ju st finishing his dinner. D id
you have dinner?”
“Oh, of course, I mean, no.”
Mrs. W hiteside chuckled and stood aside for her to enter.
“W ell, I ’m glad yo u ’re sure.” She led M olly into a large dining
room, lined w ith m ahogany, glass-fronted dish closets. The
square tab le was littered w ith the dishes of a m eal. “W hy,
Jo h n m ust have finished and gone. S it down, young woman.
I ’ll bring back the ro a st.”
“Oh, no. R eally, th an k you, no. I ’ll ju st ta lk to Mr. W hite­
side and then go along.”
263
 “S it down. Y ou’ll need nourishm ent to face Jo h n .”
“Is — is he very stern, w ith new teachers, I mean?”
“W ell,” said Mrs. W hiteside. “T h at depends. If they
h aven’t had their dinner, h e’s a regular bear. He shouts at
them . B ut when th e y ’ve just got up from the table, h e’s
only ju st fierce.”
M olly laughed happily. “You have children,” she said.
“Oh, yo u ’ve raised lots of children — and you like them .”
Mrs. W hiteside scowled. “One child raised me. R aised
me rig h t through the roof. It was too hard on me. H e’s out
raising cows now, poor devils. I don’t think I r a is e d 10
him very high.”
W hen M olly had finished eating, Mrs. W hiteside threw
open a side door and called, “John, here’s some one to see
you.” She pushed M olly through the doorway into a room th at
was a k ind of a library, for big bookcases were loaded w ith
thick, old, com fortable books, all filigreed in gold. And it
was a k ind of a sittin g room. There was a fireplace of brick
w ith a m antel of little red tile bricks and the most ex trao rd i­
nary vases on the m antel. Big leather chairs w ith leather
tassels hanging to them , stood about the fireplace, all of them
p a t e n t 11 rocking chairs w ith the kind of springs th a t chant
when you rock them . And lastly the room was a kind of an of­
fice, for there was an old-fashioned roll-top desk, and behind
it sat Jo h n W hiteside. W hen he looked up, M olly saw th a t
he had at once the kindest and the sternest eyes she had ever
seen, and the w hitest hair, too. Real blue-w hite, silky hair,
a great duster 12 of it.
“I am M ary M organ,” she began form ally.
“Oh, yes, Miss Morgan, I ’ve been expecting you. W on’t
you sit down?”
She sat in one of the big rockers, and the springs cried
w ith sweet pain. “I love these chairs,” she said. “We used to
have one when I was a little g irl.” Then she felt silly. “I ’ve
come to interview you about this position. My letter said to
do th a t.”
“D on’t be so tense, Miss Morgan. I ’ve,interview ed every
teacher w e’ve had for years. A nd,” he said, sm iling, “I still
do n ’t know how to go about it.” 13
“Oh — I ’m glad, Mr. W hiteside. I never asked for a job
before* I was really afraid of it.”
“W ell, Miss M ary Morgan, as near as I can figure, the
purpose of this interview is to give me a little knowledge of
264
your past and the kind of person you are. I ’m supposed to
know som ething about you when you’ve finished. And now
th a t you know my purpose, I suppose th a t you’ll be self-
conscious 14 and anxious to give a good im pression. M aybe if
you ju st tell me a little about yourself, ev ery th in g ’ll be all
rig h t. J u s t a few words about the kind of girl you are, and
where you came from .”
Molly nodded quickly. “Yes, I ’ll try to do th a t, Mr. W hite­
side,” and she dropped her m ind back into the past.
There was the old, squalid, u n p ain ted house w ith its wide
back porch and the round w ashtubs leaning against the rails.
High in the great willow tree her two brothers, Joe and Tom,
crashed about 16 crying, “Now I ’m an eagie”, “I ’m a parrot”,
“Now I ’m an old chicken”, “W atch me!”
The screen door on the back porch opened, and their m oth­
er leaned tired ly out. Her hair w ould not lie sm oothly no
m atter how much she combed it. Thick strings of it hung down
beside her face. H er eyes were always a little red, and her
hands and w rists painfully cracked. “Tom, Jo e ,” she called,
“Y ou’ll get h u rt up there. D on’t w orry me so, boys. D on’t
you love your m other at all?” The voices in the tree were
hushed. The shrieking spirits of the eagle and the old chicken
were drenched in self-reproach. M olly sat in the dust, w rap­
ping a rag around a stick and doing her best to im agine it a
tall lady in a dress. “Molly, come in and stay w ith your m oth­
er. I ’m so tired to day.”
M olly stood up the stick in the deep dust. “You, miss,”
she whispered fiercely, “Y ou’ll get w hipped on your bare
bottom when I come back.” Then she obediently went into
the house.
Her m other sat in a straig h t chair in the kitchen. “Draw
up, M olly. J u s t sit w ith me for a little while. Love me, Molly!
Love your m other a little b it. You are m other’s good little
girl, aren ’t you?” M olly squirm ed on her chair. “D on’t you
love your m other, M olly?”
The little girl was very m iserable. She knew her mother
would cry in a m om ent, and then she would be compelled to
stroke the strin g y h air. Both she and her brothers knew they
should love their m other. She did everything for ihem . They
were asham ed th a t they hated to- be near her, but they
co u ld n ’t help it. W hen she called to them and they were not in
sight, they pretended not to hear, and crept away, talking in
whispers.
265
 “W ell, to begin w ith, we were v ery poor,” M olly said to
Jo h n W hiteside. C‘I guess we were really poverty-stricken.
I had two brothers a little older than I. My fa th e r was a tra v ­
eling salesm an, b u t even so, m y m other had to work. She
worked terrib ly h ard for us.”
A bout once in every six m onths a great event occurred.
In the m orning the m other crept silen tly out of the bed­
room. H er h air was brushed as sm oothly as it could be; her
eyes sparkled, and she looked happy and alm ost p retty . She
whispered, “Q uiet, children! Your fa th e r’s hom e.”
M olly and her brothers sneaked out of the house, b u t even
in the yard they talked in excited whispers. The news trav e­
led quickly about the neighborhood. Soon the yard was filled
w ith w hispering children. “They say their fa th e r’s home.”
“Is your father really home?” “W here’s he been this tim e?”
By noon there were a dozen children in the yard, standing in
expectant little groups, cautioning one another to be. quiet.
A bout noon the screen door on the porch sprang open and
whacked against the w all. Their father leaped out. “H i,” he
yelled. “H i, kids!” M olly and her brothers flung them selves
upon him and hugged his legs, w hile he plucked them off
an d hurled them into the air like kittens.
Mrs. M organ flu ttered about, clucking w ith excitem ent.
“C hildren, children. D on’t muss your fa th e r’sclothes.”
The neighbor children threw handsprings and wrestled
and shrieked w ith joy. It was better than any holiday.
“W a it till you see,” their father cried. “W ait till you see
w hat I brought you. I t ’s a secret now.” A nd when the hyste­
r ia had- q u ieted a little he carried his suitcase out on the
porch and opened it. There were presents such as no one had
ever seen, m echanical toys unknown before — tin bugs th a t
craw led, dancing wooden niggers and astounding steam shov­
els th a t worked in sand. There were superb glass marbles
w ith bears and dogs rig h t in their centres. H e had som ething
for everyone, several things for everyone. It was all the great
holidays packed in to one.
U sually it was m idafternoon before the children became
calm enough not to shriek occasionally. B ut eventually
George M organ sat on the steps, and they all gathered about
w hile he told his adventures. This tim e he had been to Mexico
while there was a revolution. Again he had gone to H onolulu,16
266
had seen the volcano and him self ridden on a surfboard.17
A lw ays there were cities and people, strange people; always
adventures and a hundred funny incidents, funnier than
an y th in g they had ever heard. It co u ld n ’t all be told at one
tim e. A fter school they had to gather to hear more and more.
T hroughout the w orld George M organ tram ped, collecting
glorious adventures.
“As far as my home life w ent,” Miss M organ said, “I guess
I alm ost d id n ’t have any father. He was able to get home very
seldom from his business trip s.”
Jo h n W hiteside nodded gravely.
M olly looked up at him and saw th a t he seemed to be
stu dying a piece of paper on his desk. “W hen I was twelve
years old, m y father was killed in an accident,” she said.
The great v isits usually lasted about two weeks. Always
there cam e an afternoon when George M organ w alked out
in to town and did not come back u n til late at night. The
m other m ade the children go to bed early, but they could
hear him come home, stum bling a little against the furniture,
and they could hear his voice through the w all. These were
the only tim es when his voice was sad and discouraged. Lying
w ith held b re ath s,18 the children knew w hat th a t m eant.
In the m orning he would be gone, and their hearts would
be gone w ith him .
They had endless discussions about w hat he was doing.
T heir father was a glad argonaut,19 a silver knight. V irtue
and Courage and B eauty — he wore a coat 20 of-them . “Some­
tim e,” the boys said, “som etim e when we are big, w e’ll
go w ith him and see all those things.”
“I ’ll go, too,” M olly insisted.
“Oh, yo u ’re a girl. You couldn’t go, you know.”
“B ut h e’d let me go, you know he would. Som etim e h e’ll
tak e me w ith him . You see if he doesn’t.”
W hen he was gone their m other grew p lain tiv e again, and
her eyes reddened. Q uerulously she dem anded their love, as
though it were a package they could put in her hand.
One tim e their father went away, and he never came back.
H e had never sent any money, nor had he ever w ritten to
them , b u t th is tim e he just disappeared for good. For two
years they w aited, and then their m other said he m ust be
dead. The children shuddered at the thought, bu t they refused
to believe it, because no one so beautiful and fine as their
fath er could be dead. Some place in the w orld he was having
267
adventures. There was some good reason w hy he couldn’t
come back to them . Some day when the reason was gone, he
would come. Some m orning he w ould be there w ith finer
presents and better stories than ever before. B ut their mother
said he m ust have had an accident. He m ust be dead. Their
m other was distracted. She read those advertisem ents which
offered to help her make money at home. The children made
paper flowers and sham efacedly tried to sell them . The boys
tried to develop magazine ro u tes,21 and the whole fam ily
nearly starved. F in ally, when they couldn’t stand it any long­
er, the boys ran away and joined the navy. After th at Molly
saw them as seldom as she had seen her father and they were
so changed, so hard and boisterous, th a t she d id n ’t even
care, for her brothers were strangers to her.
“I went through high school,22 and then I went to San
Jose 23 and entered Teachers’ College. I worked for my board
and room at the home of Mrs. Allen M orit. Before I finished
school my m other died, so I guess I ’m a kind of an orphan,
you see.”
“I ’m sorry,” Jo h n W hiteside m urm ured gently.
M olly flushed. “T hat w asn’t a bid for sym pathy, Mr.
W hiteside. You said you w anted to know about me. Everyone
has to be an orphan some tim e.”
* *
*
Molly worked for her board and room. She did the work of
a full tim e servant, only she received no pay. Money for clothes
had to be accum ulated by working in a store during sum ­
mer vacation. Mrs. M orit trained her girls. “I can take a green
girl, not w orth a cen t,” she often said, “and when th at g irl’s
worked for me six m onths, she can get fifty dollars a m onth.
Lots of women know it, and they just snap up my g irls.24
This is the first schoolgirl I ’ve tried, bu t even she shows a lot
of im provem ent. She reads too much though. I always say a
servant should be asleep by ten o ’clock, or else she ca n ’t do
her work rig h t.”
Mrs. M o rit’s m ethod was one of constant criticism and
nagging, carried on in a just, firm tone. “Now, Molly; I don’t
want to find fau lt but if you don’t wipe the silver drier than
th at, i t ’ll have streaks.” “The butter knife goes this way,
M olly. Then you can put the tum bler here.”
In the evening, after the dishes were washed, Molly sat on
her bed and studied, and when the light was off, she lay on
268
her bed and th o u g h t of her father. It was ridiculous to do it,
she knew. It was a w aste of tim e. Her father came up to the
door, w earing a cutaw ay c o a t,26 and striped trousers and a top
hat. H e carried a huge bouquet of red roses in his hand. “I
co u ld n ’t come before, M olly. Get on your coat quickly. F irst
w e’re going down to get th a t evening dress in the window of
P ru s s ia ’s, but w e’ll have to hurry. I have tickets for the
tra in to New York to n ight. H urry up, Molly! D on’t stand
there gaw ping.” It was silly. H er father was dead. No, she
d id n ’t really believe he was dead. Somewhere in the world
he lived beau tifu lly , and som etim e he w ould come back.
M olly told one of her friends at school, “I don’t really
believe it, you see, b u t I don’t disbelieve it. If I ever knew
he was dead, why it would be awful. I don’t know w hat
I ’d do then. I d on’t w ant to think about know ing h e ’s dead.”
W hen her m other died,' she felt little besides sham e. Her
m other had w anted so much to be loved, and she h a d n ’t known
how to draw love. Her im portunities had bothered the chil­
dren and driven them away.

* *
*

“W ell, t h a t’s about a ll,” Molly finished. “I got my diplo­

ma, and then I was sent down here.”
“It was ab out the easiest interview I ever h ad,” John
W hiteside said.
“Do you th in k I ’ll get the position, then?”
“Yes, I th in k yo u ’ll get the job. I think you have it
already. Now, Miss M organ, where are you going to live?
You m ust find board and room some place.”
Before she knew she was going to say it, she had blurted,
“I w ant to live here.”
Jo h n W hiteside opened his eyes in astonishm ent. “B ut we
never take boarders, Miss M organ.”
“Oh, I ’m sorry I said th at, I just like it so much here,
you see.”
He called, “W illa,” and when his wife stood in the half­
open door, “T his young lady w ants to board w ith us. S he’s
the new teacher.”
Mrs. W hiteside frowned. “C ouldn’t think of it. We never
take boarders. S h e’s too p retty to be around th a t fool of a
B ill.26 W hat would happen to those cows of his? I t ’d be a
269
 lot of trouble. You can sleep in the th ird bedroom upstairs,”
she said to M olly. “It doesn’t catch much sun anyw ay.”
Life changed its face. All of a sudden Molly found she was
a queen. From the first day the children of the school adored
her, for she understood them , and w hat was more, she let
them u n d ersta n d her. It took her some tim e to realize th at she
had become an im p o rtan t person. If two men got to arguing
at the store about a point of history or lite ratu re or m athem at­
ics, and the argum ent deadlocked, it ended up, “Take it to
the teacher! If she doesn’t know, she’ll find it.” Molly was
very proud to be able to decide such questions. A t parties
she had to help w ith the decorations and to plan refreshm ents.
“I th in k w e’ll p u t pine boughs around everywhere. T hey’re
p retty , and they smell so good. They smell like a p a rty .”
She was supposed to know everything and to help w ith every­
thing, and she loved it.
At the W hiteside home she slaved in the kitchen under the
m utterings of W illa. A t the end of six m onths, Mrs. W hiteside
grum bled to her husband, “Now if B ill only had any sense.
B ut th e n ,” she continued, “If she has any sense —” and there
she left it.
At n ig h t M olly wrote letters to the few friends she had
made in Teachers’ College, letters full of little stories about
her neighbors, and full of joy. She m ust atten d every p arty
because of the social prestige of her position. On S aturdays
.she ran about the hills and brought back ferns and wild flow ­
ers to p lan t about the house.
Bill W hiteside took one look at M olly and scuttled back 2*
to his cows. It was a long tim e before he found the courage to
talk to her very much. He was a big, sim ple young man who
had neither his fa th e r’s balance nor his m other’s hum or.
E v en tu ally , however, he trailed after M olly and looked after
her from distances.
One evening, w ith a kind of feeling of thanksgiving for
her happiness M olly told Bill about her father. They were
sittin g in canvas chairs on the wide veranda, w aiting for the
moon. She told him about the visits, and then about the disap­
pearance. “Do you see w hat I have, B ill?” she cried. “My
lovely father is some place. H e’s mine. You think he’s living,
don’t you, B ill?”
“M ight be,” said B ill. “From w hat you say, he was a kind
of an irresponsible cuss, though. Excuse me, M olly. S till, if
h e’s alive, i t ’s funny he never w rote.”
270
 M olly felt cold. I t was just the k in d of reasoning she had
successfully avoided for so long. “Of course,” she said stiffly,
“I know th a t. I have to do some work now, B ill.”
H igh up in a hill th a t edged the valley of the. P astures of
H eaven, there was an old cabin which com m anded a view of
th e whole co untry 28 and of all the roads in the vicin ity . It
was said th a t the b an d it Vasquez had b u ilt the cabin and lived
in it for a year w hile the posses w ent crashing through the
cou n try looking for him . It was a landm ark. All the people
of th e valley h ad been to see it a t one tim e or another. Nearly
everyone asked M olly w hether she had been there yet. “No,”
she said , “b u t I will go up some day. I ’ll go some S aturday.
I know where the tra il to it is.” One m orning she dressed in
her new hik in g boots and corduroy sk irt. B ill sidled up and
offered to accom pany her. “No,” she said. “You have work to
do. I can ’t tak e you aw ay from it.”
“W ork be hanged!” 29 said B ill.
“W ell, I ’d ra th e r go alone, I don’t w ant to h u rt your
feelings, but I ju st w ant to go alone, B ill.” She was sorry
no t to let him accom pany her, bu t his rem ark about her
father had frightened her. “I w ant to have an adventure,”
she sa id to herself. “If B ill comes along, it w on’t be an adven­
ture at all. I t ’ll be ju st a trip .” It took her an hour and a half
to clim b up the steep trail under the oaks. The leaves on the
ground were as slippery as grass, and the sun was hot. The
good sm ell of ferns and dank moss filled the air. W hen Molly
cam e at last to the ridge crest, she was dam p and w inded.30
The cab in stood in a sm all clearing in the brush, a little square
wooden room w ith no windows. Its doorless entrance was a
black shadow. The place was quiet, the kind of hum m ing
q u iet th a t flies and bees and crickets m ake. The whole h ill­
side sang softly in the sun. M olly approached on tiptoe. Her
h eart was b eatin g v iolently.
“Now I ’m having an adventure,” she whispered. “Now
I ’m rig h t in the m iddle of an adventure at V asquez’ cabin.”
She peered in a t the doorway and saw a lizard scuttle out of
sight. A cobweb fell across her forehead and seemed to try to
re s tra in her. There was nothing at all in the cabin, nothing
but the d irt floor and the ro ttin g wooden walls, and the dry,
deserted smell of earth th a t has long been covered from the
sun . M olly was filled w ith excitem ent. “A t night he sat in
th ere. Som etim es when he heard noises like men creeping up
271
 on him , he w ent out of the door like the ghost of a shadow, and
ju st m elted into the darkness.”
She looked down on the valley. “In the daytim e th at
young Vasquez looked down on the valley ju st as I ’m looking.
He stood rig h t here, and looked at the roads down there.
Som etim es he saw the posses riding by on the road below.
Vasquez laughed, bu t he was afraid, too. Som etim es he
sang. H is songs were soft and sad because he knew he couldn’t
live very long.”
Molly sat down on the slope and rested her chin in her
’ cupped hands. Young Vasquez was standing beside her, and
Vasquez had her fa th e r’s gay face, his shining eyes as he
came on the porch shouting, “H i, kids.” This was the kind of
adventure her father had. Molly shook herself and stood up.
“Now I w ant to go back and think it all over again.”
In the late afternoon Mrs. W hiteside sent Bill out to
look for M olly. “She m ight have turned an ankle, you know .”
But M olly emerged from the trail ju st as Bill approached it
from the road.
“We were beginning to wonder if you’d got lost,” he said.
“D id you go up to the cabin?”
“Yes.”
“Funny old box, isn ’t it? J u s t an old woodshed. There are
a dozen ju st like it down here. Y ou’d be surprised, though,
how m any people go up there to look at it. The funny p art is,
nobo d y ’s sure Vasquez was ever there.”
“Oh, I th in k he m ust have been there.”
“W hat makes you think th a t? ”
“I don’t know.”
Bill became serious. “E verybody th in k s Vasquez was a
kind of a hero, when really he was just a thief. He started in
stealing sheep and horses and ended up robbing stages.31
He had to k ill a few people to do it. It seems to me, Molly,
we ought to teach people to hate robbers, not to worship
them .”
“Of course, B ill,” she said w earily. “Y ou’re perfectly
right. W ould you m ind not talking for a little while, Bill? I
guess I ’m a little tired and nervous too.”
The year wheeled around. Pussywillows had their kittens,
and w ild flowers covered the hills. M olly found herself w anted
and needed in the valley. She even attended school board
meetings. There had been a tim e when those secret and august
conferences were held behind closed doors, a m ystery and a
272
terror to everyone. Now th at Molly was asked to step into
Jo h n W hiteside’s sittin g room, she found th a t the board dis­
cussed crops, told stories, and circulated m ild gossip.
Bert M unroe had been elected early in the fall, and by the
springtim e he was the most energetic m ember. He it was who
planned dances at the schoolhouse, who insisted upon having
plays and picnics. He even offered prizes for the best report
cards 32 in the school. The board was com ing to rely pretty
much on B ert Munroe.
One evening M olly came down from her room. As always,
when the board was meeting, Mrs. W hiteside sat in the dining
room. “I don’t th in k I ’ll go in to the m eeting,” Molly said.
“Let them have one tim e to them selves. Som etim es I feel
th at they would tell other kinds of stories if I w eren’t there.”
“You go on in, Molly! They c a n ’t hold a board m eeting
w ithout you. T h ey ’re so used to you, th e y ’d be lost. Besides,
I ’m not at all sure I w ant them to tell those other stories.”
O bediently Molly knocked on the door and went into the
sittin g room. Bert M unroe paused politely in the story he was
narratin g . “I was ju st telling about my farm hand, Miss
Morgan. I ’ll sta rt over again, ’cause i t ’s kind of funny. You
see, I needed a hay hand, and I picked th is fellow up under
the Salinas R iver bridge. He was pretty drunk, but he w anted
a job. Now I ’ve got him , I find he isn ’t worth a cent as a
hand, but I c a n ’t get rid of him. T hat son of a gun 33 has
been every place. You ought tq hear him tell about the places
he’s been. My kids w ouldn’t let me get rid of him if I wanted
to. W hy he can take the littlest thing h e’s seen and make a
fine story out of it. My kids just sit around w ith their ears
spread, listening to him . W ell, about twice a m onth he walks
into S alinas and goes on a b u st.34 H e’s one of those dirty,
periodic drunks. The S alinas cops always call me up when
they find him in a g u tter, and I have to drive in to get him.
And you know, when he comes out of it, h e’s always got some
kind of present in his pocket for my kid M anny. T here’s n o th ­
ing you can do w ith a man like th at. He disarm s you. I
don’t get a d o llar’s w orth of work a m onth out of h im .”
Molly felt a sick dread rising in her. The men were laughing
at the story. “Y ou’re too soft, Bert. You c a n ’t afford to keep
an en tertainer on the place. I ’d sure get rid of him quick.”
Molly stood up. She was dreadfully afraid someone would
ask the m an’s name. “I ’m not feeling very well to n ig h t,”
she said. “If you gentlem en will excuse me, I th in k I ’ll go to
д . 3060 273
bed.” The men stood up while she left the room. In her bed
she buried her head in the pillow. “I t ’s crazy,” she said to
herself. “There isn ’t a chance in the world. I ’m forgetting all
about it rig h t now.” B ut she found to her dism ay th at she
was crying.
The next few weeks were agonising to M olly. She was reluc­
tan t to leave the house. W alking to and from school she
watched the road ahead of her. “If I see any kind of a stranger
I ’ll run aw ay. But th a t’s foolish, I ’m being a fool.” Only in
her own room did she feel safe. Her terror was m aking her
lose color, was taking the glint out of her eyes.
“M olly, you ought to go to bed,” Mrs. W hiteside insisted.
“D o n ’t be a little idiot. Do I have to smack you the way I do
Bill to m ake you go to bed?” B ut Molly would not go to bed.
She thought too m any things when she was in bed.
The n ex t tim e the board m et, B ert M unroe did not appear.
M olly felt reassured and alm ost happy at his absence.
“Y ou’re feeling better, aren ’t you, Miss Morgan?”
“Oh, yes. It was only a little thing, a kind of a cold. If
I ’d gone to bed I m ight have been really sick.”
The m eeting was an hour gone 35 before Bert Munroe
came in. “Sorry to be late,” he apologised. “The same old thing
happened. My so-called hay han d was asleep in the street in
Salinas. W hat a mess! H e’s out in the car sleeping it o f f 36
now. I ’ll have to hose the car out 37 tom orrow .”
M olly’s th ro at closed w ith terror. For a second she thought
she was going to faint. “Excuse me, I m ust go,” she'cried,
and ran out of the room. She w alked into the dark hallw ay
and steadied herself against the w all. Then slowly and auto­
m atically she m arched out of the front door and down the
steps. The n ig h t was filled w ith whispers. O ut in the road she
could see the black mass th at was B ert M unroe’s car. She
was surprised at the way her footsteps plodded down the
p ath of th eir own volition. “Now I ’m killing myself,” she
said. “Now I ’m throw ing everything away. I wonder w hy.”
The gate was under her hand, and her hand flexed to open
it. Then a tin y breeze sprang up and brought to her nose the
sharp foulness of vom it. She heard a blubbering, drunken
snore. In sta n tly som ething w hirled in her head. Molly spun
around and ran frantically back to the house. In her room she
locked the door :and sat stiffly down, panting w ith the effort
of her ru n . It seemed hours before she heard the men go out
of the house, calling their good-nights. Then B ert’s motor
274
started , and the sound of it died away down the road. Now
th at she was ready to go she felt paralysed.
John W hiteside was w riting at his desk when Molly en­
tered the s ittin g room. He looked up questioningly at her.
“You aren’t well, Miss Morgan. You need a doctor.”
She planted herself woodenly beside the desk. “Could
you get a su b stitu te teacher for me?” she asked.
“Of course I could. You pile right into bed and I ’ll call a
doctor.”
“It isn’t th at, Mr. W hiteside. I w ant to go away tonight.”
“W hat are you talking about? You aren’t w ell.”
“I told you my father was dead. I don’t know whether
he’s dead or not. I ’m a f r a id — I w ant to go away to n ig h t.”
He stared in ten tly at her. “Tell me w hat you m ean,”
he said softly.
“If I should see th at drunken man of Mr. M unroe’s —”
she paused, suddenly terrified at w hat she w as about to say.
John W hiteside nodded very slowly.
“No,” she cried. “I don’t think th a t. I ’m sure I don’t.”
“I ’d like to do som ething, M olly.”
“I don’t w ant to go. I love it here — B ut I ’m afraid.
I t ’s so im p o rtan t to me.”
Jo h n W hiteside stood up and came close to her and put
his arm about her shoulders. “I don’t think I understand,
qu ite,” he said. “I don’t think I w ant to understand. T hat
isn’t necessary.” He seemed to be talking to him self. “It
w ouldn’t be quite courteous — to u nderstand.”
“Once I ’m away I ’ll be able not to believe it,” Molly
whim pered.
He gave her shoulders one quick squeeze w ith his encir­
cling arm. “You run u pstairs and pack your things, M olly,”
he said. “I ’ll get out the car and drive you rig h t in to Salinas
now.”

NOTES

1 Salinas [soTknosl — a town in W est C alifornia

2 I dunno (irre g . ) = I don’t know
3 a in ’t (irre g .) = are not
4 ’Course (colloq.) = Of course
6 a trem endous inch — a critical mom ent
e to reassure — to give a feeling of confidence, rem ove one’s
anxiety, fears, etc. (Russ, успокоить, подбодрить)’, e.g. The
10* 275
doctor tried to reassure the young m other, saying the child
would soon get well. She kept saying her husband had met
w ith an accident and nothing could reassure her.; reassuring
adj. The letter was most reassuring. There was som ething
reassuring in his quiet ways and low voice.
7 box — a small evergreen tree or shrub, cultivated as a
hedge
8 Venetian blinds — a flexible window screen th at may
be raised or lowered
9 then I’m mad — then I get angry
10 to raise — a play upon words: to raise means 1) bring
up, breed, 2) to elevate
11 patent — of original construction, for which inven­
to r’s rights have been claim ed
12 duster — (here) a mop of hair
13 to go about sm th.— to set to work at sm th., to do sm th.
14 self-conscious — shy
15 to crash about — to move noisily, to break one’s way
noisily through sm th.
18 Honolulu [,h o n a'lu :lu :l — the capital and principal
seaport city of H aw aii; reputed to be one of the most beautiful
cities of the world
17 surfboard — a long narrow board used in the sport of
surf-riding
18 to hold one’s breath — to stop breathing because of
fear or excitem ent
19 argonaut ['a:gano:t] (jig .) — a fearless adventurer;
1) (Greek m yth.) one of the band of heroes, who sailed in the
ship Argo to Colchis in search of the golden Fleece; 2) A m .
one of those who went to California in 1848-49 in search of
gold
20 c o a t= c o a t of arms (Russ, герб)
21 tried to develop magazine routes — tried to arrange to
sell or deliver magazines in a certain district in order to
earn money
22 high school — in the U nited S tates a school preparing
for college
23 San Jose [saen ho'seil — a city in West California,
SE of San Francisco
24 snap up my girls — are most w illing and quick to hire
the girls trained by Mrs. Morit
26 cutaway coat — a coat w ith the front corners cut slop-
ingly away from the waist down to the back
276
 26 th a t fool of a B ill= th a t foolish B ill; the construction
“n o u n + o f” is often used attrib u tiv ely , e. g. a hell of a job,
a doll of a baby, etc.
27 to scuttle back (away, off, out, etc.) — to run away
hastily, in fear, in a cow ardly way, when trying to escape
from difficulties, dangers, when feeling em barrassed and self-
conscious. Here the word is used to show how greatly Molly
had impressed Bill.
28 com m anded a view of the whole country — from which
the whole country could be seen
23 Work be hanged! (vulg.) — Russ. К черту работу!
30 w inded—breathless
31 stages=stage-coaches
32 report cards — at the end of term a p u p il’s report is
drawn up by the schoolteacher for the parents
33 son of a gun (m ildly vulgar) — rascal (Russ, сукин сын)
34 to go on a bust (slang) — to have a m erry tim e, to get
drunk (com p. p. 2.30, N ote 38)
35 the m eeting was an hour gone — the m eeting had begun
an hour before
36 sleeping it off — sleeping off the effect of drink
37 to hose the car o u t — to wash the car out w ith a hose

E X E R C IS E S

E x erc ise 1. P ra c tise th e p ro n u n c ia tio n of th e follow ing w ords and

phrases:

a) autom obile, squeak, survey, clerk, path, adm onition,

Venetian blinds, veranda, embrace, m ahogany, closet, scowl,
filigreed, leather, tassels, squalid, caution, hysteria, shovel,
superb, volcano, argonaut, virtue, querulously, route, bou­
quet, im p ortunity, boughs, prestige, corduroy skirt, winded,
lizard, thief, courteous
b) 'm oli 'т з : д э п 'g o t 'of 5a 'tre in in sa ^ flk n a s | and 'w e i ti d ^ / 0 r i ;
'kw otoz av an 'a u a fa бэ 'ib A s ||
da 'b ig 'o :ta m ab i:l waz _ /e m p ti | ik 's e p t fa da 'd r a iv a r_ ,a n d
^ n io li |[
iz it f f a fram бэ m em , / r o u d ||
a 'b a u t ^ '0 r i : ^ m a i l z ||
wil без b r э 'ka- ta teik m r ^ i n t a бэ J v x h ||
T n o u | 'n o t A n'les ju a ^ m e t ||
'w en h i- 'se t ha" 'd a u n 3 t _ 5 i ‘ 'e n tra n s ta 5a 'd a :t _ /s a id ro u d |
'm oli 'т з : д э п 'g n m li 'p ik t 'л р h a - ^ ts ju h k e is | a n d 'm a - tf tw ta w o :d ^ 5 a
'dro: т ^ б э ~V.hiIz ||
an 'o u ld 'fo:d trAk 's k w i:k t 'л р b i'y s a id h a - ||
277
 E xercise I I . D rills.

a) R ead a n d re p e a t, b) Use the stru c tu re s in sentences of your own:

1. Would you m ind not talking for a while?

Would you m ind not speaking so loudly?
Would you m ind not following me everywhere?
Would you m ind not rearranging things on my desk?
Would you m ind not w histling all the time?
Would you m ind not smoking in the nursery?
Would you m ind not drum m ing on the tab le w ith your
fingers?

2. It was a long time before he found the courage to talk

It was a long time before she made up her m ind w hat to d
I t was a long time before they learnt the tru th .
I t was a long time before he realized w hat was going on in
the house.

3. She hated to disturb him but she couldn’t help it.

He hated to bother them but he co u ld n ’t help it.
She hated to hurt him but she couldn’t help it.
She hated to seem ungrateful but she couldn’t help it.

a) R ead and in to n e th e m odel dialogue:

A.: May I walk you home?

B.: No. You have a composition to write.
A.: To hell w ith it!
B.: W ell, I ’d rath er go alone. I don’t w ant to hurt your
feelings but I just want to go alone. So long.

b) F ill in th e d ialo g u e fram e w ith w ords from co lu m n s (1) a n d (2):

A.: May I . . . (1)?

B.: No. You have . . . (2).
A.: To hell w ith it!
B.: W ell, I ’d rath er go alone. I don’t w ant to hurt your
feelings but I just w ant to go alone. So long.
278
 ( 1) ( 2)
accom pany you work to do
see you to th e statio n dinner to cook
drive you hom e an artic le to tra n sla te
to th e under- exercise books to check
w alk you<J ground some telephone calls to m ake
to th e bus stop exercises to do
letters to w rite
some cleaning to do
E x erc ise I I I . C hange in to In d ire c t Speech th e d ialo g u e on p . 262-63
b eg in n in g w ith “ I ’v e nev er b e en to th e P a stu re s of H e a v e n ...” u p to “ ...for
over tw e n ty years” .

E x e rc ise IV . F in d in th e te x t E n g lish e q u iv a le n ts for th e follow ing:

a) сойти с поезда; пойти пешком; высадить кого-л. (око­
ло); мрачно; не надо бояться; секретарь школьного совета;
быть членом совета; причинить много неприятностей; в пись­
ме говорится; поладить с кем-л.; отличный старик; жалю ­
зи; крыльцо; входная дверь; гостеприимный; гостеприимст­
во; тропинка; цветочные клумбы; столовая; стол, заставлен­
ный посудой; ж аркое; распахнуть дверь; камин; каминная
полочка; качалка; письменный стол (бюро); ожидать кого-
л.; не присядете ли вы; насколько я понимаю; чувствовать
себя скованной; стараться произвести хорошее впечатление;
кивнуть
b ) нищие; коммивояжер; выйти (выползти) бесшумно из...
(2); новость быстро распространялась; говорить взволно­
ванным шепотом; выпрыгнуть; броситься (на кого-л.); об­
нять; бросать (подбрасывать); суетиться (метаться); запач­
кать; визж ать от радости; в конце концов; приключения;
шагать по свету
E x erc ise V . A nsw er th e follow ing questions:

1. How d id M olly Morgan get to the P astures of Heaven?

2. W hy did P a t H um berg flush? 3. How did M olly feel when
she was p u t down in front of Mr. W hiteside’s house? 4. W hat
so rt of a house was it? 5. How did Mrs. W hiteside receive
the new teacher? 6. W hat m ade Molly feel Mrs. W hiteside
had raised a lot of children? 7. W hat did Mr. W hiteside’s
room look like? 8. How did Mr. W hiteside receive Molly?
9. W hat did he say about the interview ? 10. W hat fam ily
did M olly come from? 11. W hat was her m other like? 12. W hat
did she rem em ber about her father? 13. How did M olly m an­
279
age to get an education? 14. W hat did Molly dream of after
she was through w ith the dishes and had done her lessons?
15. W hat did she keep thinking about? 16. How did it come
about th a t M olly became a boarder at Mr. W hiteside’s house?
17. W hy did M olly’s life become som ething quite different
from w hat it used to be? 18. How did she feel about it? 19.
W hat did Mrs. W hiteside grum ble to her husband? W hat did
her words im ply? 20. W hat sort of fellow was Bill and how
did he feel about Molly? 21. W hy did Molly tell Bill about
her father? 22. W hat made her feel cold and disappointed?
23. W hat sort of landm ark was there high up in the hills?
24. Why did the girl not let Bill accom pany her? W hat rea­
son did she give? W hat was the real reason? 25. W hat did
Molly find up in the hill? W hat did she think about while
exam ining the cabin? 26. W hat did Bill say about the cabin?
A bout the man who was supposed to have lived there? 27.
W hy did his words upset Molly? 28. W hat sort of story did
Bert M unroe tell at the school board m eeting? W hy was Molly
so much upset by w hat she heard? 29. W hat did she say and
w hat did she do? 30. Why were the next few weeks so agonis­
ing to Molly? 31. W hat happened the next tim e the board
met? 32. W hat did she mean by saying “now I ’m killing m y­
self”? 33. W hat did Molly say to Mr. W hiteside? 34. How
did Mr. W hiteside show his sym pathy and understanding?

E xercise V I. F ill in th e b lan k s w ith p repositions:

Alan was a late riser but . . . th at particu lar day he

w a s .............. bed . . . sunrise. . . . fact he h a d n ’t slept a wink.
E arly . . . the m orning he was supposed to pick . . . Jean . . .
the bus stop and drive her . . . “The E lm s” to introduce her ...
his people . . . home.
Alan had been lo o k in g .............. th at day . . . quite a while.
Yet he was not free . . . a feeling . . . vague apprehension.
Not th at he feared Jea n would not g e t .................his mother.
He was positive they would g e t ...................all right: Jean was
real sweet and his m other was not hard to please. There was
som ething else he was vaguely worried . . . . H e knew there
was som ething wrong but he just co u ld n ’t put his finger . . .
it. So he did his best to dismiss the thought . . . his mind.
W hen he drove . . . Jean was already there. She had a
bright sum m er frock . . . and was carrying a bright sunshade.
The girl was terrib ly afraid . . . getting tanned and ruining
280
her pink and w hite com plexion she was so proud . . . . S o
she always took good care to k e e p ....................the sun.
They were driving . . . silence . . . a beautiful road lined
. . . old elm -trees when, . . . the bend . . . the road, they
came . . . s i g h t . . . the old country house. It stood . . . the
top . . . a low hill and com m anded a lovely view . . . the
valley. Jean gave a little cry . . . delight.
E x erc ise V I I . R e te ll th e story according to th e p lan below :

1. Molly Morgan arrives at the P astures of Heaven.

2. Molly is received by Mrs. W hiteside.
3. Molly tells Mr. W hiteside about her childhood and
school days.
4. The young teacher becomes a member of the W hiteside
household.
5. Molly finds she is a queen.
6. Bill fails to share her em otions.
7. A visit to the cabin up in the hills.
8. Bill gives Molly another disappointm ent.
9. The school board m eeting upsets M olly.
10. Molly goes through an agonising tim e.
11. A hasty departure.

E x erc ise V I I I . S peak on th e follow ing episodes, usin g th e suggested

words and phrases:

I. M o lly's recollections of her homellfe

a) poverty-stricken; squalid house; w ashtubs; cracked
hands (wrists); self-reproach; to wrap; rag; to do one’s best;
obediently; to squirm ; miserable; to be com pelled; to stroke
ashamed; co u ld n ’t help it
b) great event; to creep out of; to sparkle; alm ost p re tty ;
talk in whispers; expectant groups; to leap out; to yell; to
hug; to hurl into the air; m echanical toys; to tell one’s adven­
tures; to tram p throughout the world; glorious; to stum ble
against; to disappear for good; to shudder (at); to refuse to
believe it; to have (be killed in) an accident; distracted;
nearly starved; co u ld n’t stand it; to join the navy
II. M o lly's college years
to work for one’s board and room; full tim e servant; no
pay; money for clothes; to work in a store; to train; to find
fault w ith; to wash the dishes; ridiculous; a waste of tim e;
281
strip ed trousers; top hat; evening dress; to disbelieve; to
feel little besides shame
III. M o lly visits the old cabin in the hills
to com m and a view; in the vicin ity ; landm ark; at one tim e
or another; trail; hiking boots; to accom pany; to have an ad­
venture; it took her . . . to; steep; on tiptoe; to peer in; cob­
web; to ro t; deserted; slope; to rest one’s chin; to think sm th.
over; in the late afternoon; to turn an ankle; to emerge from;
to wonder; woodshed; the funny p art is...; thief; to end up;
robber; to worship; wearily
IV. M o lly hurries to leave the Pastures of Heaven
to a tten d board meetings; to elect; to rely much (on);
farm hand; to pick up; p retty drunk; to get rid of; about
twice a m onth; in a gutter; to disarm ; a d o llar’s worth of
work; sick dread; c a n ’t afford; to bury one’s head (in); crazy;
agonising; relu ctan t; to feel safe; to lose colour; to feel reas­
sured; to apologise; to faint; to steady oneself (against);
drunken snore; frantically; to die away; to feel paralysed;
su b stitu te; softly courteous; to w him per; to pack; to drive
E x erc ise IX . U se th e key w ords below to m ak e up sentences as in
th e m odel.

M o d e l : W ill there be a car to take me into the Valley?

(Shall I be able to drive to ...) _
No, not unless you are m et.
1. to find sm b. in; to make previous arrangem ents. 2. to
get the job; to have a letter of recom m endation. 3. to be
able to see the show; to book a ticket. 4. to get a room at a
hotel; to m ake reservations. 5. to in h erit the property; to
provide for in the w ill. 6. to be allowed to leave; to find a
su b stitu te. 7. to accom pany one to ...; to take a day off.
8. to m arry th e girl; to get his p aren ts’ consent. 9. to attend
th e preview; to be invited
E x e rc ise X . T ra n s la te in to R u ssia n th e follow ing sentences p aying
a tte n tio n to th e w ords a) b re a th , b) clin g , c) board, d) pick:

a) 1. The children lay in bed w ith held breaths (bated

breaths). 2. The stories he told were fascinating, they took
your breath away (they were breathtaking). 3. W hatever
you say w on’t convince him . You are just wasting your breath.
282
4. I ’m going out for a breath of air. 5. W hile father had his
afternoon nap all the members of the household spoke under
their breath and w alked on tiptoe. 6. Big gam e hunting was a
most breathtaking experience. 7. Mrs. W hiteside said they
never took boarders and Molly could have the th ird bedroom
upstairs, all in the same breath.
b) 1. She clung to the hope th at her father would return.
2. The boy clung to his m other’s arms. 3. W h a t’s the use of
clinging to the past? 4. The hostess looked lovely in th a t
w hite clinging gown. 5. P aul d id n ’t care for boys of his age
and would cling to the com pany of adults.
c) 1. Molly had to work for her board and room. 2. The
young girl was proud to be invited to a tten d school board
m eetings. 3. There were about two hundred people on board
when the ship caught fire. 4. There is every reason to tru st
him . He is perfectly above-board. 5. W hen she heard' the
story she realized w ith horror th a t her hopes for a happy life
went by the board.
d) 1. You may have a look at the flowers, bu t you’re not
supposed to pick them . 2. He picked up the fellow under the
bridge. 3. S h e’ll be grateful for any job you can offer. She is
not the one to pick and choose. 4. The porter picked up the
suitcases and made for the carriage. 5. She listened to him in
silence, picking at the fingertips of her gloves. 6. I ’ve dropped
my gloves. P ick them up, please. 7. He speaks S panish fluent­
ly. W here did he pick it up, I wonder?

E x ercise X I . T ra n s la te th e follow ing in to E n g lish u sin g a) no m a tte r

w hat (how, e tc .), b) self-conscious, c) reluctant:

a) 1. К у д а б ы о н н и у е з ж а л , он рано или поз­

дно возвращался домой. 2. Г д е бы вы е г о ни
в с т р е т и л и , вы его обязательно (you are sure to) у з­
наете. 3. К а к б ы з а н я т о н н и б ы л , на него всег­
да можно было рассчитывать (rely on). 4. К т о б ы н и
б ы л этот человек, мысль о нем не давала ей покоя (haunt­
ed her).
b) 1. Он показался нам очень неопытным и з а с т е н ­
ч и в ы м . 2. Присутствие незнакомых людей с к о в ы в а-
л о ее. 3. Во время первой беседы с секретарем правления
Молли чувствовала себя очень с м у щ е н н о й . 4. Он
долго не мог привыкнуть к новому окружению и н е ч у в ­
ствовал себя свободно.
283
 с) 1. У него было тяжелое детство, и он н е о х о т н о
говорит о нем. 2. Е й н е х о т е л о с ь уезжать из родно­
го города. 3. Было очевидно, что е м у н е х о т е л о с ь
отвечать на вопросы врача. 4. Он н е о х о т н о соглаш а­
ется даже на небольшие изменения в первоначальном
плане.
E x ercise X I I . Q u o te th e tex t to prove th a t I. a) M o lly ’s m other was
not lik e a b le , b) her h u sb a n d ’s short v isits tran sfo rm e d her in to a different
person; II. M olly’s father a) w as kind and fond of c h ild re n , b) had charm
and im a g in a tio n , c) w as irresp o n sib le and u n re lia b le , d) w as bound to sink
low; I I I . M olly a) w as sw eet and c h arm in g , b) w as inclined to dream ,
c) was afra id to face facts, d) clung to her ro m a n tic dream s; IV . Bill
was a) shy, b) im pressed by M olly, c) m a tter-o f-fa ct; V. Mrs. W hiteside
a) was k ind and h o sp itab le ; b) took to M olly at once; c) had a sense of
hum our; V I. M r. W h ite sid e was very k in d , decent and ta c tfu l.

E xercise XI I I . T opics for discussion:

1. Give a character sketch of 1) M olly, 2) M olly’s mother,

3) M olly’s father, 4) Mr. and Mrs. W hiteside, 5) Bill.
2. W hat did M olly’s fath er’s attractio n lie in? Why was
she blind to his faults?
3. Molly and Bill are poles apart. W hich of them do you
like better? Why?
4. Discuss the language used by a) Molly, b) Bill. Pick
out adjectives and other words characteristic of each of
them.
5. Analyse M olly’s feelings beginning w ith the moment
she ran out of the room and stopped in the hallway.
6. W hat do you think of M olly’s decision to leave im m edi­
ately? Was there no other way for her to act? Give your opi­
nion.
7. Speak of the au th o r’s a ttitu d e to the main characters
in the story.
8. W hat do you think was the au th o r’s purpose in w riting
the story? W hat psychological problem does he present in it?
9. Some people, mainly young people, are inclined
to live in a world of dreams. W hat would you say of such
people?

Exercise XI V. R ender the follow ing te x ts in E nglish:

а) Гюнтер Бельциг, инженер из Габсбурга, был человек

активный и изобретательный (inventive). Поэтому когда
284
жена категорически заявила ему (told him point blank),
что не может управиться (manage) стрем я малолетними деть­
ми без его отцовской помощи, он решил вопрос радикаль­
но (to solve the problem thoroughly). А именно — сконструи­
ровал агрегат, выполняющий функции няни (baby-sitter).
Теперь нажатием кнопки (by pressing a button) можно было
включить (to switch on) баюкающее устройство (lulling-to-
sleep application), нажатием другой кнопки — запись колы­
бельной (lullaby recording) в хорошем исполнении. Если
промокала пеленка (diaper), на табло вспыхивала красная
лампочка (light signal). Словом, прибор решал все пробле­
мы, как считал Бельциг, и приближался к совершенству
(next to perfect). Единственное обстоятельство (hitch):
пока папа строил и отлаживал свой агрегат, двое старших
детей уже пошли в школу, а младшая дочка наотрез
отказалась (refused point blank) лезть в механизирован­
ную колыбель (mechanical cradle), предпочитая играть
на траве.

Ь) Самая легкая профессия

«Быть учителем очень легко»,— говорил Массне. «Нет,
например, ничего проще, чем давать уроки игры на форте­
пиано. Достаточно знать три предложения: «Здравствуйте
мадемуазель... Немного медленнее, прошу вас... Засви­
детельствуйте мое почтение (my best regards to) вашей ба­
бушке...».

Epitaph
On a Tired Housewife

H ere lies a poor woman who was always tired.

She lived in a house where help w asn’t hired.
Her last words on earth were: “Dear friends, I am going
To where th e re ’s no cooking, or washing, or sewing.
For everything there is exact to my wishes,
For where they do n ’t eat there’s no w ashing or dishes.
I ’ll be where loud anthem s will always be ringing,
But having no voice I ’ll be quit of the singing.
D on’t mourn for me now, don’t mourn for me never,
I ’m going to do nothing for ever and ever.”
(A n o n .)

285
 D EC LIN E AN D FA LL

1. M r. Denton was my
new history teacher and
I w anted his impression
of me to be a good one.
I was ju st about flunking
history. As a m atter of
fact I was just about
flunking alm ost every­
thing but m ath. I t isn’t
th a t I ’m stupid, i t ’s
m ainly th a t I don’t work
hard enough because of
K ath y .

2. K athy is pretty —
dark hair, green eyes,
fine figure. S he’s sm art,
too. K athy and I have
been going steady since
the n in th grade. Anyway,
just after C hristm as va­
cation, when the. Dentons
moved to town, K athy
and I started having
little fights. This hap­
pens about twice a year,
but it always kind of
gets me down for a
while.

3. At C linton Carter
H igh, where I go, we
get num erical marks, and
if my father saw an y ­
thing below a seventy, I
could see myself ground­
ed for the rest of the
year. No car. No la­
crosse. No K athy.
286
 4. So th at was the
position I was in when
the m atter of D enton’s
daughter came up. It dll
started on F riday when
I failed a surprise history
test. So I thought of
going to Mr. Denton
and telling him I had a
very strict father and
may be h e’d let me
do a special report or
som ething to make it
up.

5. I walked up to
D en to n ’s desk and stood
there like an idiot. “ Is
there som ething I can do
for you.C aroll?” he asked.
“I started telling him
my father would be
upset if I got a sixty-
eight in history, but he
in terru p ted me. “I know
you can do well, Caroll.
Anyway we’ll have a
quiz on Thursday on
C hapters 22 and 23. If
you w rite it well your
final m ark will be eighty.
“If i t ’s girl-trouble
th a t’s bothering you, Car­
oll, don’t worry too
m uch. My daughter E v­
elyn is going through
the same sort of thing.
W e’ve just moved to
town and Evelyn h a sn ’t
m et m any people yet.”
287
 6. T h at was when 1
had a brainw ave. It was
nasty and against my
principles. “Mr. Denton,
why don’t I take her to
A rty H offm an’s party
S aturday night? S he’d
like the crowd a lot, they
are great kids.” T hat was
a lousy thing to do.
E verybody expected me
to take K athy to the
p arty , including K athy.

7. Denton thought it
was a good idea, because
he knew me and could
tru st me. He gave me
his num ber and I prom ­
ised to call th at night.

8. W hen I came to
the usual place to meet
K athy I was half an
hour late. She was mad.
She said I needn’t both­
er calling her th at night
because she d id n ’t
care to speak to me. And
in case she d id n ’t feel
like speaking to me the
following day I could
pick her up at 8.30 S a t­
urday night. “W hat for?”
I asked like a real idiot.
“For A rtie H offm an’s
party, you stupid la­
crosse player.”
288
 9. “Oh, K ath, I prom ­
ised to take D enton’s
daughter. The poor kid
doesn’t know anyone in
town and she’s probably
shy and terribly dull.
You know w hat teachers’
daughters are. It will be
a big kick for her going
out w ith a lacrosse play­
er. “Are you sure she is
real plain and you are
doing it as a favour to
her father. О. K. I ’ll
forgive you this tim e.”

10. T hat night I

called Evelyn Denton.
Her voice d id n ’t sound
bad, I told her to call me
Buck.

11. The next day I

m et K ath y . She sm iled
at me in a sneaky way
and said: “Linda Larson
came over last night.
I showed her th at pic­
ture of you in your la­
crosse uniform . And she
show ed me the picture of
a girl in her class.” And
she h anded me a color
snap of a girl.
289
 12. W hat a beauty!
S hort red hair, blue eyes.
“W ould you like to know
her nam e?” K ath asked.
“E velyn Denton, th a t’s
her nam e,” she screamed.
“A nd she looks neither
plain nor shy. If you
had told me the tru th I
m ight not be so angry.
Are you still taking her
out?” “Yes. I c a n ’t help
it.” “Then go to hell!”
said K ath and walked
away.

13. I thought about

E velyn D enton all after­
noon. I forgot to study
for her fa th e r’s test, so
I got an eighty instead
of the hundred I needed;
but I thought I was
p re tty safe. Even Denton
w ouldn’t have the heart
to fail a guy who would
be practically in the
fam ily after S aturday
night.

14. F riday night I

called K athy. I figured
th a t after a couple of
days she m ight cool off
and would be w illing to
make up. I was told
she was out w ith M arty
Tanner.
290
г

15. 1 felt sore until

I looked at E velyn’s pic­
ture. K athy is a cute
kid, but this Evelyn was
a queen. A real queen I

16. I was nervous

S aturday night, but I
began feeling better
when I got dressed and
into the car.

17. The D entons’

house was pretty. L ittle
and w hite. I rang the
door bell. A girl in a
black; jum per answered.
She was short, plum p
and decidedly plain.
“H ello, Buck,” she said.
“W here is your sis?” “I
don’t have a sister, just
a little brother. Come
in..”
291
 18. I was confused.
J u s t then a short, grey­
haired woman walked in
and sm iled at me. “I ’m
Mrs. D enton. I ’ve heard
about you from Mr. Den­
ton.” Then she said to
the girl, “Evelyn, dear,
don’t stay out too late.”
Evelyn! I did n ’t know
w hat it was all about.
Suddenly I noticed the
m antelpiece. There was
an enlarged copy of the
picture I ’d been adm ir­
ing for the past two
days. “W ho’s th at?” I
blurted. “T h a t’s my
niece, E velyn D enton.
She and my E vvie were
both nam ed after the
same grandm other. Do
you know her?” “I ’ve seen
her around,” I answered.
W hat else could I say?
19. I still h av e n ’t
m et the beautiful red-
haired E velyn D enton.
B ut my Evelyn met a boy
at the party and they
have been dating since.

20. He is nut on
biology...

292
 21. K athy was real
angry w ith me and didn’t
speak to me for three
weeks.

22. D enton gave me

a sixty-seven in history.
He said he was sorry to
do it because he liked
me a lot. B ut he did n ’t
think personal feelings
should enter into grad­
ing.

23. Dad hit the cei­

ling when I brought home
my report card and said
I co u ld n ’t have the car
for a m onth.

24. W hich d id n ’t turn

out to be much of a pun­
ishm ent because my
brother had the measles
and I caught them and
had a much worse case
than my brother.

(A fter E lle n Lowenberg)

293
 QUIZ X I
1. Who said:
“W hen sorrows come, they come not single spies
But in b attalio n s.”?
2. a) W ho was the leader of a well-known slave insurrec­
tion in 1831 in U. S.? b) W hat Am erican novelist w rote a
book based on the event? c) Give the title of the book.
3. A popular English actor plays leading parts in the
films Oliver! and The Comedians. He also plays the leading
p art in a famous war film which was shown at a Moscow F ilm
F estival, a) Name the actor, b) W hat is the title of the film?
4. Charles Dickens was influenced by the views of a prom ­
inent Scotch w riter and philosopher, when w riting one of
his well-known novels. Name a) the novel and b) the Scotch
w riter.
5. According to legend a Greek god visited a beautiful
woman in the guise of a swan. Name a) the god, b) the woman.
6. W hat is the m eaning and the origin of the following
phrases: a) Sw an of Avon, b) Wizard of the North, c) Hob­
son’s choice?
7. A hero of the American revolution was im m ortalized
by Longfellow in one of his poems. Name a) the hero, b) the
city where a bronze statue of the hero is erected.
8. In w hat English novels are the principal characters
teachers?
9. Com plete the following proverbs: a) Truth lies at the
bottom. . . , b) Who keeps company with the wolf. . . , c) W it
bought is better than. . . .
10. W hat do the following abbreviations stand for: a)
N L F , b) PLO, c) S A L T }
 KEY TO Q U I Z Z E S

Key I

1. a) Mark A n to n y , referrin g to B r u tu s’ sta b b in g Caesar (J u liu s

Caesar, A ct I I I , sc . 2 ), b) T h e G host of C aesar. T h e w ord s are m ean t as a
threat: in th e p la in s of P h ilip p i, a to w n in M a ced on ia, B r u tu s’ leg io n s w ere
d efea ted b y M ark A n to n y ( J u liu s Caesar, A ct IV , sc . 3).
2. a) V irg in ia in th e S o u th (J a m esto w n in C h esap eak e B a y ), b) In
honour of Q u een E lis a b e th , a v irg in .
3 . a) S h erlo ck H o lm e s, b) F ath er B row n , c) M onsieur P o ir o t, in later
w ork s M iss M arple.
4 . 1. K in g ’s C ollege, C am b ridge, foun d ed b y K in g H en ry V I. B u ilt
144 6 -1 5 1 5 . A la n d m a rk of la te G o th ic a rch itectu r e. 2 . C hrist Church H all,
O xford (b e g in n in g of 16 c e n tu r y ), a d in in g h a ll w h o se w a lls are hung w ith
p o rtra its of C hrist C hurch M en (p rom in en t p o litic ia n s , s c ie n tis ts , e tc .).
A m o n g th e m is th a t of L e w is C arroll, th e au th or of A lic e in W onderland.
3 . G rays Inn H a ll — o n e of th e four m ajor L on d on In n s of Court w here
y o u n g B arristers are tr a in ed . T h e “ Inns” are sim ila r in stru ctu re to U n iv er­
s it y C o lleg es w h ere m ost of th e futu re b arristers h a v e g ra d u a ted . 4 . The
O ld C u riosity Shop, c la im s to be th e actu al p rem ises m a d e fam ou s b y
C h arles D ick en s.
5 . M arie C u rie, b orn M arja S k lo d o v sk a , F ren ch (P o lish born) ch em ist
(1867-1934) (to g eth er w ith P ierre C urie in 1903 — p h y sic s r a d ia tio n award
and in 1911— ch e m istr y aw ard ).
6 . a) ‘to eat up e v e r y th in g in th e h o u se ’, ‘to ru in so m e b o d y ’ (Sh ak e­
sp ea re, H enry IV , P art II , A ct II, sc. 1); b) ‘to b e b r a v e , n o t to lo se h eart,
n o t to g iv e in ’; c) ‘to d o so m e th in g w ith ease, w ith o u t a n y effo r t’; ‘to tak e
so m e th in g for g ra n ted '.
7 . a) B e tw ee n H y d e P ark Corner and th e S erp en tin e (a la k e), b) R o tten
R o w , p a rallel to th e ca rria ge d riv e from H y d e P ark C orner, c) R o tte n R ow
is a corru p tion o f th e F rench w ord s R o u te de rois, b eca u se th e k in g s used to
rid e a lo n g it.
8 . a) L eth e [T i: 0 i: ] , b) In H a d es, th e ab od e of th e d ead , c) S ty x , en ­
c ir c lin g th e u n d erw o rld se v e n tim e s , over w h ich th e sh a d es of th e dead were
ferried b y C haron ['к е э г э п ].
9 . a) One swallow does n o t make a sp rin g (sum m er)-, b) I f you d o n 't
like i t you can lu m p it-, c) A ro llin g stone g athers no moss.
10. a) U nited K in g d o m , b) P rim e M in is te r , c) M em ber o f P a rlia m en t,
d) T rade U nion C ouncil.

Key II
1. A so o th sa y e r w a rn in g J u liu s Caesar a g a in st th e c o m in g danger
(J u liu s Caesar, A ct I, sc . 2); The Ides o f M arch b y T h orn ton W ild er.
2 . 1. W a sh in g to n co lu m n — an o b e lisk set up as a m em orial to G eorge

295
W a sh in g to n , th e first P resid en t ot th e U n ite d S ta te s (W a sh in g to n , D . C .).
It is ascended b y elev a to r or 898 step s, co m m a n d s a b ea u tifu l v ie w of the
c it y . 2. The L incoln M em orial in W a sh in g to n , an im p o sin g b u ild in g w ith
36 co lu m n s (o n e for each of th e reu n ited sta te s at th e tim e L in co ln w as as­
sa ssin a ted ). L in c o ln ’s figu re in th e cen tre is sc u lp tu red in m arb le. 3. W ay­
side Inn — th e 17th cen tu ry inn, the old est o p era tin g tavern in th e co u n tr y ,
is a h isto ric sh rin e to H en ry W adsw orth L o n g fello w . It in sp ired h is Tales
o f a W ayside In n . W a sh in g to n and L a fa y ette are k n ow n to h ave sta y ed
here. 4 . Knox College at G alesb u rg, I llin o is , heard L in co ln and D o u g la s
d eb ate in 1858. B ronzes of th e tw o flan k the door. L in c o ln w as a R ep u b lica n
ca n d id a te for th e S en a te , D o u g la s— a D em o cra tic v etera n of the U . S . S en ­
a te. T hough it w as D o u g la s w h o w on the e le c tio n , L in co ln w on a m oral
v icto ry and tw o years later w as elected P resid en t.
3. a) A m b rose B ier ce (1842-1914), A m erican au th or, b) G eorge B er­
nard Sh aw (1 8 5 6 -1 9 5 0 ), B ritish p la y w r ig h t, c) J o h n P r ie stle y (1894— ),
E n g lish a u th o r, d) R ich ard A ld in g to n (1892 -1 9 6 2 ), E n g lish author.
4 . a) D a p h n e, b) A p o llo , c) lau rel.
5 . a) P ic c a d illy , b) B road w ay.
6 . a) ‘so m e th in g a fa m ily is try in g to c o n c e a l, a fa m ily se cret’ (th e
phrase w as co in ed b y W . M. T h ack eray in The Newcomes, C h. 55); b) ‘to
rid e a horse r e c k le s s ly ’, ( fig .) ‘to act in a reck less w a y , regard less of the
p o ssib le d an ger, to be th e cau se of o n e’s ow n u n d o in g ’; c) ‘to e x e c u te in the
electric ch air (b y e le c tr o c u tin g )’.
7 . a) V en ice, N e w Y ork C ity , C am bridge; b) T h e B rid ge of S ig h s, a
covered b rid g e in V e n ic e over w h ich co n d em n ed prison ers form erly passed
to th e p la ce of ex ecu tio n ; in N ew Y ork C ity it is a covered p assagew ay
b e tw e e n th e T om b s p rison and the C rim in al C ourts b u ild in g .
8 . a) N ew E n g la n d is part of th e n o rth ea st se c tio n of th e U n ite d S ta te s,
b) It is co m p o sed of 6 states: M ain e, N ew H a m p sh ire, V erm on t, M assa­
c h u se tts ^m Eeso'tJ'u.'sets], R h od e Islan d and C o n n ecticu t [k a 'n e tik a t],
c) N ew E n g la n d is a sso cia ted w ith th e early h isto r y of th e U n ite d S ta tes.
9. a) Y ou c a n 't have yo u r cake and eat it; b) E very d a rk cloud has a silver
lin in g ; c) The chain is no stronger than its weaker link.
10. a) Bachelor of A r t s , b) M a ste r of A r ts , c) C orresponding Fellow,
d) R oyal A cadem y of Science.

Key III

1. J u lie t ( Romeo and J u lie t, A ct II, sc . 2).

2. Bread S tr e e t, H o n ey L an e, M ilk S tr e e t, P o u ltr y L an e, Ironm onger
Lane.
3. a) T en n essee W illia m s (1 9 1 1 — ), A m erica n p la y w r ig h t, b) M arlon
Brando, c) M a y a k o v sk y Dram a T h eatre.
4. a) J u d ith ( b i b l . ) , b) H o lo fe rn , c) A id a b y G. V erdi; J u d ith , a p ic­
ture of a w om an w ith a dagger in her h an d , b y a p ain ter of L eonardo da
V in c i’s sch o o l.
5. H u x le y , J u lia n 1887— ), H u x le y , A ld o u s ( 1 8 9 4 -1 9 6 3 ) — gran d son s
of H u x le y , T h om as H en ry (1 825-1895), E n g lish b io lo g ist and au th or.
6 . a) ‘to sto p q u a rrellin g , to b ecom e fr ie n d ly ’ (an In d ia n cu sto m to
bury th e h a tch et w h en m a k in g peace); b) ‘to do sm th . w h ich m ak es a ch a n g e
in the o rig in a l p la n s im p o s sib le ’ (R o m a n g en era ls so m e tim e s b u rn t th e
bridges after cro ssin g a river to m a k e retreat for th e troop s im p o ssib le or
burnt th e b o a ts after th e la n d in g of th e troop s).

296
 7. a) 50 sta te s , th e D istr ic t of C o lu m b ia (D . C .), and s ix territories
and d ep en d en cies, b) T h ere w ere o n ly 13 sta te s w h en th e U S w a s form ed in
1776.
8 . a) A rgus ['a :g ssj, b) H erm es ['h o :m i:z ], a m essen ger of th e gods.
9 . a) E a rly to bed, early to rise makes a m an h e a lth y , w ealthy and wise;
b) To p u t a ll one’s eggs in one basket; c) To c u t o ff one’s nose to spite one's
face.
10. a) M ed icin a e B a cca la u reu s (L at.) — Bachelor o f M edicine, b) M e­
d icin a l D octor (L a t.) — D octor of M edicine, c) M edical O fficer, d) Com­
m an d in g O fficer.

K e y IV

1. H a m le t (H a m le t, A ct I I I , sc. 4).
2 . a) A rizon e; w as a d m itte d to th e U n ite d S ta te s on S t. V a le n tin e ’s
D a y , F eb ru ary 14 in 1912; b) V irg in ia ; se v en of th e first tw e lv e A m erican
P resid en ts cam e from V irg in ia .
3. a) H erbert G eorge W e lls (1 866-1942), b) D . H . L aw ren ce, E n glish
author (1 8 8 7 -1 9 3 0 ), c) E v e ly n W au gh , E n g lish au th or (1903-1966).
4. A co lo ssa l s ta tu e b y S ir R ich ard W e stm a c o tt, k n ow n as th e A c h ille s
S ta tu e erected in 1822; cast from th e m etal of tw e lv e F ren ch can n on s cap ­
tured at W a terlo o . It is a co p y of one of th e fam ou s H orse Tam ers in R om e.
5 . J o lio t-C u rie (fo rm erly F red eric J o lio t, 1900-1958) w a s granted the
ch em istry aw ard in 1935 to g eth er w ith h is w ife Irene C urie (1897-1958),
daughter of M arie and P ierre C urie (see Q u iz I, q u estio n 5).
6 . The o rig in of all th e three phrases is th e B ib le , a) T h e w ord s w ere
a lle g e d ly sa id b y P o n tiu s P ila t e ['p on tjos 'p a ils t ], th e R om an procurator of
J u d ea , w ho sa n c tio n e d , acco rd in g to th e b ib lic a l leg en d , th e cru cifica tio n
of J e su s C h rist. H a v in g y ie ld e d to the d em and s of th e p riests, P ila te
n ev erth eless c la im ed he w a s n ot resp o n sib le an d , to p rove he w as in n ocen t
of C h rist’s b lo o d , he w ashed h is h an d s, accord in g to c u sto m , before the
crowd; b) one w h o feels p ity for the poor and the sick and is read y to help
them (L u k e X , 33); c) th e k iss of a traitor (J u d a s on e of th e tw e lv e d iscip les
of J e su s C h rist, b etra y ed him : J u d a s w as asked to p o in t out h is m aster so
that h is en em ies co u ld arrest h im , and he did th is b y k issin g Jesu s).
7 . a) D avid C opperf ield, b) H ard T im es, c) Dom bey and S o n , d) D a v id ’s
first w ife in D avid C opperfield, e) Dombey and S o n , f) Old C u rio sity Shop.
8 . a) B u n k er H ill near B o sto n , M ass., b) In d ep en d en ce H a ll, P h ila ­
d elp h ia .
9 . a) A drow ning m a n w ill catch a t a straw; b) I t is the la st straw that
breaks the cam el's back; c) Sow the w ind and reap the w hirlw ind.
10. a) U nited N a tio n s O rganization, b) N o rth A tla n tic T rea ty Organ­
isation, c) S e c u r ity C ouncil.

Key V

1. O liv er G o ld sm ith (1724-1774) (She Sto o p s to C onquer, A ct. III).

2. a) T h om as P a in e (1 7 3 7 -1 8 0 9 ), E n g lish born p h ilo so p h er and author;
b) Common Sense.
3. G reta G arbo (b. 1906— ). L egen dary film a ctress in th e la te 2 0 ’s
and ea rly 3 0 ’s; retired in 1941. T h e m ost pop u lar f ilm s starrin g her are

297
A n n a C h risti, M a ta H a r i, Queen C h ristin a , M a rie W alewska, C am ille,
etc.
4 . 1. a) H a r le y S tr e e t, b) L om b ard S tr e e t. 2 . Inner T e m p le, M id d le
T em p le, L in c o ln ’s In n , an d G ra y ’s In n . T h ese are th e four legal s o c ie tie s
o f L on d on th a t g iv e b arristers th e rig h t to p ra ctice.
5. a) T h o rn to n W ild er (1897— ) , b) T e n n essee W illia m s (1911— ),
c) B ernard S h a w (1856— 1950), d) L illia n H e ilm a n (1905— ).
6. a) P a u l S c o fie ld , b) H a m le t, K in g Lear, M acbeth.
7. a) ‘a v ic to r y g a in ed at a ru in ou s lo s s ’ (a llu s io n to th e w ord s of
P y rrh u s, k in g of E p iru s after th e v ic to r y o ver th e R om an s in 279 В . C.
“ If w e h a v e su ch a n o th er v ic to r y w e are u n d o n e.” b) ‘a m an d ev o ted or su b ­
se rv ien t to a n o th e r ’ (lik e R o b in so n C ru soe’s serv a n t of th a t nam e); ‘a
fa c to tu m ’ .
8 . P a b lo C a sa ls (1 8 7 7 -1 9 7 3 ), left S p a in after th e C iv il W ar and n ever '
retu rn ed . D ie d at th e age of 96 in P u e rto R ic o .
9 . a) B lood is thicker than w ater, b) Y o u ca n n o t g e t blood from a stone-,
c) He th a t never clim bed, never fell.
10. a) G rand O ld P a r ty (th e R e p u b lic a n P a r ty in th e U S A ), b) Very
Im p o r ta n t P erson, c) G reat Old M a n .

K e y VI
1. a) T h e Q u een in H a m le t, A ct V, sc . l ,b ) M a r k A n to n y in J u liu s
Caesar, A ct I I I , sc. 2.
2 . a) W illia m S h ak esp eare; W illia m W ord sw orth (1770-1850); b) th e
“ la k ists” ; c) “S corn n o t th e son n et” .
3 . In V ir g in ia . H ere, in 1865 R ob ert E . L ee su rren dered to U . S. G ran t,
th u s b rin g in g to an en d th e A m erican C iv il W ar.
4 . a) M o rte d 'A r th u r b y T h om as M alory (1 3 9 5 -1 4 7 4 ), b) In p rison
w h ere M alory sp en t 20 yea rs of h is life .
5. L ev T o lsto i; B e eth o v en ; It w a s d e d ica ted to th e m u sicia n R u d o lf
K reu tzer.
6 . a) A rn o ld B e n n e t (1 867-1931), b) T h o m a s H a rd y (1 840-1928),
c) L ew is C arroll (1 8 3 2 -1 8 9 8 ), p en n am e of C h arles D o d g so n , m a th e m a tic ia n
and a u th o r, d) E lis a b e th G a sk ell (1 810-1865).
7 . a) ‘a d ish to o refin ed for th e gen eral p u b lic ’ (H a m le t, A ct II , sc . 2);
b) ‘at a d a te th a t w ill n ever c o m e ’ (th e G reeks h a v in g n o calen d s); calends —
th e first d a y o f th e R o m a n m onth ; c) ‘trea ch ery ’ (P u n ic — r e la tin g to Car­
t h a g in ia n s, w h o w ere regard ed b y R om an s as trea ch ero u s, fa ith le s s, u n ­
tru stw o rth y ).
8. a) T h e M o n u m en t, b) S ir C h ristop h er W ren,, c) T h e G reat F ire of
L on d on .
9 . a) T o b u rn one’s house to g e t rid o f the mice-, b) The f ir s t stroke is
h a lf the battle-, c) D o n 't teach yo u r grandm other to suck eggs.
10. a) P o st O ffice, b) care o f (w r itte n on le tte r s b efore th e n am e of th e
person th ro u g h w h o m th e ad d ressee w ill g e t th e le tte r ), c) please tu r n over
(w r itte n at th e b o tto m of th e p age), d) p o stsc rip t (a n y th in g ad d ed to a letter
after it has b een sig n ed ).

Key VII
1. a) T h e K in g of H ea rts, b) T h e Q u een o f H ea rts, c) T h e C h eshire Cat
in A lice in W onderland b y L ew is C arroll.
2 . It is a v a ria n t of “ B on e” h ill; th e p la c e serv ed as a b u rial grou n d at
t h e tim e of th e G reat P la g u e of L on d on (1 4 th c .) .

298
 3 . a) H erb ert W e lls (1866 -1 9 4 2 ), b) T h om as H ard y (1840-1928),
c) J a m es J o y c e (1 8 8 2 -1 9 4 1 ), d) S om erset M augham (1 8 7 4 -1 9 6 5 ), e) Graham
G reene (1 9 0 4 — ).
4 . a) E d iso n , T h o m a s A lv a , A m erican in v e n to r , b) T h e nursery rhym e
“M ary had a lit t le la m b ...”
5 . F ra n k lin D e la n o R o o se v e lt (1882 -1 9 4 5 ), P resid en t of th e U n ited
S ta te s 1932-1945; reelected for th e fourth c o n se c u tiv e term in 1944; died
A p ril 12, 1945.
6 . a) ‘to be in d e b t’, ‘to h a v e fin a n c ia l (m on ey) d iff ic u ltie s ’ (Queer
S treet — an im a g in a ry stree t w h ere p eo p le w h o are in debt or in trou b le
liv e); b) ‘to be sc e p tic a l or c r itic a l w ith regard to so m e th in g , to doubt the
tru th of s m t h .’ (from th e L a tin cu m g ra n o salis ); c) th e a b ility to turn every­
th in g in to g o ld (from th e w id e ly k n ow n G reek m y th about K in g M idas).
7. a) A en th eu s, b) H ercu les crushed him b y lift in g him off th e earth
from w h ich he drew h is stren gth .
8. a) H is son E dw ard V I I I in 1936, D u k e of W in d sor; su cceed ed h is
father as k in g J a n u a ry 2 0 , 1936, a b d ica te d th e th ron e on 20th D ecem ber
1936, after a 325 d a y s’ reign as a resu lt of a c o n stitu tio n a l cr isis a risin g out
of h is w ish to m a k e a m o rg a n a tic m arriage. H e liv e d in F ran ce ever sin ce,
d ied in 1972 aged 78 and w a s b u ried in E n glan d w ith h onour.
9 . a) Never fr y a fish till i t is caught; b) I t is an ill b ird th a t fouls
its crnn nest; c) T he cat sh u ts its eyes when stea lin g cream.
10. a) B efore C h r is t , b) A fte r C h rist , c) A n n o D o m in i (L at.) — new
era.

Key VIII
1. a) R ichard I I I , b) The W in te r o f our D isc o n ten t b y J ohn S te in b ec k .
2 . a) A n tig o n e , d au gh ter of O ed ip u s and sister of P o ly n ic e s , b) P en e­
lo p e, w ife o f O d isseu s, c) H ercu les (or H eracles).
3 . a) A udrey H a p b u rn , G regory P eck , b) P aul S c o fie ld , c) R ichard
B u rto n , E lisa b e th T a y lo r , A lec G u in ess, d) A lec G u in ess.
4 . a) The N a tio n a l G a llery — a p riceless c o lle c tio n of p a in tin g s, in ­
c lu d in g w orks b y n ea rly a ll th e great m asters; th e sp e c ia l a ttr a c tio n is the
m a n y -sid ed rep resen ta tio n of the Ita lia n sch o o ls of th e 15-16 cen tu ries,
e s p e c ia lly F lo r e n tin e p a in tin g ; b) The N ation al P ortrait G allery — c o n ­
ta in s p o rtra its o f m en and w om en em in en t in B r itish h istory; th e finest
p o rtra its are in th e earlier room s, in c lu d in g p a in tin g s b y R e y n o ld s, G ain s­
b oro u g h , R o m n e y , e tc.; c) The T ate G allery — c o lle c tio n of B r itish p a in t­
in g s of all p eriod s and m a n y m odern foreign p a in tin g s; d) The W allace
C o llectio n — a fa m o u s c o lle c tio n of French art (p a in tin g s, furniture,
c lo c k s, a rm ou ry, e tc .) w h ich in som e p o in ts e x c e ls th at of th e L ouvre.
5 . a) T h e w ord s a r e t h e t it le of a K ip lin g ’s p o e m and im p ly th e a lle g e d ly
great m issio n of th e co lo n iz e r s w h o b rin g c iv ilis a t io n to u n d erd evelop ed
cou n tries; b) T h e iro n ica l n ick n a m e g iv e n to th e E n g lish (first used in a
p am p h let b y J . A rb u th n o t), c) ‘to be a fa ilu re , to b e pushed a sid e as w e a k ’
(Rom eo and J u lie t, A ct I, sc. 1).
6 . H arvard U n iv e r s ity , o r ig in a lly H arvard C o lleg e, in C am bridge,
M a ssa ch u setts, fo u n d ed b y J o h n H arvard , an E n g lish n on -con form ist c b r -
g y m a n , w h o em ig ra ted to A m erica in 1636.
7 a) E rnest H em in g w a y (1899-1961), b) S c o tt F itzg era ld (1896-1910),
c) R ich ard A ld in g to n (1892-1962).
8 . A lfred T en n y so n (1809-1892) and R ob ert B ro w n in g (1812-1889).

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 9 . a) In for a p e n n y , in for a p o u n d ; b) N o th in g ven tu re, n o th in g win;
c) Life is n o t a ll cakes a n d ale.
10. a) Intelligence Q uotient, a n u m b er, in d ic a tin g th e le v e l of a per­
so n ’s m en ta l d e v e lo p m e n t, b) coeducational (said of th e sy stem of ed u ca tin g
b o y s and g ir ls to g eth er); in A m . c o lle g e sla n g , a coed is a g irl stu d en t.

Key IX

1. S h a k esp ea re in H en ry V (A ct I I I , sc. 2).

2. a) V a lh a lla , b) V a lk y ries, h a n d m a id en s of O d in , C h ief of th e g o d s,
th e god of w ar, c) R ich ard W agner (1813 -1 8 8 3 ), G erm an com poser (The
V a lk yry is on e of th e operas b e lo n g in g to th e c y c le b ased on T eu ­
to n ic m y th o lo g y — The Gold o f the N ibelungen).
3. a) T en n essee W illia m s (1 9 1 4 — ) , b) A rthur M iller (1 9 1 5 — ), c) E u gen e
O ’N e ill (1 8 8 8 -1 9 5 3 ), d) L illia n H eilm a n (1 9 0 5 — ).
4. a) M in o ta u r, b) In the L a b y rin th , a m a ze con stru cted for K in g
M inos of C rete, c) T h eseu s, th e n a tio n a l leg en d a ry hero of A ttic a , d) W ith
the help of A ria d n a , K in g M in o s’ d au gh ter, w h o led h im out of th e la b y ­
rin th by a thread .
5. a) ‘a b u n d a n ce’ (from b ib l. land flow ing w ith m ilk and honey, com p .
R u ss, зем л я , тек ущ ая млеком и медом; зем ля обетованн ая; b) ‘to do u se­
less or h o p eless w o rk ’; c) ‘th e k in d n ess th a t sh o u ld be n atu ral to h u m a n ity ’,
‘s y m p a th y ’ , ‘g e n e r o s ity ’ (a phrase from M acbeth, Act I, sc. 5).
6. a) G o n eril, R eg an and C o rd elia , b) K a ta rin a and B ia n c a , c) P ortia
and G essica.
7. L o u isia n a .
8. In 1619 a D u tch w arsh ip sold 20 N egroes to V irg in ia n s. T h is w a s the
b eg in n in g of N egro sla v e r y in A m erica, w h ich c a m e to be regarded as n a tu ­
ral and n ecessary.
9. a) A ll is fa ir in love and war; b) A little learning is a dangerous
thing; c) Never cackle till yo u r egg is laid; d) To ru n w ith the hare and h u n t
w ith the hounds.
10. a) Great Powers, b) General A ssem bly, c) Governm ent Issue (in ­
form al n. p i. an e n liste d m an in th e U S A rm y), d) P risoner of W ar.

Key X
1. a) H a m le t (H a m le t, A ct I, sc . 3), b) H a m le t (H a m le t, A ct I, sc. 2).
2. R o en tg en , W ilh e lm Conrad (1845 -1 9 2 3 ), G erm an p h y sic ist, w as
aw arded th e prize in 1901.
3. a) F ie ld in g ’s T o m Jones; ‘a kind and decent old g e n tle m a n ’;
b) School for Sca n d a l b y Sh erid an ; the good brother — Josep h — turns
ou t to be a h y p o c r ite w h o co n cea ls a ll h is v ic e s , w h ereas C harles is ligh t-
m in d ed , but good at b o tto m ; th e n a m e su g g ests th a t ap p earan ces are de­
cep tiv e; c) L ad y S n e e r w e ll’s n am e (School for S c a n d a l ) is rev ea lin g
enough; d) L y d ia L an gu ish is lan gu id and v ery se n tim e n ta l (S h erid a n ’s
R ivals) and e) her a u n t Mrs. M alaprop (F r. m a i a propos) k eep s m isa p ­
p ly in g w ords.
4 . H arold W ilso n , w as elected in 1974 for th e fourth tim e.
5 . a) ‘to g iv e tit for t a t ’, ‘t o r e t a lia t e ’ (R o la n d and O liv e r , h is frien d ,
are heroes of F rench m e d ie v a l legen d s, b rave k n ig h ts — crusaders; R olan d
w an ted to m easu re h is stren gth again st O liv e r , b u t th e latter proved his
eq u al and n on e of th em w on the figh t); b) p u b lic sh ow s were arranged in

300
a n c ie n t R o m e on h o lid a y s to let p eop le w atch g la d ia to r s fig h t in th e arena;
h en ce th e e x p r e ssio n m ea n in g e n jo y m en t at th e e x p e n se of o th ers (R u ss.
удовол ьствие за счет ч у ж и х страдани й ); с) ‘b e lie v in g th a t a person is dead
w h e n he is a l i v e ’.
6. a) T h e W a lr u s a n d the C arpenter (L. C arroll “ A lice Through the
L ooking Glass”); b) J e k y ll and H yde (R . S te v e n s o n ’s The S tra n g e Case of
D r . J e k y ll and M r . H yde); c) C astor and P o llu x (a G reek m y th ); d) C ain
a n d A bel ( b ib l.); e) P yg m a lio n and Galatea (a G reek m y th ).
7. 1. A kira K u ro sa v a , born in J a p a n in 1910; а) 77ге Id io t b y D o sto ie v ­
s k y b) The Lower D ep th s, a dram a by G ork i, c) Throne of B lood, an ad ap ta­
tio n of S h a k esp ea re’s M acbeth; 2. T ash iro M ifu ne (1 9 2 0 — ), th e m ost gifted
actor of K u r o sa v a ’s regular co m p a n y ; 3. R ashom on, aw arded th e Grand
P rix in V en ice in 1951 and The R ed Beard.
8. (1 7 8 3 -1 8 3 0 ). B o liv ia , C o lo m b ia , E cu ad or, P eru , V en ezu ela.
9 . a) A good a n v il does not fear the ham m er; b) God defend me from m y
friends; from m y enemies I can defend m yself; c) D o n ’t swap horses when
crossing a stream .
10. a) Federal B ureau of Investig a tio n , b) C en tra l Intelligence A gency,
c ) S c otland Y a rd , d) D is tr ic t A tto r n e y , e) S u p rem e C ourt.

Key XI
1. H a m le t (H a m le t, A ct IV , sc. 5).
2 . a) N at Turner, b) W illia m S ty r o n , c) The C onfessions o f N a t
T u rn e r.
3. a) A lec G u in ess, b) The B ridge Across the R iver Quat.
4 . a) A Tale of Two C ities, b) T h om as C a rly le (1 795-1881).
5. a) Zeus [zju :sj, b) Leda.
6. a) S h a k esp ea re’s n ick n a m e (S tratford on A v o n is h is h om e tow n);
b ) W alter S c o t t ’s n ick n a m e (th ou gh he w rote in E n g lish he w as born in
S c o tla n d , in E d in b o u ro u g h ); c) ‘an offer that m u st b e ta k e n , th ere b ein g no
oth er c h o ic e ’ (T h o m a s H o b so n , 1544-1631, ow n ed a s ta b le and horses for
h ir e in C am b ridge and req u ired each of h is c lie n ts to ta k e th e horse nearest
t o th e door).
7. a) P aul R iv ie r a , w h o w as shot dead w hen ca rry in g an im portan t
m essa g e, b) B o sto n .
8 . N ickolas N ickleby by C h arles D ic k e n s, Love and M r . Lewisham by
H erb ert W e lls, U p the D ow nstairs b y B el K au fm an . The C en ta u r by Joh n
U p d ik e .
9 . a) T r u th lies a t the bottom of the w ell, b) Who keeps com pany w ith the
w o lf w ill learn to howl, c) W it bought is better than w it taught.
10 a) N a tio n a l Liberation F ront (in S ou th V ie tn a m ), b) P alestine
L iberation O rganisation, c) S tra te g ic A rm s L im ita tio n T alks.
 Раце
PART I
П реди сл ови е .......................................................................................................... 3
C lean Up Y our R o o m b y Art B u c h w a l d ..................................................... 5
N o t e s ......................................................................................................................... 6
E x e rcises ............................................................................................................... 8
T h e P e a c e lik e M o n g o o se by Jam es Thurber ..................................................14
N o t e s ......................................................................................................................... 15
E x ercises ............................................................................................................... 16
H ow to D ie b y G eorge M i k e s ................................................................................... 22
N o t e s ...............................................................................................................................23
E x e rcises .....................................................................................................................24
H ow to A v o id T r a v e llin g b y G eorge M i k e s ................................. 31
N o t e s ................................................................................................................... . 33
E x e rcises .......................................................- ......................................................... 35
W h at’s W rong W ith th e Kid? b y P . G u m m i n g .............................................45
N otes ........................................................................................................... 46
E x ercises ............................................. - ................................................................... 48
Back to th e D esk b y R . L yn d .............................................................................. 56
N o t e s ...............................................................................................................................58
E x e rcises .....................................................................................................................61
In P raise of T e le v is io n b y G eorge M i k e s ........................................... 67
N o t e s ...............................................................................................................................6 9
E x ercises ..................................................................................................................... 71

P A R T II

T he S p h in x W ith o u t a Secret by C scar W i l d e .............................................. 79

N o t e s ........................................................................................................................83
E x ercises .............................................................................................................. 84
Q uiz I ...................................................................................................................93
T he F ilip in o a n d th e D ru n k a rd by W illia m S a r o y a n ...................................93
N o t e s ........................................................................................................................96
E xercises ...............................................................................................................97
Q uiz 11 104
The A nt a n d th e G rasshopper by W Som erset M augham . . . . 105
N otes ....................................................................................................109
E x ercises .............................................................................................................I l l
Q uiz I I I .............................................................................................................121

302
 P age
T h e D e a d D o g b y Mark S h o r e : ............................................................................ 12!
N o t e s ............................................................................................................................. 125
E x e rcises ....................................................................................................................126
if A c c id e n t a f t e r .T h eo d o re T h o m a s .............................................................. 134
■ Q u iz I V .............................................................................................................139
' M an a n d W om an b y E rsk in e C a l d w e l l ...............................................................139
N o t e s ............................................................................................................................. 144
E x e rcises ....................................................................................................................145
Q u iz V ....................................................................................................................153
A Canary For O ne b y E r n e st H em in g w a y .................................................... 154
N o t e s ............................................................................................................................. 158
E x e r c ise s ................................................................................................ . . . . 160 ’
;; P rice of P u b lic ity a f t e r Irw in S h a w . P . I ............................................168
Q u iz V I .................................................... ' ............................................................172
E. S a lv a to r e b y VV. S o m e rset M a u g h a m ................................................................... 172
| N o t e s ............................................................................................................................... 176
f. E x e r c ise s 178
[ P rice of P u b lic ity a f t e r Irw in S h a w . P . l i ...........................................187
F Q u iz V II ..............................................................................................................192
, T h e P e a r ly B each b y Lord D u n s a n y ................................................................... 193
F N o t e s ............................................................................................................................... 199
E x e rcises ...................................................................................................................200
; P rice of P u b lic it y a f t e r Irw in S h a w . P . I l l .......................................209
[ Q u iz V I I I ..............................................................................................................215
: T e a m e d W ith G e n iu s b y F . S c o t t F i t z g e r a l d .................................................. 215
N o t e s ...................................... 223
1 E x e rcises ..................................................................................................................... 227
Q u iz I X ...................................................................................................................237
U n c le E rn est b y A lla n S i l l i t o e ............................................................................ 238
N o t e s ............................................................................................................................ 247
E x e r c ise s ...................................................................................................................251
Q u iz X ................................................................................................................... 261
> M o lly M organ b y J o h n S t e i n b e c k ........................................................................262
■ N o t e s ...............................................................................................................................275
E x e r c ise s ...................................................................................................................277
D e c lin e a n d F a ll a f t e r E lle n L o w e n b e r g .................................................. 286
Q u iz X I .............................................................................................................. 294
; K e y to Q u i z z e s ....................................................................................... 295

E
 Лидия Семеновна Головчпнская

С О В ЕРШ Е Н С Т В У Й ТЕ УС ТН У Ю Р Е Ч Ь

П особие по ра зв и ти ю н а в ы к о в у с тн о й речи

II курс

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ники А .К. Зеф иров и В. И . Сидоренко. Х удож ественны й р ед а к то р Э. А. М арков.
Т ехн и чески й редактор С. П . П ередерни. К о р р е к т о р 3. Ф . Ю рескул.

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План вы пуска ли тературы издательства «Высшая ш кола» (вузы и техникумы)
на 1976 г. П озиция J4I4 173.
М осква, К -51. Н егл ин н ая у л ., д. 29/14, И здательство «Высшая школа»
Ордена Т рудового К расн ого Знамени П ервая О бразц овая типография имени
А. А. Ж д ан ова Сою зполиграфпрома при Государственном комитете Совета
М инистров СССР по делам издательств, поли граф и и и книж ной торговли.
М осква, М -54, В а л о в а я, 28.