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Part 1 Home Reading

 

TEXT 1

Art for Heart's Sake' R. Goldberg

"Here, take your juice," said Koppel, Mr. Ellsworth's servant and nurse.

"No," said Collis P. Ellsworth.

"But it's good for you, sir!"

"The doctor insists on it."

Koppel heard the front door bell and was glad to leave the room. He found Doctor Caswell in the hall downstairs.

"I can't do a thing with him," he told the doctor." He doesn't want to take his juice. I can't persuade him to take his medicine. He doesn't want me to read to him. He hates TV. He doesn't like anything!"

Doctor Caswell took the information with his usual professional calm. This was not an ordinary case. The old gentleman was in pretty good health for a man of seventy. But it was necessary to keep him from buying things. His financial transactions always ended in failure, which was bad for his health.

"How are you this morning? Feeling better?" asked the doctor. "I hear you haven't been obeying my orders."

The doctor drew up a chair and sat down close to the old man. He had to do his duty. "I'd like to make a suggestion," he said quietly. He didn't want to argue with the old man.

Old Ellsworth looked at him over his glasses. The way Doctor Caswell said it made him suspicious. "What is it, more medicine, more automobile rides to keep me away from the office?" the old man asked with suspicion. "Not at all," said the doctor. "I've been thinking of something different. As a matter of fact I'd like to suggest that you should take up art. I don't mean seriously of course," said the doctor, "just try. You'll like it."

Much to his surprise the old man agreed. He only asked who was going to teach him drawing. "I've thought of that too," said the doctor. "I know a student from an art school who can come round once a week. If you don't like it, after a little while you can throw him out." The person he had in mind and promised to bring over was a certain Frank Swain, eighteen years old and a capable student. Like most students he needed money. Doctor Caswell kept his promise.

He got in touch with Frank Swain and the lessons began. The old man liked it so much that when at the end of the first lesson Koppel came in and apologized to him for interrupting the lesson, as the old man needed a rest, Ellsworth looked disappointed.

When the art student came the following week, he saw a drawing on the table. It was a vase. But something was definitely wrong with it.

"Well, what do you think of it?" asked the old man stepping aside.

"I don't mean to hurt you, sir...", began Swain.

"I see," the old man interrupted, "the halves don't match. I can't say I am good at drawing. Listen, young man," he whispered. "I want to ask you something before Old Juice comes again. I don't want to speak in his presence."

"Yes, sir," said Swain with respect.



"I've been thinking... Could you come twice a week or perhaps three times?"

"Sure, Mr. Ellsworth," the student said respectfully.

"When shall I come?"

They arranged to meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

As the weeks went by, Swain's visits grew more frequent. The old man drank his juice obediently. Doctor Caswell hoped that business had been forgotten forever.

When spring came, Ellsworth painted a picture which he called "Trees Dressed in White." The picture was awful. The trees in it looked like salad thrown up against the wall. Then he announced that he was going to display it at the Summer Show at the Lathrop Gallery. Doctor Caswell and Swain didn't believe it. They thought the old man was joking.

The summer show at the Lathrop Gallery was the biggest exhibition of the year. All outstanding artists in the United States dreamt of winning a Lathrop prize.

To the astonishment of all "Trees Dressed in White" was accepted for the Show.

Young Swain went to the exhibition one afternoon and blushed when he saw "Trees Dressed in White".

Embarrassed of the strange picture, Swain rushed out. He was ashamed that a picture like that had been accepted for the show.

However Swain did not give up teaching the old man. Every time Koppel entered the room he found the old man painting something. Koppel even thought of hiding the brush from him. The old man seldom mentioned his picture and was usually cheerful.

Two days before the close of the exhibition Ellsworth received a letter. Koppel brought it when Swain and the doctor were in the room. "Read it to me," asked the old man putting aside the brush he was holding in his hand. "My eyes are tired from painting."The letter said: "It gives the Lathrop Gallery pleasure to announce that Collis P. Ellsworth has been awarded the First Landscape Prize of ten thousand dollars for his painting "Trees Dressed in White".

Swain became dumb with astonishment. Koppel dropped the glass with juice he was about to give Ellsworth. Doctor Caswell managed to keep calm. "Congratulations, Mr. Ellsworth," said the doctor. "Fine, fine... Frankly, I didn't expect that your picture would win the prize. Anyway I've proved to you that art is more satisfying than business."

"Art is nothing. I bought the Lathrop Gallery," said the old man highly pleased with the effect of his deception.

Answer the questions

Why did the doctor visit the old man?

Was the old man obedient?

What did the doctor offer his patient to prevent him from working hard?

What was the old man’s reaction to the doctor’s recommendation?

Did he manage to become a reputed painter?

Why did he fail to become an outstanding painter?

Were his paintings in great demand among art-lovers?

Paraphrase the following expressions

it was necessary to keep him from buying things

This was not an ordinary case-

I don't mean to hurt you

Swain did not give up teaching-

The picture was awful-

Swain's visits grew more frequent-

highly pleased with smth-

Give Russian equivalents

an ordinary case

financial transactions

end in failure

obey orders

take up art

make smb suspicious

As a matter of fact

To be awarded a prize

To become dumb with astonishment

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Find grammatical aspects and structures which you have studied during the semester

Discuss the following:

Do you know anything about the author of this story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

 

TEXT 2

The Ant and the Grasshopper by W.S. Maugham

When I was a small boy I was made to learn by heart some fables of La Fontaine and the moral of each was carefully explained to me. Among them was "The Ant and the Grasshopper". In spite of the moral of this fable my sympathies were with the grasshopper and for some time I never saw an ant without putting my foot on it.

I couldn't help thinking of this fable when the other day I saw George Ramsay lunching in a restaurant. I never saw an expression of such deep gloom. He was staring into space. I was sorry for him: I suspected at once that his unfortunate brother had been causing trouble again.

I went up to him. "How are you?" I asked. "Is it Tom again?" He sighed. "Yes, it's Tom again."

I suppose every family has a black sheep. In this family it had been Tom. He had begun life decently enough: he went into business, married and had two children. The Ramsays were respectable people and everybody supposed that Tom would have a good career. But one day he announced that he didn't like work and that he wasn't suited for marriage. He wanted to enjoy himself.

He left his wife and his office. He spent two happy years in the various capitals of Europe. His relations were shocked and wondered what would happen when his money was spent. They soon found out: he borrowed some. He was so charming that nobody could refuse him. Very often he turned to George. Once or twice he gave Tom considerable sums so that he could make a fresh start. On these Tom bought a motor-car and some jewellery. But when George washed his hands of him, Tom began to blackmail him. It was not nice for a respectable lawyer to find his brother shaking cocktails behind the bar of his favourite restaurant or driving a taxi. So George paid again.

For twenty years Tom gambled, danced, ate in the most expensive restaurants and dressed beautifully. Though he was forty-six he looked not more than thirty-five. He had high spirits and incredible charm. Tom Ramsay knew everyone and everyone knew him. You couldn't help liking him.

Poor George, only a year older than his brother, looked sixty. He had never taken more than a fortnight's holiday in the year. He was in his office every morning at nine-thirty and never left it till six. He was honest and industrious. He had a good wife and four daughters to whom he was the best of fathers. His plan was to retire at fifty-five to a little house in the country. His life was blameless. He was glad that he was growing old because Tom was growing old, too. He used to say: "It was all well when Tom was young and good-looking. In four years he'll be fifty. He won't find life so easy then. I shall have thirty thousand pounds by the time I'm fifty. We shall see what is really best to work or to be idle."

Poor George! I sympathized with him. I wondered now what else Tom had done. George was very much upset. I was prepared for the worst. George could hardly speak. "A few weeks ago," he said, "Tom became engaged to a woman old enough to be his mother. And now she has died and left him everything she had: half a million pounds, a yacht, a house in London and a house in the country. It is not fair, I tell you, it isn't fair!"

I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter as I looked at George's face, I nearly fell on the floor. George never forgave me. But Tom often asks me to dinners in his charming house and if he sometimes borrows money from me, it is simply from force of habit.

 

Give English equivalents

Èãðàòü â êàçèíî

Ýòî íåñïðàâåäëèâî

Þâåëèðíûå èçäåëèÿ

Ïðè÷èíÿòü íåïðèÿòíîñòè

Ó÷èòü íàèçóñòü-

Æåíèòüáà áûëà åìó ïðîòèâîïîêàçàíà

Åãî æèçíü áûëà áåçóïðå÷íà

ß ñî÷óâñòâîâàë åìó

Åãî ðîäñòâåííèêè áûëè øîêèðîâàíû

Íåâåðîÿòíûé øàðì

Âåñòè ïðàçäíûé îáðàç æèçíè

Áûòü ïîìîëâëåííûì ñ…

Ðàññìåÿòüñÿ

 ñèëó ïðèâû÷êè

Answer the questions

Did the author who had to learn a well-known fable by heart meet these images in real life?

What facts do you know about the author of this story?

Why did the author entitle the story “The Ant and the Grasshopper”?

What is the morale of this story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Do you always treat people in a fair way?

Can you guess of some examples of unfairness from your personal life?

3 "Every family has a black sheep" – what does it mean? There are a lot of idioms of the same kind. Give your examples of idioms and idiomatic expressions with their translation which could help you enrich your word stock.

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Give a character sketch of the main hero.

Find grammatical aspects and structures which you have studied during the semester

 

TEXT 3

Lost in the Post A. Philips

Ainsley, a post-office sorter, turned the envelope over and over in his hands. The letter was addressed to his wife and had an Australian stamp.

Ainsley knew that the sender was Dicky Soames, his wife's cousin. It was the second letter Ainsley received after Dicky's departure. The first letter had come six months before, he did not read it and threw it into the fire. No man ever had less reason for jealousy than Ainsley. His wife was frank as the day, a splendid housekeeper, a very good mother to their two children. He knew that Dicky Soames had been fond of Adela and the fact that Dicky Soames had years back gone away to join his and Adela's uncle made no difference to him. He was afraid that some day Dicky would return and take Adela from him.

Ainsley did not take the letter when he was at work as his fellow-workers could see him do it. So when the working hours were over he went out of the post-office together with his fellow workers, then he returned to take the letter addressed to his wife. As the door of the post-office was locked, he had to get in through a window. When he was getting out of the window the postmaster saw him. He got angry and dismissed Ainsley. So another man was hired and Ainsley became unemployed. Their life became hard; they had to borrow money from their friends.

Several months had passed. One afternoon when Ainsley came home he saw the familiar face of Dicky Soames. "So he had turned up," Ainsley thought to himself.

Dicky Soames said he was delighted to see Ainsley. "I have missed all of you so much," he added with a friendly smile.

Ainsley looked at his wife. "Uncle Tom has died," she explained "and Dicky has come into his money".

"Congratulation," said Ainsley, "you are lucky."

Adela turned to Dicky. "Tell Arthur the rest," she said quietly. "Well, you see," said Dicky, "Uncle Tom had something over sixty thousand and he wished Adela to have half. But he got angry with you because Adela never answered the two letters I wrote to her for him. Then he changed his will and left her money to hospitals. I asked him not to do it, but he wouldn't listen to me!" Ainsley turned pale. "So those two letters were worth reading after all," he thought to himself. For some time everybody kept silence. Then Dicky Soames broke the silence, "It's strange about those two letters. I've often wondered why you didn't answer them?" Adela got up, came up to her husband and said, taking him by the hand. "The letters were evidently lost." At that moment Ainsley realized that she knew everything.

Answer the questions to the text:

1) What was Ainsley?

2) Who was Dicky Soames?

3) What was the main reason for Ainsley's hiding Dicky's letters from Adela?

4) How did Ainsley behave when the second letter arrived?

5) What happened as a result of his behaviour?

6) Was Adela's uncle a rich person? Prove it.

7) Did he want Adela to come into his money and why did he have to change his will?

8) What did Ainsley mean saying, "Those two letters were worth reading"?

9) What proves that Ainsley's wife guessed everything?

10) Why do you think she said that the letters had been lost?

True or false

1) Ainsley read Dicky's letters before throwing them into the fire.

2) Adela often gave reason for jealousy.

3) It was a long time since Dicky Soames had gone away to Australia to join his uncle.

4) This fact made Ainsley forget his jealousy.

5) When the working hours were over Ainsley took the letter and left the post-office together with his fellow-workers.

6) The postmaster saw Ainsley getting out of the window and thinking that he had stolen something dismissed him.

7) Ainsley envied Dicky when he learned that the latter had come into his uncle's money.

8) When Ainsley understood that he was to blame for everything he told the truth.

"Adela was as frank as the day" – what does it mean? There are a lot of idioms of the same kind. Explain their meaning, try to give the corresponding Russian expressions and use these idioms in the sentences of your own.

as strong as an ox

as fresh as a cucumber

as strong as nails

as busy as a bee

as sure as fate (as certainly as)

as thick as thieves (very friendly)

as hungry as a hunter

as old as the sea

as slow as a snail

Give a character sketch of the main hero.

Discuss the following:

What is the main idea of the story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Retell the story in short.

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester.

TEXT 4

The Happy Man by W.S. Maugham

I was a young man and I lived in a modest apartment in London near Victoria Station. Late one afternoon, when I was beginning to think that I had worked enough for that day, I heard a ring at the bell. I opened the door to a total stranger. He asked me my name; I told him. He asked if he might come in.

“Certainly”.

I led him into my sitting-room and begged to sit down. He seemed a trifle embarrassed. I offered him a cigarette and he had some difficulty in lighting it.

“I hope you don't mind my coming to see you like this”, he said, “My name is Stephens and I am a doctor. You're in the medical, I believe?”

“Yes, but I don't practise”.

“No, I know. I've just read a book of yours about Spain and I wanted to ask you about it”.

“It's not a very good book, I'm afraid”.

“The fact remains that you know something about Spain and there's no one else I know who does. And I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind giving me some information”.

“I shall be very glad”.

He was silent for a moment. He reached out for his hat and holding it in one hand absent-mindedly stroked it with the other.

“I hope you won't think it very odd for a perfect stranger to talk to you like this”. He gave an apologetic laugh. “I'm not going to tell you the story of my life”.

When people say this to me I always know that it is precisely what they are going to do. I do not mind. In fact I rather like it.

“I was brought up by two old aunts. I've never been anywhere. I've never done anything. I've been married for six years. I have no children. I'm a medical officer at the Camberwell Infirmary. I can't bear it anymore”.

There was something very striking in the short, sharp sentences he used. I looked at him with curiosity. He was a little man, thickset and stout, of thirty perhaps, with a round red face from which shone small, dark and very bright eyes. His black hair was cropped close to a bullet-shaped head. He was dressed in a blue suit a good deal the worse for wear. It was baggy at the knees and the pockets bulged untidily.

“You know what the duties are of a medical officer in an infirmary. One day is pretty much like another. And that's all I've got to look forward to for the rest of my life. Do you think it's worth it?”

“It's a means of livelihood”, I answered.

“Yes, I know. The money's pretty good”.

“I don't exactly know why you've come to me”.

“Well, I wanted to know whether you thought there would be any chance for an English doctor in Spain?”

“Why Spain?”

“I don't know, I just have a fancy for it”.

“It's not like Carmen, you know”, I smiled.

“But there's sunshine there, and there's good wine, and there's colour, and there's air you can breathe. Let me say what I have to say straight out. I heard by accident that there was no English doctor in Seville. Do you think I could earn a living there? Is it madness to give up a good safe job for an uncertainty?”

“What does your wife think about it?”

“She's willing”.

“It's a great risk”.

“I know. But if you say take it, I will: if you say stay where you are, I'll stay”.

He was looking at me with those bright dark eyes of his and I knew that he meant what he said. I reflected for a moment.

“Your whole future is concerned: you must decide for yourself. But this I can tell you: if you don't want money but are content to earn just enough to keep body and soul together, then go. For you will lead a wonderful life”.

He left me, I thought about him for a day or two, and then forgot. The episode passed completely from my memory.

Many years later, fifteen at least, I happened to be in Seville and having some trifling indisposition asked the hotel porter whether there was an English doctor in the town. He said there was and gave me the address. I took a cab and as I drove up to the house a little fat man came out of it. He hesitated, when he caught sight of me.

“Have you come to see me?” he said. “I'm the English doctor”.

I explained my matter and he asked me to come in. He lived in an ordinary Spanish house, and his consulting room was littered with papers, books, medical appliances and lumber. We did our business and then I asked the doctor what his fee was. He shook his head and smiled.

“There's no fee”.

“Why on earth not?”

“Don't you remember me? Why, I'm here because of something you said to me. You changed my whole life for me. I'm Stephens”.

I had not the least notion what he was talking about. He reminded me of our interview, he repeated to me what we had said, and gradually, out of the night, a dim recollection of the incident came back to me.

“I was wondering if I'd ever see you again”, he said, “I was wondering if ever I'd have a chance of thanking you for all you've done for me”.

“It's been a success then?”

I looked at him. He was very fat now and bald, but his eyes twinkled gaily and his fleshy, red face bore an expression of perfect good humour. The clothes he wore, terribly shabby they were, had been made obviously by a Spanish tailor and his hat was the wide brimmed sombrero of the Spaniard. He looked to me as though he knew a good bottle of wine when he saw it. He had an entirely sympathetic appearance. “You might have hesitated to let him remove your appendix”, but you could not have imagined a more delightful creature to drink a glass of wine with.

“Surely you were married?” I said.

“Yes. My wife didn't like Spain, she went back to Camberwell, she was more at home there”.

“Oh, I'm sorry for that”.

His black eyes flashed a smile.

“Life is full of compensations”, he murmured.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when a Spanish woman, no longer in her first youth, but still beautiful, appeared at the door. She spoke to him in Spanish, and I could not fail to feel that she was the mistress of the house.

As he stood at the door to let me out he said to me:

“You told me when last I saw you that if I came here I should earn just enough money to keep body and soul together, but that I should lead a wonderful life. Well, I want to tell you that you were right. Poor I have been and poor I shall always be, but by heaven I've enjoyed myself. I wouldn't exchange the life I've had with that of any king in the world”.

Answer the questions

1 Who came to the narrator’s house one day?

2 Did they know each other?

3 What did the stranger want to talk about ?

4 Did the stranger follow his advice?

5 Why did he decide to move to Spain?

6 How did he feel after spending years in Spain?

True or false

The narrator received an unexpected guest one day.

The author knew exactly why the stranger came to his house.

The stranger’s decision to move to Spain was totally based on the author’s advice.

It wasn’t a great risk to move to Spain.

His wife supported her husband’s idea of moving to Spain.

He earned a lot of money working as a doctor in Spain.

Give synonyms to the following words and word combinations

A modest apartment-

To be trifle embarrassed-

Absent-mindedly-

Precisely-

I can’t bear it-

Baggy clothes-

By accident-

To be content-

To keep body and soul together

Give Russian equivalents

Thickset and stout

The pockets bulged untidily

Infirmary

A trifling indisposition

To catch sight of

To be littered with

Medical appliances

To have the least notion

His eyes twinkled gaily

To flash a smile

Discuss the following:

What is the main idea of the story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

 

Text 5

THE GREEN DOCTOR by O. Henry

Rudolf was always dreaming of adventures. Few were the evenings when he did not go to look for the unexpected. It seemed to him that the most interesting things in life might lie just around the corner.

Once when he was walking along the street his attention was attracted by a Negro handing out a dentist's cards. The Negro slipped a card into Rudolf's hand. He turned it over and looked at it. Nothing was written on one side of the card; on the other three words were written: "The Green Door". And then Rudolf saw, three steps in front of him, a man threw away the card the Negro had given him as he passed. Rudolf picked it up. The dentist's name and address were printed on it.

The adventurous piano salesman stopped at the corner and considered. Then he returned and joined the stream of people again. When he was passing the Negro the second time, he again got a card. Ten steps away he examined it. In the same handwriting that appeared on the first card "The Green door" was written upon it. Three or four cards were lying on the pavement. On all of them were the name and the address of the dentist. Whatever the written words on the cards might mean, the Negro had chose him twice from the crowd.

Standing aside from the crowd, the young man looked at the building in which he thought his adventure must lie. It was a five-storey building. On the first floor there was a store. The second up were apartments.

After finishing his inspection Rudolf walked rapidly up the stairs into the house. The hallway there was badly lighted. Rudolf looked toward the nearer door and saw that it was green. He hesitated for a moment, then he went straight to the green door and knocked on it. The door slowly opened. A girl not yet twenty stood there. She was very pale and as it seemed to Rudolf was about to faint. Rudolf caught her and laid her on a sofa. He closed the door and took a quick glance round the room. Neat, but great poverty was the story he read.

"Fainted, didn't I?" the girl asked weakly. "Well, no wonder. You try going without anything to eat for three days and see."

"Heavens!" cried Rudolf, jumping up. "Wait till I come back." He rushed out of the green door and in twenty minutes he was back with bread and butter, cold meat, cakes, pies, milk and hot tea.

"It is foolish to go without eating. You should not do it again," Rudolf said. "Supper is ready."

When the girl cheered up a little she told him her story. It was one of a thousand such as the city wears with indifference every day – a shop girl's story of low wages; of time lost through illness; and then of lost jobs, lost hope and unrealised dreams and – the knock of the young man upon the door.

Rudolf looked at the girl with sympathy.

"To think of you going through all that," he exclaimed. "And you have no relatives or friends in the city?"

"None whatever."

"As a matter of fact, I am all alone in the world too," said Rudolf after a pause.

"I am glad of that," said the girl, and somehow it pleased the young man to hear that she approved of his having no relatives.

Then the girl sighed deeply. "'I'm awfully sleepy," she said.

Rudolf rose and took his hat.

"How did it happen that you knocked at my door?" she asked.

"One of our piano tuners lives in this house. I knocked at your door by mistake."

There was no reason why the girl should not believe him.

In the hallway he looked around and discovered to his great surprise that all the doors were green.

In the street he met the same Negro.

Answer the questions

What kind of person was Rudolf?

What was his occupation?

What attracted attention of Rudolf in the street once?

What was written on the card which he had picked up?

Who did he see when he opened the green door?

Which way were the girl and Rudolf alike?

Did the girl believe that he had knocked at her door by mistake?

True or false

He lifted a postcard in the street and read it attentively.

It seemed to him that the most interesting things in life might lie in distant places.

Rudolf was always dreaming of a peaceful family life.

The dentist's name and address were printed on the card he had been given.

The adventurous piano salesman stopped at the corner and considered whether it was worth going there.

The door slowly opened and a girl not yet twenty stood in the room.

The girl fainted because of starvation.

Rudolf rushed to the nearest store to fetch some food for the girl.

Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in the sentences of your own.

To be badly lighted.

took a quick glance

great poverty

unrealised dreams

low wages

As a matter of fact

To sigh deeply

The adventurous piano salesman

Discuss the following:

What’s the main idea of the story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

TEXT 6

Hunting for a Job by S.S. McClure

I reached Boston late that night and got out at the South Station. I knew no one in Boston except Miss Bennet. She lived in Somerville, and I immediately started out for Somerville. Miss Bennet and her family did all they could to make me comfortable and help me to get myself established' in some way. I had only six dollars and their hospitality was of utmost importance to me.

My first application for a job in Boston was made in accordance with an idea of my own. Every boy in the Western states knew the Pope Manufacturing Company, which produced bicycles. When I published my first work "History of Western College Journalism" the Pope Company had given me an advertisement, and that seemed to be a "connection" of some kind. So I decided to go to the offices of the Pope Manufacturing Company to ask for a job. I walked into the general office and said that I wanted the president of the company.

"Colonel Pope?" asked the clerk.

I answered, "Yes, Colonel Pope."

I was taken to Colonel Pope, who was then an alert energetic man of thirty-nine. I told Colonel Pope, by way of introduction, that he had once given me an advertisement for a little book I had published, that I had been a College editor and out of a job. What I wanted was work and I wanted it badly.

He said he was sorry, but they were laying of hands. I still hung on. It seemed to me that everything would be all up with me', if I had to go out of that room without a job. I asked him if there wasn't anything at all that I could do. My earnestness made him look at me sharply.

"Willing to wash windows and scrub floors?" he asked.

I told him that I was, and he turned to one of his clerks.

"Has Wilmot got anybody yet to help him in the downtown' rink?" he asked.

The clerk said he thought not.

"Very well", said Colonel Pope. "You can go to the rink and help Wilmot out for tomorrow."

The next day I went to the bicycle rink and found that what Wilmot wanted was a man to teach beginners to ride. I had never been on a bicycle in my life nor even very close to one, but in a couple of hours I had learnt to ride a bicycle myself and was teaching other people.

Next day Mr. Wilmot paid me a dollar. He didn't say anything about my coming back the next morning, but I came and went to work, very much afraid that I would be told I wasn't needed. After that Mr. Wilmot did not exactly engage me, but he forgot to discharge me, and I came back every day and went to work. At the end of the week Colonel Pope sent for me and placed me in charge of the uptown' rink.

Colonel Pope was a man who watched his workmen. I hadn't been mistaken when I felt that a young man would have a chance with him. He often used to say that "water would find its level", and he kept an eye on us. One day he called me into his office and asked me if I could edit a magazine.

"Yes, sir," I replied quickly. I remember it flashed through my mind that I could do anything I was put at '96 that if I were required to run an ocean steamer I could somehow manage to do it. I could learn to do it as I went along'. I answered as quickly as I could get the words out of my mouth, afraid that Colonel Pope would change his mind before I could get them out.

This is how I got my first job. And I have never doubted ever since that one of the reasons why I got it was that I had been "willing to wash windows and scrub floors". I had been ready for anything.

Paraphrase the sentences using phrases from the text:

1) Miss Bennet and her family received him very warmly.

2) Everybody tried to help him to find some kind of job.

3) Their concern and hospitality were very important to him.

4) He told Colonel Pope that he was unemployed and needed any job very much.

5) The man thought that everything would be lost for him if he didn't find a job.

6) He has never ridden a bicycle in his life.

7) Mr. Wilmot neither employed the journalist nor dismissed him.

8) The boss made him responsible for the uptown rink.

9) It suddenly occurred to him that his willingness to do any job had helped him to get his first job.

Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in the sentences of your own.

to get myself established' in some way

of utmost importance

hospitality

application for a job

earnestness

look at me sharply

to teach beginners

he did not exactly engage me

in a couple of hours

to change his mind

Answer the questions to the text:

1) Who was the only person the author knew in Boston?

2) In what way was he received? Why was it of great importance to him?

3) What made the young man apply for a job to the Pope Company?

4) Describe Colonel Pope. What was his answer to the young man's story?

5) Why did the man still hang on though he found out that the company was laying off hands?

6) What question did the Colonel ask him?

7) Describe the young man's job and say whether he coped with it.

8) Why did the man continue to work for Mr. Wilmot though he hadn't engaged him?

9) What happened at the end of the week?

10) What job was the young man offered in the long run?

11) What idea flashed through his mind?

12) What helped the man to get his first job?

Discuss the following:

1) Say if you agree or disagree with the statement "water would find its level". How do you understand it? Give examples in support of your opinion.

2) Give a character sketch of the main hero. Compare him with the heroes of the story "Success Story."

3) Is the problem of unemployment acute nowadays? Why? Is this problem interconnected with the problem of wasted lives? Give your grounds.

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

 

Text 7

A Foul Play by R. Ruark

In 1943 Lieutenant Alexander Barr was ordered into the Armed Guard aboard the merchant ship, like many other civilian officers with no real mechanical skills – teachers, writers, lawyers.

His men were the rag-tag' of merchant service and knew very little of it. Lieutenant Alec Barr had his crew well in hand except one particularly unpleasant character, a youngster called Zabinski. Every ship has its problem child, and Zabinski was Alec's cross. If anybody was drunk and in trouble ashore, it was Zabinski. If anybody was smoking on watch, or asleep on watch, it always was Zabinski. Discipline on board was hard to keep and Zabinski made it worse.

Alec called the boy to his cabin. "I've tried to reason with you'," he said. "I've punished you with everything from confinement to ship to extra duty. I've come to the conclusion that the only thing you may understand is force. I've got some boxing gloves. Navy Regulations say they should be used for recreation.

We are going to have some.

"That's all right", Zabinski said smiling.

Alec announced the exhibition of boxing skill. A lot of people gathered on deck to watch the match.

It didn't take Lieutenant Barr long to discover that he was in the ring with a semiprofessional. They were fighting two-minute rounds. But from the first five seconds of the first round Alec knew that Zabinski could knock him out with a single punch if he wanted to. But Zabinski didn't want to, he was toying with his commander, and the snickers' grew into laughter.

In the third round Alec held up a glove. "Time out!", he said. "I'm going to my cabin, I'll soon be back". He turned and ran up to his cabin. In the cabin there was a safe. Alec's duty was to pay wages to his personnel. Alec Barr opened the safe and took out a paper-wrapped roll of ten-cent coins. He put this roll of silver coins into his glove and returned on deck.

"Let's go!" he said and touched gloves with Zabinski. It had pleased Zabinski before to allow the officer to knock him from time to time because it gave him a chance for a short and painful punch. But now the silver-weighted glove crashed into the boy's chin and Zabinski was out. He was lying on the floor motionless.

Alec Barr looked briefly at the boy. "Somebody throw some water on him," he said coldly to the seamen. And he went up to his room to clean his cuts and put the roll of coins back to the safe. After that Lieutenant Alexander Barr had no more personnel trouble aboard ship.

Answer the questions

What the crew competent at navigating a ship?

Who was a trouble-maker on board?

Discipline on board was hard to keep and Zabinski made it worse, didn’t he?

What did the Lieutenant Alexander Barr decide to do to improve discipline on board ?

What kind of tricky way did Alec undertake to teach his opponent a lesson?

Did the winner feel satisfied or distressed after the fight?

Did Alec have any problems with seamen ever after?

True or false

Alec announced the exhibition of boxing skill.

It didn't take Lieutenant Barr long to discover that he was in the ring with an amateur.

In the third round Alec held up a glove and asked for time out as he needed a doctor’s help.

"Somebody call for a doctor," Alec said coldly to the seamen

After that Lieutenant Alexander Barr had one more personnel trouble aboard .

the snickers' grew into laughter

merchant service

civilian officer

pay wages

paper-wrapped roll

painful punch

on deck

crashed into the boy's chin

motionless

looked briefly

to clean his cuts

more personnel trouble

Retell the text briefly.

Give a character sketch of the main hero.

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Do you know anything about the author of this story?

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

Text 8

Jimmy Valentine's Reformation by O. Henry

Jimmy Valentine was released that day.

"Now, Valentine," said the warden', "you'll go out today. Make a man of yourself. You are not a bad fellow really. Stop breaking open safes and be honest."

"Me?" said Jimmy in surprise. "Why, I've never broken a safe in my life." The warden laughed. "Better think over my advice, Valentine."

In the evening Valentine arrived in his native town, went directly to the cafe of his old friend Mike and shook hands with Mike. Then he took the key of his room and went upstairs. Everything was just as he had left it. Jimmy removed a panel in the wall and dragged out a dust-covered suitcase. He opened it and looked fondly at the finest set of burglar's' tools. It was a complete set made of special steel. The set consisted of various tools of the latest design. Over nine hundred dollars they had cost him.

A week after the release of Valentine there was a new safe-burglary in Richmond. Two weeks after that another safe was opened. That began to interest the detectives. Ben Price, a famous detective, got interested in these cases.

"That's all Jimmy Valentine's work. He has resumed business. He has got the only tools that can open any safe without leaving the slightest trace."

One afternoon Jimmy Valentine came to Elmore, a little town in Arkansas. A young lady crossed the street, passed him at the corner and entered a door over which was the sign "The Elmore Bank". Jimmy Valentine looked into her eyes, forgot what he was and became another man. She lowered her eyes and blushed slightly. Young men of Jimmy's style and looks were not of ten met in Elmore. Jimmy called a boy who was standing on the steps of the bank and began to ask him questions about the town and the people of the town. From this boy he learnt that this girl was Annabel Adams and that her father was the owner of the bank.

Jimmy went to a hotel and registered as Ralf Spencer. To the clerk he said that he had come to Elmore to start business. The clerk was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy and he was ready to give Jimmy any information. Soon Jimmy opened a shoe-store and made large profits. In all other respects he was also a success. He was popular with many important people and had many friends. And he accomplished the wish of his heart. He met Miss Annabel Adams and she fell in love with him too. Annabel's father, who was a typical country banker approved of Spencer. The young people were to be married in two weeks. Jimmy gave up safe-burglary for ever. He was an honest man now. He decided to get rid of his tools.

At that time a new safe was put in Mr. Adams' bank. The old man was very proud of it and insisted that everyone should inspect it. So one day the whole family with the children went to the bank. Mr. Adams enthusiastically explained the workings of the safe to Spencer. The two children were delighted to see the shining metal and the funny clock. While they were thus engaged Ben Price, the detective, walked into the bank and stood at the counter watching the scene. He told the cashier that he was just waiting for the man he knew. Suddenly there was a loud scream from the women. Unseen by the elders, May, the smallest girl had shut herself in the vault.

"It's impossible to open the door now," said Mr. Adams in a trembling voice, "because the clock of the safe hasn't been wound. Oh, what shall we do? That child – she can't stand it for long because there isn't enough air there!"

"Get away from the door, all of you," suddenly commanded Spencer. And it must be mentioned that Jimmy happened to have his suit-case with him because he was going to get rid of it that day. Very calmly he took out the tools and in ten minutes the vault was opened. The others watched him in amazement. The little girl, crying, rushed to her mother.

Jimmy took his suit-case and came up to Ben Price whom he had noticed long before. "Hello, Ben", he said, "Let's go. I don't think it matters much now." And then suddenly Ben Price acted rather strangely. "I guess, you are mistaken Mr. Spencer," he said. "I don't seem to recognize you. I think your fiancé is waiting for you, isn't she?" And Ben Price turned and walked out of the Bank.

Answer the questions

What does the story start from?

What kind of crime did Valentine commit?

What did he do after being released from prison?

What kind of tools helped him break open safes?

Why did a detective get interested in safe-burglary cases?

Why did it strike the detective that it could have been Valentine to be blamed?

What did Valentine do after a series of safe-burglary?

What did father of Valentine’s fiancé install in his bank?

What kind of incident happened in the bank?

What was the outcome of the incident?

Give Russian equivalents

To be released

Warden

To shake hands with

In all other respects

To drag out a dust-covered suitcase

finest set of burglar's' tools

to accomplish the wish of his heart

lowered her eyes and blushed slightly

to be impressed by

made large profits

to get rid of

True or false

The warden of the prison gave him sound advice “Stop breaking open safes and be honest”.

Jimmy went to a hotel and registered as Jimmy Valentine.

His clothes were dirty and torn and he looked miserable when he registered at the hotel.

Jimmy had got the only tools that could open any safe without leaving the slightest trace.

Annabel's father, who was a typical country banker didn’t approve of Spencer.

Unseen by the elders, May, the smallest girl had shut herself in the vault.

What is the main idea of the story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

Do you approve of him?

What is the main idea of the story?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

 

TEXT 9

The Escape by W.S. Maugham

I have always believed that if a woman made up her mind to marry a man nothing could save him. I have only once known a man who in such circumstances managed to save himself. His name was Roger Charing. He was no longer young when he fell in love with Ruth Barlow and he had had enough experience to make him careful; but Ruth Barlow had a gift that makes most men defendless. This was the gift of pathos. Mrs. Barlow was twice a widow'. She had splendid dark eyes and they were the most moving I ever saw. They seemed to be always on the point of filling with tears and you felt that her sufferings had been impossible to bear. If you were a strong fellow with plenty of money, like Roger Charing, you should say to yourself: I must stand between the troubles of life and this helpless little thing. Mrs. Barlow was one of those unfortunate persons with whom nothing goes right. If she married the husband beat her; if she employed a broker he cheated her; if she took a cook she drank.

When Roger told me that he was going to marry her, I wished him joy. As for me I thought she was stupid and as hard as nails.

Roger introduced her to his friends. He gave her lovely jewels. He took her everywhere. Their marriage was announced for the nearest future. Roger was very pleased with himself, he was committing a good action.

Then suddenly he fell out of love. I don't know why. Perhaps that pathetic look of hers ceased to touch his heart-strings. He realized that Ruth Barlow had made up her mind to marry him and he swore that nothing would make him marry her. Roger knew it wouldn't be easy. Roger didn't show that his feelings to Ruth Barlow had changed. He remained attentive to all her wishes, he took her to dine at restaurants, he sent her flowers, he was charming.

They were to get married as soon as they found a house that suited them; and they started looking for residences. The agents sent Roger orders to view and he took Ruth to see some houses. It was very difficult to find anything satisfactory. They visited house after house. Sometimes they were too large and sometimes they were too small; sometimes they were too far from the centre and sometimes they were too close; sometimes they were too expensive and sometimes they wanted too many repairs; sometimes they were too stuffy and sometimes they were too airy. Roger always found a fault that made the house unsuitable. He couldn't let his dear Ruth to live in a bad house.

Ruth began to grow peevish. Roger asked her to have patience. They looked at hundreds of houses; they climbed thousands of stairs. Ruth was exhausted and often lost her temper. For two years they looked for houses. Ruth grew silent, her eyes no longer looked beautiful and pathetic. There are limits to human patience.

"Do you want to marry me or do you not?" she asked him one day.

"Of course I do. We'll be married the very moment we find a house."

"I don't feel well enough to look at any more houses."

Ruth Barlow took to her bed. Roger remained gallant as ever. Every day he wrote her and told her that he had heard of another house for them to look at, A week later he received the following letter:

'Roger – I do not think you really love me. I've found someone who really wants to take care of me and I am going to be married to him today.

Ruth.

He sent back his reply:

'Ruth – I'll never get over this blow. But your happiness must be my first concern. I send you seven addresses. I am sure you'll find among them a house that will exactly suit you. Roger.”

Answer the questions

Do you share the author’s opinion that “if a woman made up her mind to marry a man nothing could save him”?

What did Ruth possess to make any man defendless?

Can you describe Ruth’s facial features? What was the most striking in her appearance?

Why was Mrs. Barlow unfortunate in life?

What was his fellow’s opinion about his fiancé?

How did Roger prove his devotion to Ruth?

Why do you think his love suddenly faded away?

What was his plan to get rid of his girlfriend?

Did the story have a dull end?

Give English equivalents

Ïðè ñëîæèâøèõñÿ îáñòîÿòåëüñòâàõ

Âëþáèòüñÿ

Èìåòü äàð îáåçîðóæèâàòü ìóæ÷èí

ß ïîæåëàë åìó óäà÷è

Îí äàðèë åé ïðåêðàñíûå þâåëèðíûå èçäåëèÿ

Îí ïðèãëàøàë åå íà óæèí â ðåñòîðàí

Îí ïðîñèë åå íàáðàòüñÿ òåðïåíèÿ

Îí êàê âñåãäà ïðîÿâëÿë ãàëàíòíîñòü

ß íèêîãäà íå ïåðåæèâó òàêîãî óäàðà

Îíà ñòàëà ðàçäðàæèòåëüíîé

Îíà ïîòåðÿëà ñâîå îáàÿíèå è òðîãàòåëüíîñòü

 

“ She made up her mind to …”is a good example of English phraseology. Can you guess of some phraseologisms with their Russian equivalents which would enrich your word stock?

Discuss the following:

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Give a character sketch of the main hero.

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

 

ÒÅÊÑÒ 10

Success Story by J. G. Cozzens

I met Richards ten or more years ago when I first went down to Cuba. He was a short, sharp-faced, agreeable chap, then about 22. He introduced himself to me on the boat and I was surprised to find that Panamerica Steel was sending us both to the same

Richards was from some not very good state university engineering school. Being the same age myself, and just out of technical college I saw at once that his knowledge was rather poor. In fact I couldn't imagine how he had managed to get this job.

Richards was naturally likable, and I liked him a lot. The firm had a contract for the construction of a private railroad. For Richards and me it was mostly an easy job of inspections and routine paper work. At least it was easy for me. It was harder for Richards, because he didn't appear to have mastered the use of a slide rule. When he asked me to check his figures I found his calculations awful. "Boy," I was at last obliged to say, "you are undoubtedly the silliest white man in this province. Look, stupid, didn't you ever take arithmetic? How much are seven times thirteen?" "Work that out," Richards said, "and let me have a report tomorrow."

So when I had time I checked his figures for him, and the inspector only caught him in a bad mistake about twice. In January several directors of the United Sugar Company came down to us on business, but mostly pleasure; a good excuse to 'get south on a vacation. Richards and I were to accompany them around the place. One of the directors, Mr. Prosset was asking a number of questions. I knew the job well enough to answer every sensible question – the sort of question that a trained engineer would be likely to ask. As it was Mr. Prosset was not an engineer and some of his questions put me at a loss. For the third time I was obliged to say, "I'm afraid I don't know, sir.

We haven't any calculations on that".

When suddenly Richards spoke up.

"I think, about nine million cubic feet, sir", he said. "I just happened to be working this out last night. Just for my own interest".

"Oh," said Mr. Prosset, turning in his seat and giving him a sharp look. "That's very interesting, Mr. -er- Richards, isn't it? Well, now, maybe you could tell me about".

Richards could. Richards knew everything. All the way up Mr. Prosset fired questions on him and he fired answers right back. When we reached the head of the rail, a motor was waiting for Mr. Prosset. He nodded absent-mindedly to me, shook hands with Richards. "Very interesting, indeed," he said. "Good-bye, Mr. Richards, and thank you."

"Not, at all, sir," Richards said. "Glad if I could be of service to you."

As soon as the car moved off, I exploded. "A little honest bluff doesn't hurt; but some of your figures...!"

"I like to please," said Richards grinning. "If a man like Prosset wants to know something, who am I to hold out on him?"

"What's he going to think when he looks up the figures or asks somebody who does know?"

"Listen, my son," said Richards kindly. "He wasn't asking for any information he was going to use. He doesn't want to know these figures. He won't remember them. I don't even remember them myself. What he is going to remember is you and me." "Yes," said Richards firmly. "He is going to remember that Panamerica Steel has a bright young man named Richards who could tell him everything, he wanted, – just the sort of chap he can use; not like that other fellow who took no interest in his work, couldn't answer the simplest question and who is going to be doing small-time contracting all his life."

It is true. I am still working for the Company, still doing a little work for the construction line. And Richards? I happened to read in a newspaper a few weeks ago that Richards had been made a vice-resident and director of Panamerica Steel when the Prosset group bought the old firm.

Answer the questions

When did the author first meet Richards?

What did he look like?

What kind of education did these both men have?

What were their job responsibilities?

What was the author’s opinion about his colleague?

How did Richards get a chance of promotion?

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

"If a man like Prosset wants to know something, who am I to hold out on him?" or – “ as soon as the car moved off” a good example of using phrasal verbs in English. Can you get some more examples of the most commonly used phrasal verbs with their Russian equivalents which would help you enrich your word stock.

Give Russian equivalents

sharp-faced, agreeable chap

to be of service to

attitude to

awful calculations

to be likeable

routine paper work

undoubtedly

to work smth out

Give antonyms to the following words

To speak up-

Sharp-

Own-

To grin

Firmly-

Vacation-

To be surprised-

Absent-mindedly-

What is your attitude towards the main character of the story?

What are your emotions after reading the story? Did you like the plot?

Retell the text briefly. Give a character sketch of the main hero(es).

Give a character sketch of the main hero.

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

 

ÒÅÊÑÒ 11

Letters in the Mail by E. Caldwell

Almost everybody likes to receive letters. And perhaps nobody in Stillwater liked to get letters more than Ray Buffin. But unfortunately Ray received fewer letters in his box at the post-office than anybody else.

Guy Hodge and Ralph Barnhill were two young men in town who liked to play jokes on people. But they never meant anything bad. One afternoon they decided to play a joke on Ray Buffin. Their plan was to ask a girl in town to send Ray a love letter without signing it, and then tell everybody in the post-office to watch Ray read the letter; then somebody was to ask Ray if he had received a love letter from a girl. After that somebody was to snatch the letter out of his hand and read it aloud.

They bought blue writing paper and went round the corner to the office of the telephone company where Grace Brooks worked as a night telephone operator. Grace was pretty though not very young. She had begun working for the company many years ago, after she had finished school. She had remained unmarried all those years, and because she worked at night and slept in the daytime it was very difficult for her to find a husband.

At first, after Guy and Ralf had explained to her what they wanted to do and had asked her to write the letter to Ray, Grace refused to do it.

"Now, be a good girl, Grace, do us a favour and write the letter." Suddenly she turned away. She didn't want the young men to see her crying. She remembered the time she had got acquainted with Ray. Ray wanted to marry her. But she had just finished school then and had started to work for the telephone company; she was very young then and did not want to marry anybody. Time passed. During all those years she had seen him a few times but only a polite word had passed between them, and each time he looked sadder and sadder.

Finally she agreed to write the letter for Guy and Ralph and said that she would send it in the morning.

After they left the telephone office Grace thought about Ray and cried. Late at night she wrote the letter.

The next day Guy and Ralph were in the post-office at 4 o'clock. By that time there was a large crowd in the post-office. When Ray came in and saw a letter in his box he looked at it in surprise. He couldn't believe his eyes. He opened the box, took out the blue envelope and went to the corner of the room to read it. When he finished he behaved like mad. He smiled happily and ran out of the room before Guy and Ralph had time to say anything to stop him. Ray hurried round the corner to the telephone office.

Answer the questions

What kind of people were Guy Hodge and Ralph Barnhill?

What did they decide to do one day?

What did the girl who was supposed to play a joke do?

Why did she refuse to write such kind of letter?

What was the reaction of Ray after reading the letter?

Give Russian equivalents

to play jokes on people

to remain unmarried

to turn away

without signing

to do a favour

behaved like mad

to look sadder

Paraphrase the following sentences

Guy Hodge and Ralph Barnhill were two youngsters who liked to make fun of people

But their jokes were harmless

Their plan was to ask a girl in town to send Ray a love letter anonymously

She remembered the time she had met Ray for the first time

She had been single for all those years,

Somebody was to grab the letter out of his hand

there were a lot of people in the post-office

Find grammatical phenomena and structures which you have studied during the semester

Discuss the following:

What is your attitude towards the main characters of the story?

Could you guess such outcome while reading the story?

Describe the main heroes.

 

ÒÅÊÑÒ 12

The Bramble Bush by Ch. Mergendahl

As Fran Walker, one of the nurses of the Mills Memorial Hospital, was sitting between rounds behind her duty desk, she often recollected her childhood, which would return to her as it had existed in reality bewildering, lonely, and frustrating.

Her father, Mr. Walker, had owned a small lumber business' in Sagamore, one of Indiana's numerous smaller towns, where Fran had lived in a large frame house on six acres of unused pasture land'. The first Mrs. Walker had died, when Fran was still a baby, so she did not remember her real mother at all. She remembered her stepmother, though – small, tight-lipped, thin-faced, extremely possessive of her new husband and the new house which had suddenly become her own. Fran had adored her father, tried desperately to please him. And since he desired nothing more than a good relationship between his daughter and his second wife, she had made endless attempts to win over her new mother. But her displays of affection had not been returned. Her stepmother had remained constantly jealous, resentful, without the slightest understanding o


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