IV Retell the text (Перескажи текст). V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание)

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V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание).

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type (Задай вопросы к выделенным словам):

1) Waitersin restaurants will often tell you their names.

2) Often youbring salad, some vegetablesor something sweet.

3) These partiesare often informal and there are not many rulesfor them.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) We (to hear) many kind words every day.

b) People often (to ask) you personal questions.

c) Mother usually (to kiss) me on the cheek when I come home.

d) At a “pot luck” dinner our guests (to bring) much fish yesterday.

e) People who usually (to smile) are very charming.

f) Your hosts (to finish) their preparations in five minutes.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) People easily start to talk to each other.

b) He often brings salad.

c) Americans love to get together.

d) All people like to relax and enjoy themselves.

e) They gave us advice about places of interest in their city.

f) Each evening we prepare tomorrow’s trip together.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Мы остановились у наших друзей.

b) Наши хозяин и хозяйка были очень дружелюбными людьми.

c) Вашингтон полон мест, где вы думаете о истории.

d) Вы можете купить много вещей прямо на улицах.

e) Я буду дома послезавтра и мы увидимся.

f) Обед вскладчину очень популярен во многих странах.

Unit10

ISN'T IT FUN TO WHITEWASH THE FENCE?

(FromThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer after Mark Twain)

Saturday morning came, the summer world was bright and fresh, and full of life.

Tom appeared with a bucket of whitewash and a brush. He looked at the fence and his face became sad. All the boys were playing, only he had to work. It was Aunt Polly's punishment for his dirty and torn clothes. The fence was long and high. Tom whitewashed it for some time, then sat down on a box, in despair. He was afraid that if the boys saw him with a brush they could laugh at him.

Suddenly he had a bright idea. He took up his brush and began to work. Soon he saw Ben Rogers in the street. Ben was eating an apple. Tom went on whitewashing and didn't look at him. Ben stopped near Tom and began to watch him.

"Hallo, boy!" said Ben. "Do you have to work today?" "Why, it's you, Ben! I didn't see you." "Say, I'm going swimming. Don't you want to come too? But of course you have to work, haven't you?" Tom looked at Ben and said: "What do you call work?" "Why, isn't that work?" Tom continued to whitewash, and answered: "Well, perhaps it is work and perhaps it isn't. All I know is Tom Sawyer likes it."

"Oh, do you mean to say that you like it?" The brush continued to move up and down. "Like it? Well, I don't see why not? Does a boy whitewash a fence every day?"

Ben stopped eating his apple. He watched every movement. He got more and more interested. Then he said:

"Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little." Tom thought for a moment. "No, no, I can't, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly asked me to do the work well, and I think there is only one boy in a thousand who can do it well."

"Oh, is that so? Let me try, only a little."

Tom was thinking. "I can give you my apple."

Tom gave him the brush. He was happy. And while Ben worked in the sun, Tom sat under a tree, ate his apple, and planned how to get more boys to do the work for him.

Many boys came to laugh at Tom, but very soon they all worked with pleasure. Each one had to give Tom something, and then he could whitewash the fence.

When afternoon came, Tom was a rich boy. He had twelve marbles, a piece of blue glass, a toy soldier, a kitten, a dog-collar, and many other things.

He had a good time, and the fence was ready very quickly.

I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions (Найди в тексте следующие слова и выражения на английском языке):

1) красить, белить; 2) забор; 3) кисть; 4) наказание; 5) в отчаянии; 6) пробовать, пытаться; 7) с удовольствием.

II Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in sentences of your own (Переведи следующие слова и выражения из текста на русский язык и составь с ними свои предложения):

1) a bucket of whitewash; 2) his face became sad; 3) torn clothes; 4) laugh at smb.; 5) a bright idea.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Was it fun for Tom to whitewash the fence on bright sunny day?

2) He had to work, didn’t he?

3) What did he look like when he began to work? Why?

4) Was Ben sorry for Tom at first? Why?

5) Why did Tom begin to work with interest?

6) What did Tom get when he let Ben whitewash the fence?

7) How did Tom become a rich boy?

8) Did Tom have a good time?

9) Do you think Tom was pleased with himself and his bright idea?

IV Retell the text on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица):

1) the author; 2) Tom; 3) one of Tom’s friends.

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание)

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type:

1) Helooked at the fenceand hisface became sad.

2)He was afraid that if the boys saw him with a brush theycould laugh at him.

3) Benstopped eatinghis apple.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) Tom (to whitewash) the fence when his friends (to play).

b) His friends (to laugh) at him.

c) Tom (to take) up his brush and (to begin) working.

d) They (to continue) to work.

e) He (to stop) eating his lunch.

f) They (to think) for a moment and (to say) nothing.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) Tom appeared with a bucket of whitewash and a brush.

b) Suddenly he had a bright idea.

c) He was eating his apple and watching Tom.

d) Many boys came to laugh at Tom.

e) There was only one boy in a thousand who could do it well.

f) Tom planned how to get more boys to do the work for him.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Когда Том вышел, все мальчики играли с мячом.

b) Они продолжили разговаривать и не смотрели на нас.

c) Что вы называете тяжелой работой?

d) Тётя, позвольте мне помочь Вам.

e) Он попросил меня побелить его забор.

f) Они сидели под деревом, когда их друзья пришли.

Unit 11

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

(by J. Codlinnik, M. Kuznets)

Long, long ago there lived a rich king. He was called Midas, He was a greedy man and liked gold very much.

One day he asked the gods of Greece to give him still more gold. The gods decided to punish him and said, "Very well; in the morning everything that you touch will become gold."

Midas was very happy when he heard this. "I shall be the richest man in the world," he thought.

He got up early in the morning. When he touched his bed, it became gold. He began to dress, and his clothes became gold.

Midas loved flowers very much, and he had a lovely garden. Before breakfast he went into the garden to look at his flowers. The day was fine, the sun was bright, and the roses were very lovely. The king picked one of the roses, but it became gold in his hand.

He was sorry that the flowers changed when he touched them, for he liked their rich colours.

The king went to have his breakfast. He took a cup of sweet milk, but the milk became gold. Then he took a piece of bread, and that also became gold. Midas now began to feel unhappy. It was good to be the richest man in the world, but he was hungry, and he could not eat or drink gold.

Midas went into the garden again. His little daughter was there. When she saw her father, she ran up to him. King Midas loved his daughter very much. But when he kissed her, she became a golden statue.

Midas was now very unhappy. He went into his palace. His eyes were full of tears, but the tears also became drops of gold.

He asked the gods to take away the 'Golden Touch'.

"It was very foolish to love gold so much," said he. "I am very unhappy. Take all my gold and give me back my daughter."

"Go", said the gods, "and wash your hands in the river which is near your garden, and the water will take away the 'Golden Touch'."

Midas went to the river and washed his hands in it. Then he ran quickly to the golden statue of his little

girl. He kissed her again and she changed back into his pretty little daughter.

Midas never forgot this lesson. He knew now that gold does not give happiness.

1) давным –давно; 2) жил-был; 3) жадный; 4) ещё больше золота; 5) трогать что-то; 6) сорвать цветок; 7) глупо; 8) снова превратиться в кого-то.

1) he was sorry; 2) feel unhappy; 3) full of tears; 4) take away; 5) so much.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Who was Midas?

2) Where did he live?

3) What did he ask the gods of Greece to give him?

4) What happened then?

5) Was Midas happy and why?

6) What is the main idea of this legend?

IV Retell the text on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица):

1) Midas; 2) the author; 3) the gods of Greece.

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание):

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type (Задай вопросы к выделенным словам):

1) Ishall be the richest manin the world.

2) Before breakfasthe went into the garden to look at his flowers.

3) He was sorrythat the flowers changedwhen he touchedthem.

4) Hewent to the river and washed hishands in it.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) They (to decide) to punish Midas.

b) He thought: “I (to be) the richest man in the world.

c) He (to pick) up flowers, when his daughter came.

d) She (to run) up to him and (to become) a golden statue.

e) He (to wash) his face and hands every day before breakfast.

f) He never (to forget) this lesson.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) They got up early in the morning.

b) When he touched his bed it became gold.

c) The flowers changed very quickly.

d) He began to feel unhappy.

e) There were tears in her eyes.

f) He went to the river and washed his hands in it.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Этот жадный человек очень любил золото.

b) Боги наказали его.

c) Она не любила собирать цветы.

d) Она была голодной, но не могла есть и пить.

e) Она выбежала в сад и увидела свою дочь.

f) Иногда деньги не приносят счастье.

Unit 12

A SEA STORY

(By W.W. Jacobs. Adapted)

One evening we asked our friend, Captain Brown, to tell us something interesting about his voyages.

"I don't know any interesting stories," answered the captain.

"Tell us what happened to you on the 'Lark'."

"All right," said Captain Brown, and this is what he said:

"It was fifteen years ago. I was a young man then. Our ship was going to New York. We were having a very fine voyage. One morning our captain came on deck with a pale face.

"Mr. Gray," he said to the mate, "I have heard a very strange thing, and I don't know what to do about it."'

"Yes, sir?" said Mr. Gray.

"I could not sleep at night, and I heard a voice in my ear: Steer nor' nor' west! Steer nor' nor' west! That is all it said. It is a warning, I am sure. We must change our course" and steer nor" nor' west."

"I think you have eaten too much, sir, and that is why you could not sleep," answered Mr. Gray.

The captain became angry.

"I did not eat much yesterday," he said, "and I heard the strange voice three times, sir."

The captain gave orders to steer the ship nor' nor' west.

The next day one of our men saw something in the sea and told the captain about it. The captain looked through his glasses and then called the mate.

"Mr Gray," said he, "there is a small boat here with a man in it. What do you think of my warning now?"

Mr. Gray said nothing. "We must save the man," said the captain.

He gave orders, and the mate, three of our men and I got into a boat. Soon we reached the small boat and saw the man who was fast asleep. We took him into our boat and rowed back to the ship.

Suddenly the man opened his eyes and cried out, "Where am I? Where is my boat?"

"It is all right," said the mate, "we have saved you."

"Who asked you to save me? Where is my boat?" shouted the man.

At last we reached the ship. The captain was standing on deck.

"Happy to see you," he said to the man, "I am very glad that we could save you."

"Did you tell your men to take me out of my boat when I was sleeping?" shouted the man.

"Of course," answered the captain. "Did you want to perish in your little boat?"

"Look here," said the man, "my name is Captain Wilson, and I am making a record voyage from New York to Liverpool in a small boat. Now you see what you have done! You have spoiled my record!"

So we had to go and catch Captain Wilson's little boat, and I must say it was very difficult to do it.

"What did the captain say after that?" we asked.

"What could he say?" answered Captain Brown. "Only I must tell you, he hates the words 'nor' nor' west' now."

1) морское путешествие; 2) на палубе; 3) помощник капитана;4) предупреждение; 5) изменить курс, направление; 6) посмотреть в бинокль; 7) спасать; 8) погибнуть; 9) ненавидеть.

1) on the Lark; 2) with a pale face; 3) what to do about it; 4) steer nor’ nor’ west; 5) give orders; 6) look here; 7) to make a record voyage; 8) spoil a record.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Where did the story happen?

2) What did the captain say one morning?

3) Why was the captain angry?

4) What did they see the next day in the sea?

5) Why wasn’t Captain Wilson happy?

6) Can you think of the end of the story?

IV Retell the story on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица):

1) the author; 2) Captain Wilson.

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание):

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type (Задай вопросы к выделенным словам):

1) Idon’t know some interestingstories.

2) The next day one of our mensaw somethingin the seatold the captainabout it.

3) There is a small boathere with a manin it.

4) Iam makingarecordvoyage from New York to Liverpool in a small boat.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) Our ship (to go) to New-York when he was a young man.

b) He (to hear) a very strange voice in his car.

c) They (to change) their course.

d) The captain (to order) to steer the ship nor’ nor’ west.

e) When the boat (to reach) the ship, the captain (to stand) on deck.

f) Captain Wilson (to make) a record voyage from New York to Liverpool in a small boat.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) It was fifteen years ago.

b) We must change our course.

c) He has eaten too much .

d) They were glad to save him.

e) They have spoiled his record.

f) They had to catch his little boat.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Что с вами случилось пятнадцать лет назад?

b) Капитан очень рассердился.

c) Он посмотрел в бинокль и позвал меня.

d) Внезапно девушка открыла глаза и закричала.

e) Почему вы хотели погибнуть?

f) Теперь он ненавидит эти три слова.

Unit 13

ROBIN HOOD

(by J. Codlinnik, M. Kuznets)

(Part I)

Robin Hood and his men lived in Sherwood Forest. Jack, a boy of thirteen, and his sister Mary lived with Robin Hood because they had no parents. One day Robin Hood sent the two children to the city of Nottingham with a letter to one of his friends.

On the way back the children saw a large bill on a wall. The boy stopped and read:

FIFTY POUNDS
FOR ROBIN HOOD!
The Sheriff of Nottingham.

When the children returned to the forest and saw Robin Hood, they said,

"Oh, Robin Hood! The Sheriff of Nottingham wants to ' catch you. He will give fifty pounds to the man or woman who will tell him where you are. We saw the bill on a wall. What will you do now?"

But Robin Hood only laughed.

"Ha-ha," he said, "I am not afraid of the Sheriff. I shall go to see him myself, and he will give me fifty pounds to find me."

"Oh, Robin Hood," cried the children, "don't go to Nottingham."

"Don't be afraid," said Robin, "he will not know me, 1 am sure."

And Robin Hood went away.

In twenty minutes the children saw an old man with a long beard. He came up to them and said, "Children, can you tell me the way to the place where Robin Hood lives?"

"What do you want there?" asked the boy. Suddenly the old man began to laugh. It was Robin Hood himself. "We did not know you," said the girl. "I am going to see the old Sheriff," said Robin Hood. "Come with me, children."

And they went to the city of Nottingham. When they reached the Sheriff's house, Robin Hood told the children to wait for him, and went in.

"What do you want, old man?" asked the Sheriff.

"I can show you the way to the place where Robin Hood lives," said the old man

"Can you?" asked the Sheriff, "I shall give you fifty pounds if you take me to Robin Hood."

"Come to the old oak-tree near the forest to-morrow and you will see him face to face," said the old man.

"Very well," said the Sheriff, "1 will take two men with me."

"Don't forget to bring the fifty pounds," said the old man.

Then Robin Hood went out of the house.

"Come, children!" he said to the boy and his sister, and they went back to the forest.

In the forest Robin Hood called his men and they made plans for the next day.

( Part II)

"This is the old oak-tree," said the Sheriff the next day when he and his two men came to the forest.

"I don't see the old man," said one of the Sheriff's men.

"Run!" cried the Sheriff, suddenly. "It's a trap!" But it was too late.

Robin Hood's men caught them and took them to Robin Hood himself.

"Ah! It is our friend, the Sheriff. You didn't know me yesterday," said Robin Hood.

"I didn't see you yesterday," said the Sheriff.

"Yes, you did," said Robin Hood. "It was I who told you where to find Robin Hood. Now I want my fifty pounds." "Are you the old man who came to see me yesterday?" cried the Sheriff.

"Yes," answered Robin Hood, "I am the old man. So now catch me if you can."

"You have played a trick on me to-day, Robin Hood, but I shall catch you another day,"' said the Sheriff.

"I'm not afraid of you," answered Robin Hood. "But I want my fifty pounds."

"I will not give you the money," cried the Sheriff.

"Then you will be my prisoner," said Robin Hood. "A promise is a promise."

The Sheriff gave Robin Hood fifty pounds. What else could he do?

"1 don't want the money for myself," said Robin Hood, "I want to give it to poor people. You may go now," he said to the Sheriff. And the Sheriff of Nottingham and his men went away.

1) на обратном пути; 2) объявление; 3) борода; 4) дуб; 5) западня, ловушка; 6) пленник; 7) обещание.

1) he will not know me; 2) in twenty minutes; 3) tell smb. the way to smth.; 4) face to face; 5) play a trick on smb.; 6) for myself.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Who was Robin Hood and where did he live?

2) What did the children read in the city of Nottingham?

3) What did Robin Hood decide to do?

4) How did Robin Hood get fifty pounds?

5) How do you understand the words “A promise is a promise”

IV Retell the story on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица):

1) the Sheriff of Nottingham; 2) Mary; 3) Robin Hood.

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание):

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type (Задай вопросы к выделенным словам):

1) Jack, a boy of thirteen and his sister Marylived with Robin Hood because they had no parents.

2) In twentyminutes the childrensaw an old man with a long beard.

3) The sheriffgave Robin Hood fifty pounds.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) One day he (to send) the boy and the girl to the city.

b) He (to give) much money to the man or woman who will tell him everything.

c) When they (to reach) his house it was dark.

d) He (to call) his friends and (to make) plans for the next day.

e) His men (to catch) the Sheriff and (to take) him to Robin Hood.

f) They ( to play) a trick on him.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) They had no parents.

b) On the way back they saw a large bill on a wall.

c) In twenty minutes the children saw an old man with long beard.

d) I am going to see the old Sheriff.

e) Then he will be his prisoner.

f) Robin Hood gave the money to poor people.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) У этих детей не было родителей.

b) Он послал письмо одному из своих друзей.

c) Они остановились прочитать объявление.

d) Мы собирались навестить наших друзей.

e) Я дам вам немного денег, если вы возьмёте меня к шерифу.

f) Он пообещал подшутить над нами.

Unit 14

HOW THE BOOK WAS BORN

(by V.N. Bogorodskaya, L.V. Hrustalyova)

What is a book? It is part thing and part thought. When we open the book, we find ourselves in a silent wonderful world. We visit foreign shores, we discover hidden treasure, we travel among stars. Man's thoughts and dreams are stored in books.

From the first books which were made by hand the book has come a long way. At first man learned to draw pictures, later alphabetic writing appeared. Then a new problem raised its head —what to write on? Papyrus, sheep and goat skins were used for a long time. Centuries passed. Then the Chinese gave us paper. For six centuries it remained a secret of the East until some Chinese paper makers were captured by the Arabs. To Rome we owe the format of the book; to Germany, the art of printing. Indeed, the book was born thanks to the genius and hard work of many people and nations.

Long, long ago there were not so many books as there are now. In fact there were very few. Men did not know how to print, so all books were written by hand with pen and ink. Most of this writing was done by monks .

Some of the books were very beautiful. Pictures were painted on each page. But it took a very long time to write books. Often many years were spent to make one copy of a book. This made books very expensive . Most people had no books at all, and a man who had twenty books was thought to be very rich .

At last men learned how to print. In the middle of the 15th century a German named Johann Gutenberg (1399—1468) cut pieces of wood into the shape of letters. These letters were made into words, ink was put on them and then the words were pressed on a sheet of paper. In this way words were printed on paper and a book was made. It took a long time to make the wooden letters, but when they were made, they were used again and again. So books were made very much more quickly.

The first man to print books in England was named William Caxton (1422—1491). When William was a boy, he was sent by his parents to work for a merchant¹ in London. In time he became a great merchant himself. He left England, and went to live in Germany where he saw the new way to make books. When he had found out all about it, he returned to London and began to print books himself.

In those days a man who kept a shop always hung a sign which showed what he made or sold over his door. Outside his house Caxton hung a white shield with a red stripe . The people nearby were very puzzled when they saw this new sign and the strange machines which were taken into Caxton's house. Soon everybody in London heard that William Caxton was a printer, and great lords and ladies came to see him at work.

Before long, other men also began to print books. The new books were cheap , so that many people could buy them.

The man who invented the art of printing in Russia is Ivan Fedorov (1510—1583). Ivan Fedorov had his press in Moscow from 1563 to 1565. Then he had to move to other cities and work there. But his masters were against printing books. They made him stop his work.

Now we remember the name of Ivan Fedorov and the year 1574 when his Azbuka was printed. Ivan Fedorov's Azbuka helped the people to learn the alphabet and taught them to read books. The year of 1574 is the most important event in the cultural life of Russia of the 16th century.

Today we find it hard to imagine the bookless world of the past, hard to imagine the long way the book has come. Now even boys and girls at school have as many books as rich people used to have in the days before men learned to print.

1) молчаливый; 2) открывать; 3) сокровище; 4) папирус; 5) быть обязанным; 6) чернила; 7) дорогой; 8) купец; 9) повесить; 10) знак; 11) быть удивлённым; 12) дешевый; 13) coбытие.

1) a new problem raised its head; 2) sheep and goat skins; 3) were captured; 4) the art of printing; 5) into the shape of letters; 6) sheet of paper; 7) a white shield with a red stripe; 8) the bookless world.

IIIFind the correct ending (Найди правильный конец предложения):

1. Paper was given to people by:

a) the Arabs.

b) the Germans.

c) the Chinese.

2. The first books were printed by:

a) an Englishman named William Caxton.

b) a German named Johann Gutenberg.

c) a Russian named Ivan Fedorov.

3. Ivan Fedorov's Azbuka appeared in:

a) 1565.

b) 1574.

c) 1583.

IV Find in the text and read aloud the sentences that prove that the book has come a long way (Найди в тексте и прочитай вслух предложения, которые доказывают, что книга прошла долгий путь).

V Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы) :

1. What inventions were made and what problems were solved
by man to make a book?

2. Why do we say that the book was born thanks to the genius
and hard work of many people and nations?

3. How were books made in old times?

4. Why were books very expensive at that time?

5. When was printing invented?

6. In what way were words printed on paper?

7. Who was the first man to print books in England?

8. Where did he learn the art of printing?

9. Who invented the art of printing in Russia?

10. Why did Ivan Fedorov have to move to other cities?

11. Why is the year of 1574 the most important event in the
cultural life of Russia?

VI Retell the story and answer the question (Перескажи текст и ответь на вопрос): Why was it a great thing that men learned to print?

VII Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание):

1. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) At first people (to learn) to draw pictures.

b) Paper (to remain) a secret of the East.

c) It (to take) me ten minutes to do that work.

d) They (to leave) their home when they were ten.

e) When he (to see) it he was very happy.

f) Ivan Fedorov (to invent) the art of printing in Russia.

2. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) Man’s thoughts and dreams are stored in books.

b) The Chinese gave us paper.

c) It took a very long time to write books.

d) He cut pieces of wood into the shape of letters.

e) The people were very puzzled.

f) His masters made him stop his work.

3. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Мы обязаны Германии искусству печати.

b) Много лет назад книг не было так много.

c) Все хотели увидеть его за работой.

d) Азбука была напечатана в 1574 году.

e) Трудно представить мир без книг.

f) Сколько времени занимает у вас добраться до школы?

Unit 15

THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF

(after the story of O. Henry)

(Part I)

It looked like a good thing: but wait till I tell you. We were down South, in Alabama— Bill Driscoll and myself—when this kidnapping idea first came to mind.

There was a small town down there, called Summit Bill and I had six hundred dollars, and we needed just two thousand dollars more to do some business in Western Illinois. We talked it over and decided that we could kidnap a child and get a big sum of money from the family. The love of children is very strong in parents, especially in small towns. We thought we could easily get two thousand dollars for the ransom. But wait till I tell you what happened.

We chose for our victim the only child of an important man named Ebenezer Dorset. The father was a banker,

well-known and with lots of money. The kid was a boy of ten, with freckles on his face and bright-red hair. One evening Bill and I drove in a buggy past old Dorset's house. The kid was in the street, throwing stones at a kitten.

"Hey, little boy," said Bill, "would you like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride?"

The kid threw a stone and hit Bill right in the head. "That will cost his father an extra five hundred dollars." said Bill.

The boy put up a fight like a small bear; but at last we got him down into the buggy and drove away.

We took him up to the cave in the mountains which we had found and prepared a day before as our hiding place. After dark I drove the buggy to the little village, three miles away, where we had taken it, and walked back to the mountains.

There was a fire burning near the cave. The boy was running around playing Indian. He had stuck two feathers in his hair and was calling himself "Red Chief, the Terror of the Mountains."

"He's all right now," said Bill, rolling up his trousers and looking at some black and blue marks on his legs. "We're playing Indian. I'm Old Hank, Red Chief `s prisoner, and he's going to scalp me early tomorrow morning. Gee, that kid can kick hard." The kid was having the time of his life. He enjoyed the game and forgot that he was a prisoner himself. He called me Snake-eye and said that he would bum me in the morning.

Then we had supper; and he filled his mouth full of bacon and bread, and began to talk:

"I like this fine. I never camped out before; but I had a pet once, and I was nine last birthday. I have to go to school. Rats ate up sixteen of my aunt's eggs. Are there any real Indians in these woods? I want some more bread. What makes your nose so red, Hank? We had five puppies. My father has lots of money. Are the stars hot? I don't like girls. Why are oranges round? Have you got beds to sleep on in this cave? A parrot can talk, but a monkey or a fish can't." Every few minutes he remembered that he was an Indian, and he picked up his toy-gun and went out of the cave to see whether there were any of the hated palefaces somewhere around. Now and then he let out a war-cry that made Bill shake. That boy had terrorized Bill from the start.

"Red Chief!" I said to the kid. "Would you like to go home?"

"What for?" he said. "I don't have any fun at home. I hate to go to school. I like to camp out. You won't take me back home again, Snake-eye, will you?"

"Not now," I said. "We'll stay here in the cave for a while."

"All right!" said he. "That'll be fine. I never had such fun in all my life."

We went to bed about eleven o'clock. We lay on the ground and put Red Chief between us. We weren't afraid he would run away. He kept us awake for three hours jumping up, giving war-cries, taking his gun every time there was a noise anywhere in the woods, which was made, as he said, by his enemies, the hated palefaces. I fell asleep at last and dreamed that a terrible Indian with red hair had kidnapped me and tied to a tree.

Just as the sun was rising, I heard some terrible cries from Bill. I jumped up to see what the matter was. Red Chief was sitting on Bill's chest, with one hand in Bill's hair and with a long knife in his other hand. He was trying to take Bill's scalp, as he had promised him the evening before.

I got the knife away from the kid and made him lie down again. But, from that moment, Bill's spirit was broken. He never closed an eye again in sleep as long as that boy was with us. "What are you getting up so early for?" Bill asked me the next morning.

"Why?" I said. "I got a little pain in my shoulder."

"You are a liar ," Bill said. "You're afraid. He was going to burn you at sunrise, and you're afraid that he'll do it. And he will do it, too, if he can make a fire. Isn't it terrible, Sam? Do you think anybody will pay out money to get back a little devil like that back home?"

"Sure," I said. "He's just the kind of kid that parents love — a real boy."

(Part II)

Later that day I went down into the town, but everything was quiet and there was no excitement over the fact that the boy was missing. When I got back to the cave, Bill and the kid were quarrelling. The kid had put a hot potato down Bill's back, then stepped on it. Bill struck the kid, and the kid hit Bill in the head with a stone. I caught the kid and began to shake him.

"If you don't behave," I said, "I'll take you home. Now, are you going to be good, or not?"

"I was only funning," he said, "I didn't mean to hurt Old Hank. But what did he hit me for? I'll behave, Snake-eye, if you don't send me home."

The next day I went down to the town again to send the ransom letter to the kid's father. Bill and I agreed that perhaps two thousand dollars was too much, so we asked for only fifteen hundred. I sent the letter and explained that we had kidnapped the boy and that we had hidden him in a place where no one could find him. I wrote that the boy was all right and that we would bring him home when Mr. Dorset left the money in a certain place, which I described carefully. I signed the letter, "Two Desperate Men".

When I got back to the cave, I saw nobody in it. In half an hour, Bill appeared.

"The kid's gone," said Bill, "gone home. I showed him the road to the town. I'm sorry that we lose the ransom money but I can't stand any more. All morning I had to play with him as a horse. He rode on my back all through the woods while we killed hated palefaces. My legs are black and blue from the kicks he gave me."

"Bill," I said, "is there any head trouble in your family?"

"No," said Bill. "Why?"

"Then turn around and have a look behind you."

The kid had come out of the woods quietly behind Bill, and was standing there, happy and smiling. Bill turned round, saw the kid, and sat down on the ground and began to pluck nervously at grass and little sticks. For an hour I was afraid of his mind. I tried to quiet him down and told him it was only a question of another day or two and we should get the money.

"You should ask for only a thousand dollars," Bill said. "They'll never pay fifteen hundred for that little devil."

The next day I went to town again, and there in the indicated place found the answer to our ransom letter. I opened it and read it. It was from the boy's father. It said:

'Two desperate men.

Gentlemen: I received your letter today by post and think that the ransom which you ask is too high, and make you another offer which I believe you will accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars, and I agree to take him off your hands. You had better come at night for the neighbours believe he is lost , and I can't be responsible for what they will do to anybody who will bring him back.

Ebenezer Dorset."

When Bill saw the letter he really looked a desperate man.

"Sam," said he, "what's two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We've got the money. One more night with this kid, and I'll go mad ."

'Tell you the truth, Bill," said I, "this boy has somewhat got on my nerves , too. We'll take him home, pay the ransom and go away."

We took him home that night. We had to tell him that his father had bought him a real gun, and we were to hunt bears the next day.

It was just twelve o'clock when we knocked at Ebenezer's door. The boy's father met us and we gave him the money. When the kid found out we were going to leave him at home, he gave a terrible cry and began to kick and bite.

"How long can you hold him?" asked Bill.

"I'm not as strong as I used to be," said old Dorset, "but I think I can promise you ten minutes."

"Enough," said Bill. "In ten minutes I shall cross the Central, Southern and Middle Western States and be in Canada."

And, as dark as it was, and as fat as Bill was, and as good a runner as I am, he was a good mile and a half out of Summit before I could catch up with him.

1) похищение; 2) выкуп; 3) жертва; 4) веснушка; 5) дополнительный; 6) пещера; 7) страх, ужас; 8) ударять ногой; 9) бледнолицый; 10) лжец; 11) мальчик пропал; 12) спорить; 13) ударить; 14) указанное место; 15) он потерялся; 16) сойти с ума.

1) to come to smb.’s mind; 2) hit smb. right in the head; 3) put up a fight; 4) to roll up the trousers; 5) to camp out; 6) he let out a war-cry; 7) smb.’s spirit was broken; 8) don’t behave; 9) I didn’t mean to hurt him; 10) I can’t stand any more; 11) to quiet smb. down; 12) make another offer; 13) be responsible for; 14) to look a desperate man; 15) I’m not as strong as I used to be; 16) to catc up with smb.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1. Whom did the two kidnappers choose for their victim?

2. Where did they take the boy?

3. Did the boy enjoy himself in the mountain cave?

4. What did the boy call himself and the two men who had
kidnapped him?

5. Did the boy wish to go home?

6. Was there much excitement in the town over the fact that
the boy was missing?

7. Why did Bill and the boy quarrel?

8. What did the kidnappers write in their ransom letter? How
did they sign it?

9. Did Ebenezer Dorset agree to pay the sum of money that
the kidnappers wanted to get?

10. What offer did the boy's father make?

11. How did the kidnappers return the boy to his father?

IV Think and say (Подумай и скажи):

a) why the men were sure that it would be easy to get a lot
of money for the kidnapped boy;

b) why the boy did not want to come back home;

c) why Bill began to hate the boy;

d) why the boy got on Sam's nerves, too;

e) why the men wanted to get two thousand dollars at first,
but then asked for less and less money;

f) why the kidnappers agreed to pay Ebenezer Dorset for his

son;

g) why Mr Dorset wanted the kidnappers to bring his son

home at night.

V Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Say what you think of the boy.
2) Do you think this story taught the kidneppers a lesson? What lesson was it?

VI Retell the story on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица): 1) the boy; 2) the boy’s father.

VII Grammar Task ((Грамматическое задание):

1. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a) They (to think) they could easily get much money for the ransom.

b) At last they (to get) the boy down into the buggy and (to drive) away.

c) They (to have supper) and then (to go) to bed about 10 o’clock that night.

d) The boy (to be) going to burn him at sunrise.

e) Look! He (to ride) on the horse’s back along the rode.

f) In ten minutes we (to cross) states.

2. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) They chose for their victim the only child of an important man.

b) They took the boy up to the cave in the mountains.

c) We’ll stay here in the cave for a while.

d) He kept us awake for three hours jumping up.

e) I went down to the town to send the ransom letter.

f) The boy’s father met us and we gave him the money.

3. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Это будет стоить тебе дополнительные восемь тысяч долларов.

b) Он затеял драку, как дикая кошка.

c) Он закатал брюки и увидел несколько синяков на ногах.

d) Ты бы хотел поехать домой?

e) С этой минуты его дух был сломлен.

f) Он ударил его камнем по голове.

Unit16

ARACHNE

(by V.N. Bogorodskaya, L.V. Hrustalyova from Greek Mythology)

In ancient times there lived in Greece a girl named Arachne. She was known through all the land because of her great skill at weaving . Nobody on earth, it was said, could weave so skilfully as she. There were some who said not even Athena, goddess of wisdom and the household arts, could weave so well. Among those who boasted was Arachne herself.

No, this girl was not modest about her skill. She was foolishly proud of it and even made fun of the work of girls less skilful than she was.

In time Arachne's fame and her boasting reached the ears of Athena, and the goddess who wanted the highest respect from the. earth-people and gave help and gifts to those who showed how delighted they were with her work, decided to draw the girl into a contest which would cure her pride. So one day when Arachne was weaving, there suddenly appeared beside her an old woman. She looked for a moment at Arachne's loom , then said, "That's a pretty piece of weaving, my dear, and yet, when I was young, I'm sure I could do as well."

At this Arachne threw up her head and said, "Never did any person weave as I am weaving now, old woman."

"Those are foolish words," said the old woman, and a strange angry light came into her eyes. "It is foolish to take too great pride in what one can do, for surely there is always someone who can do the task even better."

"Not so," cried the angry girl. "There is no one who can weave better than I."

The old woman smiled and shook her head "I doubt that," she said. "Perhaps among the gods there is one who is better than you in the art."

Arachne stopped her weaving to look at the old woman. "And who is that?" she asked.

'The Goddess Athena," replied the old woman.

Arachne laughed. "Not even Athena can weave as well as I do."

When she heard the boastful words, the old woman's eyes again flashed angrily. "You are young and have spoken foolishly," she said. "Surely you did not mean what you said."

But Arachne again threw up her head. "I did mean what I said, and I shall prove it."

"Prove it then," cried the old woman in a terrible voice. The next moment Arachne's face turned white. For the old woman had disappeared and in her place stood the shining Goddess Athena.

"I have heard your boastings for a long time," she said, "and have watched your growing vanity . Now it had led you to defy the very gods themselves. It is time you received a lesson. Let the contest begin."

Arachne and the Goddess began to weave. News of the contest spread through the land, and soon a large crowd of people gathered to watch the weavers.

Athena wove upon her loom a bright picture which told the story of other foolish people who had thought themselves greater than the gods and whom the gods had punished for their pride. Arachne pictured on her loom stories which told of the foolish acts of the gods themselves, for it was well known among the people that the gods did not always behave wisely.

The colours on both looms were very bright and the weaving was so perfect that the figures on each loom seemed alive. Those who watched the contest were delighted to see such skill.

At last the work was finished and the two weavers stood back to see what each had done. When Athena saw Arachne's work she was so angry with what the girl had pictured on her loom, that she struck it with her shuttle and it broke into two parts. Then she turned to Arachne and said, "You dared to defy the gods themselves. Let you and all who come after you remember the lesson you have learned today." She touched the girl with her shuttle and the frightened people saw that the girl's head and body were growing smaller, and smaller. Soon there was no girl there, but a spider sitting in the web it had woven.

Today the scientific name for all spiders is arachne.

1) из-за; 2) ткать; 3) хвастаться; 4) дар; 5) уважение; 6) лечить; 7) гордость; 8) ткацкий станок; 9) сомневаться; 10) доказать; 11) исчезнуть; 12) тщеславие; 13) бросить вызов; 14) распространяться; 15) мудро; 16) паук;
17) паутина.

1) skill at weaving; 2) goddess of wisdom; 3) to make fun of smth.; 4) she threw up her head; 5) to shake one’s head; 6) her face turned white; 7) a large crowd of people; 8) to strike with a shuttle; 9) to grow smaller.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1. What was Arachne known for?

2. Was she modest about her skill? How do you know?

3. Who once appeared beside Arachne when she was weaving?

4. What made Athena angry with Arachne?

5. Why did Athena want to punish Arachne?

6. What did the pictures show which the girl Arachne and
Athena wove on their looms?

7. What were the colours on the looms like?

8. Could the watchers at the contest decide whose work was
better? Why couldn't they?

9. How did Athena punish Arachne'? Did she punish the girl
only for her pride and boastful words? What do you think?

IV `Say which character you like better (Скажи, кто тебе больше понравился) — Arachne or Athena. Why?

V Discuss the following (Обсудим следующее):

1) Do you think Arachne deserved her punishment?Explain why or why not.

2) Say what were Arachne's good qualities and what were some of her bad qualities.

3) Say why Athena thought that a contest would teach Arachne a useful lesson. Say why Athena punished Arachne. Explain your answer.

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