Яков Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 2 курс

And now, Daddy, never say I don't tell all!

It was a very low motive, if you must know it, that prompted the silk stockings. Julia

Pendleton, a sophomore, comes into my room to do geometry, and she sits crosslegged on the couch

and wears silk stockings every night. But just wait — as soon as she gets back from vacation, I shall

go in and sit on her couch in my silk stockings. You see the miserable creature that I am — but at

least I'm honest; and you knew already, from my asylum record, that I wasn't perfect, didn't you?

But, Daddy, if you'd been dressed in checked ginghams all your life, you'd understand how I

feel. And when I started to the high shool, I entered upon another period even worse than the

checked ginghams. The poor box.6

You can't know how I feared appearing in school in those miserable poor-box dresses. I was

perfectly sure to be put down in class next to the girl who first owned my dress, and she would

whisper and giggle and point it out to the others.

To recapitulate (that's the way the English instructor begins every other sentence), I am very

40 Maeterlinck, Maurice (1862-1949): a Belgian poet and dramatist

41 freshman: (for both sexes) the same as the English fresher. First-year students are called freshers only for about a month until they

are used to college (university) life.

42 Arnold Matthew (1822-1888): an English critic and poet 6 poor box: a box (usually in a church) in which money may be placed

to be given to the poor. Here: things given as chanty (food, clothes, etc.).

much obliged for my presents.

I really believe I've finished. Daddy. I've been writing this letter off and on for two days, and

I fear by now you are bored.

But I've been so excited about those new adventures that I must talk to somebody, and you

are the only one I know. If my letters bore you, you can always toss them into the waste-basket.

Good-bye, Daddy, I hope that you are feeling as happy as I am.

Yours ever, Judy.

VOCABULARY NOTES

1. bright adj 1. яркий, светлый, е.g. The leaves of the trees are bright green in spring.

Polished steel is bright.

2. умный, способный, смышленый, е.g. There are several bright pupils in her class. The

boy had a bright face.

3. остроумный, е.g. Everybody was bright and gay at the party.

bright(ly) adv ярко, ясно, живо, остроумно, е.g. She stood in the doorway smiling brightly

after him. The fire shines bright.

brighten υi/t проясняться; придавать блеск, делать светлее: улучшать, е.g. The sky is

brightening. This wallpaper will brighten our room. What can you do to brighten the life of the sick

man?

brightness n яркость, блеск, живость ума

2. plain adj 1. ясный, очевидный, понятный, е.g. The meaning of the word is quite plain,

isn't it? I like her plain speech. She spoke plain English.

Syn. clear

2. простой, обыкновенный; гладкий, без рисунка (о тканях), е.g. They like what they call

plain food. She looked very pretty in her plain white dress. She bought a plain blue material.

Syn. simple

N о t e: The difference in the meanings of the synonyms plain — clear and plain — simple is

so slight that we may often use one instead of the other, е.g. plain (clear) meaning, plain (simple}

food, plain (simple) man. Yet, there are some cases when only one of the two synonyms may be

used, е.g. to speak plain English; to make a clear statement; to live a simple life; to get a simple task.

3. некрасивый, е.g. He liked her plain, but honest face.

Cf.: uglyнекрасивый (безобразный)

3. blank adj пустой, незаполненный, as a blank sheet of paper; a blank page (form, etc.).

Also fig., е.g. There was a blank look on her face.

blankly adv, е.g. She looked at me blankly. He sat on the edge of the bed staring blankly

before him.

blank n 1. пустое место, пропуск, е.g. Leave a blank after each word. Fill in this blank.; 2.

бланк, е.g. She bought two telegraph blanks.

Note: The Russian word пустой has several equivalents in English: 1. пустой

(незаполненный) blank sheet (page); 2. пустой (ничего не содержащий) empty room (box,

bottle); 3. пустой (поверхностный) shallow person (ideas, interests); 4. пустой (незанятый) vacant

room (house, flat).

4. ignorance n невежество; незнание, неведение, е.g. Judy's ignorance made the girls

laugh. He did it from (through) ignorance.

ignorant adj невежественный, не знающий, е.g. The boy has never been to school and is

quite ignorant. I am ignorant of his plans.

5. prompt υt. 1. побуждать, внушать, е.g. What prompted you to look for him in our town?

2. подсказывать; суфлировать, е.g. She'll prompt you if you forget the words. No

prompting, please.

prompt n , е.g. Aren't you ashamed to wait for a prompt?

prompter n суфлер; подсказчик

6. rècord of 1.записывать, регистрировать, е.g. Не recorded all the events of the day.

2. записывать на пластинку, на пленку, е.g. On the very day of his arrival they recorded his

speech.

` record n 1. запись, протокол, отчет; характеристика, сведения, е.g. A careful record was

made of all those absent. The boy's school record leaves much to be desired.

2. граммофонная пластинка, е.g. Have you got any records of Bach?

cassette(tape)-recording n звукозапись, е.g. I'd rather make use of cassette-recording to

review the material.

cassete (tape)-recorder n магнитофон, е.g. Something has gone wrong with the cassette-

recorder, it doesn't work.

7. point υt 1. показывать пальцем, указывать (to), е.g. Не pointed to the monument. The

needle of the compass points to the North.

2. направлять, нацелить (at), е.g. The boy pointed a stick at the dog.

to point out smth., е.g. The teacher pointed out our mistakes.

to point out that, е.g. He pointed out that all the college rules should be obeyed.

8. bore υt надоедать, докучать, е.g. Your friend bores me.

to bore to death by smth.до смерти наскучить, е.g. I was bored to death.

bore n скучный, нудный человек, скучное занятие, е.g. I don't want to see him again, he is

such a bore.

boring adj скучный, е.g. This is a very boring book.

boredom n скука

9. excite υt 1 . возбуждать, волновать, волновать, е.g. The patient is very ill and must not

be excited.

to be excited by, е.g. Everybody was excited by the news.

to get excited about(over), е.g. It's nothing to get excited about. Don't get excited over such

trifles.

Сf.: There's nothing to worry about. She always worries about little things.

2. вызывать интерес (восхищение и т.д.), е.g. The newcomer excited everybody's interest.

exciting adj возбуждающий, волнующий, захватывающий, е.g. What exciting news

you've brought! I could hardly get over that exciting moment. She told such an exciting story.

excited pp взволнованный

excitement n возбуждение, волнение, usu. to cause excitement, е.g. The decision to keep

Mother's Day caused great excitement in the family.

excitedly adv, взволнованно

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (I)

Words

blank adj, n

excite υ

item n

bore υ, n

excitement n

plain adj

boring adj

exciting adj

point υ

boredom n

excited pp

prompt υ

bright adj

excitedly adv

'record n

bright(ly) adv

experience n

re'cord υ

brighten υ

freshman n

recorder n

brightness n

ignorance n

sophomore n

confess υ

ignorant adj

Word Combinations

the trouble with ... is that...

next to

at times

to point out smth. (that)

to keep still

every other (sentence, day, etc.)

you wouldn't believe what (how)...

to be much obliged to smb., for smth.

to be a surprise to smb.

to be bored (to death)

to enlarge one's vocabulary

to cause excitement

EXERCISES

I. Read the text and do the following (A. Grammar, B. Word usage):

A. 1. Search the text for passive voice constructions and classify them according to tense

groups. 2. Compare the " if- clauses" used in the text and explain their meaning. 3. Identify the

function of the -ing- forms used in the text. 4. Select examples to illustrate the compound predicate.

5. Explain why there is no article in with college, from vacation, in class.

B. 1. Explain the difference between the following words used in the text: dictionary —

vocabulary, giggle — laugh, toss — throw, pair — couple. 2. Search the text for the verb get,

translate the sentences. 3. What is the most favourite word in Judy's vocabulary? Would you

recommend your pupils to use it?

II. Choose two or three paragraphs from the text of Unit Five for translation.

Reason your choice and discuss possible variants of the translation.

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Judy mean by classes and campus? 2. Why did Judy mention ice-cream and