Владимир Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 1 курс

the electric light. I take off my shoes, undress and put on my pyjamas. Then I get

into bed arid switch off the light.

After a few minutes I fall asleep. I sleep the whole night through.

Punctually at seven-thirty in the morning, the alarm-clock rings and wakes

me up. I get out of bed, put on my dressing-gown and slippers, and go into the

bathroom, where I turn on the hot and cold taps. While the water's running into

the bath, I wash my face and neck, clean my teeth, and shave. My shaving things

are on the shelf above the basin. Then I turn off the taps

and have my bath. Sometimes I have a shower. When I've dried myself with a

towel, I get dressed.

On the dressing-table in front of the looking-glass, you'll see a hairbrush and

a comb, a hand-mirror, a bottle of scent and a powder-box. These, of course,

don't belong to me, but to my wife. In the chest of drawers I keep clean linen

such as shirts, collars and handkerchiefs, besides things like socks and ties. The

dirty linen is put in a linen basket and sent to the laundry. In the wardrobe I keep

my suits and other clothes, which I hang on coat-hangers.

Ex. 19

THE SMOKING CHIMNEY

One afternoon Professor N. was walking along a country road when he saw a

farmer eating his supper alone in the road before his house. The professor

approached the farmer and asked him:

"Why are you eating here alone?"

"Well, sir," answered the farmer after a short pause, "the chimney smokes."

"That istoo bad," said the professor. "You must have it repaired. Let's have a

look at it."

And before the farmer could say a word the professor tried to enter the

farmer's house. As soon as he opened the door a broom fell on his shoulders and

a woman's voice cried:

"Go away, you old rascal, or I'll kill you ..."

The professor left the house quickly. The farmer sat in the road looking very

unhappy. The professor approached him and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Never mind," said he, "my chimney smokes sometimes too."

Section Eight

Ex. 6

A: When I went out it was dark. B: Was

it?

A: Just at first I couldn't see.

B: Couldn't you?

A: After a while I got used to it.

В: Did you?

A: I went to Tom's and he wasn't there. B: Wasn't he?

A: So I walked around and then came back home. B: Oh?

A: And now if you like we'll go to the pictures. * B: Lovely.

Ex. 15

MARK TWAIN IN FRANCE

Mark Twain, the famous American writer, was travelling in France. Once he

was going by train to Dijon. That afternoon he was very tired and wanted to

sleep. He therefore asked the conductor to wake him up when they came to

Dijon. But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. "I'll probably

protest loudly when you try to wake me up," he said to the conductor. "But do

not take notice, just put me off the train anyway."

Then Mark Twain went to sleep. Later, when he woke up, it was night-time

and the train was in Paris already. He realized at once that the conductor had

forgotten to wake him up at Dijon. He was very angry. He ran up to the

conductor and began to shout at him. "I have never been so angry in all my life,"

Mark Twain said.

The conductor looked at hirri calmly. "You are not half so angry as the

American whom I put off the train at Dijon," he said.

Section Nine

Ex. 12

PLANNING A HOLIDAY

"I say, what are you and your sister going to do for your holiday this year?"

"Well, I don't know. I should like, to take my sister for a tour to the Baltic

Sea, but then she can't very well leave her children. What are you doing?"

"We shall go to the sea, I expect — for part of the time, anyhow. Then my

wife and 1 may go off alone for a week or so in the car."

"Leaving the rest of the family behind, I suppose!"

"Oh yes. They'll be quite safe with their grandmother — and, besides, they're

ever so much happier playing about on the sands than spending long days in the

car."

"Where do you go, as a rule?"

"We've tried many seaside-places on the east and south coasts: on the whole,

I think we prefer the south. However, it really doesn't seem to matter very much,

as long as the youngsters get a good sandy beach."

"What do you do? Take rooms, or stay at a hotel, or what?"

"We've done both, and this year we're taking a furnished house. Why don't

you make up your mind to join us? Find a house near by, and make a large party.

It'll be great fun."

"For my own part, I should love it. I'll talk it over with my sister, and see

what she thinks about it."

"Do, and let me know as soon as you can." , "Right. I

will."

Ex. 16

THE KING AND THE CRITIC

A king liked to write stories, which he thought were very good. The people to

whom he showed them were afraid to criticize them. They said that his stories

were good.

One day he showed some of them to a well-known critic, who said that his

stories were bad. The king got angry with him and sent him to prison.

After some time the king pardoned the critic and when he returned invited

him to his palace to dinner. Again he showed him some of his stories and again

asked him what he thought of them.

The critic turned to the guards who were standing behind him and said: "Take

me back to prison."

15* Закаэ 1271

453

Ex. 14 A STREET IN LONDON

We're in Oxford Circus, half-way along Oxford Street, one of the busiest

streets in the West End of London, and that street over there is Regent Street,

famous all over the world for its splendid shops. Near one of the street corners

you can see the entrance to the subway leading to the Underground Railway, or

"Tube" as we call it.

On both sides of the street there are shops, banks and restaurants. In the

roadway there's a constant stream of cars, taxis, buses and lorries. In some parts

of London there are trolley-buses and trams as well. The noise is deafening, but

one soon gets used to it. The pavements are crowded with people, and it's

dangerous to attempt to cross the road until the traffic is stopped, either by a

policeman on point duty or by the red traffic lights. In any case, before crossing

the road, take care to look to your right, and when you reach the middle of the

road, look to your left.

At night, the streets are lit by electricity, or in some districts, by gas. You can

see the lamp-posts and standards on the pavements, and on the "islands" in the

middle of the road. The main streets are flooded with light from the brilliant

shop-windows and the illuminated signs and advertisements, so that after dark

everything looks as bright as in broad daylight.

Ex. 15

THE BULLET-PROOF JACKET

A man once called on a general, and showed him a jacket which he had

invented for soldiers, and which, he said, was bullet-proof.

"Oh!" said the general. "Put it on!"

Then he rang the bell, and said to the servant: "Tell the captain to load his

gun and come here.'*'

The inventor of the bullet-proof jacket disappeared, and the general never

saw him again.

W o m a n : Good morning!

S a l e s m a n : Good morning, madam. Can I help you? W.: Yes, you can. I'd

like to buy a watch, please. S.: Certainly, madam. Is it for yourself? W.: Oh no.

It's for my small daughter. S.: I see. You don't want a very expensive one, I

suppose. W.: No. Fairly cheap, and fairly strong, too. S.: Oh, I understand. Will

you have a look at this one, madam?

W.: I think that looks too small. I'd rather have a bigger one.

S.: What about this, madam?

W.: That looks fine. How much is it?

S.: Let me see. That's five pounds ten.

W.: Oh dear. I'm afraid that's too much.

S.: Here's one that's a little cheaper.

W.: How much is that?

S.: Four pounds fifteen.

W.: Yes, I'll take that one.

S.: Can we send it for you, madam?

W.: No, thank you. I'll take it with me. Four pounds fifteen. S.: Thank you,

madam. Good morning. W.: Good-bye.

Ex.12

THE DUMB BEGGAR

A beggar made up his mind that he would pretend to be dumb. He arrived at a

town where he had begged before. In one of the streets a gentleman who had

given him money, and so remembered his face, met him and spoke to him.

The beggar did not say a word. "Hello!" cried the gentleman, "how long have

you been dumb?" "Ever since I was a baby," answered the beggar.

Ex. 29 AT THE THEATRE

"Have you got any seats for tomorrow?" "Matinee or evening performance?"

"Matinee, please. I want two stalls, if you've got them." "Yes, you can have — er

— two in the middle of Row F." "They'll do very well, thank you. How much is

that?" "They're thirteen and six (13/6) each — that makes twenty-seven

shillings."

"Stalls, sir? Stalls on the right. Gentlemen's cloakroom this way; ladies'

cloakroom on the first landing."

"Show your tickets to the attendant inside the theatre; she'll show you to your

seats and let you have a programme."

"May I see your tickets, please? Row F, 12 and 13 ... This way, please. Would