THE FARMER'S SONS
A farmer had three sons. Two of them were good sons, but the youngest boy was very lazy. He never helped his father and brothers in their work.
Once the farmer and his three sons went to the garden to work there. They all worked for some time but suddenly they saw that the youngest brother was not with them. The father stopped working and went to look for his lazy boy. Soon he found him under a tree. The boy was lying in the shade and sleeping. The father woke him up and said angrily: "How can you sleep while your brothers work? You don't deserve the sunlight."
"Yes, father, you are right. I don't deserve the sunlight. That's why I am lying in the shade."
The New Words:
farmer - фермер
suddenly - внезапно, вдруг
to stop doing something - прекратить делать что-то
to look for - искать
shade - тень (от предмета)
to wake [weik] (woke, woken) - будить
lie (lay, lain) - лежать
to deserve - заслужить
that's why - вот почему
lazy [leizi] - ленивый
A GOOD FRIEND
Three men were travelling in South Africa. For about a week they had almost no food. At last one of them said that he would go out of the hut, where they were staying, and bring back something to eat, even if it were a lion. He did not go far when he met a lion. As the lion rushed towards him, he turned and run in the direction of the hut. When he ran up to the hut door, which was open, he stumbled and fell and the lion ran into the hut. The man jumped to his feet, closed the door, and shouted to his friends inside: "Here you are, mates! Skin that one, while Ill be looking for another."
The New Words and Expressions:
hut - хижина
to rush - нестись, броситься на кого-либо
in the direction - в направлении, по направлению к
to stumble - спотыкаться
Here you are, mates! - Пожалуйста, друзья!
...while Ill be looking for another... - ... пока я буду искать другого...
THE CAREFUL SERVANT
Walter Raleigh brought from America not only potatoes but also the tobacco plant. Some Indians had taught him to smoke a pipe during one of his expeditions, and he became quitefond of smoking. He brought a few pipes and some tobacco with him but, as he wanted to start growing it in England, he brought some tobacco plants as well. One evening, soon after his return home, Raleigh was sitting in his study, writing and smoking a pipe, when his servant came in with a letter. He had never seen anybody smoking before, and when he saw smoke coming out of his master's nose and mouth, he was sure the poor man was on fire. He ran out of the study, found a pail of water, and was back again in no time. He lifted the pail and threw the water all over his master, before Raleigh could stop him.
Vocabulary:
to teach (taught, taught) - учить, обучать
to smoke - курить
became fond of smoking - (полюбил) стал (заядлым) курильщиком
as he wanted to start growing it - так как он хотел выращивать его (табак)
the poor man was on fire - бедный человек горит (был охвачен огнём)
a pipe - трубка
pail - ведро to throw threw, thrown down - опрокидывать, бросать
threw the water all over his master - облил всего хозяина водой
In no time=at once - не медля, не теряя
ECONOMY WAISTED
A young Englishman wanted to go to New York. He had little money about him. He booked a ticket and decided to do without meals. On the first day he walked along the deck, looked at the sea and enjoyed his voyage.
When the companions went to the restaurant, he stayed on deck saying he was not hungry. On the second day he did not go to the restaurant either. On the third day the young man got so hungry that he said to himself: "Im going to eat even if they throw me overboard." He ate and drank everything with great appetite. When he finished with his dessert, he said bravely to the waiter:
"How much do I owe you?" Great was his surprise when the waiter answered: "Nothing, sir. On the ship meals are included in the cost of your ticket." That was the last day of the mans sea voyage.
Vocabulary:
to book a ticket - взять билет
to do without meals - обходиться без пищи
to walk along the deck - гулять по палубе
to enjoy the voyage - наслаждаться морским путешествием
companions - спутники
to stay on deck - оставаться на палубе
to throw overboard - выбросить за борт
to owe - быть должным
how much do Iowe you - сколько я вам должен
meals are included in the cost of the ticket - питание включено в стоимость билета
A MINUET FOR A BEGGAR
One day Mozart, the well-known composer, was walking in the streets of Vienna when a beggar came up to him and asked for a coin. When Mozart heard the mans sad story he wanted to help him very much, but he had no money about him. However, telling the beggar to follow him, Mozart went to a coffeehouse. There he sat down and composed a minuet in a few moments. He wrote out the music of the minuet, gave it with the letter to the beggar and asked him to take it to the publishers. The beggar did as he was told and to his surprise he was given five silver coins for the minuet. Long afterwards he learned that his friend in need was great Mozart himself.
Vocabulary:
minuet - менуэт
composer - композитор
well-known-composer - известный композитор
beggar - нищий, попрошайка
coin - монета
however - однако
in afew moments - за несколько минут
publisher - издатель
afterwards - впоследствии
A LADY AND A THIEF
A young lady from the country came to London to visit her friends. One morning she went out to buy some presents for her friends. She got into a tram, and there she saw a well-dressed young man who had a very expensive ring on his finger. When the tram stopped the young man came up to her and helped her to get out. She thanked him and went to a shop to buy some presents for her friends. In the first shop, which she entered, she saw a chain, which she decided to buy. But when she wanted to pay for it she didnt find the purse in her pocket. Instead of thepurse she found the ring, which she had seen on the young mans finger. She showed it to the shopman and he told her that it cost about 500 dollars. As there were only one hundred dollars in her purse, the young man had made a very bad exchange.
The New Words:
ring - кольцо
chain - цепочка
purse - кошелек
exchange - обмен
instead of - вместо
BALZAC AS A HANDWRITING EXPERT
Honore de Balzac, the famous French writer, was a man of great talent. But he himself was proud of the ability to tell a persons character by his or her handwriting. He often told his friends that he could tell exactly a persons character by the persons handwriting.
One day a woman friend brought him an exercise book of a young boy. She said that she wanted to know what Balzac thought of the boys character.
Balzac studied the handwriting carefully for a few minutes. The woman, however, told him that the boy was not her son and that he could tell her the truth.
"All right," said Balzac, "Ill tell you the truth." And he told his friend that he thought that the boy was a bad, lazy fellow, that his mother should watch him carefully, because he would be a disgrace to the family.
"It is very strange," said the woman smiling. "This is a page from your own exercise-book, which you wrote when you were a boy.
Vocabulary:
famous - знаменитый
be proud of - гордиться (чем-либо)
ability - способность
handwriting - почерк
exactly - точно
carefully - тщательно
to tell the truth - сказать правду
fellow - парень, паренек
to watch somebody - следить (воспитывать) кого-либо
disgrace - позор
own - собственный
THE SNAKE
It happened in Central Asia.
Some hunters were hunting in a large wood. They built a small hut in a wood, where they lived and slept in the night. One evening they were sitting at the table after dinner when suddenly one of them, an old hunter, looked at the young man who was sitting by his side and became very pale. He turned to the young man and said: "Dont move or you will be a dead man."
"All right," answered the young man, "But why do you say it? Are you joking?"
"I have never been more serious in my life. If you move you will die," said the old hunter.
The young man became very pale but answered: "All right," and sat still.
"Henry," said the old hunter to another hunter, put some milk into that cup. Now put the cup on the floor near my chair. Do it very quietly or one of us will be a dead man." Nobody said a word. Henry quietly put the cup with milk on the floor near the old hunters chair. The young man didnt move though he couldnt understand what it all meant. A snake whose bite was dead had coiled itself round the young mans leg. But when it saw milk it came down on the floor and moved toward the cup. At that moment the old hunter fired and the snake lay dead on the floor. So the young mans life was saved.
Vocabulary:
snake - змея
to hunt - охотиться
pale - бледный
still - неподвижный
bite - укус
to coil oneself - свернуться кольцом
to fire - стрелять
HOW BENJAMIN WEST BECAME A PAINTER
When Benjamin West, the well-known American painter, was a little boy, his sister married and left their town. Three years later, when Benjamin was seven years old, she came to see her mother with her little daughter Sally. Little Sally was only two years old, and she spent most of her time in her cradle. One morning her mother and grandmother went into the garden and Ben was told to sit near her while she was sleeping. He sat looking at her sleeping face and then began to draw her face on a piece of paper. He had worked for about two hours and had almost finished when his mother and sister came in. He tried to hide the paper, but his mother saw it and asked him to show it to her. He gave her the piece of paper asking her not to be angry with him. She looked at the picture and liked it very much.
"He has made a picture of Sally!" she said. Then his mother asked him if he could draw the roses in her hand and when he did it she kissed him.
When he grew up and became famous he often said: "That kiss made me a painter."
Vocabulary:
cradle люлька
to draw (drew, drawn) - рисовать
to hide (hid, hidden) - прятаться
to be angry - рассердиться, сердиться
WHAT HIS LIFE IS WORTH
Robert Burns, the great Scottish poet, loved common people and wrote for them. Though he had little formal education, he was well read and talented. He became famous when his first poems were published in 1786. He was known as a very witty man. One day when Burns was walking near the docks, he heard a cry for help. He ran towards the water. At that moment he saw a young sailor jump off a boat that stood near the dock. The sailor began to swim towards the man who was calling for help. Though it was not easy, the sailor saved the man. The man who was saved from drowning was a very rich merchant. He thanked the brave sailor and gave him a shilling. The sailor was embarrassed.
A large crowd of people gathered around them. All the people considered the sailor to be a hero. They were displeased when the rich man gave the brave soldier only a shilling. Many of the people shouted loudly and protested against it. But the rich merchant did not pay any attention to them.
At that moment Robert Burns approached the crowd and wondered what the matter was. He was told the whole story. He was not surprised at the behavior of the rich merchant and said: "Let him alone. The gentleman is the best judge of what his life is worth."
The New Words:
common people - простые люди
though - хотя
well-read - начитанный
witty - остроумный
drown - тонуть (о людях)
sink (sank, sunk) - тонуть (о кораблях)
merchant - купец
embarrassed - смущенный, чувствующий себя неловко
consider - считать, полагать
approach - приблизиться к
wonder - хотеть, узнать (разузнать, выяснить)
behavior - поведение
Let him alone. - Отпустите его.
judge - судья
to be worth - стоить
the book is worth reading - книга стоит того, чтобы ее прочитать
FUNNY STORY
Two men were travelling in a very wild part of America. They saw no modern houses and no traces of civilization for many days. What they saw: were only a few huts made of wood or tents where Indians lived.
One day they met an old Indian who was a hunter. He was very clever and knew everything about the forest and the animals living in it and many other things. He could also speak English quite well.
"Can you tell us what the weather will be like during the next few days?" one of the travellers asked him.
"Oh, yes", he answered. "Rain is coming, and wind. Then there will be snow for a day or two but then the sunshine will come again and the weather will be fine."
"These old Indians seem to know more about Nature than we with all our science", said the man to his friend. Then he turned to the old Indian.
"Tell me", he asked, "how do you know all that?"
The Indian answered, "I heard it over the radio."
Vocabulary:
trace - след
a few - несколько
hut - хижина
tent - палатка, зд. Вигвам
seem to know - по-видимому, знают
science - наука
DIRTY BOOTS
Once Swift went on a journey, accompanied by his servant. They were both on horseback. The journey was long, so when night came, they had to stop at an inn.
In the morning Swift asked for his boots. The servant brought them, but the writer saw that they were as dirty as the night before. "Why haven't you cleaned my boots?" he asked his lazy servant.
"Well, sir, as you are going to ride today, I thought that if I cleaned them, they would soon be dirty again".
"All right, get the horses ready," Swift said, and went to have his breakfast. Then he paid his bill and left the inn. His servant was already in front of the inn with the horses.
"Well, let's go on."
"But, sir, I'm hungry, I haven't had my breakfast yet."
"Never mind, if you had, you would soon be hungry again", the author replied and rode away. The lazy servant had to follow his master, but he never forgot the lesson he had been taught.
Vocabulary:
journey - поездка, путешествие, прогулка (сухопутная)
to accompany - сопровождать
to be on horseback - верхом на лошади
inn - гостиница
dirty грязный, boot - сапог
as... as - так же ... как и
lazy - ленивый
to clean - чистить
you are going to ride - вы собираетесь ехать верхом (to ride, rode, ridden)
to get ready - быть готовым (to get, got. got)
to pay, paid, paid - платить
bill - счёт
COFFEE FOR CAT
CALVIN COOLIDGE,
30thpresident of the United States
People who are not quite sure of their table manners are wise to imitate the table manners of their hosts during a meal. However, it may sometime lead to an amusing situation, as we will presently see.
President Coolidge once invited some friends to have a meal with him at the White House. They were not sure of their table manners, so they decided to imitate their host in everything he did during the meal.
All went well until coffee was served. President Coolidge poured a little coffee into his saucer. The guests poured a little coffee into their saucers. Then Coolidge added a lot of cream and sugar to the coffee in his saucer. The guests added a lot of cream and sugar to the coffee in their saucers. Coolidge took his saucer and put it on the floor in front of his cat.
Vocabulary:
to be not quite sure - быть не вполне уверенным
wise - мудрый
host - хозяин
to have a meal - покушать
however - однако
lead - led led - вести, показывать путь, приводить к чему-либо
amusing - забавный, смешной
to decide - решать, решить
until coffee was served - пока не подали кофе
to pour - лить, наливать; (out) - выливать, разливать (чай и т. п.)
saucer - блюдце
saucepan кастрюля
to add - добавлять, прибавлять
cream - сливки, крем
WITTY BOY
Swift, the author of "Gulliver's Travels", had many friends and he often received presents from them. The presents were generally sent by messengers. Swift liked receiving presents, but he was far from being generous, and he never gave any tips to the messengers.
Once, however, a messenger boy, who had often brought him presents and had never yet got a tip, taught him a lesson.
One day the messenger boy came to Swift's house with a heavy basket full of game, fish and fruit. He knocked at the door and the author opened it himself. The boy gave him the basket and said it was from Mr. Brown. He was just going away when Swift stopped him and said, "Come back, my boy, and learn to be polite. Imagine yourself to be me and I will be you". Then he bowed politely to the messenger boy and said, "Sir, Mr. Brown sends to you a little present of game, fish and fruit, and asks you to do him the honour of accepting it".
"Oh, very well, my boy", replied the young messenger, "Tell Mr. BrownI am much obliged to him, andhere is half a crown for yourself".
Swift smiled and gave the witty messenger boy a generous tip, for the first time in his life.
Vocabulary:
witty остроумный
a present - подарок
a messenger - посыльный
generous - щедрый
tips - чаевые; to tip - давать чаевые, "на чай".
taught him a lesson - дал ему урок, проучил его
to teach, taught, taught - учить, обучать
to knock - стучать
learn to be polite - научись быть вежливым
imagine yourself to be me - представь, что ты это я (вообразить, представить)
to bow - кланяться
to send, sent, sent - посылать
game - дичь
to do him the honor of accepting it - сделать (оказать) ему честь принять его (подарок)
I am much obliged to him - премного ему обязан, очень ему благодарен
and here is half a crown for yourself - и вот полкроны для вас (тебя)
A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR
Once an old gentleman came to consult a doctor.
"What do you complain of?" asked the doctor.
"You see, doctor, my nervous system is in a bad state. I have a heartache, often headache and my sleep isnt good. Sometimes I cannot sleep all night long."
The doctor examined the patient very carefully and said:
"Your treatment will be very simple, in other words it will be a rest-cure. You should go to a quiet place in the village for a month and have an active rest there: get up early, do morning exercises, have breakfast and go for a walk. You should walk much, go to the forest for fresh air, eat much fruit and vegetables and drink milk before going to bed. And you can smoke one cigarette a day."
A month later the gentleman came to see the doctor again.
"How are you?" asked the doctor.
"I am quite well now," answered the patient "Ive done everything that you recommended me, doctor. I strictly followed all your orders. I walked much, ate much fruit and vegetables and drank milk before going to sleep. But one cigarette a day almost killed me."
"But why?" asked the doctor.
"Its not a joke to begin smoking at my age. I had never smoked before." answered the gentleman.
The New Words:
to consult a doctor - проконсультироваться у доктора
to complain (of) - жаловаться на (что-то)
nervous system - нервная система
heartache - боль в сердце
headache - головная боль
rest-cure - лечение отдыхом
treatment - лечение
treat - лечить
Its not a joke to begin smoking at my age. - Это не шутка начинать курить в моем возрасте.
stricktly - строго
A TRAVELERS TALE
In the Autumn of 1935, when I was a young man, I was travelling in the north-west of India. One evening, after hunting in the forest all day, I was returning alone to the place where I had put up my tent. It was getting dark and I was walking along a narrow path. On my right was a wide river; on my left - a thick, dark forest. Suddenly I saw two green eyes looking at me from among the trees. A man-eating tiger was getting ready to jump on me.
What could I do? Should I jump into the river and hope to save my life by swimming?
I looked to the right. In the river there was an immense crocodile waiting to welcome me with its mouth wide open. I was so frightened that I shut my eyes. I heard branches moving as the tiger jumped. I opened my eyes. What do you think had happened? The tiger had jumped right over me and was now in the jaws of the crocodile.
That's a true story, believe it or not.
Vocabulary:
travelers tale - рассказ путешественника
India - Индия
to return - возвращаться
to put up - поставить, установить
to get dark - темнеть, смеркаться
narrow - узкий
path - тропинка, тропа
a man-eating tiger - тигр-людоед
to get ready - готовиться
should - должен (здесь)
immense - огромный, громадный, необъятный
to frighten - путать(ся), испугаться
to shut (shut, shut) - закрыть, закрывать
to hear (heard, heard) - слышать
branches - ветки
to move - двигать(ся)
to think (thought, thought) - думать
jaws - челюсти, пасть, рот
to believe - верить
A JAPANESE LEGEND
Once upon a time a poor old peasant was cutting in the forest on a mountain side when he found a spring of cool water. He drank a little water from it, as it was a hot day and he was thirsty. The water was wonderfully refreshing. Then he saw his face in the water and was surprised to find that he had suddenly grown young. The wrinkles had all gone from his face, his eyes were clear, and his head, which a moment ago had been bald, was covered with thick black hair. As he rose to his feet, he felt the strength of a young man in his body. In great joy the peasant ran down the mountain side to tell the news to his wife. When he ran into the little cottage, his wife could not recognize him, so changed was he from the old man he had been in the morning when she saw him last. He told his wife that he was really her husband. When she realized that a wonderful spring had changed her old husband into a young man she began to cry, because she was afraid that such a handsome young man would not love a weak old woman.
"But you must drink this wonderful water too," he cried. "Well both be young: I can easily show you the spring. Go there at once, while I remain to guard the cottage."
An hour passed, two hours, a long time, but the woman did not return.
"What is the matter with her?" he thought.
At last the man went to her. He found the spring, but his wife was not there. He loudly called her name, but he received no answer. Suddenly he heard pitiful yells from under the bush. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a baby girl, crying bitterly. The poor woman in her eagerness had drunk too much water!
Vocabulary:
Japanese - японская
side - сторона, бок
spring - ключ (источник воды), родник
refreshing - освежающая
grow young - (grew, grown) превратиться в молодого человека
wrinkle - морщина
bald - лысый
strength - сила
joy - радость
recognize - узнать (человека, прежнее место)
realize - осознать
weak - слабый
both - оба
remain - остаться (кн.) syn. to stay
to guard - охранять
pitiful yell - жалобный крик
in the direction - в направлении
sound - звук
bitterly - горько
eagerness - жажда (что-то сделать)
THE KING AND THE PAINTER
There was a king who thought he could paint very well. His pictures were bad but the people to whom he showed them were afraid to tell the truth. They all said that his pictures were wonderful and they liked them very much.
One day the king showed his pictures to a great painter who lived in that country and said, "I'd like to know what you think of my pictures. Do you like them?" The painter looked at the king's pictures and said, "My King, I believe that your pictures are bad and you will never be a good artist."
The king got very angry and sent the painter to prison. Two years had passed and the king wanted to see the painter again.
"I was angry with you," he said, "because you didn't like my pictures. Now, let's forget about it. You are a free man again and I am your friend." For many hours the king talked with the painter and even invited him to dinner: The dinner was wonderful. And they enjoyed it very much. After dinner the king showed his pictures to the painter again and asked, "Well, how do you like them now?" The painter was about to answer but then he turned to a soldier who was standing near them and said: "Take me back to prison."
Vocabulary:
prison - тюрьма
to send to prison - посадить в тюрьму
to paint - писать красками
truth - правда, истина
artist - художник, живописец
to invite - приглашать
to enjoy - наслаждаться, получать удовольствие
A STOLEN HORSE
It was in South America. A rich Spaniard was riding home when suddenly the horse fell lame. As it happened far from his home did not know what to do for he saw that his horse would not be able to bring him home. A little later he met an Indian riding a fine horse and asked him to exchange the horses. The Indian refused to do this. But the Spaniard, being much stronger than the Indian, made him give up his horse. And the Spaniard rode away, leaving his lame horse to the Indian who was soon left far behind. But the Indian followed him and came to the town where he found the Spaniard. He went to a judge and said that the Spaniard had stolen his horse.
Then the Spaniard was asked to swear that the horse was his own and he had had it for many years. Then the Indian asked to send for the horse. This was done. And the Indian said: "This man swears that he has had this horse for many years; let him, therefore tell you in which of the eyes the horse is blind."
The Spaniard said at once: "In the right eye."
"You are wrong", said the Indian. "Neither in the right nor in the left, it is not blind at all."
And so the horse was returned to the Indian.
Vocabulary:
to steal (stole, stolen) v - красть
Spaniard - испанец
to fall lame (fell, fallen) - захромать
judge - судья
to swear (swore, sworn) - клясться
to be wrong - ошибаться
blind - слепой
THE LETTER BOX KEY
Once an Englishman went to the seashore for his summer holidays. He asked his housekeeper to post him all letters that she would receive during his absence. She promised him to do that.
The Englishman rested very well. A month passed but he received no letters. He thought it strange and he rang up his housekeeper:
"Why didn't you post my letters?"
"Because you didn't leave me the key of the letter-box," was the reply.
The Englishman apologized and promised to send her the key. In some days he put the key into an envelope, wrote down his address on it and posted the letter.
Another month was passing but still he did not receive the letters.
When at the end of the month he returned home, he spoke angrily with his housekeeper.
"But what could I do?" asked the poor woman. "The key which you posted was in the locked letter-box too."
Vocabulary:
letter-box - почтовый ящик
key - ключ
housekeeper - экономка
post - отправлять
absence - отсутствие
strange - странный
ring (rang, rung) up - звонить
apologize - извиниться
envelope - конверт
angry - сердитый
lock - закрывать на замок
THE JOKE
Mark Twain was a humorist not only in his books but also in everyday life.
One day, when he was in England, he went to watch the horse races not far from London. When the races were over and he was walking to the station to take a train back to London, he met an English friend of his. The friend, who had lost all his money at the races, asked Twain to buy him a railway ticket back to London.
"Sorry, old boy", replied the author, "I haven't got enough money for two railway tickets. But never mind, I'll tell you what we'll do. Wait for me here. I'll buy a ticket for myself and then you can hide under my seat, and I'll hide you with my legs when the inspector comes".
When Mark Twain came back from the ticket office, they found an empty compartment in the train, so his friend was able to hide under the seat. Soon after, the train started and it was not long before the inspector came into the compartment. Twain, who was always ready to play jokes on his friends, had got two railway tickets at the ticket office, and now hehanded them to the inspector. The inspector looked round the empty compartment and asked whose the other ticket was.
"Oh, it's my friend's", replied the author "he's hiding under this seat. You see, he's not quite right in the head and he likes to travel that way".
Vocabulary:
to watch - наблюдать, следить
horse races - лошадиные скачки, гонки
were over - закончились
to lose, lost, lost - терять, лишаться, проигрывать
to buy, bought, bought - покупать, купить
sorry, old boy - прошу прощения, сожалею, старина
to reply - отвечать
never mind - не беспокойся, не волнуйся
to wait for - ждать, ожидать (кого-то; чего-то)
to hide, hid, hid (hidden) - прятать, скрывать
a seat - сидение
a ticket office - билетная касса
find, found, found - находить, найти (свободный)
compartment empty - пустой n купе
to play jokes on - шутить, подшучивать
railway - железнодорожный
to hand - передавать, вручать
to look round - оглянуться, посмотреть вокруг
You see he's not quite right in the head. - Понимаете ли, у него не все в порядке с головой.
THE RIGHT WAY
Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), famous English admiral, explorer, statesman and writer.
Walter Raleigh was never tired of sailing across the seas in search of new lands for his queen, Elizabeth I. Coming back from one of his expeditions to America; he brought with him a sack of potatoes, which were then quite unknown in England. He had them planted in a field and when he got the first crop, he sent some potatoes to a friend of his, and wrote telling him to have them planted in spring. The friend's crop was as good as Raleigh's, and he took a basket of potatoes to his wife. She did not know how to cook them, so she tried to fry some in butter. Then she served the new dish with sugar and cinnamon. However, the fried balls were hard and had an unpleasant taste. They thought it was too cold in England for the American potatoes to become ripe enough. So the man pulled up the plants and burned them. When the fire had died down, and there were only ashes left, the man happened to step on a potato lying in the ashes. The potato split and the man saw that it was white and soft inside. Then he picked up the split potato, which now had a pleasant smell, and tasted it. The taste was very pleasant, too.
Thus the right way of cooking potatoes was found, and soon a lot of people were enjoying them.
Vocabulary:
was never tired of - никогда не уставал
to sail - плавать
in search of - в поисках, в исследовании
crop - урожай
to serve - подавать, обслуживать
to plant - посадить, сажать
cinnamon - корица
however, the fried balls were hard - однако, жареные шарики были твердыми
unpleasant taste - неприятный вкус
ripe enough - достаточно зрелый
to pull up - выдергивать
to burn - сжигать, сгорать
had died down - прогорел, погас
ashes - пепел
happened to step - случайно наступил
split - трещина
to split - треснуть, расколоться
to pick up - поднять
smell - запах
to taste - пробовать
the right way - правильный способ, путь
people were enjoying - люди наслаждались
OYSTERS FOR A HORSE
On a rainy day a traveler, drenched to the skin and benumbed with cold, arrived at a country inn. The living room was already full of people. Realizing that there was hardly any hope to get near the fireplace our traveler took a seat at a table near the entrance door. From his place he cried in a loud voice addressing the landlord in the opposite corner of the room, "Pray, take two dozen oysters to my horse, and be quick about it: my horse is as hungry as death!" "Well, I never!" exclaimed the landlord. "Oysters to a horse!" "Do as you are told", said the traveler. "I know better!" Hearing the strange order given and seeing the waiter about toexecute it, all the people in the room rushed out to the stable to see a horse eat oysters. Having got the whole room at his disposal the traveler sat down by the fire and warmed himself at his ease.
In a short time all the company returned into the room. "I had no doubt that your horse, though hungry, would refuse to eat oysters", said the landlord. "In that caseyou better give him some hay", said the traveler smiling. "As to the oysters I will try and eat them myself as soon as I am thoroughly dry".
Vocabulary:
oyster - устрица
to drench - промокнуть насквозь
skin - кожа, шкура
drenched to the skin - промокший до костей (нитки)
to benumb - приводить в оцепенение
to be benumbed - оцепенеть
fire-place - место у камина (огня)
hardly - едва
entrance - вход
landlord - хозяин
Pray! - пожалуйста; молитва, мольба
hungry - голодный
as hungry as death - смертельно голоден
Well>, I never! - Ничего подобного (не видел или не слышал)!
to execute - исполнять, выполнять, казнить
to rush out - бросаться, мчаться
stable - конюшня ( stabling - конюшня)
at his disposal - в его распоряжении
at case - покойно, удобно, свободно
I had no doubt - у меня не было сомнения
to refuse - отказаться
case - случай
you had better give him some hay - вам лучше дать ему немного сена
hay - сено
thoroughly - до конца, тщательно
as soon as - как только
company - общество, гости
AN EXPENSIVE HORSESHOE
The English king Richard the Lion Hearted (Ричард Львиное Сердце) was a tall and strong man. Hewas very proud of his strength and often liked to show people how strong he was.
Once as he was riding on horseback in the countryside he suddenly noticed that his horse hadlost one of its shoes. Luckily he was not far from a little village and soon he found a blacksmith. "Give me a good horseshoe", he said to the man. The blacksmith chose a horseshoe and gave it to him. Richard took it in his hands and broke it in two. "This horseshoe is not good", he said to the blacksmith, "give me a better one". The blacksmith gave him another but Richard broke it almost as easily as the first, the blacksmith was surprised, but he did not say a word. He found a third horseshoe and offered it to the king. This time Richard seemed to be satisfied and ordered the smith to shoe his horse. When the work was done, Richard offered the man a coin. The blacksmith took the coin, looked at it, and, putting it between his fingers, broke it in two. Now it was Richard's turn to be surprised. He took a larger coin out of his pocket and handed it over to the blacksmith. The man broke it again with the same ease, adding: "This coin is not good, give me a better one!" Richard smiled and, handing the man a gold coin, said: "Your horseshoe is rather expensive, my friend, but I am glad to have met a man who is as strong as I am. I would like to have you in my army".
It is said that the blacksmith joined Richard's army and fought side by side with the king in many battles.
Vocabulary:
Richard the Lion Hearted - Ричард Львиное Сердце
to be proud of - гордиться
strength - сила
to ride, rode, ridden - ехать верхом (в экипаже)
to loose, lost, lost - терять
blacksmith - кузнец
horseshoe - подкова
to choose, chose, chosen - выбирать
to break, broke, broken - сломать, разбить
to be surprised - удивляться
to offer - предлагать
to satisfy - удовлетворять
to shoe - подковать; подкова
coin - монета
turn - очередь
to hand - передать, передавать, руководить
to add - добавлять, прибавлять
to join - присоединяться
to fight, fought, fought - драться, сражаться, биться
side by side - рядом, бок о бок = close together
THE FIRST MONEY
Mark Twain was asked one day if he remembered how he had earned the first money in his life.
"Oh, yes, I remember very well", answered the writer.
"It was at school. In those days schoolboys often made marks on their desks with pencils or knives. It wasn't allowed, of course, but the boys made their marks all the same. At last we were told that if any boy made marks on his desk, either with a pencil or a knife, he would be whipped in front of the whole school, or would have to pay a fine of five dollars. One morning I forgot myself and made some marks on my desk. I was told to pay the fine the following day or come for a whipping. I had to tell my father all about it and he said, "I don't want my son to be whipped in front of the whole school, so I'll give you five dollars to pay the fine. On the other hand you must be punished, so come upstairs with me.
I went upstairs with him, got my whipping and the money for the fine. I had never had so much money in my pocket before, and I thought of all the fun I might have spending it, if only I could keep it. Well, why not? I said to myself. After all, the whipping hadn't been too bad. I was sure I could stand another one, and then the money would be mine. So, next morning, I went for the whipping in front of the whole school and kept the five dollars. That's how I earned the first money in my life.
Vocabulary:
to remember - помнить
to earn - зарабатывать
either... or - или ... или; либо ... либо
but... all the same - но ... все равно
to whip - пороть кнутом
whipping - порка (наказание) кнутом
to pay a fine - платить штраф
on the other hand - с другой сторо<