Famous names. Crime and justice

Прочитайте предложенные ниже истории и переведите их, пользуясь словарем. Вспомните, знакомы ли вам имена их героев. Выполните задания после текстов.

1. Barker, Arizona Clarc “Ma”, d. 1935

“Ma” Barker’s gang was mostly composed of her own four sons, and she led them to criminal fame. She was never arrested, but her sons often were. Ma would appear in court and protest their innocence or raise bail. By the time the gang was cleared up by the FBI it had been

responsible for the deaths of four policemen, a civilian and one of their own number who talked too much. The Barkers hit the bug time when they started kidnapping rich men for ransom, but this increased the pressure by police and the FBI on the gang and its members had to split up.

When Arthur Barker was captured, Ma’s hideout in Florida was revealed. The FBI’s G-men surrounded the house and called on Ma Barker and her son Fred to surrender. “To hell with all of you”, she replied and opened fire. The FBI used tear gas, but the gunfight continued until

both Ma Barker and her son were dead.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1) What is said about “Ma” Baker’s gang in the text? 2) What did “Ma” do when her sons were arrested? 3) When did the Bakers hit the big time? 4) What can you say about the end of “Ma”’s gang?

Найдите в тексте эквиваленты слов и словосочетаний.

Вносить залог; похищение богатых людей; банда; преступная слава; сдаваться; применять слезоточивый газ; ФБР; быть ответственным за ч.-л.; выкуп; открыть огонь.

2. Billy the Kid (William Bonny), 1860–1881

Billy the Kid was a legend in the Wild West as a cattle rustler and murderer. Slim and fair, Billy was born in New York but soon moved to New Mexico. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith but found this boring, so he shot the smith and became a cowboy. At first he worked for John

Chisholm, who was fighting a range war in the Pecos Valley. He quarreled with Chisholm and joined a band of cattle rustlers, killing as many of Chisholm’s men as he could in the process. Pat Garrett was elected sheriff to capture Billy the Kid. He did this, but Billy shot two deputies and escaped from his cell just before he was due to be hanged. He was caught by Garrett two months and five murders later and shot dead in a gunfight. He was said to have shot twenty-one men, but in fact he probably only killed three.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1) What was Billy famous for? 2) What can you say about his occupation? 3) What did Billy the Kid do after his quarrel with John Chisholm? 4) What was said about the number of his victims?

Найдите в тексте эквиваленты слов и словосочетаний.

Скотокрад; стать подмастерьем; кузнец; тюремная камера; быть выбранным шерифом; застрелить к.-л. в перестрелке; убить; вступить в банду; сбежать; ссориться.

3. Blake, George, b.1922

Born in Holland, he was a famous traitor and Russian spy. During the Second World War, he was a member of the Dutch resistance until he escaped to England, joined the Navy and changed his name to Blake. He joined the intelligence services and was captured in Korea while serving in the British Embassy in Seoul. Blake was released in 1953 but had been secretly converted to communism while a prisoner. He then served as an agent for MI 6 and as a double agent for the Russians, first in Berlin and later in Britain. In 1960 he was arrested and sentenced in 1961 to no less than forty-two years in prison. But in 1967, helped by a released fellow-prisoner, he made a daring escape from Wormwood Scrubs prison and was smuggled out to Moscow by the Russians.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1) What was George Blake famous for? 2) What did he do during the Second World War?

3) Where was he captured? 4) What can you say about Blake’s life after he was released?

5) How many years in prison was he sentenced to?

Найдите в тексте эквиваленты слов и словосочетаний.

Русский шпион; голландское сопротивление; заключенный; двойной агент; быть приговоренным к ч.-л.; совершить дерзкий побег; тайно переправить; приговорить.