1. To lose the presence of mind — терять присутствие духа

2. To regard as revenge — считать местью

N. Bohr never criticized lecturers sharply and everybody knew him to be very polite when some work was being discussed. If he wanted to make a remark, he used .to be­gin ¹ it with his favourite foreword "I don't mean to criti­cize...". When he happened ² to read quite a worthless work he exclaimed: "I don't mean to criticize. I simply can't understand how a man can write such a nonsense."

Notes

J. he used to begin — он обычно начинал

2. When he happened — когда ему случалось

The Absent-Minded ¹ Professor

A very absent-minded professor was once travelling by a suburban train, and when the ticket-collector came to check the tickets, the professor could not find his.

"Never mind,² sir," said the ticket-collector who knew the professor very well, "I'll come at the next station."

But at the next station there was the same difficulty the professor could not find his ticket anywhere.

"Don't trouble about it, it really doesn't matter,'* * said the ticket-collector kindly.

"No, no, I must find out where I am going to! I have forgotten."

Notes

1. Absent-minded — рассеянный

2. Never mind — зд. Ничего

J5. it doesn't matter — не имеет значения

The Professor Couldn't Answer It

Old Mr. Brompton was a very clever man. He was a professor and had a lot of degrees. Yet the other day he could not answer his granddaughter's question.

"Grandpa," she said, "I saw something so funny running across the kitchen floor without any legs. What do you think it was?"

The professor thought and thought but at last¹ he had to give it up.²

"What was it?" he asked.

"Water," replied the little girl triumphantly.

Notes *""^Јr

1. At last — наконец

2. to give It up — сдаваться, отступать Be Careful

The chemistry professor wrote the formula HNO, on the blackboard. Addressing one of the students he said:

"Identify that formula, please."

"Just a moment," answered the student, "I've got It on the tip of my tongue,¹ sir."

"Then," said the professor softly, "you'd better ⁸ spit it out. It is nitric acid."

Notes

1. I've got it on the tip of my tongue —■ у меня вертится это на языке

2. You'd better — вам бы лучше

A Good Student

Professor: Can you tell me anything about the great

scientists of the 17th century? Student: Yes, sir, they are all dead,

* * *

In one of his lectures a well-known mathematician said: "Every person has a certain horizon. When that horizon narrows down and becomes infinitely small,¹ it turns into a point. That is when a person says: "This is my point of view." ²

Notes

1. Narrows down and becomes infinitely small — сужается и c№

носится бесконечно малым

2. Point of view — точка зрения

Scientist's Speech

••' The great American scientist G. W. Gibbs (1889-1903); was a very reserved man. At the sittings of the Academic Board ¹ of the University where he taught he used to be always silent.²

At one of the sittings of the Academic Board the scien­tists were discussing the question—What must be paid more attention to in the new syllabus—mathematics or foreign languages?

Gibbs could not bear ⁹ it and made a speech! "Mathe­matics is the language."

Notes