Balzac and the Thief

Balzac was once lying in bed awake. Suddenly he saw a man enter his room. The man was a thief and he wanted to pick the lock of his writing-table. The thief was not afraid at hearing a loud laugh from the owner of the flat, whom he supposed to be asleep.

“Why do you laugh?” asked the thief.

“I am laughing, my good fellow,” said Balzac, “to think what pains you are taking and what risk you run in hope of finding money by night in a desk when the owner can never find any by day.”

The thief left the room at once.

Ex.10. Read the story again and try to give its equivalent translation in writing.

Jonathan swift

Ex.1. Read the story¹ attentively and complete the unfinished sentences.

. ? .

Jonathan Swift, though a good master, was very severe with his servants. The only two positive commands he had for them were…. One day one of his maid-servants asked permission to go to her sister’s wedding, at a place about ten miles distant. Swift not only agreed, but lent her one of his own horses, and ordered his servant to ride before her. The girl went out of the room with great joy and forgot … after her. In about a quarter of an hour after her departure, Swift sent a servant after her to order her immediate return. The poor girl obeyed, and entering his room, asked what her master wished.

“…”, said Swift, “and then continue your journey”.

Ex.2. Read the story again to find out the reason of the maid-servant’s immediate return.

Ex.3. Do you agree or disagree to express the main idea of the story this way: “One man’s fault is another man’s lesson?”

Ex.4. Would you try to express the idea in another way?

Ex.5. Give the story a title.

Ex.6. If you put the sentences in the correct order, you’ll get another interesting story about Jonathan Swift:

. ? .

“Here”, said the boy gruffly, “my master has sent you a basket full of things.”

Then taking off his hat very politely, and addressing himself to the boy, he said:

One day the boy arrived with a heavy basket containing fish, fruit, and game.

Swift laughed heartily, and gave the boy a crown for his wit.

Jonathan Swift, the famous English writer, and author of Gulliver’s Travels, was not very generous.

He knocked at the door, and the dean by chance opened it himself.

Swift, feeling displeased at the boy’s rude manner, said to him:

“Sir, my master sends you a little present, and begs you will do him the honor to accept it.”

He seldom gave anything to the servants of those who sent him presents.

“Oh, very well, my boy,” replied the boy, “tell your master I am much obliged to him, and there is half a crown for yourself.”

“Come here, my boy, and I will teach you how to deliver a message a little more politely;

But once he received a lesson from a boy who very often carried him hares, partridges, and other game.

… come, imagine yourself Jonathan Swift, and I will be the boy.”

Ex.7. Compare your variant of arranging the text to your classmates’:

1. Do you find any difference?

2. Are you ready to change your mind at once or will you try to insist on your variant?

Ex.8. Consult the key and make corrections if necessary.

Ex.9. Give the story a title.

Ex.10. Reread the story and try

1. to give a character sketch of the boy;

2. to cite the proper words, phrases, sentences to illustrate it.

…

Ex.11. Read these two stories again and say

1. What features of Swift’s character are revealed in them?

2. What words, phrases, sentences can illustrate them?

…