Digory and his uncle

Before Digory could say anything, Polly touched the ring and suddenly she disappeared!

“What (happen 1) to Polly?” he asked Uncle Andrew indignantly. “Congratulate me, my dear boy,” said Uncle Andrew, rubbing his hands. “My experiment (succeed 2). The little girl (vanish 3) right out of this world.” “What you (do 4) to her?” “I (send 5) her to – well – to another place.” “What do you mean?” asked Digory.

U ncle Andrew sat down and said, “Well, I’ll tell you all about it. You ever (hear 6) of old Mrs Lefay? She was my godmother. Before she died she gave me an ancient box and told me to burn it with certain ceremonies. But, of course, I didn’t do it.” “That’s jolly rotten of you,” said Digory. “My Mother always (teach 7) me to keep my promises.” “Oh, my dear boy, as long as the world (exist 8) there never (be 9) rules for people who possess hidden wisdom. I opened the box and found some magic dust in it. For years I made countless tests and now I (come 10) to the conclusion that this stuff is from another world. I (make 11) several magic rings from this dust. Actually, I already (try 12) them on different creatures like guinea-pigs. And now at last I (manage 13) to send a human being into Another World.”

“But why didn’t you go there yourself?” Digory asked. “Uncle Andrew looked offended. “Me? Me?” he exclaimed. “At this time of my life and in my state of health? I never (hear 14) anything so preposterous in my life! Think what Another World means – you might meet anything – anything.” ‘And I suppose you (send 15) Polly into it then,” said Digory angrily. “And all I can say,” he added, “is that you (behave 16) like a coward, sending a girl to a place you’re afraid to go to yourself. Are you going to bring Polly back?” “She will get back if someone else goes after her and gives her a green ring.” “Very well. I’ll go. But there is one thing I want to tell you first. I never used to believe in magic. Now I see it’s real. And you’re simply a wicked, cruel magician like the ones in the stories. Well, I never (read 17) a story in which people of that sort weren’t paid out in the end, and I bet you will be. And serve you right!”

(after The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis)

69. Open the brackets using the verbs in the proper present tenses.

(Qi Wang is a Chinese student who is now taking a course at Plymouth University. He is giving an interview to UK life.)

I (be 1) in the UK for two years already. During this time I (meet 2) a lot of Chinese friends, most of whom (be 3) staff or students of the University. I (feel 4) at home in this foreign country. I (be 5) the chairman of the Plymouth Chinese Students & Scholars Association for a year. We (have 6) a good partnership with the Universities International Office, together with which we (organize 7) the Chinese New Year Party every year for local Chinese students. The research work I (do 8) now is on the cutting edge of mobile wireless systems. I (do 9) quite a lot already. And my supervisor, Dr. Mosa, always (help 10) me. We usually (have 11) a formal one-to-one research meeting every week. I (like 12) such regular and dedicated meetings, which (keep 13) my research going smoothly.

My dear wife just (come 14) here to stay for the summer. We now (live 15) in a flat quite near the city centre. Plymouth (be 16) a coastal city and (have 17) a splendid sea view. Every evening we (walk 18) in the historical Barbican or Hoe.

In summary, I really (enjoy 19) living and studying in Plymouth.

70. Translate the following jokes.

1. «Джесси, я уже много раз говорила тебе, что ты должна молчать, когда взрослые разговаривают. Ты должна подождать, пока они остановятся». «Я уже пыталась, мама. Они никогда не останавливаются».

2. Во время парада генерал спрашивает солдата: «Как долго вы уже в армии, рядовой Браун?» «Слишком», - отвечает он. «Что слишком?» - спрашивает генерал. «Слишком долго», - отвечает рядовой.

3. Джеймс хочет купить собаку и спрашивает ее владельца: «А вы уверены, что эта собака верная (loyal)?» «Конечно, - отвечает тот, - я продавал ее уже пять раз, и каждый раз она возвращалась домой».

4. Мама: «Ну, девочка моя, ты уже перестала плакать?» Дочь: «Нет, не перестала. Я просто отдыхаю».

5. Пациент жалуется доктору на бессонницу (insomnia): «Доктор, я перепробовал уже все. Я не только пересчитывал овец, я стриг (shear) их, прял (weave) шерсть, делал из нее костюмы, открывал магазины, терял все деньги. Но я так и не могу уснуть!»

6. Стивен пишет письмо своей любимой девушке: «Мэгги, я уже второй раз прошу тебя выйти за меня замуж. Если ты не хочешь быть моей женой, пожалуйста, верни это письмо нераспечатанным!»

71. Open the brackets using the verbs in the proper form.

An autobiography (be 1) a book a person (write 2) about his own life and it (be 3) usually full of all sorts of boring details.

This (be 4) not an autobiography. I would never write a history of myself. On the other hand, throughout my young days at school and just afterwards a number of things (happen 5) to me that I never (forget 6).

None of these things (be 7) important, but each of them (make 8) such a tremendous impression on me that I never (be able 9) to get them out of my mind. Each of them, even after a lapse of fifty and sometimes sixty years, (remain 10) seared on my memory.

I (not have 11) to search for any of them. All I (have 12) to do was skim them off the top of my consciousness and write them down.

Some (be 13) funny. Some (be 14) painful. Some (be 15) unpleasant. I (suppose 16) that is why I always (remember 17) them so vividly. All (be 18) true.

R.D.

(from Boy. Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl)

72. Fill in each of the gaps with one suitable word.

A country boy, who _______ (1) driving his wagon peacefully along the bank of the Shannon, suddenly _______ (2) a frantic cry for help. There, in the water, he _______ (3) a drowning man who was struggling and flailing about. It _______ (4) clear that the man could _______ (5) swim. So, our hero jumped _______ (6) from his wagon, leaped into the river, and brought the half-dead man safely to shore.

“You have _______ (7) my life,” said the stranger. “Permit me _______ (8) reward you.” He reached into his gold-filled purse and handed _______ (9) rescuer a six-pence.

“Sir,” replied the country boy, looking the man straight in the eye, “I’m afraid you _______ (10) overpaid me!”

73. Open the brackets using the verbs in the proper tenses.