Lexical exercises

Exercise 1. Read and translate these sentences. Pay attention to active words and word combinations.

I. He suggested that we should see the new musical. 2. As the curtain went up the audience began to applaud. 3. We did not hesitate to go and see the new comedy as we were sure it would be a hit. 4. If he offered to buy tickets for today's matinee we would certainly agree. 5. Mendoza praised the drawings Charles showed him after he returned from Paris. 6. Mrs Hornby could not keep her son from becoming a professional hockey-player. 7. If her husband had not encouraged her she would not have accepted the offer. 8. "How did you like the show?" "It's wonderful." 9. I wish you had a sense of humour. 10. The producer allowed us to attend the dress rehearsal. 11. You shouldn't hesitate to become a painter. 12. Is the date of the opening fixed? 13. She said she would think the offer over. 14. John suggested that they should fix the date for the next meeting. 15.1 don't think he can afford a holiday now.

Exercise 2. Make up sentences using these tables and translate them

a) I whether to offer John a ticket

They hesitate

whether to accept their offer.

b) I to book the seats for the first night

He offered to fix everything for the meeting

They, to help them

to stage his new play

c) He suggests that they should have a dress rehearsal next week

that they announce the talks take place next month

She suggest that she allow her son to go in for hockey

that John should fix the date of the appointment

They suggested that they have a break now.

Exercise 3. Insert the words given below.

1. If John were offered a new job, he would ... it immediately. 2. Nothing could ... Michelangelo ... becoming a sculptor. 3. It is pleasant to deal with him. He is always so.... 4. When the show was over, and the curtain ......and then ... the audience stood and .. for a long time. 5. The critics ... to the skies the second novel of the young writer. 6. You should learn these expressions ... . 7. "How long ...this comedy......?" "I suppose, for about a month." 8. "I wonder how many films they are going . . . this year?" "Quite a few, I believe." 9. The ... enjoyed the performance as the ... was really excellent. 10. Mary ... to buy tickets for the ... as she will have time today.

____________________________________________________________________________

cast, to applaud, cheerful, to praise, to produce, to offer, to go down, up, by heart, show, to run, to accept, to keep from, audience

Exercise 4. Insert prepositions or adverbs.

a) to be

1. "Is Mr Brown ...?" "No, he is ... . He will be ... in 15 minutes." 2. "I'll be ... as soon as the meeting is..." 3. "Where is Peter? He is ... . He'll be ... tomorrow."

b) to go

1. The curtain went ... and everybody saw Shirley MacLaine. 2. The curtain went..., the performance was over. 3.You should go......sport, it is good for health. 4. He went... to say that they had a lot to do that week. 5. We suggested going ... the cinema but he said he would not be able to join us. 6. John went... doing the translation.

7. The curtain went up, then ... but the audience went ... applauding.

Exercise 5. Insert articles wherever necessary.

Notes: adult ['ad/\lt] взрослый

legend ['ledәnd] легенда

negotiate [ni'gou∫ieit] вести переговоры

1. Sergei Obraztsov is ... founder of the State Central Puppet Theatre. ... theatre was founded in 1931. In ... fifty years of its existence ... theatre produced over sixty plays.

When ... theatre was opened it was intended for ... children. But time showed that ... adults* became interested in ... puppet theatre, too.... first show produced for ... adults in 1940 was called "Aladdin's Lamp". It became ... hit. "... Unusual Concert", another show for ... adults, has been ... tremendous success for many years now.

2. Galina Ulanova, prima ballerina of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre Ballet, is ... most exciting theatrical personality of ... 20th century.

Her name has been ... legend** here for years and those interested in ... arts listened eagerly to ... tales of ... travellers from Moscow who had been lucky enough to see her dance at... Bolshoi Theatre. Ever since ... war our Royal Opera has been negotiating*** for ... Bolshoi Theatre Ballet to appear in London and we all hoped that Ulanova would head ... company in some of-her most famous parts.

Exercise 6. Translate into English.

1. Он предложил нам пойти в театр, так как новый мюзикл имел большой успех. Мы с радостью согласились. 2. Я видел Поля Робсона в роли Отелло. Это был потрясающий Отелло. Мы аплодировали ему бесконечно, и я не помню, сколько раз поднимался занавес, и вызывали актера. 3. Успех молодой актрисы в этой маленькой роли был настолько велик, что режиссер решил предложить ей главную роль в новой пьесе. 4. Труппа репетировала пьесу уже три месяца, но режиссеру все еще не нравились отдельные сцены. 5. Музыкальная комедия «Моя прекрасная леди» по пьесе. Бернарда Шоу «Пигмалион» была впервые поставлена в США. Спектакль имел большой успех. Состав исполнителей был прекрасный. Публика восхищалась музыкой, танцами и игрой актеров. 6. Вы хотите пойти на утренний спектакль? — С удовольствием. 7. Давайте посмотрим этот фильм, он идет уже неделю. 8. Зрители приветствовали актеров одобрительными возгласами и долго аплодировали им.

Text 1

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text .

Names: Richard Bissel ['rit∫әd 'bizl] Ричард Биссел

Steve [sti:v] Стив

George Abbot [do:d 'æbat J Джордж Эбот

Carol Haney ['kærl 'heni ] Кэрол Хейни

Hal Prince [hæl prins] Хэл Принс

Shirley MacLaine ['∫ə:li mak'lein ] Шерли Маклейн

Notes: fix 1. Am. приготовить, сделать на скорую руку (обед и т.п.)

whenever – когда бы ни; всякий раз когда

ankle ['a;nkl] лодыжка

purse кошелек

impatient а нетерпеливый

take a deep breath глубоко вздохнуть

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS

Early in 1954 it was announced that "The Pajama Game", a musical based on Richard Bissel's novel was to be staged a few weeks later. It was about the life in a pajama factory. When the show was being rehearsed, Steve, my husband, encouraged me to audition for a part. I did not hesitate a moment. After listening to me George Abbot, director of the company, hired me as a chorus singer.

Carol Haney was playing the main part. She had a wonderful sense of comedy, her songs and dancing were marvelous. The show was likely to become a hit and give Broadway a new star.

The night before the New York opening I was made Carol's understudy. I had not had a single rehearsal, but the producer, Hal Prince, said it did not really matter. "There is no chance for you," he added. "Carol is a person who will go on even with a broken neck."

On May 9, 1954, "The Pajama Game" opened in New York. The show was a great success. The critics praised to the skies both the show and Carol.

Four nights passed. I still had not had a rehearsal but whenever I was not on I would watch Carol from the wings trying to learn the part. Soon I felt I could do the lines by heart if they only allowed me on the stage.

After the first Wednesday matinee, when we could afford a break I went home to fix dinner for Steve. While we were eating I had a phone call from one of the producers of "Can-Can', which had been running about two years. He offered me a job as understudy to his leading dancer. The producer said that nothing would ever keep Carol Haney from going on in "The Pajama Game", and added that their girl was out every now and then. I asked him to let me think the offer over and give an answer the next day.

After dinner I discussed the offer with Steve. His attitude was pretty skeptical when I said, "1 wish I could keep both jobs." "You wouldn't be able to do that even if you tried very hard," he said and suggested that I should leave "The Pajama Game" immediately. I agreed, and before leaving for the theatre I wrote my notice, intending to hand it in that night. I hurried to the subway, but the train got stuck in the tunnel and it was half an hour late.

Hal Prince was pacing the sidewalk at the entrance looking very nervous.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I'm awfully sorry. The subway train got stuck, but I'll hurry. Anyway I don't have to be on till the middle of the first act," I said.

"That's what you think! Haney broke her ankle this afternoon and you're on right now!" Hal shouted.

I put the notice, I was carrying in my hand, into my purse.

They pushed me into Carol's dressing-room. I asked someone to call up Steve. My hands were shaking, and someone else had to put the make-up on my face.

The curtain had not gone up yet, and the audience were impatient. I was waiting in the wings as the stage director walked out before the curtain and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the management regrets to an­nounce that Miss Carol Haney will not be performing tonight. Her role will be performed by a young lady named Shirley MacLaine. We hope you'll enjoy the show."

Many people got up and made straight for the box-office to get their money back. A minute later the curtain went up. Taking a deep breath I walked to the centre of the stage. A hush came over the audience. They seemed to understand how I felt. I took another breath and spoke the first line. It was supposed to get a laugh, but it didn't. Just as I began the second line, the spectators laughed at the first one. I slowed the tempo of my delivery and suddenly the flow of communication appeared to be there. At last I was with the audience.

The performance was over. The curtain went down and then up again for the curtain-calls. The audience stood. They cheered and threw kisses. The cast around me applauded.

"I wish you'd seen it yourself," said Steve as he came up to me in the wings. "You were great."

"Was I really?"

"To them, yes, but you still have a long way to go," he added.

I remembered the notice in my purse. What would have happened if I had handed it to the producer the night before?

Exercise 2. Find in the text English equivalents for these word combinations and sentences.

1. Я не колебалась ни минуты. 2. По всей вероятности, спектакль произведет сенсацию. 3. Как только у нас появилась возможность сделать перерыв… 4. … который шел уже около двух лет. 5. Жаль, что я не смогу играть в обоих спектаклях. 6. …зрители проявляли нетерпение. 7. … они приветствовали. 8. Актеры, стоящие вокруг меня, аплодировали мне.

Exercise 3. Give Russian equivalents for these sentences.

1. It was announced that "The Pajama Game," a musical based on R. Bissel's novel, was to be staged. 2. When the show was being rehearsed my husband encouraged me to audition for a part. 3. The show was a great success. 4. He offered me a job. 5. The producer said that nothing would ever keep Carol from going on in "The Pajama Game". 6. I asked the producer to let me think it over. 7. He suggested that I should leave "The Pajama Game" immediately. 8. The curtain had not gone up yet, and the audience were impatient. 9. They cheered and threw kisses.

Exercise 4. Answer these questions.

1. Who encouraged Shirley MacLaine to audition for a part in "The Pajama Game"? 2. Did Shirley have any hope of playing the main part instead of Carol? 3. Why do you think Steve suggested that Shirley should accept the offer of the "Can-Can" producer? 4. Do you think Hal Prince was sure Shirley would be a success? Would you have asked the understudy who hadn't had a single rehearsal to play the main part if you had been in Hal Prince's place? 5. Do you know of other examples when an actor (an actress) became famous overnight?*

Exercise 5. Say if these statements are true or false. Give your reasons.

1. Shirley was invited to play the main part in the musical "The Pajama Game".

2. When Shirley was offered the job of an understudy to the leading dancer of "Can-Can", she rejected the offer.

3. Steve, Shirley's husband, suggested that she should keep both jobs.

4. Shirley made up her mind to leave "The Pajama Game" and handed the notice to the producer.

5. Shirley was a great success in the main part of "The Pajama Game".

Exercise 6. Explain or comment on these statements.

1. The show was likely to become a hit and give Broadway a new star.

2. "There is no chance for you," Hal Prince said.

3. "I wish I could keep both jobs," said Shirley.

4. Many people got up and made straight for the box-office.

5. Suddenly the flow of communication appeared to be there.

6. But you still have a long way to go.

Exercise 7. Give a summary of the text "Nothing Succeeds Like Success".