Английский язык. Лексико-грамматические задания по текстам «In a maze», «Famous Friends», «Mr. Know-All». Уровень Intermediate. Сборник текстов

Famous Friends

David Bruce, better known as “Wee Davy”, had one trait which irritated his friends. David always said he knew almost anybody of importance. As the years passed David’s claims became more and more extravagant.

One night David and a group of his friends were in a pub discussing the forthcoming tour of the rock star Madonna. Sure enough David said he knew her. The friend bought David a ticket and dragged him to the concert. About half-way through her show Madonna leapt off the stage into the audience.she rushed up to David and hugged him. Together they returned to the stage. Madonna announced to the audience,

“I would like to introduce a very dear friend of mine to you. Wee Davy.”

The friends were astonished but thought the meeting had been orchestrated.

When talk turned to the British Royal Family, David said he knew all of them. A few weeks later Queen Elizabeth was to open a new hospital in the local area. David was egged on by his friends to go along and prove that that he was at least an acquaintance of the Queen. So they stood at the side of the road as the royal procession made its way to the hospital. As the Rolls-Royce came abreast of David’s group it stopped abruptly and the Queen emerged with a broad smile on her face and her hand extended in David’s direction.

“Wee Davy. How nice to see you again. You must drop into the palace for tea next time you are in London.”

David’s friends were flabbergasted but remained skeptical.

One day David mentioned that he was a good friend of the Pope. A few of his richer friends decided to call his bluff once and for all. They bought tickets to Rome and insisted that they all visit the Vatican. Somewhat reluctantly, David agreed.

When they arrived at the Vatican they were told that they could not gain admittance to the Pope’s private quarters. David went up to the guard and whispered in his ear. He returned to his friends and said that he would be allowed inside and he would bring the Pope out onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

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An hour later, two figures appeared on the balcony. However, the distance made it difficult to make out who they were, although one was clearly dressed in white robes.

One of David’s friends turned to a passing Italian and said, “Excuse me. Could you tell me who the man up there in white is?” The Italian looked up and replied promptly,

Tasks on the text

Exercise 1. Answer the questions.

1.What did David Bruce claim?

2.How did his friends react to his claims?

3.Why did they decide to call his bluff once and for all?

4.How did Davy’s friends realize their plan?

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5.Why were they flabbergasted after the first two attempts to expose “Wee Davy”?

6.Which claim of “Wee Davy” was the last straw?

7.How did “Wee Davy” prove that he knew almost anybody of importance?

Exercise 2. Discuss the story in your group and answer the questions below.

1. Could a similar story happen in real life?

−−Was “Wee Davy” an ordinary or a famous, easily recognized man? Give your reasons.

−−What do you think his profession was? Support your suppositions.

−−Why did people of importance seem to know him?

−−Why do well-known people try to demonstrate a close contact with ordinary people?

Does it add to their popularity and image?

Think of some examples from the present-day life.

2. Can famous people have friends among ordinary people? If not, why?

−−Are they accessible to common men?

−−Does fame and popularity change a man as a person? What are the signs of such transformation?

3. What are your variants of the last line of the story?

Exercise 3. Retell the story keeping to the following plan.

1.David Bruce had one trait which irritated his friends.

2.Sure enough David said he knew Madonna.

3.Madonna rushed up to David and hugged him.

4.When talk turned to the British Royal Family, David said that he knew all of them.

5.David and his friends stood at the side of the road as the royal procession made its way to the hospital.

6.One day David mentioned that he was a good friend of the Pope.

7.David went up to the guard and whispered in his ear.

8.One of the friends asked an Italian who the man in white robes was.

9.The Italian’s reply was ....... .

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Exercise 4. Tell the story as if you were.

a) Wee Davy; b) one of David’s friends; c) David’s wife.

Exercise 5. Answer the questions.

1.Have you got a friend? Is he/she a famous or an ordinary person?

2.How much do you know about your friend (his / her place of work, the source of income, his/her habits, hobby, plans for the future, etc.)?

3.Does your friend have any trait of habit that irritates you? If yes, what is that trait of habit?

4.What traits do you consider negative? Which of these traits can’t you reconcile to?

5.Did you tell your friend frankly and bluntly that you disapprove of his negative trait or habit?

6.Did he / she try to get rid of the trait or habit? If not, did it affect your relationship?

7.What are the most important traits to promote friendship for a long time?

Exercise 6. Read the statements from the text and say if they are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1.David Bruce, better known as Wee Davy, had one trait which delighted his friends.

2.As the years passed David’s claims became less and less extrav-

agant.

3.The friends bought him a ticket and dragged him to the concert.

4.Madonna rushed up to David and struck him on the face.

5.The friends were not astonished because the meeting had been orchestrated.

6.A few weeks later Queen Elizabeth was to open a new hospital in the local area.

7.As the Rolls-Royce came abreast of David’s group it stopped abruptly and the Queen emerged with a broad smile on her face and her hand extended in David’s direction.

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8.David bought tickets to Rome and insisted that they all visit the Vatican.

9.David went up to the guard and whispered in his ear.

10.An hour later three figures appeared on the balcony.

11.One of David’s friends turned to a passing Englishman.

Exercise 7. Remember the expressions with the word quarter (pl. quarters) — четверть, квартал, место. Make up ten sentences of your own with the words below.

−−Quarters — квартира, помещение;

−−to beat up the quarters of — навещать кого-либо;

−−at close quarters — в тесном соседстве;

−−to ask for quarter — просить пощады;

−−to give quarter — пощадить;

−−no quarter to be given — пощады не будет;

−−to come to close quarters — вступить в рукопашную;

−−from every quarter — со всех сторон;

−−from no quarter — ниоткуда;

−−from the highest quarters — из авторитетных источников.

Exercise 8. Translate the sentences using the words and expressions from exercise 7.

1.Помещение офиса фирмы находилось в оживленном центре города.

2.Из авторитетных источников стало известно, что в ближайшее время ни одна из сторон не готова к подписанию мирного договора.

3.Отреставрированный и освещенный современными прожекторами собор виден со всех сторон площади в любое время суток.

4.Если бы друзья жили поближе, было бы легче навещать их

ввыходные или во время отпуска.

5.Когда снаряды закончились, отряду пришлось вступить

врукопашный бой.

6.В городском зоопарке в тесном соседстве живут звери и птицы, привезенные со всех сторон света.

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Exercise 9. Translate the following text into English.

Альфред Дэвид, как утверждают, является владельцем самой большой в мире коллекции пингвинов. Его коллекция — это собрание всего, что имеет отношение к этим птицам, — от термосов

вформе пингвина, рукавиц для плиты и зонтиков до хрусталя, фарфора и стеклянных птиц всех размеров.

Внимание телевизионщиков со всего мира было привлечено к этому незаурядному человеку, который появился более чем

в60 программах в различных странах мира, не считая художественных фильмов. Его одержимость сделала его знаменитым и помогла найти друзей в разных концах света. Он встречался со знаменитыми людьми и был приглашен в Голливуд.

Жизнь Дэвида не была легкой. После 12 лет семейной жизни он потерял жену, и все их пятеро детей умерли. Как будто этого было недостаточно, он потерял работу и чуть не остался без ноги. После выздоровления он стал таксистом. Первый предмет в его коллекции был ему подарен. Дэвид считает птиц символами теплоты, доброты и простоты. Они заботятся друг о друге. В Антарктиде они стоят спинами к ветру, чтобы согреть друг друга, и делают это по очереди. Они также очень верны друг другу. Каждый год одна и та же пара собирается вместе раз и навсегда, призывая друг друга уникальным криком, который узнает только партнер. Поскольку Дэвид тащил домой все, что связано с пингвинами, вторая жена выставила его из дома с криком: «Я или пингвины!» Он незамедлительно сделал выбор в пользу пингвинов и никогда не жалел о своем решении.

Exercise 10. Insert the correct prepositions.

1.David always said he knew almost anybody ... importance.

2.The friends bought him a ticket and dragged him ... the concert.

3.... half-way ... her show Madonna leapt ... the stage ... the audi-

ence.

4.David was egged ... ... his friends to go ... and prove that he was ... least an acquaintance ... the Queen.

5.You must drop ... the palace ... tea next time you are ... London.

6.David went ... ... the guard and whispered ... his ear.

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7. The distance made it difficult to make ... who they were, although one was clearly dressed ... white robes.

Exercise 11. Open the brackets.

1.Sure enough David (to say) he (to know) her.

2.The friends (to astonish) but (to think) the meeting (to orches-

trate).

3.David (to egg) on by his friends (to go) along and prove that he (to be) at least an acquaintance of the Queen.

4.When they (to arrive) at the Vatican they (to tell) that they (cannot) gain admittance to the Pope’s private quarters.

5.He (to return) to his friends and (to say) that he (to allow) inside and he (to bring) the Pope out onto the balcony.

6.However, the distance (to make) it difficult (to make) out who they (to be), although one (to dress) clearly in white robes.

The last line of the story “Famous Friends” is: “I don’t know who the person in white is but that’s Wee Davy next to him.”

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Mr. Know–All

Once I was going by ship from San-Francisco to Yokohama. I shared my cabin with a man called Mr. Kelada. He was short and of a sturdy build, dark-skinned, with a hooked nose and very large liquid eyes. His long black hair was curly. And though he introduced himself as an Englishman I felt sure that he was born under a bluer sky than is generally seen in England. Mr. Kelada was chatty. He discussed plays, pictures and politics. Though I was a total stranger to him he used no such formality as to put mister before my name when he addressed me. He was familiar. I didn’t like Mr. Kelada. I not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table, but I couldn’t walk round the deck without his joining me. It was impossible to snub him. It never occurred to him that he was not wanted. He was certain that you were as glad to see him as he was glad to see you. In your own house you might have kicked him downstairs and slammed the door in his face.

Mr. Kelada was a good mixer, and in three days knew everyone on board. He ran everything. He conducted the auctions, collected money for prizes at the sports, organized the concert and arranged the fan- cy-dress ball. He was everywhere and always. He was certainly the best-hated man in the ship. We called him Mr. Know-All, even to his face. He took it as a compliment. But it was at meal times that he was most intolerable. He knew everything better than anybody else and you couldn’t disagree with him. He would not drop a subject till he had brought you round to his way of thinking. The possibility that he could be mistaken never occurred to him.

We were four at the table: the doctor, I, Mr. Kelada and Mr. Ramsay. Ramsay was in the American Consular Service, and was stationed at Kobe. He was a great heavy fellow. He was on his way back to resume his post, having been on a flying visit to New York to fetch his wife, who had been spending a year at home. Mrs. Ramsay was a very pretty little thing with pleasant manners and a sense of humour. She

was dressed very simply, but she knew how to wear her clothes.

One evening at dinner the conversation by chance drifted to the subject of pearls. There was some argument between Mr. Kelada and Ramsay about the value of culture and real pearl. I did not believe

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Ramsay knew anything about the subject at all. At last Mr. Kelada got furious and shouted: “Well, I know what I am talking about. I’m going to Japan just to look into this Japanese pearl business. I’m in the trade. I know the best pearls in the world, and what I don’t know about pearls isn’t worth knowing.”

Here was news for us, for Mr. Kelada had never told anyone what his business was.

Ramsay leaned forward.

“That’s a pretty chain, isn’t it?” he asked pointing to the chain that Mrs. Ramsay wore.

“I noticed it at once”, answered Mr. Kelada. “Those are pearls all right.”

“I didn’t buy it myself, of course,” said Ramsay. “Iwonder how much you think it cost.”

“Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.”

Ramsay smiled. “You’ll be surprised to hear that Mrs. Ramsay bought that string the day before we left New York for eighteen dollars. I’ll bet you a hundred dollars it’s imitation.”

“Done.”

“But how can it be proved?” Mrs. Ramsay asked.

“Let me look at the chain and if it’s imitation I’ll tell you quickly enough. I can afford to lose a hundred dollars,” said Mr. Kelada.

The chain was handed to Mr. Kelada. He took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his face. He was about to speak. Suddenly he saw Mrs. Ramsay’s face. It was so white that she looked as if she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. Mr. Kelada stopped with his mouth open. You could almost see the effort he was making over himself. “I was mistaken,” he said. “It’s a very good imitation.” He took a hundred-dollar note out of his pocket and handed it to Ramsay without a word. “Perhaps that’ll teach you a lesson,” said Ramsay as he took the note.

The story spread over the ship. It was a fine joke that Mr. KnowAll had been caught out. But Mrs. Ramsay went to her cabin with a heardache.

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Next morning I got up and began to shave. Suddenly I saw a letter pushed under the door. I opened the door and looked out, but there was nobody there. I picked up the letter and saw that it was addressed to Mr. Kelada. I handed it to him. He took out of the envelope a hundred–dollar note. He looked at me and reddened.

“Were the pearls real?” I asked.

“If I had a pretty little wife I shouldn’t let her spend a year in New York while I stayed at Kobe,” said he.

(After W. S. Maugham)

Vocabulary

Tasks on the text

Exercise 1. Answer the questions.

1.Where did the author get acquainted with Mr. Kelada?

2.What did Mr. Kekada look like?

3.Why did the author doubt whether his companion was an Englishman?

4.In what way did Mr. Kelada force himself upon his fellow-trav-

ellers?

5.Why did the passengers call him Mr. Know-All?

6.When and why was the author most intolerable?

7.Who was Mr. Ramsay and why had he flown to New York?

8.Describe his wife.

9.What subject did the conversation drift to one evening?

10.What did Mr. Kelada’s companions find out about his business?

11.How did Mr. Kelada value Mrs. Ramsay’s string of pearls?

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