Shevtsova_second_year

magazines or newspapers when going on a journey?

4.A Local (Suburban) Train

1.What do you call the trains that connect the suburbs with the city? 2. What is the usual speed of a local train? 3. How often do local trains run? 4. Who uses local trains? 5. What do the carriages of a local train look like?

5.Booking Tickets

1.How do you book tickets if you intend to go on a journey? 2. How do you reserve tickets by telephone? 3. When are tickets delivered to your home? 4. What is a single, season, return ticket, half ticket? 5. When are tickets booked on the day of the departure? 6. In what case do you return your ticket? 7. Why are travelling agencies to be found only in big cities?

6.A Railway Station

i.How does a big city railway station look different from a small station?

2.What are the duties of a porter? 3. What is a left-luggage department for? When do you use it? 4. What is a time-table for? 5. What is a waiting room for?

Ex. 37. Read the following, answer the questions using the vocabulary of the lesson. Give a name to the story and retell it.

A famous actor often had to travel by train. Of course, a lot of his fellowpassengers used to recognize him on his journeyes, and some them Tried to get into conversation with him, but lie was usually feeling tired after acting until late the night before, so he did not talk to them.

One day he had just got into the train with .ill hi.s luggage, when a young man came and sat down in the seat opposite him. The young man took out a book and began to read it, while the actor tried to get some sleep in his corner of the compartment.

When he opened his eyes, he found that the young man was looking at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed, his book forgotten. The actor shut his eyes and tried to go to sleep again, but every time he opened them he would see the young man staring at him. At last he gave up the attempt to sleep, took out a newspaper, put it up in front of him and began to read.

After a few moments the young man cleared his throat and spoke, 'I beg your pardon, sir,' he said, 'but haven't I seen you somewhere before?'

The actor did not answer. He did not even put his newspaper down. The young man said nothing more for several minutes, but then he tried again: 'I beg your pardon, sir,' he said, 'but are you going to San Francisco?'

The actor put his paper down this time, looked at the young man coldly without saying a word, and then put the paper up in front of him again.

This time there was an even longer pause before the young man spoke again. Then tie said in a la^t attempt to start a conversation with the great man, 'I am George P. Anderson of Wilmington, Vermont.'

This time the actor put his paper down and spoke. 'So am I,' he said. That was the end of the conversation.

Questions

1. Did the actor make regular or occasional trips by train? 2. Why was he often recognized by his fellow-passengers? 3. Why would he usually be annoyed by their attempts to enter into conversation with him? 4. Why didn't he care to talk to them? 5. What happened on that particular occasion? 6. What did the young man realize on giving his fellow-passenger a closer look? 7. Did the actor give any sign to make the young man believe that he wanted to talk to him? 8. Any person would have felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at, wouldn't he? 9. Why did the actor's obvious unwillingness to talk make no impression on the young man? 10. Why did the young man introduce himself? 11. For what purpose, do you think, was the young man trying to-make conversation with the great actor? 12, Was the young man put off in any way by the actor's flat refusal to talk? 13. Do you believe that the actor's answer cured the young man of his annoying habit?

Ex. 38. Read the following, answer the questions and retell the passage in English.

СЛУЧАЙ С ТРАГИКОМ

Знаменитый трагик нигер Олдридж в 1860 году объехал всю Европу. Ему везде сопутствовал успех.

Находясь уже в Северной Америке, он получил приглашение из города Мобилэ, находящегося в южных штатах. Несмотря на то, что этот город был одним из центров расизма, Олдридж все же принял приглашение.

На третий день своего пребывания в Мобилэ, он решил повидаться со своим приятелем, жившим в Монтгомери, и взял туда билет первого класса. Кассир на вокзале, узнав знаменитого актера, конечно, не подумал сказать ему то, что обыкновенно говорил всем чернокожим: «Ваше место в вагоне для негров».

Артист вошел в пустой вагон, удобно уселся и погрузился в чтение газеты, скрывавшей его лицо. Вагон постепенно наполнялся пассажирами. Раздался свисток, и поезд двинулся.

Через некоторое время Олдридж опустил газету. Пассажир, сидевший напротив, вскочил и потребовал, чтобы кондуктор вывел из вагона негра, сказав, что если он этого не сделает, то потеряет работу, т.к. он Франциск

ON TIME

After John O’Нага.

Laura was the first person to take a seat in the Pullman. It was always that way with Laura. Whether for a train, a dentist appointment, the theatre, a dinnerparty, Laura was always punctual. In her home town, her friends would look out of their windows, and seeing Laura on her way to a luncheon or other meeting, they would say, "We have plenty of time. Laura's just leaving." Her punctuality meant that she often had to wait for people. In fact, some time ago, she had been kept waiting a very long time. And now here was the man who had made her wait, taking his seat at the other end of the car.

After ten years, she still knew him before she saw his face. She was annoyed with herself because the sight of him made her realize that she still cared. Just in time she pretended to shade her eyes with her hand as he turned around before sitting down.

The train started. Frank was deep in his paper and a dozen Pullman chairs away from him, Laura was left with her memory of an afternoon a decade ago, an afternoon when she had waited, and waited alone. He had arranged to meet her at Luigi's. He had chosen the place with great care, it was a place where no one knew her. "I'll telephone them to expect you, and you go straight through the bar to the last booth. You won't know anybody, but just in case."

When she went into the place, the owner seemed to recognize her. "Yes, lady, you are meeting Mr. Hillman. Right this way, please." He led her to the booth, took her order for the first drink. She had left her bags in the front of the restaurant, and there was not the slightest doubt in her mind that the owner knew what was going on. He was very polite, very attentive as though every afternoon at four, he greeted young women who were walking out on their husbands because they had fallen madly in love with someone else.

There was admiration but no disrespect in his eyes as he brought her the first drink. The admiration gave way to pity after she had waited two hours and had taken her sixth drink. Then she went home. Frank had tried to get in touch with her, but all his attempts were unsuccessful because she had never replied.

"Would you like to have lunch with me in the dining car?" Frank was standing over her with his easy charming smile.

"Why, Frank," she said, pleased that she did not sound as frightened as she felt. "Why, yes, thanks." She got up and they went to the diner. They did not speak until they had ordered. She hoped that the years had changed her as little as they had him. He was still very handsome.

"I'm very pleased," he said. "Why? At what?"

"That you speak to me. For ten years I've wanted to tell you about that awful day. I know you think I should at least have telephoned. but you never

gave me a chance to tell you what happened. Do you know what happened?" "What happened, Frank?"

"I met with an accident on my way to Luigi's, I was run down by a taxi. When I woke up in the hospital it was too late to call you even if I could have got out of bed, which I didn't for nearly three months."

"Really?" she said.

"And of course there was no one I could ask to phone you. No one else knew."

All at once she saw a way to wipe out the humiliation of those ten years and that one afternoon. '-Frank, I've got to tell you something. 1 wasn't there." She looked at him and, she knew, convincingly.

"What?"

"I never went to the place. I did come to New York. I was going to meet you, but at the last minute I was afraid."

"But, Laura," he said, "when I got out of the hospital, I asked Lui-gi. He said yes, he remembered a lady waiting for me."

"It wasn't I. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't walk out on Bob that way. Then when I went home I was ashamed for being such a coward. That's why I never returned your calls. I was too cowardly."

"You weren't there." He said in a flat voice. "I can't believe it. I can't believe it."

"It worked out better this way," she said. She was heartless, cruel, but she got some comfort out of what she had said.

"Well, I suppose so," he said. He was taking it very well. He couldn't have her see what a hard blow it was for him. "Punctual Laura, on the one occasion when you really should have been on time, you didn't turn up at all."

"Well, better never than late, as they say," she said sweetly.

Ex. 40. Use the following words and phrases in situations.

1. A Trip

to intend to go on a trip some place; to set a day for the departure; to choose to travel by railway; to make inquiries about smth by phone; to book a return ticket in a sleeping car; to start packing one's luggage; an eventful day; to fuss about smth; to turn one's flat upside down; at smb's suggestion; to take smth along; to be on the safe side; finally; to set out; to take a taxi; to arrive at the station safe; to hire a porter; to pile one's luggage on a truck; to have one's luggage put in a luggage van; to catch sight of smb; to come to seesmboff; towishsmb a comfortable journey; to be in high spirits; a signal of departure; to pull out of the station; to wave good-bye to smb; to move slowly; to pick up speed; to be out of sight; to settle down to enjoy smth

2. At a Railway Station

It's these new divorce laws—you get half each!

Ex.42. Subjects for oral and written composition.

1.Retell the story as if you were: a) the American lady; b) the author; c) the author's wife; d) the American lady's daughter.

2.Give a character-sketch of the American lady.

3.Say whether you believe the girl would ever get over her love for the young Swiss.

4.Say whether you think the canary would comfort the girl.

5.Explain the title of the story.

6.Tell a story of true love that wins in spite of all difficulties.

7.Tell a story to illustrate each of the following proverbs:" "Love is blind"; "He who hesitates is lost."

8.Express your point of view as to the say parents should have in such matters as marriage of their grown-up children.

9.Describe a journey by train.

10.Tell a story you have heard from a fellow-passenger during a trip. 11.Write your impressions of a journey by train in the form of travel notes.

Lesson Seven

Text: "Ball of Paper" by William Cooper1

Grammar: Modal Verbs must, can (could)

Ball of Paper

I was in my lab2 one afternoon. It must have been about half-past five, anyway, time to think about going home. There were a couple of observations I wanted to make before I went and it was a quarter of an hour before I could make the second check. During that quarter of an hour the wretched Johnson incident happened.

I decided to use the spare time filling up a form. This form was to do with Johnson's'promotion. Johnson had got to go up for an interview3 and he couldn't go till the form was completed. I'd given our Establishment Officer4 my word that I'd definitely do it before I went home this afternoon. I was Johnson's senior officer4 and whoever read that particular bit of paper was probably going to pay some attention to what I said on it. I hoped they would anyway.

Since Johnson came to me he'd done a good job as an Experimental Officer.4 I could put my hand on my heart and say that. But he was not everything he ought to be. He was inconsistent, inconsistent in a way I just somehow couldn't put up with.

I'm not consistent at all myself. I work in bursts and keep irregular hours. But I can see the sense in that. I couldn't see the sense in the way Johnson went on. He wasn't consistent intellectually. He wasn't consistent in his attitude either. More than once I caught him going behind my back for something he wanted. In fact, he'd have done me one or two dirty tricks if I hadn't found out and stopped him. But that's the personal side of it. What really bothered me was the way he was erratic in his ideas.

To be fair to the man, I've got to admit that he'd had a lot of experience. He had some good ideas as well. I'd even go so far as to say one or two of them were really good, far beyond what you could expect from an E.O.4 He'd also had quite a few bad ones, in fact bad is hardly the word for them. They were blunders. On top of all he had an ungovernable temper.

It was a very difficult decision to make. Moving Johnson up from E.O. to S.S.O.4 was risky. A man as erratic as Johnson is a risk anywhere. In our kind of work he's a menace. But I had to admit that as the years went by he was getting more sensible. He was having his good ideas just as often and he was making blunders less frequently. I was coming round to thinking the risk might be worth

taking. These were the lines I was thinking along, and I should have gone on thinking along them if Johnson hadn't come into the room that evening just at the critical moment.

I suppose you must have guessed that Johnson thought the reason he hadn't succeeded in getting promoted already was because I'd given him a bad writeup,5 that I was responsible for the delay. Mind you, it was a difficult thing to do, to get the kind of appointment he was aiming at. Johnson had it fixed in his head that a poor write-up from me would not permit our people to promote him. As usual he was exaggerating. I'd first reported impartially on his actual work, and then given my personal opinion of the risk of making him an S.S.O. After that it was up to them.

On the last two occasions the Commission had come down on my side of the line. Now I'd come to the conclusion that the line didn't quite stand where it did. The man was definitely taking himself in hand, both in his ideas and in his personal behaviour. I thought the risk was definitely less than it had been, and I was prepared to say so. And that, I thought, might mean that this time Johnson would get what he wanted.

1 picked up my pen. Now I'd got down to it, the job was not as disagreeable as it might have been.

I was just reading the form over before I put my name to it when the door flew open. It was Johnson. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew what I was doing.

I shall now have to describe the lab. It was what's called a hot lab.6 This means there are radio-active substances about the place that can do you serious harm if you expose yourself to too much radiation from them. You've probably seen pictures of people working in hot labs, handling things by remote control, wearing protective clothing and all the rest of it. The labs are air-conditioned, they don't have any windows and they are constantly being swept and polished.

What caught your eye when you came into my lab was an object called a coffin7 in the middle of the floor. A coffin is a large brick-shaped block of solid lead with a cavity on the top. Lead is one of the best materials for stopping radiation. At the bottom of the cavity lay a uranium slug — that's where the radiation was coming from. The slug was fresh from the reactor.

What goes on in an atomic pile is this. Bars of uranium, called slugs, are pushed along channels through the reactor, and while they're there fission of the uranium takes place, so that when they come out at the other end they've been partly transformed into plutonium and fission products. What I have to draw your attention to is that the longer the slug has been in the pile, the more active it's likely to be when it comes out.

I can't describe the experiments I was doing because they are secret. The only two things you need to know I actually can tell you. First, the slugs I was experimenting with had been kept in the reactor a long time. Second, the coffin I was using was one I had designed myself, and it gave very little protection. I