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- •4. On the East Side
- •I. Translate the following phrases and sentences from the text:
- •II. Give the principal forms of the following verbs:
- •III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences. Use them in situations based on the text:
- •IV. Respond to the following questions or statements and correct them(if necessary). When expressing disagreement make sure you begin your answers with such commonly accepted phrases as:
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •VI. Find evidence in the text to support the following statements:
- •VII. Talk about: a) Erik's summer experience; b) Erik's interview with Professor Fox; c) Professor Fox's first impression of Erik Gorin.
- •VIII. Make up dialogues between:
- •XVIII. Give English equivalents for the following short sentences (see Vocabulary and Ex. Ill):
- •XIX. Suggest Russian equivalents for the word combinations in bold type and explain the use of the synonyms in the following sentences:
- •XX. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalents:
- •XXI. Translate the following situations paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type:.
- •XXII. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •XXIII. Read the text and retell it following the points in the outline given below. Make a list of the words and word combinations in the text which you could use to develop each point:
- •XXIV. Make up situations based on the episode from the autobiography of Charlie Chaplin using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •1. Clauses of Unreal Condition
- •II. Give the principal forms of the following verbs:
- •III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences. Use them in situations based on the text:
- •IV. Respond to the following questions or statements and correct them if necessary (see Unit One, Ex. IV, p. 22):
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •VI. Find evidence in the text to support the following statements:
- •VII. Quote sentences which prove that it is a humorous story.
- •VIII. Make up stories as they might have been told by:
- •XVI. Form as many questions as possible on the topics given below using the pattern to have smth done. Ask your comrades to answer your questions:.
- •XVII. Make up short situations using the following pairs of structural patterns:
- •XVIII. Read (he text and retell it in the form of a story retaining the sentences of unreal condition:
- •XIX. Give English equivalents for the following short sentences (see Vocabulary and Ex. Hi):
- •XX. Suggest Russian equivalents for the words and word combinations in bold type and explain the use of the synonyms in the following sentences:
- •XXI. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to 'he words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalent:
- •XXII. Translate the following situations. Use the active vocabulary of Unit Two for the words and word combinations in bold type:
- •XXIII. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •XXIV Read the story and retell it following the outline given below. Make a list of the words and word combinations in the text which you could use to develop each point:
- •XXV. Make tip situations based on the story "The-Legend of Sleepy Hollow" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •I. Translate the following sentences and situations:
- •II. Render into English:
- •Vocabulary extension
- •1. Sentences with /Is-clauses
- •2. Had better, would rather
- •3. The Absense of Article with Nouns in Apposition
- •Vocabulary
- •I wonder who he is, what he wants, why he is here, whether he will come again:
- •I. Translate the following sentences from the text:
- •II. Give the principal forms of the following verbs?
- •III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences and use them in situations based on the text:.
- •IV. Respond to the following questions or statements and correct them if necessary (see Unit One, Ex. IV, p. 22):
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •VI Find evidence in the text to support the following statements:
- •VII Make up stories as they might have been told by:
- •VIII Make up dialogues between:
- •XV. Respond to the following statements, questions or requests using had better or would rather. Give two variants wherever possible. Add a sentence or two to make the situation clear:
- •XVI. Give English equivalents for the following short sentences (see Vocabulary and Ex. Ill):
- •XVII. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type and suggest their Russian equivalents:
- •XVIII.Analyse the use of the tenses in the following sentences. Translate them .Into Russian:.
- •XIX. Translate the following situations. Use the active vocabulary of Unit Three for the words and word combinations in bold type;
- •XX. Read the story and retell it Following the outline given below. Make a list of the words in the text which you could use to develop each point:.
- •XXI. Make up situations based on the story "The Tattoo" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •XXII. Make up sentences based on the story "The Tattoo" using clauses of unreal condition.
- •I. Use one of the patterns - to do smth, to have smth done, to want/need doing smth - in your answers to the question: What would you do or say or ask if....:
- •II. Translate the following sentences and situations a) into Russian::
- •III. Render into English:
- •Vocabulary extension
- •1. Read the following text and translate the word combinations given below each point of the outline. Retell the text following the points:
- •II. Read the text and retell it in the form of a story. Enlarge on the story making use of the words and word combinations from the previous text "Being hi";
- •III. Read the text and write down the words and word combinations connected will; dentistry giving their Russian equivalents. Retell the text in brief;
- •Vocabulary
- •I. Translate the following phrases and sentences from the text:;
- •II. Give the principal forms of the following verbs:
- •III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and use them in situations based on the text:;
- •IV. Develop the thought expressed in each sentence to bring out the meaning of the words in bold type:
- •V. Give a neutral variant for each of the following:
- •VI. Answer the following questions:
- •VII. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •VIII. Give English equivalents for the following short sentences (see Vocabulary and Ex. Ill):
- •IX. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalents:
- •X. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •1. Sentences with so fAaf-clauses ... Move his chair so that he can see
- •Vocabulary
- •I. Translate the following phrases and sentences from the text:
- •VI. Find evidence in the texts (in both parts) to support the following statements:
- •VII. Give a detailed description of each of the following episodes in the third person (Texts 1, 2)I
- •VIII. Make up stories as they might have been told by:
- •IX. Make up character-sketches of Mr. Drake and Mrs. Thayer. Make a list of words and word combinations to help you describe the characters.
- •X. Suggest a title for the story and give your reasons.
- •XI. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns?
- •XII. Give English equivalents for the following Russian short sentences (see Vocabulary and Ex. III):
- •XIII. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalents:
- •XIV. Translate the following situations. Use the active vocabulary of Unit Four for the words and word combinations in bold type;
- •XV. Read the story and give full answers to the questions that follow the text. Make a list of the words in the text which you could use in your answers:
- •XVI. Make up situations based on the text "One Coat of White" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •XVII. Read (he story and write out English and American equivalents for the Russian words given after the text:
- •Vocabulary extension
- •I. Read the text paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Give their Russian equivalents. Get ready to discuss the problem:
- •III. Comment on the following statements concerning visiting, tact, manners (use facts from the texts to prove, illustrate or refute them):
- •IV. Topics for discussion:
- •V. Read the text and retell it:
- •VI. Give a talk on the difference between be and ae, Make up a written outline to guide you.
- •VII. Read the poem. Try to trace the similarity in the views of the author of the poem and the main character of the story "Liberty Hall". Could you accept this attitude towards life?
- •I. Interpret the words given in bold type:
- •II. Answer the following questions:
- •III. Point out the main thought expressed by the poet in each of the three stanzas of the poem.
- •IV. Memorize the poem.
- •V.Read extracts from the following poems. Point out their lexical and syntactical peculiarities using the commentary given to the poem "The Song of the Wage-Slave":
- •VI. State what kinds of relations form the basis for each case of metonymy in the text of the poems "To the Men of England", 'The Song of the Shirt" and "Sons of Poverty".
- •Vocabulary
- •II. Give (he principal forms of the following verbs?
- •III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences and use them in situations based on the text:
- •IV. Answer the following questions.
- •V. Mke up stories as they might have been told by:
- •VI. Find evidence in the text to support the following statements:
- •VII. Suggest a title for the text and give reasons for your choice.
- •VIII. Give ail possible Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type;
- •IX. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •X. Give English equivalents for the following short sentences (see Vocabulary and; Ex. Ill):
- •XI. Suggest Russian equivalents for the word combinations in bold type and explain the use of the synonyms in the following sentences:
- •XII. Translate the following situations. Use the active vocabulary of Unit Six for the words and word combinations in bold type:
- •XIII. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •XV. Make up situations based on the story "Patients Needed" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •Vocabulary extension
- •I. Reproduce the following situations based on the works of famous English and American authors. Make sure that you use the active vocabulary:
- •II. Insert prepositions if necessary:
- •III. Read the story and retell it. Then, using it as a basis, think of sentences which will contain clauses of unreal condition:
- •IV. Read the text and translate it into Russian paying careful attention to the use of the modal verbs. Make up another dialogue with the same structural patterns:
- •V. Respond to the following statements expressing probability, doubt, incredulity or near certainty;
- •VI. Change the following sentences using didn't have to or needn't have done to express absence of necessity:
- •VII. Revise the texts included in Units One-Six. Get ready to answer the following questions:
- •VIII. Make up dialogues on the following topics:
- •IX. Translate the following situalions in written form:
- •Vocabulary
- •II. Look up the synonyms to snatch, to seize, to grip (схватить) in an English-English dictionary or a reference book and explain the difference between them.
- •I. Translate the following sentences or parts of sentences from the text:)
- •II. Find English equivalents in the text for the following Russian word combinations, phrases and sentences:
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following word combinations:
- •IV. Make up disjunctive questions or wrong statements covering the contents of the story and ask your comrades to respond to them (see Unit One, Ex. IV, p. 22).
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •VI. Find evidence in the text to support the following statements:
- •VII. Make up stories as they might have been told by:
- •VIII. Make up dialogues between:
- •IX. Make up character-sketches of Mrs. Packletide and Miss Mebbin.
- •I. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •II. Make up short situations suggested by the following sentences paying careful attention to the word combinations in bold type:
- •III. Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the parts in bold type:
- •IV. Read the sentences and explain the use of the synonyms to snatch, to seize, to grip:
- •V. Read the story and retell it following the outline given below. Make a list of the words in the text to develop each point:
- •VI. Make up situations based on the story "His Wedded Wife" using the following word combinations:
- •VII. Render into English:
- •VIII. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type:
- •1. Sentences with before-clauses
- •2. Infinitive of Subsequent Action
- •Vocabulary
- •I. Translate the following sentences into Russian paying careful attention to the word combinations in bold type:
- •II. Look up the verb to change in an English-English dictionary and write down its meanings. In which of the meanings is it synonymous to the verb to alter? Explain the difference. Give examples.
- •I. Translate into Russian passages from the text which begin and end as follows:
- •II. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and senr tences:
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following word combinations
- •IV. Make up disjunctive questions or wrong statements covering the contents of the story and ask your comrades to respond to them (see Unit One, Ex. IV, p. 22).
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •II. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •III. Make op situations suggested by the following sentences paying careful attention to the word combinations in bold type:
- •IV. Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the parts in bold type:
- •V. Read the following sentences paying carefuJ attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalents:
- •VI. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •VII. Read the story and retell it following the outline given below. Make a list of the words and word combinations in the text which you could use to develop each point:
- •VIII. Make up sentences based on the story "The Pendulum" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •IX. Render into English:
- •X. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type:
- •1. Absolute Nominative Constructions
- •2. There's not a...
- •3. Participle I as Adverbial Modifier
- •Vocabulary
- •I. Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Give possible variants:
- •II. Look up the meanings of the verbs to divide and to share as used in the following sentences and say how they differ:
- •I. Translate into Russian passages from the text which begin and end as follows;
- •II. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences:
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following words and word combinations:
- •IV. Make up disjunctive questions or wrong statements covering the contents of the story and ask your comrades to respond to them (see Unit One, Ex. IV, p. 22).
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •II. Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the absolute nominative constructions:
- •III. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •IV. Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the parts in bold type:
- •V. Read the following sentences carefully and suggest Russian equivalents for the word combinations in bold type:
- •VI. Translate the following sentences using the verbs to share and to divide:
- •VII. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
- •VIII. Read the story and retell it following the outline given below. Make a list of the words in the text which you could use to develop each point:
- •IX. Make up situations based on the story "The Boy Next Door" using the following word combinations and structural patterns:
- •X. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type:
- •I. Translate the following situations paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type:
- •II. Render into English:
- •I. Interpret the following sentences:
- •II. Ahswer the following questions:
- •III. Learn the poem by heart.
- •IV. The following are three translations of John Barleycorn. Which variant do you prefer? Give reasons for your choice:
- •V. Give the metrical scheme used in the following verses. Point out all the violations of the metre;
- •2. Clauses of Real Condition
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Translate the following phrases and sentences from the text:
- •II. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences:
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following words and word combinations:
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •II. Make up situations suggested by the following sentences paying careful attention to the word combinations in bold type:
- •III Translate the following sentences paying careful attention to the parts in bold type:.
- •IV. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:".
- •V. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type:
- •1. Sentences with while-clauses
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Translate the following sentences from the text:
- •II. Give English equivalents for the following sentences:
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following words and word combinations:
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •V. Find evidence in the text to support tfie following statements:
- •VI. Make an outline of the text and retell it following your points.
- •VII. Read the sentences with while-clauses. State the meaning of while and the time relations of the actions:
- •VIII. Translate the following sentences using the structural patterns:
- •IX. Make up short situations using the following gerundial phrases?
- •XI. Make up situations suggested by the following sentences paying careful attention to the word combinations in bold type:
- •XII. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equivalents for the parts in bold type:
- •XIII. Render into English:
- •XIV. Read the following excerpt and retell it in brief:
- •I. Translate into Russian the following sentences and passages from the text which begin and end as follows:
- •II. Find English equivalents for the following Russian phrases and sentences;
- •III. Reproduce situations from the text using the following word combinations!
- •IV. Answer the following questions:
- •IX. Read the following sentences and commeqf on the character of the semantic relations between the components of the verb-postpositive phrases in bold type. Give their Russian equivalents:
- •X. Translate the Following sentences paying careful attention to the parts in bold type:
- •XI. Read the following sentences and suggest Russian equisralents for the verb-postpositive phrases in bold type:
- •XIV. Read the following excerpts and retell them in brief:
- •1. Translate the following sentences and situations:
- •III. Read the end of the story and retell it using the following verb-postpositive phrases wherever possible. Reread the whole story and discuss the title:
- •I. Reproduce the following situations. Make sure that you use the active vocabulary:
- •II. Fill in prepositions and postpositives:
- •III. Point out the structural patterns and explain their use. Translate the sentences into Russian:
- •IV. Revise the texts included in Units Seven-Thirteen. Get ready to answer the following questions:
- •VI. Choose any 10 word combinations out of the following list and "rite sentences (or short situations) in Russian based on the story "The Boatswain's Mate". Discuss the sentences in class:
- •VII. Make up dialogues on the following topics:
- •VIII. Translate the following situations in written form:
- •I. Supply a title to the story and give reasons for your choice.
- •II. Pick out sentences in the story illustrating the various types of if-clauses.
- •III. Make up 5 Russian sentences with clauses of unreal condition based on the story. Ask your comrades to translate them into English.
- •I. What helps you guess the author of the passage? What is the author's name?
- •II. How do you know that it is a passage from a detective story?
- •III. Have you read any short stories by the author? Tell one of them.
- •I. What do we learn from the extract about the author's way of reading? What did he gain from such reading?
- •II. Why did he call himself a bad reader?
- •I. What book does the passage come from?
- •II. What do you think of the man? What made him such an extraordinary person? Why did he attract other people?
- •I. What is the title of the story? Who is its author?
- •Il. What state do you think Johnsy was in? Why did she watch the dry leaves falling?
- •III. What happened later?
- •I. What book does the extract come from? Comment on the language.
- •II.How did the man happen to find himself in the gloomy passages alone and half-dressed?
- •III. Write a simplified version of the passage using your active whenever possible.
- •I. Pick out all the proverbs in the story and give their Russian equivalents.
- •II. Write an end to the story using some of the following proverbs;
- •I. What story does the passage fit into?
- •II. What do you think the cause of Mr. Jones's illness was?
- •I. How does (he passage fit info the story "One Coat of White"?
- •II. Bring out the meaning of "People don’t often look their business". Do you agree to the statement? Give examples to justify jour point of view.
- •I. How does the author characterize a modern disease the name of which is travel? Are you taken with a similar disease when your summer or winter vacations are coming?
- •II. What aim do you set yourself when you travel or go hiking?
- •III. What thoughts in the extract strike you as most humorous?
- •I. What efforts at self-improvement have you ever made? Were they successful?
- •II. Write a short story about one of your efforts at self-improvement and what came of it.
- •III. Pick out words and word combinations in the story which you think are used by the author to achieve a humorous effect.
- •I. Make up a few questions on the passage and ask your comrades to answer them.
- •II. Think of a number of statements concerning events in the text and ask your comrades to find evidence in the text to support them.
- •I. What story is the passage taken from? How does it fit into it?
- •II. What did the girl look like as she hurried to the painter's studio? What do you know about her from the rest of the story?
- •III. What city is described in the passage? What similes help you guess? What do you know about the city?
- •I. Read and translate the text.
- •II. Give English equivalents for the following Russian word combinations and phrases:
- •III. Answer the following questions. Make use of the word combinations listed in brackets:
- •IV. Translate the following sentences using words and word combinations from the text:
- •V. Make a written translation of the following passages:
- •VI. Reproduce the following passages:
- •VII. Speak on the Soviet Union's achievements in different spheres of life. Make use of the text and the additional passages given in Exercises V, VI.
IX. Read the following sentences paying careful attention to the words and word combinations in bold type. Suggest their Russian equivalents:
1. She was making for the terrace steps, as though she might be coming to the garden house. This meant a real emergency, for she never disturbed him when he was supposed to be at work. 2. "We'd better not tell the boy the truth. He is happy here. He looks on Silvester as his father. I don't want him disturbed." 3. The surface of the water was disturbed a minute and then became clear again. 4. "I'm sorry, I've bothered you with all our affairs. 5. It was cold on deck. But when Louise asked him to go and get a rug he said he couldn't be bothered. 6. We were not bothered with the telephone again. All the calls were put through to the office. 7. He did not want me to marry Joliffe because he thought he would not make a suitable husband. 8. ... Adam had looked at several houses but had found nothing really suitable. 9. Joy ran up in an eager, excited way, collecting towels. Her bathing-dress, which she still wore, annoyed Betsy. It was not quite suitable. In her position she should have known that a one-piece suit was the right thing. 10. With my money we had quite enough to live on in a comfortable and civilized way. 11. "What do you think of my car?" "Well, she goes." - "But don't you find her comfortable?" 12. Such, a change of plan was not convenient, but there was no other choice.
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13. I knew they were talking about me. I began to feel more uncomfortable than ever. 14. It was a comfortable room, with books lining the walls up to the ceiling. 15. I wondered whether she would cry, whether she would begin to talk about my father. But she asked me if my journey had been comfortable and if I would like to have some tea. 16. He went away and said that he would be back very soon. There was an important matter to be settled. 17. "That's settled, and you won't go back on your word?" 18. "The English community sticks together here," Silvester explained to me. "Naturally we visit each other's houses." 19. The little boy knew that he must speak first, yet he could think of nothing to say and, when he did, for a long awkward moment the words stuck in his throat. 20. I was not sure how this display of his pictures might strike other people. 21. "Do you think he means to let us down?" - "He didn't strike me as a dishonorable person." 22. "We shall be grateful to you if you provide means for us to return home as soon as possible ..." 23. I walked over to the fire and kicked a log. I would not have him notice for the world that my hands were trembJing. 24. The plane bumped and tossed in air-pockets and the passengers had to hold on to their seats. 25. "Will you go on having music lessons?" - "I might as well, twice a week." 26. ... 1 thought we might as well go out and have a drink or stroll around, because there was not much point in staying indoors any longer.
X. Make up short dialogues using the following structural patterns:
a) I should (would) have said; needn't have done; may have done; I wish
b) didn't have to do; must have done; now that; needn't do; 1 should (would) think
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TEXT 2
About a quarter to four Mr. Thayer insisted on taking him around the place and showing him the shrubbery.
"I'll have to go to business tomorrow," said Mr. Thayer, "and you will be left to amuse yourself. I thought you might enjoy this planting more if you knew a little about it. Of course it's much prettier in the spring of the year."
"I can imagine so."
"You must come over next spring and see it."
"I'm usually busy in the spring," said Ben.
"Before we go in," said Mr. Thayer, "I'd like to ask you one question: Do tunes come into your mind and then you write them down, or do you just sit at the piano and improvise until you strike something good?"
"Sometimes one way and sometimes the other," said Ben.
"That's very interesting," said Mr. Thayer. "I've often wondered how it was done. And another question: Do you write the tunes first and then give them to the men who write the words, or do the men
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write the words first and then give them to you to make up the music to them?"
"Sometimes one way and sometimes the other," said Ben.
"That's very interesting," said Mr. Thayer. "It's something I'm glad to know. And now we'd better join the ladies or my wife will say I'm monopolizing you."
They joined us, much to my relief. I had just reached a point where I would either have had to tell "Hilda" (Mrs. Thayer) exactly how much Ben earned per annum or that it was none of her business.
"Well!" said Mrs. Thayer to Ben. "I was afraid Ralph had kidnapped you."
"He was showing me the shrubbery," said Ben.
"What do you think of it?"
"It's great shrubbery," said Ben, striving to put some warmth into his voice.
"You must come and see it in the spring."
"I'm usually busy in the spring."
"Ralph and I are mighty proud of our shrubbery."
"You have a right to be."
Ben was taking a book out of the bookcase.
"What book is that?" asked Mrs. Thayer.
"'The Great Gatsby", said Ben. "I've always wanted to read it but never got around to it."
"Heavens!" said Mrs. Thayer as she took it away from him. "That's old! You'll find the newest ones there on the table. We keep pretty well up to date. Ralph and I are both great readers. Just try any one of those books in that pile. They're all good."
Ben glanced them over and selected "Chevrons." He sat down and opened it.
"Man! Man!" exclaimed Mrs. Thayer. "You've picked the most uncomfortable chair in the house!"
"He likes straight chairs," I said.
"That's on the square," said-Ben.
"But you mustn't sit there," said Mrs. Thayer. "It makes me uncomfortable just to look at you. Take this chair here. It's the softest, nicest chair you've ever sat in."
"I like hard straight chairs," said Ben, but he sank into the soft, nice one and again opened the book.
"Oh, you never can see there!" said Mrs. Thayer. "You'll ruin your eyes! Get up just a minute and let Ralph move your chair by that lamp."
"I can see perfectly well."
"I know better! Ralph, move his chair so he can see."
"I don't believe I want to read just now anyway," said Ben, and went to the phonograph. "Bess," he said, putting on a record, "here's that 'Oh! Miss Hannah!' by the Revelers."
Mrs. Thayer nearly leaped to his side, and herded Miss Hannah back into her stall.
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"We've got later ones than that," she said. "Let me play you the new Gershwins."
I won't go into details regarding the dinner except to relate that three separate items were highly flavored with cheese, and Ben despises cheese.
"Don't you care for cheese, Mr. Drake?" asked Mr. Thayer, noticing that Ben was not exactly bolting his food.
"No," replied the guest of honour.
"He's spoofing you, Ralph," said Mrs. Thayer. "Everybody likes cheese."
There was coffee, and Ben managed to guzzle a cup before it was desecrated with pure cream.
We sat down to bridge.
"Do you like to play families or divide up?"
"Oh, we like to play together," said I.
"I'll bet you don't," said Mrs. Thayer. "Suppose Ralph and you play Mr. Drake and me. I think it's a mistake for husbands and wives to be partners. They're likely to criticize one another and say things that leave a scar."
Well, Mr. Thayer and I played against Ben.and:Mrs. Thayer arid I lost sixty cents at a tenth of a cent a point. Long before the evening was over I could readily see why Mrs. Thayer thought it was a mistake to play with her husband and if it had been, possible I'd have left him a complete set of scars.
Just as we were getting to sleep, Mrs. Thayer, knocked on our door.
"I'm afraid you haven't covers enough," she called.
"Thanks," I said. "We're as warm as toast."
"I'm afraid you aren't," said Mrs. Thayer.
"Lock the door," said Ben, "before she comes in and feels our feet."
All through breakfast next morning we waited in vain for the telephone call that would yield Irene's message. The phone rang once and Mrs. Thayer answered, but we couldn't hear what she said. At noon Ben signaled me to meet him upstairs and there he stated grimly that I might do as I choose, but he was leaving Liberty Hall ere another sun had set.
"You haven't any excuse," I reminded him.
"I'm a genius," he said, "and geniuses are notoriously eccentric."
"Geniuses' wives sometimes get eccentric, too," said I and began to pack up.
Mr. Thayer had gone to Philadelphia and we were alone with our hostess at luncheon.
"Mrs. Thayer," said Ben, "do you ever have premonitions or hunches?"
She looked frightened. "Why, no. Do you?"
"I had one not half an hour ago. Something told, me that I positively must be in New York tonight. I don't know whether it's business or illness or what, but I've just got to- be ihere!"
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"That's the strangest thing I ever heard of," said Mrs. Thayer. "It scares me to death:"
"It's nothing you need be scared of," said Ben. "It only concerns me."
"Yes, but listen," said Mrs. Thayer. "A telegram came for you at breakfast time this morning. I wasn't going to tell you about it because I had promised that you wouldn't be disturbed. And it didn't seem so terribly important. But this hunch of yours puts the matter in a different light. I'm sorry now that I didn't give you the message when I got it, but I memorized it and can repeat it word for word: 'Mr. Ben Drake, care of Mr. Ralph Thayer, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, In Nile song, second bar of refrain, bass drum part reads A flat which makes discord. Should it be A natural? Would appreciate your coming to theatre tonight to straighten this out as harmony must be restored in orchestra if troupe is to be success. Regards, Gene Buck.
"It sounds silly, doesn't?" said Ben. "And yet I have known productions to fail and lose hundreds of thousands of dollars just because an author or composer left town too soon. I can well understand that you considered the message trivial. At the same time I can thank my stars that this instinct, or devination, or whatever you' want to call it, told me to go home."
Just as the trainsmen were shouting "Board!" Mrs. Thayer said: "I have one more confession to make. I answered Mr. Buck's telegram. I wired him. "Mr. Ben Drake resting at my home. Must not be bothered. Suggest that you keep bass drums still for a week." And I signed my name. Please forgive me if I have done something terrible. Remember, it was for you."
(From "Liberty Hall" by Ring Lardner)
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COMMENTARY
NOTES
1. ... how much Ben earned per annum
Per annum (Lat.)
The preposition per is a Latin word meaning by, through. It entered the English literary language in combination with certain Latin nouns, e. g.
-
per annum by the year
-
per centum by the hundred
-
per capita by the head
-
Later per began to be used in English with the meanings by, by means of, through, by the action of, e. g.
-
per head с головы, на душу
-
per year в год
-
per man на человека
-
per post почтой
-
per К- Smith через К. Смита
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The old Latin word combinations are rarely used today except in legal or official documents.
2. Mr. Drake, care of Mr. Ralph Thayer ...
Care of (c/o) is usually written on letters (telegrams, packages, etc) before the name of the person to whose house (office, etc) a letter (a telegram, etc) to another person is sent.
Mr. Smith c/o Brown & Co. |
Фирме Браун и Кo для передачи мистеру Смиту. |
The examples above illustrate some lexical (1), spelling (2) and grammatical (3) peculiarities of American English (AE) as compared with British English (BE).
British and American English are considered to be variants of the same language. They display a number of differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and spelling. But obvious as they are, these differences in no way violate the whole system of the English language.
The differences in pronunciation are of a most systematic character. They immediately identify a speaker as belonging to the one community or to the other, Yet even so, there is no doubt that the phonetic system is essentially identical for the two variants.
The greater proportion of English vocabulary is also common to both variants of English. There are, however, quite a large number of cases in which different words are used in BE and AE to denote similar ideas and objects, e. g.
(For other examples of vocabulary differences between BE and AE see exercise XVII.)
Spelling differences are fairly systematic too.
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The following list includes examples of the main types of spelling differences.
AE |
BE |
color |
colour |
humor |
humour |
program |
programme |
cigaret |
cigarette |
theater |
theatre |
center |
centre |
traveling |
travelling |
marvelous |
marvellous |
The number of grammatical differences turns out to be rather small. They have to do with some verbal forms, prepositions, articles, e. g.
AE |
BE |
Do you have .,.? (In the meaning "Do you own or possess at this moment?") |
Have you got ...? |
to start work Friday |
to start work on Friday |
He is in the hospital |
He is in hospital |
The examples given above do not cover every possible difference in vocabulary, grammar, spelling between BE and AE. What is important to bear in mind is that these differences are not so numerous and fundamental as to consider British and American English two' separate languages. The more so that nowadays the differences are getting fewer due to the extensive penetration of Americanisms into BE and vice versa.
STRUCTURAL PATTERNS