- •Impulse by Conrad Aiken
- •Exercises
- •1. Answer the following questions.
- •2. Paraphrase or explain.
- •3. Say what is meant by
- •4. Express the following in literary English.
- •5. Find in the text the English for
- •6. Study the italicized phrases. Recall how they were used in the text. Make sentences with each.
- •7. Express the following using phrases from Exercise 6.
- •12. Translate the following into Russian.
- •13. Study the italicized words, discriminate between the shades of difference in their usage or in their meaning. Translate the sentences into Russian.
- •14. Supply the missing word.
- •15. Study the following word combinations. Translate them into Russian. Make sentences with each.
- •16. Translate the following into English using just.
- •17. Render the following in English. Use the words and phrases given below.
- •18. Speak on a trial or a case you have read about or attended. Use the words and phrases given below.
- •19. Topics for oral and written composition.
Exercises
1. Answer the following questions.
1. Why did Michael Lowes hum as he shaved that morning?
2. Why did he decide against telling his wife about his plans for the evening? 3. How was he going to let her know that he wouldn't be home till late? 4. What was the usual routine of such an evening? 5. What did he think of his bridge game companions? 6. How did the conversation turn to impulse? 7. What did each of them have to say on the subject? 8. What made Michael think of putting the impulse to test? 9. How did he plan to carry out the theft? 10. What made him believe that he could get away with it? 11. How was Michael caught? 12. What explanation did he offer? 13. Why did his friends of the evening refuse to support his story? 14. Why did his wife turn against him? 15. What had actually prompted Michael's action?
2. Paraphrase or explain.
1. ... — cheap fellows, really—mere pick-up acquaintances. 2. ... Michael never could remember which one of them it was who had put in the first oar — about impulse. 3. ... civilization is only skin-deep. 4. To know that this was a kind of universal human inclination came over him with something like relief. 5. ... it would be bad business. 6. ... why not be a Columbus of the moral world ...? 7. Everything was propitious. 8. He thought of wrenching his arm free, but feared it would make a scene. 9. Michael's hand was yanked violently from his pocket, the fatal snakeskin box was pulled out by the detective, and identified by the manager and the clerk. 10. A clerk had been dispatched, also, to look up Michael's record, if any. 11. Hurwitz had added that he knew Lowes was-hard up. 12. Dora was cold, detached, deliberate. 13. They had drifted apart. 14. This is the last straw. 15. Michael, you must learn to be orderly.
3. Say what is meant by
an asymmetrical face; a bi-weekly day of escape; a row about unpaid bills; a snapshot; an impulse; a temptation; a fair chance; a precise mental picture; a prescription counter; an appalling turn of events; an improbable lie; a tipsy desire; harmless experiments; intense curiosity; chilly abruptness; a testimony; a college man; a state of complete stupor; a plain fact
4. Express the following in literary English.
1. Jeez, what a life. 2. Let the bills wait, damn them! 3. ... he trotted out some gin ... 4. And you don't do it, because you know damn well if you do you'll get arrested. 5. I see a nice little thing right in front of me on the counter — you know, a nice little knife, or necktie ... 6. I guess you thought that was pretty slick ... 7. I saw him pinch it ... 8. It ain't far. 9. Prisoner, further, had once or twice jumped his rent ...
5. Find in the text the English for
напевать без слов; учитывая; неоплаченные счета; перекусить; выскользнуть из дома; неудача преследовала его; мелкий, сухой снег; встать, чтобы размяться; развивать идею; поддаться искушению; мешать карты; возобновить игру; снова наполнить стаканы; оказаться под подозрением; отвезти на машине; нетвердо держаться на ногах; проверить на практике; как ни странно; пробиться боком сквозь толпу; товары; бритвенный прибор; в одно мгновение; сердце его забилось; охваченный паникой; недоверчиво улыбаться; поворот событий; потерять очарование; замедлить шаг; иметь дело с преступниками; наводить справки; отрицать что-либо; нуждаться (в деньгах); вскочить на ноги; поднять брови; спокойный голос; опасения оказались обоснованными; запинаться; терять нить; денежные накопления; думать с горечью; потерять работу; ковырять в зубах; ни тени сомнения; отказаться давать свидетельские показания в чью-либо пользу; случай кражи; состояние полного отупения; начать дело о разводе; быть осужденным за кражу