Read and write in English 4
Read and write in English 3
THE THREE WISHES (AN OLD ENGLISH FAIRY TALE)
One winter evening a poor peasant sat near the fire talking with his wife about one of their neighbours who was a rich man.
"If only I had a little money myself", he said, "I should open my own shop".
"I", answered his wife, "should not be satisfied with that, I should be happy if I lived in a big house, and then, if I saw people like ourselves, I should help them and try to make everybody happy. But we are no longer in the time of fairies. If only I could meet one of them, it would not take me long to decide what to ask of her".
Hardly had she said these words when a beautiful young lady appeared in their room and told them she was a fairy willing to grant their first three wishes. But she said they should choose carefully as she could allow them no more than three wishes. Then the beautiful lady disappeared.
At first the husband and wife were astonished. Then they began discussing the first wish that it would be best to have. They quarreled for a long time and finally decided to wish for nothing for a while and put it off till the next day.
The woman looked at the bright fire and said without thinking: "Oh, it would be a good thing to have a good sausage for our supper". And a long thick sausage fell on their table. The husband got very angry and began scolding his wife. "Isn't that a fine wish? You're such a stupid woman! I wish this sausage would stick to your nose!" This was hardly said when the sausage jumped up and stuck to the poor woman's face.
The husband understood that he himself had been even more foolish than his wife, but no matter how he tried he could not tear the sausage off his wife's nose. "If you had not wished to have this beauty sausage, I should not have wished it to stick to your nose", said the husband.
Finally they realized that they had only one wish left. They thought for a long time and agreed to have their last wish. They wished the sausage to fall on the table, which it did.
I Listen to the text and put “+” if the sentence is right and “-” if one is false
1 One spring evening a poor peasant sat near the fire talking with his wife.
2 They were talking about one of their neighbours who was a rich man.
3 They had their own shop.
4 The woman wanted to meet a fairy.
5 A young lady appeared in their room and told them that she was their neighbour.
6 They were astonished.
7 They began to discuss their first wish and were ready to tell about it in ten minutes.
8 They wanted to have supper first of all.
9 The husband understood that he himself had been even more foolish than his wife.
10 Finally they wished to have a beautiful house.
II Choose the correct answer
1) What were they talking about near the fire?
A. about money
B. about a rich man
C. about a poor peasant
D. about winter
2) What would the peasant do, if he had money?
A. buy sausage
B. build a new house
C. open his own shop
D. help poor people
3) What is happiness for a woman?
A. to live in a big house
B. to have a rich neighbour
C. to have a shop
D. to have many wishes
4) Who could help them to become happy?
A. a rich man
B. a stranger
C. a fairy
D. relatives
5) What was a fairy willing to do?
A. to get dinner for them
B. to ask money
C. to sit near the fire
D. to realize their first three wishes
6) What does the word "astonish" mean?
A. to be pleased
B. to surprise
C. to quarrel
D. to satisfy
7) What did the husband and wife do when they heard the fairy's will?
A. they quarrelled with her
B. they decided to wish for something at once
C. decided to put it off till the next day
D. they asked her to sit near the fire
8) How did they feel when they got their first wish?
A. were happy
B. angry
C. frightened
D. hungry
9) What was their first wish?
A. bright fire
B. much money
C. a big house
D. a good sausage
10) What was their last wish?
A. to stick the sausage to the wife's nose
B. to have good appetite
C. to tear the sausage off the wife's nose
D. to fall on the table
III Complete the sentences
1 One winter evening a poor peasant sat near…
2 If only I had a little money myself I should…
3 At first the husband and wife were…
4 And a long thick sausage fell on…
5 Finally they realized that they had only one…
IV Express your attitude to the behaviour of the husband and the wife (8 – 10 sentences)
The Lady or the Tiger?
In the very old times there lived a king, and he was a man of great fancy.
One day an idea came to his mind, and the king decided to modernize the system of court trial in his kingdom.
For this purpose there was built a big arena with galleries around it. In that arena the most important criminals were to be put on trial in public. But neither the king nor anybody of his court was to decide the fate of the accused person. It was the criminal himself who did it. On an appointed day when all the people had gathered at the galleries, and the king and his court had taken their places, the accused person stepped into the arena. On the other side of the arena there were two doors. The doors were side by side and identical. The accused person was to walk to those doors and open one of them. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger and tore him to pieces, as a punishment for his crime. At the same time the sad bells began to clang, and the people with heavy hearts went to their homes. But if the accused opened the other door, there came out of it a beautiful lady. And to that lady he was immediately married, as a reward for his innocence. It did not matter that the accused might already have a wife and children, or a bride; the king took no notice of such trifles.
Such was the king's method of showing justice.
The king had a daughter whom he loved greatly. She was very beautiful and, at the same time, she was very conceited. It happened so that she fell in love with a young man whose social position was not as high as hers. But they were happy.
One day the king learned about their love. The young man was immediately put into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king's arena.
On this occasion the most savage tiger was caught and caged behind one of the doors, and a very beautiful girl was found to stand behind the other door.
The appointed day came. A lot of people gathered at the galleries. The king and his court were in their places. Then the signal was given, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. He bowed to the king and looked at the princess who was sitting to the right of her father. The princess had learned the secret of the doors. She knew not only in which room there was the lady, but also who that lady was. It was one of the most beautiful girls of the court, and the princess hated her. The princess was very jealous.
When the lover looked at her, he understood that she knew behind which door was the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. His eyes asked: "Which?"
The question was clear to her, and she had to answer. She raised her hand and made a slight movement towards the right door. Her lover turned and, without the slightest hesitation, went to the door on the right.
And now it is for you, dear reader, to decide: did the princess lie or didn't?
Make your decision. But remember, that, on the one hand the princess loved the young man greatly; but on the other hand she was hot-tempered and jealous.
I Read the text and put “+” if the sentence is right and “-” if one is false
1 The king decided to modernize the system of court trial in his kingdom.
2 For this purpose there was built a stadium.
3 The accused person stepped into the gallery.
4 If the accused opened the door and a beautiful lady came out, he had immediately to sing a song for her.
5 The king’s daughter was conceited, hot-tempered and jealous.
6 The princess didn’t know the secret of the doors.
7 The princess’ lover turned and, without the slightest hesitation, went to the door on the right.
II Find the correct answer
1 What kind of man was a king?
a) a man of great courage
b) a man of great fancy
c) a man of great mind
d) a man of great wit
2 What did the king decide to modernize one day?
a) a political system
b) a system of education
c) a system of court trial
d) a system of social assistance
3 What was built for this purpose?
a) a big arena with galleries around it
b) a beautiful palace
c) a new market
d) a new highway
4 Who was to decide the fate of accused person?
a) the trial
b) the government
c) neither the king nor anybody of his court
d) the court
5 Where did the accused person step?
a) into the garden
b) into the palace
c) into the arena
d) into the prison
6 What did the accused person have to open?
a) a box on the table
b) a letter in the envelope
c) a door of the arena
d) a window in the palace
III Write synonyms from the text
1 an imaginative man
2 a pretty lady
Ambitious
4 ill-tempered
5 envious
IV Write 10 – 15 sentences about your attitude to the story “The Lady or the Tiger?”
JIM THORPE
Jim Thorpe was perhaps the greatest athlete the United States has ever had.
James Francis Thorpe was born on May 28, 1888 in Oklahoma.
First he went to a public school for Indians near his home. In 1904 he entered the Carlisle Indian School. He did not have enough money to study full-time and had to interrupt his education several times as he had to earn his living.
The director of athletics at Carlisle was Glenn Warner, a famous athletic coach. Warner began to train Thorpe for football and track. Jim became the best American football player. He also competed in baseball, basketball, tennis and swimming.
In 1912 the Olympic Games were held in Stockholm. Never before in the history of the Modern Olympics had one man competed in both pentathlon and decathlon at one meeting of the Olympic Games. Thorpe did this and he won two gold medals.
According to the rules only amateur athletes can take part in the Olympic Games. One of the reporters discovered that Thorpe had earned 25 dollars a month playing baseball during two summer vacations some years before. He was not therefore an amateur athlete and he had to return his gold medals. The men who came second in the pentathlon and decathlon refused to take them saying they really belonged to Thorpe.
Thorpe decided to give up amateur athletics. He became a professional baseball and football player. He continued to play professional football and baseball until 1929.
Since 1929 Thorpe had odd jobs: he worked as a laborer in California, sometimes he played the part of an Indian in movies about the old West.
On March 28, 1953 Thorpe died in the town of Lomita, California, a poor lonely man not quite 65 years old.
I Agree or disagree
1 Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete the United Kingdom has ever had.
2 He was born on June 28, 1888 in Oklahoma.
3 He didn't have enough money to study full-time.
4 He had to interrupt his education only once as he had to earn his living.
5 The director of athletics at Carlisle, who began to train Jim, was John Warner.
6 Jim Thorpe became the best American coach.
II Choose the correct answer.
1 Jim went to a public school...
A for black people
B for Indians
C for poor people
2 Warner began to train Thorpe for...
A handball and track
B football and track
C football, track and volleyball
3 In 1912 the Olympic Games were held in...
A Sydney
B Strasbourg
C Stockholm
4 Thorpe competed at one meeting of the Olympic games in both pentathlon and decathlon and won...
1 the gold medals
B the silver medal
C the silver medal and the gold one
5 Thorpe had earned 25 $ a month playing ... during two summer vacations some years before he won his medals.
A football
B baseball
C basketball
6. Thorpe decided to give up amateur athletics because...
A he wanted to become a professional football player
B one of the reporters discovered that he hadn't been an amateur athlete taking part in the Olympic Games
C he wanted to become a basketball instructor
III Fill in the gaps
1 Jim Thorpe perhaps the greatest athlete the United States…
2 James Francis Thorpe was born on May 28, 1888 in…
3 The director of athletics at Carlisle was Glenn Warner…
4 In 1912 the Olympic Games were held in…
5 Thorpe decided to give up amateur athletics, he became a professional…
IV Give facts proving that Jim Thorpe was one of the best athletes in the history of sport in the USA (10 sentences)
THE TRIMMED LAMP (after O. Henry)
Lou and Nancy were friends. They came to New York to find work because there was not enough to eat at their homes. Nancy was nineteen. Lou was twenty. Both Nancy and Lou were very pretty. Lou found work in a laundry. She was an ironer. Nancy began to work as a sales-girl.
At the end of six months of their life in the big city, Lou met a young man named Dan. They soon became good friends. In fact they fell in love with each other. They went out together several times a week.
"Aren't you cold, Nancy?" Lou asked her friend one evening. They were standing on the corner waiting for Dan. "I feel sorry for you. Why are you working in that old store for eight dollars a week? I made eighteen dollars last week! Of course, ironing is not so pleasant as selling gloves in a store, but it pays. None of the ironers make less than ten dollars a week. I like my work."
"And I like mine," said Nancy, "even though I make only eight dollars a week. I like to work in a big store, and to be among beautiful things and nice people. One of our sales-girls married a steel maker from Pittsburg. He makes a lot of money! You may be sure I'll catch a millionaire some day! And whom can you marry working in a laundry?"
"Why, I met Dan in the laundry,'" said Lou. "He came in to get his Sunday shirt and collars and saw me. I was ironing. Later he said he had noticed my arms first, how white and round they were. I tell you, some very rich men come to laundries. Of course if you want to starve and put on airs, do as you like!"
Just then Dan came. He was an electrician, making thirty dollars a week. It was clear he was in love with Lou, he looked at her with the sad eyes of Romeo.
"Nancy, I want to introduce to you my friend, Mr. Owens. Dan, shake hands with Miss Danforth," said Lou.
"I'm very glad to meet you, Miss Danforth," said Dan. "I've heard so much about you from Lou."
"Thanks," said Nancy, "I've heard from her about you, too."
"I have tickets for a theatre," said Dan. "Let's all go." The three of them started out to have a good time together.
Nancy had no gentlemen friends. Nobody waited for her after work. Some of the sales-girls joked that she was waiting to "catch a millionaire". "I'll make the biggest catch in the world, – or nothing at all!" she used to say.
One day, two of the sales-girls who worked with Nancy invited her to have dinner together with them and their gentlemen friends. The dinner took place in a fashionable cafe.
One of the gentlemen friends had no hair on his head, – the other wore a diamond ring and liked neither the food nor the wine.
The next day the gentleman with the diamond ring appeared in the shop and asked Nancy to marry him. She said 'no'. When he left, one of the girls said to Nancy: "What a terrible fool you are! That fellow is a millionaire – he is the son of Van Skittles himself! Are you mad, Nancy? What do you want? Do you want to be a Mormon and marry Rockefeller and the King of Spain at the same time?"
"I don't want his money," said Nancy "I don't ' like him, that's all! I want to marry a rich man, that's true. But I also want to like him!"
Lou worked on in the laundry. Out of her eighteen dollars a week she paid six dollars for her room and board. The rest of the money went for clothes.
When the day's work was over she met Dan who was always waiting for her outside the laundry.
Sometimes Dan did not like her clothes, they were too bright – he thought – and in bad taste. But she liked bright clothes, and when people in the streets looked at her, she liked that very much.
Dan and Lou always asked Nancy to come with them when they went out to have a good time.
One Saturday afternoon the two girls met, and Lou said: "Dan is always asking me to marry him. But why should I? I am independent. Now I can do what I like with the money I make. And if I marry Dan he will not allow me to work. Nancy, what are your plans for the future? Have you caught your millionaire yet?"
"Not yet," said Nancy with a laugh. "I haven't selected one yet..."
"You are joking, of course," said Lou.
"Millionaires don't notice working girls like us. Still I am sure that I'll catch one before you do."
Nancy worked on. She watched and studied the rich men and women who came to the store. She hoped some day to find the man she could marry.
So she kept her lamp trimmed and burning to receive her bridegroom when he should come.
One Thursday evening Nancy left the store and walked over to the laundry. Dan and Lou had invited her to go to a musical comedy with them.
Dan was just coming out of the laundry when she arrived. There was a strange nervous look on his face.
"I hoped to find out something about her. I thought they had heard from her," he said. "Heard from whom? What are you talking about?" said Nancy. "Isn't Lou there?" "I thought you knew everything," said Dan. "She hasn't been here or at the house where she lived since Monday. She lock all her things from there. She told one of the girls in the laundry that she was going to Europe."
"Has anybody seen her anywhere?" asked Nancy. Dan looked at her. His gray eyes were like steel.
"They told me in the laundry," he said, "that they saw her yesterday ... in an automobile. With one of those millionaires that you and Lou were always talking about."
For the first time in her life Nancy did not know what to say. Then she laid her hand on Dan's arm and said:
"You have no right to say such a thing to me, Dan. Do you think that she has done it because of my jokes about millionaires? I am sorry for you, but I have nothing to do with it."
"I'm sorry I said it," answered Dan, "Don't be angry with me!"
"I have tickets for a show to-night," he said a moment later. "If you..."
Nancy saw how miserable he was and she felt sorry for him.
"I'll come with you, Dan," she said.
Three-months passed before Nancy saw Lou again.
One evening she was hurrying home from the store. Suddenly somebody called her name. She turned around and saw Lou who caught her in her arms.
Nancy noticed at once that Lou had become rich. She was very well dressed and had diamond rings on her fingers.
"You little fool," cried Lou, "I see you are still working in that store. I see you haven't caught a millionaire yet."
And then Lou looked and saw that Nancy had something better than money, something that shone brighter than stars in her eyes, something that was redder than a rose in her cheeks. Happiness!
"Yes, I'm still in the store," said Nancy, "but I am going to leave it next week. I've made my catch, the best catch in the world. I'm going to be married to Dan... to Dan! He is my Dan now."
A policeman, going around the corner of the park saw two young women. One of them, with diamond rings on her fingers was crying like a child. The other, a simply dressed working girl, was trying to console her. The policeman passed on. He knew he could not help the one who was crying.
I Do you agree or not?
1 Nancy and Lou came to New York to catch the bridegrooms.
2 The girls did not find any work in New York.
3 Lou found her happiness in New York
4 Nancy envied Lou.
5 When Van Skittles asked Nancy to marry him she agreed at once.
6 Lou was looking forward to marrying Dan.
7 Dan was nervous when he hadn't found Lou.
8 Lou was happier than Nancy.
II Choose the correct answer according to the information in the text.
1 Lou and Nancy came to New York
a) for entertainment; b) to get acquainted with its sights; c) to find work; d) to buy all the necessary things.
2 Lou and Dan
a) got married on the second day; b) became good friends soon; c) were close relatives d) met in the theatre.
3 Nancy's dream was
a) to return home; b) to change her boring work; c) to spend all her free time shopping; d) to catch a millionaire some day.
4 It was clear that Dan was in love with Lou because
a) he brought her flowers every day; b) he looked at her with the sad eyes of Romeo.
c) he asked her to marry him; d) he wanted to be with Lou every minute.
5 Nancy refused to marry the son of Van Skittles because
a) he wasn't rich enough; b) she fall in love with the other man; c) he lived in a small provincial town; d) she didn't like him.
6 When Nancy met Dan there was a strange nervous look on his face because
a) he had forgotten his wallet at home; b) his mother was seriously ill; c) he hadn't been able to find out something about Lou; d) he had lost his job.
7 When Nancy saw Lou
a) she learned that Lou was very unhappy; b) she told her about her further marriage.
c) they went to a café; d) she invited her to her new place.
III Choose the right answer
1 Lou:
a) liked her work very much;
b) wanted to catch a millionaire;
c) decided to return home.
2 Dan:
a) wanted to marry Lou as she always told Nancy;
b) was a millionaire who liked spending his free time with poor girls;
c) wasn't an honest man.
3 Nancy:
a) seemed a matter-of-fact sort of girl;
b) had something better than money, something that shone brighter than stars in her eyes;
c) was very unhappy.
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