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Российский государственный педагогический университет
им. А. И. Герцена
V. N. Karlovskaya
А. P. Karpova
O. E. Filimonova
MODERN ENGLISH
PRACTICE
(close reading and discussion)
Part I
Санкт-Петербург
Издательство РГПУ им. А. И. Герцена
2020
Российский государственный педагогический университет имени А.И. Герцена
В. Н. Карловская
А. П. Карпова
О. Е. Филимонова
СОВРЕМЕННЫЙ АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК
(чтение и обсуждение)
Часть I
Санкт-Петербург
Издательство РГПУ им. А. И. Герцена
2020
C o n t e n t s
Unit I.
Starting Work by Roald Dahl
Unit II.
The Plunge by Lauren Weisberger
Unit III.
Temporary Solutions by Robert Galbraith
UNIT IV.
She is Part of Me Now by Rosamunde Pilcher
Unit V.
Growing Pains by Anne Tyler
Supplementary reading
How to make an American quilt by Whitney Otto
A Mismatched Marriage by Anne Tyler
The New Teacher at Fairacre School by Miss Read
Unit I
Starting Work
From Boy Tales of Childhood
by Roald Dahl (1916-1990)
(abridged)
During my last year at Repton, my mother said to me, “Would you like to go to Oxford or Cambridge when you leave school?” “No, thank you,” I said. “I want to go straight from school to work for a company that will send me to wonderful faraway places like Africa or China.” Africa was two weeks away from England by boat and it took you about five weeks to get to China. These were distant and magic lands and nobody went to them just for a holiday. You went there to work.
So during my last term I applied for a job only to those companies that would be sure to send me abroad. For some reason I wanted most of all to get into the Shell Company. When the day came for me to go up to London for this interview, my Housemaster told me it was ridiculous for me even to try. “There will be at least one hundred applicants and about five vacancies. Nobody has a hope unless he’s been Head of the School or Head of the House, and you aren’t even a House prefect!”
My Housemaster was right about the applicants. There were one hundred and seven boys waiting to be interviewed when I arrived at the Head Office of the Shell Company in London. And there were seven places to be filled.
When I told my Housemaster the good news on my return to school, he didn’t congratulate me or shake me warmly by the hand. He turned away muttering, “All I can say is I’m damned glad I don’t own any shares in Shell.”
I didn’t care any longer what my Housemaster thought. I was all set. I had a career. I was to leave school for ever in July 1934 and join the Shell Company two months later in September when I would be exactly eighteen. I was to be an Eastern Staff Trainee at a salary of five pounds a week.
There followed two years of intensive training with the Shell Company in England. We were seven trainees in that year’s group and each one of us was being carefully prepared to uphold the majesty of the Shell Company in one or another remote tropic country.
In 1936 I was summoned to Head Office in London. One of the Directors wished to see me. “We are sending you to Egypt,” he said. “It will be a three-year tour, then six months’ leave. Be ready to go in one week’s time.”
“Oh, but sir!” I cried out. “Not Egypt! I really don’t want to go to Egypt!”
The great man reeled back in his chair as though I had slapped him in the face with a plate of poached eggs. “Egypt,” he said slowly, “is one of our finest and most important areas. We are doing you a favour in sending you there instead of to some mosquito-ridden place in the swamps!”
I kept silent.
“May I ask why you do not wish to go to Egypt?” he said.
I knew perfectly well why, but I didn’t know how to put it. What I wanted was jungles and lions and elephants and tall coconut palms swaying on silvery beaches, and Egypt had none of that. Egypt was desert country. It was bare and sandy and full of tombs and relics and Egyptians and I didn’t fancy it at all.
“What is wrong with Egypt?” the Director asked me again.
“It’s……. it’s ………it’s,” I stammered, “it’s too dusty, sir.”
There was a long silence. I was expecting him to tell me to fetch my hat and coat and leave the building forever. But he didn’t do that. He was an awfully nice man and his name was Mr. Godber. He gave a deep sigh and said, “Very well then, if that’s the way you want it. Redfearn will go to Egypt instead of you and you will have to take the next posting that comes up, dusty or not. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir, I realize that.”
“If the next vacancy happens to be Siberia,” he said, “you’ll have to take it.”
“I quite understand, sir,” I said. “And I thank you very much.”
Within a week Mr. Godber summoned me again to his office. “You’re going to East Africa,” he said.
“Hooray!” I shouted, jumping up and down. “That’s marvelous, sir! That’s wonderful! How terrific!”
The great man smiled. “It’s quite dusty there too,” he said.
“Lions!” I cried. “And elephants and giraffes and coconuts everywhere!”
“Your boat leaves from London Docks in six days,” he said. “Your salary will be five hundred per annum and your tour is for three years.”
I was ecstatic. I rushed home and told my mother. “ I’ll be gone for three years,” I said. I was her only son and we were very close. Most mothers, faced with a situation like this, would have shown a certain amount of distress. Three years is a long time and Africa was far away. There would be no visits in between. But my mother did not allow even the tiniest bit of what she must have felt to disturb my joy. “Oh, well done you!” she cried. “It’s wonderful news! And it’s just where you wanted to go, isn’t it!”
The whole family came down to London Docks to see me off on the boat. In those days it was a tremendous thing for a young man to be going off to Africa to work. The journey alone would take two weeks, sailing through the Bay of Biscay, past Gibraltar, across the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, calling in at Aden and arriving finally at Mombasa. What a prospect that was! I was off to the land of palm-trees and coconuts and coral reefs and lions and elephants and deadly snakes. I couldn’t wait.
Explanatory Notes:
Repton – a private boarding school in Derbyshire
“… would be sure to send me abroad” – наверняка пошлет меня на работу за границу
Housemaster – a senior teacher at a private school
“… there were seven places to be filled” – было семь вакантных мест
London docks – Лондонская пристань
Vocabulary Notes
-
turn, v.
To turn a corner/right/left – завернуть за угол/направо/налево
To turn into something – превратиться во что-то, смениться чем-либо
To turn one’s attention/thoughts/efforts to something – направить внимание, мысли, усилия на что-то
To turn your back on somebody – отвернуться от кого-то
To turn somebody/something down – отказать
To turn the radio up/down – усилить/убавить звук
To turn light/water/gas on/off – включать/ выключать
To turn out well/badly – благополучно/плохо закончиться
To turn to somebody – обратиться к кому-то
To turn a deaf ear to something – быть глухим к чему-то
To turn up – появиться
turn, n.
To take turns doing something/to do something – делать по очереди
It’s one’s turn – чей-то черед/чья-то очередь
In turns – по очереди
Turn of events – поворот событий
Take a turn for the better/worse – ухудшиться/улучшиться
Turning point (in something) – переломный момент
-
care, v.
To care about somebody/something – заботься, волноваться
To care for somebody – 1) ухаживать, заботиться о ком-то 2) любить, интересоваться
Who cares? – Кого это волнует?
I couldn’t care less – меня это ничуть не волнует
care, n.
Medical/health care – здравоохранение
Day care – присмотр за детьми, детский сад
Childcare – уход за детьми
Intensive care – интенсивная терапия, реабилитация
To be in somebody’s care – под присмотром/под чьей-то ответственностью
To be under somebody’s care – быть под наблюдением (врача)
To take care of somebody/something – заботиться/взять на себя заботу о ком-то
Take care! – Осторожно, береги себя!
Handle with care! – Обращаться осторожно!
A carer, n. – сиделка, социальный работник
A caretaker, n. – сторож, смотритель
Caring, adj. – заботливый
Careful, adj. – внимательный, аккуратный
To be careful about something – заботиться, внимательно относиться
Careless adj. – небрежный
Carefree, adj. – беззаботный, беспечный
-
set, v.
A film/story is set in some place – действие фильма/рассказа происходит в каком-то месте
To set a date/time for something – назначить день/время
To set a target/limit/standard – поставить цель, установить предел/стандарт
To set an example to somebody – подавать пример
To set somebody free – освободить кого-то
To set the table (for 6) – накрыть на стол (на шестерых)
To set sail – отправиться в плавание
To set in – установиться
To set off for some place/to set out for some place – отправиться куда-либо
To set up a business – открыть, основать дело
I’ll never set foot there – ноги моей там больше не будет
set, n.
A set of something – комплект, набор
set, adj.
set time /set rules/limits – определенное время/ установленные правила/ограничения
-
put
To put somebody in a good/bad mood – привести в хорошее расположение духа/испортить настроение.
To put into words/English – выразить словами/сказать по-английски
To put it mildly – мягко говоря
To put children to bed – укладывать детей спать
To put a question to somebody – задать вопрос
To put an end/stop to something – положить конец, остановить
To put something into action/practice – приводить в действие/осуществлять
To put something right – исправить
To put somebody to work – усадить кого-то за работу
To put money aside/by – откладывать деньги
To put something away – убрать что-то на место
To put forward a theory/an idea – выдвинуть теорию/идею
To put something off – отложить на время
To put out the fire/light/cigarette – гасить огонь/сигарету
To put up (sails, hand) – поднимать (паруса, руку)
To put up a notice/picture – вывесить объявление, картину
To put up a tent/building/monument – ставить палатку/возвести здание/ памятник
To put up with something – смириться с чем-то
Vocabulary Exercises
-
Transcribe and read:
Company, faraway, magic, interview (v, n), congratulate, ridiculous, vacancy, trainee, majesty, director, area, mosquito, swamp, coconut, palm, desert, tomb, relic, hooray, per annum, prospect, coral
-
Transcribe and read these geographical names:
Oxford, Cambridge, Africa, China, London, Egypt, Siberia, Bay of Biscay, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, Suez Canal, Red Sea, Aden, Mombasa
-
Give the three forms of the verbs:
Say, leave, send, fill, shake, summon, keep, know, show, sail
-
Give the negative forms of these words adding prefixes or suffixes:
Like, carefully, prepared, important, perfectly
-
A. Learn these phrases with prepositions and adverbs:
work for (a company)
go for a holiday
apply for a job to (companies)
go for the interview
arrive at
on my return
shake by the hand
at a salary of
summon to
in one week’s time
stare at
on a beach
within a week
jump up and down
be faced with
sail through/past/across
B. Translate these phrases into English and use them in the sentences of your own:
Отправиться в отпуск; прибыть куда-то; подпрыгивать; работать на кого-то; через неделю; пожать руку; пойти на собеседование; с зарплатой в пятьсот фунтов; столкнуться с проблемой; вызывать куда-то; проплывать мимо; по возвращении; подать заявление о приеме на работу; глазеть на кого-то; на пляже, пойти на собеседование
-
Translate these words and collocations and recall the context they are used in:
1) last year at Repton; 2) to get into the Shell Company; 3) to have a hope; 4) there were seven places to be filled; 5) to turn away;6) to have a career; 7) an Eastern Staff Trainee; 8) to uphold the majesty of the Shell Company; 9) to reel back in the chair; 10) desert country; 11) to leave the building for ever; 12) the next vacancy; 13) ecstatic; 14) an only son; 15) a certain amount of distress; 16) a tremendous thing.
-
Say it in English:
-
закончить школу; 2) пойти работать сразу после школы; 3) дальние страны (2); 4) волшебный; 5) на дорогу в Китай уходило пять недель; 6) подавать заявление о приеме на работу в компанию; 7) почему-то; 8) глупо (смешно); 9) претендент; 10) вакансия; 11)сообщить хорошую новость; 12) по возвращении; 13) пожать руку; 14) пробормотать; 15) отвернуться; 16) иметь акции компании; 17) быть готовым; 18) начать работать в компании; 19) быть стажером с зарплатой 5 фунтов в неделю; 20) усиленная подготовка; 21) поддерживать величие; 22) тропический; 23) вызывать в главный офис; 24) поездка на три года; 25) шестимесячный отпуск; 26) яйцо-пашот; 27) оказать услугу; 28) болото; 29) молчать; 30) выражать словами; 31) джунгли; 32) кокосовая пальма; 33) раскачиваться; 34) пустынный; 35) гробница; 36) реликвия; 37) совершенно не хотелось; 38) запинаться; 39) глубоко вздохнуть; 40) получить назначение; 41) пятьсот фунтов в год; 42) столкнуться с ситуацией; 43) мельчайшая частица; 44) испортить радость; 45) проводить на корабль; 46) чрезвычайный; 47) плыть под парусами; 48) отправиться; 49) перспектива; 50) коралловый риф; 51) ядовитая змея.
-
Complete the sentences using the phrasal verbs to get into, to cry out, to come up, to see off, to go off, to call in, to be off
1) The young man wanted most of all …. the companies that would send him abroad. 2) He …. …. that he didn’t want to go to Egypt. 3) The young worker promised to take the next posting that … … 4) His mother and sisters came down to London Docks to … him … . 5) It was exciting to …. … to Africa to work. 6) On the way to Africa his ship was to … … at Aden.
-
A. Look up the following synonymous words and expressions in the dictionary and study their different shades of meaning. Say which meaning is realized in the sentences:
Wonderful – marvelous, fabulous, great, fantastic, terrific, excellent
I want to work for a company that will send me to wonderful faraway places.
It’s wonderful news.
Faraway – distant, remote
Ridiculous – absurd, preposterous, laughable, silly, ludicrous
My Housemaster told me it was ridiculous even to try.
Mutter – to mumble, to murmur, to say something under your breath
Glad – happy, pleased, delighted
He turned away muttering, “All I can say is I’m damned glad I don’t own anyshares in Shell”
Wish – to want, to desire, would like, to be eager to do something, to be anxious to do something, to long, to yearn,
One of the Directors wished to see me.
Fetch – to bring, to deliver, to take, to collect
I was expecting him to tell me to fetch my hat and coat and leave the building.
Understand – to grasp, to comprehend, to get, to realize, to perceive
“Do you understand?”
Summon – to call, to beckon, to invite, to send for
Within a week Mr. Godber summoned me again to his office.
Ecstatic – overjoyed, thrilled, delighted, happy, elated
I was ecstatic and rushed home and told my mother.
Face – to confront, to deal with, to encounter, to face up to something, to experience
Most mothers, faced with a situation like this would have shown a certain amount of distress.
Distress – worry, anxiety, misery, sadness, grief, sorrow
Joy – pleasure, elation, bliss, rapture, delight, exultation, gladness, happiness, merriment
She didn’t allow even the tiniest bit of distress to disturb my joy.
Journey – trip, voyage, tour, travel
The journey alone would take two weeks.
B. Make up four line dialogues using the words on the list.
10. Paraphrase the passages:
-
In 1936 I was summoned to Head Office in London. One of the Directors wished to see me. “We are sending you to Egypt,” he said. “Oh, but sir!” I cried out. “Not Egypt! I really don’t want to go to Egypt!” “May I ask why you do not wish to go to Egypt?” he said. I knew perfectly well why, but I didn’t know how to put it. Egypt was bare and sandy and full of tombs and relics and I didn’t fancy it at all. “What is wrong with Egypt?” the Director asked me again. I stammered. “It’s too dusty, sir”. There was a long silence. The Director gave a deep sigh and said, “Very well then. If that’s the way you want it. You will have to take the next posting that comes up. Do you understand?” “Yes, sir, I realize that.” -
Within a week Mr. Godber summoned me again to his office. “You’re going to East Africa,” he said. I shouted “That’s marvelous, sir! How terrific!” I was ecstatic. I rushed home and told my mother. I was her only son and we were very close. Most mothers, faced with this situation would have shown a certain amount of distress. Three years is a long time and Africa was far away. But my mother did not allow even the tiniest bit of her distress to disturb my joy. “It’s wonderful news!” she cried. In those days it was a tremendous thing for a young man to be going to Africa to work. -
I enjoyed it. I really did. I began to realize how simple life could be if one had a regular routine to follow with fixed hours and a fixed salary and very little original thinking to do. The life of a writer is absolute hell compared with the life of a businessman. The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and there is nobody to scold him. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not. Two hours of writing fiction leaves this writer absolutely drained. A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I’m sure , is why he does it.
-
Translate the sentences using the Vocabulary notes:
Turn v, n.
1. Когда у него закончились деньги, друзья отвернулись от него. 2. К счастью, все обошлось благополучно. 4. Положение дел улучшилось. 5. Направь свои усилия на работу! 6. Дети ждут появления школьного автобуса. 7. Мать была глуха к мольбам дочери. 8. Мне не нравится такой поворот событий. 9. С годами он превратился в старика. 10. Думаю, мне придется обратиться к кому-то за помощью. 11. Ее мысли были обращены к последнему происшествию в школе. 12. В нашей семье мы по очереди моем посуду. 13. Девушка отказала нескольким поклонникам. 14. Это был переломный момент в истории государства.
Care v, n. Caring
1. В этой коробке фарфоровая посуда. Неси осторожно! 2. Смотрителю парка досаждали играющие дети. 3. Спортсмен получил травму и находится под наблюдением врача. 4. Если закрыть завод, многие останутся без работы. – Кого это волнует? 5. Внука оставили под ее присмотром. 6. Я позабочусь о цветах. 7. Она – сиделка, ухаживающая за пожилыми людьми дома. 8. Труд работников системы здравоохранения должен высоко оплачиваться. 9. Девушка думала, что молодому человеку она не безразлична. 10. Его больше не волнует учеба. 11. После аварии нескольких пострадавших поместили в палату интенсивной терапии. 12. Какая команда победит? – Меня это не волнует! 13. Руководство предприятия предоставило детский сад для детей до 7 лет. 14. Она – добрый и заботливый человек.