Билеты по английскому языку за курс средней школы
( 9
класс)
Card №
1
1. Speak
on the topic «About myself».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card №
2
1. Speak
on the topic «Health habits».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card №
3
1. Speak
on the topic «What do you do to keep fit»?
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card №
4
1. Speak
on the topic «My leisure time».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card №
5
1. Speak
on the topic «What is better : watching TV or going to the cinema».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card №
6
1. Speak
on the topic «Music keeps me happy. My favourite musical styles ».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
7
1. Speak
on the topic «My dream vacation».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
8
1. Speak
on the topic «London».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
9
1. Speak
on the topic «Schools in England».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№ 10
1. Speak
on the topic «The rights of teenagers in Kazakhstan».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
11
1. Speak
on the topic «Job description».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
12
1. Speak
on the topic «My typical school day».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
13
1. Speak
on the topic «My ideal school».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
14
1. Speak
on the topic «If I were a millionaire».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
15
1. Speak
on the topic «Ecological problems & the ways of their solution».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
16
1. Speak
on the topic «The World around us».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
17
1. Speak
on the topic «The flora & fauna of Kazakhstan».
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№ 18
1. Speak
on the topic « My future profession»
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№ 19
1. Speak
on the topic « Education in Kazakhstan: primary & secondary education
schools»
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Card
№
20
1. Speak
on the topic « Geography & travelling : different ways of travelling»
2. Read
the text.
3. Do
the grammar task.
Приложение
Grammar
card.№1 (6,11,16)
1. ___ Pacific Ocean is deeper than___ Atlantic
Ocean.
a) the, a b) a, the c) - - d) any, an e) the,
the
2. I have never been to __ Europe.
a) a b) the c) – d) an e) any
3. __ British Isles consist of several small and big
isles.
a) the b) a c) an d) any e) –
4. If I go to work by car it takes half __ hour.
a) the b) a c) an d) – e) any
5. He had _ terrible toothache.
a) the b) a c) an d) - e) any
6. Yesterday my brother _ at the cinema.
a) were b) was c) are d) is e) would be
7. There __ a good film on TV tomorrow evening.
a) is b) are c) been d) will be e) is
8. There __ a good film on TV tomorrow evening.
a) is b) are c) been d) will be e) were
Grammar
card.№2 (7,12,17)
1. I _ at home tomorrow.
a) were b) was c) wasn’t d) will be e) is
2. What city __ the capital of Kazakhstan?
a) is b) am c) be d) been e) are
3. Then on Friday and Saturday I _ visit several small
towns in the area.
a) is going to b) were going to c) am going to d) are
going to e) will be going to
4. They _ to buy a new car last year.
a) was going b) be going c) are going d) is going
e) were going
5. Bananas _ to Europe.
a) exported b) will export c) have exported d) are
exported e) were exported
6. The streets _ every day.
a) will clean b) have cleaned c) are cleaned d) is
cleaned e) will be cleaned
7. The TV _ by Mike now.
a) is repairing b) is being repaired c)is repaired d)
has being repaired e) be repaired
8 The new hospital _ in 5 year’s time.
a) is being built b) will be built c) would be built
d) will build e) is built
Grammar
card. №3 (8,13,18)
1. She said the medicine _ by the doctor.
a) is prescribed b) has been prescribed c) had been
prescribed d) prescribed e) was prescribed
2. “ Oliver Twist” _ by Charles Dickens.
a) is written b) was written c) has been written d)
was writing e) written
3. We _ football after school yesterday.
a) would play b) played c) will play d) plays e)
play
4. There _ a comfortable chair in the room.
a) am b) were c) be d) is e) are
5. Tim _ TV in the living room now.
a) is watch b) watching c) is watching d) has
watched e) watches
6. Mary _ very happy if she passes her exam.
a) is b) will c) was d) will be e) would be
7. They asked him what he _ .
a) like b) liked c) likes d) has liked e) will like
8. If you _ go to Paris you’ll see Eiffel Tower.
a) would go b) will be going c) go d) went e) will
go
Grammar
card.№4 (9,14,19)
1. She _ at 10 o’clock tomorrow.
a) works b) is working c) will be working d) will
work e) would be working
2. “ I like this book”, he said.
a) He says that he liked that book.
b) He said that he liked this book.
c) He said that he like that book.
d) He said that I liked that book.
e) He said that he liked that book.
3. They _ television every evening.
a) is watching b) watches c) is watched d) watch e)
was watched
4. Mike _ by boat along the Severn at this time
tomorrow.
a) will be traveling b) will travel c) would travel d)
would be traveling e) travels
5. He asked me where I _ when I came to London next
time.
a) will stay b) would stay c) stayed d) stay e) would
be staying
6. Kate : “ Have you seen my book, Jane?”
a) Kate asked you have seen my book.
b) Kate asked if Jane have seen my book.
c) Kate asked if Jane has seen her book.
d) Kate asked if she has seen her book.
e) Kate asked if Jane had seen her book.
7. I _ skate and ski very well.
a) were to b) be able to c) was d) can e) must be
8. I’m sorry, but I _ come to your party next Sunday.
I’m very busy.
a) haven’t to b) needn’t c) couldn’t d) can’t e)
mustn’t
Grammar
card.№5 (10,15,20)
1. The children _ live alone. They are too little to
look after themselves.
a) had to be b) shouldn’t be c) mustn’t be d)
shouldn’t e) can’t
2. You _ cross the street when the light is red.
a) must b) haven’t to c) doesn’t have to d) mustn’t
e) have to
3. You are joking. It _ be Friday today.
a) can’t b) mustn’t c) can d) must e) shouldn’t
4. Your teeth are bad. You often have a toothache. You
_ often go to the dentist.
a) can b) may c) might d) should e) will
5. You can do it when you _ time.
a) don’t have b) have c) had d) has e) will have
6. She _ time to go to Astana yesterday.
a) doesn’t have b) didn’t have c) wouldn’t have d) had
to e) won’t have
7. Kazakhstan _ Russia and other countries.
a) shares b) border c) borders d) separate e) extends
8. Canadians speak _ .
a) Spanish b) French c) German & English d)
Canadian e) English & French.
THE
HARD WAY
They
were about to start Christmas lunch. The family were all sitting expectantly
round the table: Dad, Mum, Ron and Jennie — and Jan.
Everybody
was talking at once. Dad was waiting, a bit impatiently, to say what he said
every year as he cut the first slice of turkey.
Jan
didn't feel like talking. She was thinking of Davey, and didn't really pay any
attention to the other people at the table.
When
she saw the table — the huge brown turkey in front of her father, the dishes of
potatoes and vegetables — she thought of Davey's words the night before.
"We're killing ourselves with too much food and three quarters of the
world are starving to death..."
"A
bit of turkey, Jan?"
Jan
hesitated, then took a deep breath and said, "No turkey for me, thank you."
Silence.
The other members of the family stared at her.
"It's
horrible," said Jan, trembling a little." — We're eating like pigs
and they're starving —"
"Who's
starving?" Dad asked, looking puzzled.
"Oh,
everybody — the rest of the world —you know, you see enough of it on TV!"
Mr
Morris stood still in front of the turkey. He was trying to keep control of
himself. "So you think we're all a lot of pigs, do you? And where did you
get that idea from?"
"Davey
said —"
"Oh,
Davey said, did he? That longhaired layabout? Well, shall I tell you what you
can do?"
"Jim!"
Jan's mother put her hand on his arm, but he shook her off. He was in a
terrible rage.
"Shall
I tell you what you can do?" he went on.
"You
can get out of here and spend the rest of your Christmas with your Davey."
Jan
knew her father didn't like Davey, but she hadn't expected this rage.
"You're
wrong, Dad," she said. "Davey doesn't deserve that sort of
criticism."
"Get
out!"
The
rest of the family didn't say a word as Jan left the room, crying.
There
was nobody else around in the streets at three o'clock that after noon. It was
Christmas Day, after all. Most people were inside watching TV, or eating.
She
was walking towards Davey's house. Her father had told her to go and spend the
rest of Christmas with him, and that was what she was going to do.
She
was lucky: Davey was in.
"Hi,
Jan! Fancy seeing you here! I thought you were spending Christmas in the heart
of the family, eating Christmas pudding and all that stuff."
"Well,
I was, but ... can I come in, Davey?"
There
was a slight pause before he said. "Sure. I've got a few people here, but
one more won't make any difference."
It
was pretty dark in the room. There was one candle, burning in a saucer on a
shelf in one corner of the room. Jan couldn't see how many people there were,
but she guessed about seven or eight; they were all sitting, or lying on the
floor. Indian music was coming from somewhere.
There
was a smell, too: of damp, and old cooking, and something Jan didn't recognize
— incense perhaps?
Jan
sat down. She was feeling tired and, she had to admit, hungry. She wondered if
Davey had, after all, any food.
Nobody
was talking. The music droned on. The air got thicker and thicker, and the
strange smell got stronger and stronger.
"Want
one, Jan?"
Davey
was standing over her. The candle had got so low she could hardly see what he
was offering her.
"What
is it?"
"This."
It
was like a long cigarette. Everybody else seemed to be holding one.
"What
is it?"
"Come
on, Jan, you know."
Yes,
she knew. So that was the smell: pot. She felt sick. The room spun in front of
her eyes. She felt herself sweating.
The
candle seemed to grow six feet tall. She struggled to her feet.
"Hey,
kid. What's up?"
Davey
grabbed her arm, and looked accusingly at her.
"Where
are you going?"
Jan
pulled her arm away from him. "I don't know — I — I need some air, that's
all. Let me go, Davey."
He
was smiling but it was a hard smile. "OK," he said. "Suit
yourself. You must be nuts, or something. We were just about to have some food,
too."
But
Jan didn't hear him. She was already at the door, leaving a Christmas gathering
for the second time that day.
(After
M. Rodgers)
1
to starve to death умирать от
голода
2
layabout - бездельник
3
incense - ладан, фимиам
4
pot - разг. марихуана
5
nuts -слэнг псих,
чокнутый
STEPMOTHER
I
was born at Number Nineteen, Tummill Street, London. My mother died when I was
five years old. She died fifteen minutes after my sister Polly was born.
As
my father worked from morning till night, he had no time to look after Polly
and me, so he married again soon.
He
married Mrs Burke, who was much younger and more good-looking than my mother.
But
I did not like my stepmother and she did not like me. So we began to hate each
other; but she did not show her hatred when my father was at home.
She
beat me very often and she made me work very hard. From morning till night she
found work for me to do. I looked after the baby. When she was awake, I took
her for a walk, carrying her in my arms, and she was very heavy. I cleaned the
rooms, went shopping, etc. There was always work for me to do.
One
day a woman came to see my stepmother and they drank a lot of gin. All the
money that my father had left for our dinner was spent. When the woman went
home, my stepmother said to me in tears, "Oh, what shall I do, Jimmy,
dear, what shall I do? Your father will come home soon, and mere's no dinner
for him. He will beat me cruelly!
What
shall I do, what shall I do?"
I
was sorry for her, she had tears in her eyes, and she called me "Jimmy,
dear" for the first time. I asked her if I could help her and she said at
once, "Oh, yes, you can help me! When your father comes home in the
evening,
Jimmy,
dear, tell him that you lost the money he left for our dinner."
"How
could I lose it?" I asked in surprise.
"You
can tell him that I sent you to buy some food.
Suddenly
a big boy ran against you and the money fell out of your hand and you could not
find it. That will be very easy to say, Jimmy, dear, please, say it to у our
father!"
"But
he'll give me a good beating1 for it!" "Oh, no, he won't! I shall not
let him beat you, you may be sure! Here is a penny for you, go and buy some
sweets with it!"
So
I went off and spent my penny on sweets.
When
I came back and opened the door, my father was at home waiting for me with his
waist-belt in his hand. I wanted to run out of the room, but he caught me by
the ear.
"Stop
a minute, young man!" he said.
"What
have you done with the money?"
"I
lost it, Father," said I in fear and looked at my stepmother.
"Oh,
you lost it! Where did you lose it?"
"In
the street, Father. Ask Mrs Burke, she knows!"
I
told him what my stepmother had asked me to tell him. I was not much surprised
that he did not believe my story.
But
my stepmother's words surprised me very much.
"Yes,
he told me the same thing," she said, "but he is a liar! He has spent
your money on sweets. I can't beat him, he is your child, but you can give him
a good beating!"
And
she stood by while my father beat me with his belt till the blood showed. I
hated my stepmother so much now that I wanted to see her dead.
(After
J. Greenwood)
1
to give a good beating выпороть, устроить хорошую взбучку
A
NOTE ABOUT WITCHES
In
fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they
ride on broomsticks.
But
this is not a fairy-tale. This is about REAL WITCHES.
The
most important thing you should know about REAL WITCHES is this.
Listen
very carefully. Never forget what is coming next.
REAL
WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look very much like ordinary women. They
live in ordinary houses and they work in ORDINARY JOBS.
That
is why they are so hard to catch.
Luckily,
there are not a great number of REAL WITCHES in the world today. But there are
still quite enough to make you nervous. In England, there are probably about
one hundred of them altogether.
Some
countries have more, others have not quite so many. No country in the world is
completely free from WITCHES.
A
witch is always a woman.
I
do not wish to speak badly about women. Most women are lovely. But the fact
remains that all witches are women. There is no such thing as a male witch.
As
far as children are concerned, a REAL WITCH is the most dangerous of all the
living creatures on the earth. What makes her doubly dangerous is the fact that
she doesn't look dangerous.
Even
when you know all the secrets (you will hear about those in a minute), you can
still never be quite sure whether it is a witch you are looking at or just a
kind lady.
For
all you know, a witch might be living next door to you right now.
Or
she might be the woman with the bright eyes who sat opposite you on the bus
this morning.
She
might be the lady with the dazzling smile who offered you a sweet from a white
paper bag in the street before lunch.
She
might even — and this will make you jump — she might even be your lovely
school-teacher who is reading these words to you at this very moment.
Look
carefully at that teacher. Perhaps she is smiling at the absurdity of such a
suggestion. Don't let that put you off. It could be part of her cleverness.
I
am not, of course, telling you for one second that your teacher actually is a
witch. All I am saying is that she might be one. It is most unlikely. But — and
here comes the big "but" — it is not impossible.
Oh,
if only there were a way of telling for sure whether a woman was a witch or
not, we could round them all up and put them in the meat-grinder.
Unhappily,
there is no such way. But there are a number of little signals you can look out
for, little quirky habits that all witches have in common, and if you know
about these, if you remember them always, then you might just possibly manage
to escape danger.
(After
R. Dahl)
1
they are so hard to catch их так трудно поймать
2
the fact remains факт остается фактом
3
As far as children are concerned - Что касается детей
4
For all you know, a witch might be living next door to you Как знать, возможно,
ведьма живет с
вами
по соседству
5
Don't let that put you off
Это не должно сбить вас с толку
6
Oh, if only there were a way... Ax, если бы существовал
способ...
7
to round
- up
согнать в одно место, произвести облаву
8
meat-grinder - мясорубка
9
that all witches have in common зд. свойственные всем ведьмам
THE
SCHOOL-TEACHER
Three
months passed. Little by little Andrew got used to this strange town,
surrounded by the mountains, and to the people most of whom worked in the
mines. The town was full of mines, factories, churches and small dirty old
houses. There was no theatre, not even a cinema the workers could go to after
work. But Andrew liked the people. They spoke little and worked much. They
liked football, and what was more interesting, they were fond of music, good classical
music. He often heard the sound of a piano, coming from this or that house.
It
was clear to Andrew now, that Doctor Page would never see a patient again.
Manson did all the work, and Mrs Page received all the money. She paid out to
Manson less than one sixth of that — twenty pounds and sixteen shillings a
month. Almost all of it Andrew sent to the University to pay his debt.
But
at that time the question of money was not important to him. He had a few
shillings in his pocket to buy cigarettes and he had his work, and that was
more than enough for him.
He
had to work hard and to think much for he saw now that the professors at his
University had given him very little to know about practical medicine.
He
thought about all that walking in the direction of Riskin Street. There in
Number 3 he found a small boy of nine years of age ill with measles. "I am
sorry, Mrs Howells," Andrew said to the boy's mother. "But you must
keep Idris home from school." (Idris was Mrs Howells' other son.)
"But
Miss Barlow says he may come to school."
"Oh?
Who is Miss Barlow?"
"She
is the teacher."
"Miss
Barlow has no right to let him come to school when his brother has
measles," Andrew said angrily.
Five
minutes later he entered a classroom of the school. A very young woman of about
twenty or twenty-two was writing something on the blackboard.
She
turned to him.
"Are
you Miss Barlow?"
"Yes."
Her large brown eyes were looking at him friendly.
"Are
you Doctor Page's new assistant?"
Andrew
reddened suddenly.
"Yes,"
he said, "I'm Doctor Manson. You know Idris' brother has measles and so
Idris must not be here."
"Yes,
I know, but the family is so poor and Mrs Howells is so busy. If Idris stays at
home, he won't get his cup of milk.
And,
Doctor Manson, most of the children here have had measles already."
"And
what about the others? You must send that boy home at once."
"Well,
Doctor," she interrupted him suddenly. "Don't you understand that I'm
the teacher of this class and here it's my word that counts?"
"You
can't have him here, Miss Barlow. If you don't send him home at once, I'll have
to report you."
"Then
report me, or have me arrested if you like." She quickly turned to the
class. "Stand up, children, and say: 'Good-bye, Doctor Manson. Thank you
for coming.' "
Before
Andrew could say a word the door closed quietly in his face.
(After
A. Cronin)
1
mine шахта
2
ill with measles - больной корью
3
Howells ['haualz]
4
Idris ['aidris]
5
keep from school не пускать в школу
6
Barlow ['ba:leu]
7
here it's my word that counts зд. здесь я хозяйка
8
I'll have to report you. Мне придется заявить на
вас в полицию.
ADVENTURE
It
was a fine night when Hubert climbed the steps of a bus. He was returning from
the Tumbersomes, pleasant but dull people who were friends of his family. They
had given him a fairly good dinner but they had left him dissatisfied.
From
the top of his bus which carried him along brilliantly-lighted but now deserted
streets, Hubert sighed for adventure.
There
is something theatrical about these streets when the hour is approaching
midnight.
They
suggest that at any moment the most unusual drama might begin. Hubert, a reader
of fiction, a playgoer, a lover of film shows, always hoped that something
mysterious, romantic would happen to him. But somehow it never did.
In
a few minutes, he would leave the bus, walk down one street and arrive at the
little flat in which he lived with his friend, John Langton. They would make
some tea, talk for about half-hour, and then go to bed. The evening would be over,
finished, and the next morning he would go to the office.
Meanwhile
time was flying. Hubert was twenty-three, and it seemed to him that he was
nearly middle-aged.
He
looked around at the other passengers on the bus. It was difficult to see their
faces, but they were dull, as usual.
No
men with scars stared at him, no beautiful girls with tears in their eyes asked
for help. Then he saw a golden light which came from the coffee-stall at the
corner.
From
fiction Herbert knew that there was something romantic about coffee-stalls. He
decided to leave the bus at the corner.
He
went to the coffee-stall and ordered a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.
There
were only two or three men there. Hubert tried the coffee and found that it was
hotter and more tasteless than ever. What a life!
But
at that moment a taxi came and stopped at the stall. The door opened and a man
almost fell out of it. He came zigzagging over the stall and passing Hubert he
pushed him so that his coffee and cake went flying.
"Sorry,
old man," said the newcomer. "Very, very sorry. What was it?"
"It
doesn't matter,"
Hubert
told him. "I really didn't want that coffee."
The
man looked at him, laughing, "Then why order it, why pay for it, if you
don't want it?"
Hubert
smiled and said, "Oh, I just stopped here — on my way home, you know —just
for something to do."
"Too
early to go home, eh?"
"Well,
you know how you feel sometimes," said Hubert. The man patted Hubert on
the shoulder.
"I
do. I feel like it all the time. Now I'll tell you what. You come with me, old
man. I am just going to a little club. You come with me. I'll show you
something."
Hubert
hesitated. The man was obviously drunk, and a visit to some night club in his
company was not very attractive.
"Well,
I don't know..." he began.
"The
only thing is," said the man seriously, coming nearer, "can you keep
a secret? That's important. If not, I can't invite you."
This
decided Hubert. There was a real adventure! So.he thanked the man, and agreed
to accompany him.
They
got into the waiting taxi. In another minute they were moving along some dark
and deserted street.
(AfterJ.
B.Priestley)
1. But
somehow it never did. Но это как-то никогда не случалось.
2. meanwhile
- между тем
3. coffee-stall
- кафе
4. went flying
полетели (на поп)
5. I'll tell you what
знаете что; послушайте меня
6. This decided Hubert.
Это заставило Хьюберта решиться.
HOW
WE KEPT MOTHER'S DAY
We
decided to have a special celebration of Mother's Day. We thought it a fine
idea. It made us realise how much Mother had done for us for years, and all the
efforts and sacrifices that she had made for our sake.
So
we decided that we'd make it a great day, a holiday for all the family, and do
everything we could to make Mother happy. Father decided to take a holiday from
his office, so as to help in celebrating the day, and my sister Ann and I
stayed home from college classes, and Mary and my brother Will stayed home from
High School.
It
was our plan to make it a day just like Christmas or any big holiday, and so we
decided to decorate the house with flowers. We asked Mother to do it, because
she always does it.
The
two girls thought it would be a nice thing to dress in our best for such a big
occasion, and so they both got new hats. Father had bought silk ties for
himself and us boys. We were going to get
Mother
a new hat too, but it turned out that she liked her old hat better than a new
one.
After
breakfast we decided that we would hire a motor car and take Mother for a
beautiful drive away into the country.
But
on the very morning of the day we changed the plan a little bit. We all felt
that it would be nicer to have a definite purpose. It turned out that Father
had just got a new rod the day before, and he said that Mother could use it if
she wanted to: in fact, he said it was practically for her, only Mother said
she would rather watch him fish than fish herself.
So
we got everything arranged for the trip. Mother cut up some sandwiches and
packed all up in a basket for us.
When
the car came to the door, it turned out that we couldn't all get in.
Father
said that he could stay at home and work in the garden. The girls said that
Mother had only to say the word and they'd gladly stay at home and work.
In
the end it was decided that Mother would stay at home and have a lovely restful
day round the house. It turned out anyway that Mother didn't care for fishing
and also it was just a little bit cold and fresh out-of-doors, though it was
lovely and sunny, and Father was afraid that Mother might take cold if she
came.
We
had the loveliest day. Father and the boys fished, the girls met quite a lot of
people. We all had a splendid time.
It
was quite late when we got back. We sat down to dinner. It was grand. When it
was over all of us wanted to help clear the things up and wash the dishes, only
Mother said that she would really much rather do it. When we all kissed Mother
before going to bed, she said it had been the most wonderful day in her life
and I think there were tears in her eyes.
(After
S. Leacock)
1
to keep Mother's Day отмечать
(праздновать) День
Матери
2
for our sake ради нас
3
it turned out... оказалось, что
4
we got everything arranged for the trip мы
все
подготовили
к
поездке
LOOKING
BACK ON EIGHTY YEARS
In
my long life I have seen many changes in our habits and customs.
The
world I entered when at the age of eighteen I became a medical student was
a,world that knew nothing of planes, motor-cars, movies, radio or telephone.
When
I was still at school a lecturer showed us boys a new machine which reproduced
the human voice. It was the first gramophone. The world I entered was a world
that warmed itself with coal fires, lit itself by gas and looked upon a
bathroom as a luxury out of the reach.
It
was a very cheap world. When I entered St Thomas's Hospital I took a couple of
furnished rooms for which I paid 18s a week. My landlady provided me with a
solid breakfast before I went to the hospital and high tea when I came back at
half-past six, and the two meals cost me about 12s a week. I was able to live
very comfortably, pay my fees, buy my necessary instruments, and clothe myself.
I
had enough money to go to the theatre at least once a week. The pit, to which I
went, was not the orderly thing it's now.
There
were no queues. The crowd collected at the doors, and when they were opened
there was a struggle, with a lot of pushing and elbowing and shouting to get a
good place. But that was part of the fun.
Travelling
was cheap, too, in those days. When I was twenty I went to Italy by myself for
the six weeks of the Easter vacation.
I
spent five years at St Thomas's Hospital. I was an unsatisfactory medical
student, for my heart was not in it. I wanted, I had always wanted, to be a
writer, and in the evening, after my tea, I wrote and read.
I
wrote a novel, called Liza of Lambeth sent it to a publisher, and it was
accepted. It appeared during my last year at the hospital and had something of
a success. It was of course an accident, but naturally I did not know that. I
felt I could afford to chuck medicine and make writing my profession; so three
days after passing the final examinations which gave me my medical
qualifications, I set out for Spain to learn Spanish and write another book.
Looking back now, after these years, and knowing as I do the terrible
difficulties of making a living by writing, I realise that I was taking a
fearful risk. It never occurred to me. I abandoned the medical profession with
relief, but I do not regret the five years I spent at the hospital, far from it
.
They
taught me pretty well all I know about human nature, for in a hospital you see
it in the raw. People in pain, people in fear of death, do not try to hide
anything from their doctor, and if they do he can generally guess what they are
hiding.
(After
S. Maugham)
1
a luxury out of the reach недосягаемая роскошь
2
18$ a week
18 шиллингов в неделю
3
high tea
"большой чай", ранний ужин с чаем
4
pay fees
зд. платить за обучение
3
by myself
сам, один
6
Liza of Lambeth
"Лиза из Ламберта" (одно из ранних произведений Моэма)
7
to chuck
разг. бросить, оставить
8
to make a living by writing
зарабатывать на жизнь писательским трудом
9
far from it
зд. наоборот
10
in the raw
- без прикрас, в чистом виде, как есть
A
NAME ON THE WALL
Steve
Mason had lived in New York for three years. His address book was filled with
the phone numbers of girls he knew and had dated. Then why, he wondered, was he
sitting in a phone booth about to dial PL 1-2450 — the phone number of a girl
he had never seen or even heard about?
Because
he was curious.
He
had seen the name Pam Starr and the number PL 1-2450 twice in one week.
The
first time had been on the wall of a phone booth on 42nd Street. Then a minute
ago he saw the name and number again — this time near a phone in a drugstore.
The
name Pam Starr was the same. The handwriting was the same. And below it the
same person had written, "Quite a chick".
Steve
was so curious that he decided to call. He wanted to find out what would
happen. It could be an interesting adventure.
He
could hear himself telling the whole story to his friends and laughing about it
when it was over.
So
he took a deep breath and dialled PL 1-2450.
He
heard two rings; then a soft, pleasant, girl's voice said, "Hello".
"May
I speak to Pam Starr?" Steve asked.
"This
is Pam," she answered. "Who is this?"
"Steven
Wordsley," he said using a phoney name. "You don't know me," he
added quickly. "I've just moved to New York from Chicago. But before I
left, a friend of a friend of mine gave me your name... So how about a
date?" He paused.
"Come
on. Gamble.I swear I don't have two heads."
She
laughed and said, "I'm sure you don't. I've got an idea. I like your
voice, and I think I'll like you. But I might not.
And
then again, you might not like me.
So
why don't we go to a movie? You pick one out and call me back. Then we'll go
out, and even if we don't like each other at least we can both enjoy the
show."
"Uh,
all right, sure," Steve answered. He felt proud of himself. There was no
question in his mind that this chick knew her way around with men.
Steve
found a movie that sounded good, but he didn't call her back right away. He
waited two days so he wouldn't seem too eager. Then he called and made a date
for the next Saturday evening.
At
seven-thirty Saturday night Steve went to her address. For a moment he
hesitated. But he was too curious to give up now.
She
opened the door, and Steve knew he was a loser. The girl had tried to make
herself look attractive, but she couldn't hide her homeliness. She wasn't
really ugly, but she was no gorgeous chick.
Steve
covered up his disappointment with a friendly smile. "Hello, Pam. I'm
Steve."
She
laughed and said, "I know I'm not the most beautiful girl in the world,
but —"
"I
wasn't looking for the most beautiful girl in the world," Steve lied.
"Come on, let's go see the movie."
He
smiled as cheerfully as he could.
This
homely girl probably accepted a lot of blind dates just so she could go out.
And
someone probably thought it was a good joke to write her name and number on the
walls of phone booths.
"Do
you go out often?" Steve asked.
"It's
probably luck," she said, "but I get enough phone calls to keep me
busy. I get a lot of calls from guys I don't know. I'm not sure where they get
my name. Maybe from a friend, like you did. I don't know. Some are nice and
some aren't."
"Well,
which am I?" Steve asked.
"Nice,"
she laughed.
On
their way back to her apartment, Steve lied again and told Pam that his company
was sending him back to Chicago the next week and that he didn't know when he
would return to New York.
Steve
couldn't decide if she believed his story, but he didn't really care. He had
taken her out and shown her a good time.
That
was all she could expect with her looks.
When
they got to her apartment, they stood in the doorway and said goodnight.
"Thanks
for the lovely evening," she said. She seemed to know that she wouldn't be
asked for another date.
Suddenly
Steve felt very sorry for her.
He
decided that it wouldn't hurt him to fake an interest in her, and it would
probably mean a lot to her if she thought someone wanted to see her again.
"I'm
sorry I have to leave town," he said. "There's just a chance that
I'll get back to New York soon. For a day or so. Maybe we can go out again.
Could I call you?"
For
a minute she looked as if she didn't believe what she had heard. Then her smile
got brighter. "Could you? I'd love that! Do you think they'll send you
back soon?"
"Sure,
sure, you never know," Steve said.
"You
won't lose my number, will you? But if you're here only for a day, you could
call me at my office. I'll write down my office number for you right now. Wait
just a second."
She
ran into her apartment to get a pencil and some paper. As she ripped a sheet
from a pad, she dropped the pencil on the floor. She got down on her hands and
knees and scrambled after the rolling pencil. Finally she grabbed the pencil
and then quickly wrote her name and office phone number.
Steve
watched her sadly. Even before she handed him the piece of paper, he knew that
her handwriting would be the same as the handwriting on the phone booth walls.
(After
R. Marmorstein)
1
drugstore - амер. аптека
2
quite a chick - зд. классная
девчонка
3.
knew her way around with men умела
обращаться
с
мужчинами
4.
blind date
- свидание вслепую (с человеком, которого раньше не видел)
THE
MODEL MILLIONAIRE
If
you are not wealthy there is no use in being a charming fellow. Romance is the
privilege of the rich, not the profession of the unemployed. The poor should be
practical and prosaic. It is better to have a permanent income than to be
charming. These are the great truths of modern life which Hughie Erskine never
realised. Poor Hughie! He was wonderfully good-looking, but poor.
To
make matters worse, he was in love. The girl he loved was Laura Merton, the
daughter of a retired colonel. Laura adored him, and he was ready to kiss her
shoestrings.
They
were the handsomest couple in London, and had not a penny between them. The
Colonel was very fond of Hughie, but would not hear of any engagement.
"Come
to me, my boy, when you have got ten thousand pounds of your own, and we'll see
about it," he used to say; and that made Hughie very unhappy.
One
morning, as he was on his way to Holland Park, where the Mertons lived, he
dropped to see his friend Alan Trevor, a painter.
When
Hughie came in he found Trevor putting the finishing touches to a wonderful
life-size picture of a beggar-man. The beggar himself was standing on a raised
platform in a corner of the studio. He was a wizened old man, wit!) a wrinkled
face, and a most piteous expression.
"What
an amazing model!" whispered Hughie, as he shook hands with his friend.
"An
amazing model?" cried Trevor. "I should think so! You don't meet such
beggars every day. What an etching Rembrandt would have made of him!"
"Poor
old man!" said Hughie, "how miserable he looks!"
"Certainly,"
replied Trevor, "you don't want a beggar to look happy, do you?"
At
this moment the servant came in, and told Trevor that the framemaker wanted to
speak to him.
"Don't
run away, Hughie," he said, as he went out, "I'll be back in a
moment."
The
old beggar-man took advantage of Trevor's absence to rest for a moment on a
wooden bench that was behind him. He looked so miserable that Hughie could not
help pitying him, and felt in his pockets to see what money he had. All he
could find was a sovereign and some coppers. "Poor old fellow," he
thought to himself, "he wants it more than I do", and he walked
across the studio and slipped the sovereign into the beggar's hand.
The
old man got up, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Thank you,
sir," he said, "thank you."
Then
Trevor arrived, and Hughie took his leave, blushing a little at what he had
done.
The
next day he met Trevor again.
"Well,
Alan, is your picture finished?" he asked.
"Finished
and framed, my boy!" answered Trevor. "By the way, the old model you
saw is quite devoted to you. I had to tell him all about you — who you are,
where you live. What your income is, what prospects you have — "
"My
dear Alan," cried Hughie, "I'll probably find him waiting for me when
I go home. But of course, you are only joking.
Poor
old man! I wish I could do something for him. I have heaps of old clothes at
home — do you think he would care for them? His rags were falling to
bits."
"But
he looks splendid in them," said Trevor. "I wouldn't paint him in a
frock coat for anything. What you call rags I call romance. However, I'll tell
him of your offer."
"And
now tell me how Laura is," said Trevor. "The old model was quite
interested in her."
"You
don't mean to say you talked to him about her?" said Hughie.
"Certainly
I did. He knows all about the retired colonel, the lovely Laura, and the 10,000
pounds."
"You
told that old beggar all my private affairs?" cried Hughie, looking very
red and angry.
"My
dear boy," said Trevor, smiling, "That old beggar, as you call him,
is one of the richest men in Europe. He has a house in every capital, dines off
gold plate, and could buy all London tomorrow if he wished."
"What
on earth do you mean?" exclaimed Hughie.
"What
I say," said Trevor. "The old man you saw in the studio is Baron
Housberg. He is a great friend of mine, buys all my pictures, and he paid me a
month ago to paint him as a beggar."
"Baron
Hausberg!" cried Hughie.
"Good
heavens! I gave him a sovereign!"
"Gave
him a sovereign!" cried Trevor, and he burst into laughter. "My dear
boy, you'll never see it again."
,
Hughie walked home, feeling very unhappy, and leaving Alan Trevor in fits of
laughter.
The
next morning, as he was at breakfast, the servant handed him an envelope.
On
the outside was written, "A wedding present to Hughie Erskine and Laura
Merton, from an old beggar," and inside was a cheque for 10,000 pounds.
When
they were married Alan Trevor was the best man, and the Baron made a speech at
the wedding breakfast.
(After
O. Wilde)
аудиоформат
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