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Рассказы О.Генри. Рассказы О. Книга предназначена для учащихся 10 классов средних школ, гимназий, лицеев. Ббк 81. 2Англ93 удк811. 111(075) isbn 9785811246649 ООО Издательство айрис пресс
1 everybody should know it — об этом все должны знать
2 It isn't like Gilbert. — Это не похоже на Гилберта.
3 There must be some mistake. — Здесь что-то не так (букв. Должно быть, какая-то ошибка).
front door. She went out into the snowstorm. Gilbert Warren’s studio was only a little way from old Jerome’s house. The snow lay a foot deep1 in the street and she walked with difficulty.
“Hello, little girl,” a policeman called to her, “it’s too late for such a little girl to be out2.”
Nevada took no notice of him and went on.
There was a light in Gilbert’s window. He was waiting for her. She knew his window because she had been in his studio before, with Barbara and uncle Jerome.
On the eighth floor she found room 89 and knocked at the door. Gilbert opened the door. He had a pencil in his hand and a pipe in his mouth. The pipe fell to the floor.
“Am I late?” asked Nevada. “I came as quickly as I could. Uncle and I have been to the theatre this evening. Here I am3, Gilbert!”
Gilbert was standing in the door with his mouth open.
“You asked me to come,” said Nevada simply, “and I came. You said so in your letter. Why did you send for me?”
“Did you read my letter?” asked Gilbert.
“No, I didn’t,” said Nevada. “Barbara read it to me. Your letter said: ‘Come to my studio at twelve o’clock to-night. Do not be late. I shall be waiting for you.’ I thought you were ill. But you look quite well.”
“Aha,” cried Gilbert. “I’ll tell you why I asked you to come, Nevada. I wanted to ask you to marry me ... atonce ... tonight! That is why I asked you to come. Will you?”
“Of course I will,” answered Nevada. “You knew long ago that I would marry you! I am sure, you knew it. And it will be nice to be married in a snowstorm at night. In fact, I don’t like rich wedding ceremonies in a church full of guests.”
“Wait a minute,” said Gilbert, “I want to do a little ’phoning.1” He went to his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Then he began to telephone.
“Is that you, Jack? Wake up, I need you at once. I am going to be married right away2! So I want two witnesses. Wake up and bring your sister too. You must! Nevada is here waiting. We are both waiting for you! What? You will? Good, old boy!3 I knew you were a good friend.”
Gilbert returned to the room where Nevada was waiting. He said, “I had to telephone Jack Peyton, an old friend of mine. I asked him and his sister to be our witnesses. They had promised to be here at a quarter to twelve. But they are late. I have ’phoned them to hurry. They will be here in a few minutes. Oh, Nevada, I am the happiest man in the world. Nevada, dear, what did you do with the letter I sent you this evening?”
“I have it with me,” said Nevada and gave him the letter.
Gilbert took the letter out of the envelope and looked at it attentively. Then he looked at Nevada I thoughtfully.
1 I want to do a little ’phoning. — Мне нужно поговорить по телефону (’phoning — сокр. от telephoning).
2 right away — ам. немедленно, сейчас же
3 Good, old boy! — зд. Молодец, старина!
“Were you angry with me because I asked you to come to my studio at midnight?” he asked.
“Why, no,” said Nevada. “How could I be angry if you needed me? Out West1, when a friend sends for you and asks you to hurry, — you get there first and talk about it after2. And we are not afraid of snowstorm.”
“Nevada,” said Gilbert, “Jack and his sister will be here in a few minutes. I shall try to find a raincoat for you to put on. It will take me some time, so you can look through the evening paper on the table. There is an article on the front page. It’s about your section of the West. I know it will interest you.”
He went to his bedroom and returned in a minute or two. Nevada was not reading when he came in. She had not moved. She looked at him nervously.
“I was going to tell you something,” she said, “before you ... before we ... before ... you must know that father never sent me to school. I have never learned to read or write... So if you...”
At this very moment3 the door opened and Jack and his sister came in.
V
When Mr. and Mrs. Warren were riding home after the wedding ceremony, Gilbert said:
“Nevada, do you want to know what I really wrote in the letter you received last night?”
“Yes, of course,” said Nevada, “what was it?”
“Word for word1, it was this,” said her husband: “My dear Miss Warren, — you were right about the name of that flower yesterday. It was a hydrangea, and not a lilac, as I thought.”
“All right,” said Nevada. “But let’s forget it. The joke is on Barbara, anyway.2”
Exercises
? Checking Comprehension Answer the following questions.
How many persons are mentioned in this story?
What were their names?
How old were they you think?
In what relation to each other were the main characters?
Which of them formed a triangle?
Who was the hypotenuse of this triangle?
What did a messenger bring in?
What did it read?
Who was the letter for?
What told Nevada who the letter was from?
How did Nevada take the letter?
Did old Jerome accept the invitation? What reason did he give?
Had Nevada ever taken a ride in an automobile?
What kind of ride did she use to take instead?
Where was Nevada when another letter was brought?
Who received it?
Did Barbara do anything to find out what the letter read?
Who opened the letter and read it?
What reason did Nevada give for not reading the letter addressed to her?
What did Barbara read in the letter?
Did Nevada believe it? What tells you this?
What action did Nevada take?
What season was then?
Where did Nevada find Gilbert?
How did Gilbert take Nevada’s arrival?
In what way was Nevada a Westerner?
What special event took place that night?
Who were present at it?
Say whether the statement is true or false. Correct the false one.
Jerome’s wife was dead, but he had a daughter.
Jerome had a brother named Jack.
Jerome’s brother went West and died there.
Nevada was a good-looking little girl.
Nevada was Barbara’s cousin.
Jerome’s brother raised Gilbert.
Nevada did not read the letter from Gilbert since she thought he might have written something bad.
Nevada did not know much about city people and their manners.
Barbara and Nevada had a good time riding in an automobile.
Barbara did not want to interfere in Nevada’s affairs.
Barbara did not care what was in the letter.
Barbara wanted to play a joke on Nevada.
Old Jerome was very much fond of Barbara.
Another letter was addressed to Barbara.
Nevada walked to the studio under a heavy rain.
There were many guests at Gilbert and Nevada’s wedding.
Barbara played a joke on herself.
3 Put the sentences in the right order.
Nevada receives a letter from Gilbert.
) Nevada finds an excuse not to write an answer.
Another letter addressed to Nevada arrives.
Barbara reads the letter for Nevada.
5) Nevada arrives at old Jerome’s house.
6) Nevada goes out into the night.
7) One man and two women form a triangle.
8) The joke is on Barbara.
9) Jack and his sister arrive.
10) Nevada learns what the letter read.
11) Gilbert acts as a man of decision.
Old Jerome has to read the letter.
Old Jerome and Barbara are at the theatre.
Barbara acts like a lady.
4 Who said these to whom?
I am sure we shall be the best of friends.
I am going to call you ‘cousin’.
3) It is your house now.
A messenger has brought it. He is waiting for an answer. 5) Will it be all right to go?
I hope you will have a good time.
Here is a letter for you, dear.
We are all alike.
There must be some mistake.
It’s too late for such a little girl to be out.
I came as quickly as I could.
It will be nice to be married in a snowstorm at night.
I knew you were a good friend.
I am going to tell you something.
All right. But let’s forget it.
Say what you have learned about:
old Jerome;
Jerome’s brother;
Barbara;
Nevada;
Gilbert;
Jack and his sister.
Working with Vocabulary and Grammar
1 Say what you understand by these:
He was so rich that he could allow himself to walk to his office for his health.
Barbara was the hypotenuse of the triangle. It usually takes a hypotenuse a long time to discover that it is the longest side of the triangle.
At last Barbara began to understand that the beautiful Western Witch was getting a lasso on the young man she herself wanted.
The envelope had a little gold palette in the corner.
2 Say which adjective goes with which noun in the
story. Use them in the situations from the text.
| 1) adopted
| a) girl
| 2) dying
| b) palette
| 3) strong
| c) difficulty
| 4) little
| d) witch
| 5) gold
| e) son
| 6) nice
| f) niece
| 7) good
| g) man
| 8) beautiful
| h) eyes
| 9) young
| i) friend
| 10) left-hand
| j) brother
| 11) long
| k) boy
| 12) great
| 1) corner
| 13) blue
| m) gloves
| 14) wedding
| n) ceremony
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Fill in the blanks with the link-words from the box. Use each only once.
although if because of
when so because while since as before
________________________ Gilbert was his adopted son, Old
Jerome was fond of him.
She knew who the letter was from
the gold palette in the corner of the envelope.
Old Jerome knew what it was to ride in an automobile driven by Gilbert,________________________ he refused to join the girls.
Nevada did not send a note to Gilbert ______________ it would take her too much time to write it.
Old Jerome went to bed at once,
he was tired.
All the women try to guess what it is that in the letter they open it.
Barbara said she would read the letter
Nevada liked it.
Nevada knew Gilbert’s window,
she had been in his studio before.
Gilbert closed the door behind him
he talked to his friend.
Barbara read the letter Nevada
was struggling with the button on her glove.
Open the brackets and use the right form of the
verb.
Old Jerome (to be) very rich but he (not to have) children of his own. He (to adopt) a boy, named Gilbert, who (to live) close to Jerome’s house. Old Jerome (to be) fond of him. He also (to love) Barbara, his wife’s niece, who (to live) in his house. He (to think) that some day Barbara and Gilbert (to marry).
The letter (to come) in the morning. Though she (to know) it (to be) from Gilbert, she (not to be able) to read it because she (not to be taught) to read or write. Her father never (to send) her to school. But her quick mind (to prompt) her what to do.
Nevada (to be sure) that Barbara (to be glad) to take a ride. She (to run) to the door and (to tell) the servant that they (to go). She never (to ride) in an automobile before, and she (to believe) that they (to have) a good time.
Barbara (to sit) in her room. She (to hold) a letter in her hand. She (cannot) open it because it (not to be addressed) to her. It (to be addressed) to Nevada who (to go) to the theatre before the letter (to arrive). Barbara (to give) it to Nevada when she (to return) from the theatre.
Gilbert (to give) her a paper and (to say) that there (to be) an article about that part of the West where Nevada (to live). He (to say) it (to be) interesting to her. But Nevada even (not to touch) the paper. She (to get) nervous — how to tell him that she never (to go) to school.
Discussing the Story
I Say why:
Nevada came to old Jerome’s house.
Barbara was the hypotenuse of the triangle.
Nevada knew that the letters were from Gilbert.
Nevada found excuses not to read the letters.
old Jerome refused to take a ride in Gilbert’s automobile.
6) Barbara held the envelope up to a strong light.
Jerome went to bed as soon as they returned from the theatre.
8) Barbara did not read what was in the letter.
9) a policeman called to Nevada.
Nevada knew where Gilbert’s window was.
11) Nevada walked to Gilbert’s studio through a heavy snowstorm late at night.
12) Gilbert met her with his mouth open.
Gilbert agreed to what Nevada told him about the content of his letter.
Gilbert telephoned his friend after closing the door behind him.
Nevada was nervous when Gilbert gave her a paper to read.
The joke was on Barbara.
Prove that:
the story takes place in a big city.
old Jerome takes care of his children.
Barbara cares for Gilbert.
Nevada is a kind-hearted girl.
Gilbert is a man of decision.
Gilbert has a true friend.
Jerome is sure that Gilbert is a gentleman.
Add more information to these:
Old Jerome had no children of his own.
When Jerome was young he had a brother.
Soon there was a triangle formed.
Jerome took Gilbert’s letter.
Barbara was holding a letter.
Old Jerome and Nevada returned from the theatre.
Barbara opened the envelope.
Nevada went out into the night.
Gilbert went to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Gilbert gave an evening paper to Nevada.
Act out the talk between:
Nevada and old Jerome (with the letter from Gilbert).
Nevada and Barbara.
Nevada and Gilbert (before making a call).
Gilbert and Jack (think of Jack’s words).
Nevada and Gilbert (after making a call).
Gilbert and Nevada (after the wedding).
Imagine that you are:
the story of your brother;
how you raised Gilbert;
how you took the news of the wedding;
how once Gilbert took you for a ride.
how Gilbert came into your life;
how Nevada came into your life;
why you played a joke on Nevada;
if you guessed that Nevada could not read or write;
how you took Gilbert and Nevada’s wedding.
what your life in the West was like;
something about your father;
how you liked a big city;
what you think of Gilbert;
what you think of Barbara;
something about your wedding;
what you think about your future education.
how you took the news of the wedding when Gilbert woke you up late on a stormy night;
how you got to Gilbert’s place.
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