Побег. Сомерсет Моэм
Я всегда был убеждён, что, если женщина задумала выйти замуж, ничто, кроме немедленного побега, не может спасти мужчину. Хотя и не всегда. Однажды мой друг, увидев неизбежную угрозу, неотвратимо надвигающуюся на него, взял билет на пароход (с одной только зубной щёткой в багаже, так сильно осознавал он опасность и необходимость немедленно действовать) и провёл год, путешествуя вокруг мира. Но когда, полагая себя в безопасности (он говорил, что женщины непостоянны и через двенадцать месяцев она вовсе забудет обо мне), он высадился в том самом порту, первым человеком, кого он увидел, весело машущей ему рукой на пристани, была маленькая леди, от которой он сбежал. Я знал только одного мужчину, кто в таких обстоятельствах сумел выпутаться. Его звали Роджер Чаринг.
Он был уже не молод, когда влюбился в Рут Барлоу, и у него было достаточно опыта, чтобы вести себя осторожно; но у Рут Барлоу был дар (может, стоит назвать это качеством?) приводить большинство мужчин в беспомощное состояние, и это он лишил Роджера его здравого смысла, его осторожности и его житейской мудрости. Он свалился, как ряд кеглей. Это был дар чувствительности. У миссис Барлоу, которая уже дважды овдовела, были великолепные тёмные глаза, самые трогательные из тех, что я когда-либо видел; казалось, они всегда были готовы наполниться слезами; они говорили, что мир слишком велик для неё, и вы чувствовали, что, бедная малышка, она испытывала больше страданий, чем кто-либо мог выдержать. Если, подобно Роджеру Чарингу, вы были крепким, дюжим мужчиной с кучей денег, почти неизбежно вы говорили себе: «Я должен встать между опасностями мира и этой беспомощной бедняжкой, и как чудесно будет убрать грусть из этих больших милых глаз!» Роджер объяснял мне, что все обращались с миссис Барлоу очень плохо. Она, очевидно, была одной из тех неудачниц, с которыми ничего не может произойти правильно. Если она выходила замуж, муж бил её; если она нанимала кухарку, та пила. У неё никогда не было ягнёнка, но он бы наверняка умер.
Когда Роджер сказал, что наконец-то уговорил её пожениться, я пожелал ему счастья.
— Я надеюсь, мы останемся добрыми друзьями, — сказал он. — Она малость побаивается тебя, знаешь ли; она думает, что ты бессердечный.
— Понятия не имею, почему она так думает.
— Она же тебе нравится, не так ли?
— Она пережила тяжёлые времена, бедняжка. Мне так её жалко.
Я не мог бы сказать меньше. Я знал, что она глупа, и я думал, что она интриганка. Я был убеждён, что она крепка, как скала.
Впервые, когда я встретил её, мы вместе играли в бридж, и, хотя она была моим партнёром, она дважды побила мои лучшие карты. Я вёл себя, как ангел, но я думал, что если из чьих-то глаз и суждено политься слезам, то это скорее будут мои, нежели её. А затем, к концу вечера проиграв мне значительную сумму, она пообещала прислать чек, чего никогда так и не сделала, так что я не мог не думать, что это у меня, а не у неё должно было быть жалостливое выражение лица, когда мы встретились следующий раз.
Роджер представил её своим друзьям. Он покупал ей прелестные драгоценности. Он вывозил её повсюду. Было объявлено, что их женитьба состоится в скором будущем. Роджер был очень счастлив. Он делал доброе дело и в то же время нечто, что очень хотел сделать. Это была необычная ситуация и не удивительно, что он был больше доволен собой, чем приличествовало.
Внезапно он разлюбил. Не знаю, почему. Едва ли он устал от её разговоров, скорее, её жалостливый вид перестал терзать струны его сердца. Его глаза открылись и он стал даже проницательней, чем был раньше. Он стал беспокоиться, что Рут Барлоу вознамерилась выйти за него замуж, и он поклялся торжественной клятвой, что ничто не сможет заставить его жениться на Рут Барлоу. Но он был в затруднении. Сейчас, когда он снова властвовал над собой, он ясно видел, с какого сорта женщиной имеет дело и беспокоился, что, если он попросит её освободить его, она (в своей трогательной манере) оценит свои раненые чувства в чрезмерно высокую цифру. С другой стороны, для мужчины всегда неловко увлечь и обмануть женщину. Люди склонны думать, что такой мужчина поступает плохо.
Роджер всё держал в секрете. Ни словом, ни жестом он не выдал, что его чувства по отношению к Рут Барлоу изменились. Он оставался внимательным ко всем её желаниям, он водил её обедать в рестораны, они вместе ходили в театры, он посылал ей цветы, он был симпатичным и очаровательным. Они решили, что поженятся, как только найдут дом, который им подходит, потому что он снимал квартиру, а она жила в меблированных комнатах; и они принялись искать желанное место жительства. Агенты посылали Роджеру просмотровые ордера, и он с Рут осматривал многочисленные дома. Было очень трудно найти что-то полностью удовлетворительное. Роджер обратился к множеству агентов. Они посещали дом за домом. Они осматривали их тщательно от погреба до чердака. Порой дом был слишком велик, порой слишком мал; порой он был слишком далеко от центра, порой слишком близко; порой он был чересчур дорогим, а порой требовал слишком большого ремонта; порой он был слишком душным, а порой в нём слишком сквозило; порой в нём было темно, а порой промозгло. Роджер всегда находил недостаток, который делал дом неподходящим. Конечно, ему было трудно угодить: он не мог себе позволить пригласить его дорогую Рут жить нигде, кроме как в совершенном доме, и требовалось найти этот совершенный дом. Они осмотрели сотни домов, они вскарабкались на тысячи ступенек, они исследовали бесчисленные кухни. Рут была истощена и не один раз теряла самообладание.
— Если ты вскорости не найдёшь дома, — сказала она, — я изменю своё решение. Если ты продолжишь в том же духе, мы никогда не поженимся.
— Не говори так, — отвечал он, — Я умоляю тебя потерпеть. Я только что получил несколько новых списков от агентов, о которых я недавно услышал. В них должно быть не меньше шестидесяти домов.
Они вновь принялись охотится. Они осматривали всё больше и больше домов. В течение двух лет они осматривали дома. Рут стала молчаливой и насмешливой, её трогательные прекрасные глаза преисполнились почти зловещим выражением. У миссис Барлоу было терпение ангела, но наконец она взорвалась.
— Так ты хочешь или нет жениться на мне? – спросила она.
В её голосе была необыкновенная твёрдость, но она ничуть не повлияла на мягкость его ответа.
— Конечно, хочу. Мы поженимся, как только найдём дом. Кстати, я только что услышал о доме, который может нам подойти.
— Я чувствую себя недостаточно хорошо, чтобы осматривать какие-то дома.
— Бедняжка, я боюсь, ты выглядишь усталой.
Рут Барлоу вернулась к себе. Она не могла видеть Роджера, и ему пришлось довольствоваться звонками в её жилище, чтобы навести справки, и посылкой ей цветов. Он был неутомим и галантен. Каждый день он писал ей и рассказывал, что слышал о том или другом доме, который им надо осмотреть. Прошла неделя и он получил следующее письмо:
«Роджер,
Не думаю, что ты на самом деле любишь меня. Я нашла кого-то, кто жаждет позаботиться обо мне, и я собираюсь сегодня выйти за него замуж.
Рут».
Он послал свой ответ специальной почтой:
«Рут,
Известие потрясло меня. Я никогда не оправлюсь, но, конечно, твоё счастье должно быть смыслом моей жизни. Прикладываю к сему семь ордеров; они пришли с утренней почтой и я совершенно уверен, что ты найдёшь среди них дом, который тебе подойдёт.
Роджер».
Перевод the escape by somerset maugham перевод
William Somerset Maugham
I have always been convinced that if a woman once made up her mind to marry a man nothing but instant flight could save him. Not always that; for once a friend of mine., seeing the inevitable loom menacingly before him, took ship from a certain port (with a toothbrush for all his luggage, so conscious was he of his danger and the necessity for immediate action) and spent a year travelling round the world; but when, thinking himself safe (women are fickle, he said, and in twelve months she will have forgotten all about me), he landed at the selfsame port the first person he saw gaily waving to him from the quay was the little lady from whom he had fled. I have only once known a man who in such circumstances managed to extricate himself. His name was Roger Charing. He was no longer young when he fell in love with Ruth Barlow and he had had sufficient experience to make him careful; but Ruth Barlow had я gift (or should I call it a, quality?) that renders most men defenseless, and it was this that dispossessed Roger of his common sense, his prudence and his worldy wisdom. He went down like a row of ninebins. This was the gift of pathos. Mrs. Barlow, for she was twice a widow, had splendid dark eyes and they were the most moving I ever saw; they seemed to be ever on the point of filling with tears; they suggested that the world was too much for her, and you felt that, poor dear, her sufferings had been more than anyone should be asked to bear. If, like Roger Charing, you were a strong, hefty fellow with plenty of money, it was almost inevitable that you should say to yourself: I must stand between the hazards of life and this helpless little thing, or, how wonderful it would be to take the sadness out of those big and lovely eyes! I gathered from Roger that everyone had treated Mrs. Barlow very badly. She was apparently one of those unfortunate persons with whom nothing by any chance goes right. If she married a husband he beat her; if she employed a broker he cheated her; if she engaged a cook she drank. She never had a little lamb but it was sure to die. 2
When Roger told me that he had at last persuaded her to marry him, I wished him joy.
«I hope you’ll be good friends,» he said. «She’s a little afraid of you, you know; she thinks you’re callous.
«Upon my word I don’t know why she should think that.»
«You do like her, don’t you?»
«She’s had a rotten time, poor dear. I feel so dreadfully sorry for her.»
I couldn’t say less. I knew she was stupid and I thought she was scheming. My own belief was that she was as hard as nails.
The first time I met her we had played bridge together and when she was my partner she twice trumped my best card. I behaved like an angel, but I confess that I thought if the tears were going to well up into anybody 1 s eyes they should have been mine rather than hers. And when, having by the end of the evening lost a good deal of money to me, she said she would send me a cheque and never did, I could not but think that I and not she should have worn a pathetic .expression when next we met.
Roger introduced her to his friends. He gave her lovely jewels. He took her here, there, and everywhere. Their marriage was announced for the immediate future. Roger was very happy. He was committing a good action and at the same time doing something he had very much a mind to. It is an uncommon situation and it is not surprising if he was a trifle more pleased with himself than was altogether becoming.
Then, on a sudden, he fell out of love. I do not know why. It could hardly have been that he grew tired of her conversation, for she had never had any conversation. Perhaps it was merely that this pathetic look of hers ceased to wring his heart-strings. His eyes were opened and he was once more the shrewd man of the world he had been. He became acutely conscious that Ruth Barlow had made up her mind to marry him and he swore a solemn oath that nothing would induce him to marry Ruth Barlow. But he was in a quandary. Now that he was in possession of his senses he saw with clearness the sort of woman he had to deal with and he was aware that, ii he asked her to release him, she would (in her appealing way) assess her wounded feelings at an immoderately high figure. 3 Besides, it is always awkward for a man to jilt a woman. People are apt to think he has behaved badly.
Roger kept his own counsel. He gave neither byword nor gesture an indication that his feelings towards Ruth Barlow had changed. He remained attentive to all her wishes; he took her to dine at restaurants, they went to the play together, he sent her flowers; he was sympathetic and charming. They had made up their minds that they would be married as soon as they found a house that suited them, for he lived in chambers and she in furnished rooms; and they set about looking at desirable residences. The agents sent Roger orders to view and he took Ruth to see a number of houses. It was very hard to find anything that was guite satisfactory. Roger applied to more agents. They visited house after house. They went over them thoroughly, examining them from the cellars in the basement to the attics under the roof. Sometimes they were too large and sometimes they were too small, sometimes they were too far from the centre of things and sometimes they were too close; sometimes they were too expensive and sometimes they wanted too many repairs; sometimes they were too stuffy and sometimes they were too airy; sometimes they were too dark and sometimes they were too bleak. Roger always found a fault that made the house unsuitable. Of course he was hard to please; he could not bear to ask his dear Ruth to live in any but the perfect house, and the perfect house wanted finding. House-hunting is a tiring and a tiresome business and presently Ruth began to grow peevish. Roger begged her to have patience; somewhere, surely, existed the very house they were looking for, and it only needed a little perseverance and they would find it. They looked at hundreds of houses; they climbed thousands of stairs; they inspected innumerable kitchens. Ruth was exhausted and more than once lost her temper.
«If you don’t find a house soon,» she said, «I shall have to reconsider my position. Why, if you go on like this we shan’t be married for years.»
«Don’t say that,» he answered. «I beseech you to have patience. I’ve just received some entirely new lists from agents I’ve only just heard of. There must be at least sixty houses on them.»
They set out on the chase again. They looked at more houses and more houses. For two years they looked at houses. Ruth grew silent and scornful: her pathetic, beautiful eyes acquired an expression that was almost sullen. There are limits to human endurance. Mrs. Barlow had the patience of an angel, but at last she revolted.
«Do you want to marry me or do you not?» she asked him.
There was an unaccustomed hardness in her voice, but it did not affect the gentleness of his reply.
«Of course I do. We’ll be married the very moment we find a house. By the way I’ve just heard of something that might suit us.»
«I don’t feel well enough to look at any more houses just yet.»
«Poor dear, I was afraid you were looking rather tired.»
Ruth Barlow took to her bed. She would not see Roger and he had to content himself with calling at her lodgings to enquire and sending her flowers. He was as ever assiduous and gallant. Every day he wrote and told her that he had heard of another house for them to look at. A week passed and then he received the following letter:
I do not think you really love me. I have found someone who is anxious to take care of me and I am going to be married to him today.
He sent back his reply by special messenger:
Your news shatters me. 1 shall never get over the blow, but of course your happiness must be my first consideration. 1 send you herewith seven orders to view; they arrived by this morning’s post and lam quite sure you will find among them a house that will exactly suit you.
1. He went down like a row of ninepins, (fig. ) here: He was defeated at once and surrendered without resisting.
2. She never had a little lamb but it was sure to die: There was never anything dear to her that she wouldn’t lose. «A little lamb» is somebody that one loves dearly; an allusion to the well-known nursery rhyme:
Mary had a little lamb.
Its fleece was white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
1. She would assess her wounded feelings at an immoderately high figure: she would make him pay much for jilting her
1. hazard n a chance, risk or danger, as a life full of hazards; the hazards of one’s life; at all hazards at all risks; whatever dangers there may be, e.g. You should do it at all hazards, to take hazards to run risks, e.g. He was aware that he was taking hazards but there was no way back.
Hazard vt 1) trust to chance; take the risk of, e.g. Rock-climbers sometimes hazard their lives. 2) offer or venture, as to hazard a remark (guess), battle
Hazardous a risky; dependent on chance, as a hazardous climb. Ant. safe, secure, sheltered.
2. persuade vt I) convince; lead (a person) by argument to believe something or to think in a certain way, as to persuade a person of the truth of a report, e.g. I persuaded myself that all was well. 2) cause (a person) by argument to do something, e.g. His friends could never persuade him to go to a hockey-match: he said the absurdity of the game made him feel too sorry for the players.
Persuaded p.p. (predic. only) certain; convinced, e.g. I am almost persuaded of his honesty.
Persuasion n, e.g. No persuasion on my part could make him do it. He agreed to stay in bed only after much persuasion.
Word Discrimination: to convince, to persuade.
To convince a person means to satisfy his understanding as to the truth of something by proof, evidence or arguments, e.g. Nothing will convince me that lies and falsehoods can be justified. Adjectives: convinced, convincing, as convinced bachelor; convincing proof, evidence, statement, reason.
To persuade a person is to influence him in some way, either by argument, proof or otherwise. Conviction or the process of convincing leads to belief. Persuasion leads to action. A stubborn person may be convinced of the necessity of doing something, but nothing may be able to persuade him to do it, e.g. You have persuaded me that I must apologize.
To convince a person is to prove the truth to him. To persuade a person is more than that: it implies not only convincing, but also influencing a person to act, to do something on the basis of his conviction.
Persuade may refer to the process itself of arguing with a person whereas convince is never used in this sense, but implies rather the final result of argument. E.g. We were persuading him to give up that dangerous plan, but failed to convince him.
3. Scheme v – plan or form a plan, esp. a secret or dishonest one, e.g. They schemed to overthrow their rivals.
Scheme n 1) a plan, e.g. The designer acquainted us with the scheme. 2) an arrangement in which each part fits the other parts perfectly, as a colour (furnishing) scheme (i.e. an arrangement chosen so that the effect is pleasing) 3) a secret, esp. dishonest, plan, e.g. Their scheme was exposed and the criminals were soon put on trial. 4) a carefully arranged statement of a plan, e.g. In the first lesson the teacher gave the students a scheme of work for the year.
4. Commit v – 1> (usu.) to do a bad or foolish act, as to commit a crime, suicide, an error, e.g. He committed a grave error and he was conscious of it. I wonder what made him commit suicide. 2) handover or give up for safe keeping; entrust; place, as to commit smth. to paper (to writing); to write it down, e.g. If you are very ill, you have to commit yourself to doctors and nurses. The prisoner was committed for trial (i.e. sent before the judges to be tried). The body was committed to the flames, (i.e. burnt). 3) to speak or act in such a way that one will be compelled to do smth, e.g. He has committed himself to support his brother’s children (i.e. said or done smth that makes it necessary for him to support them).
5. Acute a 1) (of the mind and the senses) sharp; quick, e.g. Dogs have an acute sense of smell. A man with an .acute mind soon knows whether a book is valuable or not. 2) severe, sharp and sudden, e.g. A bad tooth may cause acute pain. 3) very strong; deeply felt, e.q. His son’s success in the examinations gave him acute pleasure. 4) (of an illness) serious and causing great suffering; coming sharply to a crisis. (Cf. chronic), as acute gastritis 5) sharp, pointed, as an acute angle (one that is less than a right angle)
Acutely adv – e.g. He was acutely conscious of her presence, and it made him unusually silent.
1) ask someone to decide a question; (esp.) ask someone to say that one is right; ask earnestly for something, e.g. The prisoner appealed to the judge for mercy. She appealed to me to protect her. 2) Move the feelings; interest; attract, e.g. Do these paintings appeal to you? (Do you like them?) Bright colours appeal to small children. The sea voyage does not appeal to me.
Appealing pl. p., a imploring, e.g. The girl said it with such an appealing smile that Mr. Fowler, to his own surprise, granted the request, though but half a minute before he meant to refuse it.
Appeal n 1) an earnest call for help, as to collect signatures to an appeal, e.g. An appeal is being made for help for those who lost their homes in the earthquake. 2) a call to smth. or smb. to make a decision, e.g. So powerful seemed his appeal that the people were deeply moved. 3) interest or attraction, e.g. That sort of music hasn’t much appeal for me. (I’m not much attracted by it.) The novel has general appeal, to make an appeal to smb. to attract smb., e.g. This type of romantic hero is sure to make an appeal to feminine hearts.
Word Discrimination: to address, to apply to, to appeal to, to turn to, to consult, to go to
To address, which is a formal word, means to speak to smb., to make a speech, as to address a person, audience, meeting. It is not followed by a preposition, but in the expression «to address oneself to smb.» the preposition «to» is used. E.g. It is to you, sir, I address myself. Also: That remark was addressed to his neighbour.
To apply (to smb. for smth.) is more limited in use than to address and is even more formal. We say: to apply to an authority, to apply for work, information, permission, a certificate, etc. E.g. Carrie decided to apply to the foreman of the shoe factory for work.
To appeal (to smb. for smth.) to ask earnestly for smth. (usu. for help or moral support), to appeal to someone’s feelings.
To turn (to smb. for smth.) to go to someone for help (less formal and less emotional), e.g. The child turned to its mother for help.
To consult to go for advice or information, as to consult a lawyer, a doctor, a map, a dictionary. E.g. Nobody ever thought of consulting him. I must consult the doctor.
To see and to go to may be used in the meaning of «to consult» (coll.), as to see a doctor, a lawyer.
7. Endurance n ability to endure, e.g. He showed remarkable powers of endurance. There are limits to human endurance.
endure verb – bear bravely; remain firm or unmoved; suffer without complaining, as to endure suffering (pain, torture, etc.), e.g. If help does not come, they will endure to the end, 2) suffer; bear; put up with (esp. in the negative with ‘can, could, be able 1 ), e.g. I can’t endure that man. 3) last; continue in existence, as as long as life endures.
enduring pr. p., a, as an enduring peace (i.e. one that will last a long time)
8. Content v – satisfy, e.g. There were no roses at the florist’s, and we had to content ourselves with big, red carnations. There is no contenting some people (i.e. it’s impossible to satisfy them).
contented a satisfied, as a contented look (smile, laugh, etc.)
content a (predic. only) 1) satisfied with what one has or has had; not wishing for any more, e.g. He is content with very little. 2) willing, e.g. I am content to remain where I am now.
content n the condition of being satisfied; feeling easy in one’s mind, as to live in peace and content (i.e. peacefully and happily, with no worry or anxiety); to one’s heart’s content as much as one wants, e.g. And now you may enjoy yourself to your heart’s content.
Word Combinations and Phrases
To be as hard as nails
To have (very much) a mind to do smth.
To fall out of love
To keep one’s own counsel
To be apt to do smth.
To want finding (washing, a good beating, etc.)
To take to one’s bed to be one’s first consideration
1. a) Listen to the recording of Text Two and mark the stresses and tunes, b) Repeat the text in the intervals after the model.
2. Consult a dictionary, transcribe the following words and practise their pronunciation:
inevitable, menacingly, necessity, quay, extricate, experience, dispossess, prudence, pathos, hazard, apparently, persuade, callous, dreadfully, scheming, angel, cheque, pathetic, jewel, acutely, solemn, oath, quandary, release, assess, immoderately, gesture, restaurant, sympathetic, chamber, agent, basement, attic, tiring, patience, perseverance, innumerable, reconsider, endurance, revolt, content, assiduous, messenger, herewith
3. Read the following word combinations paying attention to different types of assimilation and the linking «r»:
and the necessity for immediate action; round the world; at the selfsame port; that dispossessed Roger of his common sense; on the point of filling with tears; between the hazards of life and this helpless little thing; she twice trumped my best card; his eyes were opened; he swore a solemn oath; in her appealing way; people are apt to think; in the basement; made the house unsuitable; they climbed thousands of stairs; but it did not affect the gentleness of his reply; we’ll be married the very moment we find a house
4. Read the following sentences: beginning with «I have always been convinced. «, «Not always that. » and «Mrs. Barlow, for she was twice a widow. «. Divide them into intonation groups; read them using proper intonation patterns and beating the time; mind strong and weak forms of form words and al! the phonetic phenomena of connected speech.
5. Read the following extracts: from «When Roger told me. » up to «. as hard as nails», from «If you don’t find a house soon. » up to «. sixty houses on them», and from «Mrs. Barlow had the patience of an angel. » up to «. Ruth Barlow took to her bed» paying attention to the intonation of the stimuli and responses in the dialogues. Convey proper attitudes by using adequate intonation patterns.
6. Read the text and consider its following aspects:
a) What is the relation of the opening passage of the story (ending «. from whom he had fled») to the main plot? Comment on the syntax of the second sentence («Not always that;. «); justify its length.
b) What would be lost if the sentence «but Ruth Barlow had a ‘gift’ (or should I call it a ‘quality’?! That renders most men defenseless» were written «but Ruth Barlow had a ‘quality’ that renders most men defenseless. «? What does the device of contrasting ‘quality’ to ‘gift’ aim at?
c) Select from the first paragraph words and phrases characterizing Ruth Barlow. What is the attitude implied? What method of characterization is used here? Point out clichés. Why does the author use them? How do they colour Roger’s attachment to Ruth?
d) Analyze the rhythm in the sentence beginning «If she married a husband. » and the effect achieved. Indicate the stylistic devices in «She never had a little lamb but it was sure to die».
e) What method (or methods) of characterization is used in the fragment beginning «I couldn’t say less. «, ending «. when next we met»? Is this description of Ruth in full accord with the one given in the first paragraph? If not, what is the reason? Explain «as hard as nails».
f) Exemplify the author’s use of vivid epithets in the character of Ruth Barlow. Which features of hers do they accentuate?
g) Point out instances of irony. (Is it irony or humour? Prove your point.)
h) What is the purpose of the parenthesis in «. she would (in her appealing way) assess her wounded feelings. «?
i) Comment on the sentence structure in «Sometimes they were too large. «. What is the effect achieved?
j) Exemplify the use of metaphors, similes and repetition. Comment on their effect.
k) Indicate the variety of the sentences and the rhythmic effects achieved.
1) Point out the climax of the story. Comment on the methods used for heightening the tension in the passages leading to the climax.
7. Copy out from Text Two the sentences containing the word combinations and phrases given above and translate them into Russian.
8. Paraphrase the following sentences using the word combinations and phrases:
1. Conflict almost tore her apart. She was not sure whether she should have the heart to talk with them or keep her plans secret. 2. Before she has a special check on her heart and general condition we must take care of her. We should think about her health in the first place. 3. He had drive and energy. Besides, he could be pitiless, so Johnson thought he was the right man to run his business. 4.1 doubt if my opinion will have enough weight. As a rule youngsters disregard the advice of adults. 5. She could hardly hold her temper in check. She wished to say very unladylike things to him. 6. For some reasons of his own he held back some information and kept his plans secret. 7. Your dress is stained. It needs to be cleaned.
9. Write sentences of your own using the given list of word combinations and phrases (3 sentences on each item).
10. Compose short situations in dialogue form using the word combinations and phrases. Pay attention to the intonation of the stimuli and responses.
11 . Discuss the following with your partner:
1. Was Roger really in love with Ruth Barlow or was he only committing a good action?
2. Comment on Roger Charing’s plan. Do you find it interesting?
3. Was Roger a good psychologist? Prove it by the facts from the story.
4. Follow through the text how the author shows his attitude to the main characters.
12. Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of woman was Ruth Barlow? Was she really in love with Roger? Why did she make up her mind to marry him? 2. Was Roger in love with Ruth? Was it a serious and a profound feeling? 3. What kind of man was Roger? How do his flat-chase tactics characterize him? How should he have behaved? 4. Whose side do you take in the conflict: Ruth’s or Roger’s? 5. Isn’t there anything to be said in Ruth’s defence? 6. What is the social significance of the story?
13. Study the vocabulary notes and translate the examples into Ukrainian.
14. Translate the following sentences into Ukrainian paying attention to the words and word combinations in italics:
A. 1. «There are certain hazards in looking too attractive in the classroom,» Bester said. 2. When he saw the lovely Sofie, the youth could not help admitting that the captive possessed a treasure which would fully reward his toil and hazard. 3. Travel on the thoroughfares of Manila was not without its hazards. 4. The hazards of radioactive waste are receiving as much attention as the hazards of radioactive fallout. 5. He had endeavoured to persuade his father to permit him to accompany me, but in vain. 6. Mrs. Brooke foresaw that the task of persuading Rosa to this marriage would be the fiercest and most important of all the engagements they had taken part in. 7. We could not tear ourselves away from each other, nor persuade ourselves to say the word «Farewell». 8. My persuasions have restrained my uncle from undertaking a journey to Ingolstadt. 9.1 could not persuade myself to confide to him that event which was so often present to my recollections. 10. There is something in your words which persuades me that you are sincere. 11.1 avoided explanation for I had a persuasion that I should be supposed mad. 12. We decided to put the scheme into operation as soon as possible.
B. 1.1 shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. 2.1 wandered like an evil spirit, for I had committed deeds of mischief beyond description horrible. 3. He refused to commit himself by talking about the crime. 4. The article appealed to patriotism and called for immediate action. 5. He appealed to her reason but in vain. She would not listen to him. 6. My passionate and indignant appeals were lost upon them. 7. Intellectual pleasure is the most satisfying and the most enduring. 8. He could not endure seeing animals treated cruelly. 9.1 can’t endure the thought that he will have to content himself with such a poor job. 10. Exhaustion succeeded to the extreme fatigue both of body and of mind which I had endured. 11.1 was better fitted by my constitution for the endurance of cold than heat. 12.1 have endured toil and misery. I have endured incalculable fatigue, and cold, and hunger. 13.1 had not been content with the results promised by the modern professors of natural [52] science. 14. The blue lake, and snow-clad mountains, they never change; and I think our placid home and our contented hearts are regulated by the same immutable laws. 15. They did not appear rich, but they were contented and happy; their feelings were serene and peaceful. 16- «You are in the wrong,» he replied; «and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you.» 17. During my youthful days discontent never visited my mind. 18. In spite of the intense labour and wonderful discoveries of modern philosophers, I always came from my studies discontented and unsatisfied.
15. Fill in the blanks with «to persuade» or «to convince» in the required form. Give reasons for your choice:
1. The conclusion of this speech . my father that my ideas were deranged. 2.1 was firmly. in my own mind that she was guiltless of this murder. 3. During Elizabeth’s illness many arguments had been urged to . my mother to refrain from attending upon her. 4. Who would believe, unless his sense . him, in the existence of such a monster? 5. We . him that his method was inefficient but we could not. him to try our method. 6. Martin Eden could not. Ruth that he would become a writer. 7. Ruth could not. Martin to take ajob as clerk and give up writing. 8. Atticus could not. the jury that Robinson was not guity, 9. The members of the Digamma Pi Society . Fatty to use cribs at the exams. 10. For centuries Outer Space seemed as unattainable as the Moon. Now everybody is . that Space will be conguered. 11. It took a great deal of. on his part to get her agree to publish excerpts from her account of her daily life. 12. He . her to let him take one of the notebooks to his newspaper.
17. Retell the story of Roger’s «narrow escape» using your active vocabulary, word combinations, phrases and patterns: a) as Ruth Barlow sees it: she is, certainly, bewildered and even indignant; use proper intonation means to convey her attitude to Roger and his conduct; b) as Roger tells it to a friend of his in a confidential way; he is greatly relieved; express his attitude by using proper intonation means; c) from the point of view of the lady next door to Ruth Barlow’s who pretends to sympathize with Ruth and disapprove of Roger’s behaviour, but, in fact, hugely enjoys the situation; use adequate intonation patterns to convey her attitudes.
18. Discuss the events of the story in dialogues as they would be treated by: a) Ruth Barlow and a lady friend of hers: b) Roger and the narrator of the story. Use proper intonation means in the stimuli and responses to convey proper attitudes.
19. Reread the text to answer the following questions on its style and composition.
a) In what way does the story begin? Is the reader’s interest awakened at once? If so, how does the author achieve it?
b) What is gained by telling the story in the first person? From whose point of view is it told? Point out the passages reflecting the narrator’s attitude, Roger’s and the author’s. Is the author detached in his attitude to Ruth? Prove your point.
c) Is the plot an important feature of the story? Indicate briefly the stages by which the narrative is unfolded.
d) Does the story end as the reader expects? Point out passages aiming at suspense.
e) Is the title appropriate? Does it reflect the point of the story?
f) What words and phrases give atmosphere to the story in descriptions of human appearance, characters, human relations? (Make up lists.)
g) Do you regard «The Escape» as a typical specimen of Somerset Maugham’s prose? Read the following to answer the question:
The qualities of Somerset Maugham are not at all elusive. An innate dramatic sense enables him to write sound, solidly constructed novels that never fail to interest the reader, His prose is clean and hard and is always marked by a precision that is rare in contemporary writing. Passion and lyricism are not evident but in their place the reader will find a superbly controlled irony and a brilliant wit. Transforming the commonplace into art, he produced a long, distinguished list of plays, short stories and novels that will never cease to give the greatest of pleasure.