I have never been more serious in my life. If you move you will die,” said the old hunter. The young man became very pale but answered: “All right” and sat still.

How do you know who I am? ” Conan Doyle asked in the greatest surprise.

“I have never seen you before”, the man answered, “so I can’t pretend (13)

That I recognized (14)you. But I read in the newspapers that you were expected(15) in Paris after your vacations(16) in the south of France. The train you arrived on came from the south of France. I could tell from your clothes, especially your hat, and also from the strange way you pronounce(17) French words that you were English. These facts helped me to guess(18) that you were probably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle”.

“Good work! Wonderful! ” Conan Doyle cried. “You analyzed the facts quitecorrectly. It’s a pity you aren’t a detective! ”

“Of course”, the driver added, “your name is on both your traveling bags. I can’t pretend that fact didn’t help”.

probably - вероятно skillful - искусный, умелый

analyzing -анализируя to notice -замечать

to seem -казаться to fail -терпеть неудачу, обмануть ожидания

to give up -сдаваться prisoner - узник, заключенный

a row of cabs outside the gate -- ряд кэбов за воротами..

to order - приказать silent –молчание

to pay (paid, paid) –платить to pretend - притворяться

to recognize -узнавать to expect -ожидать

vacations - отпуск, каникулы to pronounce - произносить

to guess [ ] - догадываться

The text is about Conan Doyle and his visit to Paris. He met a clever driver of a cab. A clever driver knew information about Conan Doyle.

1. The author says that some facts helped the driver to recognize the writer. Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. What did Conan Doyle order to the driver of cab? Conan Doyle ordered to the driver of cab to take him to a good hotel.
3. Where did the writer spend a month? The writer spent a month on vacations in the south of France.

1. Read the text and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

A story

One day, some Americans were having dinner at a hotel in London. When the fish was put on the table, a young man said: “Let’s examine (1) the fish carefully (2). Perhaps we’ll find a diamond (3) in it.” Everybody began to laugh (4), but an old man said quietly: “Yes, I’m sure we have all heard such stories. Let me tell you what happened to me once.”

When I was a young man, ” he began, “I worked for a big company in New York; and I was sent to England to do some work there,. I was in love with a beautiful girl, and before I left for England, we decided that we would be married(5) when I returned home.

I stayed in England for two month, I sent letters or postcards to the girl almost every day, but after the first two weeks I didn’t receive many answers. But I didn’t think anything was the matter (6), and before I left for home, I brought a beautiful diamond ring (7) for her.

On the ship one morning, a telegram was brought to me. It was from a friend in New York, who told me that the girl had changed her mind (8) and was going to be married to another man. I was so angry that I threw(9) the diamond ring into the sea.

My friend came to the port to meet me, and he invited me to dinner. When we were sitting down at the table and I was eating fish, I suddenly felt something hard (10) in my mouth. What do you think it was? ”

“The diamond! ” all the Americans cried.

“No, ” the old man answered.” It was a fish bone(11). ”

1. examine - рассмотреть, осмотреть

2. carefully -тщательно, осторожно

3. a diamond - бриллиант (-овый)

4. to laugh - смеяться

5. to be married -пожениться

6. anything was the matter -(что) что-либо случилось

7. ring -кольцо

8. changed her mind -передумала

9. throw (threw, thrown) -бросать

10. hard -твердый

11. a fish bone -рыбья кость

The text is about Americans in hotel in London. An old man told the a story about his love and diamond. His friend in New York told him that the girl had changed her mind and was going to be married to another man. He was so angry that he threw the diamond ring into the sea.

2. The author says that the young man was in love with a beautiful girl. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3.Why did the young man throw the diamond ring into the sea? The young man threw the diamond ring into the sea because friend in New York had told him that the girl had changed her mind and had been going to be married to another man.

4. What did the young man find eating the fish? When the young man was eating a fish he found a fish bone.

1. Read the text and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

Alfred the Great

Alfred is the only English king who is called “the great”. He was the youngest son of the Saxon’s king of Wessex. His father and brothers died and, in 871, he became king of Wessex. Alfred was a very capable man. He did much good to his people. He built finer buildings that ever before. He gave a lot of money to the poor and was very nice to everybody. Alfred set up a school for the sons of the most important families. He took the best laws from other kingdoms and had a new book of laws written.

He was not just a good soldier. Alfred had to fight many battles to stop the Danes taking over Wessex. He made the army stronger and built many ships in case the Vikings (Danes) attacked again. The leader of the Danes was called Guthrum

[gu0rэm]. He attacked Alfred at Christmas when most of his soldiers were working on their farms. Alfred had to hide in the forest and wait until spring came. Then he gathered his men together and defeated the Vikings. Alfred and Guthrum agreed that they should each rule half of England.

The land the Vikings ruled was called the Danelaw. At that time England was divided: the South and West with London belonged to Alfred, the Northern and Eastern parts-to the Danes.

Alfred died in 899A.D. He had not driven the Vikings out of England but he was the only Saxon king to stop them invading all of England. The statue of Alfred the Great is erected in Winchester.

The only -единственный Capable -способный

Set up a school -открыть(основать) школу Just – просто

had to fight many battles to stop - должен был сражаться во многих битвах, чтобы остановить..

He had a new book of laws written –новый письменный свод законов

In case the Vikings (the Danes) attacked again - на случай, если викинги (датчане) нападут снова

Until spring came –до наступления весны

A. was the only Saxon king to stop them(the Vikings) invading all of England –Альфред был единственным саксонским королем, который остановил их(викингов) от завоевания всей Англии

erect - воздвигнут

The text is about king Alfred the Great. He was a good king. He was the only Saxon king who stopped the Danes invading all of England.

1. The author tells us what Alfred did for people. Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. When did Alfred “the great” become king of Wessex? Alfred “the great” became king of Wessex in the year 871 when his father and brothers died.
3. When did Alfred die? Did he stop the Danes invading all of England? Alfred died in 899A.D. He was the only Saxon king who stopped the Danes invading all of England.

1. Read the text and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

The Snake

It happened in Central Asia. Some hunter s were hunting in a large wood. They built a small hut in the wood, where they living and slept in the night.

One evening they were sitting at the table after dinner when suddenly one of them, an old hunter, looked at the young man who was sitting by his side and became pale.

He turned to the young man and said: “Don’t move or you will be a dead man. “All right, ” answered the young man, “But why do you say it are you joking? ”

I have never been more serious in my life. If you move you will die, ” said the old hunter. The young man became very pale but answered: “All right” and sat still.

“Henry, ” said the old hunter to another hunter, “put some milk into that cup. Now put the cup on the floor near my chair. Do it very quietly or one of us will be a dead man.”

Nobody said a word. Henry quietly put the cup with the milk on the floor near the old hunter’s chair. The young man did not move though he couldn’t understand what it all meant. A snake whose bite was dead had coiled itselfround the young man’s leg. But when saw milk it came down on the floor and moved towards the cup.

At that moment the old hunter fired and snake lay dead on the floor. So the young man’s life was saved.

Snake -змея Hut -хижина

To hunt -охотиться Hunter -охотник

Pale -бледный a dead man - мертвец

Still -неподвижный Floor -пол

Bite -укус To coil oneself -свернуться кольцом

Round –вокруг To fire -стрелять

Save -спасать

The text is about hunters in Central Asia. An old hunter killed a snake. So the young man’s life was saved.

1. What did one of the hunters say to the young hunter? Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. What did the old hunter tell Henry to do? The old hunter told Henry to put some milk into that cup and then put the cup on the floor near the old hunter’s chair.

How was the life of the young hunter saved? When a snake whose bite was dead saw milk it came down on the floor and moved towards the cup. At that moment the old hunter fired and snake lay dead on the floor. So the young man’s life was saved.

1. Read the text and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

How Benjamin West Became a Painter