When Benjamin West, the well-known American painter, was a little boy, his sister married and left their town.

Three years later when Benjamin was seven years old, she came to see her mother with her little daughter Sally. Little Sally was only two years old. And she spent most of her time in her cradle.

One morning her mother and grandmother went into the garden and Ben was told to sit near her while she was sleeping. He sat looking at her sleeping face and than began to draw her face on the piece of paper.

He had worked for about two hours and had almost finished when his mother and sister came in. He tried to hide the paper, but his mother saw it and asked him to show it to her.

He gave her the piece of paper asking her not to beangry with him. She looked at the paper and liked it very much.

“He has made a picture of Sally! ” she said. Then his mother asked him if he could draw the roses in her hand and when he had done it she kissed him. When he grew up and became famous he often said:

“That kiss made me a painter.”

A painter -художник

A cradle -люлька

To draw -рисовать

To hide - прятаться

To be angry with –рассердиться на к-л

A piece of paper - лист бумаги

The text is about how Benjamin West Became a Painter. He made a picture of little Sally when he was a boy and his motherliked it.

1. The author writes about the childhood of Benjamin West and his little niece. Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. What did Benjamin make when Sally was sleeping in her cradle? When Sally was sleeping in her cradle Benjamin made a picture of little Sally.

Why did his mother kiss him? What did Ben say about this kiss later on? His mother kissed him because she looked at the picture of Sally and liked it very much. Later on Ben said that that kiss made him a painter.

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

A Painted Bee

There was once a great artist in Antwerpen who said that his daughter would never marry anyone but an artist.

But she loved a blacksmith and he was in love with her. When she told him that her father did not allow her to marry anyone but an artist, he left his trade and studied in order to become a painter.

One day the blacksmith came to the artist’s place. The artist was not at home and the blacksmith came into the studio. He looked round at the pictures. At last he took a brush and painteda bee on the leg of one of the figures and then stood aside to look at it.

Suddenly he heard that somebody had opened the door. He quickly put the brush down and turned to the door. The artist was not yet in the room and did not see how his visitor had put the brush in the place.

When he came in he at once saw the bee on the leg of one of his figures: he thought that it was a real bee and tried to brush it off. When the young painter saw this he smiled. The artist smiled too when he saw his mistake and said that it was a very good picture.

The young man told him the whole story and soon after that the young painter and the artist’s daughter got married.

But an artist -кроме как за артиста A blacksmith - кузнец

To be in love with - быть влюбленным Trade -профессия, ремесло

To paint - писать красками A painter -художник

To allow -позволять A brush -кисть

To brush off -стереть A bee -пчела

To try -пытаться Figure=drawing - рисунок

The text is about love of a blacksmith and a daughter of an artist. The young blacksmith began to learn in order to become a painter. The young blacksmith drew a bee on the leg of a figure in the studio when the girl’s father was out.

1. The author says about daughter of great artist. Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. What did the young blacksmith begin to learn? The young blacksmith began to learn in order to become a painter.

What did he draw on the leg of a figure in the studio when the girl’s father was out? What was the end of the story? The young blacksmith drew a bee on the leg of a figure in the studio when the girl’s father was out. At the end of the story the young man told the artist the whole story and soon after that the young painter and the artist’s daughter got married.

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

A Visit to the Doctor

Once an old gentleman came to consult a doctor.

“What do you consult of? ”- asked the doctor.

“You see, doctor, my nervous system is in a bad state. I have heartache, often headache and my sleep isn’t good. Sometimes I cannot sleep all night long.”

The doctor examined the patient very carefully and said: “Your treatment will be very simple, is other words it will be a rest-cure. You should go to a quiet place in the village for a month and have an active rest there: get up early, do morning exercises, have breakfast and go for a walk. You should walk much, go to the forest, for fresh air, eat much fruit and vegetables and drink milk before going to bed. And you can smoke only one cigarette a day.”

A month later the gentleman came to see the doctor again. “How are you? ”-asked the doctor. “I am quite well now, ‘ –answered the patient- “I’ve done everything that you recommended me, doctor. I strictlyfollow all your orders. I walked much, ate much fruit and vegetables and drank milk before going to sleep. But one cigarette a day almost killed me.”

“But why? ” -asked the doctor.

“ It’s not a joke to begin smoking at my age. I had never smoked before.” – answered the gentleman.

To consult a doctor -проконсультироваться у доктора

To complain (of) -жаловаться (на ч-л)

Examine –осмотреть Nervous system -нервная система

Heartache -боль в сердце Headache -головная боль

Rest-cure -лечение отдыхом Quiet - спокойный

Treatment -лечение To treat -лечить

Carefully -тщательно Especially -особенно

To follow orders -выполнять указания Strictly -строго

It’s not a joke to begin smoking at my age -это не шутка начинать курить в моем возрасте

The text is about a visit to a doctor. The old gentleman came to consult a doctor he complained that his nervous system was in a bad state. He had heartache, often headache and his sleep wasn’t good. Sometimes he could not sleep all night long. The doctor helped him.

1. What did the old gentleman complain of when he came to consult a doctor? When the old gentleman came to consult a doctor he complained that his nervous system was in a bad state. He had heartache, often headache and his sleep wasn’t good. Sometimes he could not sleep all night long.
2. What did the doctor recommend the patient after examining him carefully?

Find this extract and read it aloud.

1. Did the patient follow all the doctor’s orders? Why did one cigarette a day almost kill him as he said? The patient followed all the doctor’s orders. He said that one cigarette a day almost killed him because he had never smoked before.

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

A Good Lesson

One day a well-known singer was invited to the house of a rich lady to sing to her guests at a dinner- party. But instead of inviting the singer to dine with her guests, the lady ordered dinner for him in the servant’s room.

The singer said nothing. He dined well and after dinner said to the servants: “Now, my good friends, I am going to sing to you”.

The servants were very much surprised but said there were awfully glad to havea chance to hear the great singer. He sang a good many beautiful songs and the servants enjoyed listening to him.

Later the lady sent one of her servants to bring the singer up to the drawing-room, where all her guests were waiting for him.

“But I cannot sing twice in one evening, Madam”, said the singer to the lady when she met at the door leading into the drawing-room.

“What do you mean? ” asked the lady.

“I mean I have already sung for about an hour to your servants, Madam”, answered the singer. “ It was a pity you were not there, for I always sing to the people with whom I dine”.

And with these words he left the house.

well-known singer - известный певец

to invite -приглашать to dine -обедать

servants -слуги to have a chance -иметь в шанс

to bring the singer up to the drawing-room -привести певца в гостиная

It was a pity you were not there -жаль, что вас там не было

Left -покинул

The text is about a good lesson. A well-known singer was invited to the house of a rich lady to sing to her guests at a dinner- party. But the lady ordered dinner for him in the servant’s room. He sang only for servants.

1. Whom did a rich English woman invite to the party to entertain the people? Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. Who was happy to have a chance to hear the great singer? The servants were happy to have a chance to hear the great singer

Why didn’t he sing for the rich guests? The great singer already sang for about an hour to rich English woman’s servants. And he always sang to the people with whom I dined”.

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

The Money-Box

It was Friday evening and shopkeepers in Grimby came to the Midland Bank to put their money into the night safe. But later that evening the night safe disappeared and with it £ 4, 000.

Every Friday evening the shopkeepers put the money they take during the week into the night safe. They don’t want to leave it in their shops, but the bank closes early. The night safe is outside on the wall and the money they put into it goes into the bank. But on this Friday evening the people who came along the street with bags full of money dropped them not into a night safe, but into a box that belonged to Mr. Michael Bell.

Mr. Bell, who makes radios and televisions, had the idea when he saw two men outside the bank one evening. When he came home from work, the two men, who were apparently shopkeepers, were putting some money into the night safe. He made the box at home and painted it. When it was ready, he took it to the bank and hung it on the wall next to the night safe.

On the front of the night safe he painted the words: “Please, use the new night safe. This one is out of order ”. Then he went round the corner and waited for the shopkeepers to arrive. He listened, while they dropped their bags of money into the box. When it was full, he quickly took it down and went home with £ 4, 000.

Mr. Bell is very clever and his idea was good, but not perfect. Now he has time to think of other ideas. He is in prison for stealing.

Shopkeeper -лавочник safe -сейф

to disappear -исчезать

the money they put into it goes into the bank-деньги, к-рые они опускали в

него(сейф), отправлялись в банк

to drop -опускать to belong -принадлежать

apparently - очевидно to paint -красить

This one is out of order -не работает

went round the corner -повернул за угол

to arrive -прибывать perfect -совершенный

in prison for stealing -в тюрьме за воровство

The text is about the money – box.Mr. Bell had the idea to make the box at home and paint it then to take it to the bank and hang it on the wall next to the night safe. Now he is in prison for stealing.

2. The author tells what happened every Friday evening in Grimby near the Midland Bank. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What idea did Mr. Bell have? Mr. Bell had the idea to make the box at home and paint it then to take it to the bank and hang it on the wall next to the night safe.

4. Why is he in prison now? Now he is in prison for stealing.

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

The Blind Man and The great Artist

Every day in one of the streets of Vienna you could see a blind man playing the violin. His dog sat near him with a cap in his mouth. People, who were passing them, dropped coins into the cap.

One day, when the weather was very cold, the man was playing for a long time, but nobody wanted to give him anything.

The poor man thought that he would have to go to bed without supper. He was so tired and so weak that he stopped playing.

At the moment a young man came up to him and asked him why he stopped playing. The blind man said he had played for two hours but nobody had given him anything.

“Give me your violin. I shall help you”, said the man. And with these words he began to play. He played so well that people began to gather and soon there was a big crowd. Everybody was eager to listen to the fine music and to thank the young man for pleasure.

Soon the cap was full of money.

“I don’t know how to thank you”, said the blind man. “Who are you? ”

“I am Paganini”, was the answer

Vienna -Вена Blind -слепой

Dropped coins -бросали монеты Weak -слабый

Violin -скрипка Crowd -толпа

Was eager -очень хотелось Pleasure -удовольствие

Was full of - был полным (заполненным)

The text is about the blind man and the help of the great artist Paganini. He played so well that people began to gather and soon there was a big crowd. Everybody was eager to listen to the fine music and to thank the young man for pleasure. Soon the cap was full of money.

2. Whom could people see on one of the streets of Vienna every day? Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What did a young man ask the blind man about? A young man asked the blind man why he stopped playing.

4. How did the young man help him? The young man asked to give him a violin began to play. He played so well that people began to gather and soon there was a big crowd. Everybody was eager to listen to the fine music and to thank the young man for pleasure. Soon the cap was full of money.

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

A Strange Picture

A rich American went to Paris and brought a very strange picture by a fashionable modern artist. The American thought the picture was very fine because he had paid a lot of money for it.

But when he came to his hotel and wanted to hang the picture up on the wall, he could not tell which was the top and which the button of the picture. The American t urned the picture this way and that, but still could not decide which the top was and which was the button.

So he thought of a plan. He hung the painting in the dining-room and invited the artist to dinner. When the artist came, the American said nothing to him about the picture.

When the artist began to eat his soup, he looked at the picture many times. When he began to eat his fish, he put on his glasses and looked at the picture again.

Before he began to eat his fruit, he got up and walked over to the picture to look at it moreclosely. At least when they began to drink their coffee, he understood that the picture was upside down ”.

“Oh, is it? ” said American. “Why didn’t you tell me so at once? ”

“Well, you see, I was not sure myself at first”, said the artist.

Fashionable -модный Artist -художник

Think (thought, thought) -подумал To hang (hung, hung) up - повесить

Tell -различать, отмечать Top -верх

Bottom -низ Turn - вертеть, поворачивать

Glasses -очки More closely - ближе

Upside down - «вверх ногами» At once -сразу

Was not sure -не был уверенным

The text is about a strange picture. A rich American could not tell which was the top and which the button of the picture. He decided to invite the artist to dinner because he could not tell which was the top and which the button of the picture. The artist understand that the picture was upside down at least when they began to drink their coffee.

2. What did he think about this picture? Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. Why did he decide to invite the artist to dinner? He decided to invite the artist to dinner because he could not tell which was the top and which the button of the picture.

4. When did the artist understand that the picture was upside down? The artist understand that the picture was upside down at least when they began to drink their coffee.

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

Tea-Leaves

There was a time when drinking tea was almost unknown in European countries; many people had never even heard of tea. This anecdote is about an old woman and her son, who lived before tea-drinking became popular in England.