He was a sea captain, and every time he returned from a far-away country, he brought his mother a gift. He tried to bring something unusual, that she could show to her friends.

Once young man came back from India with a box of tea for his mother. She didn’t know anything about tea, but she was proud of her son, and she invited all her friends to come and to try what he had brought her.

When her son came into the room, he saw cakes and fruit and jam on the table, and a big platefull of brown tea-leaves. His mother and her friends were sitting round the table, eating the leaves with butter and salt. Though they all smiled, it was clear that they didn’t’ enjoy eating the leaves.

“Where is the tea, Mother? ” the captain asked.

His mother showed him the plate in the middle of the table.

“We are having tea for lunch”, she said

“No, no, those tea-leaves”, said the captain. “Where is the water? ’

“The water! ” his mother said “I threw the water away, of course! ”

tea-leaves -чайные листья drinking tea - чаепитие

almost unknown -почти неизвестно

a sea captain - капитан корабля

a far-away country - далекая страна a gift - подарок

was proud of -гордилась try -попробовать

full of -полный, заполненный

plate -тарелка it was clear -было ясно

threw the water away -вылила воду

The text is about tea – leaves. Once young man came back from India with a box of tea for his mother. She didn’t know anything about tea, but she was proud of her son, and she invited all her friends to come and to try what he had brought her.

When a captain came into the room he saw cakes and fruit and jam on the table, and a big platefull of brown tea-leaves. His mother and her friends were sitting round the table, eating the leaves with butter and salt.

1. What did the man try to bring his mother every time when he returned from a far-away country? Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. Who did an old woman invite to try what her son had brought her? An old woman invited all her friends to try what her son had brought her.
3. What did a captain see in the middle of the table when he came into the room? When a captain came into the room he saw cakes and fruit and jam on the table, and a big platefull of brown tea-leaves. His mother and her friends were sitting round the table, eating the leaves with butter and salt.

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

The King and the Critic

There was a king who thought that he could paint very well. His pictures were bad, but the people to whom he showed them were afraid of the king. They all said that they liked his pictures very much.

One day the king showed his pictures to a great painter who lived in his country and asked: “I want to know what you think of my pictures. Do you like them? Am I a good painter or not? ”

The painter looked at the king’s pictures and said: “My king, I think that your pictures are bad, and that you will never be a good painter.”

The king got very angry and sent the painter to prison. After two years the king wanted to see the painter again.

“I was angry with you”, he said, “Because you did not like my pictures. Now forget all about it. You are a free man again and I am your friend.”

For many hours the king talked with the painter, and even asked him to dine. After dinner the king showed his pictures to the painter and asked: “Well, how do you like them now? ”

The painter did not answer anything. He turned to the soldier who was standing near him and said: “Take me back to prison.”

Think (thought, thought) -думать To paint - рисовать

Were afraid of -боялись A painter -художник

Got very angry -рассердился Prison – тюрьма

Forget all about it - забудь об этом To dine -обедать

Soldier -солдат

The text is about the king and the critic. There was a king who thought that he could paint very well. His pictures were bad, but the people to whom he showed them were afraid of the king. An artist told him about it and went to prison.

1. Why the people to whom a king showed his pictures were afraid of him? Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What did a great painter say when he looked at the king’s pictures? When a great painter looked at the king’s pictures he said that his pictures were bad, and that he would never be a good painter.

4. Why did the king send the painter to prison? How many years was he there? The king sent the painter to prison because he got very angry.

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

Mathew and a Hairdresser

Mathew lived in a big city, and his hair was always cut by the same hairdresser. Mathew went to him once a month. He was allowed one hour for his lunch every day, and on the mornings when his hair was going to be cut, he made himself some sand­wiches to eat in the hairdresser's.

The hairdresser had a very small shop near Mathew's office, and he worked alone, but he always cut Mathew's hair exactly as Mathew liked it, and while he was doing it, the two men talked about football or cricket.

But the hairdresser was an old man, and one day, when Mathew was sitting in his chair, and his hair was being cut as usual, the old man said to him, " Mathew, I'm going to be sixty-five years old next month, so I'm going to retire. I'm going to sell my shop to a young man who wants to be a hairdresser. The shop's being paid for by the young man's father."

Mathew was very sad to hear this, because he enjoyed talking to the old man, and he was also worried that his hair would not be cut as well by the new young man as it had been for so many years by his old friend.

He went to the shop again the next month, and the new man was there. He cut Mathew's hair, but he did it very badly.

The next month, Mathew went into the shop again. The young man asked him how he would like his hair cut, and Mathew answered, " Please cut it very short on the right side, but leave it as it is on the left. It must covermy ear. On top, cut all the hair away in the middle, but leave a piece at the front which can hang down to my chin. "

The young man was very surprised when he heard this. " But sir, " he said, " I can't cut your hair like that! "

" Why not? " Mathew asked. " That's how you cut it last time."

Hair -волосы exactly as -точно так как

Was cut by the same hairdresser -подстригались одним и тем же парикмахером

was allowed one hour for his lunch -отводился час на ланч

was being cut as usual –были подстрижены как обычно

I'm going to retire – собираюсь на пенсию

The shop's being paid for by the young man's father –за магазин оплачено

отцом молодого человека

sad - печальный was also worried –был также расстроен

did it very badly -сделал очень плохо would like - хотел бы

leave it as it is on the left –оставить так, как справа

to cover ear - закрывать ухо On top – на макушке

leave a piece at the front which can hang down to my chin -оставьте немного спереди.чтобы свесить на подбородок

like that - подобным образом That's how – это так, как..

The text is about Mathew and a Hairdresser. Mathew was very sad to hear about the old hairdresser’s leaving. He went to the shop again the next month, and the new man was there. He cut Mathew's hair, but he did it very badly.

2. Why did the old hairdresser sell his shop? Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. How did Mathew feel about the old hairdresser’s leaving? Why? Mathew was very sad to hear this, because he enjoyed talking to the old man, and he was also worried that his hair would not be cut as well by the new young man as it had been for so many years by his old friend.

4. Why had Mathew asked the young hairdresser to cut his hair like he had done it before? Mathew asked the young hairdresser to cut his hair like he had done it before to show that he was a bad hairdresser.

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

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