Sergei Matveyev - Сборник лучших английских сказок. Уровень 1

He took his bottle and bag and went to the court. In his way he had to cross a river and he saw several pretty fish swimming there, so he caught some and put them into his pocket. When he reached the palace he knocked at the gate loudly with his crook. He was immediately led to the hall where the king’s daughter sat ready to see her lovers. He was placed in a luxurious [39] luxurious – роскошный chair, and rich wines and spices were set before him, and all sorts of delicate meats. Jack, unused to such feast, ate and drank, so that he was nearly dozing [40] doze – клевать носом, засыпать before midnight.

‘Oh, shepherd,’ said the lady, ‘I have caught you napping [41] nap – дремать !’

‘No, my lady, I was fishing.’

‘Fishing,’ said the princess in the astonishment: ‘But, shepherd, there is no fish-pond in the hall.’

‘I have been fishing in my pocket, and have just caught one.’

‘Oh!’ said she, ‘let me see it.’

The shepherd pulled the fish out of his pocket and showed it her, and she said it was the finest she ever saw.

About half an hour afterwards, she said, ‘Shepherd, do you think you could get me one more?’

He replied, ‘I may, when I have baited [42] bait – насаживать приманку на крючок my hook’; and after a little while he brought out another, which was finer than the first, and the princess was so delighted that she gave him leave to go to sleep, and promised to excuse him to her father.

In the morning the princess told the king, to his great astonishment, that Jack must not be beheaded, for he had been fishing in the hall all night; but when he heard how Jack had caught such beautiful fish out of his pocket, he asked him to catch one in his own. Jack readily undertook the task, and told to the king to lie down. Than Jack pretended to fish in his pocket, having another fish concealed [43] conceal – скрывать ready in his hand, and pricking [44] prick – укалывать him with a needle, he held up the fish, and showed it to the king.

His majesty was surprised, and the princess and Jack were married the same day, and lived for many years in happiness and prosperity [45] prosperity – преуспевание .

1) True or false?

1. A nobleman had two sons.

2. On his way to princess Jack found an egg, a stick and a nut.

3. After answering the three questions Jack was married to the princess immediately.

4. Jack said that he was hunting in his pocket.

5. Jack was a shepherd.

6. Jack pulled three fish out of his pocket.

2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. The nobleman… (to have) three sons, two of whom… (to be) clever, but the third one… (to be) a fool.

2. ‘Where… (to do) that come from?’… (to say) the princess.

3. He… (to take) his bottle and bag and… (to go) to the court.

4. In his way he had… (to cross) a river and he… (to see) several pretty fish swimming there.

5. Jack… (to catch) some and… (to put) them into his pocket.

6. He was immediately… (to lead) to the hall where the king’s daughter… (to sit) ready to see her lovers.

7. The shepherd… (to pull) the fish out of his pocket and… (to show) it her, and she… (to say) it… (to be) the finest she ever… (to see).

3) Translate the following sentences:

1. У аристократа было три сына: два умных, а третий – дурак.

2. Джек снова засмеялся, когда нашёл изогнутую ореховую палочку.

3. Что за отряд хорошеньких дам у нас тут?

4. Дошли слухи, что кто угодно может попробовать сразиться за женитьбу на принцессе.

5. Джек вытащил из кармана и предъявил принцессе яйцо, изогнутую ореховую палочку и орех.

6. Тот, кто сможет продержаться без сна целую ночь, женится на принцессе.

7. Джек насадил приманку на крючок и поймал рыбку у себя в кармане и в кармане у короля.

4) Match the synonyms. Sometimes there can be more than one synonym to each word:

doze ____________________

tell

hide ____________________

shriek ____________________

say ____________________

show ____________________

nap ____________________

cry ____________________

conceal ____________________

sleep ____________________

produce ____________________

5) Retell the fairy-tale.

Once upon a time there was a girl who was married to a husband that she never saw. And the way this was, was that he was only at home at night, and would never have any light in the house. The girl thought that was funny, and all her friends told her there must be something wrong with her husband, some great deformity [46] deformity – недостаток, уродство that made him want not to be seen.

Well, one night when he came home she suddenly lit a candle and saw him. He was handsome enough to make all the women of the world fall in love with him. But scarcely [47] scarcely – едва had she seen him when he began to change into a bird, and then he said: ‘Now you have seen me, you shall see me no more, unless you are willing to serve seven years and a day for me, so that I may become a man once more.’ Then he told her to take three feathers from under his side, and whatever she wished through them would come to pass [48] come to pass – исполниться, случиться . Then he left her at a great house to be laundry-maid [49] laundry-maid – прачка for seven years and a day.

And the girl used to take the feathers and say: ‘By power of my three feathers may the copper [50] copper – зд . котёл be lit, and the clothes washed, and ironed, and folded, and put away to the missis’s satisfaction.’

And then she had no more care about it. The feathers did the rest [51] do the rest – сделать остальное , and the lady had never had a better laundress [52] laundress – прачка . Well, one day the butler [53] butler – дворецкий , who decided to have the pretty laundry-maid for his wife, said to her, he should have spoken before but he did not want to annoy her. ‘Why should it when we work together?’ the girl said. And then he felt free to go on [54] go on – продолжать , and explain his master is to pay him seventy pounds, and how would she like him for a husband.

And the girl told him to bring her the money, and he asked his master for it, and brought it to her. But as they were going upstairs, she cried ‘O John, I must go back, sure I’ve left my shutters [55] shutters – жалюзи undone, and they’ll be slashing and banging all night.’

The butler said, ‘Never you trouble, I’ll put them right’, and he ran back, while she took her feathers, and said: ‘By power of my three feathers may the shutters slash and bang till morning, and John neither be able to fasten [56] fasten – зд . закрепить them nor get his fingers free from them.’