Sergei Matveyev - Сборник лучших английских сказок. Уровень 1

“Well,” she thought, “I’ll guess his name for sure [104] for sure – наверняка ”. “All right,” says she, “I agree.”

The next day, her husband took her into the room, and there was the flax and her food.

“This is the flax,” says he, “and if you don’t spin it this night, you’ll lose your head.” And then he went out and locked the door.

So the girl heard a knock near the window. She stood up and opened it, and there was the little old impet.

“Where’s the flax?” says he.

“Here it is,” says she. And she gave it to him.

When the evening came, the knock came again to the window. The girl stood up and opened it, and there was the little old impet with five skeins of flax on his arm.

“Here it is,” says he, and he gave it to her.

“Now, what’s my name?” says he.

“Is that Bill?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail.

“Is that Ned?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail.

“Well, is that Mark?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail harder and flew away.

When her husband came in, there were the five skeins ready for him. “Well, I shan’t [105] shan’t = shall not kill you tonight, my dear,” says he; “you’ll have your food and your flax in the morning,” says he and goes away.

Every day he brought the flax and the food, and every day that little black impet came mornings and evenings. And all the day the girl was trying to guess his name in order to [106] in order to – чтобы say it when the impet came at night. But she did not say the right name. By the end of the month, the impet began to look very angrily, and twirled his tail faster and faster.

Finally, the last day came. The impet came at night with the five skeins and said:

“Do you know my name?”

“Is that Nicodemus [107] Nicodemus – Никодим ?” says she.

“No, it isn’t,” he says.

“Is that Sammle [108] Sammle – Сэммл ?” says she.

“No, it isn’t,” he says.

“Is that Methusalem [109] Methusalem – Мафусаил ?” says she.

“No, no, no!” he says.

Then he looks at her and says: “Woman, there’s only tomorrow night, and then you’ll be mine!” And he flew away.

She was very afraid. But the king came. When he sees the five skeins, he says:

“Well, my dear, if I see the skeins ready tomorrow night, I shan’t kill you. And I’ll have supper here.” So he brought supper and another stool for him, and they sat down.

Suddenly, he stops and begins to laugh.

“What’s up? [110] What’s up? – В чём дело? “ says she.

“Oh,” says he, “I was hunting today, and I went very far in the wood. And I heard a song. So I got off [111] I got off – я слез my horse, and I went forward. I saw a funny little black man. He had a little spinning-wheel, and he was spinning wonderfully fast, and he was twirling his tail. And he was singing:

“Nimmy nimmy not,

My name’s Tom Tit Tot.”

When the girl heard this, she became very happy, but she didn’t say a word.

Next day, that little impet looked very maliceful when he came for the flax. And when the night came, she heard the knock. She opened the window, and the impet came into the room. He was grinning, and his tail was twirling very fast.

“What’s my name?” he asked when he was giving her the skeins.

“Is that Solomon [112] Solomon – Соломон ?” she says.

“No, it isn’t,” he said and came further into the room.

“Well, is that Zebedee [113] Zebedee – Зеведей ?” says she again.

“No, it isn’t,” says the impet. And then he laughed and twirled his tail like a wheel.

“Take time [114] Take time – Не торопись , woman,” he says, “next guess, and you’re mine.” And he lifted his black hands.

The girl smiled and said:

“NIMMY NIMMY NOT,

YOUR NAME’S TOM TIT TOT!”

When the impet heard her, he cried awfully and flew away into the dark, and she never saw him any more.

1. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The woman lies to the king; she tells him that her daughter can spin five skeins.

2. The woman lies to the king; she tells him that her daughter can spin three skeins.

3. The woman lies to the king; she tells him that her daughter can spin six skeins.

4. The woman lies to the king; she tells him that her daughter can spin two skeins.

2. Where does the king shut the girl?

1. The king shuts the girl in a castle with no food.

2. The king shuts the girl in a room with impets.

3. The king shuts the girl in a castle room with a spinning wheel.

4. The king shuts the girl in a basement with ugly rats.

3. What is an impet?

1. a noble man

2. an animal

3. a big bird

4. a small demon

4. Why does the girl agree to marry the king?

1. Because she knows how to spin.

2. Because she does not need her head.

3. Because she thinks that he will forget about his promise.

4. Because she has nobody to marry.

5. What is a skein?

1. a machine for spinning

2. a length of yarn or thread in a loose coil

3. a round piece of wool

4. silk bobbin

6. What is Tom Tit Tot’s payment?

1. three jars of gold

2. the girl herself

3. the pies

4. the kingdom

7. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The king helped his wife to spin.

2. The king is very kind.

3. The king killed the impet.

4. The king learned the impet’s name.

8. What does it mean, “the pies will come again”?

1. The pies have legs.

2. The pies will be ready soon.

3. The pies left, but they promised to return.

4. The pies usually come and go away.

9. Why did the impet twirl his tail?

1. He was nervous.

2. He was proud of his tail.

3. He had nothing to play with.

4. He did not know what to do with his tail.

10. Выберите нужный глагол:

The impet ____________________ from the girl a promise that she will be his.

1. tells

2. gives

3. makes

4. extracts

11. Выберите нужные глаголы:

The king ____________________ to his wife, “Now ____________________ me what you ____________________.”

1. told, promise, give

2. tells, give, promised

3. promised, tell, give

4. gave, promise, give

12. Выберите нужный предлог:

for – of – with – on

1. Put the pies ____________________ the shelf and leave them there a little.

2. During eleven months ____________________ the year, she will have everything that she wants.

3. I’ll shut you here tomorrow ____________________ some food and some flax.

4. Next day, that little impet looked very maliceful when he came ____________________ the flax.

13. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How many persons are mentioned in the story?

2. What is the name of the impet?

3. What have you learned about the impet?

4. What do you like and what don’t you like about the girl?

5. What would you do if you were [115] What would you do if you were – что бы вы сделали на месте the main character of the story?