Джон Смит - Английский XXI века. Дж. Смит. Помеха для общества / John W. Smith. Longer Wacky Stories With Twist Endings

allow[ǝ'laʋ] , alcohol['ælkǝhɒl] , die[daɪ]

And what was Paula's handicap?

Simple. Paula did not drink. No, she would never allow alcohol to pass her lovely lips.

'Men like women who are fun,' her friends would say. 'Women who don't drink are boring.' And then, 'what chance have you of ever finding a man if you are no fun?'

They weren't interested in why Paula didn't drink. Of how, when she was only seven years old, her mother died and her father took to drink.

He drank so heavily that he himself was dead within six months(он пил так сильно, что через полгода: «через шесть месяцев» умер и сам; heavily – тяжело; сильно, много ) and she was placed in a foster home(и ее отдали /на воспитание/ в приемную семью; to place – ставить, размещать; помещать, отдавать /куда-л./; foster home – семья, принявшая на воспитание ребенка; to foster – воспитывать чужого ребенка /в своей семье/: to foster an orphan – брать на воспитание сироту ).

Her foster parents were kind and looked after her well(приемные родители оказались добрыми и хорошо о ней заботились; to look after – присматривать за, заботиться о ) . But she never forgot the way she had loved her own parents(но она никогда не забывала то, как любила своих собственных родителей; to forget; way – путь, дорога; образ действия ) when they were alive(когда они были живы) . It was bad enough losing her mum(очень: «достаточно» плохо потерять свою мамочку) . But she should never have lost her dad(но ей не следовало терять и папу; never – никогда; нисколько, никоим образом /эмоц. – усил./; to lose ) . And it was all because of drink, she told herself(а все это произошло из-за выпивки, говорила она себе).

heavily['hevɪlɪ] , alive[ǝ'laɪv] , enough[ɪ'nʌf]

He drank so heavily that he himself was dead within six months and she was placed in a foster home.

Her foster parents were kind and looked after her well. But she never forgot the way she had loved her own parents when they were alive. It was bad enough losing her mum. But she should never have lost her dad. And it was all because of drink, she told herself.

So Paula swore she would never drink(и вот, Паула поклялась никогда не пить; to swear ).

But times change(но времена меняются) . People grow up(люди вырастают) . Maybe she should reconsider her decision never to drink(может быть, ей следует пересмотреть свое решение никогда не пить) ? wondered Paula(размышляла Паула; to wonder – удивляться, изумляться; задаваться вопросом, сомневаться ) . It was certainly no fun being a social outcast(определенно, ничего приятного нет в том, чтобы быть в обществе изгоем) . Her friends had stopped inviting her out(подруги перестали приглашать ее на прогулки; out – вне, снаружи ) . She had become sad and lonely(ей стало грустно и одиноко; to become – становиться ) . Getting home every evening from her office job(каждый вечер после работы в своей конторе шла домой; to get – получать, добывать; приходить, прибывать ) . Nothing to look forward to other than the flickering screen of her television set(/а там/ рассчитывать не на что, кроме как на мерцающий экран телевизора: «телевизионного приемника»; to look forward to – ожидать /чего-л./, надеяться на /что-л./; other than – кроме как, за исключением; set – комплект, набор; прибор, агрегат; приемник ) and the purring body of her cat beneath her left hand on the sofa(и на урчащее тельце ее кота, пристроившегося на диване под ее левой рукой).

decision[dɪ'sɪʒ(ǝ)n] , certainly['sɜ:tnlɪ] , social['sǝʋʃ(ǝ)l]

So Paula swore she would never drink.

But times change. People grow up. Maybe she should reconsider her decision never to drink? wondered Paula. It was certainly no fun being a social outcast. Her friends had stopped inviting her out. She had become sad and lonely. Getting home every evening from her office job. Nothing to look forward to other than the flickering screen of her television set and the purring body of her cat beneath her left hand on the sofa.

And then it was New Year's Eve again(и вот снова наступил канун Нового года) . And this time her friends took pity on her(на этот раз подруги сжалились над ней; pity – жалость, сострадание ) , and did invite her to a house party(и пригласили на домашнюю вечеринку; do /зд./ – употребляется для усиления значения действия/ ) . Paula was very happy to be invited(Паула очень обрадовалась, что ее пригласили; happy – счастливый; довольный ) . All she could hope for(все, на что она могла надеяться) was that her friends would know her well enough by now(это что подруги узнали ее достаточно неплохо к этому времени) to respect her wishes not to drink(чтобы уважать ее желание не пить).

It began well(началось все хорошо; to begin ) . Her friends greeted her warmly(подруги тепло ее приветствовали) . There were many young men present(там присутствовало много молодых людей).

eve[i:v] , would[wʋd] , warmly['wɔ:mlɪ]

And then it was New Year's Eve again. And this time her friends took pity on her, and did invite her to a house party. Paula was very happy to be invited. All she could hope for was that her friends would know her well enough by now to respect her wishes not to drink.

It began well. Her friends greeted her warmly. There were many young men present.

Paula became happy(Пауле стало весело: «радостно») , her normally still face creasing into smiles and making her look pretty(ее обычно бесстрастное лицо расплывалось в улыбке, от чего она выглядела весьма привлекательно: «и заставляло ее выглядеть привлекательной»; still – неподвижный, спокойный; to crease – образовывать складки; морщиться; to look – смотреть, глядеть; выглядеть, иметь вид ).