Елена Миклашевская - Зачем им столько времен?

The friends (come) to the river bank. When they (sit) on the grass thinking what to do to save their friend, a large Stork (land) near them.

«Who (be) you?» he (ask). Why you (come) here?»

«We (go) to the Emerald City, but we (lose) our friend», (say) Dorothy.

The Stork (look) at the river. «I never (see) scarecrows in the middle of the river. When he (get) there?»

The Stork (be) a serious bird and (want) to know all the details.

«An hour ago. He (be) there for a long.»

«You (decide) what to do?»

«No, but if you (bring) him back, we (thank) you ever.»

«I (try)», (say) the Stork. «But if he (be) too heavy, I (drop) him in the river again.»

With these words the big bird (fly) into the air to where the Scarecrow (be), (take) him by the arm and (carry) him to the friends.

The Scarecrow (be) happy.

«You (save) me», he (say) to the Stork. «I (be) on the river for a long time and (be) afraid to stay forever. If I ever (get) brains, I (find) you to do some kindness.»

«It (be) all right», (answer) the Stork. «I always (like) to help anyone in trouble. Now I must go.»

The Stork (fly) into the air and (vanish) in the blue sky.

Answer the questions:

1.What happened when the Scarecrow pushed his pole into the bottom too hard?

2.What were the friends doing when the Stork landed near them?

3.What did Dorothy ask the Stork?

4.What did the Scarecrow say to the Stork? What was he afraid of?

Vocabulary: cyclone – ураган, prairie – степь, cellar – подвал

Tenses to use: Present Simple, Past Simple, Present Continuous, Past Continuous, Future Simple, Present Perfect

Dorothy (live) in the middle of the great Kansas prairie with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. They (be) farmers.

When Dorothy (stand) in the doorway and (look) around, she (can) see nothing but the grey prairie.

That day Dorothy (stand) in the doorway with Toto, her dog, in her arms and (look) in the sky which (be) even greyer than usual. Aunt Em (wash) the dishes.

Suddenly they (see) Uncle Henry running from the field.

«The cyclone (come)!», he (cry). «Get into the cellar! I (look) after the animals». With these words he (leave).

«Quick, Dorothy», Aunt Em (call), «run to the cellar!»

But Toto (jump) out of Dorothy’s arms and (get) under the bed. He (be) very afraid of the cyclone. Dorothy (rush) after him.

A strange thing then (happen). The house (turn) around two or three times and (begin) to go up, up, up into the sky. The north and south winds (meet) where the house (stand) and (make) it the center of the cyclone.

The house (go) higher and higher, and when it (get) to the top of the cyclone, the wind (carry) it far away.

Dorothy (sit) on the floor.

«What (happen) to us?» she (think). «And what (happen) to Uncle Henry and Aunt Em if we (die)?»

Hours (pass) away, but the house (fly). Dorothy (find) her bed and (lie) on it. Soon she (fall) fast asleep.

Answer the questions:

1. Where did Dorothy live?

2. What was each of them (Dorothy, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry) doing when the cyclone came?

3. Why did Dorothy rush into the house?

4. What happened to the house when the north and the south winds met where it stood?

5. What did Dorothy do when the house was flying in the sky?

Vocabulary: lock – шлюз, the rest – остальное

Tenses to use: Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple, Present Continuous, Past Continuous. Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect.

By four o’clock we (do) our shopping. We (go) back to the boat and (move) off along the river again. At Hampton lock we (find) out that we (have) no water left. So, we (go) to ask the lock-keeper for some. George (speak) for us,

«Oh, please, can you give us a little water?»

«Of course,» the old man (say), «just take what you want and leave the rest».

«Thank you,» George (reply) and (look) around, «but where it (be)?»

«It (be) where it always (be),» (say) the man, «it (be) behind you».

«River?! But we can’t drink the river!»

«Of course, not. But you can drink some of it and leave the rest».

We (get) some water in another house.

George (say) that he (see) many bits of food in the boat. He (promise) to make a good supper of what we (not/use) before. He (put) into the pan everything he (find). While he (cook), Montmorency (watch) all this. Then he (walk) away. He (come) back with a dead rat in his mouth. Harris (say), «It (be) all right if we (put) the rat in». But George (not/ want) to try new things.

We (have) a very good meal. After supper George and I (decide) to go for a walk in Henley as we never (be) there before.

Answer the questions:

1.What did the friends find out after they had done some shopping?

2.Why didn’t they follow the lock- keeper advice?

3.What sort of supper did they cook that day?

4.Why did George refuse to put the rat into the pan?

Vocabulary: lock gate – ворота шлюза, seem – казаться, be trapped – застрять

Tenses to use: Present Simple, Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect

It (be) a lovely day. By the time we (come) to the lock in Wallingford, we already (pass) the locks in Streatley and Cleeve. We (plan) to spend evening in a nice little hotel.

There (be) a lot of boats in the lock, and a man (take) photos of them. I (not/see) him at first, but suddenly George (start) to fix his hair and brush his trousers. My first idea (be) that he (see) a girl he (know). But then I (see) the photographer. Our boat (be) the first in the lock, so I (want) to look nice in the photo, too. We (stand) there and (wait) for the important moment when somebody (cry),

«Hey! Look at your nose!»

I (have) a quick look at my nose. It (seem) all right. Then I (look) at George’s nose. It (be) all right, too. «Look at your nose, you stupid thing!» (cry) the same voice. Then another voice (call), «Push your nose out, you two, with the dog!»

Only then we (understand). We (come) too close to the lock gate, and the nose of our boat (be) trapped in the wooden gate. The water (rise), and our boat (begin) to turn over. Quickly, we (push) hard against the side of the lock to move the boat. It (not/ move), and George and I (fall) on our backs.

Nobody (buy) the photo, as our feet filled it. The photographer (not/be) very pleased.

Answer the questions:

1.What did the friends see when they came to the lock in Wallingford?

2.Why did George start to brush his trousers and fix his hair?

3.Why did not the narrator understand the man who cried «Look at your nose!»?

4.What had happened to their boat?

5. What did they do to free the nose of the boat?

6.Why did not people in the lock want to buy the photos?

Vocabulary: stuff – набивать, straw – солома, tailor – портной

Tenses to use: Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple, Past Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Simple Passive, Past Simple Passive

Dorothy and the Scarecrow (sit) by a small river. «Please, tell me about your country,» (ask) the Scarecrow.

Dorothy (tell) her new friend about grey Kansas prairie where everything (burn) by the hot sun and that (be) nothing like this beautiful land. Her story (listen) to with great interest. The Scarecrow (say), «I (not/understand) why you (want) to return to such dry and dusty place».