МОСКОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ИНСТИТУТ

МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ (УНИВЕРСИТЕТ) МИД РОССИИ

Московский институт управления

Кафедра английского языка № 6

А.Ш. Тарвердян, В.В. Зуева

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК
Учебное пособие по домашнему чтению
к сборнику рассказов “Crime Never Pays”

Для студентов I курса МИУ

Уровень А2

Издательство
«МГИМО-Университет»
2012
ББК 81.2Англ
Т19

Тарвердян А.Ш.
Т19 Английский язык : учеб. пособие по дом. чтению к сборнику
рассказов “Crime Never Pays” : для студентов I курса МИУ. Уро-
вень А2 / А.Ш. Тарвердян, В.В. Зуева. Моск. гос. ин-т междунар.
отношений (ун-т) МИД России, Междунар. ин-т. управления, каф.
англ. яз. № 6. — М. : МГИМО-Университет, 2012. — 50 с.
ISBN 978-5-9228-0846-0
Настоящее учебное пособие представляет собой сборник коммуникатив-
но-ориентированных заданий по развитию устной речи и расширению сло-
варного запаса на основе сборника рассказов “Crime Never Pays”. Пособие
согласуется с основным учебником под редакцией А.Ш. Тарвердян для сту-
дентов I курса МИУ
В конце пособия прилагается список использованных в рассказах слов и
словосочетаний, относящихся к юридической терминологии.

ББК 81.2Англ

ISBN 978-5-9228-0846-0 © Московский государственный институт

международных отношений (университет)
МИД России, 2012
 Предисловие

Настоящее пособие по домашнему чтению предназначено

для студентов I курса МИУ и соответствует уровню А2. Посо-
бие представляет собой сборник коммуникативно-ориенти-
рованных заданий по развитию устной речи и расширению
словарного запаса на основе сборника рассказов “Crime Never
Pays”.
Издание состоит из восьми разделов, каждый из которых
соответствует одному рассказу и содержит активную лексику и
различные виды упражнений, направленных на закрепление
лексики, контроль понимания прочитанного, развитие навыков
устной и письменной речи, творческих и аналитических спо-
собностей.
В конце пособия прилагается список слов и словосочетаний
относящихся к юридической терминологии, использованных в
рассказах.

В соответствии со ст. 1274 Гражданского кодекса Россий-

ской Федерации авторы данного сборника использовали в сво-
ей работе с обязательным указанием имени автора, произведе-
ние которого используется, и источника заимствования право-
мерно обнародованные произведения и отрывки из них в каче-
стве иллюстраций в объеме, оправданном поставленной целью.

3
 The Companion
by Agatha Christie

Vocabulary Work
I. Supply the following words and word combinations with
their English equivalents from the story:

1. седеющий холостяк 10. паническое хватание

2. пленять театральную пуб-
лику
3. вздохнуть с облегчением
4. прекрасный пол
5. быть склонным к худобе
6. неприметно одетый
7. держаться на плаву
8. намеренно держать голову
под водой
9. потерять сознание
11. оживить при помощи ис-
кусственного дыхания
12. соотечественник за рубе-
жом
13. подчиняться закону
14. совершить преступление
15. умереть, не оставив заве-
щания
16. довести месть до конца

II. Translate the following words and word combinations :

Creepy stories; be in the habit of doing smth; rack one’s brains; wal-
low in crime; hotbed of crime and vice; put the clue into one’s hand;
breakdown in health; get on well with smb; a reticent woman; will-
fully and in cold blood; earn one’s own living; let one’s imagination
run away with; make amends; be overcome by remorse; throw light
upon; take smb. into confidence; do away with; solve the mystery.

III. Match the words in the box with their definitions:

1. to bewitch a. to be floating on water

2. to wallow b. to like each other and to
be friendly to each other
3. to rack one’s brains c. to get rid of something
4. to be afloat d. to try very hard to re-

4

5. to get on well
6. to give a sigh of relief
7. to do away with smth
8. to earn one’s living
9. to let one’s imagination run
away with someone
10. to make amends
11. to be overcome by remorse
12. to throw light upon smth
13. to take smb into confidence
14. to commit a crime
15. to lose consciousness
16. to revive
17. to put the clue into one’s hand
18. to abide by the law
19. to die intestate
5
member something or to
solve a problem
e. to do something illegal
f. to trust a person
g. to experience a strong sad
and guilty feeling about
something that you have
done wrong
h. to try to make a situation
better after you have done
something wrong
i. to become unconscious
j. to bring back to life or
consciousness
k. to die without making a
will explaining what you
want to happen to your
money and possessions
l. to suddenly feel very
happy because smth un-
pleasant hasn’t happened
or has ended
m. to guide or direct in the
solution of a mystery
n. to follow the law
o. to devote oneself entirely
to something
p. to earn enough money to
pay for everything you
need
q. to help people understand
a situation
r. to use too much imagina-
tion
s. to attract or interest
 someone a lot so that you
have the power to influ-
ence them

IV. Study the difference in meaning and insert a suitable pre-

position into the sentences from the story:

1. put forward sth or put sth for- to state an idea or opinion, or to

ward suggest a plan, so that it can be
considered or discussed
2. put sb down as sth to think that someone is a partic-
ular type of person, especially
someone that you do not know
very well

3. put sth down to sth to think that a problem or bad

experience is caused by some-
thing else
4. put in, put into sth if a ship puts in, it stops in a port
for a short time
5. put on sth if a person or animal puts on
weight, they become heavier

1. As I say, ships from all over the world put … at Las Palmas.
2. The two women he referred to were travellers who had just ar-
rived - a Holland Lloyd boat had put … port that evening, and the
passengers were just beginning to arrive.
3. It didn't strike me as anything unusual at the time. I put it … to
her terrible distress over her friend.
4. 'Do you know - it's a curious thing your saying that. Now I come
to think back, I believe you're right. She - yes, she did seem, if
anything, to be putting … weight'
5. The vicar put her … as being slightly mental, and did not take her
self-accusation seriously.

6
6. The papers made discreet references to the tragedy in the Canary
Islands, putting … the theory that the death of Miss Durrant had
unhinged her friend's brain.

V. Make adverbs from the adjectives below. Complete the sen-

tences from the story with adverbs, modifying reporting
verbs. Recollect the situations where they were used.

Soft, apologetic, dry, cautious, dreamy, vague, firm, light, confident,

excited, hearty, encouraging, cautious, suspicious, reproachful,
fierce, enthusiastic.

1. With an unconscious gesture, the doctor pulled down his waist-

coat and racked his brains hastily, so as not to disappoint the love-
ly creature who addressed him so c_____________.
2. 'I feel,' said Jane d__________ , 'that I would like to wallow in
crime this evening.'
3. His wife, hastily recalled to the exigencies of social life (she had
been planning her spring border) agreed e___________. .'Of
course it's splendid,' she said h____________but v___________
4. 'I'm sorry,' said Dr Lloyd a__________ 'But you see, as a matter
of fact, this story isn't about the Spanish woman.'
5. 'The village parallel,' murmured Sir Henry s__________.
6. 'Yes?' said Mrs Bantry e______________.
7. As soon as they saw us they rushed towards the car and began ex-
plaining e_________________.
8. Well, I don't know that it affected her appearance at all,' he said
c_____________.
9. 'I replied d________________that possibly several criminals had
thought that in their time, and she shrank back.
10. 'She spoke f____________and s_____________
11. ‘Worry is a cause of sleeplessness sometimes,' I said
l_____________

7
12. ‘You always laugh at me, Sir Henry,' said Miss Marple
r_____________.
13. 'No body,' said Miss Marple f____________________.

VI. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. … grizzled elderly bachelor doctor… ministered to the ailments

of the village of St Mary Mead (p. 11).
2. only one has opportunities and leisure for seeing it at closer quar-
ters (p. 12).
3. There were a fair sprinkling of English and other nationalities ...
(p. 13).
4. … you will see people of all races and nationalities – birds of pas-
sage (p. 13).
5. And yet Audrey is fifty if she is a day (p. 14).
6. As soon as I got the hang of things I pushed the crowd aside and
hurried down the beach (p. 16).
7. “Do you think”, she asked, “that one is ever justified in taking the
law into one’s own hands?” (p. 22).
8. … all went to her next of kin… (p. 24)
9. The papers made discreet references to the tragedy in the Canary
Islands, putting forward the theory that the death of Miss Durrant
had unhinged her friend’s brain (p. 24).
10. … if there weren’t such a lot of red herrings to draw you off the
trail … (p. 28).
11. She saw the game was up as far as I was concerned, and she did
the bold thing – took me into her confidence (p. 28).

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. Who were the people spending their evening together?

2. Why did the doctor decide to tell a story?
3. Why did the doctor end up in Las Palmas? What was unusual
about the place?

8
4. What was the public like at the dancing in the Metropole Hotel?
What did the doctor think of the women present there?
5. What caused a commotion on the beach? How did the doctor be-
have?
6. How did Miss Barton explain the accident?
7. What did the eye-witnesses see?
8. Did they manage to find any relatives of Miss Durrant?
9. Which things seemed queer to the doctor?
10. At what point of the story did Miss Marple apparently guess the
answer to the mystery? What did she want to know?
11. How did the doctor learn about Miss Barton`s death?
12. What made one woman kill the other one? Was it a planned
murder?
13. Do you justify Amy Durrant in her actions?
14. Do you think the doctor was right not to expose the murderer?

II. Comment on the following:

1. ... human nature is much the same in a village as anywhere else ...
(p. 12).
2. Beauty is perhaps a dangerous possession (p. 13).
3. The law was the law and we had to abide by it (p. 22).
4. This is real life, and real life stops just where it chooses (p. 24).

III. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. It’s better to travel alone than with a bad companion.

2. Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. (Aristotle)
3. He who helps the guilty, shares the crime. (Publius Syrus)
4. Few criminals die sensible of their crimes. (Norman Macdonald)

Written Practice

Imagine that you are Miss Marple and you have decided to write a
letter to your friend, who has just hired a new companion. Tell her
about the crime and give some advice.

9
 The Case for the Defence
by Grahame Greene

Vocabulary Work

I. Find English equivalents for the following and reproduce

situations with them:

1. избить до смерти 10. точная копия человека

2. у него не было никаких
шансов
3. глаза навыкате
4. сбить на углу улицы
5. ему сильно не везло
6. средь бела дня
7. говорить уверенно
8. ловить каждое слово
9. не мог понять, к чему он
клонит
на скамье подсудимых
11. одинаково одет
12. брат-близнец
13. сидеть, закинув ногу на
ногу
14. вклиниться в толпу
15. разогнать толпу
16. небесное возмездие

II. Fill in the blanks with a suitable form of one of the phrases
given below:

Bulging eyes, to speak firmly, the exact image, to hang on smb’s

words, to drive smb away, be dressed the same, in broad daylight,
to get wedged, to run smb down, divine vengeance, twin brother,
with smb’s legs crossed, not stand a chance.

1. People who want to manage others should learn how to control

anxiety and fear, use language, voice and gestures effectively and
______ _______.
2. He, and his _______ ______ James, who became a successful
farmer, were the second and third of the five children of Alexan-
der Gordon.
3. Increasing prices will only drive customers away.
4. As he passed through the station to the cab stand he _____
________ in a crowd that fought to get to him.

10
5. One night, alarmed by her screams, I ran downstairs to find the
lounge in disarray and my Mother pinned to the floor with a
bloodied face and ________ ________, straddled by George who
had his hands around her throat.
6. As he was cycling into school this morning a car ________him
________.
7. The morning papers gave no hint of anything amiss and, _____
_________ ___________, the events and the disturbing stories of
the night seemed like a bad dream.
8. I dyed my hair every colour under the sun, we wore lots and lots
of make-up and these really baggy dresses in wild colours, which
covered our whole bodies — we all _________ _____ ________.
9. Whenever mother read their favourite book to them, the children
_______ ________ her _________.
10. Christopher is the _______ __________ of his father.
11. He hasn’t had enough training. He doesn’t _______ _______
____________of winning the tournament.
12. Mark sat there with his legs wide apart, stroking his tie. He
hadn't noticed that, for the past 20 minutes, the visitor had been
sitting _______his _________ __________casting glances at
the nearest exit.
13. Nemesis was a feared and revered goddess who distributed
________ ___________ and punished excessive pride, evil
deeds, undeserved happiness or good fortune, and the absence
of moderation.

III. Match English legal terms to the corresponding Russian

ones:

1. plead mistaken identity a. косвенные улики

2. give formal evidence b. на скамье подсудимых
3. circumstantial c. свидетель
evidence d. ссылаться на ошибочное
4. counsel for the defence опознание
5. in court e. присяжные
6. trial f. очевидец
7. alibi g. поклясться

11
 8. outline a case h. в суде
9. in the dock i. быть оправданным за недос-
10. murder trial таточностью улик
11. verdict j. судебный процесс
12. witness k. приговор
13. eyewitness l. кратко изложить дело
14. jurymen m. дать официальные показания
15. innocent man n. подвергать перекрестному
16. cross-examine допросу
17. swear o. адвокат защиты
18. be acquitted for lack p. суд по делу об убийстве
of evidence q. алиби
r. невинный человек

IV. Complete the newspaper with the legal terms taken from
the box above:

At first, authorities in Chandler thought this would be a solid

_______ ________ of Orlando Nembhard as it was based on
__________'s testimony. After the counsel for the prosecution had
__________ the _________, ________ _________ was given by
the policeman, who was patrolling the district that evening. But ac-
cording to the _________ for the ________ Jason Lamm this was
one of the cases of _________ _________. Was it Orlando Nemb-
hard that ___________ allegedly saw commit the crime outside a
crowded nightclub on February 12, or his identical twin brother,
Brandon, who was also at the scene? Jason Lamm called the murder
charge against his client a case of __________ _________. Mean-
while the relatives of the victim are outraged and would be satisfied
if one of the twins was _____ the ________. If it can't be proven
______ ________ that one of the twins is the culprit and the other is
__________ both will be ________ for ______ of ____________
and go free. The fact that they both have cast iron ________ prov-
ing they could not have been at the location makes the case more in-
tricate. On Monday, all the talking will be over as the __________
will present their final _____________.

12
V. Match the words to make word partnerships and use them
to describe the man in the dock:

1. stout a. fear
2. bulging b. customer
3. brutal c. eyes
4. big d. legs
5. remarkable e. man
6. muscular f. eyes
7. tight g. tie
8. striped h. image
9. ugly i. suit
10. pekingese j. brute
11. exact k. eyes

VI. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. No, this murderer was all but found with the body… (p. 35).
2. The fatal instinct that tells a man when he is watched exposed him
in the light of a street lamp… (p. 35).
3. …he might as well have committed the crime in broad light
(p. 36).
4. …they walked bang out of the front entrance (p. 38).
5. But if you were Mrs Salmon, could you sleep at night? (p. 38).

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. What does the story deal with: murder or the trial?

2. Why did the reporter consider this trial the strangest murder trial?
3. Why did the man in the dock stand no chance at all?
4. State all the facts against the accused.
5. What shattered Mrs. Salmon’s firmness?
6. Why was Adams acquitted?
10. Why does the author think about divine vengeance?

13
II. Comment on the following:

If you had reported as many murder trials as I have, you would have
known beforehand what line he would take (p. 37).

III. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court
of conscience. It supercedes all other courts. (Mahandas Gandhi)
2. Justice has nothing to do with what goes on in a courtroom. Jus-
tice is what comes out of a courtroom. (Clarence Darrow)
3. Judgment for an evil thing is many times delayed some day or
two, some century or two, but it is sure as life, it is sure as death.
(Thomas Carlyle)

Written Practice

Write down your arguments either for Adams’s acquittal or convic-

tion.

A Glowing Future
by Ruth Rendell

Vocabulary Work

I. Translate the following word combinations from the story:

1. to manage a grin 4. to have the decency, the

2. to feel the coolness of smth common humanity
on one’s fingertips 5. requisite greeting kiss
3. to steady one’s voice 6. to pack a punch
7. to pace the room

14
8. to mess up a glowing future
9. to leave the barrenness
10. predatory hands
11. to scrabble for treasures
12. to avoid studiously
13. to pad and wrap carefully
14. to work as the customs of-
ficer
15. to screw up the letter
16. self-preservation-instinct

II. Find English equivalents for the following and reproduce

the situations with them:

Пройти снова через что-либо; произнести речь в свою защиту;

совершить большое усилие; разрешение / вид на жительство;
все устроено; ударить по лицу; растоптанные мечты; швырнуть
в кого-то статуэтку; увернуться; нагуляться в последний раз;
опухшие глаза; безделушки; курить сигареты одну за другой;
отказаться впустить; нанять автомобиль; законный жилец; быть
похожим на привидение; расстаться по-хорошему; приходить в
голову; все в свое время; сжать кулаки; ровно в десять.

III. Which people are these words associated with?

Made a note; managed a kind of grin; lit a cigarette; gasped; made

a great effort to steady the voice; winced; shuddered; began to pace
the room; hurled the china figurine; ducked; flung onto the sofa;
burst into sobs; thrashed about, hammering the cushions; tore up
the photographs; began to pack; watched, chain-smoking; nailed
the lids on the chests; refused to let in; put the letter in the ginger
jar; wound the way between the chests; gave a savage push; man-
handled out; screwed up the letter; raised the lamp and struck;
sagged; fetched water; dressed carefully; clenched fists; poured
some brandy.

Maurice:

15
Betsy:

IV. Decide whether the following expressions go with the verb

to make or the verb to do. Make up eight sentences with the
ones, you’ve come across in the story.

A note; good/harm to someone; progress; cooking; love; the dishes;

a little fluttering with her hand in front of her mouth; business; ef-
fort; research; some coffee; damage; no answer; your best; a clean
split; your hair; a living; a course; long defensive speeches; a prob-
lem (solve it).

to make to do

V. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. Round about lunchtime tomorrow (p. 43).

2. It wouldn’t stop until he’d got the things out and himself out,
away from London and her for good (p. 43).
3. He wasn’t going to be moved by that – he wasn’t going to be
moved at all (p. 45).
4. Why not rock their marriage before it had even begun (p. 46)?

16
5. What happened next he hadn’t bargained for. It hadn’t crossed his
mind (p. 49).
6. She had been to the depth and she thought he couldn’t hurt her
any more (p. 49).
7. She thought of the future, of three months hence, and into the silence
she let forth a steady, rather toneless peal of laughter (p. 52).

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. Does the title of the story correspond to the plot of it?

2. What was Maurice doing at Betsy’s house?
3. What did Betsy reproach him for?
4. Why did Betsy decide to write a letter to Patricia?
5. Did Betsy hope to keep Maurice with her?
6. Do you justify Maurice?
7. Did Betsy plan the murder or it happened on the spur of the mo-
ment?
8. How did she behave after the murder?
9. Did she feel any remorse?

II. Comment on the following:

1. That wasn’t done to needle Betsy but he was glad to see it was
needling her (p. 47).
2. He liked her to be angry and fierce; it was her love he feared
(p. 48).
3. But self-preservation is the primal instinct, more powerful than
love or sorrow... (p. 51).

17
III. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. Those who are faithless know the pleasures of love; it is the faith-
ful who know love's tragedies. (Oscar Wilde)
2. In jealousy there is more of self-love than love. (Francois de la
Rochefoucauld)
3. The opposite of love is not hate; it's indifference. (Elie Wisel)

Written practice

Rewrite the end of the story the way you see it.

Ricochet
by Angela Noel

Ricochet – a sudden sharp change of the direction of a moving ob-

ject such as a stone or bullet when it hits a surface at an angle.

Vocabulary Work

I. Supply the following words and word combinations with

their English equivalents from the story:

1. найти отпечатки пальцев 10. вынашивать мечту

2. тщательно отмеренное рас- 11. привести в действие
стояние 12. вынести смертный при-
3. ружьё было взведено говор
4. опустошить ферму 13. разбить чье-либо сердце
5. забить стадо 14. отрицать каждое слово
6. укрепить волю 15. удержать/подавить слова
7. отправиться в деревню 16. неопровержимое алиби
8. завладеть хорошим ка- 17. сфабриковать улики
менным домом 18. распростертое тело
9. бездетный брак 19. перезарядить ружье

18
II. Translate the following word combinations from the story:

Foot-and-mouth disease; the bleat of the flock; a pliable wife; to

snigger behind the net curtains; musty riverside cottage; to dispose
of smth; to call the authorities; a lifetime’s resentment; to make one
last appeal; to stare morosely; to glance covetously; to defy smb; to
brood for a week; to simmer in the mind; to pull the trigger; to drive
smb to a suicide; to break into a fit of coughing; to forgive irreve-
rence; a vortex of horror and bewilderment.

III. Complete the synopsis with a suitable form of one of the ex-
pressions from the first and the second exercises:

Owen Parry and his brother owned a large farm in a beauti-

ful Welsh valley. Having married pretty, sympathetic and
_________Rhiannon, the girl both brothers loved, Huw’s family
_________ ________ a good stone farmhouse, leaving Owen to
move out to a _________ riverside cottage. To make things worse,
Rhiannon’s marriage ____________ by ___________ began to
bulge at the seams. During this period of unhappiness in her family
she turned to her brother-in-law and became pregnant with Owen's
child. For many years he had been ____________ a dream to pos-
sess all the things that were rightfully his but were taken away from
him. Owen made one last ________to Rhiannon, but she
__________him and promised _________ every word he could say
to Huw. When the ___________ disease ____________the farm,
Huw called the __________, who forced the brothers _________
the flock and their dogs. Owen’s lifetime’s ___________was fo-
cused on his brother. He was _________for a week while a scheme
was __________in his mind. Owen set a trap to kill his brother.
Having left a _______gun in his cottage and a string, looped from
the trigger to the door handle, he ______ _______for the village to
create a ___________alibi for himself. When he returned home and
found two ___________ bodies on the floor, Owen thought that he

19
had killed his daughter and their favourite dog. Caught up in a
_________of horror and bewilderment, he _________the gun,
__________the trigger and killed himself.

IV. 1) Here are some words to describe Huw and Rhiannon.

Complete the list below with adjectives, which portray
them, finding evidence in the story:

Huw: a blackhaired giant; bass-voiced; rock-strong; upright God-

fearing chapel man…
Rhiannon: tender; pretty; sympathetic; pliable…

2) Here are some sentences from the story about Owen.

Think of the adjectives, which can characterize him:

Owen Parry stopped and looked about

him with a little rat-smile.

Owen sighed at the thought of Beth…

Soon it would all be his and his alone.

‘Like the river you are, Owen Parry,’ she

told him, ‘ slow and deep.’

The old fire smouldered anew, silent and

menacing inside him.

He glanced covetously at the firm dry

walls, the roominess and solidity of the
place, so different from his miserable cot-
tage.

20
If once he turned Rhiannon against him-
self, his life would be without meaning.

He’d walked away, sickened by the know-

ledge of what he must do.

He might have pulled the trigger himself -

but he knew his courage would fail him.

Even in death, he didn't trust his brother.

V. Look at the verbs and their definitions, which are all con-
nected with fire. Complete the sentences with one of the
verbs from the box in the correct form:

1. to burn to (cause something to) be hurt, damaged or de-

stroyed by fire or extreme heat

2. to blaze to burn brightly and strongly

3. to flare to burn brightly either for a short time or not
regularly
4. to flame to shine with a sudden light
5. to smoulder to burn slowly with smoke but without flames

1. The fire in the skyscraper was completely out of control. It was

now a ____________ inferno.
2. The bonfire was almost out. The few remaining logs were
_____________ a little smoke rising from them. As he turned a
log with his stick, it glowed red from the heat for a moment.
3. Fair-skinned people ___________easily in the sun.
4. The sky seemed _____________ in the Hawaiian sunset.

21
5. The fighting, which had died down during the
night,_____________ again as dawn came, and US Cobra gun-
ships began to fly over Panama City.

VI. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. Worst of all, after the first year or two, Huw was not even making
Rhiannon happy and their marriage, unblessed by children, had
begun slowly to wither at the edges (p. 58).
2. “Like the river you are, Owen Parry,” she told him, “slow and
deep” (p. 58).
3. Overnight, it seemed, Huw stood tall again (p. 59).
4. The old fire smouldered anew, silent and menacing inside him
(p. 59).
5. The slaughter of the flock it was that finally set the fire alight
(p. 59).
6. What better witness to his whereabouts this Sunday afternoon, she
with her mind like the hoard of a squirrel, packed tight with seeds
of suspicion and sweet nuts of scandal (p. 62).

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. Do you think the title of the story suits it?

2. What made Owen plan such a horrible death for his brother?
3. What were the relations between the brothers?
4. Do you justify Rhiannon’s relations with Owen?
5. What trap did he set for his brother?
6. Why did he set off for the village?
7. Why couldn’t he pull the trigger himself?
8. What is the turning point of the story?

22
II. Comment on the following:

1. Possessiveness seems to be a fundamental characteristic of human

beings... (p. 53).
2. It is said that there is a potential murderer in all of us... (p. 53).

III. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. Family quarrels are bitter things. They don't go by any rules.

They're not like aches or wounds; they're more like splits in the
skin that won't heal because there's not enough material. (F. Scott
Fitzgerald)
2. Envy slays itself by its own arrows.
3. If you kick a stone in anger, you'll hurt your own foot. (Korean
proverb)
4. For the woman, the man is a means: the end is always the child.
(Friedrich Nietzsche)
5. I suppose everyone tells white lies. Quite often they’re necessary
to make someone feel better or prevent feelings from being hurt.
(Richard Chamberlain)

Written practice

Write Rhiannon and Huw’s evidence to the police. Decide whether

they guessed the reasons for Owen’s death.

The Fountain Plays

by D.L. Sayers

Vocabulary Work

I. Translate the following word-combinations from the

story:

1. fiancé 3. to make a Vista

2. unamiable qualities 4. a rustic seat

23
5. to defer to one’s taste
6. to sooth the ear
7. a snug spot;
8. to save leakage and waste
9. strained atmosphere
10. veiled insolence
11. to be well supplied with
cash
12. a cultivated man
13. a gilded weather-vane
14. insidious scent
15. to have smb by the short
hairs
16. to muffle footsteps
17. to blow up the tyres
18. to take precautions

II. Supply the following words and word combinations with

their English equivalents from the story:

Непринужденно чувствовать себя в компании; дух захватывает;

изменить планы; корыстный взгляд на жизнь; быть в близких
отношениях; изобретательный, искусный; действовать на нер-
вы; обосноваться в деревне; избавиться от кого-либо; набраться
смелости; утомительное дело; засунуть руки в карманы; выпла-
чивать содержание; сбежавший уголовник; подделка (докумен-
тов, денег); купаться в роскоши; выдавать себя за другого;
взять себя в руки; произвести желаемый эффект; поглощающее
нетерпение; ненасытная потребность/жадность к деньгам; ува-
жительное отношение; спать чутко; принимать во внимание.

III. Find in the story synonyms to the following words:

1. isolated (place, corner) –

2. to change smth –
3. trick –
4. smell –
5. complicated –
6. to reply –
7. provincial, rural –
8. educated, well-bred –
9. prisoner –
10. falsification –

24
11. mean –
12. to do away with –
13. to pass oneself off as –
14. greedy –
15. to silence –
16. excessive –

IV. Match the phrases on the left with the ones with the oppo-
site meaning on the right:

1. unamiable qualities relaxed surroundings

2. to sooth the ear ostentatious courtesy
3. strained atmosphere to live from hand to mouth
4. veiled insolence to sleep like a log
5. respectful attitude to rely on your own prefe-
rences
6. to be on intimate terms to annoy
7. to roll in wealth disrespectfulness
8. to summon up the cou- to pay no attention
rage
9. to pull oneself together to be frightened
10. to be a light sleeper friendly features
11. to take into considera- to be as poor as a church
tion mouse
12. to settle down to loose heart
13. to be well supplied with to be at war
cash
14. to defer to someone to desert the place
else’s taste

25
V. Look at the definitions of the words which all mean ‘to
shine’. Complete the sentences with an appropriate word.

to sparkle to shine with small points of re-

flected light
to glitter to shine with a lot of small quick
flashes of reflected light. (the
glittering frost)
to glisten if something glistens, it shines
because it is wet or covered with
oil (wet streets)
to glow (often of something hot or warm)
to produce a dull steady light
(coal in the fireplace)
to gleam to shine with a clear bright or
pale light, is used especially of
smooth clean surfaces (gleaming
white teeth)
to shimmer to shine with a soft light that
seems to move slightly

1. Diamond drops were _____________ on the rainbow flower-

trusses of the cotoneasters at one side of the fountain and the rho-
dodendrons on the other.
2. A handsome gilded weather-vane __________ in the last rays of
the sun on the top of a neat garage.
3. He glanced round, as though he expected the corpse to stalk out
upon him from the darkness with hanging head and its dark open
mouth showing his _____________ dentures.
4. The red tip of his cigarette was ____________ in the dark.
5. The road _____________ wet after the rain.
6. Moonlight _______________ on the water.
7. Everything seemed _______________ in the heat.
8. The diamonds _____________ in the light.
9. The ceiling of the cathedral _____________ with gold.

26
10. The bedside bed _______________ dimly.

VI. Say whether you agree or disagree with the following state-
ments. Use the phrases to start your answer:

In case you agree, say: In case you disagree, say:

You are quite right... I am sorry to say, but...

I fully agree with you...
Just so...
To some extent yes...
I am of the same opinion...
The thing is...
There is something in what
you say, but...
You’ve got it all wrong...
Just the other way round...
Nothing of the kind...
Far from it...
Just the opposite...

1. Mr. Spiller was quite at his ease in the company of his daughter’s
fiance.
2. Mrs. Digby was a widow and dreamed of becoming Mrs. Spiller.
3. Mr. Gooch was a respectable and a devoted friend of Mr. Spil-
ler’s.
4. The dinner party was arranged to celebrate the installation of the
fountain.
5. Ronald Proudfoot was madly in love with Betty.
6. Mr. Spiller wanted to get rid of Mr. Gooch and was planning his
murder.
7. Nobody suspected Mr. Spiller of committing the crime and he
lived peacefully and happily ever since.

27
VII. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. A widow and widower of the sensible time of life, with a bit of

money on both sides, might do worse than settle down comfort-
ably in a pleasant house with half an acre of garden and a bit of
ornamental water (p. 69).
2. Wish I was in your shoes (p. 71).
3. Mrs. Digby said to herself that if ever she was in a position to
lay down the law at “the Pleasaunce” – and she had begun to
think matters were tending that way – her influence would be di-
rected to getting rid of Mr. Gooch (p. 72).
4. ‘ Don’t play bridge,’ Mr Gooch was wont to say (p. 73).
5. Masters was one of these soft-spoken beggars, but he might take
advantage (p. 74).
6. The job of getting the body through the window and into the
chair took it out of him (p. 80).
7. Only the man who has been for years the helpless victim of
blackmail could fully enter into Mr. Spiller’s feelings (p. 82).
8. I am subject to be a light sleeper, sir, ever since the war... (p. 83).

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. Why wasn’t Mr. Spiller quite at his ease in the company of his
future son-in-law?
2. Who was Mrs. Digby?
3. What plans did Mr. Spiller have as to Mrs. Digby?
4. What was the cause of that family gathering?
5. What did Mrs. Digby know about Mr. Gooch and Mr. Spiller?
6. What plans did Mrs. Digby cherish?
7. What was Mr. Spiller’s secret?
10. Did he have any plans of killing his guest?
11. What did he do to cover his tracks?
12. How did the police investigation pass?
13. Was there anybody to witness the accident?

28
14. Do you think it was worth getting rid of Mr. Gooch?

II. Comment on the following:

1. Some people have a skeleton in the cupboard, a secret which, if

revealed, would be embarrassing, or worse (p. 67).
2. A little ignorance was becoming in a woman (p. 70).

III. Make up dialogues between:

a) Mr. Spiller and Mrs. Digby;

b) Mr. Spiller and Mr. Gooch;
c) Mr. Spiller and Masters.

IV. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. The past is strapped to our backs. We do not have to see it; we

can always feel it. (Mignon McLaughlin)
2. If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well
make it dance. (George Bernard Shaw)
3. Money talks, and it also stops talk.

Three is a Lucky Number

by Margery Allingham

Vocabulary Work

I. Find English equivalents for the following and reproduce

the situations with them:

1. делать приготовления 5. бывшая жена

2. завещать свои скромные 6. местная газета
сбережения 7. свадебное фото
3. поселиться по соседству 8. короткое судебное рас-
4. начать знакомство следование

29
 9. щекотливые вопросы
10. выплатить страховку
11. заново придуманное
прошлое
12. чувствовать себя значи-
тельно увереннее/без-
опаснее
13. близорукие глаза
14. понимать толк в камнях
15. заключить брак в ЗА-
ГСе
16. составить завещание в
пользу друг друга
17. влюбиться с первого
взгляда
II. Match the words with their definitions:
1. homicide
2. obstinate
3. to be infatuated with
4. moody
5. steadfastly
6. apprehension
30
18. подписать смертный
приговор
19. брачное свидетельство
20. сердце колотилось
21. вертеться на языке
22. жизненная привычка
23. разрушить чью-либо
самоуверенность
24. пот выступил у него на
лбу
25. взломать замок
26. насторожить кого-либо
27. приличные дивиденды
28. последняя запись
a) having a very strong but
not usually lasting feeling
of love or attraction for
someone or something
b) showing many bright co-
lours which change with
movement
c) murder
d) a collection of personal
possessions, such as
clothes, that a woman
takes to her new home
when she gets married
e) very pale, in a way that
looks unhealthy and not
attractive
f) strongly and without stop-
ping
7. iridescent g) a person who lives alone
and avoids going outside
or talking to other people
8. trousseau h) shyness and nervousness;
9. to convict i) to express disagreement or
refuse to do something
10. pallid j) likely to become unhappy
or angry for no particular
reason
11. timidity k) to be absorbed by a liquid,
especially when mixed
12. recluse l) to prevent something from
happening by acting first
13. grudging m) to decide officially in a
court of law that someone
is guilty of a crime
14. reticence n) a worry about the future,
or a fear that something
unpleasant is going to
happen
15. to demur at smth o) done in an unwilling way
16. to dissolve p) to think or believe some-
thing to be true or proba-
ble
17. to forestall q) unwillingness to speak
about your thoughts or
feelings
18. to suspect r) unreasonably determined,
especially to act in a par-
ticular way and not to
change at all, despite what
anyone else says

31
III. Use a suitable form of one of the words or expressions from
the list below to complete these sentences:

A recluse; iridescent; short-sighted; to forestall; to demur; a

pounding heart; trousseau; to sign one’s death warrant; awkward
questions; to be on the tip of the tongue; to fall in love at first
sight; to suspect; to force a lock; to have an eye for; to move in
next door; to be infatuated with; a habit of a lifetime; timidity; re-
ticence; the final entry; to put smb on smb’s guard; apprehension;
to break out.

1. Does not he realise that, in making his announcement, he has

lost and, to some extent, ________his political _________
__________?
2. Kylie has always _________ _______ _________ for composi-
tion and colour, and is particularly gifted in the art of waterco-
lour.
3. He had been a ___________, completely isolated from the
world, for the last ten years.
4. Now what's her name again? Hang on, it's on ______ ________
of _________ _________– her name is Fiona.
5. Clients should be made aware that breathlessness, ________
__________, dizziness, tightness or pain in the chest, nausea
and loss of muscle control are signs that they are overtaxing
themselves.
6. Police ___________that an organised gang of car thieves was at
work in Darlington over the weekend.
7. No doubt attempting to __________criticism and evoke com-
passion, she began with her pregnancy, highlighting it twice.
8. The more care you have taken in your application, knowing
what questions you want to ask, preparing yourself to counter
any ___________ ____________ the less reason you will have
to be nervous and the more confident you will feel.
9. This did the trick, of course, but the noisy family simply
________ ____________next door, which didn't make the
neighbours too happy.

32
10. We ________the lock on a cupboard and found a white robe,
filthy with orange-juice stains, and lots of pink-and-grey bed
linen.
11. My _____________had been taken care of already — under-
wear, nightgowns and some light dresses for my honeymoon.
12. The poor girl was absolutely __________with him, not know-
ing that his tastes lie in quite a different direction.
13. In 1950, the ______ _________ in his file reads: “Norbert re-
ports regularly to the Labour Exchange, but has no intention of
working.”
14. But even when we can interpret the body signals, we cannot
predict whether they will fall in love _______ ________
________, remain indifferent, or loathe each other.
15. It is as if we have frozen the beauty or anaesthetized it in an
image; but the images are like the humming birds of a museum
case, the real and living beauty is incomparably brighter for
those birds are gems that flash their ___________ colours in a
tropical forest.
16. I happen to think that behind much of that flamboyance in his
earlier years there was a fund of __________ and
__________.
17. Something in his tone _______ her on her _______and made
her suspicious about his true intentions.
18. Cranston leaned over the table, placing his hands over those of
Fitzosbert and pressing down hard until the keeper's face paled
and beads of sweat ________ ________on his forehead.
19. Tension would then have been growing by the hour, and it
must have been hard indeed for the men to keep themselves
from being overstressed by _______________and excitement.
20. The lawyer requested a break in the court case, but the judge
_________.
21. To change a habit of a ___________requires persistence and
perseverance.
22. The failure of the company is the result of a
_______________ management.

33
IV. Say whether you agree or disagree with the following state-
ments. Make use of special phrases:

1. Mr. Ronald Frederick was a very successful businessman.

2. His two former wives died from incurable disease.
3. All his wives willed him their modest possessions.
4. Dorothy had deceived him telling that she was quite alone in the
world.
5. Ronald considered himself a very clever and cunning person.
6. His third wife Edyth wasn’t as simple as she looked.
7. Ronald reached his aim: he got hold of Edyth’s wealth.

V. Paraphrase or explain the following in your own words:

1. He was being very wary, forcing himself to go slowly because

he was perfectly sane and was well aware of the dangers of care-
lessness (p. 89).
2. She was shy and reserved but now that new people had moved in
next door there was the danger of some over-friendly woman
starting up an acquaintance with her and that was the last thing
to be tolerated at this juncture (p. 90).
3. He had an eye for stones (p. 91).
4. That evening in the lounge he had spoken to her, had weathered
the initial snub, tried again and, finally, had got her to talk
(p. 91).
5. Now at forty-three she was alone, comparatively well off and as
much at sea as a ship without a rudder (p. 91).
6. Ronald was careful not to let her toes touch the ground (p. 91).
7. The slight intonation on the word “beauty” was not lost on her
(p. 94).
8. He had planned to stroll out to buy an evening paper in the inte-
rim… (p. 97).
9. The envelope, addressed to himself, pulled him up short (p. 98).

34
 Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Ronald Torbay think of himself?

2. Describe the methods used by Ronald to tempt his victims.
3. What kind of woman is Edyth?
4. What did Ronald tell her about himself?
5. How did he arrange the murder?
6. What put Edyth on her guard?
7. Why did he turn up in Edith’s bedroom?
8. What was in the envelope, addressed to him?
9. Would you call her a stupid woman?
10. How does the title go with the plot of the story?

II. Comment on the following:

1. A career of homicide got more chancy as one went on (p. 89).

2. The habit of a lifetime does not suddenly change with marriage
(p. 95).

III. Which of the proverbs expresses the moral of the story best:

1. Appearances are deceitful.

2. What goes around comes around.
3. Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched.
4. Murder will out.

IV. Tell the story from the point of view of:

a) Edyth
b) Ronald.

35
 Written practice

After the police tracked Ronald down, they talked to Edyth about
their plan of investigation. As a detective write your instructions to
Edyth for what to do.

The Adventure of the Retired Colourman

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Vocabulary Work

I. Find Russian equivalents for the following word combina-

tions:

Be subject to; to retire from business; a treacherous friend; a faith-

less spouse; on the spot; to give an account of; heavy financial loss;
to refuse a request; the black ingratitude; to give somebody a treat;
to ease an aching heart; a strong –room; to play the fool; to launch
upon a journey; scandalous forgery; to grumble at the expense of
smth; malevolent scowl; impending danger; a bird of prey; to stifle
a cough; to lay one’s hands on; to arouse somebody’s suspicion;
scheming mind; to set one’s foot upon the trail; to fall to the ground
(alibi); to make a bad slip; to prevent any miscarriage; to come to
the same conclusion; to get even with somebody; a consecutive ac-
count.

II. Find English equivalents for the following and reproduce

the situations with them:

Бесполезное, пустое создание; шарлатан; сколотить состояние;

ненадежная жена; внешняя привлекательность; внутренние
достоинства; жизненные сбережения; вместе сбежать; баналь-
ная проблема; заменить, дублировать кого-то; бездельник; сла-
бак; баловать; пожаловаться на головную боль; разграбить;
беглецы; иметь хорошую память на лица; сообщник; придир-

36
чивый муж; жулик, плут; сознаться; виселица; превосходить в
шахматах; ревнивый; сделать заключение; «в яблочко», точная
догадка; проницательный друг; заманить; злодей; тайное бегст-
во; проницательность, острота ума.

III. Complete Amberley’s letter to Sherlock Holmes with a suit-

able form of one the words or expressions below:

A treacherous friend, a commonplace problem, a faithless wife, to

arouse suspicion, fugitives, black ingratitude, to make smb's little
pile, to play fool, to pamper, elopement, to get even, to excell at, to
complain of a headache, to make a bad slip, to refuse a request, im-
pending danger, to give smb a treat, acumen, a strong-room, to
plunder, life's savings, to go off, a heavy financial loss.

Dear Mr Holmes,
My name is Josiah Amberley, and I had worked for Brickfall
and Amberley before I made my _________ __________ and
bought a house at Lewisham. I am writing to you now about a
____________ ___________, and yet which is vital for me.
I must tell you everything from the beginning, sir. Two years
ago I married a good-looking woman, whom I loved, __________a
lot and didn’t __________ any request. And yet, Mr Holmes, all I
got in return was ________________ ___________________! Oh!
It’s a dreadful world!
I must tell you about my hobby, too, Mr Holmes, it’s chess. I
used to play with Dr Ernest, whom I __________ at ____________.
He was frequently in my house and probably ____________
___________ with my wife, but their chatting didn’t __________
my ____________. Unfortunately I didn’t sense _________
_________, had no suspicion of any intrigue.
One night I wished __________ my wife a _________and
booked two theatre tickets. But at the last moment my wife

37
____________ of a _____________and refused to go. I
_____________ a _________ _____________when allowed her to
stay at home. When I returned home, I saw that my house was
___________ and all my _________ _____________ and securities
disappeared from my _____________. My heart is broken: my
_________ wife and my __________friend __________ _______
together and what is more - I’ve suffered a ______ _________
________. So that’s the story, Mr Holmes.
Sir, I’ve heard about your remarkable ___________and beg
you to find the ___________ and save the money. I have no inten-
tion of ________ ____________ with them for their
_____________ but my old age has to be secured. I hope you agree
to investigate this case, Mr Holmes.
Josiah Amberley

IV. Paraphrase the following:

1. And so it was that on a summer afternoon I set forth to Lewi-

sham, little dreaming that within a week the affair in which I was
engaging would be the eager debate of all England (p. 107).
2. "Cut out the poetry, Watson," said Holmes severely (p. 107).
3. They lived alone save for a woman who comes in by the day and
leaves every evening at six (p. 109).
4. All this seems plain sailing, and one would think that there was
no more to be said -- and yet! - and yet! (p. 111).
5. In the morning I was up betimes, but some toast crumbs and two
empty eggshells told me that my companion was earlier still (p.
111).
6. "On the face of it, it seems absurd to suppose that this parson
knows anything, but if you think --"(p. 113).
7. You, for example, with your compulsory warning about whatev-
er he said being used against him, could never have bluffed this
rascal into what is virtually a confession (p. 116).

38
8. But, first, I would give you an insight into this man's mentality
(p. 117).
9. Burglary has always been an alternative profession had I cared to
adopt it, and I have little doubt that I should have come to the
front (p. 118).

V. There are idioms in the story, originated from sport. Guess

what kind of sport they originate from. Match the idioms
with their definitions and complete the sentences below with
them:

1. to be plain sailing a. to do or say something

2. to hit the bull’s - eye
3. to get a second wind
4. to get the ball rolling
5. to hit below the belt
6. saved by the bell
7. to skate on thin ice
8. to throw in the towel
9. neck and neck
10. to move the goalposts
that is very unfair or
cruel
b. to be rescued from a bad
situation at the last
minute
c. to change the rules in a
way that is not fair,
usually in order to make
it more difficult for
someone to achieve
something
d. to do something risky,
take a chance
e. to say or do exactly the
right thing
f. to begin something
g. to give up
h. to be close in competi-
tion
i. to be very easy
j. to have a burst of energy
after tiring

39
1. Amanda was _________________ when she called Adrian an
unfit father.
2. I was exhausted after 3 kilometres of running, but I
got______________________after I passed the beach.
3. The roads were busy as we drove out of town but after that it
was ______________ all the way to the coast.
4. We plan to start immediately and get ____________ on our
project.
5. My boss is never satisfied. Whenever I think I’ve done what he
wants, he ____________________.
6. You are ____________________ by not sending in your college
application before now.
7. We were __________________ when the meeting ended before
we had to deliver our unprepared presentation.
8. We ____________________ when we got the big sales contract.
9. If they don’t accept our offer this time we are going
___________________ and look at houses elsewhere.
10. Recent polls show the Republicans almost ____ ____________
with the Democratic Party.

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

1. Why did Josiah Amberley turn to Holmes one day?

2. Why did Watson sett off to Lewisham?
3. What was Watson’s impression of the house and the host?
4. What details in Watson’s account attracted Holmes’s attention?
5. Why did Watson and Amberley go to Little Purlington?
6. How did the police arrest Amberley?
7. How did he arrange the murder?
8. What was the real motive for the murder?
9. Do you think it was a long-planned murder? Give your reasons.

40
10. Why did the North Surrey Observer praise the police for bril-
liant investigation?

II. Give a character sketch and describe Mr. Amberley.

III. Agree or disagree with the following quotations:

1. It’ s better to lose health like a spendthrift than to waste it like a

miser. (Robert Louis Stevenson)
2. It is not love that is blind, but jealousy. (Lawrence Durrell)
3. A good husband makes a good wife. (John Florio)

Written practice

Write a newspaper article under the headline “The Haven Horror”,

giving the consecutive account of the affair.

Sauce for the Goose

By Patricia Highsmith

Vocabulary Work

I. Find English equivalents for the following and reproduce

the situations with them:

Обложенная подушками; спросить тихим/слабым голосом; за-

менить кого-либо (на работе); для разнообразия; сравнить себя
с соперником; она сильно сдала с того дня; гордиться чем-либо;
предаваться фантазиям; осиное гнездо; темные круги под гла-
зами; некролог; задание выполнено; без намека на подозрение;
взять инициативу; горькое чувство обиды; скептическая улыб-
ка; поставить ловушку; убитая горем вдова; предстать перед
полицией.

41
II. Translate the following words and word combinations from
the story:

To coil the clothesline; to clear one’s throat; to fall at a mere touch;

affronted; to take to an idea; to come to one’s senses; to marry for
money; her appetite fell off; to keep one’s word; to extricate some-
one from something; ominous coincidence; a clattering crash; to
commiserate with smb; jinxed; surreptitiously; to profess love and
faith; to toy with the idea; to yank inside; a strenuous day; to corro-
borate a story.

III. Use a suitable word combination from the exercises above

to complete these sentences:

1. He normally slept sitting up, __________ against pillows. He

tried to lie down to sleep, but couldn’t.
2. The fellow stepped back, ____________ by the question, but
Corbett opened his hand and showed the two silver coins.
3. Tim would almost certainly deny having been on board and there
was already no one to _____________ her story about the dis-
turbance in the lounge.
4. Clara had visited this shop many times, and had stood for hours
______________ reading C. P. Snow, Tolkien, D. H. Lawrence
and the poems of T. S. Eliot.
5. You just ____________ on the rope as a signal to be pulled up.
6. He needed all his skill and tact if he was going to
_____________ himself from this situation and spend the night
sleeping in his hotel bed, alone.
7. I had holidayed several times in France and was ____________
with the idea of buying a house there, but with no definite plan
in mind.
8. A family’s ____________ trip to Disneyworld started in disas-
ter, turned to horror… and then went from bad to worse.
9. His father ___________ his throat and said in a voice that was
now almost a whisper: ‘So it's all settled then?’

42
10. For one speechless moment she stared up into a pair of devil-
dark eyes, then abruptly __________to her __________ and
tried to break away.
11. Dad gave his promise and he ________ his __________.
12. Sometimes he would find himself ____________ in fantasy,
would picture them together in London in his new flat.
13. The _________ ____________ under his eyes suggested he
might well have spent the entire night going through them on a
tape recorder, but it hadn't helped.
14. Still shaking somewhat with fright, Millie swallowed twice be-
fore she asked in a _______ _________, ‘It's very nice, thank
you.’
15. Heidrick ____________ the initiative in persuading his more
cautious partner to take the plunge and set up their own head-
hunting operation; he chose an opportune moment.
16. Many craftsmen _________pride in a good job well done and
often friendly rivalry develops between them to achieve per-
sonal, rather than financial, objectives.

IV. Study the difference in meaning and insert a suitable prepo-

sition into the sentences below:

1. to take to something 1. to start liking

2. to take something down 2. to write down
3. to take over / to take smth 3. to do smth instead of smb
over else
4. to take sth up 4. to begin or start a new hob-
by
5. to take smth in 5. to understand or absorb
smth that you hear or read
6. to take smb in 6. to deceive someone

7. to take smth out on smb 7. to behave in an unpleasant

way towards smb because
you feel angry

43
 8. to take smb for 8. to regard smb as
9. to take smb off 9. to imitate smb
10. to take smb on 10. to employ smb

1. The police took ________ what she told them and commiserated
with her.
2. If Olivia didn’t take ________ an idea at once, she never took to
it.
3. Myers is coming back from the coast and he can take ________
for me for a couple of weeks.
4. She took __________ the teacher and everyone laughed.
5. You shouldn’t take your frustration _______on the kids.
6. Sarah couldn’t take __________ all the information at the meet-
ing.
7. The restaurant takes ___________ extra staff for the summer.
8. How could I have been taken ________by his charm?
9. He took ________ jogging after his doctor advised him to get
some exercise.
10. Don’t take him ____________ an idiot ... he’s actually quite
smart.

V. Explain the following in your own words:

1. If Olivia didn’t take to an idea at once, she never took to it.

2. ...if he had felt so strongly about another woman, he would have
set about promptly to extricate himself from his marriage.
3. But the Saturday of the garage incident made Loren doubt that
Olivia was indulging in fantasy.
4. Loren, a bachelor until at thirty-seven he married Olivia, often
sighed in dismay at the ways of women.
5. ...Olivia thought, he was doing the best job of acting in his life ... .
6. An accident would be assumed to be just that, an accident, if he
said so.
7. ...and they almost started holding hands, in a mutually distasteful
and insulting pretence of affection.

44
8. Stephen was walking up and down in the deep freeze, giving out
distress signals at intervals of thirty seconds.

Oral Practice

I. Answer the following questions:

What ideas did the incident in the garage put into Loren’s head?
What made Olivia fall into such a depression?
What was Stephen and where did they meet?
Why do you think, Olivia got so strongly infatuated by Stephen?
How did Loren take the news of divorce?
Under what terms did Loren agree to give her a divorce?
How did Olivia behave during those months?
How would you characterize Olivia and Stephen’s relations? Would
you call it love?
How did the relations between Olivia and Stephen develop?
Why did Olivia start suspecting Stephen?
Do you think they could live a happy life after murdering Loren?
What feeling guided them both?
What traps did they plan for each other?
Do you think the title of the story fits the ending?

II. Give a character sketch of:

b) Olivia
c) Loren
d) Stephen.

III. Comment on the following:

1. A man can be happy with any woman as long as he doesn’t love

her. (O. Wilde)

45
2. Marriage is a partnership where the better half often turns into
the bitter half.
3. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
4. Crime never pays.

Written practice

Write a police report investigating the tragedy after two bodies were
found in the deep freeze.

46
 Appendix

The List of Law Terms Used in the Book

1. eye-witness очевидец
2. witness свидетель
3. in cold blood хладнокровно
4. victim жертва
5. evidence показания, улики
6. corroborative evidence подкрепляющее доказательство
7. injustice несправедливость
8. justify оправдать
9. justice правосудие, юстиция
10. abide by the law подчиняться закону
11. commit a crime совершить преступление
12. law закон
13. self-accusation самоосуждение
14. confess сознаться
15. die intestate умереть, не оставив завещания
16. inquest дознание, следствие
17. verdict приговор
18. return the verdict вынести приговор
19. revenge месть
20. blackmail шантажировать
21. innocent невинный
22. trial суд, судебное разбирательство
23. guilty виновный
24. prove guilty доказать виновность
25. accuse обвинить, предъявить обвинение
26. accused обвиняемый
27. defence lawyer обвиняемый
28. jury/jurymen адвокат защиты
29. be sentenced to death быть приговоренным к смерти
30. find somebody guilty признать виновным
31. circumstantial evidence косвенные улики
32. court суд
33. Crown counsel прокурор, обвинитель

47
34. in the dock на скамье подсудимых
35. plead mistaken identity заявить об ошибочном опознании
36. admit a mistake признать ошибку
37. cross examination перекрестный допрос
38. alibi алиби
39. be acquitted быть оправданным
40. be convicted быть осужденным
41. convict осужденный
42. lack of evidence недостаточность улик
43. plea of provocation заявление о провокации
44. murder убийство
45. murderer убийца
46. fingerprints отпечатки пальцев
47. pass a death sentence вынести смертный приговор
48. falsify the evidence фальсифицировать улики
49. watertight alibi неопровержимое, железное алиби
50. jail-bird заключенный
51. coroner следователь
52. accidental death случайная смерть
53. homicide убийство
54. brief court-case короткое судебное заседание
55. death warrant смертный приговор
56. burglary кража с взломом
57. plunder разграбление
58. motive for murder мотив для убийства
59. accomplice сообщник

48
 Contents 

The Companion .............................................................................. 4

The Case for the Defence ............................................................. 10
A Glowing Future ......................................................................... 14
Ricochet ......................................................................................... 18
The Fountain Plays ....................................................................... 23
Three is a Lucky Number ............................................................ 29
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman ................................. 36
Sauce for the Goose ...................................................................... 41

Appendix ....................................................................................... 47 

 Учебное издание

Тарвердян Алла Шагеновна

Зуева Виктория Витальевна

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК
Учебное пособие по домашнему чтению
к сборнику рассказов “Crime Never Pays”

Для студентов I курса МИУ

Уровень А2

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