Английский язык с О. Уайльдом. Счастливый принц и другие сказки / Oscar Wilde. The Happy Prince And Other Tales

`What are fireworks like (а на что похож фейерверк: «похожи фейерверки»)?' she had asked the Prince, one morning (спросила она Принца однажды утром), as she was walking on the terrace (пока она прохаживалась/прохаживаясь по террасе).

firework ['faiəwə:k] pyrotechnist ["pai(ə)rə(υ)'teknist] attendance [ə'tendəns]

The last item on the programme was a grand display of fireworks, to be let off exactly at midnight. The little Princess had never seen a firework in her life, so the King had given orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be in attendance on the day of her marriage.

`What are fireworks like?' she had asked the Prince, one morning, as she was walking on the terrace.

`They are like the Aurora Borealis (/они похожи/ на Северное Сияние; aurora — Аврора, утренняя заря; полярное сияние),' said the King (сказал Король), who always answered questions (который всегда отвечал на вопросы) that were addressed to other people (которые были адресованы/обращены другим людям), `only much more natural (только гораздо более натуральное; natural — естественный, настоящий). I prefer them to stars myself (я сам предпочитаю его: «их» звездам), as you always know (оттого, что всегда знаешь) when they are going to appear (когда они = огни фейерверка появятся), and they are as delightful (и они настолько же восхитительны; delight — восторг, восхищение) as my own flute-playing (как моя собственная игра на флейте). You must certainly see them (вам непременно необходимо их увидеть).'

So at the end of the King's garden (поэтому в конце = отдаленном уголке Королевского сада) a great stand had been set up (был установлен огромный помост; stand — стойка, эстрада), and as soon as the Royal Pyrotechnist (и как только Королевский Пиротехник; soon — скоро, вскоре) had put everything in its proper place (установил все на свои /надлежащие/ места; to put (put) — класть, ставить; proper — присущий, правильный), the fireworks began to talk to each other (как фейерверки начали разговаривать друг с другом).

aurora [O:'rO:rə] natural ['næt∫(ə)rəl] certainly ['sə:tnli]

`They are like the Aurora Borealis,' said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people, `only much more natural. I prefer them to stars myself, as you always know when they are going to appear, and they are as delightful as my own flute-playing. You must certainly see them.'

So at the end of the King's garden a great stand had been set up, and as soon as the Royal Pyrotechnist had put everything in its proper place, the fireworks began to talk to each other.