Английский разговорный шутя. 100 анекдотов на все случаи жизни

After just a few years of marriage, filled with constant arguments, a young man and his wife decided the only way to save their marriage was to try counseling. They had been at each other\'s throat for some time and felt that this was their last straw. When they arrived at the counselor\'s office, the counselor jumped right in and opened the floor for discussion.

«What seems to be the problem?» Immediately, the husband held his long face down without anything to say. On the other hand, the wife began talking 90 miles an hour describing all the wrongs within their marriage. After 5—10–15 minutes of listening to the wife, the counselor went over to her, picked her up by her shoulders, kissed her passionately for several minutes, and sat her back down. Afterwards, the wife sat there speechless.

He looked over at the husband who was staring in disbelief at what had happened. The counselor spoke to the husband, «Your wife NEEDS that at least twice a week!»

The husband scratched his head and replied, «I can have her here on Tuesdays and Thursdays.»

Study the words and expressions given below:

a few несколько

constant постоянный

arguments споры

to counsel советовать, консультировать

counselor советник, консультант

counseling консультирование

immediately немедленно

wrongs недостатки, неудобства, дефекты

within внутри

shoulder плечо

to kiss целовать

passionately страстно

afterwards после, впоследствии

speechless безгласный, безмолвный

disbelief недоверие

to scratch скрести, чесать

to be at sb\'s throat перен. быть готовым взять кого-л. за горло

to jump in зд. сразу приступить к делу

to open the floor for discussion открыть обсуждение

on the other hand с другой стороны (on the one hand с одной стороны)

to talk 90 miles an hour болтать со скоростью 90 миль в час

last straw последняя соломинка

at least по крайней мере

Exercises to the text

1. Answer the questions to the text:

1. What was the couple\'s marriage filled with?

2. What did they think to be the only way to save their relationships?

3. What did the counselor do when they arrived at the office?

4. Why did the husband hold his face down?

5. How fast did the wife speak?

6. How did the wife act after the counselor had kissed her?

7. How often did the wife have to visit the counselor\'s office?