Разговорный английский

M. Not yet. You may have it in two day’s time, if you like.

A. Good. How much have you read of it?

M. This much. And what are you reading now?

A. A kind of a novel, but it’s just like milk-and-water. What’s this?

M. That’s Fred’s book. One of those detective stories, you know.

A. How can he read such penny dreadfuls!

M. Well, he doesn’t read — he simply skips through books. He has no patience whatsoever.

A. How do such books find their way into print, I wonder? And the way he handles the book!

M. Yes, I’ve been telling him time after time not to fold the pages, but he will.

A. Say, Mary, what’s the name of that dog-eared book over there?

M. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” That’s Fred’s book, too.

A. I couldn’t have it for the time being, could I?

M. Why, yes. I don’t think Fred would mind. But haven’t you ever read it before?

A. Yes, I have, but I’d like to re-read it. It was quite a time ago when I first read it, and besides it’s easy reading, and funny, too. M. Indeed it is.

A. What about going out for a walk?

M. With great pleasure. Let’s go.

b)      At the Bookseller’s

C. Have you a copy of Shakespeare’s works?

B. Here is a fine copy, sir.

С. I should like an illustrated edition, please.

B. Sorry, sir, but we have none.

C. Where can I get one?

B. You might find a copy at the second-hand dealer in N. street.

C. Have you got Byron’s “Don Juan”?

B. Yes, sir. Here is an excellent copy in green morocco.

C. What is the price?

B. 36 shillings, sir.

C. Dear, isn’t it?

В. I wouldn’t say that it is dear. It is neatly bound, sir. And then it has gilt edges, sir.

C. Very well. Put it aside for me, please. Now, what historical novels have you got?

B. Here is Murray’s edition of Scott’s “Ivanhoe”, sir.

C. Of what year?

В. 1929, sir.

C. Let me see it, please. The illustrations are good. I shall take it.

B. Yes, sir.

C. What have you on the author himself?

B. Nothing at present, sir.

C. That’ll be all, I —. What is that you have over there on the second shelf?

B. This, sir?

C. No, the other. No, no, the one in scarlet.

B. This is Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, sir. Would you like to have it?

C. No, thank you.

B. 48 shillings altogether, sir.

C. Very good. Here you are. Goodbye.

IV. Work

LOOKING FOR A JOB

T. Why, hello, George!

G. Oh! How do you do, Tom? How fares it?

T. I’m in a hole, George.

G. What’s wrong?

T. I’ve got sacked.

G. Are you in earnest?

T. Yes. Lack of work, you know.

G. Too bad, Tom.

T. Yes. Where are you working now?

G. In an office at N.’s.

T. In what capacity?

G. Oh, just as an ordinary clerk.

T. A good job? I mean, a soft one?

G. Soft?! Why, I work like blazes all day long!

T. Do you?

G. Yes. I have to wade through a pile of letters sky-high, from morning till evening.

T. Really?

G. And what makes it worse is that my boss shuffles off most of his work to me.

T. That’s bad. But you have to stick to your job, George.

G. Yes. Work is rather scarce now.

T. What office does he hold?

G. Who?

T. Your boss.

G. He’s the manager of the sales department.

T. Oh, he’s a big shot. Have you a big personnel?

G. No, not very big. There are five of us in our department.

T. Have you any opening for a job¹?

G. I don’t know. There might be because one fellow has been promoted to the post of a travelling salesman. That’s, indeed, a soft job — just like a bed of roses.

T. Why?

G. Well, he’s always on commission; he goes about the country advertising our products.

T. I see.

G. And he gets a lot of money for travelling expenses², you know.

T. Does he? Well, George, will you speak to the manager about me?

G. I’ll do my best, Tom, though he is difficult of access on such matters. One has to grease his palm³, you know.

T. Try to talk him in⁴. Well, goodbye, George. I’ll drop in to you on Sunday.

Vocabulary Notes

¹      an opening for a job — вакансия      ³ to grease one’s palm — подмазать

²      travelling expenses — командире-      ⁴ to talk somebody in — уговорить

вочные расходы      кого-либо

V. Health

1. THE LAWS OF HEALTH

One of the first duties we owe to ourselves is to keep our bodies in perfect health. If our body suffers from any disorder, our mind suffers with it, and we are unable to make much progress in knowledge, and we are unfit to perform those duties which are required of us in social life.

There are certain laws of health which deserve particular attention and they are so simple that even a child can learn them. A constant supply of pure fresh air is indispensable to good health. To secure this, nothing impure should remain either within or near our homes,

and every room in the house especially the bedrooms, should be properly ventilated every day.

Perfect cleanliness is also essential. The whole body should be washed as often as possible. The skin is full of minute pores, cells, blood vessels and nerves. It “breathes” the way the lungs do. Therefore it should always be clean.