Разговорный английский

The ball served must, without touching the net, drop within the square diagonally opposite to that from which the striker serves it. The ball must be kept in play either by volleying⁴ it or striking it back after the first bounce. A ball bouncing twice is out of play.

It is a fault if the service is delivered from the wrong court, or if the ball served drops out of court, or goes into the wrong court.

Two consecutive faults count a stroke⁵ against the server. The server scores a stroke if the striker-out fails to return the service, or returns the service in such a way that the ball would fall within the latter’s court.

If the ball touches either player, it scores a stroke for his opponent.

The first stroke scores 15 to the player, the second — 30, the third — 40, and the fourth counts game.

If, however, the players have both scored 40, it is called a deuce⁶. The player that wins two consecutive strokes directly following a deuce scores game. The player who wins six games wins the set⁷.

If, however, the players have both won five games, it is called games all⁸. The player that wins two consecutive games directly following games all wins the set.

Vocabulary Notes

¹ to serve — подавать

² server — подающий

³ striker-out — принимающий

⁴ to volley the ball — бить мяч с

лета

⁵      stroke — очко

⁶      deuce — дьюс, равный счет

⁷      set — партия, сет

⁸      games all — равный счет игр

14.      ARCHERY (СТРЕЛЬБАИЗЛУКА)

Archery is a fast-growing sport in our country. It is a very exciting game because it’s most accurate. Then there is great romance to it too. The greatest pleasure comes from watching an arrow fly to its mark, from the instant it leaves the bowstring until it hits the target.

Next to that is the fun of making the tackle. It doesn’t usually pay to make a bow, but you can turn out the arrows, a quiver and a target. It’ll give you a lot of satisfaction in making them. When buying or making a bow, you must see that it has the right pull¹. If the bowstring is too tight or weak, the bow won’t shoot straight.

Depending upon the age and strength of a person the pull varies from 15 pounds (6.5 kgs) for 10 year-old kids to about 50 pounds (22 kgs) for grown-ups.

When shooting, one can use sharp-ended arrows or blunt-tipped (-nosed) ones. It is advisable to use blunt-tipped arrows because they are safer. The shaft of the arrow must not be too heavy for the bow and the feathers should be evenly trimmed (shaped). An archer who takes pride in his tackle gives careful thought to the decoration of his arrows. For this purpose lacquer of different colours is used.

A quiverful of these blount-tipped arrows, a bow and a target will get you started in archery. You can shoot with a bow and arrow from two positions — standing or kneeling. In the act of shooting with the bow the whole muscles of the body are called into play², and it is particulary necessary to stand firmly on the ground.

In discharging the arrow from the bow the string should be quickly loosed but without a jerk, the hand or elbow should not be either elevated or depressed.

The archer should study the wind so as to make allowances for the various currents of air. Scoring is a bit of a problem with blunt-tipped arrows, since they bound off the target. But you can get around by rubbing the tip with chalk. Use a different colour for each archer.

The usual mark is a target some four feet (1.2 m.) in diameter placed at distances varying from fifty to one hundred yards (45—91 m.). The target (for sharp-ended arrows) has a gold centre, surrounded by rings of red, blue, black, and white, with an outside border of green. The gold, when hit, scores nine, the red — seven, the blue — five, the black — three and the white — one. The player who scores the greatest value in hits wins the match.

Vocabulary Notes

¹      pull — натяжение

²      to call into play — приводить в действие

15.      MOUNTAINEERING (АЛЬПИНИЗМ)

Mountaineering is a very thrilling pastime and it is widely spread throughout the world. We, too, have many people in our country who enjoy this kind of sport and who have qualified for the mountaineering badge. Many of our mountaineers take part in the “Alpiniades” which are held here annually.