Chapter four

Notes:

1. to ‘stop’ a horse – придержать лошадь

2. criminal fraud – преступное мошенничество

3. to cantor – скакать галопом

4. the starter – стартер

5. a professional – профессионал

6. theFlatrace– скачки без препятствий

7. a tipster – предсказатель

8. a dead cert – ( сленг) верняк, фаворит

9. celebratewithoddmagnum– отпраздновать, распив бутылочку

10. G.KChesterton(1874-1936) - английский писатель, один из крупнейших представителей детективной литературы

11. paradox – парадокс

12. grain and grapes - виски и вино

1. Explain the following phrases:

1. ‘Stopping’ a horse can be done by missing the start, setting off some lengths behind, and staying at the back.

2. He (Joe) had been lucky to escape with his licence.

3. The speed of racing, the quick decisions, the risks, these were what I badly needed to counteract the safeties of civilization.

4. And I, for whom the deep jungle was a familiar playground, found the challenge I needed in a tamed land, on friendly animals, in a sport hemmed all about with rules and regulations. It was very odd, when one came to consider it.

5. There was no love lost between them.

2. Find in the text the English for the following Russian words and word combinations:

1. с головы до ног – p.15

2. официальное расследование продолжалось меньше часа – p.15

3. был хорошо вознагражден – p.15

4. букмекер – p.15

5. быть виновным в преступном мошенничестве – p.16

6. причинить вред – p.16

7. непредвиденные обстоятельства – p.16

8. углубиться в первобытный лес – p.16

9. Он говорил фамильярно, что вызывало у меня некоторую неприязнь – p.16

10. сделать перекличку – p.16

11. не так плох, как я опасался – p.17

3. Answer the following questions:

1. What kind of person was Sandy Mason? Describe him. What was Alan’s attitude to Sandy?

2. What rumours circulated about Sandy?

3. What does ‘stopping’ a horse mean?

4. Who else was believed to have stopped a horse?

5. Why did Alan take up steeplechasing?

6. How did Alan’s father bring him up?

7. How did the races at Pumpton go?

8. How did Alan and Kate celebrate her first day at the races?

4. Find in the text the following words and word combinations, translate them and use them while answering the questions:

fighting spirit

unkindly practical or too revoltingly obscene jokes

seize the chance

with the absolute minimum of kit

nasty smile

middle height, medium build

a decent size

complete surrender to the charm of

a dead cert

bad tipsters

We settled for two cups of coffee

Chapter five

Notes:

1. theQueensberryrules– стандартные правила для бокса, установленные в 1867 г.

2. brass knuckles– кастет

3. a length of bicycle chain – кусок велосипедной цепи

4. truncheon – полицейская дубинка

5. He tipped me off over the rails – Он выкинул меня за ограждение.

6. He squeezed me against the rails - Он прижал меня к ограждению.

7. I wondered how he had got wind – интересно, как он узнал

1. Explain the following phrases:

1. At least twenty men were fighting, and fighting to hurt.

2. The semi-circle of open-mouthed homeward-bound racegoers watching them was growing larger.

3. ‘The last I saw of him, he was having a few unfriendly words with Sandy, and getting the worst of it.’

4. He was a chronic grumbler.

5. He (Tudor) had an air of accepting considerable favours as merely his due, even when done him by complete strangers.

6. He looked all set now on the road to ruin and he wasn’t going to thank anyone for directions off it.

7. Joe with his baby face, strong of body perhaps, but weak of character, was no match for the tough, forceful Sandy, more than ten years older and incalculably more self-assured.

2. Find the English for the following Russian words and word combinations:

1. битва была в разгаре - p.18

2. из-за ставок (на тотализаторе) – p.18

3. не различить, кто есть кто – p.18

4. рядом со мной – p.18

5. исчезнуть за подкреплением – p.19

6. нацарапать, торопливо записать в блокноте – p.19

7. магнат – p.19

8. несчастный Джо – p.19

9. сделать одолжение - p.20

10. отвезу вас бесплатно – p.20

11. подавить раздражение – p.20

12. был погружен в свои мысли – p.20

13. хвастовство – p.21

14. посчитаться с кем-либо – p.21

15. развернуть лист бумаги – p.22

3. Answer the following questions:

1. What battle was raging in the car park after the races?

2. What did Alan notice about those who took part in the battle?

3. Whom did Alan give a lift? What did he remember about the man? Describe Tudor.

4. What did Joe tell Alan about Tudor?

5. In what condition was Joe when Alan returned to pick him up? Why was Joe drunk?

6. What did Joe tell Alan about the reason for his fear?

7. How did Joe account for his fall in the race?

8. What story did Alan learn from Joe about his illegal activities?

4. Find in the text the following words and word combinations, translate them and use them while answering the questions:

Nothing much to do with racing escapes the newsboys

to take no notice of

to plunge into the battle

to make a pile of collected weapons

to be detained

I haven’t seen a sign of him

regular taxi fare

to have an important appointment

on an impulse

to back the horse

someone else’s fault

to go wrong

Class four (Chapter 6)