Chapter 3. (Track 8 Disk 2 – track 6 Disk 3)

(From “Although there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunk house, inside it was dusk” till “Well, get the hell out and wash your face.”).

1. Listen to the chapter in portions

Listen till the words «Andy’s in San Quentin right now on account of a tart,” said George» and give explanations to the following expressions:

1. thuds and clangs

2. string along together

3. a cuckoo

4. receptive

5. never lifted a finger against me

6. mean

7. a nuisance

8. to let out a squawk

9. a fence picket

10. to walk hunched

11. to scuttle out of the room

12. a pulp magazine

13. a leather thong

14. a leash

15. his voice trailed off

16. shuffled the cards noisily and dealt them

17. to roll up a stake

18. a stable buck

19. to snap the loaded shell from the chamber

Answer the questions:

1. What fascinated Slim so much about George and Lennie traveling together?

2. Why did George like Lennie?

3. Why did Lennie obey George?

4. What had happened in Weed?

5. How does the episode with the puppy characterize Lennie?

6. Describe the relations between the men at the ranch judging by the situation with Candy’s dog.

7. What are Carlson's reasons for shooting Candy's dog?

8. In what ways is Candy like his dog?

Listen further till the words “I ought to have shot that dog myself, George. I ought not to have let no stranger shoot my dog” and give explanations to the following expressions:

1. salmon

2. alfalfa

3. reprehensible

4. to leave my share to you in case I kick off

5. to can smb (sl.)

6. Candy’ll send a hundred dollars to bind her

7. to scram (out of here)

Answer the questions:

1. What was George and Lennie’s dream?

2. Why was Candy so interested in the idea of having their own house?

3. How did Candy persuade George to share the future house?

Listen to the last part and explain the words and expressions and reproduce the situations in which they were used:

1. to be balanced and poised

2. to slash

3. to smash down one’s nose

4. blood welled from his nose

5. to slug

6. to bleat with terror

7. to hitch up

8. “This punk sure had it comin’ to him”.

9. wryly

Answer the questions

1. What happened when Slim, Curley, Carlson and Whit came back into the bunk house?

2. What did the fight between Lennie and Curley show about their characters?

3. Why didn't George help Lennie in the fight?

4. What is significant about Lennie’s last words: “I di’n’t mean no harm, George.”

Chapter 4. (Track 7 Disk 3 – track 19 Disk 3)

(From “Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness

room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” until “He pulled out his shirt in back, poured a little liniment in his pink palm and, reaching

around, he fell slowly to rubbing his back”)

I. Listen to the introductory episode of chapter 4 and find the English equivalents for the expressions in bold type:

Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk в комнате для хранения сбруи; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. On one side of the little room there was a square four-paned window, and on the other, a narrow дощатая door leading into the barn. Crooks’ bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung. On the wall by the window there were деревянные гвозди on which hung broken harness in process of being mended; strips of new leather; and under the window itself a little bench for leather-working tools, curved knives and needles and balls of linen thread, and a small hand riveter. On pegs were also pieces of harness, a split collar with the horsehair stuffing sticking out, a broken hame,* and a уздечка with its leather covering split. Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses. There were cans of saddle soap* and a протекающую can of tar with its paint brush sticking over the edge. And scattered about the floor were a number of личные вещи; for, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about, and being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than the other men, and he накопил more possessions than he could carry on his back.

Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock and a одноствольный shotgun. And he had books, too; a потрепанный dictionary and a истерзанный copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.

This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, держащийся отстраненно man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs. His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with напряженностью. His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, сжатые от боли lips which were lighter than his face.

Listen further till the words uttered by Crooks: “If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to”.

Explain the words and expressions and reproduce the situations in which they were used:

1. to throw a meager yellow light

2. liniment

3. to flex one’s muscles and shiver

4. his smile grew more fawning

5. Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him

6. You’re crazy as a wedge.

7. Lennie hunched down on the little barrel

8. a busted-back nigger.

9. booby hatch

10. alfalfa patch

11. scornful

12. a manure pile

13. whorehouse

14. to lend a hand