UNIT I. APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER
TEXT: “THE GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER DRESSES”
Fifth avenue was shining in the sun when they left the Brevoort. The sun was warm, even though it was February, and everything looked like Sunday morning – the buses and the well-dressed people walking slowly in couples and the quiet buildings with the windows closed.
Michael held Frances’s arm tightly as they walked toward Washington Square in the sunlight. Michael unbuttoned his coat and let it flap around him in the mild wind.
“Look out,” Frances said as they crossed Eighth Street. “You’ll break your neck». Michael laughed and Frances laughed with him.
“She’s not so pretty,” Frances said. “Anyway, not pretty enough to take a chance of breaking your neck.”
Michael laughed again. “How did you know I was looking at her?”
Frances patted his arm lightly and pulled him along a little faster toward Washington Square. “Let’s not see anybody all day,” she said. “Let’s just hang around with each other. You and me. I want to go out with my husband all day long. I want him to talk only to me and listen only to me.”
“What can stop us?” Michael asked.
“The Stevensons. They expect us to drop by around one o’clock and they’ll drive us to the country.”
“The cunning Stevensons,” Mike said. ‘To be quite honest about it, I hate to go somewhere with them. They can go driving in the country by themselves.”
“Let me arrange a program» Frances said. A planned Sunday in New York for a young couple with money to throw away.” “I am not against it at all.”
“First let’s go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” Frances suggested, because Michael had said during the week he wanted to go. Then we can take the bus down to Radio City and watch them skate. And later we’ll go down to Cavanagh’s and get a steak as big as a blacksmith’s apron, with a picture at the Filmarte that everybody says – say, are you listening to me?”
“Sure,” he said. He took his eyes off the hatless girl with the dark hair, cut dancer-style like a helmet, who was walking past him.
“You always look at other women,” Frances said. “Everywhere. Every place we go.”
“No, darling,” Michael said, “I look at everything. God gave me eyes and I look at women and men in subway excalations and morning pictures and the little flowers of the field. I casually inspect the universe.”
“I’m a happily married man.” Michael pressed her elbow tenderly. “Example for the whole twentieth century – Mr. and Mrs. Mike Loomis. Hey, let’s have a drink”, he said, stopping.
“We just had breakfast.”
“Now listen, darling,” Mike said, choosing his words with care, «it’s a nice day and we both felt good and there’s no reason why we have to break it up. Let’s have a nice Sunday.”
“All right. I don’t know why I started this. Let’s drop it. Let’s have a good time. Let’s enjoy ourselves!”
They joined the people walking between the crowded benches, under the scrubby citypark trees.
“I try not to notice it,” Frances said, “but I see that look in your eye and that’s the way you looked at me the first time. It makes me feel terrible. I think I would like to have a drink now,” Frances said.
They walked over to a bar on Eighth Street, without saying anything. He sighed and closed his eyes and rubbed them gently with his fingertips. “I like the way women look. One of the things I like best about New York is the battalions of women. When I think of New York City I think of all the girls on parade in the city. I don’t know whether it’s something special with me or whether every man in the city walks around with the same feeling inside him, but I feel as though I am at a picnic in the city. I like to sit near the women in the theatres, the famous beauties who’ve taken six hours to get ready and look it. And the young girls at the football games, with the red cheeks, and when the warm weather comes, the girls in their summer dresses”. He finished his drink. “That’s the story.”
She began to cry silently into her handkerchief, bent over just enough so that nobody else in the bar would notice. “Someday,” she said, crying, “you are going to make a move. You don’t even know that I need you badly.” Michael didn’t say anything. He watched the bartender slowly peel a lemon. Frances stopped crying then. Two or three snuffles into the handkerchief and she put it away and her face didn’t tell anything to anybody. Frances regarded Michael coolly across the table. “Do you want me to call the Stevensons?” she asked. “It’ll be nice in the country.” “Sure,” Michael said. “Call them. I promise you’ll be pleased to meet them.” She got up from the table and walked across the room toward the telephone. Michael watched her walk, thinking what a pretty girl, what nice legs.
(after Irwin Shaw)
NOTE: Irwin Shaw (1913-1984) was born Irwin Gilbert Shamforoff in Bronx in New York to Jewish immigrants from Russia. His parents changed their family name to Shaw and moved to Brooklyn, where the young Irwin spent most of his childhood. At the age of 21 Shaw started his career as a writer. During World War II Shaw served in the US Army. Shaw’s war experiences in Europe gave basis for his novel “The Young Lions” (1948) which became a huge success. In 1951 he left the United States living 25 years in Europe. There he continued to write several bestsellers including “Two Weeks in Another Town” (1960), “Rich Man, Poor Man” (1970) and “Evening in Byzantium” (1973), “Nightwork” (1975).
Vocabulary
even adv даже. He didn’t even help me carry my heavy bag, he was that angry with me.
look vi 1.выглядеть, казаться. How did she look when you saw her? She looked pleased (happy, sad, ill, well, older, worn out, tired, etc). Phr What does she look like? Как она выглядит? (Какая у нее внешность?) She is tall, very good-looking. 2. look like (= be like) sb. походить, быть похожим на кого-л. He looks like his father. He looks like a scientist. 3. look for sb/sth искать кого-л/что-л) 4. look after sb/sth присматривать за кем-л/чем-л.
pull vt тащить, тянуть. The woman was pulling the child by the hand. Don’t pull the door, push it. Phr pull oneself together – взять себя в руки, встряхнуться.
expect vt 1.oжидать, ждать expect a visitor (a letter, question, rain, etc). I expected you yesterday. 2. расчитывать, надеяться. I expect to be back on Sunday. We expect you to help us; expectation n ожидание, in expectation of sth в ожидании /в предвкушении/ чего-л, according to expectations как и следовало ожидать; against expectations – вопреки ожиданиям, beyond expectations – сверх ожидания.
honest adj честный. An honest man (face, look, smile, decision). Phr to be honest with sb – быть откровенным, честным с кем-н; dishonest adj –нечестный, бесчестный; (dis) honesty n (не) честность, (не) порядочность, бессoвестность. She was dismissed for dishonesty. Она была уволена за воровство.
arrange vt 1. устраивать, организовывать, договариваться. Arrange a party (meeting, trip, etc). We’ve arranged to meet on Saturday. I’ve arranged for a meeting next week. 2. приводить в порядок, расставлять (книги, мебель…) to arrange books in a bookcase (furniture, etc), to arrange one’s business (plans, etc); arrangement n 1. cоглашение, договоренность There is an arrangement between them about the price (payment, etc). Phr to have (make) an arrangement (with sb) – уславливаться, договариваться c (кем-н) 2. pl приготовления, мероприятия, планы Phr make arrangements (for sth) делать приготовления (к чему-н).
feel vt (felt) 1. чувствовать, ощущать, испытывать I felt somebody push me in the crowd. What did you feel when you first climbed a dangerous rock? 2. полагать, считать. He felt it necessary to say something. 3. чувствовать себя. How do you feel? I feel well (bad, better, worse, all right, ill etc); feeling n чувство, ощущение. I had a feeling that somebody was watching me. She spoke with feeling.
enjoy vt 1. наслаждаться (чем-л.), веселиться, хорошо проводить время Did you enjoy your holiday? Вы хорошо провели время? Phr enjoy oneself приятно проводить время, развлекаться. Не еnjoyed himself in the Crimea. Он весело провел время в Крыму; еnjoyment n наслаждение, удовольствие to take great enjoyment in sth наслаждаться чем-то, находить удовольствие в чем-то. 2. любить что-либо, получать удовольствие (от чего-либо) to enjoy music (a film, poetry, concert, trip, etc) He enjoys life = он жизнелюб. I enjoy talking to her.
join vt 1. присоединяться (к) May I join you? Могу я к вам присоединиться? join sb in some activity He joined us in the game (in the conversation (but on the trip; for an excursion) 2. вступать (в); стать членом (клуба, общества и т.д.) join a sports club (society, etc.); join the army
way n 1.путь, дорога. A long (short, hard, etc) way. You have taken the right (wrong) way. Phr on the (one’s) way home (to some place) – по дороге домой; on the (one’s) way back – на обратном пути; Phr by the way – кстати, между прочим 2. средство, способ, метод, манера, образ действия. I don’t like the way you look at other people. She doesn’t like my way of laughing. What is the quickest way of learning to drive a car? In (such a, this, friendly etc.) way – таким образом If you treat them in such a way they will be hurt. Where there’s a will there’s a way. Было бы желание!
make vt (made) заставлять, побуждать make sb do sth, make sb work (read, speak, laugh, cry, think, etc), make sb angry – рассердить кого-н, make sb (un) happy – сделать кого-то счастливым, несчастным make a move – двинуться куда-н.
without prep. 1. без (кого-н, чего-н; означает отсутствие). It’s difficult to plant a tree without help. Phr to do without (sb/sth) – обходиться без (кого-н/чего-н). She can’t do without music. 2. не (означает характер действия). She left the room without saying good-bye.
need vt нуждаться (в ком-н/чем-н). Need a book (dress, clothes); need money (time, sb’s help, sb’s advice, etc). How much time do you need to repair this machine? I needn’t do this work at once; need n необходимость, нужда. Phr be in need of sth –нуждаться. Are you in need of help?
badly adv сильно, очень. I need your advice badly. He is badly ill. To be badly off – нуждаться, быть в трудном положении. He is badly off for friends – с друзьями у него дело плохо; у него мало друзей.
promise vt обещать. Promise sb (one's) help (a book, a lift, etc). He promised to call at her place soon. Phr give (make) a (one’s) promise – давать oбещание; keep one’s promise – сдержать обещание; break one’s promise – нарушить обещание; promising adj многообещающий, a promising writer (student, etc).
be (dis)pleased with sb/sth быть (не)довольным (кем-л./чем-л.). He is very pleased with himself. Он очень доволен собой. I am pleased to meet you. They were very pleased with his report.