Chapter three

Notes:

1. brown gelding only five years old – гнедой мерин-пятилетка
2. novice hurdle races – заезды для лошадей ни разу не бравших приз
3. Forlorn Hope – Тщетная Надежда
4. the Turf – беговая дорожка на скачках
5. racehorse trainer – тренер скаковых лошадей
6. stable – конюшня
7. paddock – круг для лошадей
8. stands – трибуны
9. to make a frightful boob – совершить нелепый промах, опозориться

I. Explain the following phrases:

1. The grapevine was silent
2. There never was a horse more aptly named (Forlorn Hope)
3. Moved by an instinct I didn’t understand, I retreated into vagueness.
4. a conventional string of pearls.
5. Parents divorced in the murky past. Scattered to the four winds.
6. My education has been along the well tramped lines of boarding school, finishing school, and an over-chaperoned tour of Europe.

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

1. погрузиться в – p.12
2. мое недавнее приобретение – p.12
3. не дал прямого ответа – p.13
4. непростительная грубость – p.13
5. краем глаза – p.13
6. оставить ребенка на пороге – p.14
7. образно выражаясь – p.14
8. прекратить обсуждение, сменить тему разговора – p.14
9. посмотреть оценивающе – p.14
10. живой, полный жизни человек – p.15
11. новые знакомые – p.15
12. буфет – p.15

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What races did Alan ride in at Plumpton? What horses did he ride?
2. Why did Scilla beg Alan not to ride at Plumpton?
3. What was Pete Gregory? Describe him. Why wouldn’t Alan answer Pete’s questions about Bill’s accident truthfully?
4. Whose horse did Pete ask Alan to ride? Why was Alan reluctant to do it?
5. What impression did Kate Ellery-Penn make on Alan? Describe Kate. Why did Alan change his mind about riding her horse?
6. What did Kate tell Alan about her family and herself? What did she say about her Uncle George?
7. How did she happen to become the owner of the horse?
8. Why did Alan regret for the first time in his life that he was going to ride in a race?

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

to be discreet

no speculation

a cheerful, reliable person

considerable fortune

without unforgivable rudeness

I was lost before she spoke a word

Never set foot on the Turf

boarding school, finishing school

over-chaperoned tour of Europe

to fulfill Uncle George’s design

the most un-addicted person

I was relieved

Class three (Chapters 4 – 5)