Unit 1. Lost in the Post. A. Philips .6 11 страница

It was at the last inch from the ground that Davy lost his nerve at last; and he was lost in his own fears and in his own death, and he could not speak nor shout nor cry nor sob. He was trying to shout Now! Now! Now! but the fear was too great and in that last moment he felt the lift of the nose, and heard the hard roar of the engine still rotating and felt the bump as the plane hit the ground with its wheels, and the sickening rise and the long wait for the next touch-down; and then he left the touch- down on the tail and the wheels, the last inch of it. The plane turned as the wind threw it around in a ground circle, and when it stopped dead he heard the stillness.[...]

When they brought Davy in, it seemed to Ben that this was the same boy, with the same face he had discovered not long ago. What he had discovered was one thing. But the boy had probably not made any such discoveries about his father.

"Well, Davy?" he said shyly to the boy. "That was pretty good, wasn't it!""

Davy nodded. Ben knew he didn't think it pretty good at all; but some day he would. Some day the boy would understand how good it was. That was worth working on.

Ben smiled. Well, at least it was the truth. This would take time. It would t,ake all the time the boy had given him. But it seemed to Ben, looking at those pale eyes and non-American face, that it would be such valuable time. It would be time so valuably spent that nothing else would be so important. He would get to the boy. Sooner or later he would get to him. That last inch, which parted all things, was never easy to overcome, until you knew how. But knowing how'-' was the flyer's business, and at heart Ben remained a very good flyer.

Comprehension:

1) How old was Ben and what was his profession?

2) Why did Ben and his son Davy come to the Shark Bay?

3) What happened to Ben under the water?

4) Was he badly wounded?

5) Who was to fly the plane? Why? Did he manage to do it?

6) Describe Davy's feelings after the accident and during the flight.

7) What had Ben told Davy about the importance of the last inch during the landing? Did it help the boy not to give in when he was fighting for his and his father's life?

8) What can you say about the relations between Ben and his son? In what way have they changed?

9) Comment on the title of the story.

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