A. A Farmer and His Sons

An old farmer was very ill. He was not happy, because his sons were always quarrelling*.

He decided to teach them a lesson before he died. He said to one of his sons, "Try to break this bundle of sticks**. His son could not break the bundle. He asked all his other sons to do it, but they could not break the bundle.

"Now untie*** it and try to break one of the sticks." All the sons could do it easily. "You can see now," smiled the old farmer, "that you must stop quarrelling and help each other. Separated you are weak like the stick, united you will always be strong."

B. One day the Sun met the Wind and they argued**** who was stronger. They argued for a long time but could not come to an agreement. Suddenly they saw a man walking along the road. The man was wearing a coat. And the Sun said to the Wind, "If you can make him take his coat off you are stronger than I. But if I can make him take his coat off I'm stronger than you." The Wind started blowing. But the stronger he blew, the tighter the man wrapped his coat around him. Then the Sun started shining brightly and the man took off his coat at once.

* to quarrel — ссориться

** bundle of sticks — связка прутьев

*** to untie — развязать

**** to argue — спорить

VII. Раскройте скобки:

The Weather Forecast:

The weather (to be) a thing that I can never understand. I (to remember) one summer day. We (to read) the weather forecast in the newspaper: "Heavy showers* with thunder-storms**."

We (to decide) to stay at home. We (to look) at the people who (to pass) our house and (to say), "They (to come) home quite wet."

At twelve o'clock it (to become) very hot. One of us (to say), "I'd like to know when those heavy showers and thun­derstorms (to begin)? "

"Ah, they (to come) in the afternoon, you'll see," we (to say) to each other. But there (to be) no rain on that day.

The next morning we (to read), "The weather (to be) warm and fine, no rain."

We (to go) to the country. We (to want) to have a good rest. But it (to begin) to rain hard, and it (to rain) the whole day. We (to come) home quite wet, with colds and rheumatism all over us.

(After Jerome K. Jerome)

* heavy showers —проливные дожди

** thunderstorm — гроза

London, May 20

Dear Jane,

I can't say that I (to be) fine. I (to be) here in London for two months now. The weather (to be) nasty here. It (to rain) since morning. I (to think) it always (to rain) here in spring. Anyway, it (to rain) every Saturday and Sunday since we (to come) here two months ago. Besides it (to be) foggy and windy and we stay home almost every weekend. And I (to feel) unhap­py and bored. Last Sunday the weather forecast (to promise) fine weather, and we (to plan) a sightseeing tour. But in the morning when I (to wake up) it (to start) pouring and it never (to stop). I (to hope) next Sunday (to be) fine and sunny and I (to be able) to see something of London. When I (to have) a chance to see the sights of London I (to write) a long letter to you.

Love, Tommy.

VIII. Предлоги потерялись, помогите восстановить предложения.

The Seasons

The year is divided... four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.... spring Nature awakens... her long win­ter sleep. The trees are filled... new life, the earth is warmed... the rays*... the sun and the weather gets gradually milder. The fields and the meadows are covered... fresh green grass. The woods and the forests are filled... the songs... the birds. The sky is blue and cloudless.... night millions... stars shine... the darkness.

When summer comes the weather gets still warmer and sometimes it's very hot. It's the farmer's busy season — he works... his fields... morning... night. The grass must be cut and the hay** must be laid, while the dry weather lasts. Sometimes the skies are overcast... heavy clouds, there are storms... thunder, lightning and hail***.

Autumn brings... it the harvest**** time, when the crops are gathered in and the fruit is picked... the orchard. The days are shorter and the nights longer. The woods turn yellow and brown, leaves begin to fall... the trees and the ground is covered... them. The skies are grey and very often it rains.

When winter comes we have to spend more time indoors because out of doors it is cold. We may get fog, sleet and frost. Ponds, lakes, rivers and streams are frozen, and the roads are sometimes covered... slippery ice or deep snow. The trees are bare. Bitter north winds have stripped them... all their leaves.

* rays — лучи

** hay — сено

*** hail — град

**** harvest — урожай

In summer I went... Scarborough. When I arrived there it was late afternoon.... dinner I put... my raincoat and went...... a walk. It was a dull day, the sky was covered... clouds, and it was raining a little. The wind was very strong and it was dif­ficult to walk, but I wanted some air. While I was walking slowly... the quiet empty street I saw a stranger. He first passed me by, but then he stopped.

"Is that you, old man?" he shouted. "It's nice to see you! I was never so glad to see you... my whole life!"

I turned.... It was Jones.

"Why, what are you doing here? What's the matter?" I said. "And aren't you cold?" Jones was wearing flannel trousers and a thin shirt. "Why don't your go home?"

"I cannot," he answered. "I forgot the name... the hotel where my wife and I stayed. Take me... you and give me some­thing to eat."

"Haven't you any money?" I asked.

"Not a penny. We got here...York, my wife and I,...about eleven. We left our things... the station and went... the hotel.

I changed my clothes and went...... a walk. The sun was shining brightly and there was nothing... the weather forecast about rain. But I forgot to take the address."

"Can you describe the street or the house?"

"No, "he said sadly.

"Well, I'm sure that we'll find out where you live soon enough," I said. I took him... my hotel and gave him some food. We then began telephoning all the hotels... Scarborough. We did it so well that next afternoon Jones found both his hotel and his wife."

(After Jerome K. Jerome)

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