A night at the theater

Here we are outside the theatre. It is the Library Theatre which is underneath the Central Library in Manchester. We are going to see a modern play which is very popular with theatre-goers.

Passing through the revolving door and down the stairs we come to the box office where the tickets are sold. Luckily we booked our seats a few weeks ago or would not be able to get in, because for this play all the seats had already been sold. It is so popular that this is the second time it has been produced here.

We leave our raincoats in the cloakroom. At the entrance to the theatre itself an attendant in uniform tears our theatre tickets in half. He gives us our halves back so that we can find our seats by their numbers. Another attendant shows us to our seats and sells us a programme that will tell us which parts the actors are playing and how many acts there are in the play. Then we take our seats about halfway down the auditorium.

All around us people are settling down into their seats, reading their programmes, passing chocolates. Everybody is excited, looking forward to the play. We all have a clear view of the stage because the seats are set on wide steps which slope down to the level of the stage. On the front row, you are so close you can smell the paint on the scenery but not too close to spoil your view of the actors. Even on the back row you have a perfect view of the stage because this is a small theatre.

This auditorium holds only 300 seats, but many theatres are much larger. In a small theatre you can always be sure to hear and see everything and really feel that you are with the actors in everything they do and in all the places they visit. But many plays are still produced in very large, old theatres where it is difficult to see and hear properly if you are in the back rows. There are sometimes so many stalls (ground-floor seats) in these theatres that they are divided into orchestra stalls, centre stalls, and rear stalls, with the pit behind them. Above, there is the dress circle and boxes, then the balcony and, high above, the gallery, or the "gods"!

The auditorium seems to be full now. In a few minutes the play will begin. The attendants close the doors and draw the curtains over them. The warning bell rings to tell everyone the play is about to begin. People whisper excitedly. Slowly the lights begin to come up on the stage.

(abridged from "The Theatre Information Book")

I. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.

1) очень популярна среди театралов, 2) театральная касса, 3) купить билеты, 4) поставлена (пьеса) во второй раз, 5) гардероб, 6) найти места (в театре), 7) роль, 8) передние/задние ряды, 9) зал вмещает, 10) партер, 11) амфитеатр, 12) зал заполнен, 13) загораются огни.

II. Переведите следующие предложения на английский язык.

1) В этом сезоне это самая популярная пьеса. 2) Я не театрал, но я тоже очень хочу посмотреть эту пьесу. 3) Мы купили билеты заранее в кассе театра и теперь не должны стоять в очереди, чтобы купить билет. 4) Эта пьеса ставится в этом театре уже во второй раз. 5) Мы купили программку, чтобы узнать, кто играет главные роли, сколько актов в пьесе. 6) Зрительный зал вмещает 300 человек, это маленький театр. 7) Но большинство старых театров очень большие, партер в этих театрах даже делится на "передние ряды партера", "среднюю часть" и "задние ряды партера". 8) За партером идет амфитеатр, над ним бельэтаж, ложи, балкон и галерка.

III. Найдите слова или словосочетаний к следующим определениям.

1. the part of the theatre where the audience sits;

2. a raised platform in a theatre where the actors appear;

3. the highest balcony where the cheapest seats are placed;

4. a place where hats and coats may be left;

5. a piece of wood or metal with a number on it given in return for hat or
a coat;

6. a set of actors in a play;

7. programme;

8. the main role;

9. a trial performance of a play;

10. a person who shows people to their seats;

11. seats in the theatre behind the stalls.

Text 2

CINEMA

I am not a great cinema-goer, but now that they have built a new cinema near my house I go and see a film occasionally. Actually it was last Sunday that I saw again the film that was produced by the Mosfilm Studio - "The Diamond Arm". This comedy is a funny mixture of fiction and reality. The plot of the film is the following: a group of rogue were trying to smuggle jewellery into our country. They gave the jewels to the wrong man who was quite unsuspecting and who incidentally gave them away. When he came back to his town they began to follow him to get hold of the jewels. A lot of funny episodes happened during this hunt. Finally the smugglers were traced down by the militia.

Nikulin who was in the title-role is a real favourite with the public. Even though he sometimes didn't do anything funny the audience started laughing the very moment he appeared on the screen. His very face was enough to set them roaring with laughter. As for me, I am not terribly fond of him though he is an actor of some talent. Another man playing the second best role, one of the gang, Mironov, was more to my taste. His acting was quite good. There were a couple of songs and some dancing too. There were some fantastic tricks as well. Such as a car lifted by a helicopter, pistol shots in the dark, hands moving in the light of diamonds, etc. I couldn't call it exactly a very good film, but I must say I enjoyed it. (from "Brush Up Your Talk")

diamond - бриллиант; rogue - жулик; to smuggle - заниматься контрабандой; gang - банда.

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

I. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.

1) cinema-goer, 2) was produced by, 3) a mixture of fiction and reality, 4) the plot, title-role, 5) a favourite with the public, 6) on the screen, 7) roar with laughter, 8) terribly fond of him, 9) more to my taste, 10) fantastic tricks.

II. Перескажите сюжет знаменитого фильма «Бриллиантовая рука» ("The Diamond Arm").

III. Соедините слова и словосочетания из колонки А со словами из колонки В

А В

1. entertainment a. главная роль

2. be on b. сценарий

3. bill-board c. сеанс

4. show d. режиссер

5. house full e. афиша

6. director f. провалиться

7. leading part g. утренний спектакль

8. be a failure h. идти (о фильме)

9. matinee i. развлечение

10. amateur theatre j. декорации

11. scenery k. самодеятельный спектакль

12. script l. все билеты проданы

IV. Подберите подходящие по смыслу сло­ва, используя подсказку внизу.

If we want to go to.... we must first look through.... to find out what..... As it is sometimes rather difficult to get.... we must book them at..... Some people don't like to have.... far from..... They try to get tickets for..... If we have little money we take seats on..... When we come to any theatre in Russia we leave our coats in.... and take.... in order to get them back when.... is over. If we want to know.... we buy..... We look through it to find out who plays.... in the performance we are going to see. After this we take our seats and wait for the lights to..... Soon the lights go down,.... goes up and the play begins.

(The curtain, a theatre, go down, the billboard, the leading role, is on, the cast, tickets, a check, a playbill, seats, the performance, the stage, book, the stalls, the gallery, go up, box-office, cloakroom)

V. Переведите слова и словосочетания в скобках.

1) There were some celebrities there — several film (звезд), a well-known (режиссер) and the best (постановщик). They (снимают) a new film. 2) I'm fond of (мультипликации) and I often watch Disney films with my children. 3) They are showing old (немые) films on TV. They are amusing. 4) The actors (играют свои роли) so realistically, so true to life. 5) The third bell, isn't it? (Свет в зале гаснет) and the orchestra stops (настраивать инструменты). 6) Young people tried to get (за кулисы) to the dressing rooms to speak with the actress. 7) I have never seen the (зрительный зал) applaud so much. I think there were five (вызовов артистов на сцену). 8) They say that the theatre begins with the (гардероба).

VI. Предлоги потерялись, помогите восста­новить предложения.

1) This play is very popular.... theatre-goers.

2)..... this play all the seats had already been sold.

3) We passed..... the door we came.... box-office where the tickets are sold.

4)..... the entrance.... the theatre we were met.... an attendant in uniform.

5) The seats.... the theatre are found.... their numbers, but if you can't do that an usher will show you.... your seats.

6).... the front row you can clearly see everything.

7) In modern theatres where the seats slope down to the level of the stage even.... the back row you have a perfect view of the stage.

8) The pit is... the rear stalls.

9) Slowly the lights begin to come.....

10) For this play all the seats had already been sold and we were able to get the tickets only.... the balcony.

11) The seats were good, two pit stalls.... the third row.

12) We wanted to go.... wings to see the actors making.....

13) The orchestra began tuning.... and the lights went....

14) After a short overture the curtain rose.... a scene of 18-th century Paris.

VII. Найдите слова или словосочетаний к следующим определениям.

1) What do we call a person who shows people to their seats in the theatre? 2) What expression do we use if we want to say that we remember something very well? 3) What do we call the performance which takes place in the day time? 4) What does the sign "House full" at the entrance of the theatre mean? 5) What will you do if you want to go to the theatre very much but can't buy the tickets beforehand? 6) What expression means everybody liked the performance very much?

Text 3

TRAVELLING

Each year I look forward to summer because it is the only time when our family can get together and spend long sunny days somewhere far from the house.

Nowadays radio, TV, newspapers suggest us different ways of having holidays and it is not an easy thing to choose what you really want. Usually people go to distant countries and places by plane or by ship. To tell the truth, I have never flown by plane or travelled by ship, though I have read about it in books and have seen it in many films.

But I often imagine myself on board of a comfor­table plane sitting in the convenient armchair. Far be­ low me there-are tiny houses and trees, squares of fields, sometimes we fly above snow-white cotton-like clouds. A beautiful stewardess goes along the saloon and offers cold drinks with a wonderful smile. Warm sea, sunny beaches are awaiting me. Sometimes I see myself on board a huge white liner which takes me around the Mediterranean Sea. The sea is boundless, blue and very calm. There are many sea-gulls above the ship. Silver-grey dolphins follow it and entertain peo­ple. We sunbathe and swim on the deck. The ship comes into dif­ferent ports and there we have the opportu­nity to see world's fa­mous places of interest.

But these are all dreams. The average family like ours cannot afford these kinds of rest. In summer we usually go to the Black Sea where my aunt lives. My father buys tickets in advance. I can't say that I don't like going by train. It's a kind of entertainment for me. First of all, there is nothing like lying on the upper berth and watching passing vil­lages and fields through the window. As the journey is long you may read an interesting book or talk to different people you are sharing the compartment with. By some reason while travelling people like to talk and tell different stories to each other.

to look forward to smth. - с нетерпением ждать чего-то; distant - далекий; to imagine - представлять; comfortable -удобный, комфортабельный; convenient - удобный, подходящий, пригодный; tiny - крошечный; square - квадрат; cotton-like - похожий на вату; stewardess - стюардесса; to offer - предлагать; on board the ship - на борту корабля; Mediterranean Sea - Средиземное море; boundless - безгра­ничный; calm - спокойный; sea-gull - чайка; to entertain -развлекать; to sunbathe - загорать; deck — палуба; opportunity - возможность; places of interest - достопри­мечательности; dreams - мечты; average - средний; to afford - позволять себе что-либо; in advance — заранее; there is nothing like.. - нет ничего лучше; upper berth – верхняя полка; to share - делить, разделять; compartment - купе; winding - извилистый; height - высота; unforgettable - незабываемый; to impress - производить впечатление, впе­чатлять; beach —пляж; to enrich - обогащать; plant - растение; to admire - восхищаться; to be worth doing smth. -стоит что-либо делать

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

I. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. Why do you look forward to your summer holidays?

2. What opportunities do radio, TV, newspapers suggest us?

3. Have you ever travelled by plane or by ship?

4. Are you a romantic person?

5. What can you feel and see if you go by plane or by ship?

6. Where do you usually go during your summer holidays?

7. Does your father usually buy tickets in advance?
8. Do you like travelling by train? Why?

II. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.

То look forward to summer, to afford a rest abroad, to go by train, to be on board the ship, tiny houses, to buy tickets in advance, snow-white, cotton-like clouds, to reach the sea coast, the way of having a holiday, to sit in the convenient armchair, a huge liner, to watch passing fields and villages through the window, winding road, boundless blue, calm sea, to find out much about exotic plants, to admire the beauty of buildings.

III. Переведите следующие словосочетания на английский язык

Я представляю себя на борту комфортабельного самолета, нелегко выбрать то, что тебе хочется на самом деле; я с-нетерпением жду лета, это единственное время, когда семья собирается вместе; белоснежные ватные облака, достопримечательности,
известные во всем мире, нет ничего лучше, чем ле­жать на верхней полке; по какой-то причине, автобус спускается по извилистой дороге, незабываемый вид, средняя семья, подобно нашей; мне нравится сидеть в удобном кресле самолета, смотреть в окно
поезда, покупать билеты заранее, разговаривать с людь­ми, едущими в том же купе; но все это мечты, далеко внизу - крошечные дома.

IV. Спросите своего друга по-английски.

1. Почему ты любишь лето?

2. Ты когда-нибудь летал на самолете?

3. Где ты обычно отдыхаешь?

4. Как ты туда добираешься?

5. Кто обычно покупает билеты?

6. Любишь ли ты ездить на поезде? Почему?

7. Почему тебе нравится море?

8. Любишь ли ты осматривать достопримечательности?

V. Предлоги потерялись, помогите восста­новить предложения.

1. Usually people go... distant countries and places... train or... ship.

2. Far... me there are tiny houses and trees, squares... fields, sometimes we fly... snow-white, cotton-like clouds.

3. The ship comes... different ports.

4. The bus goes...... the winding road.

5. It is interesting to watch passing villages and fields... the window... the train.

6.... Botanical Gardens you can find... many... exotic plants.

7. I am looking forward... summer holidays.

8. A beautiful stewardess goes... the saloon and offers cold drinks... a wonderful smile.

9. I often imagine myself... board a comfortable plane.

10. It is very difficult to tell... all the places... interest... the Black Sea coast.

VI. Расскажите, как обычно путешествуете вы.

IX. Прочитайте текст. Скажите, чем для вас являются путешествия.

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