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Read the text, translate it.

A Brown Wolf.

John Smith and his wife, Mary by name, lived high up in the mountains. Once, while Smith was hunting deep in the forest, he saw a dog, terribly hungry and tired. There were no villages nearby and he decided to save the dog's life. He took the dog home. But the animal was so wild that didn't let Smith and his wife touch him, though he followed them to their house. Smith gave him some fresh meat and left it in the house. In the morning he could find neither meat nor the dog. In two days  he found the dog in the forest and brought him back home. But the dog ran away again, and it continued for a long time.

At last the day came when the dog stayed in the house. He never let the people touch himself, but Smith and his wife got very much attached to him. They called him Wolf.

Once a man appeared in their place. As soon as the dog saw  him he jumped towards the man. Smith noticed that the man had recognized the dog at once.

“His name is not Wolf”, he said, “it's Brown. This dog is my friend, my true friend. He has known me since he was born”.

“Oh”, cried Mary, “please don’t take him away, we like the dog  and he likes us”.

“Well,” said the man, “I’ll  go away. If he wants to stay, let him stay But if he wants to go with me, let him go”.

Smith and his wife agreed.

The man walked away and Wolf ran after him, tried to stop him. But the man didn’t stop. The dog wanted to be with the Smiths and with the man. At last he decided to be with his old master.

Say if the sentence is true or false:

1. John Smith and his wife Mary lived in the forest.
2. Once, while Smith was hunting in the forest, he found a dog.
3. He took the dog home and gave him some vegetables.
4. The dog didn’t let John touch himself.
5. When the dog saw Smith, he jumped at him.
6. The dog recognized his old master and ran with him.

      Answer the questions:

1. Where did John and his wife live?
2. How did John meet the dog?
3. Why did he decide to take the dog home?
4. Why didn’t the dog let them touch himself?
5. Did the dog want to stay with the Smiths?
6. How did the Smiths know his real name?
7. Did the man take the dog by force?
8. Whom did the dog choose?

      Retell the text.

Read the text, translate it.

The book which greatly impressed me

The book which impressed me greatly is “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. It’s a moving story of a girl called Jane Eyre. We first meet little Jane at the age of ten. She became an orphan very early and had to live with her mother’s sister, Mrs. Reed, in a big and comfortable house. But Jane was unhappy there. Nobody loved her. Later the girl was sent to Lowood school for children who had no parents. The school badly managed, the girls did not get enough food. But Jane enjoyed her lessons and after 8 years at school she found a job as a teacher in a family. The house where she stayed teaching a little girl was a lonely and quiet place, but Jane was happy there.

By and by Jane’s life changed. She fell in love with the master of the house, Mr. Edward Rochester, and this love helped Jane to overcome difficulties and misfortunes. By chance Jane found her cousins who helped her a lot when she was in trouble. Their uncle left all his money to Jane after his death. It was unexpected gift for her. She divided the money between herself and her cousins, but she was still unhappy being far away from the man she loved. In the long run they could be together again and got married. I’m glad that in spite of all Jane’s grieves and losses e4verything ended in such a way.

I like this novel because it shows us a true understanding of human character and the causes of human behaviour. Charlotte Bronte shows us that the inner nature of characters is more important than their appearance. What we remember about Jane Eyre is not her looks. It is her determined honesty, her common sense, and her goodness. Charlotte Bronte chose to make her heroine plain, small and unattractive. “No one thought she was pretty, but Mr. Rochester fell in love with her”.

Learn the words:

a moving story

to overcome difficulties and misfortunes

in the long run

in spite of grief and losses

a true understanding of human character and the causes of human behaviour

the inner nature of characters

a common sense

a determined honesty

Put 5 questions to the text. Answer them.

Work in pairs, make up a dialogue about the book which greatly impressed you.

Retell the text

Learn some parts by heart.

Read the text, translate it.

Death of King Arthur

It happened that while King Arthur was away from England; Sir Mordred de¬cided to rule instead of him. So he sent letters, which looked like they had come from across the sea, saying that King Arthur had been killed in battle with one of his knights.

When King Arthur returned to his kingdom, he determined to set a day when he might be revenged on Sir Mordred for his evil deeds.

Never was there seen a more sorrowful battle in all the land. King Arthur and Sir Mordred stood between their armies. They fought fiercely until the close of the day, when many noble knights lay dead on the field.

At last King Arthur hurt Sir Mordred under his shield. When Sir Mordred realized that it was his death-wound, he struck the king's helmet such a mighty blow that his sword wounded King Arthur's head.

"What you say is not true cried the king. “Go, and do as I asked you. You are called a noble knight, and you have betrayed me for a jewelled sword! Haste again to the water's edge, for your delay puts me in great danger. If you don't obey my command, and I ever see you again, I shall kill you with my own hand. You would see me dead for my jewelled sword.”

Once more Sir Bedevere came to the edge of the water. He took the sword up, and threw it into the water as far as he could. As he did so, arms rose above the surface of the water and caught the sword. Then the hands disappeared beneath the water with the sword.

Once more Sir Bedevere returned to King Arthur and told him all he had seen.

"Ah, me!" said Arthur, "help me to the water's edge, for I fear I may be late."

Then the knight carried the dying king on his back to the edge of the water, where appeared a barge.

Then the barge moved away from the shore, and Sir Bedevere saw his king being borne away. Thus the knight saw King Arthur borne away, and he saw him no more.

Some say that King Arthur lives still, with his knights and companions, in an enchanted castle, and that he shall come again to rule. Others declare that on his tomb is written:

HERE ARTHUR LIES, KING ONCE AND KING TO BE.

Answer the questions:

1. Whom did Arthur make his wife?
2. What did King Leodogran give to Arthur?
3. Why did King Arthur fight with Sir Mordred?
4. How did they fight?
5. Who won the battle?
6. What happened to King Arthur?
7. What did Arthur order his knight to do with his sword?
8. Why have people never got tired of writing and reading about King Arthur?

Retell the story.