unbearable невыносимый
carry on продолжать(ся)
dazzling successздесь оглушительный успех
go wildздесь приходить в неистовство
applaud хлопать в ладоши
encore еще раз (на бис)
amazed удивленный
thoroughlyздесь полностью
flockздесь собираться
luxurious роскошный
noveltyздесь было в новинку
experienceздесь впечатления от поездки
Вопросы и задания
Who was Alexander and why did he go to Damascus?
Why did Alex like the dancing group?
What did the group feel when they arrived in Damascus?
Why was Syria like an upside-down world for Alex?
Was the tour a success? Prove your point of view.
Why was Alex so much impressed by his trip to Syria?
Read aloud and translate any paragraph you like.
How I took Pictures of Michael Jackson*
(1052 words)
It happened when I lived in Budapest with my mother who worked at the American International School of Budapest. One August evening, as I was coming back from a fitness center, I saw an ad. Or rather, I saw the ad that advertised Michael Jacksons concert. I felt dizzy with excitement. The King of Pop was coming to Budapest. This was more than I could possibly dream of.
I was a big fan of Michael at the time. The walls in my room were covered with his pin-ups and posters, and all my schoolbook covers had pictures of Michael in various poses plastered all over them.
The moment the ad caught my eye I decided to get a picture of Michael in Budapest at all costs. I knew perfectly well that there would be hundreds of other fans with the same wish. I also knew that Michael would be very difficult to photograph. He had signed some kind of agreement with the Pepsi Company, giving them exclusive rights for covering his world tour. But nothing would make me give up my idea.
My first task was to find out about the day and the exact time of Michaels arrival. It took me some time and effort to learn that he was coming on the eve of his concert. I couldnt get info about the time of his arrival, but I was told he would be staying at the Kempinski Hotel. This first-class hotel is right in the center of Budapest, just at the end of Vaci Street, which is a pedestrian zone. Actually, the street is very short but its the most popular place among the tourist attractions of Budapest. The street is full of most expensive shops, art galleries, cafes and restaurants.
Anyway, I prepared everything for the arrival of my idol. I took my camera with a couple of extra films, and filled my backpack with some sandwiches, pop, and other stuff that could come in handy (like my umbrella, sunglasses, pictures of M.J., binoculars etc.).
My plan was clear and simple: I was going to catch M.J. at the Kempinski Hotel and take a photo of him there.
I got to the hotel at about 10 in the morning. There seemed to be no one there except the hotel porters who rushed to every limo coming to the main entrance.
I hung around the hotel for some time, hoping to get more information about M.J. I was sure the porters knew something about the time of his arrival. So I approached one of them, talked with him, and he gave me some tips on how to take pictures of my hero.
It turned out that M.J. was only coming to the hotel at about 7 p.m. so I had more than eight hours to wait. As I couldnt trust the information, I decided to stick around. Strangely enough, I was not tired. Just the opposite, in fact: I felt better and better with every passing hour. Around 4 p.m. people began to gather near the hotel. The crowd was growing very quickly. I was upset cos all the people were gonna kill my chances of taking good pictures. My hope and enthusiasm were vanishing as the crowd of fans grew.
By 6:30 p.m. hundreds of people were crammed into the space in front of the hotel. I climbed up a tree to get a better view. My gut feeling told me that something was not right. I suddenly realized that M.J. would not even be able to reach the main entrance, not to mention getting inside. The thought gave me a real fright. Maybe the info about his staying at the Kempinski was bullshit. Maybe he was going to stay at some other place. Beads of sticky sweat streaked down my spine. I thought I was going to faint.
At that very moment a wave of movement rushed through the crowd. Everybody looked in the direction of the left wing of the hotel. Two black luxury limousines were coming through the crowd. I got out my camera, ready to take pictures of my idol, but the cars did not go to the main entrance. Instead, they drove towards the side doors of the hotel and stopped within several feet of the entrance there.
Two huge bodyguards got out of one of the limos and made a kind of passage for M.J. After a few seconds a third bodyguard opened the hotel doors. And then the famous face, with the sunglasses and the wide-brim hat stepped quickly out of the limo and walked to the open doors of the hotel. Thank God I was in the tree and able to see everything.
I was so fascinated by the sight of Michael that I forgot about my camera. When I remembered why I had come, the doors of the hotel had already shut.
For some reason, the crowd stayed. Now everybody was looking up at the windows on the third floor. Somehow, the crowd knew that Michael Jacksons suite looked out onto the square in front of the hotel. Those who had been unlucky like me were now waiting for M.J. to look out the windows of his suite.
I didnt believe that Michael was going to show his face. But miracles do happen. After ten or fifteen minutes, Michaels face appeared. Then he waved his hand and disappeared inside his suite. A few minutes later, a little kid looked out of the same window. Then Michael appeared again. This time he was holding a piece of paper in his hands. On the paper there were three words: I LOVE YOU. The crowd roared with excitement. Michael folded up the paper and threw it down into the crowd.
I didnt expect Hungarians to be so crazy about M.J. The crowd converged round the spot where the paper had landed. There were screams and shouts as people fought over the precious souvenir. This time I managed to take a few pictures of Michael looking out of the window. I still have those pictures in a special album.
Looking back on those crazy days I feel kind of nostalgic. Since that time I have seen a lot of different stars, but Ive never felt such awe and excitement as when I saw Michael.
Словарик
feel dizzy чувствовать головокружение
pinrups плакаты
catch ones eye привлечь чьё-то внимание
at all costs любой ценой
coverздесь освещать в СМИ
give up отказываться
info информация
pedesrian zone пешеходная зона
backpack рюкзак
pop газированная вода
come in handy пригодиться
limo лимузин
hang around бродить
stick aroundздесь не уходить
cos because
were gonna killздесь погубят (мой шанс)
cramздесь заполнять до отказа
gut feeling чутье
gave me a real frightздесь поeнастоящему напугала
bullshitгруб чепуха
faint терять сознание
suite номер «люкс»
roar реветь
convergeздесь сжиматься
Вопросы и задания
Have you ever taken pictures of a famous person?
Did you behave in the same manner as the storyteller?
Do you know anyone who can be called a fan?
Do you support the storytellers wish to take pictures of M.J.?
Do you think that such behavior is only characteristic of teenagers?
Are you a fan of any famous person? Why?
Read aloud and translate any paragraph you like.
Look into his Eyes
(a religious parable, 438 words)
I heard this story while on a train. I was coming back home from my college. A middle-aged man sitting next to me was speaking with his companion. I dont remember what they were talking about when suddenly they started to discuss some religious matters. It turned out that the man next to me was a priest. He was a man of about forty-five with a neatly trimmed beard and long hair. He had a nice low timbre and his voice kind of hypnotized me.
He began telling his companion a very interesting story. I think it was some kind of religious story with an insight. It impressed me so much that I tried to put it down on paper.
Here it is.
Once upon a time there was a little mountain village in a country that was occupied by the enemy forces.
One day the commander of the occupation troops came to the mayor of the village and said: We know you are hiding a traitor. You should give him up to us or you will pay a dear price for it.
The village was, indeed, hiding a man who seemed good and innocent. Everyone in the village loved him. But what could the mayor do now that the welfare of the whole village was at stake?
The Village council discussed the situation for a few days but all the discussions led to no conclusion. Finally, the mayor took the matter up with the priest.
They stayed at the mayors office and spent there a whole sleepless night searching the scriptures. When the sun went up they found a text that said: You had better sacrifice one man to save the nation.
So, when the commander came to the village the mayor handed over the innocent man. Later the man was put to death.
Years passed and one day a prophet came to that village. He immediately went to the mayor and said: How could you have done that? The man was sent by God to be the savior of this country. And you handed him over to killed.
But where did I go wrong? pleaded the mayor. The priest and I looked at the scriptures and did what they commanded.
Thats where you went wrong, said the prophet. You looked at the scriptures. You should have also looked into his eyes.
Well, I liked that story and since the day I heard it I have been retelling it very many times. And you know what? Every time I feel like I retell it for the first time.
Словарик
priestздесь местный священник
kind ofразг. как бы
insightздесь смысл, прозрение
put it down on paperздесь записать это
traitor предатель
give somebody up сдавать, выдавать
innocent невиновный
welfareздесь благополучие
at stakeздесь на кону, на карте
led to no conclusionздесь не привело к решению
took the matter up взял дело в свои руки
the scripturesздесь святые писания
sacrifice жертвовать
hand over передавать, сдавать
put to death приговорить к смерти, расстрелять
prophet пророк
immediately немедленно, сразу же
could you have done this могли так поступить
go wrong ошибаться
plead умолять, просить
should have looked следовало посмотреть
Вопросы и задания
Where did the storyteller hear the story?
Can you explain the meaning of the word insight?
Retell the legend.
Read aloud and translate any paragraph you like.
Did you happen to be in a similar situation?
What did you learn from the story?
What would you do if you were in the mayors place?
The Sign*
(1424 words)
Mom, are you going to church on Sunday?
Yes, Mark, I am. You know I go to church every Sunday. Why?
May I come with you?
Of course, you may. Ill be happy to take you along. You are a big boy already. Youll be eight in November.
Mom?
Yes, honey.
Why do you go to church?
Well perhaps you know why To thank Him for what He does for me, for you, for other people To ask Him for guidance, for advice.
Do you talk with Him?
In a way, yes, I do.
Does He answer you?
Yes, He does in a way.
How do you mean? Does He come to you and talk?
Well, honey, its not the way you think it is. Of course, He doesnt come to me in person and talk. Well you see, theres some kind of connection between Him and me, and you, and other people But its not material or physical Id rather call it a spiritual connection Okay, Mark. Lets put it this way. He always answers my prayers but not directly. He usually sends me a sign a sign that tells me he hears me.