People stop thinking when they stop reading.
D.Didro
THE DONKEY SKIN
Anne was a pretty little girl. She was always cheerful and was nice to everyone. She was so good that even animals of the forest loved to play with her.
Little Anne’s father had died. She lived with her stepmother and stepsister. They didn’t love her because she was very beautiful and her stepsister was very ugly.
Anne had to do all the heavy and dirty work. Her stepmother thought that by doing heavy and dirty work Anne would grow ugly.
At the beginning of winter season, Anne’s stepmother and stepsister went to the town market to buy warm clothes for themselves and Anne.
From the market the stepmother brought a donkey skin for Anne, though she needed a woolen coat for going out in cold. This donkey skin was such a horrible thing that, once put on, it couldn’t be taken off.
Anne’s stepmother and stepsister were very happy with their purchase. The stepmother hoped that after wearing donkey skin, Anne would look uglier than her own daughter.
Because of this cold Anne had to put on the donkey skin. Everybody loved at her. Her stepmother and stepsister felt pleased and satisfied, for she no longer looked beautiful. But Anne was sad.
Anne couldn’t stand this much longer. She tried to take off the donkey skin, but it remained stuck to her. She decided to leave home go to the forest.
In the forest Little Anne felt very lonely and began to cry. A prince, with his magic mandolin, was passing through the forest at that time.
The prince saw Anne crying. He felt sympathy to her. He touched the strings of his magic mandolin and Anne was free of the donkey skin.
When the prince saw Anne without the donkey skin, he was captivated by her beauty. He took her to his palace and married her.
Now, dear Anne was a queen, living happily ever after.
VOCABULARY
Words:
even |
даже |
stepmother |
мачеха |
equally |
настолько же |
heavy |
тяжелый |
skin |
шкура |
though |
хотя |
horrible |
ужасный |
purchase |
покупка |
own |
собственный |
insult |
оскорбление |
to decide |
решать |
mandolin |
мандолина |
sympathy |
сочувствие |
Word combinations and phrases:
To be nice to everyone |
быть любезным со всеми |
To have to do something |
быть вынужденным делать что-то |
To take off |
снимать одежду |
To put something on |
надевать что-либо |
To feel pleased and satisfied |
чувствовать себя довольным и удовлетворенным |
To look beautiful |
выглядеть красиво |
To stand something |
терпеть, выдерживать что-либо |
To remain stuck |
прилипнуть |
To pass through something |
проходить сквозь что-либо |
To be the same beautiful girl |
быть такой же красивой |
To be captivated by something |
быть очарованным чем-либо |
EXERCISES
Ex.1. Give three forms of the verbs:< /p>
To be, to bring, to take, to have, to feel, to see
Ex.2. Open the brackets using Past Simple.
1. Anne (to be) a pretty little girl.
2. The stepmother (to bring) a donkey skin for Anne from the market.
3. Because of winter cold Anne (to have) to put on the donkey skin.
4. Little Anne (to feel) lonely.
5. The Prince (to see) Anne crying.
Ex.3. Make up sentences using the following words:
To be cheerful and nice to everybody, to feel pleased and satisfied, to look beautiful, to leave home and go to the forest, to begin to cry, to take somebody to one’s palace, to marry somebody, to live happily.
Ex.4. Make up the questions to the following sentences:
1. Even animals loved to play with her.
2. They didn’t love her because she was very beautiful.
3. Anne’s stepmother and stepsister went to the town market.
4. Everybody laughed at her.
5. She no longer looked beautiful.
Ex.5. Use the right expression:
1. Anne’s stepmother and stepsister didn’t like her because…
- she was ugly
- she was very beautiful
- she was very stupid
2. Anne’s stepmother and stepsister went to…
- the town market
- the centre of the town
- London
3. In the forest Anne began to…
- gather berries and mushrooms
- look for a shelter
- cry
4. The prince wanted to…
- marry her
- give her some money
- leave her in the forest
5. The lived very…
- badly
- happily
- unluckily
Ex.6. Fill in the suitable word:
1. Anne was very … so the stepmother and the stepsister didn’t … her.
2. The always told her to do all … and dirty work.
3. One day they went to the town market and bought … for her.
4. Anne felt …and went to the … .
5. She … the Prince and he … her.
Ex.7. Answer the questions:
1. What is the tale about?
2. Who did Anne live with?
3. Why didn’t Anne’s stepmother and stepsister like her?
4. What did they make her do?
5. What did they buy for her?
6. Did Anne become ugly or beautiful after putting the donkey skin on?
7. Why was she very sad?
8. Where did she go?
9. How did she feel in the forest?
10. Did the Prince marry her?
Ex.8. Make up a dialogue between:
1) Anne and her stepmother;
2) Anne and the Prince;
3) Anne and her stepsister.
Ex.9. Imagine that you are:
- Anne
- The Prince
- The stepmother
- The stepsister
and tell the story.
Ex.10. Imagine that you are Anne. Write a letter to your relatives and explain them why you went to the forest and what happened to you there.
Fearless John
John was a very strong and brave boy. He was so strong that he could break a tree into two without using an axe or a saw. He was afraid of nothing. People called him Fearless John.
Once he decided to test his fearlessness and strength. He went to the forest all alone. He slept there without a soul anywhere near.
When he woke up the next morning, he was happy and sure that there was nothing which could frighten him.
In the evening he reached the Castle of Terror. The King had pronounced that he would give his beautiful daughter in marriage to him who could spend three nights in that castle.
John made up his mind to try his luck.
During the first night in the castle John was attacked by six phantoms. He seized a club and hit them all with such force that they all fled in terror. This was a proof of his strength and bravery.
On the second night John saw a very big bear coming towards him. He knew that the bear intended to eat him up.
John, as fearless and strong he was, fought the bear with bravery. He hit the bear with his fists and kicks with such strength that it fell down exhausted and overpowered by John.
The next night a furious dragon appeared in John’s room in the castle. It was not easy even for Fearless John to kill the dragon. He thought of vanquishing the dragon by using his wits. He hit the dragon very hard and ran away from it.
The dragon, in anger, chased him. John continued running and made the dragon spin round and run about the castle many times. At last this circular race made the dragon so dizzy that it fell on the ground unconscious.
In this way John had spent three nights in the castle and had come out victorious.
When the King heard about the brave acts of Fearless John, he was very happy. He felt proud that his people included such valiant boy who could phantoms and bears and overpower dragons.
Keeping his promise, he called John and gave him the hand of his daughter, the Princess, in marriage.
VOCABULARY
Words:
brave |
храбрый |
an axe |
топор |
fearless |
бесстрашный |
to test |
проверять |
to frighten |
испугать |
to reach |
достигать |
to pronounce |
произносить |
to seize |
хватать |
a club |
дубинка |
to overpower |
одолеть |
furious |
неистовый |
to vanquish |
покорять, побеждать |
dizzy |
головокружительный |
valiant |
доблестный, храбрый |
Phrases and word combinations:
to be afraid of nothing |
ничего не бояться |
to make up one’s mind |
решить |
to try one’s luck |
попытать удачу |
to be attacked by something |
быть атакованным чем-либо |
to be a proof of something |
быть доказательством чего-либо |
to fall down exhausted |
упасть в изнеможении |
to make the dragon spin round |
заставить дракона вертеться |
to fall on the ground unconscious |
упасть на землю без сознания |
to give somebody the hand of one’s daughter |
дать кому-либо руку своей дочери |
EXERCISES
Ex.1. Give three forms of the following verbs:
To be, to go, to sleep, to wake, to see, to give, to fall, to hit, to think, to spend, to feel, can
Ex.2. Make up sentences using the following phrases:
- To think of vanquishing
- To make the dragon so dizzy
- To fall on the ground unconscious
- To give him the hand of his daughter
- To be very strong
Ex.3. Make up the questions to the following sentences starting with the given words:
1. People called him Fearless John. (What)
2. John made up his mind to try his luck. (What)
3. He hit the dragon very hard and ran away from it. (Who)
4. John had spent three nights in the castle. (How long)
5. He called John and gave him the hand of his daughter. (Did)
Ex.4. Fill in the missing words according to the text: was, hard, go, kicks, brave, phantoms.
1. John … a very strong and … boy.
2. He decided to … to the castle and try his luck.
3. John was attacked by six … .
4. He hit the bear with his fists and … .
5. He hit the dragon very … .
Ex.5. Choose the correct answer:
1. People called him
- Brave John
- Smart John
- Fearless John
2. During the first night in the Castle John was attacked by
- Six phantoms
- Three witches
- Seven dwarfs
3. On the second night John saw
- A very big bear
- A red fox
- A white hare
4. The dragon was … after running around the castle.
- Talented
- Frightened
- Exhausted
5. John married
- Cinderella
- The Princess
- The Sleeping Beauty
Ex.6. Make up the sentences putting the words into the correct order:
1. He, the Princess, called, daughter, John, his, and, the hand, him, gave, of.
2. He, it, hit, from, the, away, dragon, ran, very, and, hard.
3. Fell, bear, the, and, down, exhausted, was.
4. Him, towards, the, on, bear, second, coming, big, night, saw, a, very, John.
5. This, bravely, proof, was, and, a, strength, of, his.
Ex.7. Answer the questions:
1. How did people call John?
2. Why did people call him so?
3. Why did John decide to go to the forest?
4. Who was he attacked by during the first night in the castle?
5. What did he do with the bear?
6. How did he manage to overpower the dragon?
7. Was he frightened by anybody?
8. What did the king think of John?
9. Did the king keep his promise?
10. Do you know any Russian tales where there are such brave characters like John?
Ex. 8 Make up the dialogues between
1. John and the King;
2. John and the Princess.
Ex.9. Retell the story as if you were
- John
- The King
- The Princess
Ex.10. Imagine that you are John. Write a letter to the King and the Princess and tell them about your fights at nights in the Castle.