Reading Texts
материал для подготовки к егэ (гиа) по английскому языку (8 класс) на тему

In a Small Town

Text 1

Toscanini was a great musician. He lived in America. One day he came to a very little town. He was walking along the street when he saw a piece of paper in one of the windows. He read:

MRS.SMITH.MUSIC LESSONS.

TWO DOLLARS A LESSON.

Then Toscanini heard the music. Somebody was playing Tchaikovsky.

“Mrs. Smith is playing,” he thought, “she isn’t a very good musician. She doesn’t play Tchaikovsky well. I must show her how to play it.”

He went up to the door of the house and rang. The music stopped and soon a woman opened the door.

“Are you Mrs. Smith?” asked Toscanini. “My name is Toscanini and I want to show you how to play Tchaikovsky.”

Mrs. Smith was very glad to meet the great musician. She asked him to come in. Toscanini played Tchaikovsky for her and went away.

A year later Toscanini visited the same town again. When he went up to the house where he had played Tchaikovsky the year before he again saw a piece of paper. Now it read.

MRS.SMITH. (TOSCANINI’S PUPIL)

MUSIC LESSONS.

FOUR DOLLARS A LESSON.

1. Put “+” if the sentence is right and “-“if it is wrong.

1. Toscanini came to a very little town.
2. He liked how Mrs. Smith was playing.
3. He wanted to play the piano for her.
4. Tchaikovsky visited Mrs. Smith one day.
5. Mrs. Smith was a teacher of music.

2. Write the sentences in the right order.

1. Mrs. Smith was very glad to meet the great musician.
2. He lived in America.
3. The music stopped and soon a woman opened the door.
4. The music stopped and soon a woman opened the door.
5. “Mrs. Smith is playing,” he thought, “she isn’t a very good musician.

3. Answer the questions.

1. Where did Toscanini live?
2. Toscanini was a great musician, wasn’t he?
3. Did he want to show Mrs. Smith how to play?
4. What did he see in one of the window?
5. Did he think that Mrs. Smith was playing well?

4. Write down the ending of the sentence.

1. One day he came…
2. I must show her…
3. The music stopped and soon…
4. Toscanini played Tchaikovsky for …
5. Four dollars…

THE STORY OF MY TROUBLES

From my childhood I was an easily taught and obedient boy. My kindness was so noticeable that my friends made fun of me. I was especially fond of animals and had a great number of pets. With these I spent most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and playing with them. My character did not change much when I grew up.

I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a character very much like my own. Seeing my love for pets she never lost a chance of getting the most pleasant animals. We had birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat.

This cat was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, quite black and surprisingly clever. In speaking of his cleverness, my wife, who was a superstitious woman, often mentioned the old popular belief, which considered all black cats to be in disguise.

Pluto- this was the cat’s name-was my favourite pet and playmate. I alone fed him, and he followed me everywhere about the house. It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him following me through the streets.

Our friendship lasted for several years, during which my character (I blush to confess it) had changed for the worse. I became day by day more moody and irritable. It often happened that I hurt the feelings of others; I suffered myself as I was rude to my wife. At last I even hit her.

My pets, of course, could feel the change in my character. In fact, I began to treat them cruelly. As for Pluto, I held back from cruelty as I did treat cruelly the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog when they came in my way. But my illness took hold of me- for what other illness is like alcohol!- and at last even Pluto ,who was now becoming old, even Pluto began to feel the effects of my temper.

1. Answer the questions:

1. What kind of pets do they have?
2. What was the cat’s name?
3. What illness had the author?
4. Was he a kind man?
5. How long did their friendship last?

3. Translate:

1. I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a character very much like my own.
2. Our friendship lasted for several years, during which my character (I blush to confess it) had changed for the worse.
3. In speaking of his cleverness, my wife, who was a superstitious woman, often mentioned the old popular belief, which considered all black cats to be in disguise.

4. Name antonyms:

Happy, beautiful, kind, black, begin.

                                                           A Good Morning

When I was a boy, I lived a long way from school. I had to walk through the forest to get to our school. I usually took my father’s gun with me.

One day, coming from school, I heard cries from Mr Epperly’s house. His dog, Old Ranger, had fought with a mad dog, half an hour before. Now all the people were afraid of Old Ranger because the dog could have become mad too. They all asked Mr Epperly to shoot Old Ranger.

Mr Epperly said he could not do it himself. He asked some people to do it but nobody agreed. Mr Epperly came up to me and said, “Joe, why can’t you take the dog with you to the forest, on your way home and shoot it?” I told Mr Epperly I did not want to shoot Old Ranger. “I’ll give you one dollar if you do it,” he said.

I had never had a dollar. I did not want to shoot Old Ranger but now it seemed to me that all the people wanted it done.

Mr Epperly gave me one dollar; I took Old Ranger and went to the forest. I knew I could never shoot Old Ranger. So I decided to take him secretly home. At home I explained everything to my mother. She let me keep the dog in the yard for a month.

It was the most difficult time in my life. The Epperly children did not want to walk to school with me. And the other children at school asked me, “What have you done with your dollar?” They did not want to play with me. I could not explain anything to them.

Then the happy morning came. “You can take Old Ranger home now, Joe,” my mother said. “A month is over. The dog isn’t dangerous any more.”

I took the dog. He was very happy to go with me. We were not far from Mr Epperly’s house when Old Ranger barked. All the family ran out of the house.

Mr and Mrs Epperly were very glad to see me and Old Ranger. Then I gave the dollar back to Mr Epperly.

1. What did Mr Epperly say?

1. he would do it at once;
2. he could not do it himself;
3. he would do it with his son;
4. he would do it with pleasure.

2. Did anybody agree to kill the dog?

1. nobody agreed;
2. everybody agreed;
3. only two people agreed;
4. the neighbour.

3. What did Mr Epperly want the boy to do?

1. to kill the dog;
2. to take the dog;
3. to feed the dog;
4. to buy the dog.

4. What did Mr Epperly promise to give the boy?

1. a fortune;
2. one dollar;
3. ten dollars;
4. his credit card.

5. What did the boy do after taking the money?

1. took the dog home;
2. killed the dog;
3. sold the dog;
4. ate the dog.

6. What did the mother do?

1. she refused to see the dog;
2. she let the boy keep the dog;
3. sold the dog;
4. washed the dog.