The Umbrella man. Dip in the pool. The Butler. The Hitchhiker. My Lady Love, My Dove, страница 19

1. Why do you think Mr. Spiller allows himself to be blackmailed, first by Gooch and then by Masters? What would you have done in his position?

2. What do you think might happen after the end of the story? Will Mr. Spiller be able to marry Mrs. Digby?

3. Do you think Mr. Spiller will find it necessary to kill Masters?

4. If Gooch had not died, do you think Mr. Spiller could have married Mrs. Digby?

Three is a Lucky Number

Pre-reading task:

Before reading the story try to predict what it might be about. Do you have any lucky number? If so, what is it and why is it lucky for you?

Reading:

Read the story carefully and try to understand it in detail. Mind the notes to the text.

Vocabulary focus:

1. Look up and learn the following words:

wary                                   snapshot                                to frown

sane                                    to deceive                              trace

to quell                               background                           glow

pallid                                  timidity                                  cabinet

hastily                                short-sighted                          flex

to will                                brooch                                    foam

reserved                             to be infatuated                      dressing-gown

former                               monetary                                 to infuriate

virtue                                 bolt                                          fuse

to hammer                         to anticipate                            trousseau

2. Find the English equivalents of the following expressions. And recollect the sentences where they were used.

Карьера убийцы; редкие темные волосы; быть безнадёжно влюблённым до безумия; составить завещания в пользу друг друга; упрямая скрытность; слова вертелись на языке; шапочка для купания, которая не к лицу; быть взвинченным; взломать замок; я не могла не удивиться.

3. Find these expressions in the story and rephrase them in your own words.

Success was liable to go to a man’s head (89)

He didn’t dwell on the fact (89)

The insurance had paid up without a murmur (91)

He had an eye for stones (91)

She was … as much at sea as a ship without a rudder (91)

Not to let her toes touch the ground (91)

Two things signed her death warrant (92)

He had kept his head (96)

The envelope … pulled him up short (98)

4. Match the words from column A with their synonyms from the column B.

1) wary                                a) risky

2) conceal                            b) photo

3) hastily                             c) bulging

4) hammer                           d) lean

5) chancy                            e) careful

6) prominent                       f) quickly

7) snapshot                         g) knock

8) stoop                              h) hide

5. Find all the descriptions in the story of Edyth’s appearance and character. What are the contrasts between the impression suggested by her appearance and her character as revealed by later events? Look again at the letter to Ronald. Which of these adjectives could describe the tone of the letter:

vindictive, triumphant, apologetic, regretful, matter-of-fact, angry, bitter,

self-deprecating, sad, contemptuous, nervous, hysterical, threatening, friendly, generous.

Reading Comprehension:

1. Choose the right answer.

1. Who had turned up after Dorothy’s funeral?

a) her brother

b) her sister

c) her father

2. Ronald got acquainted with Edyth …

a) at a post station                   b) on a sea voyage

c) in the sea side hotel dining-room

3. Ronald married Edyth …

a) in the church

b) at a registry office of the town where they both were strangers

c) on board the ship

4. a) Ronald prepared a beauty bath for his wife because he wanted her to look as nice ass possible.