Tommy’s house

10. Granny’s tea was a remedy for all diseases.

II Explain why:

1. Tommy really liked to spend time in the kitchen.

2. The boy did his granny’s errands with pleasure.

3. Tom wasn’t glad to see Lilly in the kitchen.

4. Lilly behaved like that in the kitchen.

5. Tommy didn’t want the girl to help him.

TALKING POINTS

I Describe your kitchen.

II Tell about your favourite dish.

III Answer the following questions.

1. What is your least favourite food?

2. Do you like cooking?

3. What do you prefer for breakfast/lunch/dinner?

CHAPTER 4

The Library

Later he headed for the Library, the place of intellect in the house. The boy thought that his mum was still there, but she had already left.

It was a snug room, panelled in black oak, with large windows and purple curtains. It had a special smell of wood and ink. Fine curled leaves and buds of the carved ornament on the wall were replicated on different subjects in the house – on the family china print, and on the embroidery on the cushions and coverings. That tracery always reminded of the invisible presence of family roots and standards[2 - Fine curled leaves and buds of the carved ornament on the wall were replicated on different subjects in the house – on the family china print, and on the embroidery on the cushions and coverings. That tracery always reminded of the invisible presence of family roots and standards. – Утончённые завитые листья и бутоны резного орнамента на стене повторялись на разных предметах в доме – на рисунке на фамильном фарфоре и на вышивке на диванных подушках и покрывалах. Этот узор всегда напоминал о незримом присутствии родовых корней и устоев.].

There was a very high wooden bookcase, dark of age, full of different dictionaries, thick volumes of directories and books of all genres – adventures, detectives, novels, science fiction, poems, fantastic and fairy tales.

Tommy had a special ritual of choosing a book. He climbed the ladder to get to the upper shelves of the bookcase and slowly ran his fingertip over the many-coloured spines of the books[3 - …slowly ran his fingertip over the many-coloured spines of the books… – медленно проводил кончиком пальца по разноцветным корешкам книг], reading the titles and the names of the books’ authors. The process was really serious for the boy. It took him quite long. Some books attracted him by their uncommon prints, others by bright covers or even by the special paper and printer’s ink smell of the pages. He was able to define if the book was fresh or old only by its smell.

Sometimes the kid chose a book just to look at the pictures. He thoroughly followed each line of a drawing with his observant look and could distinguish grade and grade[4 - He thoroughly followed each line of a drawing with his observant look and could distinguish grade and grade. – Он тщательно прочерчивал каждую линию рисунка своим внимательным взглядом и мог уловить тончайшие оттенки.]. Tommy saw the pictures thousand times and was able to reproduce them in detail even with his eyes closed. They were alive for him.

A lot of incredible stories captured his attention. The boy spent hours, reading in the old rocking chair in front of the fireplace, he was absorbed in the imaginary world of books so deep that forgot about time.

Another object that aroused the child’s interest was ivory chess. The ancient chess box had been on the bureau long before Tommy’s birth. Sometimes he played with his father when he had spare time, although the boy more often played chess with himself. The chessmen came to life in his hands, and the battle on the chessboard was a real intellectual challenge for the kid.

Tommy often climbed to his favourite place on the wide window sill behind the curtains, where he twisted the globe, dreaming about travelling around the world. He imagined trekking through rain forests, observing wild animals of jungles, admiring the ocean from the shore and from his yacht. Inspired by the literature characters, he was longing for adventures. He couldn’t know that inside the house something wonderful was possible and waiting for him.

HELPFUL WORDS AND NOTES

snug room [sn?g] [rum] – уютная

комната

to climb the ladder [kla?m] [??] [l?d?] – подниматься, взбираться по лестнице

uncommon print [?nk?m?n] [pr?nt] – необычный, редкий шрифт

printer’s ink smell [pr?nt?z] [?nk] [smel] – запах книжной печати, типограф. краски

to capture attention [k?p??] [?ten(t)?(?)n] – завладеть вниманием, увлечь

rocking chair [r?kin] [?e?] — кресло-

качалка

to be absorbed in smth [?bz? bd] —

погружаться, быть поглощённым чем-то

ivory chess [a?v(?)r?] [?es] — шахматы из слоновой кости

chessmen [?esm?n] – шахматные

фигуры

window sill [w?nd?u] [s?l] – подоконник

to twist the globe [tw?st] [??] [gl?ub] – вертеть глобус

rain forest [re?n] [f?r?st] — тропический лес

inspired [?nspa??d] — вдохновлённый

VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR TASKS

I Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:

Особенный запах дерева и чернил; резной орнамент; воспроизводиться на разных предметах; фамильный фарфор; вышивка на подушках и покрывалах; узор; напоминать о незримом присутствии; родовые корни и устои; тёмный от времени; особый ритуал; корешки книг; определять по запаху; тщательно; улавливать тончайшие оттенки; воспроизвести детально; захватывать внимание; погружаться в воображаемый мир; старинная шахматная коробка; любоваться океаном с берега или яхты; вдохновлённый.

II Match the words that go together.

A to climb                 1. attention

B snug                       2. chair

C rocking                   3. chess

D capture                     4. globe