Сборник рассказов на английском языке. Мистика и детективы. Intermediate. Домашнее чтение с заданиями и ответами - стр. 2
“May I come in?”
The actor did not answer, so the propman went in anyway, and went over to the rabbit, and stroked him.
“Well, hello, I do recognize you, Brer Rabbit.”
“What? You rigged all this, didn’t you?!”
“Don’t get so excited. You’d better listen to what I tell you. Just let it be between you and me. Our circus has a long history, and I’ve been working here for a long time and seen a lot of things. Forty years ago, I began my career as an assistant magician, so I am a witness to the case, which our troupe is not aware of. What happened to you today in the arena took place forty years ago, but it was the other way around. The illusionist, who I assisted at that time, crafted this same prop. His stage name was Faust. As you can see, the box is rather ordinary, only with a mirror inside. His rabbit did not have to vanish in the box, but it disappeared the first time he did the act, and we’ve never seen it since. We searched the whole circus, everywhere. After that, Faust swore off not to make any tricks with that prop. He and the circus vowed never to speak of it again, to try and forget. However, I guess this rabbit returned today from somewhere.”
“A rabbit doesn’t live forty years,” the magician said, vaguely.
“But he spent this time somewhere,” the propman said, and left the dressing room.”
“So, where have you been all this time?” the exhausted actor addressed the rabbit.
The animal, as if realizing the question, ceased to nibble on his goodies, moved his ears, and jumped down on the near couch. An open scientific journal was on it. The panting rabbit settled down on the page so his right paw was clearly pointing at the title of the article, “Wormwholes.”
The magician moved the rabbit aside, picked up the journal, and read the beginning of the article:
Time machines do not exist, but astrophysics proves the existence of wormholes in the Universe, in theory. A wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of space time. It is much like a tunnel with two ends, each in separate points in space time.
He looked at the rabbit in amazement.
– …?
I. Find English equivalents to the following Russian phrases.
– яркие афиши
– сказочное зрелище
– шатер цирка
– наплыв зрителей
– с выцветшими стенками
– подающий надежды артист
– восторженные зрители
– в свете софитов
– ужас охватил его
– прекратил грызть
– озадаченные коллеги
II. Translate the following words and word-combinations.
– a novice magician
– a worn-out prop
– a conjuror
– the repertory
– an honest deception
– a ringmaster
– intricate tricks
– a predator
– agility
– dexterity
– a kind of contorted smile
– the script
– a propman
– a couch
– a wormwhole
– a tamer
III. Find adverbs in the text. Make up your own sentences with them.
IV. Unscramble the words in bold.
1. A travelling circus was giving the first mcnproearfe of the season
in a small country town.
2. The town residents were not spoiled by qtrfnuee visits from
performing guests.
3. The jrocounr had a few minutes before his appearance on the stage.
4. Do you remember the srtcpi
5. The white-haired npramop showed his head from behind the door.
6. He stared at the btarib and could not believe what had happened.
7. But he works only with prderstao, so he can’t be responsible.