The Book of Riddles. Лексические задачки
Шрифт:
“Can you at least give me a hint?” Max asked.
“Very well,” the voice croaked. “The key is hidden behind one of the paintings in the drawing room. Find it, and you are free.”
prisoner пленник; however однако; unless если только ты не; stay оставаться; forever навсегда; try попытка; at least по крайней мере; hint намёк; croak хрипеть, прохрипеть; прокаркать; hide (hid, hidden) прятать
These are the paintings Max saw in the drawing room. Which of them hides the key?
6. The Elephant Tamer
An elephant tamer is talking to a journalist.
“I hear you used to tame other animals,” the journalist said.
“That’s right,” answered the elephant tamer. “I switched to elephants only a while ago. I have become shortsighted, you know.”
What animals did the tamer work with before he became shortsighted?
tamer
7. Doctor Pill
Johnny fell ill, and his mother called the famous doctor Pill.
“Are you really the famous doctor Pill?” the seven-year-old boy asked. “The one who spent several years in Africa treating wild animal?”
“The very same,” answered the doctor.
“Were you not eaten by cannibals?”
“No. Like they say, the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I’m still alive and kicking.”
fall (fell, fallen) ill заболеть; famous знаменитый; pill пилюля; treat лечить; wild дикий; the very same он самый; like they say как говорится; rumour слух, слухи; exaggerate преувеличивать the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated слухи о моей смерти сильно преувеличены; still всё ещё; alive and kicking жив и здоров
“Can you prove it?”
The doctor smiled.
“Prove what? That I’m alive?”
“No. That you’re really the famous doctor Pill.”
“Sure. Here. I hope this photo will convince you.”
The doctor took a photo out of his wallet and gave it to the boy.
Here is that photo:
prove доказывать; smile улыбаться; Here. Вот, держи (говорят, протягивая какой-либо предмет собеседнику); hope
Johnny looked at the photo and said, “You’re a liar!”
“But Johnny,” his mother cut in. “How can you talk to the doctor like that?”
“But don’t you see that he is lying?” Johnny asked. “This photo is a fake! He has never been to Africa, and I can prove it!”
liar лжец; cut in вмешаться в разговор; How can you talk to the doctor like that? Как ты разговариваешь с доктором!?; don’t you see неужели ты не видишь; lie лгать; fake подделка; clue ключ (к разгадке)
What made Johnny think that the doctor was lying? If you don’t know, this rebus may give you a clue.
8. The Essay
After the summer holidays, the teacher asked her class to write an essay on how and where the children had spent their vacation. Johnny worked on his essay for almost an hour, yet he wasn’t sure how the teacher would take it.
essay сочинение; after the summer holidays после летних каникул; spend (spent, spent) проводить; vacation каникулы; almost почти; hour час; yet тем не менее; be sure быть уверенным; how the teacher would take it как учительница это воспримет
And indeed, when the teacher opened his exercise book, she frowned, because she saw something she never expected to see. This is what she saw:
But the next moment she smiled and said to herself, “This little rascal is really very talented. I hope he liked his stay in—”
In what country? Where did Johnny spend his summer holidays?
indeed в самом деле; frown хмуриться, нахмуриться; expect ожидать; the next moment в следующее мгновение; smile улыбаться; said to herself сказала сама себе; rascal негодник, шельмец, плут; talented талантливый; hope надеяться; his stay in его пребывание в