Articles

Exercise 1

A Bicycle

Mr. and Mrs. Brown had given their ___1___ son ___2___ bicycle and were watching proudly as he rode around and around ___3___ block. On his ___4___ first round ___5___ boy shouted: "Look, ___6___ Mom, no ___7___ hands!” ___8___ second time around: ”Look, ___9___ Mom, no ___10___ feet!” At ___11___ third time: ”Look, ___12___ Mom, no ___13___ teeth!”

Exercise 2

Theatre in the days of Shakespeare

I am sure it will be of some interest for you to know what ___1___ theatre in ___2___ days of Shakespeare looked like.

It did not look like our ___3___ modern theatres. It was ___4___ high round building without ___5___ roof except over ___6___ stage, and people sat and stood around ___7___ stage. In ___8___ winter ___9___ theatres were closed. ___10___ buildings were small and could not hold so many people as our ___11___ modern theatres can. As there was no ___12___ artificial light in those days, ___13___ plays took place in ___14___ day-time, between one and three o’clock in ___15___ afternoon. ___16___ flag was put up above ___17___ building to show to everybody that ___18___ play was going on at ___19___ theatre.

Then there was no ___20___ scenery and ___21___ public was informed where ___22___ action was taking place by ___23___ paper put up in such ___24___ way that ___25___ people could easily read it. There it was written: Field; 26___ Sea coast; Forest, and so on. Sometimes ___27___ actors told ___28___ public where they were.

Exercise 3

Meals

On most days I have ___1___ breakfast at home. For breakfast I have ___2___ cup of coffee with ___3___ milk or ___4___ glass of ___5___ tea. I like to have it sweet. Then I have ___6___ bacon or ___7___ sausage and ___8___ eggs or ___9___ bread and ___10___ butter and ___11___ marmalade. Have you tried it? If not – do so. I’m sure you’ll like it. I often take some ___12___ apples with me and eat them in ___13___ break or ___14___ sandwich, when I haven’t eaten well at ___15___ home.

I have ___16___ lunch at ___17___ canteen, since we have no time to go either ___18___ home or to ___19___ cafe. For ___20___ lunch I take ___21___ soup and then ___22___ meat course or ___23___ beefsteak and ___24___ vegetables. When I’m tired of ___25___ meat, I take ___26___ fish for ___27___ change. ___28___ fish goes, of course, with ___29___ potatoes. I like to finish my ___30___ lunch with ___31___ ice-cream, but they do not sell ___32___ ice cream at our canteen.

On my ___33___ way to ___34___ school I sometimes drop in at some shop or ___35___ cafe for ___36___ cup of ___37___ coffee and ___38___ cake or some good ___39___ sweets.

I come ___40___ home late, so I have neither time nor wish to cook. I have either ___41___ fried potatoes and ___42___ sausage or ___43___ bread and ___44___ cheese.

On ___45___ Sundays I sometimes cook ___46___ dinner, but even then I often want to have ___47___ rest and go to ___48___ restaurant.

Exercise 4

Copernicus

Men have always been interested in ___1___ stars. ___2___ old Greeks were ___3___ great watchers of ___4___ sky and also ___5___ thinkers. Watching ___6___ stars ___7___ night after ___8___ night, it was natural for them to think that ___9___ Earth stood still, and ___10___ stars, ___11___ planets, ___12___ Sun and ___13___ Moon were going round ___14___ Earth in ___15___ space. For ___16___ centuries ___17___ men thought this was how ___18___ stars moved, though it was difficult to explain ___19___ movement of ___20___ planets. But at ___21___ beginning of ___22___ 16th century ___23___ young scientist at ___24___ Krakow University in ___25___ Poland named Copernicus began studying ___26___ stars and ___27___ planets. Copernicus decided that ___28___ Earth itself was ___29___ planet, just like ___30___ Mars and ___31___ Venus, and it, together with ___32___ other planets, moved round ___33___ Sun.

Not all of Copernicus’ ___34___ ideas were right. He thought that ___35___ Moon went round ___36___ Earth, and ___37___ Earth moved round ___38___ Sun, but he thought that ___39___ stars did not move at all. Copernicus was so much afraid of what everyone would think of ___40___ his new ideas, that he wrote them down only when he was almost dying. Yet he was ___41___ first man to explain correctly our Solar System.

Exercise 5

The Norman Conquest of England

___1___ conquest of England by ___2___ Normans began in 1066 with ___3___ battle of ___4___ Hastings, where ___5___ English fought against ___6___ Normans. ___7___ conquest was complete in 1086.

Who were these ___8___ Normans who conquered ___9___ England?

They were ___10___ Vikings or ___11___ "Norsemen”, ___12___ men from ___13___ North.

Some 150 years before ___14___ conquest of England they came to ___15___ part of France, opposite ___16___ England, ___17___ part of which we now call ___18___ Normandy.

What did ___19___ Norman Conquest do to ___20___ England?

It gave it ___21___ French kings and ___22___ nobles. ___23___ Normans also brought with them ___24___ French language. After ___25___ Norman Conquest there were three languages in ___26___ England. There was ___27___ Latin, ___28___ language of ___29___ church and ___30___ language in which all learned men wrote and spoke; ___31___ kings wrote their laws in ___32___ Latin for some time after ___33___ Conquest. Then there was ___34___ French, ___35___ language which ___36___ kings and nobles spoke and which many people wrote. Finally, there was ___37___ English language which remained ___38___ language of ___39___ masses of ___40___ people. Some ___41___ men might know all these languages; many knew two; but most of ___42___ people knew only one. There were some people who understood ___43___ French language though they could not speak it. ___44___ rich people who owned ___45___ land, ___46___ landowners, often knew ___47___ French and Latin. But ___48___ poor people, ___49___ peasants did not understand ___50___ French and ___51___ Latin. They understood only ___52___ English.

In time, however, came ___53___ general use of ___54___ English language. About 1350 ___55___ English became ___56___ language of ___57___ law; and at that time lived ___58___ first teacher who taught his boys to read and write English and to translate, not from ___59___ Latin into ___60___ French, but from ___61___ Latin into ___62___ English. Then between 1350 and 1400 lived Wyclif who made ___63___ first complete translation of ___64___ Bible into English, and Chaucer, "___65___ Father of ___66___ English poetry”.

But ___67___ English language when it came into general use was not quite ___68___ same as it was before ___69___ Conquest. ___70___ grammar remained, but many words came into it from ___71___ French language.

Exercise 6

Learning by Heart

Charles Dickens, ___1___ famous English author, said that he could walk down any long street in ___2___ London and then tell you ___3___ name of every shop he had passed. Many of ___4___ great men of ___5___ world have had wonderful memories.

___6___ good memory is ___7___ great help in learning ___8___ language. Everybody learns his own language by remembering what he hears when he is ___9___ small child. In ___10___ school it is not so easy to learn ___11___ second language, because ___12___ pupils have so little time for it, and they are busy with other subjects as well.

___13___ best way for ___14___ most of us to remember things is to join them in our mind with something which we know already, or which we easily remember because we have ___15___ picture of it in our mind. That is why it is better to learn ___16___ words in ___17___ sentences, not by themselves; or to see, or do, or feel what ___18___ word means when we first use it.

___19___ human mind is rather like ___20___ camera, but it takes ___21___ photographs not only of what we see but of what we feel, hear, smell and taste. When we take ___22___ real photograph with ___23___ camera, there is much to do before ___24___ photograph is finished and ready to show to our friends. In the same way, there is much work to be done before we can make ___25___ picture remain for ever in ___26___ mind.

Memory is ___27___ diary that we all carry about with us.

Exercise 7

The United Nations

___1___ United Nations is ___2___ organization of sovereign nations representing almost all of ___3___ humanity. It has as its central goal ___4___ maintenance of ___5___ international peace and ___6___ security. Additionally, its purposes call for ___7___ development of ___8___ friendly relations among ___9___ nations based on equal ___10___ rights and self-determination of ___11___ peoples and, through ___12___ international co-operation, ___13___ solution of ___14___ problems of ___15___ economic, social, cultural and humanitarian nature.

___16___ United Nations is ___17___ meeting-place where ___18___ representatives of all member states – great and small, rich and poor, with varying political views and social systems – have ___19___ voice and ___20___ equal vote in shaping ___21___ common course of ___22___ action.

___23___ United Nations has played, and continues to play, ___24___ active role in reducing ___25___ tension in ___26___ world, preventing ___27___ conflicts and putting ___28___ end to fighting already under way.

There are six main organs of ___29___ United Nations – ___30___ General Assembly, ___31___ Security Council, ___32___ Economic and Social Council, ___33___ Trusteeship Council, ___34___ Secretariat and ___35___ International Court of Justice. ___36___ Court has its seat at ___37___ Hague, ___38___ Netherlands. All other organs are based at ___39___ United Nations Headquarters in ___40___ New York.

Members of ___41___ General Assembly talk to each other in many languages, but officially there are only six – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

___42___ Secretariat services ___43___ other organs of ___44___ United Nations and administers ___45___ programmes and policies laid down by them. Over 20,000 men and women are employed by ___46___ United Nations with about one-third of them at ___47___ Headquarters and ___48___ other two-thirds stationed around ___49___ globe. Staff members are recruited primarily from member states and are drawn from more than 140 nations. As international civil servants, each takes ___50___ oath not to seek or receive instructions from any government or outside authority.

___51___ main Headquarters of ___52___ United Nations are based in ___53___ New York. ___54___ United Nations Organization Secretariat occupies ___55___ higher building. ___56___ General Assembly is held in ___57___ lower building.

Exercise 8

Walt Disney and His Heroes

Walt Disney was born in ___1___ Chicago, his father being Irish Canadian, his mother of German-American origin. He revealed ___2___ talent for ___3___ drawing and ___4___ interest in ___5___ photography early on and after service with ___6___ American Red Cross in ___7___ First World War. In 1923 he left with his brother Roy for ___8___ Hollywood and for some years struggled against ___9___ poverty while producing ___10___ series called "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit”, but it was not until September 1928, when "Steamboat Willie” appeared, ___11___ first "Micky Mouse” with sound, that he achieved lasting success. ___12___ Micky Mouse became ___13___ household word together with such companions as Minnie, Pluto, and – perhaps ___14___ favourite of them all – Donald Duck.

"___15___ Three Little Pigs” and "Snow White and ___16___ Seven Dwarfs”, with their still familiar songs by Frank Cherchill, immediately spring to mind. After ___17___ Second World War Disney turned his attention to real-life nature studies and non-cartoon films with ___18___ living actors. After ___19___ rather unsuccessful feature cartoon "___20___ Sleeping Beauty”, he made a triumphant come-back with ___21___ very successful "Mary Poppins”.

In 1955 he branched out into ___22___ different enterprise – "Disneyland”, ___23___ huge amusement park in ___24___ southern California.

Disneyland is situated 27 miles south of ___25___ Los-Angeles, at ___26___ Anaheim. Of all ___27___ show-places none is as famous as Disneyland. This ___28___ superb kingdom of fantasy linked to technology was created by Walt Disney.

___29___ park is divided into six themes and there is so much to see and do in each that no one would attempt to see all of them in one visit. For extended visits, there are ___30___ hotels nearby.

Walt Disney died in California at ___31___ age of 65. His works have given so much ___32___ pleasure for many years to many people, young and old, in many countries.

Exercise 9

Living in the City

Living in ___1___ city has both advantages and disadvantages. On ___2___ plus side, it is often easier to find ___3___ work, and there is usually ___4___ choice of ___5___ public transport, so you don’t need to own ___6___ car. Also, there are ___7___ lot of interesting things to do and places to see. For example, you can eat in ___8___ good restaurants, visit museums, and go to ___9___ theatre and to ___10___ concerts. What is more, when you want to relax, you can usually find ___11___ park where you can feed ___12___ ducks or just sit on ___13___ park bench and read ___14___ book. All in all, ___15___ city life is full of bustle and ___16___ variety and you need never feel bored.

However, for every plus there is ___17___ minus. For one thing, you might have ___18___ job, but unless it is very well paid, you will not be able to afford many of ___19___ things that there are to do, because living in ___20___ city is often very expensive. It is particularly difficult to find ___21___ good, cheap accommodation. What is more, ___22___ public transport is sometimes crowded and dirty, particularly in ___23___ rush hour, and even parks can become very crowded, especially on ___24___ Sundays when it seems that ___25___ every city-dweller is looking for some open space and ___26___ green grass. Last of all, despite all crowds, it is still possible to feel very lonely in a city.

In conclusion, I think that ___27___ city life can be particularly appealing to ___28___ young people, who like excitement of ___29___ city and don’t mind ___30___ noise and pollution. However, many people, when they get older, and particularly when they have ___31___ young children, often prefer ___32___ peace and fresh air of ___33___ country-side.

Exercise 10

The Man and the Snake

___1___ snake was caught by ___2___ thorn bush and could not get away. It was hissing loudly with ___3___ pain. ___4___ man took ___5___ pity on ___6___ snake and saved it from ___7___ death. ___8___ snake crawled up to ___9___ man, slipped on to his shoulder and then coiled itself tightly about ___10___ man’s neck. "Why do you choke me?” asked ___11___ man. "What harm did I do to you? I saved your life, and now you want to kill me.” "Nobody returns good for good,” replied ___12___ snake. "Wait a bit!” begged ___13___ man. "Let us ask ___14___ tree. If ___15___ tree takes ___16___ pity on me and says that you are wrong, let me go. If not, you may kill me.”

___17___ snake let ___18___ man go and he went to ___19___ tree. "Oh, ___20___ Tree,” he said, "I saved ___21___ snake from ___22___ death, and now it wants to kill me.” ___23___ tree answered: "I am ___24___ only tree in this desert under which ___25___ traveller can find ___26___ shade and ___27___ rest. I give men ___28___ shelter from ___29___ heat. They rest under my branches, and then they break them. Nobody returns good for good. Kill him, ___30___ Snake!”

___31___ snake began to choke ___32___ man, but ___33___ man begged: "Don’t choke me. There is ___34___ ox not far from here. Let’s ask him.”

___35___ ox said: "I work for ___36___ man in winter and in summer, and when I get too old to work he kills me. Choke him, ___37___ Snake.”

Just then they saw ___38___ fox. "Let’s ask him,” said ___39___ man. "Let ___40___ man go while I decide ___41___ case,” said ___42___ fox. ___43___ snake crawled to ___44___ ground, and ___45___ fox struck it hard with its paw. "That’s ___46___ justice for ___47___ snake!” he said.

Exercise 11

Appleseed John

John was ___1___ poor old man. He lived all alone. "I want to do something good for ___2___ people,” he said to himself, "but how can I? I am old and I have ___3___ little money!”

One day he said, "I know what I can do.” He got some red apples, big yellow apples and green apples. When he ate them he saved ___4___ seeds and put them into ___5___ bag. One morning he took ___6___ bag and ___7___ stick and walked far into ___8___ country. "Here is ___9___ good place,” he said. He made ___10___ little hole in ___11___ ground with his stick and planted ___12___ apple seed. "Good bye, ___13___ little seed,” he said. "Some day you will be ___14___ nice apple-tree.” He planted many apple seeds that day and ___15___ next day too.

Then he got more apples, saved all ___16___ seeds and put them into his big bag. When his bag was full of seeds again, he took ___17___ bag and ___18___ stick, made ___19___ little holes in ___20___ ground with his stick and planted ___21___ apple seeds.

___22___ people began to know him as he went about ___23___ country. ___24___ boys laughed at him when they saw him. "They won’t do you any good,” they said. "You will be dead before ___25___ apples come.”

___26___ old John laughed too. "Yes,” he said. "But someone must plant ___27___ seeds before others eat ___28___ fruit.”

So ___29___ years went by, and once ___30___ old man died. Today in that country you can see many, many apple-trees. If you ask someone why there are so many apple-trees in ___31___ country, he will say: "Oh! ___32___ old Appleseed John planted them long, long ago.” And then he will tell you this story.