Michael thoroughly enjoyed the war ( ).
He was popular in the regimental mess ( :
), and the officers of the old army (
: ) accepted him almost at once (
), even though he was an actor ( ), as one of
themselves ( : ). It was as though the family
of soldiers ( , : )
from which he was born ( : ) had set a seal on
him ( : ) so that he fell
instinctively into the manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier (
: ; to fall in(to) a state - ,
- ). He had tact and a pleasant manner (
), and he knew how to pull strings
adroitly ( , ; to pull strings
, , to pull ,
, string , ); it was inevitable ( )
that he should get on the staff of some general (
- ; staff , , . ). He
showed himself possessed of considerable organizing capacity (
; to show oneself
, -) and the last three years of the war (
) he passed at G.H.Q (
; G.H.Q = General Headquarters = -,
, ). He ended it as a major ( /
/ ), with the Military Cross ( ) and the Legion of
Honour ( ).
thoroughly ['TArqlI] general headquarters ['dZen(q)rql 'hed"kwO:tqz]
major ['meIdZq]
Michael thoroughly enjoyed the war. He was popular in the regimental mess,
And the officers of the old army accepted him almost at once, even though he
Was an actor, as one of themselves. It was as though the family of soldiers
From which he was born had set a seal on him so that he fell instinctively into
The manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier. He had tact and a
Pleasant manner, and he knew how to pull strings adroitly; it was inevitable
That he should get on the staff of some general. He showed himself possessed
Of considerable organizing capacity and the last three years of the war he
Passed at G.H.Q. He ended it as a major, with the Military Cross and the
Legion of Honour.
|
|
|
Meanwhile ( ) Julia had been playing a succession of important parts
( : ) and was
recognized ( ) as the best of the younger actresses (
: ). Throughout the war (
) the theatre was very prosperous ( // ), and she
profited ( : ) by being seen in plays (
: ) that had long runs (
; long run
). Salaries went up ( : ), and with
Michael to advise her ( // : ,
) she was able to extort eighty pounds a week (
: ) from reluctant managers
( ; reluctant -
, ). Michael came over to England on his leaves (
// ; leave , . ) and
Julia was divinely happy ( ). Though he
was in no more danger ( ) than if he had
been sheep-farming in New Zealand (
; sheep-farm ), she acted as though the brief
periods he spent with her ( , ,
) were the last days the doomed man (
, ) would ever enjoy on earth (/
= / ).
succession [sqk'seS(q)n] prosperous ['prOsp(q)rqs] reluctant [rI'lAktqnt]
doomed [du:md]
