The Farmer and the Apples
A rich farmer in England once had a friend who grew very good apples. One day this friend gave the farmer a fine young tree and told him to take it home and plant it. The farmer was pleased with the present but when he came home he did not know where to plant the tree. He thought: “If I (to plant) it near the road, strangers will steal the apples. If I (to plant) it in my field, my neighbours (to come) at night and (to rob) me. If I (to plant) it near my house, my children (to take) the apples.”
At last he planted the tree deep in a wood where nobody could see it. But the tree could not grow without sunlight and died. When the farmer’s friend heard of it he got very angry and asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a bad place. “Where could I plant it?” said the farmer. “If I (to plant) the tree near the road, strangers (to steal) the apples. If I (to plant) it in the field, my neighbours (to come) at night and (to rob) me. If I (to plant) it near my house, my children (to take) the apples.” “But then somebody (to enjoy) the apples,” said his friend, “and now nobody can have them and you have lost a fine tree.”
4. Read the following passages written by school leavers as part of a survey on “My Perfect School”. Find mistakes in each passage.
My perfect school would be a new school that would brightly decorate. I would like the school to let you do any subject that would gave you the right qualification to get the job you are seeking. Pupils would also be given more career information to prepare them more fully for going out into the world. They would also have been told that unemployment is a fact of life that they may have to live with. The teachers would able to treat us with more respect. There would be a better teacher – pupil relationship, especially between older teachers and pupils.
My school would starts at 10.00 a. m. because 8.00 a. m. is too early. You won’t have to wear a school uniform and you would be able to wear what you want. There would be longer break times. The rules in the school would be fair, not to strict.
My school would be much better the school I went to. My old school was so cold and dreary and you couldn’t talk freely to the teachers about your school work. It was too old fashioned. You couldn’t even come in with dyed hair or a short haircut.
My idea of a perfect school would be one that you given an enjoyable, useful subjects which are relevant to the outside world. I think the teachers shouldn’t give us subjects as like history, geography, science that may be quite interesting but not practical and not prepare you for life outside school. I would like go to a school where teachers treat students respectfully and intelligently and try to communicate with them. Discipline would be strict but punishment would be administered only in severe cases.
5. Translate the jokes into English paying attention to the use of the oblique moods:
1. - Если бы вас попросили назвать пять дней недели, не упоминая слов «понедельник», «вторник», «среда», «четверг», «пятница», «суббота» и «воскресенье», вы смогли бы это сделать?
- Да, это очень просто, если подумать. Вот они, эти пять дней: сегодня, вчера, позавчера, завтра и послезавтра.
2. Учитель: Что бы мы увидели над головой, если бы погода была хорошая?
Петя: Голубое небо.
Учитель: А если бы шел дождь?
Петя: Зонтик.
3. Мама: Вставай, лентяй. Посмотри в окно. Солнце уже взошло, а ты еще в кровати.
Сын: Если бы я лег спать одновременно с солнцем, то я бы тоже уже встал.
