Tommy’s house. Marina Nitsinska
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Название: Tommy’s house
Автор: Marina Nitsinska
Издательство: Издательские решения
Жанр: Учебная литература
isbn: 9785005191397
isbn:
Next moment mum, dressed in black silk, ran into the room, Lilly followed her. Saying no word, the boy’s mother looked at the broken vase, then she slowly turned her icy eyes to Tom. She kept staring at him, keeping silence. That reproachful glance followed him everywhere long afterwards. The boy broke down the eye contact and looked away in embarrassment.
Lilly tried to distract his mum, at the same time she made efforts to advocate and comfort Tommy.
“It isn’t Tommy’s fault, aunt Annie. He hasn’t done it on purpose!
Tom, I’ll help you to collect the fragments, be careful.
I’ll ask my parents to bring you the same beautiful vase!
Mummy is going to give it to you as a present.
Oh, it will be even more gorgeous than the broken one! You’ll see!..”
“Tom, I’m taking your toy cars until you learn how to behave,” his mum said with a calm, cold voice.
Since then Tommy had got his parents’ permission to play only in the game room or on the sports ground.
The boy’s mum and dad quite often discussed his future, appraised prospects of his success, and planned his life several years ahead. Everything was predetermined – his future profession, mode of life, place to live and what people to communicate with. Each step was under control.
“Tommy, have you completed all Maths tasks? Where is your exercise book?”
“Not yet, mum, I am going to do sums a bit later.”
“Do it right now. And where is your essay?”
“I’ll bring it.”
“Remember that you must study hard.
You are my pride, you will achieve the highest goals.
Will you do it for me, darling?”
“I’ll try…”
“You are the best. You’ll be a great man!
Next year you are going to have more difficult tasks. Are you ready?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Besides a course of geometry is starting soon.”
“Ok, now I’d like to draw, mum, I’m going to the game room.”
“Wait, son. We haven’t finished yet.
Don’t waste your time on insignificant matters!
You should be more serious.
I suppose it will be great for you to study Italian, won’t it?”
“I don’t know, mum… May I go to the sports ground?”
“Not yet. You’ll go there later, little boy.
Do you love your mummy?”
“I do, mum.”
“What a good boy!” she said with a sweet voice and gave him a warm glance.
His parents were rather strict, but fair. They wanted for their son the best education, successful career and tried to bring him up as a gentleman. There were a lot of rules for him to follow. Tommy was an obedient child.
HELPFUL WORDS AND NOTES
crystal chandelier [krɪst(ə)l] [_ʃændəlɪə] – хрустальная люстра
to reign [reɪn] – царить, преобладать, править
to be accustomed to smth [əkʌstəmd] – привыкнуть к чему-либо
absorbedly [əbzɔ bɪdlɪ] – увлечённо
loud crash [laud] [kræʃ] – громкий треск
in the dead silence [ɪn] [ðə] [ded] [saɪləns] – в мёртвой тишине
reproachful glance [rɪprəuʧf(ə)l], [-ful] [glɑ n(t)s] — укоризненный взгляд
eye contact [aɪ] [kɔntækt] – зрительный контакт
in embarrassment [ɪn] [ɪmbærəsmənt] – в смущении, растерянно
to make efforts [meɪk] [efəts] — прилагать усилия, стараться
to comfort [kʌmfət] — подбадривать, утешать, успокаивать
to do smth on purpose [du] [ɔn] [pɜ pəs] – делать что-либо нарочно, с целью
permission [pəmɪʃ(ə)n] — разрешение, позволение
to appraise prospects [əpreɪz] [prɔspekts] – оценивать перспективы
predetermined [_pridɪtɜmɪnd] — предопределённый, предрешённый
to do sums [du] [sʌmz] — решать задачи, примеры
to achieve a goal [əʧi v] [ə] [gəul] —
достигать цели
insignificant matters [_ɪnsɪgnɪfɪk(ə)nt] [mætəz] — пустяки
VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR TASKS
I Here are several words and expressions from the text. (A – J) Match the definition of each of them from the list below (1 – 10).
A reproachful
B to reign
C predetermined
D to comfort
E СКАЧАТЬ