magnolia-buildings

Элизабет Стакли

КВАРТАЛ „МАГНОЛИЯ"

Книга для чтения на английском языке

в X классе средней школы

Адаптация, комментарии и словарь А. А. КЕРЛИН

Рука"» для борьбы с шайкой старших мальчишек, которые обижают малышей и не дают спокойно вздохнуть вечно занятым женщинам дома «Магнолия»; Дорин готовится сдавать ответственный экзамен «одиннадцать с половиной»; весной в доме — повальная эпидемия гриппа; потом попадает в больницу мама, и все домашние обязан­ ности приходится выполнять Элли, и т. д. На этом фоне ярко выделя­ ются традиционные английские праздники, которых с нетерпением ждут ребята: майская ярмарка, 5 ноября — «день Гая Фокса» и рож­ дество с обязательным школьным самодеятельным спектаклем.

Книга написана хорошим, живым, очень современным языком, который автор адаптации старался максимально сохранить, сделав в то же время книгу доступной для чтения в X классе средней школы.

Chapter I

ALLY'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

Gloria Berners l lay asleep in her bed at 49 Magnolia Buildings. 2 She was fourteen years old. Her name was really Gloria Evelyn, but the other children had always called her Glory Alleluia, or Ally for short.s

over on the pillow and her mop of curly yellow hair made a fan round her face. She thought about the things she wanted. The first thing, of course, was to have a bed to herself and sleep in it without Doreen. That would be grand. 4 Doreen snored in her sleep like a pig.

She kicked her little sister to stop her snoring.

Have a room to myself, that's next, she thought. Have glamour5 like film stars. Have some pioper high heel shoes. Meet Elvis Presley or Tommy Steele.e

Mum and Dad shared a room, the boys, Val and Len, who were twelve and eight, slept together while Doreen, Ally and Auntie Glad 4 were in the third room. Not that Auntie Glad was much bother. Б She was so quiet and so small, almost a dwarf. When Dad's mother had died (Auntie Glad was Dad's sister), she had brought her iron bed to

Magnolia Buildings with her, and put her trunk under it. She took up very little room 1 and didn't speak at meals, so that no one ever noticed her. She had a job as a dressmaker.

But the boys were different. Val was like twelve elephants. When he moved, everybody and everything were in danger. Len played trains all over the floor. As for Doreen, her books were on every table. She had to take her Eleven Plus exam 2 this month. She made such a fuss about it 3 that you could think she was the only girl in the world who was to take it. She's just cut out for a teacher, 4 thought Ally.

Then Ally remembered her diary. She must start to write it. Lou, her friend, had given her that diary for a Christmas present. Lou was going to keep a diary too, so that they could compare their notes about all the exciting things that happened during the year. Ally lay and thought of the things she would write. This first day of the year was dark and snowy. Luckily, it was a Saturday, and Dad didn't work on Saturdays as things were slack. s Breakfast could be late.

Auntie Glad dressed in the dark and went off to wash in the kitchen. The only water in the flat was there, and the bath was under the kitchen-table.

Ally turned on the light and opened her diary. She wrote: "Hello, New Year. Aren't you cold? We all live here in the flat, Mum, Dad and Auntie Glad, me, Val, Doreen and Len. Auntie Glad came to live 6 here when Dad's mum died. I wished for a lot of things this morning, but won't get them. Mum went out to work at five. She is still cleaning offices, but will be back for breakfast. Dad works on the railway. I must make tea..."

She went to put the kettle on when Auntie Glad came back to do her hair. x They didn't speak to each other. There was nothing to say at half past seven in the morning. It was too cold. Auntie Glad began to take out her curlers.

The kitchen smelt stuffy. 2 Ally put the kettle on the fire, then she put some cups and saucers on a tray and buttered a few slices of bread. Auntie Glad ate no breakfast, but she would be glad to have a cup of tea.

Then Ally went to wake up the boys. They were both asleep in the one bed and only Val's black curls and Len's crew cut could be seen above the sheet. Their clothes were thrown on the floor, all mixed up with their dirty boots.

"Wake up," shouted Ally. "It's New Year's Day. And mind you wash."3

They did not stir. She shook Val. Glamour, she thought, shall I ever have it? She picked up all the clothes off the floor and threw them on top of the boys.

Val opened his eyes and shut them again. It was too cold to move. He could tell that by the tip of his nose. New Year's Day, he thought, perhaps this year I'll get my bike.

Dad was now shaving at the sink. It was a wonder how the Berners family managed to do everything in their little kitchen. To an observer they might seem to be performing4 a complicated dance as they washed, shaved, cleaned teeth and cooked meals.

Ally laid breakfast 5 for six while Auntie Glad slipped across the room and out of the door like a small grey mouse. No one saw her go.6 All she had done was to leave an empty cup with a few tea leaves in it.

Mum came back and the day really began.

"Too bad 7 you were not with us this morning," she cried as she opened the door. "We nearly died laughing. There was