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TEXT 1 THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER

After Carson McCullers

Carson McCullers (1917-1967) – an American author

(When she was only twenty-three this, Carson McCullers’ first novel, created a literary sensation. The setting is a small Southern town where the characters live. Among them is one teenager, Mick Kelly.)

That night they were all out on the porch. All of them were together except Hazel, who had not come from work, and Etta, who still lay sick in bed. Then Hazel came home.

“I sure do wish Etta was able to work,” she said. “I found out about this job today.”

“What kind of job?” asked their dad. “Anything I could do or just for girls?”

“Just for a girl. A clerk down at Woolworth’s is going to get married next week.”

(10) “The ten-cent store,” Mick said.

“You interested?”

The question took her by surprise. She felt lost and tense. Their dad flipped his cigarette down to the sidewalk.

“No,” he said. “We don’t want Mick to take on too much responsibility at her age. Let her get her growth out.”

“I agree with you,” Hazel said. “I really do think it would be a mistake for Mick to have to work regularly. I don’t think it would be right.”

Bill put Ralph down from his lap and shuffled his feet on the steps. “Nobody ought to work until they are around sixteen. Mick should have (20) two more years at Vocational if we can make it.”

“Even if we have to give up the house and move down in Mill Town,” their mom said. “I’d rather keep Mick down at home for a while.”

For a minute she had been scared they would try and corner her into taking a job. She would have said she would run away from home. But the way they took the attitude they did, touched her. She felt excited. They were all talking about her – and in a kindly way. She was ashamed for the first scared feeling that had come to her. Of a sudden she loved all of the family and a tightness came in her throat.

“About how much money is in it?” she asked.

(30) “Ten dollars.”

“Ten dollars a week?”

“Sure,” Hazel said. “Did you think it would only be ten a month?”

Mick rubbed the top of her head with her fist.

“That’s a whole lot of money. A big deal.”

“It’s not to be grinned at,” Bill said. “That’s what I make.”

Mick’s tongue was dry. She moved it around in her mouth to gather spit enough to talk.

“Ten dollars a week would buy about fifteen fried chickens. Or five pairs of shoes or five dresses. Or installments on a radio.” She thought (40) about a piano but she did not mention it aloud.

“It would tide us over,” their mom said. “But at the same time I would rather keep Mick home for a while. Now, when Etta …”

“Wait!” She felt hot and reckless. “I want to take the job. I can hold it down. I know I can.

“Listen to little Mick,” Bill said.

“Now, let’s not rush into anything,” their dad said. “I’d rather Mick took her time and thought this out. We can get along somehow without she working. I mean to increase my watch work by sixty per cent as soon as …”

(50) “I forgot,” Hazel said. “I think there’s a Christmas bonus every year.”

Mick frowned. “But I wouldn’t be working then. I’d be at school. I just want to work during the vacation and then go back to school.”

“Sure,” Hazel said quickly.

“But tomorrow I’ll go down with you and take the job if I can get it.”

It was as though a great worry and tightness had left the family. In the dark they began to laugh and talk.

NOTES

Woolworth’s – a national chain of "five and dime" (5¢ and 10¢) stores

founded by an American merchant F. W. Woolworth in 1878.

Vocational – A school, especially one on a secondary level that offers instruction and practical experience in skilled and semi-skilled trades.

A big deal. – A large quantity.

EXERCISES

I Choose the right answer and prove it by the text.

1 Mick is … a) a boy;

b) a girl

2 The scene takes place…

a) in the UK today; c) in the UK earlier in the 20^th century;

b) in the USA today; d) in the USA earlier in the 20^th century;

3 How many people are talking on the porch?

a) 3 b) 5 c) 6 d) 7

II Choose the ending of the question to which the answer is “Yes” and

support your choice by two quotations from the text.

Would you say Mick’s attitude towards the decision she has to make

… a) remains unchanged?

… b) undergoes a slight change?

… c) changes radically?

III Decide whether the following statements are True or False and

justify your answers by quoting the text.

1 Hazel is unemployed.

T

F

2 Etta has already got a job.

T

F

3 Mick has been thinking of getting a job for a long time.

T

F

4 Woolworth’s is a luxury shop.

T

F

5 Mick’s family is quite well off.

T

F

6 Mick would have run away from home if they hadn’t allowed her to work.

T

F

7 Mick had never felt such affection for her family.

T

F

8 The job is financially worthwhile.

T

F

9 Mick’s father asks her to make a quick decision.

T

F

10 Mick’s father doesn’t intend to do anything whatsoever to improve the family’s financial situation.

T

F

11 Mick intends to go on with her studies.

T

F

12 The family is relieved when Mick agrees to take the job.

T

F

IV Vocabulary: Match these phrasal verbs with their meanings.

Line Number	Verb		Meaning Match
Line 4	to find out	a	to support through a difficult period
Line 18	to put down	b	to succeed in keeping a job
Line 21	to give up	c	to show contempt
Line 35	to grin at	d	to stop holding
Line 41	to tide smb over	e	to manage to continue doing smth
Line 44	to hold down	f	to return
Line 47	to get along	g	to get information about smth
Line 53	to go back	h	to abandon

THE END

TEXT 2 TOM EDISON’S SHAGGY DOG

By Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut – an American author (1922 - 2007)

“For over a year, my boy,” Edison said to me, “I’ve been trying to find

a filament that will last in an incandescent lamp. Hair, string, splinters – nothing works. So, while I was trying to think of something else to try,

I started tinkering about with another idea of mine. Just letting off steam. I put this together,” he said, showing me the little black box.

“I thought maybe intelligence was just a certain kind of electricity, so I made this intelligence analyser here. It works! You’re the first one to know about it, my boy. But I don’t know why you shouldn’t be. It will be your generation that will grow up in the glorious new era when

(10) people will be as easily graded as oranges.”

“I don’t believe it,” said Bullard. ['bulɑ:d]

“May I be struck by lightning this very instant!” said the stranger.

“And it did work, too. Edison tried out the analyser on the men in his shop, without telling them what he was up to. The smarter the man was, by gosh, the farther the needle on the indicator in the little black box swung to the right. I let him try it on me, and the needle just lay where it was and trembled. But dumb as I was, then is when I made my one and only contribution to the world. As I say, I haven’t lifted a finger since.”

(20) “Whadja do?” said Bullard, eagerly.

“I said, ‘Mr Edison, sir, let’s try it on the dog.’ And I wish you could have seen the show that dog put on when I said it! Old Sparky barked and howled and scratched to get out. When he saw that we meant business, that he wasn’t going to get out, he made a beeline right for the intelligence analyser and knocked it out of Edison’s hands. But we cornered him, and Edison held him down while I touched the wires to his ears. And would you believe it, that needle sailed clear across the dial, way past a little red pencil mark on the dial face.”

“The dog busted it,” said Bullard.

(30) “Mr Edison, sir,” I said, “what’s that red mark mean?”

“My boy,” said Edison, “it means that the instrument is broken, because that red mark is me.”

“I’ll say it was broken,” said Bullard.

The stranger said gravely, “But it wasn’t broken. No, sir. Edison checked the whole thing, and it was in apple-pie order. When Edison told me that, it was then that Sparky, crazy to get out, gave himself away.

“How?” said Bullard, suspiciously.

“We really locked him in, see? There were three locks on the door –

a hook and eye, a bolt, and a regular knob and latch. That dog stood up, (40) unhooked the hook, pushed the bolt back and had the knob in its teeth when Edison stopped him.”

“No!” said Bullard.

“Yes!” said the stranger, his eyes shining. “And then is when Edison showed me what a great scientist he was. He was willing to face the truth, no matter how unpleasant it might be.”

“So!” said Edison to Sparky. “Man’s best friend, huh? Dumb animal, huh?”

That Sparky was a caution. He pretended not to hear. He scratched himself and bit fleas and went around growling at rat-holes – anything (50) to get out of looking Edison in the eye.

NOTES

Thomas Alva Edison (1847 -1931) – an American inventor

A Shaggy Dog Story – a very long joke with a pointless end

to tinker about – to attempt to make something in an experimental manner

It will be your generation that will grow up … – Именно твоё поколение вырастет …

“Whadja do?” = What did you do?

to mean business – to seriously intend to do what you say you will do

I’ll say – used for expressing agreement

in apple-pie order – in an impeccably neat and orderly state

a caution – a trickster, someone who causes mild alarm

EXERCISES