27Th August

Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,

Where are you, I wonder?

I never know what part of the world you are in, but I hope you're not in New York during this awful weather. I hope you're on a mountain peak (but not in Switzerland; somewhere nearer) looking at the snow and thinking about me. Please be thinking about me. I'm quite lonely and I want to be thought about. Oh, Daddy, I wish I knew you! Then when we were unhappy we could cheer each other up.

I don't think I can stand much more of Lock Willow. I'm thinking of moving. Sallie is going to do settlement work in Boston next winter. Don't you think it would be nice for me to go with her, then we could have a studio together? I would write while she SETTLED and we could be together in the evenings. Evenings are very long when there's no one but the Semples and Carrie and Amasai to talk to. I know in advance that you won't like my studio idea. I can read your secretary's letter now:

'Miss Jerusha Abbott.

'DEAR MADAM,

'Mr. Smith prefers that you remain at Lock Willow.

'Yours truly,

'ELMER H. GRIGGS.'

I hate your secretary. I am certain that a man named Elmer H. Griggs must be horrid. But truly, Daddy, I think I shall have to go to Boston. I can't stay here. If something doesn't happen soon, I shall throw myself into the silo pit out of sheer desperation.

Mercy! but it's hot. All the grass is burnt up and the brooks are dry and the roads are dusty. It hasn't rained for weeks and weeks.

This letter sounds as though I had hydrophobia, but I haven't. I just want some family.

Goodbye, my dearest Daddy.

I wish I knew you.

Judy

LOCK WILLOW,

19th September

Dear Daddy,

Something has happened and I need advice. I need it from you, and from nobody else in the world. Wouldn't it be possible for me to see you? It's so much easier to talk than to write; and I'm afraid your secretary might open the letter.

Judy

PS. I'm very unhappy.

TASKS

1. Read the text and find in it the words and word combinations from the list, supply them with Russian equivalents.

to lose one’s mind

to be in mourning

to abolish sth

a requirement

on a large scale

to stay up

to be robbed of sth

to take sth literally

to be incorrigible

convincing

distressing

to have a suspicion

a struggling author

conceited

to scold sb

flourishing

2. Learn these words and expression by heart and be ready for the oral translation of sentences with them.

3. Translate the underlined passages.

4. Paraphrase the following using the words above.

- to go mad

- to speak to sb angrily

- who thinks too much of himself

- to cancel or remove

- growing or doing well

- to take things at their face value

- what is needed

5. Explain in English the meanings of these:

- to be in mourning

- to stay up

- to be robbed of sth

- a struggling author

- flourishing

6. Complete the sentences with the words in ex. 1

1. I’m afraid the reasons you’ve given do not sound quite_____________.

2. I have a ___________________that the story will make no impression on the children.

3. My____________is that you should keep all the rules that all the other children keep.

4. Look, I’ve broken my favourite cup. How____________!

5. Being in _____________meant not going to parties or concerts or theatres. In other words it meant no entertainment.

6. He was a __________________and couldn’t count on much money for his stories.

7. Please, don’t________________for me: I’ll come back late.

8. She takes everything _______________and gets distressed when someone tries to make a joke at her.

9. He’s quite well off: he has a _________________business in the City.