Exercises

I. Answer the following questions.

1. What message did the doctor receive? 2. What did he know of his new patients? 3. Who was ill? 4. Why was the little girl kept in the kitchen? 5. What was the child like? 6. Why did the parents prefer to have the doctor make his own conclusions about the girl's illness? 7. What could the doctor see at a glance? 8. What was his first question? 9. What made the doctor think of diphtheria? 10. Why was it important for the doctor to examine the little girl's throat?

II. How did he try to make her open her mouth? 12. Why were the parents such a poor help for the doctor? 13. How did the doctor finally succeed in examining the girl's throat? 14. What confirmed his worst suspicions? 15. Why did the girl refuse to open her mouth and'have her throat examined?

2. Explain or paraphrase.

1. ... I was met by the mother, a big startled looking wom­an, very clean and apologetic. 2. The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes. 3. As doctors often do I took a trial shot at it as a point of departure. Has she had a sore throat? 4. ... with one catlike movement both her hands clawed instinctively for my eyes and she almost reach­ed them too. 5. Both the mother and father almost turned themselves inside out in embarrassment and apology. 6. I ex­plained the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take the responsibility. 7. ... while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me. 8. But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases. 9. It is a social necessity.

3. Find in the text the English for

впустить (в квартиру); сидеть на коленях у отца; снять пальто; осматриваться (в помещении); разглядывать с не­доверием; не говорить больше того, что абсолютно необхо-

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димо; пожирать взглядом; необыкновенно привлекатель­ный; часто дышать; быть в жару; отправная точка; воспа­ленное горло; болеть; причинять боль; не сводить глаз;

случай заболевания дифтеритом; осмотреть горло; заскре­жетать зубами от отвращения; добиться чего-либо; вмешать­ся (в разговор); умереть от дифтерита; взять мазок из гор­ла; настаивать на чем-либо; взять на себя ответственность;

прилагать все усилия; чувство стыда; страх причинить боль; потерять сознание; сжать зубы; превратить в щепки;

кровоточить; по меньшей мере; поставить диагноз

4. Study the following phrases. Recall how they were used in the text. Make sentences with each.

be up to smb.

e.g. 1. It's something that concerns you personally. So it's up to you to decide what to do. 2. Let her do whatever she likes. It's up to her.

do smb. (some, little, no, much, etc.) good

e. g. 1. Have a cup of strong tea — it will do you good. 2. He had his own way, and much good it did him!

a point of departure (discussion, interest, conscience, etc.)

e. g. 1. What had become of the letter? That was another point of interest for me. 2. He's never late. It's a point of honour with him.

take (have, give, throw, etc.) a look at smb., smth.

e. g. 1. She threw me an amused look. 2. He took a look at the boy. The little fellow was fast asleep.

let go of smth., smb.

e. g. 1. The child let goof the toy balloon and up it went higher and higher. 2. She'll never let go of anything she might think belongs to her, be it man or thing.

keep smb. from doing smth.

e. g. 1. I tried my best to keep her from learning the truth, but in vain. 2. He kept me from doing my duty.