Черная курица, или Подземные жители / The Black Hen (Погорельский) - страница 11
"Eat what you like," said the Minister, "but you can't take anything with you."
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry," said Alyosha. "Please, tell me about your people," asked Alyosha.
"We live under your school. Nobody knows about us because we don't go out now. Many years ago we often went out. People could see us then. Now we always stay under the ground. Many of your people can't keep a secret. When somebody says a word about us, we go away at once. We go far, far away. It's always a problem to leave our things and go somewhere with all our children and animals. Do you understand me? You saved my life, Alyosha. I asked the King to let me take you here. You know how we live. We don't want to go away from this place. We like it here. So please don't tell anybody about us."
"I promise to keep your secret," said Alyosha. "But tell me, dear Blacky, why are you a hen? And why are you so afraid of the old Dutch ladies?"
Blacky started saying something, but Alyosha's sleepy eyes closed. He woke up in the morning in his bed.
Helpful Words & Notes
What do I ask for? — Что бы мне попросить?
hemp seed — конопляное семечко.
Let's = Let us — Давай.
over there — вон там.
I'm not hungry — мне не хочется есть.
keep a secret — хранить тайну.
Exercises
1 Match the two parts of the sentences.
1) Alyosha wanted
2) The King wanted
3) Alyosha asked Blacky
4) Alyosha promised
a) to keep Blacky's secret.
b) to know his homework without learning it.
c) to thank Alyosha for saving his minister.
d) to take him to the garden and to the zoo.
2 Complete the sentences.
1) A little boy brought a gold plate with ___.
a) an apple seed
b) a gold key
c) a hemp seed
2) The Minister and Alyosha went to ___ first.
a) the garden
b) the zoo
c) the library
3) Alyosha saw ___ in a gold cage.
a) a horse
b) two rats
c) a rat
3 Fill in the words.
1) I want to know my ___ without reading it.
2) You can always get good ___ without studying.
3) Thank you for the ___, sir.
4) The King bought this ___ far from here. He gave a lot of ___ for it.
5) Many of your people can't keep a ___.
6) It's always a ___ to leave our things and go somewhere with all our children and animals.
4 Complete the chart.
5 Explain why:
1) the King called Alyosha a lazy boy.
2) Alyosha didn't have anything for supper with Blacky.
3) Blacky asked Alyosha to keep their secret.
6 Imagine that you are Minister Blacky. Say:
a) why you are a hen;
b) why you are afraid of the old Dutch ladies.
Chapter 6
Alyosha didn't know what to think. He remembered Blacky and the Minister, the King and the knights, the Dutch ladies and the zoo very well.