1.Read and translate using the dictionary.
Years ago I arrived one day at Salamanca, New York, where I was to change trains and take the sleeper. There were crowds of people on the platform, and they were all trying to get into the long sleeper train which was already packed. I asked the young man in the booking-office if I could have a sleeping-berth and he answered: “No“. I went off and asked another local official if I could have some poor little corner somewhere in a sleeping-car, but he interrupted me angrily saying, “No, you can’t, every corner is full. Now, don’t bother me any more,“ and he turned his back and walked off. I felt so hurt that I said to my companion, “If these people knew who I was, they …“ But my companion stopped me there. “Don’t talk such nonsense, we’ll have to put up with this,” he said, “ If they knew who you were, do you think it would help you to get a vacant seat in a train which has no vacant seats in it?”
This did not improve my condition at all, but just then I noticed that the porter of a sleeping-car had his eye on me. I saw the expression of his face suddenly change. He whispered to the uniformed conductor, pointing to me, and I realized I was being talked about. Then the conductor came forward, his face all politeness.
“Can I be of any service to you?” he asked. “ Do you want a place in a sleeping-car?”
“Yes,” I said, “ I’ll be grateful to you if you can give me a place, anything will do.”
“We have nothing left except the big family compartment,“ he continued, ”with two berths and a couple of armchairs in it, but it is entirely at your disposal. Here, Tom, take these suitcases aboard!”
Then he touched his hat, and we moved along. I was eager to say a few words to my companion, but I changed my mind. The porter made us comfortable in the compartment, and then said, with many bows and smiles:
“Now, is there anything you want, sir? Because you can have just anything you want.”
“Can I have some hot water?” I asked.
“Yes, sir, I’ll get it myself”.
“Good! Now, that lamp is hung too high above the berth. Can I have a better lamp fixed just at the head of my bed below the luggage rack, so that I can read comfortably?”
“Yes, sir. The lamp you want is just being fixed in the next compartment. I’ll get it from there and fix it here. It’ll burn all night. Yes, sir, you can ask for anything you want, the whole railroad will be turned inside out to please you.“ And he disappeared.
I smiled at my companion, and said:
“Well, what do you say now? Didn’t their attitude change the moment they understood I was Mark Twain? You see the result, don’t you?” My companion did not answer. So I added, “Don’t you like the way you are being served? And all for the same fare”.
As I was saying this, the porter’s smiling face appeared in the doorway and this speech followed:
“Oh, sir, I recognized you the minute I set my eyes on you. I told the conductor so”.
“Is that so, my boy?” I said handing him a good tip. “Who am I?’
“Mr. McClellan, Mayor of New York”, he said and disappeared again.
2.Answer the questions.
1. What was Mark Twain to do at Salamanca, New York?
2. What were all the people doing on the platform?
3. Who did Mark Twain speak to about getting a place in a sleeper?
4. Why was Mark Twain hurt by the official’s answer?
5. Why did Mark Twain’s companion advise him to put up with things?
6. What Mark Twain’s companion said didn’t improve the writer’s condition, did it?
7. What did Mark Twain notice just then?
8. What did the uniformed conductor say to Mark Twain?
9. Why did Mark Twain say that any place would do?
10. What kind of compartment did the conductor put at Mark Twain’s disposal?
11. What did the conductor tell Tom to do with the gentlemen’s suitcases?
12. In what way did the porter make the gentlemen comfortable there?
13. What did Mark Twain say about the conductor’s and the porter’s attitude to them?
14. Did Mark Twain’s companion like the way they were being served? Why?
15. Was the conductor’s attitude to Mark Twain a result of respect for the writer?
3.Substitute words and word combinations from the text for the italicized parts.
1. I went off and asked another local official if I could have some poor little corner somewhere in a car with sleeping berths.
2. His answer made me so sad and uncomfortable that I said to my companion…
3. But my companion stopped me there, “Don’t talk nonsense, we’ll have to accept what we’ve got.”
4. This did not make things better.
5. We have nothing left but the big family compartment where two can sleep, but you can use it in any way you wish.
6. Here, Tom, take these suit-cases into the compartment.
7. Can I have a better lamp put just at the head of my bed under the shelf for the luggage?
8. Didn’t they start acting differently the moment they understand I was Mark Twain?
9. Don’t you like the way they are doing things for you?
4.Find English equivalents for the following.
Áàãàòî ðîê³â òîìó; ñ³ñòè â ñïàëüíèé âàãîí; “Ìîæíà ìåí³ îäåðæàòè ñïàëüíå ì³ñöå?”; ³ ï³øîâ ãåòü; íàì ïðèéäåòüñÿ ïðèìèðèòèñÿ ç öèì; “×è ìîæó ÿ ÷èìîñü äîïîìîãòè âàì?”; ó íàñ í³÷îãî íå çàëèøèëîñü; â³í âëàøòóâàâ íàñ â êóïå; “Âàì ïîòð³áíî ùå ùî-íåáóäü?”; “×è íå ïðèíåñåòå ìåí³ ãàðÿ÷î¿ âîäè?”; ÿ â³çüìó ¿¿ çâ³äòè; âè ìîæåòå ïîïðîñèòè âñå, ùî çàáàæàºòå; “À ùî Âè òåïåð ñêàæåòå?”; “Âè æ áà÷èòå ðåçóëüòàò, ïðàâäà?”; ùîéíî âîíè ä³çíàëèñü; ó äâåðÿõ.
5.Retell the text.
TALKING POINTS
1.Remember the following speech patterns.
At the Enquiry Office
When’s the next train to (Bournemouth), please?
Is there anything a bit later/earlier, please?
Is there a train to (Oxford) at about (9 o’clock), please?
Is it the same service on Sundays?
What time does it get to (Edinburgh), please?
Is there a buffet/restaurant car on the 7.15, please?
Which platform does the 8.13 go from, please?