Тексты для аудирования
1
THE COP AND THE ANTHEM (After O. Henry)
Speaker A
On his bench in Madison Square, Soapy moved uneasily. Winter was coming and it was the time for him to look for shelter. Soapy's desires were not great. Three months in prison was what he wanted. There he was sure of a little food and a bed, safe from the winter wind and the cold.
For years prison had been his shelter during the winter. Now the time had come again. And that is why he moved uneasily on his bench.
Speaker B
Having decided to go to prison, Soapy at once set about fulfilling his desire.
There were many easy ways of doing this. The most pleasant was to dine well at some expensive restaurant, and then, after saying that he could not pay, be quietly arrested by a policeman and sent to prison by the judge.
Soapy got up and walked out of the square and across the level sea of asphalt, where Broadway and Fifth Avenue flow together. He stopped at the window of a brightly lit cafe.
Speaker C
Soapy was shaven, and his coat and tie were decent. But his boots and trousers were shabby. If he could reach a table in the restaurant and nobody saw him, he thought, success would be his. The upper part of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter's mind. A roasted duck, two bottles of wine, a cup of coffee, and a cigar would make him happy for the journey to his winter quarters. But just as Soapy entered the restaurant door, the head waiter's eyes fell upon his shabby trousers and boots. Strong hands turned him round and pushed him to the sidewalk.
Speaker D
He had to think of another way of getting to prison. At a corner of Sixth Avenue he saw a brightly lit shop window. Soapy took a stone and threw it at the glass and broke it. People came running around the corner, a policeman at their head. Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled when he saw the policeman's blue coat.
Men who break windows do not usually remain to speak to policemen. They run away. Just then the policeman saw a man who was hurrying to catch a car. Club in hand, he rushed after that man. Soapy had failed again.
Speaker E
On the opposite side of the street was a small and cheap restaurant. Soapy came in, sat down at a table, and ate a beefsteak and an enormous apple-pie. "Now call a policeman. I cannot pay. I have no money," said Soapy. "And don't keep a gentleman waiting."
"No cop for you," said the waiter, and seizing Soapy by the collar threw him out of the restaurant. Soapy got up and beat the dust from his clothes. He was in despair.
Speaker F
His last hope was to be caught for "disorderly conduct". Soapy began to yell at the top of his voice. He danced and cried like a madman. A policeman who was standing nearby turned his back to Soapy, and remarked to a passer-by: "It's one of those University lads. They are celebrating their traditional holiday. They are noisy; but they mean no harm". Soapy stopped in despair. He buttoned his thin coat against the cold wind and the rain, and walked on.
At last he reached a street where there was little traffic and few pedestrians. At a quiet corner he suddenly stopped. There was an old church in front of him.
2
Peter: Hi, Jean! I haven't seen you for ages! How have you been?
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Jean: Hi, Peter! I'm glad to see you! I've been to Chicago for the last two weeks.
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P.: Ah, I see. So that's the reason we haven't met for a long time.
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J.: Yes, it is so. And everything is fine with me. I've been just looking for a proper job. Anyway that wasn't a good idea. And how are things with you? Has anything new happened while I was away?
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P.: I see. It's always worth trying, Jean. I'm sure you'll find a suitable occupation for yourself very soon. In fact, one of my old friends is running a clothing company in Chicago and they often need good managers there. I can give you his phone number if you want.
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J.: Yes, sure. That would be great!
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P.: As for me, I'm doing well. Nothing new really happened here. Except, Marta and Richard decided to get married next month.
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J.: Oh, wow! That's something! I'm really happy for them.
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P.: Yes, that was unexpected. We all thought that this couple won't last. And now, just imagine they are getting married.
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J.: Any other news that I've missed?
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P.: Not that important but Leslie has refused to be Hugo's girlfriend. We were all greatly surprised, as we thought that she actually liked him.
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J.: Oh, dear! That's weird. She was so happy to see him, always accepted his presents, wanted his attention, and now she doesn't want to be his girlfriend. I wonder why is that?
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P.: I think, something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Leslie is not that type of a girl. She is usually quite frank. I think he somehow hurt her.
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J.: I agree. I don't think that's only her fault. We should find out what happened when we meet her.
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P.: Yeah, we should. In fact, there is something else that you have missed while you were in Chicago.
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J.: What's that?
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P.:We found who stole Caroline's camera.
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J.: Really? And who was it?
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P.: It was her new flatmate, the young fellow who has just moved in.
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J.: No way! He looks so innocent. I thought he can't say a boo to a goose.
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P.: You see, appearance is deceptive.
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J.: So, how it all happened?
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P.: At first, he saw us taking pictures and making a film outside. And I guess he already knew that it's quite an expensive camera. Then, he turned the emergency alarm on to scare us. When we panicked and ran, he stole it.
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J.: He seems to be very smart. We should be careful with him. So did he give the camera back to the owner?
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P.: No, he continues pretending but Caroline knows that it was him. She saw him taking pictures with it in the central park a few days ago. When she came closer, he hid it and quickly went away.
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J.: So, what is she going to do then? I know it cost her a fortune to buy this new technology.
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P.: Don't worry, we've invented an effective plan to make him confess and give back the camera.
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J.: Oh, that's a relief! I'm with you if you need me. Just tell me what to do.
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P.: Ok, we will. We should be going now. Caroline is waiting for us.
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3
Suffragettes
Together with her daughters, Sylvia and Christabel, Emmeline Pankhurst is remembered as one of the major figures in the fight for women’s suffrage.
Although the suffrage movement had been active for at least thirty years, it was her founding of the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903 that really made “Votes for Women” the subject of the day.
The small group began with peaceful protests. However, convinced that such methods wouldn’t bring the desired result, they decided that a more militant approach was needed to force the government to notice their demands.
In February 1918, women over the age of thirty were given the vote provided that they were
either householders, married to householders, or graduates of a British university.
Emmeline was determined that Christabel should be the first woman MP, and having
campaigned enthusiastically for her, was bitterly disappointed when her daughter failed to win a seat in Parliament.
All three Pankhurst women were important in the fight for British women’s suffrage, and women across the world owe much to their efforts.
Nonetheless, the acceptance of women’s suffrage may also have been due to changing attitudes towards the role and capabilities of women. |
