Иностранный язык. Мартемьянова Н.В - 14 стр.

                                       14

and pathetically old-fashioned weapons. They charged and slashed and hacked,
but made little impression on that moving wall of the Roman shields, Roman
amour and helmets.
   Fatalis would put his lads in wedge formation, splitting up the enemy rush
crushing them into tight little groups where the couldn't swing their big swords.
   Then a bang in the face with the shield, and the long point of the wicked
Roman short-sword stabbing up into their unarmored bodies.
   Maiden Castle must have been the tenth or eleventh of these forts that the II
Augusta and their attached auxiliary cohorts had taken since they first slashed
ashore on this foggy island of Britain.

Reading Comprehension Tasks
1. The sentences below are all from the text. Match parts of sentences on
the left with their complementation on the right.
1) Man lived on this l,ooo yard long hill 1)which made a change from the
                                           perfumed politicians who usually
                                           got commands
 2) From the short sharp fight with       2)were strengthened at some points
    the tribesmen                          by dry-stone walls and timber pali-
                                            sades.
3) Vespasian was much of a soldier        3) discipline and training always
as Centurion Fatalis,                       beat individual courage
4) Through the smoke from the               4)since at least 2000BC.
 burning huts
5) The Britons hadn't a hope as             5)the last of the Britons on this
                                             was dawn.
6)They charged and slashed and             6) the II Augusta would push
hacked, but                                through the ramparts and deploy
                                           into their proper ranks again.
7)Huge earth ramparts, some 90             7)made little impression on that
 feet high, protected it in suc -            moving wall of that Roman
cessive rings and                            shields.

2.Answer the following questions:
1) How did the Castle look like?
2) Can you describe the battle between the Britons and the Celts?
3) How was the Century formed? What was the order of the soldiers?
4) Who headed the Celts?
5) What have you learned about the Britons' army?
6) Were the Celts successful in their attacks? Prove your answer.
7) What was Maiden Castle for the II Augusta?