ВУЗ:
Составители:
Рубрика:
107
4
Once Mark Twain was travelling in France by train. He was going to
a small town near Paris. It was very late at night, he was very tired and
wanted to sleep. He asked the conductor to wake him up when they got to
that town and went to sleep. It was early morning when he woke up, the
train was already in Paris.
Mark Twain was very angry. He ran up to the conductor and cried:
“I asked you to wake me up. Why didn’t you do it? I am very angry
with you.”
The conductor looked at him for a moment and said:
“You may be very angry, but not so angry as the American whom I
put off the train instead of you.”
5
A young lady took a seat in a compartment, in which a travelling
salesman was sitting. The traveller looked at her and said politely:
“Excuse me, miss, but – “
“If you speak to me, I’ll pull the train cord,” snapped the girl.
Several times the traveller tried to speak to the girl but she threatened
to stop the train.
At last the train stopped at a station and the traveller rose to his feet.
“I don’t care whether you like it or not,” said he, “but I want that torn
bag of strawberries you’ve been sitting on for the last six miles.”
6
It was Sunday. The suburban trains were overcrowded. A gentleman
was walking along the platform. He was looking for a place. Suddenly he
saw a vacant seat in one of the compartments. A small bag lay on that seat
and a well-dressed gentleman was sitting beside it.
“Is this seat vacant?” asked the gentleman.
“No, it is occupied by my friend, he will soon come. He has gone to
buy cigarettes.”
“Well,” said the gentleman, “I’ll sit here till he comes.”
Ten minutes passed.
“Your friend will miss the train if he doesn’t hurry,” said the gentle-
man.
“Yes,” nervously replied the other.
108
The train started, but nobody came.
“Your friend is late,” said the gentleman, “but let him not lose his
bag at least,” and with these words he took the bag and threw it out of the
window.
The well-dressed gentleman tried to catch the bag but it was too late.
It was his own bag and he had occupied the second seat because he wanted
to be comfortable.
7
A mother was going South with her two children. She was sitting in
the compartment and reading. Her older boy was sitting near her, playing
with a toy. Suddenly he asked his mother: “Do you know the name of the
station we have just passed?” “No, I don’t, and please don’t ask me ques-
tions while I am reading,” said his mother.
“It’s a great pity you don’t know it,” said the boy.
“Why so?” asked his mother.
“Because that’s the station where my little brother got off some min-
utes ago,” answered the boy.
8
Some young men were travelling in a smoking compartment of a
railway carriage. Just as the train was about to start, the door suddenly
opened, and an old woman entered the compartment. The young men,
wishing to have the compartment for themselves, cried: “You must not
come in here, that is a smoking carriage.”
The old woman, however, sat in a corner. The young men decided to
smoke as much as they could and hoped that she would leave the compart-
ment. All the windows were closed and the place was soon filled with
smoke. The old woman seemed very comfortable but our young men began
to feel sick.
They had quite a shock when the old woman took out a pipe and said
to one of them: “Please, give me a light. I think I should like to smoke.”
At the next station the young men changed the carriage.
4 The train started, but nobody came. “Your friend is late,” said the gentleman, “but let him not lose his Once Mark Twain was travelling in France by train. He was going to bag at least,” and with these words he took the bag and threw it out of the a small town near Paris. It was very late at night, he was very tired and window. wanted to sleep. He asked the conductor to wake him up when they got to The well-dressed gentleman tried to catch the bag but it was too late. that town and went to sleep. It was early morning when he woke up, the It was his own bag and he had occupied the second seat because he wanted train was already in Paris. to be comfortable. Mark Twain was very angry. He ran up to the conductor and cried: “I asked you to wake me up. Why didn’t you do it? I am very angry 7 with you.” The conductor looked at him for a moment and said: A mother was going South with her two children. She was sitting in “You may be very angry, but not so angry as the American whom I the compartment and reading. Her older boy was sitting near her, playing put off the train instead of you.” with a toy. Suddenly he asked his mother: “Do you know the name of the station we have just passed?” “No, I don’t, and please don’t ask me ques- 5 tions while I am reading,” said his mother. “It’s a great pity you don’t know it,” said the boy. A young lady took a seat in a compartment, in which a travelling “Why so?” asked his mother. salesman was sitting. The traveller looked at her and said politely: “Because that’s the station where my little brother got off some min- “Excuse me, miss, but – “ utes ago,” answered the boy. “If you speak to me, I’ll pull the train cord,” snapped the girl. Several times the traveller tried to speak to the girl but she threatened 8 to stop the train. At last the train stopped at a station and the traveller rose to his feet. Some young men were travelling in a smoking compartment of a “I don’t care whether you like it or not,” said he, “but I want that torn railway carriage. Just as the train was about to start, the door suddenly bag of strawberries you’ve been sitting on for the last six miles.” opened, and an old woman entered the compartment. The young men, wishing to have the compartment for themselves, cried: “You must not 6 come in here, that is a smoking carriage.” The old woman, however, sat in a corner. The young men decided to It was Sunday. The suburban trains were overcrowded. A gentleman smoke as much as they could and hoped that she would leave the compart- was walking along the platform. He was looking for a place. Suddenly he ment. All the windows were closed and the place was soon filled with saw a vacant seat in one of the compartments. A small bag lay on that seat smoke. The old woman seemed very comfortable but our young men began and a well-dressed gentleman was sitting beside it. to feel sick. “Is this seat vacant?” asked the gentleman. They had quite a shock when the old woman took out a pipe and said “No, it is occupied by my friend, he will soon come. He has gone to to one of them: “Please, give me a light. I think I should like to smoke.” buy cigarettes.” At the next station the young men changed the carriage. “Well,” said the gentleman, “I’ll sit here till he comes.” Ten minutes passed. “Your friend will miss the train if he doesn’t hurry,” said the gentle- man. “Yes,” nervously replied the other. 107 108
Страницы
- « первая
- ‹ предыдущая
- …
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- …
- следующая ›
- последняя »