Кот в сапогах - Шарль Перро

Предисловие

Дорогие ребята!

Серия «Английский клуб» продолжает знакомить вас с лучшими сказками мира. На этот раз мы предлагаем вам прочитать на английском языке одну из самых известных сказок французского писателя Шарля Перро — «Кот в сапогах». Эта удивительная история была написана три столетия назад, но она до сих пор остается одной из самых любимых волшебных сказок, а находчивый говорящий кот — одним из самых любимых сказочных героев. Ведь это он обвел вокруг пальца короля и жестокого великана и помог своему хозяину получить всё, о чем тот мог только мечтать: титул, богатство, великолепный замок и любовь прекрасной принцессы.

Читая сказку, не забывайте обращаться к словарику, который по традиции расположен в самом конце книги. Старайтесь запоминать новые слова и выражения. Упражнения, завершающие каждую главу, позволят вам закрепить в своей памяти полученные знания и свободнее говорить и писать на английском языке.

Интересных вам впечатлений! Успехов в изучении английского языка!

Перевод заданий к упражнениям

Answer the questions. — Ответь на вопросы.

Choose right. — Выбери верно.

Complete the chart. — Заполни таблицу.

Complete the sentences. — Дополни предложения. Correct the statements. — Исправь утверждения.

Draw a picture and describe it. — Нарисуй картинку и опиши ее.

Fill in the adjectives from the text. — Вставь прилагательные из текста.

Fill in the nouns from the text. — Вставь существительные из текста.

Fill in the prepositions if necessary. — Вставь, если нужно, предлоги.

Fill in the words from the box. — Вставь слова из рамки.

Imagine that you're… — Представь, что ты…

Make up sentences. — Составь предложения.

Put the sentences in the right order. — Расставь предложения в правильном порядке.

Put the verbs in brackets in the right form. — Поставь глаголы в скобках в нужную форму.

Say what — Скажи что

Say who — Скажи кто

Say why — Скажи почему

Speak about … — Расскажи о …

Use the synonyms from the text. — Используй синонимы из текста.

Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was a poor miller. He lived in a small house, together with his three sons. The miller worked at the mill, and his sons helped him. The miller had no horse. He used his donkey to bring wheat from the fields.

The years went by. The miller grew old and died. His sons decided to divide their father's things among themselves. That was easy: he had almost nothing to leave to his sons. Only his mill, his donkey and his cat.

"I'm going to take the mill," said the miller's oldest son.

"I'm going to take the donkey," said the second.

"And what about me?" asked the youngest son.

"You? You can take the cat," laughed his brothers.

The young fellow was very much upset. He went out of the house and sat down on the bench.

"Oh, well," he said in a sad voice. "My brothers have the mill and the donkey. They can put them together and make enough money to live an honest life. But what can I do? I can eat the cat, and I can make a hat out of his fur. But then I have nothing. I can die of hunger."

The Cat was sitting on the bench too. He was trying not to listen to his master. But of course he heard all his words. And he didn't like them at all. He put on a serious face and said:

"Don't look so sad, Master. I'm not a bad thing. And I am more useful to you alive than dead. I can prove that."

"How so?" asked the Cat's master.

"All you have to do is to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots. Such as gentlemen wear in the woods. I'm going to show you that you're lucky to have me."

"It's unusual that a cat can speak at all," the miller's son said to himself. But then he started thinking. "This cat's very good at catching rats and mice. He played so many cunning tricks on them. He never came home without a rat or a mouse. He could hide in the wheat, or pretend to be dead. Perhaps, he can help me after all."

"OK," he said to the Cat. "I'm going now to order the boots."

Helpful Words & Notes

Once upon a time there was … — Традиционное начало сказок на английском языке. В русском языке им соответствуют фразы: Жил-был …, Давным-давно … и т. п.

he had almost nothing to leave to his sons — он мало что мог оставить своим сыновьям.

They can put them together and make enough money to live an honest life. — Они могут держаться вместе и честно зарабатывать себе на хлеб.

Не put on a serious face — Он посмотрел на своего хозяина с серьезным видом.

you're lucky to have me — тебе повезло, что я тебе достался.

This cat's very good at catching rats and mice. — Этот кот отлично умеет ловить крыс и мышей. (Запомните, что во множественном числе существительное mouse (мышь) принимает особую форму mice.)

Не played so many cunning tricks on them. — Он столько раз их обманывал, придумывая хитрые уловки.

after all — всё-таки.

Exercises

1. Answer the questions.

1) How many sons did the miller have?

2) What did the old miller leave to his sons?

3) What did the youngest son get?

4) Why was he upset?

5) What did the Cat say to the young man?

6) What did his master answer?

2. Complete the sentences.

1) The miller worked at the ___.

a) factory

b) mill

c) post-office

2) The second son took the ___.

a) cat

b) horse

c) donkey

3) The Cat asked his master to get him a pair of ___.

a) dance shoes

b) boots

c) blue jeans

3. Fill in the adjectives from the text.

1) The older brothers could put their things together and live an ___ life.

2) The Cat could be more useful ___ than dead.

3) The Cat played a lot of ___ tricks on mice and rats.

4. Choose right.

1) The Cat's master was the youngest / younger son in the family.

2) The miller's oldest / old son took the mill.

3) The Cat's master was younger / young than his brothers.

5. Fill in the prepositions from the box.

of on at among

1) The miller's sons divided his things ___ themselves.

2) The Cat's master was afraid to die ___ hunger.

3) The Cat was good ___catching mice and rats in the house.

4) The Cat put ___ a serious face and spoke to his master.

6. Speak about the miller's youngest son.

1) Say what you know about his family.

2) The miller's youngest son wanted to live an honest life like his brothers. How can you prove that?

3) The young man agreed to order the boots for the Cat. Why?

7. Speak about the Cat.

1) Say what he was good at.

2) The Cat never before spoke to anyone from the miller's family. Why did he begin talking only now?

8. Answer the questions and speak about yourself.

1) Do you have brothers or sisters?

2) Are you good at sports? What sports are you good at? What is your best friend good at?

3) Do you have pets?

Chapter 2

The miller's son went to the best shoemaker in town. The shoemaker made elegant shoes and boots for gentlemen.

"I want to order a fine pair of very small boots. They are for my cat," said the young man.

"OK," said the shoemaker.

He was not surprised at all. Or, perhaps, just a little.

"Do have any money?" he asked.

"Here you are," said the miller's son.

He took his last silver coin out of his pocket and gave it to the shoemaker.

Soon the boots were made. The Cat pulled them on. He looked very nice in his elegant boots.

"Don't worry about the money, Master. I'm going to bring you luck," said the Cat in Boots.

He put the bag around his neck. Cats have no hands, so he held the strings in his forepaws. Then he put some vegetables and a piece of bread into the bag.

The Cat went to the woods. There were many rabbits there. So he lay down, pretending to be dead. The Cat didn't move at all. His plan was to wait for some foolish rabbit to come and look into his bag.

The Cat didn't wait long. Soon a foolish young rabbit put his head inside the bag. The Cat closed the strings at once and caught him. Then, very proud, he went with the bag to the palace and asked to speak with the King.

The King agreed to see the unusual visitor. The Cat went upstairs to the King's room. He came up to the King and made a low bow. Then he said:

"Sir, here is a nice rabbit from the lands which belong to my noble master, the Marquis of Carabas (he decided to give his young master this title). He told me to offer it to Your Majesty."

"Tell your master," said the King, politely, "that I thank him for this nice present. I'm very pleased with his attention."

Another time the Cat went to a wheat field and hid among standing wheat. He again held his bag open. Soon two fat partridges ran into the bag. The Cat drew the strings, and caught them both.

The Cat went to the King's palace again. He gave the partridges to the King, with the same message from his master as before. The King received the gift. His majesty was very pleased. He even ordered to take the Cat down into the kitchen and give him something to eat and drink.

The Cat enjoyed the meal very much. He sat in the kitchen for a long time, talking about his rich master, the Marquis of Carabas.

Helpful Words & Notes

just a little — совсем чуть-чуть.

Here you are — Вот, пожалуйста.

lay — форма прошедшего времени глагола lie

His plan was to wait for some foolish rabbit to come and look into his bag. — Он стал поджидать, пока какой-нибудь глупый кролик подойдет и заглянет в его мешок.

The Cat closed the strings at once — Кот сразу же затянул завязки made a low bow — низко поклонился

the Marquis of Carabas — Маркиз Карабас (маркиз — дворянский титул в некоторых странах Западной Европы; предлог of указывает на название принадлежащих ему земель)

Не told me to offer it to Your Majesty. — Он приказал мне преподнести его Вашему Величеству.

I'm very pleased with his attention. — Мне очень приятно, что он так внимателен.