Analytical reading-Part 21

From Big Two-Hearted River

By Earnest Hemingway

Nick felt awkward and professionally happy with all his equipment hanging from him. The grasshopper bottle swung against his chest. In his shirt the breast pockets bulged against him with his lunch and his fly book.

                He stepped into the stream. It was a shock. His trousers clung tight to his legs. His shoes felt the gravel. The water was a rising cold shock.

                Rushing, the current sucked against his legs. Where he stepped in, the water was over his knees. He waded with the current. The gravel slid under his shoes. He looked down at the swirl of water below each leg and tipped up the bottle to get a grasshopper.

                The first grasshopper gave a jump in the neck of the bottle and went out into the water. He sucked under in the whirl by Nick’s right leg and came to the surface a little way down stream. He floated rapidly kicking. In a quick circle, streaking the smooth surface of the water, he disappeared. A trout had taken him.

                Another hopper poked his head out of the bottle. His antennae wavered. He was getting his front legs out of the bottle to jump. Nick took him by the head and held him while he threaded the slim hook under his chin, down through his thorax, and into the last segments of his abdomen. The grasshopper took hold of the hook with the front teeth, spitting tobacco juice on it. Nick dropped him into the water.

                Holding the rod in his right hand he let out the line against the pull of the grasshopper in the current. He stripped off line from the reel with his left hand and let it run free. He could see the hopper in the little waves of the current. It went out of sight.

                There was a tug on the line. Nick pulled against the taut line. It was his first strike.

Notes and comments:

to hang-hung-hung (syn. to suspend) = окачвам, провесвам

to hang-hanged-hanged = penal sentence: Ex.: to be hanged by the neck until death comes (обесвам)

a hanger-on-a lounging looker-on, an idler, a loafer-хрантутник, паразит, безделник, хайлазин, скитник, развейпрах

This job is hanging on my hands. Тая работа мен чака.

to have a hanged dog’s look-to look guilty = гледам виновно/гузно

I’ll be hanged if I know!—Откъде да знам! Да пукна, ако знам!

to be in full swing—в разгара си съм, (прен.) в пълна пара

to be in full blast—(прен.) работя с пълна пара

to be on the rise—(прен.) издигам се

to be in an uplift—в подем съм, (прен.) съживявам се

to be in full bloom—(и прен.) в разцвет съм

to be flourishing—(прен.) преуспявам, благоденствам (syn. to thrive)

With one swing of his battle axe he cleft his foe to the middle. С един замах на бойната си секира той разсече противника си до пояса.

to have a bulge in one’s dress-дрехата ми е издута

bulging eyes-изпъкнали очи

to have a swell on one’s body—имам подутина

a swelling bosom—изпъкнал бюст

a heaving chest—надигащ и отпускащ се гръден кош (от вълнение, възбуда и пр.)

the swell/heave of the sea—морско вълнение

to heave anchor-хвърлям котва

political upheaval-политически вълнения

to heave oneself against the danger-хвърлям се срещу опасността

Note the gender usage of the animals:

Larger or fierce beasts-bear, dog, wolf, tiger-are usually considered masculine (pronounced “he”).

Smaller or milder animals-mouse, rabbit, squirrel-are feminine (“she” usage).

But, paradoxically!, insects such as fly, grasshopper, etc. are “he”.

to cling tight to-здраво се държа за

to tighten one’s grasp round-(прен.) затягам обръча около

to hold tight-стискам, притискам

to be dressed in tights-облечен съм в трико

tights-чорапогащи

to poke one’s nose into/to poke and pry-to pry into = бъркам се (в чужди работи), меся се, пъхам си носа (където не трябва)

to poke the fire (with a poker)—разбърквам огъня

poker face—безизразно лице

to poke fun at—присмивам се на

to buy a pig in a poke-купувам нещо без да го видя/със “завързани” очи

a poke-торба

to thread one’s way through-промушвам се, провирам се, проправям си път (през тълпа)

to sidle by-пробивам си път с рамото напред, промъквам се боязливо (и с along, up, in, out, away)

to squeeze one’s way through a crowd¾промъквам се през тълпата

an antenna (pl. antennae)-of an insect

an aerial-of a radio set

to wade-газя (в дълбоко)

to paddle-газя в плитка вода, джапам

to reel-залитам, политам, клатя се, клатушкам се, люлея се, олюлявам се, полюлявам се, люшкам се (syn. to stagger, to totter, to falter, to stumble, to lurch, to rock, to sway, to spin, to whirl, to waver, to wobble)

a reel-макара, намотка, бобина

Choose the correct form:

1.       He’s got good (brain, brains).

2.       A favourite subject in science fiction is (brain, brains) transplantation.

3.       He had the (gut, guts) to go on a sea voyage around the world single-handed.

4.       The (Lord, Lords) passed a new bill.

5.       There was a sign saying that trespassers would be prosecuted if they entered the property of the (Lord, Lords).

6.       Our secretary was keeping the (minute, minutes) of the meeting.

7.       An academic hour lasts 45 (minute, minutes).

8.       What I don’t like about her is that she often gives herself (air, airs).

9.       He likes games in the open (air, airs).

10.    When he entered the room everybody saw that he was wearing his (arm, arms) in a sling.

11.    The complete (writing, writings) of this author appeared recently in a single volume.

12.    (“Attention!,” “Attentions!”) shouted the sergeant.

13.    The new chemical (work, works) was built at the outskirts of the town.

14.    Her (bearing, bearings) disturbed them all.

15.    The doctor advised him to go to a resort famous for its (water, waters).

16.    Two pints of (bitter, bitters), please!

17.    He searched his pockets for his (spectacle, spectacles) so that he might watch the (spectacle, spectacles) better.

18.    The (colour, colours) of the wine was the right shade of red.

19.    They were denounced as frauds for having acted behind the (scene, scenes).

20.    A ship’s captain will use (compass, compasses) to find the exact (bearing, bearings) of his vessel.

21.    In accordance with his (custom, customs) he lit up a huge King Edward cigar over a steaming cup of coffee.

22.    The chemist weighed a small quantity of powder on the (scale, scales).

23.    He sued his neighbour for (damage, damages).

24.    When she fainted she was brought back to consciousness by means of smelling (salt, salts).

25.    Deeply absorbed in the game of (draught, draughts), each nursing a glass of beer on (draught, draughts), they did not feel the awful (draught, draughts) they were exposed to.

26.    Give my best (regard, regards) to your father.

27.    The order had come from high (quarter, quarters) and nobody dared contradict it.

28.    Hard liquors are not to be consumed on the (premise, premises).

29.    The (moral, morals) of the story is that it always pays to tell the truth.

30.    (Physic, Physics) is a science which was greatly developed at the beginning of the century.

31.    He was at (pain, pains) to prove himself a capable engineer.

32.    The (arm, arms) limitation problem was on the agenda of the summit talks.

33.    Being newly appointed he had a lot of (work, works) to do.

34.    The ship emerged from the battle with flying (colour, colours).

35.    They arrived at the (scene, scenes) of the accident too late.

36.    At the (custom, customs) they went through the usual procedure.

37.    Before cooking it, remove the (scale, scales) of the carp.

38.    He was not in the habit of paying (attention, attentions) to young ladies because he was disappointed with the lot.

39.    He is a man of (part, parts).

40.    She is always acting without (regard, regards) to people’s feelings.

Translate into English!

Иван Вазов

“ПОД ИГОТО”

                Слънцето беше залязло тихо и величествено. Последните му зари, които позлатяваха високите бърда на Стара планина, изчезнаха. Само няколко облачета, със златорумени краища към запад, се усмихваха още на слънцето от своята ефирна височина. Долината беше цяла в сянка. Белите сипеи на запад потъваха във вечерната дрезгавина, която застилаше все повече и повече манастирските ливади, скалите, брястовете и крушите, чиито очертания ставаха груби и неясни. Никой птичи глас, никое цвъртение. Крилатият народ, който веселеше денем долината, сега се гушеше мълчаливо в гнездата си, закрепени по клоновете или скрити под стрехите на манастирските зидове. Заедно с тъмнината възцаряваше се и тишината, чудна и меланхолическа, на нощта. Само гърмотът на планинските водопади изпълняваше самотията. Сегиз-тогиз ветрецът донасяше дотук отдалечено дрънкане на звънци на закъснели стада, които се прибираха в града. Скоро блесна и месечината и увеличи обаянието на тоя идилически час. Златна ведрина заля и ливада, и дървета, които хвърлиха на земята чудновати сенки. Сипеят се очерта по-ясно, замязал на стена от старовремска развалина; новият купол на манастира се бялна ярко над стрехите и тополите манастирски, а зад него върховете на Стара планина се вдигаха високо, високо към небето и се потапяха във възтъмната му лазур.