Complete the text “German forces in Belgium and France”, using words from the box. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

a) aggravated, b) assistance, c) converge, d) defensive, e) denied, f) diverted, g) encircle, h) flank, i) foreseen, j) General Staff, k) halted, l) incapacitated, m) insufficient, n) modified, o) rail-heads, p) signified

At the outbreak of the First World War, the German army carried out a 1) ….. version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through neutral Belgium before turning southwards to 2) ….. the French army on the German border. The plan called for the right 3) ….. of the German advance to 4) ….. on Paris and initially, the Germans were successful, particularly in the Battle of the Frontiers (14–24 August). By 12 September, the French with5)….. from the British forces 6) …..the German advan-
ce east of Paris at the First Battle of the Marne (5–12 September). The last days of this battle 7)….. the end of mobile warfare in the west. The French offensive into Germany launched on 7 August with the Battle of Mulhouse had limited success.
In the east, only one Field Army defended East Prussia and when Russia attacked
in this region it 8) ….. German forces intended for the Western Front. Germany defeated Russia in a series of battles collectively known as the First Battle of Tannenberg (17 August – 2 September), but this diversion 9) ….. problems of 10) ….. speed of advance from 11) ….. not 12) ….. by the German 13) ….. . The Central Powers were 14) ….. a quick victory and forced to fight a war on two fronts. The German army had fought its way into a good 15) ….. position inside France and had permanently 16) ….. 230,000 more French and British troops than it had lost itself. Despite this, communications problems and questionable command decisions cost Germany the chance of early victory.

Zina Portnov, 17 years oldA member of the underground komsomsomolska-youth organization "Young Avengers" scout guerrilla army Voroshilov in the territory of the Byelorussian SSR.Born in 1926 in Leningrad, he graduated from the 7 classes there and went on a summer holiday vacation with relatives in the village of Zuya Vitebsk region of Belarus. There she was, and found the war.In 1942, she joined the Obol underground Komsomol youth organization "Young Avengers" and was actively involved in distributing leaflets among the population and sabotage against the invaders.Since August 1943, Zina - scout guerrilla army Voroshilov. In December 1943 she was given the task to identify the reasons for the failure of the organization "Young Avengers" and establish contact with the underground. But when returning to Zina squad arrested.During interrogation, the girl grabbed the gun from the table Nazi investigator, shot him and two other Nazis, tried to escape, but was captured.From the book "Zina Portnov" Soviet writer Vasily Smirnov: "interrogated its most sophisticated in the brutal torture the torturers ... She promised to save lives, if only the young partisan in all recognized call the names of all known to her underground and partisans Again Gestapo met with surprises.. their unwavering firmness this stubborn girl who in their protocols was called "Soviet Bandidas." Zina, exhausted by torture, refused to answer questions, hoping that because it will kill you. ... One day in the prison yard the prisoners seen as very gray girl, when her led to another interrogation, torture, threw herself under the wheels of a passing truck. But the car was stopped, the girl pulled out from under the wheels and was taken in for questioning again ... ".January 10, 1944 in the village of Goriany now Shumilino district, Vitebsk region of Belarus 17-year-old Zina shot.The title of Hero of the Soviet Union Zinaida Portnova was awarded in 1958.

Когда в английском языке мы говорим о малом количестве чего-то, используем слова few, a few, little, a little. С исчисляемыми существительными ставим few/a few, с неисчисляемыми — little/a little. Вроде всё но на этом отличия в употреблении этих слов не заканчиваются. Давай разбираться.

FEW и LITTLE

Оба слова переводятся как «мало», «недостаточно», то есть «не так много, как хотелось или ожидалось». Few употребляется с исчисляемыми, little — с неисчисляемыми.

A FEW и A LITTLE

Неопределённый артикль а полностью меняет смысл слов: в этом случае a few и a little переводятся как «несколько», означая «немного, но достаточно». A few ставим с исчисляемыми, a little — с неисчисляемыми.