The sun shone on the tree in the garden, the wind blew gently through its branches and the leaves whispered, “Wish-wish-wish.” It was a magic tree. And whoever stood beneath it and wished would have their wish come true.
In the house next to the tree there lived a fat old man. His name was William Smythe. He sold soap in the shop in the village, and he didn’t like boys and girls.
One day he stood underneath the tree and said, “I wish all the children who live near me were on the moon!” As soon as he said it, all the girls and boys were on the moon. It was very cold and lonely up there and some of the younger children began to cry.
A blackbird looked down at Mr. Smythe and said, “I wish all the children were back again!” Mr. Smythe said, “I wish they were all on the moon.” And the blackbird said, “I wish they were all back again.” The children didn’t know where they were.
Mr. Smythe stamped his foot and said, “I wish…”, but he didn’t get any further, because the blackbird said very quickly, “I wish Mr. Smythe was good.”
And Mr. Smythe, who had just been going to say, “I wish all the children were on the moon,” suddenly changed his mind and said, “I wish all the children would come to tea this afternoon, and we’ll have cakes and lemonade for tea. And I’ll stop selling soap and open a sweet shop instead. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!”
The sun shone on the tree in the garden, the wind blew gently through its branches and the leaves whispered, “Wish-wish-wish.”
1. Read the text. Are the following statements about the text true or false? Change the false statements to make them true.
1. It was a magic tree. And whoever stood beneath it and wished would have their wish come true.
2. William Smythe was a thin young man.
3. He sold fruit in his shop.
4. He didn’t like girls and boys.
5. Mr. Smythe wished all the girls and boys were on the moon.
6. The children liked the moon.
7. A blackbird wished all the children were back again.
8. The children wished Mr. Smythe was good.
9. Mr. Smythe wished the children would come to coffee this afternoon.
10. Mr. Smythe decided to open a toy shop
2) Oh, and there is someone washing his car in the background. - На переднем плане есть некоторые маленькие дети, которые играют в футбол на улице
3) It is not a very beautiful street, but the atmosphere seems very friendly and relaxed. - Это не очень красивая улица, но атмосфера, кажется, очень дружелюбны и расслаблены.
4) The houses are quite small and they haven't got front gardens. But some houses look very colorful. In the foreground there are some young kids who are playing football in the street. And there are two old men on the right who are chatting to each other in front of one of the houses. Perhaps they are gossiping about the neighborhoods. Oh, and there is someone washing his car in the background. It is not a very beautiful street, but the atmosphere seems very friendly and relaxed. - Домов довольно мало, и они не получили палисадники. Но некоторые дома выглядят очень красочными. На переднем плане есть некоторые маленькие дети, которые играют в футбол на улице. И есть два старики справа, которые, болтая друг с другом перед одним из домов. Возможно, они сплетничают о кварталах. Ох, и есть кто-то моет машину в фоновом режиме. Это не очень красивая улица, но атмосфера, кажется, очень дружелюбной и расслабленой.
Why? I think the author would show us that not only external beauty plays an important and "beautiful" role in life, but also internally. - Почему? Думаю автор хотел показать нам что не только внешняя красота играет важную и "красивую" роль в жизне, но и внутреняя.
Chapter One
The Boy Who Lived
The chapter starts with description of the Dursley family, who are proud to be "perfectly normal". We learn that Mrs Dursley has a sister, Mrs Potter, but their families haven't met for several years. Both families have sons.
Then the story begins on a "dull, grey Tuesday". Mr Dursley notices a lot of strange things hapenning - owls flying in town, people in cloaks, a strange cat sitting on the wall of his garden, unusual news on TV. The Dursleys go to bed wondering what it all could mean. At night, a tall, thin and very old man appears near their house. It's Albus Dumbledore. The cat turns out to be Professor McGonagall, and the two are professors from Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Then comes Hagrid, a giant, who brings little Harry Potter. Harry's parents were killed by Lord Voldermort, a dark wizard, but Harry survived and Voldermort's power "somehow broke" .
So little Harry is left asleep on the doorstep of the Dursley's house with a letter written by Dumbledore. The professors and Hagrid go to join the celebrations.