My First Date

even heard about? Because he was curious. He had seen the name Раш Starr and the number PL 1-2450 twice in one week. The first time had been on the wall of a phone booth on 42nd Street. It was just one of the many names and numbers written on the phone booth wall. Then a minute ago he saw the name and number again - this time near a phone in a drugstore. The name Pam Starr was the same. The handwriting was the same. And beneath it the same person had written, "Quite a chick."

Steve was so curious that he looked up the name in the telephone book. There it was - Pam Starr, Plaza 1-2450. He was so surprised to see the name and number actually in the telephone book that he decided to call. He wanted to find out what would happen. It could be an interesting adventure. He could hear himself telling the whole story to his friends and laughing about it when it was over. So he took a deep breath, dropped in his dime, and dialled PL 1-2450.

He heard two rings; then a soft, pleasant, girl's voice said, "Hello"

"May I speak to Pam Starr?" Steve asked. "This is Pam," she answered. "Who is this?" "Steven Wordsley," he said using a phoney name. "You don't know me," he added quickly. "I've just moved to New York from Chicago. But before I left, a friend of a friend of mine gave me your name... Perhaps we could meet and go somewhere for a drink."

The girl hesitated. "It's impossible for me to know much about you from a phone call." "That's right," Steve said. "But there's no way for you to find out about me except by taking a chance. So how about a date?" He paused. "Come on. Gamble. I swear I don't have

two heads."

She laughed and said, "I'm sure you don't. But I've had a couple of blind dates before, and they've been pretty gruesome, if you know what I mean."

Steve had a good idea of what she meant. He could picture this gorgeous doll getting stuck with some real dog for a date. Then she said, "I've got an idea. I like your voice, and I think I'll like you. But I might not. And then again, you might not like me. So why don't we go to a movie? I like foreign Ones best. You pick one out and call me back. Then we'll go out, and even if we don't like each other at least we can both enjoy the show."

"Uh, all right, sure," Steve answered. He was a little surprised by the way she was arranging the date, but he promised to pick out a movie and call her back. Then he said goodbye and hung up. He felt proud of himself. There was no question in his mind that this chick knew her way around with men.

Steve found a Swedish movie that sounded good, but he didn't call her back right away. He waited two days so he wouldn't seem too eager. Then he called and made a date for the next Saturday evening.

At seven-thirty Saturday night Steve went to her address. For a moment he hesitated. But he was too curious to give up now. So he knocked on the door of her apartment.

She opened the door, and Steve knew he was a loser. The girl had tried to make herself look attractive, but she couldn't hide her homeliness. She wasn't really ugly, hut she was no gorgeous chick. She smiled weakly at Steve, and he couldn't be sure if it was to apologise for her looks or to hide her fear that he might turn around and walk away.

Steve covered up his disappointment with a friendly smile. "Hello, Pam. I'm Steve." She laughed and said, "I know I'm not the most beautiful girl in the world, but..."

"I wasn't looking for the most beautiful girl in the world," Steve lied. "Come on, let's go see the movie."

He smiled as cheerfully as he could. He had taken a chance on a blind date and had lost, but he decided to go through with it, anyway. This homely girl probably accepted a lot of blind dates just so she could go out. And the boys who got stuck with her probably thought it was a good joke to write her name and number on the walls of phone booths. Still, the girl seemed nice, and the adventure would be something he could tell his friends.

As they headed for the movie, Steve expected Pam to be nervous, but she acted as relaxed as if she had been dating him for months.

After the show they went to a restaurant. While they were eating, she talked about her life in New York.

"Do you go out often?" Steve asked. "It's probably luck," she said, "but I get enough phone calls to keep me busy. I get a lot of calls from guys I don't know. I'm not sure where they get my name. Maybe from a friend, like you did. I don't know. Some are nice and some aren't."

"Well, which am I?" Steve asked. "Nice," she laughed.

On their way back to her apartment, Steve lied again and told Pam that his company was sending him back to Chicago the next week and that he didn't know when he would return to New York. Steve couldn't decide if she believed his story, but he didn't really care. He had taken her out and shown her a good time. That was all she could expect with her looks.

When they got to her apartment, they stood in the doorway and said goodnight. "Thanks for the lovely evening," she said. "Yeah," Steve said, "it was a good movie." She smiled and said, "I enjoyed it. I really did." She seemed to know that she wouldn't

be asked for another date.

Suddenly Steve fell very sorry for her. He decided that it wouldn't hurt him to fake an interest in her, and it would probably mean a lot to her if she thought someone wanted to see her again.

"I'm kind of sorry I have to leave town," he said. "I really would have liked to see you again. There's just a chance that I'll get back to New York soon. For a day or so. Maybe we can go out again. Could I call you?"

For a minute she looked as if she didn't believe what she had heard. Then her smile got brighter. "Could you? I'd love that! Do you think they'll send you back soon?"

"Sure, sure, you never know," Steve said. "And when I get back here, I'll definitely

call."

"I'd be so happy to hear from you," she said. "You won't lose my number, will you? I'm in the phone book if you do. But if you're here only for a day, you could call me at my office. I'll write down my office number for you right now. Wait just a second." She ran into her apartment to get a pencil and some paper. As she ripped a sheet from a pad, she dropped the pencil on the floor. She got down on her hands and knees and scrambled after the rolling pencil. Finally she grabbed the pencil and then quickly wrote her name and office phone number.

Steve watched her sadly. Even before she handed him the piece of paper, he knew that her handwriting would be the same as the handwriting on the phone booth walls.

Answer thefollowing questions.

1.Why did Steve Mason get interested in the name and the number on the wall of the phone booth?

2.Why did he decide to phone the girl?

3.How did they arrange the blind date? Did the girl eagerly agree?

4.What was Steve's impression when he saw the girl?

5.What did he feel and how did he behave?

6.Why did he tell the girl that he wanted to see her again?

7.What was her reaction?

8.What averted Steve from the girl? Was it only her appearance?

9.What shouldn't a girl do in any case if she wants to be really loved and appreciated?

A FAIRY-TALE COLUMN

Many, many years ago when there were no books or newspapers there were folk-tales. People didn't read stories, they told them. In the long winter evenings, when people couldn't work in the fields, they sat near the fire and told tales. The children listened and when they grew up, they told the same stories to their children, and so the tales were passed on for hundreds of years until at last they were written. These tales were first of all meant for children. It was an indirect way to teach them to live and to behave in different situations. But of no less value these stories were for the adults. The message they carried helped people to understand what was good and what was bad, it served as school of life and wisdom. People understood the message and remembered it. All folk-tales have national colouring and give the basis of national culture. Now with the appearance of modem mass media folk-tales haven’t lost their value.

AN AFGAN TALE

The Wise Beauty

Once a beautiful woman was walking along a road and a man tagged along with her. Turning, the beauty asked him: "Why are you pursuing me, stranger?" "I am in love with you, the most beautiful of beautiful women". The woman smiled and said: "My sister is following me. Her eyes are as black as the night sky, and she is ten times more beautiful than I am". Gladly, the man turned and started to run back. He ran and ran until he saw a very old woman shuffling down the road. He spat with anger and rushed after the young beauty. When he caught up with her, he said: "Why did you deceive me?" "But it was you who deceived me, stranger! Had you really been in love with me, you would not have run after another woman!" The man was shamed and went his own way.

RENDERING

Render the texts into English.

Невыдуманная история

Они познакомились случайно. Женя ехала в электричке, возвращаясь с дачи в пригороде Ленинграда домой. Он сидел напротив и смотрел на нее с огромным ин­ тересом.

Женя была очень красивой девушкой с большими черными глазами и длинными прямыми волосами. Она училась в медицинском институте. Он был молодым начи­ нающим художником и приехал в Ленинград получать образование. Он был очарован лицом девушки и попросил разрешения написать ее портрет.

Женю поразила внешность молодого человека. Он был очень некрасив и бедно одет. Ей стало жаль его, и она согласилась.

Он приходил к ней каждый день. Вскоре они подружились. Женя учила анато­ мию, художник сидел на низеньком стуле, смотрел на нее своими маленькими пе­ чальными глазами и рисовал. Этот взгляд трогал ее сердце. В нём была собачья пре­ данность. Было ясно, что он в неё влюблён.

Прошло несколько месяцев. Портрет был закончен. Молодой человек встал

и сказал, что хочет поговорить с Женей. Он сказал, что полюбил её с первого взгляда,

стого момента, как увидел её в электричке. Он хотел, чтобы Женя стала его женой. Женя отказала ему. Она была молодой, красивой, и впереди у неё была целая жизнь...

Художник ушёл, ушёл навсегда.