1. Look at these sentences or parts of sentences. Match the words in bold with the definitions below. Give their possible equivalents in your native language.

1) He felt just as proud as he watched his wife climbing the steps and on to the platform to receive her business degree, summa cum laude (with the greatest praise: a phrase signifying above-average academic standing at the time of graduation from a college or university: the highest of three categories – сумма кум лауде - с наибольшим почётом), from Wallace Sterling, the president of Stanford University.

2) As she left the stage to warm applause, her navy hood in place, like all the students before her, she hurled her mortar board (a stiff black cap which has a flat square top with a bunch of threads attached to it. In Britain, mortar boards are sometimes worn on formal occasions by university students and teachers. In the United States, mortar boards are worn by students at graduation ceremonies at high schools, colleges, and universities -  шапочка-конфедератка (бонета)) joyfully into the air, the sign that her undergraduate (a student at a university or college who is studying for his or her first degree – студент старших курсов) days were behind her.

3) Maisie had experienced every bit as painful a journey before she could place the letters BA (a first degree in an arts or social science subject, an abbreviation for 'Bachelor of Arts’ - бакалавр искусств, первая учёная степень в области гуманитарных наук) after her name.

4) Feldman hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Emma, and had even suggested that she should return to Stanford and, under his personal supervision, complete a thesis (a long piece of writing based on your own ideas and research that you do as part of a university degree, especially a high degree such as a PhD - диссертация) for a PhD (a degree awarded to people who have done advanced research into a particular subject; an abbreviation for 'Doctor of Philosophy' – кандидат наук).

5) Once the degree ceremony was over, Emma strolled around the lawn, enjoying the celebratory atmosphere and making the acquaintance of her fellow graduates (a person who has successfully completed a degree at a university or college and has received a certificate that shows this - око́нчивший ( любое) уче́бное заведе́ние; выпускни́к; абитурие́нт).

6) Yes, and she regularly reminds me that Jessica is a far better artist at the age of fifteen than she was in her diploma (a document conferring a qualification, recording success in examinations or successful completion of a course of study - дипло́м; свиде́тельство;) year.

2. Explain the meaning of the underlined parts of sentences by paraphrasing and commenting on them.

a) Many a red-blooded Englishman hearing such a proposition made to his wife might have punched Feldman on the nose.

red-blooded male/Englishman/American etc

used to emphasize that someone has all of the qualities that a typical man, Englishman etc is supposed to have - used humorously

b) ‘They’ve only been possible in my case because Cyrus Feldman and Ross Buchanan are enlightened men when it comes to treating women as equals.

They know how to treat women equally, they do it properly

c) ‘That must be a bit galling.’

markedly irritating

d) As Giles would almost certainly be a minister, she intends to prepare him for the task, which doesn’t include being mollycoddled by servants.

Mollycoddled - when someone is treated in an over-protective way, or when bad news is sugar-coated.

e) He’s still bruised from his experience with Virginia.

To be bruised – to be emotionally hurt

f) ‘A young actor called Peter O’Toole, who Seb says is the in thing, whatever that means.’

That which is currently (and usually temporarily) fashionable or trendy.

g) ‘It’s never a long-term commitment when that man’s involved, and being California, there’ll be a pretty healthy divorce settlement at the end.’

He isn’t faithful to his wives and falls in love quickly (Cyrus)

California divorce

When a married couple from California get divorced, but still have sex with each other.

h) If I’d had my way, he would have been expelled and forfeited his place at Cambridge.’

To lose or give up (something) on account of an offense, error, or failure to fulfill an agreement

i) A needle in a haystack, he repeated.

Something that is very difficult to locate.

j) Mr Clifton, that I am an avid follower of William Warwick. Your latest book is on my wife’s side of the bed.

It is located on the table near the bed from that side (left or right) where his wife usually sleeps and takes this book from the table to read it before sleep

The phrase "avid follower" means someone who is very enthusiastic and dedicated to following or supporting something or someone.

k) ‘To put it bluntly, Sir Giles, he’s an international crook. He makes Moriarty look like a choir boy.

a person who engages in fraudulent or criminal practices

Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. 

Choir Boy is a slang term used to describe a man who is perceived as weak, effeminate, or lacking in masculinity.

l) However, his biggest coup was to recruit the master forger Salomon Smolianoff.

Coup – success

Forger - someone who makes copies illegally

Salomon Smolianoff (March 1899 – 1976) was a Jewish counterfeiter and Holocaust survivor involved in Operation Bernhard.

m) It read like an Ian Fleming novel; the only difference was that he was cast in the role of Commander Bond.

Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917.

Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR, is a fictional character created by British journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels. Bond is a Secret Service agent, code number 007, residing in London but active internationally. Bond was a composite character who was based on a number of commandos who Fleming knew during his service in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II, to whom Fleming added his own style and a number of his own tastes. Bond has a number of character traits which run throughout the books, including an enjoyment of cars, a love of food, drink and smoking cigarettes.

n) Within days of becoming unemployed, the subject had drifted into petty crime, including theft, mugging, and raiding slot machines.

A petty crime is a minor legal offense. In some instances, the term is used as an alternative phrase for misdemeanor, while in other cases, petty crimes are a separate category of offenses. In either instance, a petty crime can refer to both criminal offenses and civil infractions. Examples of offenses that may be petty crimes include public drunkenness, jaywalking, and pickpocketing.

o) If his father hadn’t had countless judges, police officers and politicians on his payroll.

on the/(someone's or something's) payroll

Employed by a person or company and thus receive a wage or salary from them.

p) It’s on the tip of my tongue.’

To be close to being remembered, as if one is nearly about to say the thing trying to be recalled

q) That will allow him to slip through the net while British customs concentrate their firepower on us.

To go unnoticed or undealt with; to be unintentionally neglected or ignored, especially in a corporate, political, or social system.

To concentrate on controlling them

r) He felt sure he was doing the right thing – that loudmouth would be running around town telling everyone, ‘I’ve just seen Harry Clifton posing as a BOAC pilot.’

a person who talks too much or too loudly.