Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с Джонатаном Свифтом. Путешествия Гулливера - Джонатан Свифт

stalk [stLk], foot-path ['fVtpRT], difficult ['dIfIk(q)lt]

I moved back through the stalks of corn trying all the time to get as far away from these monsters as possible. What I had thought was a main road was no more than a narrow foot-path through a field for these people. Some of the stalks were not more than a foot apart and I found it very difficult to squeeze between them. I kept going until I could go no further. I had reached a part of the field where the wind and rain had flattened the corn to the ground. I tried to creep through, but it was quite impossible. I could hear the monsters cutting through the corn not more than a hundred yards behind me.

I lay on the ground (я лег на землю), wishing that I would die (желая умереть) before they reached me (до того, как они доберутся до меня). I thought of my wife and children (я думал о жене и детях; to think — думать; вспоминать) and of all the friends and relations (о всех друзьях и родственниках) who had advised me not to go to sea again (советовавших мне не уходить опять в море). I also thought of the time I had spent in Lilliput (я также вспомнил время, когда я жил в Лилипутии; to spend — тратить, расходовать; проводить /время/). How strange it was (как странно) that I seemed to be as small a person in this land (что в этой стране я, вероятно, был таким же маленьким существом) as a person from Lilliput would be among us (каким был бы среди нас человечек из Лилипутии). Suddenly one of the workers came so close (вдруг один из работников подошел = оказался так близко) that one more step would squash me to death under his foot (что еще один шаг раздавил бы меня = при следующем его шаге я был бы раздавлен его ногой: «под его ногой»).

advise [qd'vaIz], among [q'mAN], squash [skwOS]

I lay on the ground, wishing that I would die before they reached me. I thought of my wife and children and of all the friends and relations who had advised me not to go to sea again. I also thought of the time I had spent in Lilliput. How strange it was that I seemed to be as small a person in this land as a person from Lilliput would be among us. Suddenly one of the workers came so close that one more step would squash me to death under his foot.

I screamed as loudly as I could (я завопил так громко, как /только/ мог). He stopped (он остановился) and began looking around on the ground (и начал смотреть себе под ноги: «смотреть кругом/повсюду на земле»). Then he saw me (потом он меня заметил). I could see that he was wondering (я видел, что он раздумывает; wonder — чудо; удивление; сомнение, неуверенность; to wonder — удивляться; задавать /себе/ вопрос; размышлять, сомневаться) whether to pick me up (стоит ли меня подобрать; whether — ли /вводит придаточные предложения, выражающие сомнение, неуверенность, выбор/). Perhaps he thought (возможно, он подумал) that I was a small dangerous animal (что я /какое-нибудь/ маленькое опасное животное; danger — опасность). He reached down (он протянул руку вниз; to reach — доставать; достигать; протягивать, вытягивать /особенно руку/) and lifted me from behind (и поднял меня /ухватив/ сзади), between his thumb and finger (между большим и указательным пальцами; thumb — большой палец руки; finger — палец руки /часто исключая большой/). My sides hurt from the pressure of his fingers (мои бока болели от давления его пальцев) but I tried to keep still (но я старался оставаться неподвижным/спокойным), so as not to frighten him as he peered at me (чтобы не испугать его, когда он будет меня рассматривать). I was afraid that he might throw me to the ground (я боялся, что он может бросить меня на землю), about sixty feet below (/находящуюся/ около шестидесяти футов ниже), if he didn't like the look of me (если ему не понравится мой вид).

wonder ['wAndq], whether ['weDq], perhaps [pq'hxps]

I screamed as loudly as I could. He stopped and began looking around on the ground. Then he saw me. I could see that he was wondering whether to pick me up. Perhaps he thought that I was a small dangerous animal. He reached down and lifted me from behind, between his thumb and finger. My sides hurt from the pressure of his fingers but I tried to keep still, so as not to frighten him as he peered at me. I was afraid that he might throw me to the ground, about sixty feet below, if he didn't like the look of me.

I placed my hands together (я сложил руки вместе) and said some words in a low voice (и произнес несколько слов тихим голосом; low — низкий; тихий, негромкий). When this seemed to please him (когда /мне/ показалось, что это пришлось ему по нраву; to please — нравиться; доставлять удовольствие) I groaned a little (я слегка застонал) and moved my head towards my sides (и стал поворачивать голову к бокам), hoping to let him know (надеясь дать ему понять) how much he was hurting me (какую боль он мне причиняет: «как сильно он мне причиняет боль»). He seemed to understand (по-видимому, он понял), and put me gently into his pocket (осторожно положил меня в карман; gently — мягко, нежно; осторожно) and ran back down the field (и побежал обратно по полю).

said [sed], word [wWd], please [plJz]

I placed my hands together and said some words in a low voice. When this seemed to please him I groaned a little and moved my head towards my sides, hoping to let him know how much he was hurting me. He seemed to understand, and put me gently into his pocket and ran back down the field.

The next thing I knew (не успел я опомниться: «следующее, что я осознал /было/»), I was being held in the hands of the farmer (/как/ очутился в руках у фермера: to hold — держать) that I had first seen standing on the stile (которого я вначале видел стоящим на ступенях). He blew my hair away from my face (он сдул волосы с моего лица) in order to see me more clearly (чтобы лучше: «яснее» меня рассмотреть). He poked at my clothes with a stalk of corn (потыкал мою одежду соломиной: «стеблем злака»). I think he was trying to see (я думаю, он пытался разобраться) whether my clothes were a kind of skin (не была ли моя одежда чем-то вроде кожи/шкуры; kind — сорт; разновидность, вид, род) that grew on me (покрывающей меня от природы: «которая росла на мне»). The other workers stood around (остальные работники стояли вокруг) looking at me closely (пристально глядя на меня; closely — близко; внимательно, тщательно; пристально). At last he put me down on the ground (наконец он поставил/положил меня на землю). I began to walk slowly backwards and forwards (я начал медленно прохаживаться взад и вперед) so they would know I was not going to run away (чтобы они знали, что я не собираюсь убегать; to be going to… — собираться, намереваться /что-л. сделать/).

kind [kaInd], closely ['klqVslI], forwards ['fLwqdz]

The next thing I knew, I was being held in the hands of the farmer that I had first seen standing on the stile. He blew my hair away from my face in order to see me more clearly. He poked at my clothes with a stalk of corn. I think he was trying to see whether my clothes were a kind of skin that grew on me. The other workers stood around looking at me closely. At last he put me down on the ground. I began to walk slowly backwards and forwards so they would know I was not going to run away.

They sat down in a circle around me (они сели в кружок вокруг меня). I pulled off my hat (я снял шляпу) and made a low bow to the farmer (и сделал глубокий поклон фермеру). I fell on my knees (стал: «упал» на колени), lifted up my hands and eyes (поднял вверх = к небу глаза и руки) and spoke several words as loudly as I could (и как можно громче произнес несколько слов). I then took a purse of gold out of my pocket (потом я вынул из кармана кошелек с золотом) and gave it to the farmer (и подал его фермеру). He examined it carefully (он тщательно его осмотрел/изучил; care — забота; внимание, осторожность; тщательность) but didn't seem to know what it was (но, казалось, не знал, что это такое).

bow /в значениях "наклоняться; поклон"/ [baV], examine [Ig'zxmIn], carefully ['kFqfVlI]

They sat down in a circle around me. I pulled off my hat and made a low bow to the farmer. I fell on my knees, lifted up my hands and eyes and spoke several words as loudly as I could. I then took a purse of gold out of my pocket and gave it to the farmer. He examined it carefully but didn't seem to know what it was.

I made a sign (я сделал знак) that he should put his hand on the ground (чтобы он положил руку на землю). I then took the purse (затем взял кошелек), opened it (открыл его) and poured all the gold pieces (и высыпал все золотые монеты; to pour — лить; сыпать) into the palm of his hand (к нему на ладонь). He lifted up some of the larger coins (он поднял вверх несколько монет покрупнее) and looked closely at them (и внимательно их рассмотрел). But it was clear (но было ясно/понятно) that he had no idea what they were (что он не имел представления, что это такое). He made a sign that I should put them back into the purse again (чтобы я положил их обратно в кошелек) and put the purse back in my pocket (а кошелек в карман). This I did (это = так я /и/ сделал), after offering them to him once more (после того, как предложил их ему еще раз).

pour [pL], palm [pRm], offering ['OfqrIN]

I made a sign that he should put his hand on the ground. I then took the purse, opened it and poured all the gold pieces into the palm of his hand. He lifted up some of the larger coins and looked closely at them. But it was clear that he had no idea what they were. He made a sign that I should put them back into the purse again and put the purse back in my pocket. This I did, after offering them to him once more.

By this time the farmer seemed to think (к этому времени фермер, казалось, пришел к выводу) that I must be some kind of human (что я, должно быть, какое-то человеческое существо), rather than a small animal (а не маленькое животное; rather — лучше, предпочтительнее; скорее, вернее). He said a number of things to me (он сказал мне несколько фраз; number — число; /некоторое/ количество; thing — вещь, предмет; нечто, что-то). The sound of his voice was so loud (звук/шум его голоса был так громок) that it hurt my ears (что стало больно ушам: «он причинял боль моим ушам»). I answered him as loudly as I could (я отвечал ему как можно громче), trying several languages (попробовав несколько языков). But neither of us could understand a word the other said (но ни один из нас не понял ни слова из того, что говорил другой).

human ['hjHmqn], rather ['rRDq], ear [Iq]

By this time the farmer seemed to think that I must be some kind of human, rather than a small animal. He said a number of things to me. The sound of his voice was so loud that it hurt my ears. I answered him as loudly as I could, trying several languages. But neither of us could understand a word the other said.

After some time he sent the workers back to their reaping (через некоторое время он отправил работников обратно к жатве), took a handkerchief from his pocket (вынул из кармана носовой платок) and placed it on the ground (и положил его на землю). He made a sign that I should step into it (он сделал мне знак взойти на него). I lay down on the handkerchief (я лег на платок). The farmer picked up the corners (фермер поднял углы/концы /платка/) and carried me back to his house (и понес меня к себе в дом). He then called his wife (затем = придя туда, он позвал жену) and showed me to her (и показал меня ей). She screamed (она завизжала) and jumped back (и отскочила назад), much as a woman in England might do on seeing a spider (подобно тому, как поступила бы английская женщина при виде паука). However, when she saw (однако, увидев) that I did what the farmer told me to do by making signs (что = как я выполняю /все/ то, что фермер при помощи знаков велит мне делать), she seemed to find it great fun (она, казалось, была очень довольна: «посчитала это большим/прекрасным развлечением»; to find — находить, обнаруживать; считать, признавать; fun — веселье, забава; развлечение; что-л. интересное).