«Высшая мера» и другие рассказы на английском языке

Александр Пахотин, 2021

Настоящий сборник рассказов и историй на английском языке имеет несколько целей: во-первых, он развлечёт вас, во-вторых, он значительно расширит ваш словарный запас и поможет активизировать его, в-третьих, поможет развить навыки устной речи (при пересказе и ответах на послетекстовые вопросы), Кроме этого, каждый рассказ сопровождается списком трудных или непонятных слов и выражений, а также послетекстовыми вопросами и заданиями, которые можно использовать как для самостоятельной работы, так и в учебной группе (если вы преподаватель или репетитор). Кроме этого, в книге имеется специальное приложение, в котором вы найдете русские переводы большинства рассказов сборника (эти рассказы помечены значком*). Каждый читатель может попробовать свои силы в письменном переводе любого из этих рассказов и сравнить свой перевод с приведенным в книге. Книга адресована всем, кто желает усовершенствовать навыки чтения и перевода, расширить словарный запас и получить удовольствие от чтения на английском языке.

Look into his Eyes

(a religious parable, 438 words)

I heard this story while on a train. I was coming back home from my college. A middle-aged man sitting next to me was speaking with his companion. I don’t remember what they were talking about when suddenly they started to discuss some religious matters. It turned out that the man next to me was a priest. He was a man of about forty-five with a neatly trimmed beard and long hair. He had a nice low timbre and his voice kind of hypnotized me.

He began telling his companion a very interesting story. I think it was some kind of religious story with an insight. It impressed me so much that I tried to put it down on paper.

Here it is.

Once upon a time there was a little mountain village in a country that was occupied by the enemy forces.

One day the commander of the occupation troops came to the mayor of the village and said: ‘We know you are hiding a traitor. You should give him up to us or you will pay a dear price for it.’

The village was, indeed, hiding a man who seemed good and innocent. Everyone in the village loved him. But what could the mayor do now that the welfare of the whole village was at stake?

The Village council discussed the situation for a few days but all the discussions led to no conclusion. Finally, the mayor took the matter up with the priest.

They stayed at the mayor’s office and spent there a whole sleepless night searching the scriptures. When the sun went up they found a text that said: ‘You had better sacrifice one man to save the nation.’

So, when the commander came to the village the mayor handed over the innocent man. Later the man was put to death.

Years passed and one day a prophet came to that village. He immediately went to the mayor and said: ‘How could you have done that? The man was sent by God to be the savior of this country. And you handed him over to killed.’

‘But where did I go wrong?’ pleaded the mayor. ‘The priest and I looked at the scriptures and did what they commanded.’

‘That’s where you went wrong,’ said the prophet. ‘You looked at the scriptures. You should have also looked into his eyes.’

Well, I liked that story and since the day I heard it I have been retelling it very many times. And you know what? Every time I feel like I retell it for the first time.

Словарик

priest здесь местный священник

kind of разг. как бы

insight здесь смысл, прозрение

put it down on paper здесь записать это

traitor предатель

give somebody up сдавать, выдавать

innocent невиновный

welfare здесь благополучие

at stake здесь на кону, на карте

led to no conclusion здесь не привело к решению

took the matter up взял дело в свои руки

the scriptures здесь святые писания

sacrifice жертвовать

hand over передавать, сдавать

put to death приговорить к смерти, расстрелять

prophet пророк

immediately немедленно, сразу же

could you have done this могли так поступить

go wrong ошибаться

plead умолять, просить

should have looked следовало посмотреть

Вопросы и задания

Where did the storyteller hear the story?

Can you explain the meaning of the word insight?

Retell the legend.

Read aloud and translate any paragraph you like.

Did you happen to be in a similar situation?

What did you learn from the story?

What would you do if you were in the mayor’s place?