2.6.1 Vocabulary notes
boarding house – пансион, меблированные комнаты со столом
accommodation – жилье
2.7 Text 7
A BUSINESS TRANSACTION
One afternoon Mr. Wallis who lived far from the centre of London was returning home. It had already got dark when he came to a quiet narrow street with no people or traffic in it. Suddenly a middle-aged man stopped him and asked if he would buy a cat from him. As Mr. Wallis refused to make the purchase the man aimed a gun at him.
“How much does it cost?” asked Mr. Wallis. “It’s not expensive. Five hundred pounds only”, was the reply. So Mr. Wallis had to sign a cheque for five hundred pounds and the man gave him the cat.
Several years had passed since that day. Mr. Wallis decided to go shopping and called at a small shop where he had never been before. He recognized in the shopassistant the man who had sold him the white cat several years before.
Mr. Wallis left the shop and returned a little later. “I’ve brought a white cat. Will you buy it?” smiled he, “It’s one of the lovely kittens of the white cat that you sold me several years ago, I recommend you to buy it”. The shop-assistant understood everything. He told Mr. Wallis that he would pay him for the cat if Mr. Wallis did not tell the police about it and if he never came to the shop again.
“How much does it cost now?” he asked.
“Seven hundred pounds”, was the answer, “because I want to get some interest on my money.”
2.7.1 Vocabulary notes
to make a purchase – делать покупку
to get some interest on (smth.) – получить проценты от (чего-л.)
2.8 Text 8
A BUSINESS TRIP TO NEW YORK
Last winter Eileen went to New York on business. Her husband went with her as he had never been to New York before. On the last day of their stay in New York they checked out of the hotel in the morning. Eileen’s husband decided to do some sightseeing while she was at her last business meeting.
They agreed to meet at the airport. The plane was leaving at a quarter past nine.
When after the meeting Eileen went out into the street there was much snow everywhere and it was still snowing heavily. She took a taxi but it was just before Christmas and there was a terrible traffic jam. Then the car broke down. Suddenly she remembered there was a subway close to that place – that’s what the Americans call their underground trains to the airport.