The Book of Riddles. Лексические задачки

The Wolf soon got tired of dancing. He approached a group of animals, and suggested a game of cards. Several animals agreed to keep him company.

masked ball бал-маскарад; decide решить, принять решение; soon вскоре; gеt tired of dancing устать танцевать; approach подойти, приблизиться; suggest предлагать; a game of cards партия в карты; several несколько; agree соглашаться; keep him company составить ему компанию

“But I warn you,” said the Wolf, taking out a deck of cards from his pocket. “If I catch any of you cheating, the swindler is going to get it in his impudent, ginger snout.

warn предупреждать; deck колода; pocket карман; if если; catch поймать; any of you кого-либо из вас; cheat обманывать, мошенничать ?catch cheating поймать за обманом; swindler мошенник; impudent наглый; ginger рыжий, рыжеватый; snout морда (животного) ?is going to get it in his snout получит по морде; address адресовать

Who did the Wolf address his words to? Solve this rebus to find out.

12. Where Is the Cat?

One day, little Johnny said to his father:

“Look, Daddy. I have drawn the cat in boots.”

His father looked at the picture and said:

“That’s strange. I see the boots. But where is the cat?”

“Isn’t it clear where it is?” asked Johnny.

“No,” his father answered.

draw рисовать; boots ботинки, сапоги

And you, my dear reader? Do you know where the cat is?

13. At the Zoo

One day, Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet went to the zoo.

“Winnie, let’s leave this place,” Piglet said suddenly. “I’m afraid they will beat us up!”

“What makes you think so?” asked Winnie.

“Look what they did to the horse!” said Piglet.

Winnie-the-Pooh Винни Пух; Piglet Пятачок; leave покидать; place место; beat up избить; What makes you think so? Что заставляет тебя так думать?; dosthtosb[1 - Здесь и далее используются сокращения: sth = something; sb = somebody.] сделать что-либо (плохое) с кем-либо

Name the animal he was looking at.

14. The Pot of Gold

The Fox’s grandmother died, leaving her a pot of gold.

Soon, the whole forest knew that the Fox had become an heiress to a large fortune.

“Aren’t you afraid that someone might break into your house and steal your gold?” asked her the Magpie who lived in a tree nearby.

pot горшок ?pot of gold горшок с золотом; die умереть; leave оставлять; soon вскоре; whole весь; become становиться; heiress наследница; fortune состояние; breakinto вломиться в; steal красть, украсть; magpie сорока; nearby неподалёку

“They will not find it,” said the Fox. “It is in a safe place.”

“Where?”

“As if I’m going to tell you!”

“I will be silent as the grave.”

“As if I could trust you!”

safe безопасный; As if I’m going to tell you! Так я тебе и сказала!; be silent as the grave молчать как могила; As if I could trust you! Так я тебе и поверила!

The Magpie begged the Fox to tell her, but the Fox was adamant. She knew better than to share her secret with the number one forest gossiper.

But you, dear reader, can easily find the hiding place – provided that you know the necessary English word.

beg умолять; adamant непреклонный; she knew better than не такая она была дура, чтобы; share her secret делиться своим секретом; gossiper сплетница; hiding place тайник; provided that при условии, что; necessary нужный

So, where did the Fox keep her gold?

15. Dutch Courage

The man had already paid a visit to several bars. He was so drunk, he could hardly stand. His hands shook, and he spilled several drops of whiskey on the floor. Suddenly, a mouse appeared at the table, and drank up the spilled whiskey.

Dutch courage храбрость во хмелю (букв.: храбрость голландца); already уже; pay a visit нанести визит, посетить; several несколько; bar бар; He was so drunk, he could hardly stand. Он был настолько пьян, что едва держался на ногах; shake (shook, shaken) дрожать; spill пролить; drop капля; appear появиться

This went on several times. At last, the drunkard decided that it was time to go home. He took his small booze companion with him. On the way, he turned over a few trash cans.

this went on several times это повторилось несколько раз; at last наконец; drunkard пьяница; it was time пора было; booze companion собутыльник; turn over опрокинуть; a few несколько; trash can мусорный бак

The noise woke up the neighbourhood. A man leaned out of a window, and cried out:

“Hey, you! Do you have to make so much noise?”

“Stop shouting! Come out, if you are a man! We shall talk here,” answered the drunkard.

“Right,” said the mouse. “And don’t forget to bring your ______.”

Your what? Finish the sentence.

noise шум; wake up (woke up, woken up) разбудить; neighbourhood квартал; lean out of a window высунуться из окна; Do you have to make so much noise? Неужели непременно нужно так сильно шуметь?; Stopshouting! Перестань кричать; right правильно; forget забывать; sentence предложение

16. Good Advice

The customer studied the menu, and said to the waiter:

“I think, I will have the chicken – and the younger, the better.”