The explosion

from The Citadel by A. J. Cronin

Adnrew Manson, a young inexperienced doctor, has come to work in a small miners town in Wales. His very first case proves to be typhoid. Andrew is terribly anxious, especially when the disease begins to spread. He is at a loss what to do and turns for advice to Philip Denny, a doctor who has been living in the town for some time.

Andrew gazed at Denny, burning to ask a dozen questions.

" You've got cases too? " he asked anxiously.

" Four! All in the same area as yours, " Denny paused. " One day, very soon, we're going to have an outbreak of an epidemic. It's the main sewer that's to blame. It leaks like the devil, and poisons half the wells of the town. I've hammered at the Health Officer about it till I'm tired." His tone was cold and bitter.

" It's shame! " Andrew burst out. " I wish he were here and knew what we know."

Denny shrugged his shoulders, " It's no use."

There was a silence. Andrew got up from his seat at the table and moved towards the door.

" I'm much obliged for the information. From now on every drop of water in the area is going to be boiled."

" It's the Health Office who ought to be boiled, " muttered Denny.

During the weeks that followed Andrew slaved joyfully. He loves his work and counted himself fortunate to have such an opportunity so early in his career. He worked tirelessly with all the fire of his passionate nature. He only wished he could do more.

Then, unexpectedly, Denny rushed to me up." Manson! Can you come to my place at three o'clock? It's important."

Denny received him in silence with a gloomy eye and a darkened forehead. " One of my patients died this morning. I have two new cases of typhoid." He spoke quietly, with a still, cold rage.

" We must write to the Ministry of Health, " said Andrew.

" We could write a dozen letters, " Denny said bitterly. " It's a waste of time No! I've thought it all out. There's only one way to make them build a new sewer."

" How? " asked Andrew eagerly.

" Blow up the old one! "

For a second Andrew wondered if Denny had taken leave of his senses. He stared at him in terrified astonishment, then he muttered, " There'll be no end of trouble – if it's found out."

Denny glanced up at him, " You needn't come in with me, if you don't want to."

" Oh, I'm coming in with you, " Andrew answered slowly. Immediately he wished he had not said those words.

All that afternoon Andrew went about his work regretting the promise he had given. He was a madman, this Denny, who would, sooner or later, get him into serious trouble. It was a terrible thing that he now proposed. If discovered, they might get struck off the Medical Register. Andrew was seized with horror at the thought of his beautiful career suddenly cut short, ruined. He cursed Denny violently, swore a dozen times that he would not go.

Yet, for some strange reason, he would not, could not draw back.

At eleven o'clock that night Denny and he started out in company with Hawkins, Denny's dog, for the main manhole of the sewer.

The two men and the dog moved along the deserted street. In the pocket of his overcoat Denny had six sticks of dynamite. Andrew carried six empty tins, each with a hole in the lid, an electric torch, and a length of fuse.

Immediately they reached the manhole they set to work, raising the rusty iron cover which had not been disturbed for years.

They slipped a stick of dynamite in each tin, cutting fuses and attaching them. One by one the tins were dropped into he ill-smelling depths. In the light of a match Andrew saw Denny's pale hard face, his own shaking hands.

As the last tin went in with its short fuse burning, the dog took it into its head to hunt a rat. They chased the dog and captured it, expecting an explosion beneath their feet. Then swiftly the cover was flung back, and they raced madly up the street.

They had scarcely reached the corner when bang! the first tin exploded.

" By God! We've done it! " exclaimed Andrew.

Then swiftly the explosions followed: two, three, four, five, and the last.

Doors and windows were flung open, people ran out of their houses. In a minute the street was crowded. A party of men set out with lanterns to explore. Under cover of the darkness and the noise Denny and Manson slipped away. Before eight o'clock next morning the Health Officer arrived upon the scene by car, nervous and frightened.

Wiping his forehead he approached Denny who, with Manson, stood amongst the crowd. For a moment Andrew felt uncomfortable.

But it did not enter the Officer's mind to suspect anybody.

" It's a mystery to me how it all happened. We'll have to get that new sewer for you straight off now, " was all he said.

NOTES:

sewer – канализационная труба;

to be struck off the Medical Register – to have no further right to practise as a doctor.

Упражнения и Задания по Тексту

Assignment # One – Задание № 1

Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих слов, выражений и оборотов:

1. шахтерский городок – _________________________________________;

2. очень обеспокоен – _________________________________________;

3. неоднократно сообщал – _________________________________________;

4. бесполезно – _________________________________________;

5. с этого момента – _________________________________________;

6. трудился с удовольствием – _________________________________________;

7. в самом начале карьеры – _________________________________________;

8. без устали – _________________________________________;

9. пустая трата времени – _________________________________________;

10. взорвать – _________________________________________;

11. не сошел ли он с ума – _________________________________________;

12. греха не оберешься – _________________________________________;

13. рано или поздно – _________________________________________;

14. по непонятной причине – _________________________________________;

15. ржавая железная крышка – _________________________________________;

16. собаке пришло в голову – _________________________________________;

17. побежали как сумасшедшие – _________________________________________;

18. едва они успели добежать до угла – _______________________________________;

19. распахивались – _________________________________________;

20. под покровом ночи – _________________________________________;

21. в толпе – _________________________________________;

22. не пришло в голову – _________________________________________.

Assignment # Two – Задание № 2

Дайте русские эквиваленты следующих слов, выражений и оборотов из текста; Составьте по три предложения с каждым их этих оборотов:

be at a loss – _________________________________________;

_________________________________________________________________________

turn to smb. for advice (help) – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

it is … that is to blame – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

shrug one’s shoulders – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

to have an opportunity to do smth. – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

regret smth. – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

get smb. into trouble – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

be/feel nervous (frightened, uncomfortable) – _____________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

suspect smb. – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

cut smb.(smth.) short – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

be seized with horror – _________________________________________;

__________________________________________________________________________

Assignment # Three – Задание № 3

Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1) Who was Andrew Manson?

_______________________________________________________________________.

2) What troubled Andrew and made him turn for advice to Philip Denny?

_______________________________________________________________________.

3) What was the real cause of the spreading of the disease in the town?

_______________________________________________________________________.

4) Andrew insisted that every drop of water should be boiled. Could it put an end to the epidemic?

_______________________________________________________________________.

5) Why did Denny refuse to write a letter to the Ministry of Health?

_______________________________________________________________________.

6) Why did Andrew think that Denny had taken leave of his senses?

_______________________________________________________________________.

7) Why did Andrew regret that he had given the promise to go with Denny? Illustrate your answer by the text.

_______________________________________________________________________.

8) What do you think made Andrew go with Denny in the end?

_______________________________________________________________________.

9) What did they both risk in case they were discovered?

_______________________________________________________________________.

10) What was the result of their “experiment”?

_______________________________________________________________________.

Assignment # Four – Задание № 4

Перескажите рассказ от лица: 1) Дэнни; 2) Эндрю; 3) Наблюдателя по вопросам Здравоохранения.

Assignment # Five – Задание № 5

Подготовьтесь к обсуждению с преподавателем и другими членами Вашей группы следующих тем. Составьте план:

1. Denny and Andrew risked their careers. What do you think make them run such a great risk? Can you call them real doctors?

2. Who was responsible for the situation in the town? What can you say about the role of the Health Officer in the described events? Compare his behaviour with the behaviour of the young doctors.

3. Compare the characters of Denny and Andrew. What did they have in common? What did they differ in? Who to your mind was a stronger personality? Give your grounds.

Assignment # Six – Задание № 6

Кратко перескажите рассказ по плану. Вы должны уложиться в 15 предложений.

Assignment # Seven – Задание № 7

Найдите в тексте все Глаголы неправильного спряжения и Заполните таблицу, давая их формы. Перед выполнением Упражнения Вам необходимо ознакомиться с параграфами 48, 49, 50 и 51 5 Главы «Глагол» 1 Части «Части Речи в Английском языке» Первого тома Единого Грамматического комплекса. Всю необходимую Вам справочную информацию Вы можете найти во Втором томе в Приложениях «Таблица Времен Активного и Пассивного залогов». Проверить употребление форм причастий 1 и 2 (Participles 1 & 2) (вторая, третья и четвертая формы глаголов) можно по Таблицам “Спряжение Неправильных глаголов». Обращаю внимание на то, что таблиц две: в одной дается список неправильных глаголов в алфавитном порядке – ее я рекомендую применять для быстрого поиска необходимого слова, во второй глаголы даны по типам образования формы – на эту таблицу необходимо ориентироваться при заучивании наизусть:

Assignment # Eight – Задание № 8

Найдите в тексте все Предложения в Условном наклонении (Subjunctive Mood) после глагола wish. Проанализируйте употребление временных форм в предложениях с Условным наклонением.

Assignment # Nine – Задание № 9

Задайте вопросы к словам, выделенным подчеркнутым наклонным шрифтом:

1) Andrewwas seized with horror at the thought of his career suddenly cut short.

_______________________________________________________________________?

2) In the pocket of his overcoat Denny had six sticks of dynamite.

_______________________________________________________________________?

3) A party of men set out with lanterns to explore.

_______________________________________________________________________?

4) Before eight o'clock the Health Officer arrived upon the scene by car.

_______________________________________________________________________?

Assignment # Ten – Задание № 10

Найдите в тексте все предложения, содержащие Прямую речь (Direct Speech) и переделайте их в Косвенную речь (Indirect Speech). Перед выполнением Упражнения Вам необходимо ознакомиться с параграфами 69, 70 и 71 «Прямая и Косвенная речь» 5 Главы «Глагол» 1 Части «Части Речи в Английском языке» Первого тома Единого Грамматического комплекса. Всю необходимую Вам справочную информацию Вы можете найти во Втором томе в Приложениях.

Assignment # Eleven – Задание № 11

Попрактикуйтесь в употреблении следующих моделей:

1) It never entered my mind…

_______________________________________________________________________?

2) You’ll get into trouble if…

_______________________________________________________________________?

3) From now on…

_______________________________________________________________________?

4) I count myself fortunate to…

_______________________________________________________________________?

5) We were at a loss…

_______________________________________________________________________?

Assignment # Twelve – Задание № 12

Измените предложения таким образом, чтобы в них был применен глагол wish:

1) Andrew regretted that he had agreed to help Denny.

_______________________________________________________________________?

2) “It is impossible to stop the epidemic”, Andrew thought.

_______________________________________________________________________?

3) It is a pity the Health Officer did not respond to their information.

_______________________________________________________________________?

4) Andrew regretted that he did not have enough time for work.

_______________________________________________________________________?

5) Andrew was sorry that Denny had suggested such a plan.

_______________________________________________________________________?

6) When the Health Officer approached Andrew, the young man regretted everything he had done.

______________________________________________________________________?