2) If you do your rolling up-hill you will gather some moss. (B. Stevenson)

3) No one must know ─ certainly not her father, who had warned her so desperately! She had made her bed, and would have to lie on it. (J. Galsworthy)

4) I've been here twenty years myself. I always was one for sticking to a job. I always say when you get a good place, then stick there. A rolling stone gathers no moss, and it's true. (R. Wright)


Тask 5. Translate the passage into Russian. Retell it, and explain the use of proverbs.

Montanelli came slowly down the steps, the people crowding about him to kiss his hands.

"Peace be with you, my children!"

At the sound of the clear, silvery voice, the Gadfly bent his head, so that the white hair fell across his face. If only he could shrink into some corner and stop his ears to shut out, the sound! Indeed, it was more that any man should have to bear ─ to be so close, so close that he could have put out his arm and touched the dear hand.

"Will you not come under shelter, my friend?" the soft voice said. "I am afraid you are chilled."

The Gadfly's heart stood still. For a moment he was conscious of nothing but the sickening pressure of the blood that seemed as if it would tear his breast asunder; then it rushed back, tingling and burning through all his body, and he looked up. The grave, deep eyes above him grew suddenly tender with divine compassion at the sight of his face.

"Stand back a little, friends," Montanelli said, turning to the crowd; "I want to speak to him."

The people fell slowly back, whispering to each other, and the Gadfly, sitting motionless, with teeth clenched and eyes on the ground, felt the gentle touch of Montanеlli’s hand upon his shoulder.

"You have had some great trouble. Can I do anything to help you?"

The Gadfly shook his head in silence.

"Are you a pilgrim?"

"I am a miserable sinner."

The accidental similarity of Montanelli's question to the password came like a chance straw, that the Gadfly, in his desperation, caught at, answering automatically. He had begun to tremble under the soft pressure of the hand that seemed to burn upon his shoulder. (E. L. Voynich, The Gadfly)


Тask 6. Choose the best variant from those given below to complete the proverb.

1) A ............. stone gathers no moss.

a) rolling

b) nice

c) big

2) As you make you bed, so you ............. lie on it.

a) can

b) try

c) must

3) A stitch in time ............. nine.

a) saves

b) brings

c) makes


Тask 7. Complete the beginning or the end of the following proverbs.

1) A bird in hand .............

2) A rolling stone .............

3) Actions speak louder .............

4) All's well .............

5) A stitch in time .............

6) ............. and you'll be told no lies

7) ............. dreads the fire

8) ............. will catch at a straw

9) ............. a friend indeed

10) ............. so you must lie on it


Тask 8. Illustrate the proverbs using your body language/ gestures.

The appetite comes with eating. (Аппетит приходит во время еды.)

As you make your bed, so must you lie in it. (Как постелешь, так и поспишь.)


Тask 9. Make up a joke using one or more of the given proverbs in the end.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

A burnt child dreads the fire.

A drowning man will catch at a straw.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Ask no questions and you'll be told no lies.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

All's well that ends well.


Unit 3

Тask 1. Read and translate the meaning of the proverbs using the vocabulary.