7. В кабинете профессора было много научных книг и журналов. В этом месте в воздухе витал особенный аромат орехового дерева и чернил.
8. На кожаной обложке той книги был удивительный рисунок, потемневший от времени.
9. Этот рисунок напоминал изысканный узор на фамильном фарфоре.
10. На шахматной доске не было нескольких пешек, но остальные фигуры из слоновой кости продолжали сражение.
DISCUSSION TASKS
I Describe the Library in Tommy’s house.
II Answer the following questions.
1. What ritual did Tommy have in the Library?
2. What did some books attract Tommy by?
3. How could the boy define if a book was new or old?
4. What was Tommy’s attitude to the pictures from the books?
5. Did the boy like reading?
6. What else aroused Tommy’s interest in the library?
7. What did Tom imagine when he was twisting the globe?
8. What was the kid longing for?
TALKING POINTS
I Answer the following questions.
1. Do you like reading?
2. What kind of books do you prefer to read? Which genre?
3. What is your favourite work of literature? Who is your favourite author?
4. Where do you usually read?
5. If you were a writer, what would you write about?
II Retell a story that you read some time ago. Describe the main characters. What is the main idea of the story?
CHAPTER 5
The Living room
In the spacious and comfortable living room the walls were painted white. The cream curtains looked like real sails, especially when they were waving in the wind blowing through the wide open window5. It was the place where the whole family gathered in the evening under the splendid crystal chandelier. The fine glass details of it reminded little pieces of ice, clinking gently from time to time in tune with vibrations of the house6. All family members would sit on the leather sofa, sharing some news, or watching and discussing a film. The family atmosphere reigned there.
Tommy was accustomed to order. He usually tried to put everything into its place. He made it a rule after an incident that had happened some time before. The small boy didn’t want to annoy his parents who used to scold him for mess.
One day Tommy broke mother’s favourite Chinese vase. He was playing absorbedly with some toy cars when he accidentally touched the vase. It rocked and fell down, shattered in small sparkling pieces with a loud crash. Tommy was standing still, not breathing in the dead silence, with his eyes full of fear.
Next moment mum, dressed in black silk, ran into the room, Lilly followed her. Saying no word, the boy’s mother looked at the broken vase, then she slowly turned her icy eyes to Tom. She kept staring at him, keeping silent. That reproachful glance followed him everywhere long afterwards. The boy broke eye contact and looked away in embarrassment.
Lilly tried to distract his mum, at the same time she made efforts to advocate and comfort Tommy.
“It isn’t Tommy’s fault, aunt Annie. He hasn’t done it on purpose!
Tom, I’ll help you to collect the fragments, be careful.
I’ll ask my parents to bring you the same beautiful vase!
Mummy is going to give it to you as a present.
Oh, it will be even more gorgeous than the broken one! You’ll see!..”
“Tom, I’m taking your toy cars until you learn how to behave,” his mum said with a calm, cold voice.
Since then Tommy had got his parents’ permission to play only in the game room or on the sports ground.
The boy’s mum and dad quite often discussed his future, appraised prospects of his success, and planned his life several years ahead. Everything was predetermined – his future profession, mode of life, place to live and what people to communicate with. Each step was under control.