A Narrow Escape

Enterprise 2 — задания для работы с текстом

A Narrow Escape

The early evening air was cool and mild as Ted Wilson walked along the almost-deserted beach. He wanted to be completely alone to think about his problems. Since he had lost his job, his life seemed to be full of problems.

Walking to the far end of the beach, Ted was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice the dark clouds which had gathered overhead. When the first heavy drops of rain began to fall, he looked up in surprise and hurried back towards his car.

The soft dry sand of the beach slowed him down, so he started running on the hard sand at the water’s edge. Before he had gone fifty metres, though, he suddenly felt himself sinking into the sand. Within seconds, he had sunk in up to his waist. He realised to his horror that he had stepped into quicksand. When he tried to move, the sand pulled him deeper — and the tide was coming in! The water soon covered his chest, and continued to rise. “Help!”  he shouted desperately. “Help! I’m going to drown!”

Steve MacDonald was looking for shells at the other end of the beach when he heard Ted’s cries. By the time Steve reached him, the water was up to Ted’s chin and he was in real danger. Steve grabbed his arms, pulled him out of the quicksand and helped him to safety. Ted was so relieved to have escaped that he couldn’t say a word.He shook Steve’s hand, again and again, in silent thanks.

After what had happened, Ted realised that losing a job wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to someone. He was glad to be alive, and felt sure that everything would be all right in the end.

I. Give Ukrainian equivalents
a narrow escape
1  a deserted beach
2  drops of rain
3  at the water’s edge
4  he stepped into quicksand
5  the tide was coming in
6  he sank in up to his waist
7  water covered his chest
8  Ted was deep in thought
9  he was looking for shells
10  the dark clouds had gathered overhead
11  the worst thing
12  to be alive
13  his life was full of problems
14  to be in real danger
15  Steve helped Ted to safety
16  in silent thanks

II. True or false

1  It was cold and windy weather that evening.
2  Ted wanted to be on his own because he wanted to look for shells
3  Ted felt upset because he had lost his job
4  Ted was deep in thought because he thought about his job.
5  Ted hurried back towards his car because it had started raining
6  Ted started running on the hard sand at the water’s edge because he began to sink into it
7  Just moments ago, Ted sank up to his chest
8  The tide was going out
9  Steve was at the other end of the beach when he heard Ted’s cries
10  Steve reached Ted in time.
11  Ted thanked Steve for the shells.

III. Answer the questions

1  What was the weather like that early evening?
2  Why was the beach empty at that time?
3  Why did Ted decide to be on his own?
4  How did the weather change?
5  Why didn’t Ted notice that the weather had changed?
6  Why did he start running at the water’s edge?
7  How quickly had he sunk in up to his waist?
8  What did Ted realise?
9  Why did he shout desperately (in desperate)?
10  What was Steve doing on the beach that early evening? 11 Why was the water up to Ted’s chin by the time Steve reached him?
12  How did Steve save Ted?
13  Could Ted speak after he had escaped death?