Упражнение 4. Выделите сказуемые, выраженные глаголом в страдательном залоге, переведите тексты, прокомментируйте особенности перевода

1. An Aeolian harp is a string" musical instrument played by the wind. It is made by stretching strings of catgut over a I wooden box. Being placed in a draught and thus exposed to the action of the wind it produces pleasing sounds of plaintive music, if the strings are properly tuned. The name Aeolian harp has been derived from classical mythology. Thus was called the harp belonging to Aelous, the god of the winds and the king of the islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, north of Sicily (now the Lipary islands). In the caverns of these islands the winds were supposed to be confined.

2. Everyone of course remembers the success that attended the publication of The Achilles Statue. Month after months printers were kept busy printing, banders were kept busy binding, edition after edition; and the publishers, both in England and America, were hard put to it to fulfill the pressing orders of the booksellers. It was promptly translated into every European tongue and it has been recently announced that it will soon be possible to read it in Japanese and in Urdu. But it had previously appeared serially in magazines on both sides of the Atlantic and from the editors of these Mrs. Albert Forrester's agent had wrung a sum that can only be described as thumping. A dramatization of the work was made, which ran for a season in New York, and there is little doubt that when the play is produced in London it will have an equal success. The fiim rights have been sold at a great price. Though the amount that Mrs. Albert Forrester is reputed (in literary circles) to have made is probably exaggerated, there can be no doubt that she will have earned enough money from this one book to save her for the rest of her life from any financial anxiety.
(W. S. Maugham)

AN AMBIGUOUS OFFER

At a shop-window in the Strand there appeared the following notice: "Wanted, two apprentices, who will be treated as one of the family.

PROFESSIONAL

At a dinner-table an editor is asked if he would take some pudding. In a fit of absent-mindedness he replies: "As we are crowded by other matter, no room can be found for what is now offered us."

AN ACTIVE GENERATION

SON: Mummy, do you remember that old vase that has been handed down from generation to generation in our family?

MOTHER: Yes, dear, what about it?

SON: Well, it has been broken by this generation.

INCORRUPTIBLE

Charles the Second once said to one of his courtiers, "Find me a man that can't be corrupted. Three treasurers have been sent to the North, and they have all turned thieves." "Well, sir, I think I have found one, it is Mivert." "Mivert!" exclaimed the king, "Why, Mivert is a thief already." "Therefore he cannot be corrupted, your majesty," answered the courtier.

GOOD CUSTOMER

A runaway couple were married at Gretna Green and were asked five guineas for the service. "How is this?" exclaimed the bridegroom, "I was told by the gentleman who had been married here last month that he had given you only a guinea." "That's true, we were paid only a guinea then," was the answer, "because your friend is a very good customer. He came here to be married at least six times. As to you... who knows? You may never be seen here again."

A DOUBTFUL COMPLIMENT

An article just published in a students' magazine was greatly admired and much talked about. At last it fell into the hands of a man who was considered an authority on the matter in question. "In this article a great deal is new, and a great deal is true," said the man on reading the article.

The young author was told about it and felt greatly flattered. Now he wanted to hear the flattering words from the critic himself. "This is my opinion, indeed," said the critic when he was questioned by the young author. "But, I am sorry to say, what is new in the article is not true, and what is true in it is by no means new."

A YARN

This story is said to have been told by Charles Dickens. During a sea-trip on board a steamer a young girl was courted by five young men. The poor thing was at a loss whom she should choose. She was advised to jump overboard and then marry the one who would jump in after her. The girl did as she was told. Next morning when all the five admirers were on deck, the girl jumped into the sea head foremost. She was immediately followed by four of the men. When the girl and her admirers had been fished out of the water by the sailors, she found herself even more at a loss than before. "What should I do with these four wet men?" she asked the captain in her perplexity. "Take the dry one," was the old sea-wolf's advice. This time again the girl thought fit to do as she was told.

Упражнение 5. Прочитайте текст. Найдите предложения, в которых употребляется страдательный залог. Проанализируйте его значение и определите способ перевода. Оцените правильность перевода предложений, приведённых после текста.

TEN FILMS THAT YOUR CHILD SHOULD SEE IN SCHOOL

Films such as 'Toy Story' could be given the same importance in schools as classic works of literature under plans to modernize the English curriculum. A list of 10 films that all children should have seen by the age of 14 was published yesterday by the British Film Institute. It wants to shift the debate away from films that children should not see, either because they are unsuitable or too commercial, towards those that are acknowledged by the industry to be classics with enduring appeal. Too often, films are used in schools to bring light relief or to keep children occupied at the end of term, says the institute, when they should be acknowledged as a vital part of children's cultural heritage.

Ten films have been chosen because they won the most nominations from children's film experts in Britain and the rest of Europe. Some critics were disappointed to see only one British film. No films have been included from India's Bollywood. Moreover, there would be practical problems in finding time to show feature-length films, though it might be done in after-school clubs.

1. Такие фильмы, как «История игрушек», могут быть наделены такой же важностью для школьников, как и классические литературные произведения. Такова концепция новой программы в рамках модернизации школьной системы в Англии.

2. Список из 10 фильмов, которые все дети должны просмотреть до 14 лет, опубликовался вчера Британским институтом кино.

3. Эта организация стремится переключить внимание общественности от споров о том, какие фильмы дети не должны смотреть либо потому, что они слишком коммерческие, либо не подходят им по возрасту, на те фильмы, которые признаны классикой киноиндустрии и по-прежнему не утратили своей привлекательности.

4. Отобралось десять фильмов, потому что они получили больше всего голосов экспертов по детским фильмам в Великобритании и Европе.

5. Некоторые критики разочаровались, увидев только один британский фильм.

6. Не было фильмов, включённых из индийского Болливуда.