I wish to be a sailor (я хочу быть моряком)

MY name is Robinson Crusoe (мое имя = меня зовут Робинзон Крузо). I was born in the old city of York (я родился: «был рожден» в старом городе Йорке), where there is a broad river (где есть широкая река; there is/are — имеется), with ships coming and going (с кораблями приходящими и уходящими).

When I was a little boy (когда я был маленьким мальчиком), I spent much of my time (я проводил много своего времени; to spend — проводить /время/) looking at the river (глядя на реку).

How pleasant was the quiet stream (каким красивым был тихий поток; pleasant — приятный; радостный; милый, симпатичный), flowing, always flowing (текущий, постоянно текущий; to flow — течь; always — всегда, неизменно), toward the far-away sea (по направлению к далекому морю; far-away — далекий, дальний; far — далеко; away — прочь)!

I liked to watch the ships (мне нравилось смотреть на корабли) as they came in (когда они приходили) with their white sails (с белыми парусами) spread to the wind (распростертыми на ветру; to spread — развертывать/ся/; раскидывать/ся/; простирать/ся/; расстилать/ся/).

I liked to think of the strange lands (мне нравилось думать о чуждых землях) which they must have visited (которые они, должно быть, посетили: «должны были посетить»), and of the many wonderful things (и о многих прекрасных вещах/событиях) they must have passed (которые они, должно быть, увидели/с которыми столкнулись).

I wished to be a sailor (я хотел быть моряком). I thought how grand it must be to sail and sail (я думал: как прекрасно, должно быть: «это должно быть» плавать под парусами; sail — парус; to sail — плавать на яхте, ходить на яхте, идти под парусами) on the wide blue sea (по широкому синему морю), with the sky above (с небом наверху) and the waves beneath (и волнами внизу). Nothing could be pleasanter (ничто не могло быть приятнее).

My father wanted me to learn a trade (мой отец хотел, чтобы я научился ремеслу). But I could not bear the thought of it (но я не мог вынести мысли об этом). I could not bear the thought of working every day in a dusty shop (я не мог вынести мысли о работе каждый день в пыльном магазине; dust — пыль).

I did not wish to stay in York all my life (я не желал оставаться в Йорке все жизнь). I wanted to see the world (я хотел увидеть мир). I would be a sailor and nothing else (я хотел быть моряком и никем другим).

My mother was very sad when I told her (моя мать была печальна, когда я сказал ей; to tell — говорить; рассказывать).

A sailor's life, she said, was a hard life (жизнь моряка, сказала она, это тяжелая жизнь). There were many storms at sea (на море бывает много штормов/бурь), and ships were often wrecked (и корабли часто терпят крушение; wreck — крушение).

She told me, too, that there were great fishes in the sea (она также сказала мне, что есть = встречаются в море огромные рыбы), and that they would eat me up if I fell into the water (и что онисъедят меня, если я упаду в воду).

Then she gave me a cake (затем она дала мне пирог), and kissed me (и поцеловала меня). "How much safer it is to be at home (как много = насколько безопаснее быть = оставаться дома)!" she said.

But I would not listen to her (но я не слушал ее). My mind was made up (мое решение было принято; to make up one’s mind — принять решение: «настроить свой разум»; mind — разум; умственные способности; ум; настроение, расположение духа), and a sailor I would be (и /все же именно/ моряком я хотел стать).

When I was eighteen years old (когда мне было восемнадцать лет), I left my pleasant home and went to sea (покинул мой милый дом и отправился в море).

pleasant [pleznt], quiet ['kwaIqt], toward [tq'wO:d], spread [spred], visit ['vIzIt], beneath [bI'nJT], world [wq:ld]

I WISH TO BE A SAILOR

MY name is Robinson Crusoe. I was born in the old city of York, where there is a broad river, with ships coming and going.

When I was a little boy, I spent much of my time looking at the river.

How pleasant was the quiet stream, flowing, always flowing, toward the far-away sea! I liked to watch the ships as they came in with their white sails spread to the wind.

I liked to think of the strange lands which they must have visited, and of the many wonderful things they must have passed.

I wished to be a sailor. I thought how grand it must be to sail and sail on the wide blue sea, with the sky above and the waves beneath. Nothing could be pleasanter.

My father wanted me to learn a trade. But I could not bear the thought of it. I could not bear the thought of working every day in a dusty shop.

I did not wish to stay in York all my life. I wanted to see the world. I would be a sailor and nothing else.

My mother was very sad when I told her.

A sailor's life, she said, was a hard life. There were many storms at sea, and ships were often wrecked.

She told me, too, that there were great fishes in the sea, and that they would eat me up if I fell into the water.

Then she gave me a cake, and kissed me. "How much safer it is to be at home!" she said.

But I would not listen to her. My mind was made up, and a sailor I would be.

When I was eighteen years old, I left my pleasant home and went to sea.