Home Reading. Assignment 1

Agatha Christie “The Labours of Hercules”

Foreword. Chapters 1-4 (pages 5-17)

1. to resemble[rI'zembl] – быть похожим, иметь сходство The boy resembled his mother.

resemblance– сходствоThere is a great / strong / close resemblance between the children.

There is a distant / remote / faint resemblance between them.

2. to retire – уходить на пенсию, в отставку

In this country men retire at the age of sixty and women retire at the age of fifty-five.

retirement– пенсия, отставка

In Great Britain the retirement age for men is sixty-five and for women – sixty.

3. to trust (v.t.) – полагаться, доверять I trust him as I would trust myself.

He is not a man to be trusted. He couldn’t trust his secretary.

4. to investigate (a case, a crime, etc.) – расследовать

The Committee investigated the causes of that railway accident.

5. to kidnap['kIdnxp]– похищать

About one hundred people were kidnapped in the Caucasus last year.

kidnapping (n) Kidnapping is a horrible crime.

6. to be in the habit of doing smth. – иметь привычку что-либо делать

He was in the habit of interrupting people when they didn’t agree with him.

7. to throw one’s money about – сорить деньгами, проматывать деньги

He used to throw his money abot but now he has to provide for his family.

8. to apply to smb. for smth. – обращаться к кому-то за; просить

Why don’t you apply to the authorities for assistance?

9. to get to the bottom of smth. – добраться до сути

The investigator used to get to the bottom of every case.

10. extraordinary[Iks'trLdnqrI] – необычный, исключительный What an extraordinary idea!

It was extraordinary that no one reported the incident to the police.

11. familiar – знакомый

to be / to seem / to sound familiar to smb. His voice sounded familiar to me.

12. a threat of violence – угроза насилия

How could you do that? – Under a threat of violence a man can do anything.

I. Recall the situations in which the active vocabulary is used.

II. Answer the questions:

1. What do you know about Agatha Christie?

2. Where is the scene laid?

3. Who is the main character? What is he? What can you say about his appearance?

4. H. Poirot made up his mind to retire. Do you think he would keep his promise or do you agree with Dr. Burton?

5. What do you know about his secretary?

6. What was Poirot’s first labour? What legend is it based on?

7. Describe the appearance of Sir Joseph Hoggin.

8. Did you like him?

9. What can say about his character?

10. Why did Sir Joseph Hoggin apply to Poirot?

11. Did he approve of paying a ransom?

12. Why didn’t he send for the police?

13. Why did H. Poirot decide to accept this particular case?

14. Describe Higgin’s drawing-room.

15. What do you know about Amy Carnaby? Sum up all the references.

16. Retell Amy Carnaby’s story.

17. What did Mrs. Samuelson look like?

18. Tell us her story.

III. Retell the chapters.

IV. Read and translate the last paragraph of the Foreword.