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Three couples, an elderly couple, a middle-aged couple and a young newlywed couple wanted to join a church.

The pastor said, «We have special requirements for new parishioners. You must abstain from having sex for two weeks.»

The couples agreed and came back at the end of two weeks. The pastor went to the elderly couple and asked, «Were you able to abstain from sex for the two weeks?»

The old man replied, «No problem at all, Pastor.»

«Congratulations! Welcome to the church!» said the pastor.

The pastor went to the middle-aged couple and asked, «Well, were you able to abstain from sex for the two weeks?»

The man replied, «The first week was not too bad. The second week I had to sleep on the couch for a couple of nights but… yes we made it.»

«Congratulations! Welcome to the church!» said the pastor.

The pastor then went to the newlywed couple and asked, «Well, were you able to abstain from sex for the two weeks?»

«No, Pastor, we were not able to go without sex for the two weeks,» the young man replied sadly.

«What happened?» inquired the pastor.

«My wife was reaching for a can of corn on the top shelf and dropped it. When she bent over to pick it up, I was overcome with lust and took advantage of her right there.»

«You understand, of course, this means you will not be welcome in our church,» stated the pastor.

«We know,» said the young man, «we're not welcome at the local supermarket anymore either.»

Study the words and expressions given below:

elderly пожилой, стареющий

to join вступить (куда-л.), присоединиться

pastor священник, пастор

requirements требования (от to requireтребовать)

parishioner прихожанин (от parishприход)

to abstain воздерживаться

to reply отвечать

couch кушетка

to reach (for) дотягиваться (до чего-л.)

can банка

corn кукуруза

top верх; верхний

to bend (over) наклоняться (над чем-л.)

lust сильное желание

advantage преимущество

to state утверждать

to join a church вступить в церковь

to be able быть способным, мочь

No problem at all! Никаких проблем!

to go without sex обходиться без секса

Congratulations! Поздравления!

Welcome! Добро пожаловать!

to be welcome быть желаемым, желанным (где-л.)

to pick sth up поднимать что-л.

to be overcome with sth быть охваченным (чем-л.)

to take advantage of her воспользоваться удобным моментом

right there прямо там

Exercises to the text

1. Answer the questions to the text:

1. How many couples wanted to join the church and how old were they?

2. What special requirements did the couples have to meet if they wanted to join the church?

3. Who did the pastor go to first when the couples returned after the two weeks' trial period?

4. Why was it easy for an elderly couple to be admitted to church?

5. How did the middle-aged husband cope with the problem?

6. What was wrong with the can of corn?

2. Fill in the blanks with the words from the text:

1. Two couples wanted _______ a church.

2. We have special _______ for new parishioners.

3. You must _______ from having sex.

4. No problem _______, Pastor.

5. _______ to the church!

6. I had to sleep on the couch for _______ of nights.

7. We were not _______ to go without sex.

8. My wife was _______ for a can of corn.

3. Say if the sentences are true or false:

1. Three couples, an elderly couple, a middle-aged couple and a young newlywed couple wanted to join the army.

2. We have special requirements for new parishioners.

3. You must abstain from having sex for two weeks.

4. The couples didn't agree and never came back.

5. The second week I had to sleep on the couch for a couple of nights.

6. I was reaching for a can of corn on the top shelf and dropped it.

7. We're not welcome at the local zoo anymore either.

4. Match the words and expressions in the left column to those in the right one:

5. Translate from Russian into English:

1. Три пары захотели вступить в церковь.

2. Мы предъявляем особые требования к нашим прихожанам.

3. Пары согласились и пришли назад через две недели.

4. Никаких проблем, пастор!

5. Поздравления! Добро пожаловать в церковь!

6. Первая неделя была не слишком тяжкой.

7. Я был вынужден спать на кушетке пару ночей.

8. Я был охвачен сильным желанием и воспользовался своим преимуществом над ней прямо там.

9. Нас также не хотят больше видеть и в местном супермаркете.

Revise English Grammar

В предложениях You must abstain from having sex for two weeks; Were you able to abstain from sexfor the two weeks? I had to sleep on the couch for a couple of nights but… используются так называемые модальные глаголы и их заменители (must, to be able, to have to).

Проверьте свои знания модальных глаголов; при необходимости используйте грамматический комментарий (раздел 20).

6. Translate from Russian into English using modal verbs and their substitutes:

1. Вы можете вступить в церковь.

2. Вы сможете вступить в церковь, если выполните особые требования.

3. Вы должны воздерживаться от секса в течение трех недель.

4. Мы не можем сделать этого.

5. Мы должны были прийти через три недели.

6. Мы не смогли сделать этого.

7. Я вынужден был спать на кушетке.

8. Мне не было необходимости спать на кушетке.

9. Можно мне вступить в вашу церковь без испытательного срока?

10. Мне позволили сделать это без испытательного срока.

11. Вам не следовало бы больше ходить в местный супермаркет.

7. Fill in the blanks with proper forms of the verbs:

1. It's a recommendation that you (to join) _______ a church.

2. It's necessary that we (to have) _______ special requirements for new parishioners.

3. He suggested that we (to abstain) _______ from having sex for two weeks.

4. He urged them (to come) _______ back at the end of two weeks.

5. He found it necessary (to sleep) _______ on the couch for a couple of nights.

8. Fill in the blanks with proper forms of the verbs:

1. I want you (to join) _______ a church.

2. He expected them (to abstain) _______ from having sex for two weeks.

3. The pastor saw the elderly couple (to enter) _______ the church.

4. He let them (to pass over) _______ to the altar.

5. This made him (to sleep) _______ on the couch for a couple of nights.

6. He watched the wife (to try) _______ to reach for a can of corn.

7. He saw her (to pick) _______ the can up.

8. This made him (to take) _______ advantage of her right there.

9. Render the joke.