Читать книгу Упрощебник английского языка - Рената Борисовна Либина - Страница 3

Когда американский астронавт Нейл Армстронг сделал первый шаг по Луне, никто ещё не знал, что главная проблема будет не с Луной, а с артиклем. Комментируя историческое событие, Армстронг сказал:

That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

Маленький шаг человека – большой прыжок человечества.

Точнее, Армстронг хотел это сказать. А вот сказал ли – до сих пор нерешённый вопрос. Потому что люди на Земле не услышали а перед man. А отсутствие крошечного артикля меняло смысл предложения. Лишённый а, человек – man означал «человек вообще» = человечество. Вместо красивой исторической фразы получалась довольно бессмысленная вещь: «Для человечества – это один маленький шаг, для человечества – большой прыжок». Сказал ли тогда Армстронг a или только подумал, неясно до сих пор.

Такая уж это загадочная часть речи – артикль. Иногда он заставляет сомневаться не только иностранцев, но и носителей языка.

Но во всём есть свои плюсы. Если уж проблемы с артиклем дошли до Луны, неносителям английского языка, тем более, позволено ошибаться. И всё-таки чаще всего артикли «поддаются дрессировке» и расстановке по местам.

Какие задачи решают артикли?

Слово артикль в переводе с латыни означает «раздел». Артикли разделяют существительные по разрядам. Например, в языке индейцев дакота один артикль означает все круглые предметы, другой – вытянутые, а третий – разбросанные в пространстве.

В английском тоже три артикля – a, the и ничего (отсутствие артикля).

Перед каждым существительным или его сочетанием с прилагательным обязательно должно быть a, the или ничего. Английские артикли показывают зачем мы говорим об этом предмете:

– хотим с ним познакомиться – ставим a,

– желаем на него указать – выбираем the,

– хотим вообразить – используем ничего.

A – артикль знакомства

Используем

1) При первом упоминании предмета или существа

A cat is on a mat,

The mat is red, the cat is glad.

2) Если хотим сказать «один из», «из разряда», «какой-то»

I have a pet,

It is a cat.

(У меня есть (существо) из разряда домашних животных,

Оно – из разряда котов.)

Поскольку а переводится как «один», во множественном числе этот артикль не употребляется. A tables означало бы «один столы». Там где нужно знакомить слушателей с предметами во множественном числе, используем ничего.

I have _ pets,

They are _ cats.

(У меня есть (существa) из разряда домашних животных,

Они – из разряда котов.)

The – артикль указания

The переводится «этот». Используем

1) со второго упоминания

A cat is on a mat,

The mat is red, the cat is glad.

2) если все и так знают, о ком (или о чём) речь

The taxi is waiting, hurry up!

3) если предмет – единственный в мире

The Sun, The Moon, The Hermitage, The Internet

4) если можно добавить «который»

That is the house, that Jack built.

5) если перед нами – привычные элементы быта (кубики жизненного конструктора, элементы городской или сельской среды). Про эти вещи мы всегда знаем, где их искать.

the doctor, the cinema, the police, the zoo, the park, the forest, the river

Ничего – артикль воображения

Ничего – артикль о самом важном. Чем важнее предмет – тем меньше церемоний, меньше артиклей. Самое главное – это то, что у нас в голове. То, что можно только вообразить. Или то, что постоянно занимает наши мысли.

1) Мама, папа (важнейшие родственники)

Mother, father, mom, dad и все другие вариации этих слов.

2) Еда, напитки, приёмы пищи, воздух, лекарства – всё полезное и вредное, что попадает внутрь (важнейшие условия жизни).

Let soup be delicious,

Let salad be tasteful,

Let cake make your wishes,

Eat up and be grateful.

3) То, что существует вообще, в принципе – то есть только у нас в голове. Про эти вещи можно сказать любой.

Hares like carrots.

(Вообще зайцы любят любую морковку)

I like music.

(Я люблю музыку в принципе. Не эту музыку (the music)и не одну из музык (a music), а музыку вообще.)

Это могут быть любимые (или не очень) занятия, звуки, виды, идеи – всё, что питает мысли и чувства, про что можно сказать «люблю/ не люблю», «хочу/ не хочу».

4) Места постоянного обитания (дом, работа, школа) – мы думаем о них постоянно, они у нас в голове и потому – без артикля.

At home, to home, at work, to work, at school, to school

Артикля нет, когда мы говорим об учреждениях, к которым принадлежим.

He doesn’t like to stay at school

Артикль есть, когда мы имеем в виду здания.

Despite the school has a swimming pool.

Ситуативная таблица

Артикли

Упражнения на артикли

1

Поставьте вместо пропусков the a (an), the или – .

While the auto waits (after O’Henry)

  ¹ __ girl in grey came again to that quite corner of ² __ park. She sat down on ³ __ bench and began to read ⁴ __ book. She had come here at ⁵ __ same hour on ⁶ __ previous day, and on ⁷ __ day before that, and there was ⁸ __ young man who knew it. ⁹ __ young man came nearer. At that moment her book fell on ¹⁰__ ground. ¹¹__ young man picked up ¹² __ book and returned it to ¹³ __ girl, saying ¹⁴ __ few words about ¹⁵ __ weather and stood waiting. ¹⁶ __ girl looked at his simple coat and his common face.

“You may sit down, if you like,” she said. “¹⁷ __ light is too bad for reading. I should like to talk”.

“Do you know,” he said, “that you are ¹⁸ __ finest girl I have seen.”

“Whoever you are,” said ¹⁹ __ girl in ²⁰ __ icy tone, “you must remember that I am ²¹ __ lady.”

“I beg you pardon,” said ²² __ young man, but – “

“Let's change ²³ __ subject. I come here to seat because it is here that I can be near the masses of people. I speak to you because I want to speak to ²⁴ __natural man. Oh! You don’t know how tired I am of all these – ²⁵ __dinners, ²⁶__ trips, ²⁷__ parties. I am tied of ²⁸ __pleasure, of ²⁹ __travel.”

“I always had ³⁰__ idea,” said ³¹__ young man, “that money can be ³² __ very good thing.”

“When you have so many millions! ³³ __theatres, ³⁴__ balls, ³⁵__ suppers! I am tired of it,” said ³⁶ __ young girl.

³⁷ __ young man looked at her with ³⁸ __interest. “Sometimes, continued ³⁹ __ girl, I think if I ever loved ⁴⁰ __ man I would love ⁴¹ __ simple man. What are you?”

“I am ⁴² __ very simple man. But I hope to rise in ⁴³ __ world. I work at ⁴⁴ __ restaurant.”

⁴⁵__ girl drew back. “I’m ⁴⁶ __ cashier at ⁴⁷ __ restaurant you see there with that brilliant electric sign.”

The girl looked at her watch and rose. “Why are you not at ⁴⁸ __work?” she asked.

“I am on night shift,” said ⁴⁹ __ young man, “may I hope to see you again?”

  “I don’t know. I must go now. Oh, there’s ⁵⁰ __dinner and ⁵¹ __ concert to-night. Perhaps you noticed ⁵² __ white auto at ⁵³ __ corner of ⁵⁴ __ park when you came?”

  “Yes, I did,” said the young man.

“I always come in it,” ⁵⁵ __ girl said,” ⁵⁶ __ driver is waiting for me there. Good night.”

“But it is dark now,” said young man. “May I accompany you to ⁵⁷ __ car?”

“You will remain on ⁵⁸ __ bench for ten minutes after I have left.”

  And she went away. ⁵⁹ __ young man looked at her elegant figure while she was going to ⁶⁰ __ entrance of ⁶¹ __ park. Then he rose and followed her. When she reached ⁶² __ park gate, she turned her head to look at ⁶³ __ car, then passed it, crossed ⁶⁴ __ street and entered ⁶⁵ __ restaurant. A red-haired girl left ⁶⁶ __ cashier’s desk and ⁶⁷ __ girl in grey took her place.

  ⁶⁸ The young man walked slowly down ⁶⁹ __ street. He got into ⁷⁰ __ white car and said to ⁷¹ __ driver: “Club, Henry.”

2

Поставьте вместо пропусков a (an), the или – .

On a Diet

First she gave up ¹__smoking,

Then she gave up ²__gin,

Then she gave up ³__chocolate cake,

She wanted to be thin.

Then she gave up ⁴__breakfast,

Then she gave up ⁵__lunch,

On ⁶__lazy Sunday mornings

She even gave up ⁷__brunch.

No matter what she gave up

Her skirts were very tight.

Cause she ate twelve cans of ⁸__tuna fish

For ⁹__dinner ¹⁰__every night.

3

Поставьте вместо пропусков a (an), the или – .

The last candidate

¹ entrance examinations at ²__ drama school were almost over. Many entrants had already given their performances. ³__ famous actors who were examining them were already so tired that it was not easy to impress them. Therefore when they saw ⁴__ last candidate appear on ⁵__ stage they only wanted him to finish his performance as quickly as possible.

Indeed ⁶__ young man’s acting made a poor expression on ⁷__ teachers. It was clear he wasn’t talented. His face couldn’t attract ⁸__ audience. Only his smile was pleasant and remained in ⁹__ memory. ¹⁰__ Rector of the school stopped ¹¹__ young man who was still performing something.

¹²__ entrant understood everything at once. “I haven’t passed my exam, haven’t I?” he asked. “I’m sorry to say not,” answered ¹³__ Rector. “Your see, it isn’t enough to know ¹⁴__ few poems and entertaining songs. ¹⁵__ actor must act. To act is to turn into another person on ¹⁶__ stage, but I’m afraid you can’t do it.” On his way ¹⁷__home that evening ¹⁸__ Rector remembered how ¹⁹__ boy was criticized for his performance and felt sorry for him. But he always told them ¹⁸__ truth.

¹⁹__ next day when ²⁰__ Rector was about to finish work he saw ²¹__ late visitor come into his office. ²²__ stranger was ²³__ elderly woman who was wearing ²⁴__ old hat and very thick glasses. Her face looked concerned. She said she wanted to talk to ²⁵__ Rector about her son. ²⁶__ old lady went on telling how much her son was prepared for his exam and how she had helped him. ²⁷__ case was difficult but still ²⁸__ Rector wanted the woman to hear ²⁹__ truth about her son. As soon as she stopped he began: “You see, ³⁰__ actor must act. To be ³¹__ actor is to turn into another person!” He hadn’t finished his sentence. ³²__ “old lady” took of her hat and glasses and smiled. It took ³³__ Rector a minute to remember where he had seen ³⁴__ young man’s face.

4

Поставьте вместо пропусков a (an), the или – .

The Power of Imagination

Mr. Brown liked it in America, but he liked traveling very much. He made trips to Europe and Asia, and he visited India too. Once after ¹__ long trip from England to America he arrived at ²__ small country place. There was ³__ small hotel there. Mr. Brown got to ⁴__ hotel late in ⁵__ evening. At ⁶__ hotel he asked ⁷__ receptionist whether there were any vacant rooms there.

At that moment another traveler came to ⁸__ hotel and asked for ⁹__ room too. ¹⁰__ receptionist checked if there were any vacant rooms. ¹¹__ only vacant room he could offer was ¹²__ double room.

“Will it be convenient to you if you share ¹³__ room?” ¹⁴__ receptionist asked. “It’ll be less expensive for you, you’ll each pay half.”

At first they didn’t like ¹⁵__ idea, but just then it began raining heavily, they were too tired to go to another hotel and agreed to spend ¹⁶__ night in ¹⁷__ same room. ¹⁸__ porter showed them to their room, took in their things and wished them ¹⁹__ good night. Soon the two men went to sleep. Suddenly Mr. Brown heard some noise. He opened his eyes but didn’t see anything. It was quite dark.

“What’s the matter? ” Mr. Brown asked in surprise. ²⁰__ second traveler answered, “I am very sorry, I had to wake you up. I’m not well. Please, open ²¹__ window quickly.”

Mr. Brown got out of bed and began looking for matches, but he couldn’t find them in ²²__ dark, so he tried to find ²³__ window. It had taken him some time until he found it. He pulled ²⁴__ window, but couldn’t open it. As the voice of ²⁵__ traveler became weaker and weaker, Mr. Brown took ²⁶__ chair and broke ²⁷__ pane. The man breathed in deeply and after a moment of ²⁸__ silence he told, “Thank you, I am much better”. Then the two of them slept until morning.

When they woke up ²⁹__ next morning ³⁰__ large mirror in ³¹__ room was broken to ³²__ pieces.

5

Поставьте вместо пропусков a (an), the или – .

The Best Driver

One of ¹__ largest construction companies in the States wanted a truck driver and advertised for one in ²__ newspaper. A week later ten candidates applied for ³__ job. They all brought ⁴__ excellent references from their former employers and were invited to ⁵__ first interview. Not all the applicants were successful and after ⁶__ first interview there were only three candidates on ⁷__ final shortlist.

⁸__ Personnel Manager asked ⁹__ first man:

"How near can you drive to ¹⁰__ edge of ¹¹__ precipice (обрыв) without going over?"

¹²__ driver said, "Within ¹³__ inch."

"Very well," said ¹⁴__ manager, "you can go now and I'll let you know about ¹⁵__ chances to get ¹⁶__ job."

¹⁷__ second man answering ¹⁸__ same question said, "I can drive within half 19__ inch of ²⁰__ edge, in ²¹__fact I have done it more than once."

When ²²__ third man came, ²³__ manager said: "Well, my man, and how near can you drive to ²⁴__ edge of ²⁵__ precipice without going over?"

"Indeed, sir, I have never tried and I don't want to."

"Ah," said ²⁶__manager, «You are just ²⁷__ sort of man we need».