Черная курица, или Подземные жители / The Black Hen

2) Alyosha liked to read stories about hens and dogs.

3) Alyosha was fond of a white hen called Whitey.

4) The cook was a nice woman with a loud voice.

4 Complete the chart.

5 Answer the questions and speak about Alyosha.

1) How old was he? What do you know about his parents?

2) What books did he like? What did he do in the yard?

3) Why did he save Blacky from the cook? Was he a kind boy?

6 Speak for yourself.

1) How old are you? Do you have brothers or sisters?

2) What books do you read?

3) What presents do you like to get?

4) What do you do on your holidays?

Chapter 2

Two hours or so before the dinner the guests started to come. Alyosha wanted to see the inspector very much.

"He must be a famous knight," he thought. "I think he is young and tall and very brave."

But then Alyosha remembered the black hen. He saw the awful picture again: the cook with a knife, trying to catch his favourite hen.

"What did Blacky want to tell me?" he thought. "I can go to the hen-house. But not now. I must go to the dinner first. It is very important for the headmaster."

Soon the inspector came. The headmaster's wife saw him through the window. She told her husband about the important guest. Everything in the house started moving. The headmaster went out of the house to meet the inspector. The other guests followed him. Even Alyosha forgot about his hen. He came up to the window to see the noble knight. But he didn't see him: the inspector was already in the house.

A few minutes later the headmaster's wife opened the door of the drawing room. Alyosha came up to the door and saw … a little man in a grey suit!

"He is not a knight at all,"thought the boy.

Everyone sat down to have dinner. There were a lot of wonderful things on the table, but Alyosha ate very little. He couldn't stop thinking about his Blacky. After the dinner he came up to the headmaster and said:

"Can I go out to play in the yard?"

"Yes," said the headmaster, "but don't stay there long."

Alyosha put on his red coat and a green hat and ran out into the yard. It was four o'clock. The hens were already sleepy. They didn't even want to take new pieces of bread from the boy. Only Blacky was not sleepy. She came up to Alyosha at once.He played with the hen for a long time. Then it got dark: it was time for supper. Alyosha closed the door of the hen-house. The black hen looked at the boy. Her eyes were like two bright stars in the sky.

"Is she asking me to stay?" thought Alyosha. "No, it can't be!"

After supper Alyosha went to the classroom and sat there alone. The guests left at half past ten.Before that Alyosha went downstairs to the bedroom. He got into his bed. The boy put out the light. But he couldn't sleep. Some time later the headmaster entered the bedroom. He had a candle in his hand. He looked at Alyosha and left, closing the door.

Alyosha looked at the moon. All was quiet. Suddenly the boy heard a noise. He looked at the bed of his best friend and saw something strange. "The sheet on the bed is moving!" he thought. And then a voice called him quietly:

"Alyosha! Alyosha!"

Alyosha closed his eyes. He was alone in the bedroom. He was afraid to open his eyes.

"There is somebody under the bed," he thought, "but how can he know my name?"

Alyosha sat up in bed. The sheet started moving again. Somebody called him once more.Suddenly from under the white sheet came… the black hen!

"Oh! It's you, Blacky!" Alyosha cried. "How did you get here?"

Blacky flew up on his bed and said:

"Yes, it's me, Alyosha! You're not afraid of me, are you?"

"No, Blacky, I'm not afraid of you. You are my friend. It's nice to hear your voice. You can speak so well."

"If you are not afraid of me," said the hen, "come with me now. Please, put on your clothes. Quickly!"

"You are funny, Blacky!" said Alyosha. "How can I do that? It's so dark here. I don't see my clothes."

"OK. I have an idea," said the hen.

Then she said something in a strange voice. And suddenly Alyosha saw a lot of very small candles everywhere. The candles were on the floor, on the chairs, at the windows. It was no longerdark in the room. Alyosha put on his clothes. Then Blacky said something again, and the candles disappeared.

"Follow me!" she told him.

Helpful Words & Notes

drawing room— гостиная.

at all— совсем, вовсе.

at once— сразу же.

at half past ten— в половине одиннадцатого.

The boy put out the light. — Мальчик погасил свет.

once more— еще раз.

no longer— больше не.

Exercises

1 Say who:

1) wanted to see the inspector of schools.

2) saw the inspector through the window.

3) didn't want to take new pieces of bread from Alyosha.

4) left at half past ten.

5) entered Alyosha's bedroom with a candle in his hand.

6) said something in a strange voice.

7) put on his clothes.

2 Put the sentences in the right order.

1) Alyosha put on his coat and a hat and ran out into the yard.

2) Blacky came up to Alyosha at once.

3) "The sheet on the bed is moving!" thought the boy.

4) The headmaster went out of the house to meet the inspector.

5) Suddenly the boy heard a noise.

6) "Come with me now," said Blacky.

7) After supper Alyosha went to the classroom and sat there alone.

3 Choose right.

1) The headmaster's wife opened / closedthe door of the drawing room.

2) The inspector was a tall / smallman in a grey suit.

3) Alyosha couldn't stop thinking about the hen / coin.

4) Suddenly from under the sheet / bedcame the hen.

4 Fill in the prepositions.

1) Even Alyosha forgot ____ his hen.

2) The headmaster had a candle ____ his hand.

3) Alyosha looked ____ the moon.

4) The candles were ____ the floor and ____ chairs.

5) Alyosha put ____ his clothes and followed Blacky.

5 Fill in the words from the box.

moon grass stars dog

1) Blacky's eyes were like two bright ____.

2) The ____ today is like a big piece of cheese.

3) Blacky followed Alyosha around the yard like a ____.

4) Alyosha's hat was green like ____.

6 Explain why:

1) Alyosha couldn't go to the hen-house before the dinner.

2) the hens didn't want to play with Alyosha.

3) Alyosha couldn't put on his clothes at once.