10 shorts stories by O. Henry. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Perhaps you have seen the kind of looking-glass that is placed in $8 furnished rooms. It was very narrow. A person could see only a little of himself at a time |за раз|. However, if he was very thin and moved very quickly, he might be able to get a good view of himself. Della, being |будучи| quite thin, had mastered this art.

Suddenly she turned from the window and stood before the glass. Her eyes were shining brightly, but her face had lost its color. Quickly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its complete length.

The James Dillingham Youngs |обычный для английского языка способ назвать семью по имени мужчины. Главное здесь – это поставить впереди артикль the, и фамилию во множественном числе| were very proud of two things which they owned. One thing was Jim’s gold watch. It had once belonged to his father. And, long ago, it had belonged to his father’s father. The other thing was Della’s hair.

If a queen had lived in the rooms near theirs, Della would have washed and dried her hair where the queen could see it |если б сама королеважила.

., Деллабымылаисушила.., ноэтоврядлиосуществимо. Самый сложный вид условного предложения: если бы раньше было так, то теперь бы все было так. После if должно быть had и третья форма глагола, во второй части предложения: would или модальный глагол, потом have и третья форма глагола|. Della knew her hair was more beautiful than any queen’s jewels and gifts.

If a king had lived in the same house, with all his riches |со всеми его богатствами|, Jim would have looked at his watch every time they met.

Jim knew that no king had anything so valuable.

So now Della’s beautiful hair fell about her, shining like a falling stream of brown water. It reached below her knee. It almost made itself into a dress for her |волосы у нее былитакиегустыеидлинные, чтоокутывалиеекакплатье|.

And then she put it up on her head again, nervously and quickly. Once she stopped for a moment and stood still |замерла| while a tear or two ran down her face.

She put on her old brown coat.

She put on her old brown hat. With the bright light still in her eyes, she moved quickly out the door and down to the street.

Where she stopped, the sign said: “Mrs. Sofronie. Hair Articles of all Kinds.”

Up to the second floor Della ran, and stopped to get her breath |…взбежала…перевести дух|.

Mrs. Sofronie, large, too white, cold-eyed, looked at her.

“Will you buy my hair?” asked Della.

“I buy hair,” said Mrs. Sofronie.