The Escape by W. S.

Maugham

Read the story with correct stress, intonation

I have always believed that if a woman made up her mind to marry a man nothing
could save him. I have only once known a man who in such circumstances
managed to save himself. His name was Roger Charing. He was no longer
young when he fell in love with Ruth Barlow and he had had enough experience to
make him careful; but Ruth Barlow had a gift that makes most men defenseless. This
was the gift of pathos. Mrs. Barlow was twice a widow. She had splendid dark eyes
and they were the most moving I ever saw. They seemed to be always on the point of
filling with tears and you felt that her sufferings had been impossible to bear. If you
were a strong fellow with plenty of money, like Roger Charing, you should say to
yourself: I must stand between the troubles of life and this helpless little thing. Mrs.
Barlow was one of those unfortunate persons with whom nothing goes right. If she
married the husband beat her; if she employed a broker he cheated her; if she took a
cook she drank. When Roger told me that he was going to marry her, I wished him
joy. As for me I thought she was stupid and as hard as nails. Roger introduced her
to his friends. He gave her lovely jewels. He took her everywhere. Their marriage
was announced for the nearest future. Roger was very pleased with himself, he was
committing a good action. Then suddenly he fell out of love. I don't know why.
Perhaps that pathetic look of hers ceased to touch his heartstrings. He realized that
Ruth Barlow had made up her mind to marry him and he swore that nothing
would make him marry her. Roger knew it wouldn't be easy. Roger didn't show
that his feelings to Ruth Barlow had changed. He remained attentive to all her
wishes, he took her to dine at restaurants, he sent her flowers, he was charming. They
were to get married as soon as they found a house that suited them; and they started
looking for residences. The agents sent Roger orders to view and he took Ruth to see
some houses. It was very difficult to find anything satisfactory. They visited house
after house. Sometimes they were too large and sometimes they were too small;
sometimes they were too far from the center and sometimes they were too close;
sometimes they were too expensive and sometimes they wanted too many repairs;
sometimes they were too stuffy and sometimes they were too airy. Roger always
found a fault that made the house unsuitable. He couldn't let his dear Ruth to live
in a bad house. Ruth began to grow peevish. Roger asked her to have patience. They
looked at hundreds of houses; they climbed thousands of stairs. Ruth was
exhausted and often lost her temper. For two years they looked for houses. Ruth
grew silent, her eyes no longer looked beautiful and pathetic. There are limits to
human patience. "Do you want to marry me or do you not?" she asked him one day.
"Of course I do. We'll be married the very moment we find a house. " "I don't feel
well enough to look at any more houses." Ruth Barlow took to her bed. Roger
remained gallant as ever. Every day he wrote her and told her that he had heard of
another house for them to look at. A week later he received the following letter:
'Roger — I do not think you really love me. I've found someone who really wants to
take care of me and I am going to be married to him today. Ruth.' He sent back his
reply: 'Ruth — I'll never get over this blow. But your happiness must be my first
concern. I send you seven addresses. I am sure you'll find among them a house that
will exactly suit you. Roger.'

Notes:
widow – вдова, жесір әйел
as hard as nails – упрямая, бірбеткей
orders to view – смотровые ордера, қараушы ордеры

Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions:
при таких обстоятельствах, мұндай жағдайда - in such circumstances
был уже не молод, жас емес - no longer young
он был достаточно опытен, ол неғұрлым тәжірибелілеу болды - he had had
enough experience
беззащитный, қорғансыз - defenseless
трогательный, әсерлі - moving
беспомощное создание, қорғансыз бейне - helpless little thing
всегда что-то происходит, әрқашан бірнәрсе болады да тұрады - nothing goes
right
обмануть, алдау – to cheat
ақымақтау және қатайып алатын бірбеткей, она глупа и тверда как гвоздь - she
was stupid and as hard as nails
повсюду возил ее, барлық жерде оны алып жүрді - took her everywhere
совершал доброе дело, қайырымды істер жасайтын - was committing a good
action
перестал затрагивать струны его сердца, оның жүрегінен орын алмады -
ceased to touch his heartstrings
ничто не заставит его, ешнәрсе оны мәжбүрлей алмады - nothing would
make him marry her
продолжал внимать всем ее желаниям, оның барлық қалауларын орындауды
жалғастырды - remained attentive to all her wishes
подходящий дом, сай келетін үй - a house that suited them
требовали ремонта, жөндеуді қажет етті - wanted too many repairs
кейде ауасы таза емес, иногда они были слишком душными - sometimes they
were too stuffy
а кейде тым желді, а иногда слишком воздушными - and sometimes they were
too airy
находил неисправность, которая дом сделала непригодным, үйді алмаудың
амалымен қайдағы бір ақауларды таба берді - found a fault that made the house
unsuitable
измученная, шаршаған - was exhausted
уже не выглядели, олай көрінбеді - no longer looked
есть пределы человеческому терпению, шыдамның да шегі бар - There are
limits to human patience/
слегла, жатып қалды - took to her bed
оправиться от удара, бұл соққыға шыдамай – get over this blow
Give equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use
them in the sentences of your own:
make up one's mind – решиться, шешу, шешім шығару
fall in (out of) love with - влюбиться (разлюбить) в, ғашық болу, ғашық болмау
have a gift – иметь дар, дарыны болу
splendid eyes - великолепные глаза, керемет көздер
be on the point of smth - быть на грани чего-л., шектен шығу
bear sufferings - терпеть страдания, қиналу
employ smb - нанимать кого-л., жалдау
introduce smb to smb - представить кого-л. кому-л., таныстыру
announce smth - объявить что-л., хабарлау
swear – поклясться, ант беру
start doing smth - начать делать что-л., істі бастау
be far (close) from the center - быть далеко (близко) от центра, орталықтан
алыс болу
a stuffy (airy) house - душный (воздушный) дом, желді үй
find faults - найти недостатки, кемшіліктерін табу
have patience - иметь терпение, шыдамы болу
lose one's temper - выйти из себя, жарылу
take care of smb - заботиться о ком-л., қорғаныш болу
be one's first concern - быть первой заботой, ең бірінші жасайтын ісі

Give the definitions to the following words and word expressions:

circumstances – It is a fact or condition connected with or relevant to an event or
action. Syn. situation, conditions
defenseless -
the gift of pathos -
sufferings -
a strong fellow -
a broker –
to cheat smb -
to announce -
to be committing a good action -
to touch his heartstrings -
to be charming -

Questions on the text:

1) How old was Roger Charing when he fell in love?
2) What gift did Ruth Barlow possess?
3) Describe Ruth Barlow. Why does the author call her "an unfortunate person"?
4) How did Roger court Ruth Barlow?
5) Why was he pleased with himself?
6) Why did his feelings suddenly change and what did he swear?
7) Why didn't Ruth feel that his attitude towards her had changed?
8) What was Roger's plan? In what way did he put it into life?
9) How many houses did they visit and what faults did Roger find?
10) What had changed in Ruth's disposition by the time she began to doubt if
Roger would marry her?
11) What was Ruth's letter about?
12) Prove that Roger was stuck to his plan to the end.

Reread the text to answer the following questions on its style and composition.
1. In what way does the story begin? Is the reader's interest awakened at once? If so,
how does the author achieve it?
2. What is gained by telling the story in the first person? From whose point of view is
it told? Point out the passages reflecting the narrator's attitude, Roger's and the
author's. Is the author detached in his attitude to Ruth? Prove your point.
3. Is the plot an important feature of the story? Indicate briefly the stages by which
the narrative is unfolded.
4. Does the story end as the reader expects? Point out passages aiming at suspense.
5. Is the title appropriate? Does it reflect the point of the story? What words and
phrases give atmosphere to the story in descriptions of human appearance,
characters, human relations? (Make up lists.)
6. Do you regard "The Escape" as a typical specimen of Somerset Maugham's prose?

Discuss the following:

1) Was Roger really in love with Ruth Barlow or was he only committing a good
action?
2) Comment on Roger Charing's plan. Do you find it interesting?
3) Was Roger a good psychologist? Prove it by the facts from the story.
4) Follow through the text how the author shows his attitude to the main heroes.

Retell the story on the part of 1) Roger, 2) Ruth, 3) one of Roger's close friends.

Pay attention and study terminology

В английской речи используются две основные интонационные конструкции.

Когда вы выражаете законченную мысль или категоричное утверждение,
используйте нисходящий тон. Сомнение, неуверенность в высказывании,
вопрос выражены восходящим тоном.

Ағылшын тілінде сөйлеуде екі негізгі интонациялық құрылым қолданылады.

Сөйлегенде аяқталған толық ойды немесе үзілді кесілді мәлімдемені
білдіргенде, дауыс төмен түседі, яғни дауыстың төмен тонын
пайдаланамыз. Сөйлегенде дауысында күмән, сенімсіздік, белгісіздік сұрағы
болса дауыс жоғары көтеріледі, яғни дауыстың жоғары тонын
пайдаланамыз.
 In English speech, two main intonational structures are used. When you are
expressing a complete thought or a categorical statement, use a falling tone.
Doubt, uncertainty in the statement, the question is expressed in a rising tone.

The Falling Tone

Нисходящий тон обычно используется в следующих случаях предложениях:

Дауыстың төмен түсуі келесі сөйлемдерде қолданылады:
The falling tone is usually used in the following sentences:

 в конце восклицательных, лепті сөйлем соңында, at the end of exclamations –

What a beautiful ↓ day!
 в конце кратких повествовательных, қысқа хабарлы сөйлемде, at the end of
short narratives – I will be ↓ there
 в конце повелительных, бұйрықты сөйлем соңында, at the end of the
imperative – Leave me ↓ alone!
 в конце специальных вопросов, арнайы сұраулы сөйлемдерде, at the end of
special questions – Where did you ↓ get it?
 в приветствиях, амандасуларда, in greetings – Good ↓ morning!
 при выделении обращения в начале предложения, сөйлем басындағы қаратпа
сөздерде, when highlighting an appeal at the beginning of a sentence – ↓ John,
where have you been?
 при выделении приложения в конце предложения, сөйлем соңындағы
қосымшаларды айқындай түскенде, when highlighting an application at the end
of a sentence — This is Mr. Braun, ↓ my teacher

The Rising Tone

Восходящий тон обозначает неуверенность, неопределенность. Он

используется при интонировании…
Дауыстың жоғары көтерілуі сөйлегенде дауысында күмән, сенімсіздік,
белгісіздікті білдіреді және келесі сөйлемдерде қолданылады....
Rising tone denotes uncertainty, indeterminacy. It is used for intonation of …

 обстоятельства в начале предложения, сөйлем басындағы пысықтауышты

айқындауда, circumstances at the beginning of a sentence – Last ↑ Friday I was
at home.
 распространенного подлежащего, ортақ бастауышты айқындауда, common
subject – Me and my ↑ family were on the beach
 однородных членов предложения при перечислении, біріңғай сөйлем
мүшелерін айқындауда, homogeneous members of the sentence when listed –
There are ↑ fruits, ↑ meat and ↑ soft drinks in the refrigerator
 общих вопросов, жалпы сұраулы сөйлемдерде, general questions – Have you
ever seen a ↑ tiger?
 повелительных предложений с вежливой просьбой, өтініп сұрайтын
бұйрықты сөйлемдерде, imperative sentences with a polite request – Could you
pass me a ↑piece of cake, please?
 прощаний, слов благодарности, қоштасу сөздері мен алғыс айтуда, farewells,
words of gratitude – ↑ Thank you!