The Verger W. S.

Maugham

There had been a wedding that afternoon at St. Peter's Church, and Edward
Foreman still wore his verger's gown. He had been verger for 16 years and liked
his job. The verger was waiting for the vicar. The vicar had just been appointed.
He was a red-faced energetic man and the verger disliked him. Soon the vicar
came in and said: "Foreman, I've got something unpleasant to say to you. You
have been here a great many years and I think you've fulfilled your duties quite
satisfactorily here; but I found out a most striking thing the other day. I
discovered to my astonishment that you could neither read nor write. I think you
must learn, Foreman. " "I'm afraid I can't now, sir. I'm too old a dog to learn new
tricks." "In that case, Foreman, I'm afraid you must go." "Yes, sir, I quite
understand. I shall be happy to hand in my resignation as soon as you have
found somebody to take my place." Up to now Edward's face hadn't shown any
signs of emotion. But when he had closed the door of the church behind him his
lips trembled. He walked slowly with a heavy heart. He didn't know what to do
with himself. True, he had saved a small sum of money but it was not
enough to live on without doing something, and life cost more and more every
year. It occurred to him now that a cigarette would comfort him and since he was
not a smoker and never had any in his pockets he looked for a shop where he could
buy a packet of good cigarettes. It was a long street with all sorts of shops in it but
there was not a single one where you could buy cigarettes. "That's strange," said
Edward. "I can't be the only man who walks along the street and wants to have
a smoke," he thought. An idea struck him. Why shouldn't he open a little
shop there? "Tobacco and Sweets." "That's an idea," he said. "It is strange how
things come to you when you least expect it." He turned, walked home and had
his tea. "You are very silent this afternoon, Edward," his wife remarked. "I'm
thinking," he said. He thought the matter over from every point of view and
the next day he went to look for a suitable shop. And within a week the shop was
opened and Edward was behind the counter selling cigarettes. Edward Foreman did
very well. Soon he decided that he might open an other shop and employ a
manager. He looked for another long street that didn't have a tobacconist's in it
and opened another shop. This was a success too. In the course of ten years he
acquired no less than ten shops and was making a lot of money. Every Monday
he went to all his shops, collected the week's takings and took them to the bank.
One morning the bank manager said that he wanted to talk to him. "Mr. Foreman,
do you know how much money you have got in the bank?" "Weil, I have a rough
idea." "You have 30 thousand dollars and it's a large sum. You should invest it.
"We shall make you out a list of securities which will bring you a better rate of
interest than the bank can give you." There was a troubled look on Mr. Foreman's
face. "And what will I have to do?" "Oh, you needn't worry," the banker smiled.
"All you have to do is to read and to sign the papers." "That's the trouble, sir. I
can sign my name but I can't read." The manager was so surprised that he jumped
up from his seat, He couldn't believe his ears. "Good God, man, what would you
be if you had been able to read?!" "I can tell you that, sir," said Mr. Foreman. "I
would be verger of St. Peter's church."

NOTES:
verger – служитель в церкви; шіркеу қызметкері
vicar – викарий, заместитель, орынбасары
verger's gown – одежда служителя церкви, шікеу қызметкерінің киімі,
формасы
securities – ценные бумаги; құнды қағаздар
а better rate of interest – больше процентов, пайыз өсімі

I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions:
энергичный человек, белсенді адам - energetic man
недолюбливал, ұнатпайтын - disliked him
на днях, жақын күндерде - the other day
к своему изумлению, таң қала - to (one’s) my astonishment
подать прошение об отставке, отставкаға кету үшін өтініш беру - to hand in
my resignation
найти кого-то вместо меня, менің орныма басқа адамды табу - have found
somebody to take my place
до сих пор, осы күнге дейін - Up to now
признаки переживания, алаңдағанның ізі - signs of emotion
губы дрожали, еріндері дірілдеп - his lips trembled
скопить небольшую сумму денег, аздаған ақша қаражат жинау - had saved a
small sum of money
становилась дороже с каждым днем, әр күн сайын қымбат бола бастады - life
cost more and more every year
успокоит, көңілін жайландыру - would comfort him
ни одного магазина, бір де бір дүкен - there was not a single one
его осенило, оған ой келді - An idea struck him
со всех сторон, барлық жағынан – from every point of view
в течение недели, бір апта ішінде - within a week
нанять управляющего, меңгерушіні жалдау - employ a manager
приобрел не менее10 магазинов, 10 дүкеннен кем емес - he acquired no less
than ten shops
подписать документы, құжаттарға қол қою – to sign the papers
в том-то и беда, мәселе осында - That's the trouble
не поверил своим ушам, өз құлағына өзі сенбей - He couldn't believe his ears.

II Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from
the text and use them in the sentences of your own:
wear smth – носить что-л., бірнәрсе (киім) кию
be appointed – быть назначенным, тағайындалу
have something (un) pleasant to say – сказать что-нибудь (не)приятное,
жағымсыз, жағымды бірнәрсе айту
fulfill one's duties – выполнять свои обязанности, өз міндетін атқару
find out smth – узнать что-л., бірнәрсені анықтау, білу
neither... nor... – ни ... ни ... , не ... не ...
with a heavy heart – с тяжелым сердцем, жүрегінде ауырлық бар
to live on – чтобы жить, өмір сүру үшін
occur to smb – приходить в голову кому-л. басына бір ой келді
think smth over – обдумать что-л. ойластыру
be a success – быть успешным, сәтті болу
have a rough idea of smth – иметь приблизительное представление о чем-л., не
айтылатынын сезетін сияқтымын
a striking thing (idea) – поразительная вещь (идея), таңқаларлық нәрсе
to one's astonishment – к своему удивлению, қатты таң қалу
do well, invest money in smth – выполнять хорошо, вкладывать деньги во что-
л. жақсы орындау, ақшаны бір пайдалы іске салу

III Questions on the text:

1) For how long had Edward Foreman worked at St. Peter's Church?
2) What did the verger think of the new vicar?
3) What had the vicar become aware of?
4) Did the verger's face betray any emotions at first?
5) Did it really make no difference for him that he had to leave his position? Give
your grounds.
6) What caused his idea to open a tobacco shop?
7) "He thought the matter over from every point of view". What do you think he
may have considered?
8) His business was a success, wasn't it? Prove it.
9) How did Foreman accept the idea of investing his money?
10) What was it that made the banker jump up from his seat?

IV True or false?
1) The vicar said that the verger hadn't done his job properly that's why he had to
dismiss him.
2) Foreman promised to start learning to read.
3) The verger was a very reserved person and didn't show how offended he was by
the vicar's words.
4) The sum of money Edward had saved was enough to live on and he
didn't worry about work.
5) Edward didn't smoke that's why when he needed a cigarette he began looking
for a tobacconist's.
6) The new business brought Foreman no profit and he thought of giving it up.
7) Mr. Foreman hid it from the banker that he couldn't read and followed his
advice.

V Discuss the following:

1) "It's strange how things come to you when you least expect it." Comment on
this phrase. Has the same ever happened to you? Speak about it.
2) Describe how the verger's feelings and emotions have changed since the
moment he was awaiting the new vicar.
3) Mr. Foreman was a promising businessman. Why do you think he said he
would be a verger if he had been able to read?
4) "I'm too old a dog to learn new tricks." What did the verger mean saying these
words? Do you agree that there's an age limit for starting a new life?

VI Retell the text on the part of

1) Mr. Foreman,
2) the banker,
3) Edward’s wife.

VI Give the phonetic analyze of the following words: walk, energetic, other,
astonishment
For example:
1. The word ‘walk’ has 4 letters: w, a, l, k.
2. But it has 3 sounds: [w], [ɔ:], [k].
3. The transcription is [wɔ:k]
4. It is one syllable word.

Translate and give 3 forms of these verbs:

to wear –
to come –
to fulfill –
to find –
to discover –
to show –
to save –
to cost –
to strike –
to acquire –

Match the words in two columns to make word-combinations, then use them
in sentences of your own to describe the characters and events in the story:

energetic one’s resignation

the other emotion
to one’s a manager
to hand in comfort him
Up to a week
signs of the trouble
lips no less than ten shops
sum of man
life cost now
would day
there was trembled
An idea more
within the papers
employ not a single one
acquired astonishment
to sign money
That's struck him