Dealing With Criticism?

Dealing¹ With Criticism?

The people who like to think negatively, will cling to their conviction³, even in the face⁴ of the most obvious⁵ contradiction⁶. The story is told⁷ that when Robert Fulton gave the first public demonstration⁸ of a steamboat⁹, one man, who believed that it was impossible¹⁰  for a boat with no sails¹¹ to ever move,  was standing in the crowd¹², along the shore¹³, shouting¹⁴, "He can't start it!" Suddenly¹⁵ there was a belch of steam¹⁶ and the boat began to move forward slowly. Startled¹⁷, the man stared¹⁸ for a moment and then began to yell¹⁹, "He can't stop it!"

1.     dealing (to deal) – иметь дело, бороться

2.     cling – цепляться  

3.     conviction – убеждение

4.     in the face – (дословно: в лицо)  лицом к лицу

5.     obvious – очевидно

6.     contradiction – опровержение, противоречие

7.     the story is told – (дословно: история рассказана) говорят, рассказывают

8.     public demonstration – демонстрация для публики

9.     steamboat – пароход

10.                        impossible – невозможно

11.                        sails – паруса

12.                        crowd – толпа

13.                         along the shore – вдоль берега

14.                        shouting (to shout) – крича

15.                        suddenly – вдруг, внезапно

16.                        was a belch of steam – вырвался столб пара

17.                        startled – потрясенный, ошеломленный  

18.                        stared (to stare) –пялился, глазел  

19.                        yell - кричать

Used picture is taken from WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Say: "I Love You!"

Hey girls, it's 23d of February! Give your man some special attention. 

From her to him

Kiss him hello¹ at the door.

Picture in your mind² all the other women who would love³ to have him, & remind⁴ yourself that he chose you. It will make you realize⁵ how lucky you are.

After you use⁶ his car, fill the tank⁷ with gasoline⁸.

When he goes off to work, walk with him to the car once in awhile⁹.

Flirt¹⁰ with him at a party.  Wink¹¹ at him

Keep his picture in your wallet, on the dresser¹², or on your desk.

               

Smell¹³ good when he comes home from work.

Buy or make a card or a little gift for no special reason¹⁴. Wrap it up¹⁵ & give it to him lovingly¹⁶.

Wash his hair

Put your arms around him from the back. Tell him he smells nice. Massage his back a little.

Buy a black nightgown¹⁷.

Draw a bath¹⁸ for him, adding¹⁹ bubbles²⁰ or bath oil. Pin²¹ a flower in your hair. Light up²² some candles. Play geisha²³ & give him a bath with a big sponge.

Once in awhile, kiss his hands.

Massage his temples²⁴ when he has a headache²⁵ or hold him close²⁶ in bed when he feels down²⁷.

Once in awhile, wake him gently²⁸ with a kiss.

Make an effort²⁹ to be cheerful³⁰ even when you do not feel that way.

Learn as much as you can about his work.

Take a bike ride³¹ together. Build a snowman³² together. Wash the car or peel³³ potatoes  together.

Privacy³⁴ is important too.  Have separate hobbies, friends & times alone. Pushing too hard³⁵ to always stay together can be just as hard36 on a couple as too little time for each other

Never compare³⁷ him with old boyfriends, your father, or former³⁸ husband.

Pat³⁹ his back while riding behind him on the escalator⁴⁰.

Get up when he does in the morning. Try to look pretty & cheerful.

When the alarm rings in the morning, turn it off, put your arms around him & say, "I love you."

1.       Kiss him hello – поцелуйте его, приветствуя

2.       Picture in your mind – вообразите/представьте

3.       would love – очень бы хотел(и)

4.       remind – напоминать

5.       realize – осознавать

6.       use- пользоваться

7.       fill the tank – заполнить бак

8.       gasoline – бензин

9.       once in a while – иногда

10.    flirt – флиртовать

11.    wink – подмигивать

12.    dresser – туалетный столик

13.    smell – пахнуть

14.    for no special reason - безо всякой причины/просто так

15.    wrap up – обернуть

16.    lovingly (adverb from the word love) – ласково, с любовью

17.    nightgown – пеньюар

18.    вraw a bath – наполнить ванну

19.    adding (to add) – добавлять

20.    bubbles – пузырьки

21.    pin – приколоть

22.    light up – зажечь

23.    play geisha – притворитесь/поиграйте в гейшу

24.    temples - виски 

25.    headache – головная боль

26.    hold him close – обнимите его

27.    feels dawn – не чувствует себя хорошо

28.    gently – нежно

29.    make an effort – приложите усилие

30.    cheerful –веселый

31.    bike ride – кататься на велосипедах

32.    build a snowman – слепить снеговика

33.    peel – чистить/снимать кожуру

34.    privacy – уединение/время лично для себя

35.    pushing too hard – стараться слишком

36.    just as hard – также тяжело/невыносимо

37.    compare – сравнивать

38.    former – бывший

39.    pat – похлопывать

40.    escalator – эскалатор

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Two Cards for a Nickel

Two cards for a nickel¹.

What do you think brought success² in this story?

A travelling salesman³ went to an area, where he knew, of one prominent⁴ industrialist⁵, with whom the salesman really wanted to establish⁶ business relations⁷, but it was difficult to make an appointment⁸ with him. Entering the industrialist’s office, the salesman gave his card to the secretary. The secretary took the card to her boss and through⁹ a partly¹⁰ opened door the salesman saw that the executive¹¹ tore it in half¹² & threw¹³ it into the waste basket. The secretary returned and stated¹⁴ that her boss would not see him.

            "May I have my card back?" asked the salesman. Slightly¹⁵ embarrassed¹⁶, the secretary reported to her superior¹⁷ who sent her back out again with a nickel and a message that he was sorry, but the card had been destroyed¹⁸. More than equal to the occasion¹⁹, the salesman got another card from his wallet and gave it to girl. "Take this back to him," he said, "and tell him, I sell two cards for a nickel."

            He got his meeting with the industrialist and he got his order²⁰.

1.       nickel – монета в пять центов

2.       success – успех

3.       salesman – торговец, продавец

4.       prominent –видный, выдающийся

5.       industrialist – промышленник, предприниматель

6.       establish – установить

7.       business relations – деловые отношения

8.       to make an appointment – назначить встречу

9.       through – через

10.   partly – частично

11.   executive – руководитель

12.   tore it in half – разорвал наполовину

13.   threw (to throw) – выбросил

14.   stated (to state) – заявила

15.   slightly – немного

16.    embarrassed – смущенный

17.   superior – начальник

18.   destroyed (to destroy) – уничтожать, разрушать

19.   more than equal to the occasion (дословно: более чем равен положению) – не растерявшись, смекнув

20.   order – заказ

Just a Little Thistle?

Just a Little Thistle¹?

Have you ever² wondered³ why such unattractive plant like prickly⁵ thistle is the national emblem for Scotland?

Well⁶, there is a legend, coming from many centuries⁷ ago, of a  great army, invading⁸ Scotland. At night, they went silently⁹, close to Scottish camp¹⁰ and prepared to make  surprise attack. The Scots were sleeping, not knowing about the great danger¹¹ so near¹².

The enemies¹³, to make their advance¹⁴ even more noiseless¹⁵, went forward¹⁶ barefooted¹⁷

. But as they neared¹⁸, one unlucky guy stepped with his broad¹⁹ foot  squarely²⁰ on a thistle. A roar of pain²¹, sounded²² like a trumpet blast²³ through the sleeping camp. In a moment each Scottish soldier had grasped²⁴ his weapon²⁵, and the enemy has lost the battle²⁶.

So, if you are feeling too little and unimportant, to accomplish²⁷ anything significant²⁸ in life, think about that tiny thistle who played it’s own part²⁹ in saving³⁰ a whole nation.

1.       thistle – чертополох

2.       have you ever – вы когда нибудь… (+verb in past participle. Other examples: Have you ever seen a movie with Charlie Chaplin?; Have you ever won a loto?)

3.       wondered – задумывались, удивлялись

4.       unattractive (un + attractive) – непривлекательный, невзрачный (Other examples with un+: unpleasant – неприятный, unlucky – неудачный)

5.       prickly – колючий

6.       well – (in the beginning of a sentence) что ж.., ну…

7.       centuries (century) - век

8.       invading (to invade) – захватывать, вторгаться

9.       silently (silent) –тихо

10.    camp – лагерь

11.    danger – опасность

12.    so near – так близко

13.    enemies (enemy) – враги

14.    advance – наступление, продвижение

15.    noiseless (noisy + less) – бесшумный (Other examples with less: sleepless – бессонный; motionless – неподвижный)

16.    forward – вперед

17.    barefooted – на босую ногу

18.    neared – приближались

19.    broad – широкий, обширный

20.    squarely – прямо

21.    roar of pain – рев боли

22.    sounded (to sound) – прозвучал

23.    trumpet blast – звук трубы

24.    grasped (to grasp) – схватил

25.    weapon – оружие

26.    lost the battle – проиграть битву

27.    accomplish – достигать, свершать

28.    significant – значительное, важное

29.    own part – свою роль

30.    saving (to save) - спасать