The Book of Riddles. Лексические задачки - стр. 2

These are the paintings Max saw in the drawing room. Which of them hides the key?

An elephant tamer is talking to a journalist.

“I hear you used to tame other animals,” the journalist said.

“That’s right,” answered the elephant tamer. “I switched to elephants only a while ago. I have become shortsighted, you know.”

What animals did the tamer work with before he became shortsighted?

tamer укротитель; used to tame раньше дрессировали; that’s right совершенно верно; switch to переключиться на; a while ago некоторое время тому назад; shortsighted близорукий ◊ I have becomeshortsighted, you know. Я, видите-ли, стал близоруким

Johnny fell ill, and his mother called the famous doctor Pill.

“Are you really the famous doctor Pill?” the seven-year-old boy asked. “The one who spent several years in Africa treating wild animal?”

“The very same,” answered the doctor.

“Were you not eaten by cannibals?”

“No. Like they say, the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I’m still alive and kicking.”

fall (fell, fallen) ill заболеть; famous знаменитый; pill пилюля; treat лечить; wild дикий; the very same он самый; like they say как говорится; rumour слух, слухи; exaggerate преувеличивать ◊ the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated слухи о моей смерти сильно преувеличены; still всё ещё; alive and kicking жив и здоров

“Can you prove it?”

The doctor smiled.

“Prove what? That I’m alive?”

“No. That you’re really the famous doctor Pill.”

“Sure. Here. I hope this photo will convince you.”

The doctor took a photo out of his wallet and gave it to the boy.

Here is that photo:

prove доказывать; smile улыбаться; Here. Вот, держи (говорят, протягивая какой-либо предмет собеседнику); hope надеяться; convince убедить, убеждать; wallet бумажник

Johnny looked at the photo and said, “You’re a liar!”

“But Johnny,” his mother cut in. “How can you talk to the doctor like that?”

“But don’t you see that he is lying?” Johnny asked. “This photo is a fake! He has never been to Africa, and I can prove it!”

liar лжец; cut in вмешаться в разговор; How can you talk to the doctor like that? Как ты разговариваешь с доктором!?; don’tyousee неужели ты не видишь; lie лгать; fake подделка; clue ключ (к разгадке)

What made Johnny think that the doctor was lying? If you don’t know, this rebus may give you a clue.

After the summer holidays, the teacher asked her class to write an essay on how and where the children had spent their vacation. Johnny worked on his essay for almost an hour, yet he wasn’t sure how the teacher would take it.