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THE ABSENTMINDED ADMIRAL
An old admiral was famous in the navy for his bad temper, so everyone tried hard not to annoy him. One week, his ships were going to take part in a big international exercise, so he came on board in the evening, had his dinner and then went to bed. In the morning he had his breakfast early, came up to the bridge and examined the ships in his group carefully. Then he said angrily, “There should be two cruisers in this group, but I can only see one. Where’s the other?”
No one dared to answer, and this made the admiral even angrier. His face became redder and redder.
“Well?” he shouted. “What are you fools hiding from me? Where’s the second cruiser? What’s happened to it? Answer me!”
At last, a young sailor __________ and said:
“Please, Sir, you are on it.”
Варианты:
1. put his foot down
2. hung out his shingle
3. turned tail
4. plucked up his courage
navy военно-морской флот; temper характер, нрав; try hard очень стараться; annoy раздражать, сердить; exercise здесь: маневры; cruiser здесь: крейсер; well? здесь: ну? (выражение нетерпения)
Ключ:
Правильный ответ: plucked up his courage – собрался с духом, набрался храбрости.
Остальные идиомы означают:
1. put one’s foot down – занять твердую позицию; принять твердое решение; решительно воспротивиться чему-либо. Например: “He put his foot down and didn’t let her go out on a date.” – «Он проявил твердость и запретил ей идти на свидание».
2. hang out one’s shingle – заняться частной практикой (о враче или адвокате); shingle – «вывеска, дощечка с надписью»;
3. turn tail – обратиться в бегство, удрать, пуститься наутёк (испугавшись препятствий, трудностей и т. п.)