Let's Have a Picnic

Picnics are popular with women and children and some men who know how to make a fire. Children are fond of picnics chiefly because, as a rule, there are no tables at picnics and consequently no table manners and because they have an excellent opportunity to eat things that do not agree with them. Since picnic lunches are always just about the same and therefore require little imagination, women do not have to trouble about thinking up a meal.

Much depends, of course, upon the day. Typical picnic weather is of three kinds. Either it is dark and threatening with occasional showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon or it is hot and clear in the morning, with thunder showers in the afternoon; or there is a steady drizzle all day long. But as most of the lunch is prepared ahead of time, nothing much can be done about it. After all, there is not much choice between eating a picnic lunch that has waited a day or two and getting a soaking. Picnic grounds are usually situated on a body of water at some high altitude. One of these features is essential, for no picnic can be a success unless the children have something to fall into, or fall off. Also, a body of water naturally suggests taking fishing tackles along. No fish was ever known to have been caught on a picnic, but fishing serves as an excellent excuse for getting out of the way while the heavy work is being done.

Quite the most important feature of the picnic is the lunch. Fried chicken is always popular... Then there should be hard-boiled eggs. Almost everything else that comes in a can or a paper bag is good for a picnic lunch. These containers are very important as, after the contents have been eaten, they are strewn about and identify the picnic ground. Ginger ale, too, should be brought along to remind you that you left the bottle-opener at home. However, there is always at least one person present who knows how to open a bottle on a rock.

As soon as the food and other equipment have been unpacked it is in order to start a fire. Collecting wood provides occupation for people who do not know how to amuse themselves.

After the lunch has been eaten a picnic is mostly anticlimax. But there is always the possibility of someone nearly getting drowned or running into a hornets' nest or twisting an ankle. However, you must remain until well into afternoon, or you may not appear to have had a good lime. To make matters worse, someone will suggest singing.

Picnics, whatever may be said against them, have their advantages. At least they reawaken in the hearts of many the truth of the old saying that there is no place like home.

(S. M. G. From "Humour Variety. Stories,

Jokes, Cartoons", No. 2, London)

XXXII. Read and translate the following story which is not finished, give a title and your own ending to it:

The morning we left Liverpool the weather was very fine and we were going to have a very pleasant time. The captain told us it would be warm and calm all the way to New York. I still remember some of the passengers. There was an old lady who was going to visit her son in Boston. Then there was a man who was going to start a new life in Canada. They both went down with the ship. The first and second days were very nice. I thought I would soon have a fine suntan. Then, on the second evening the captain told us that the weather was going to be a bit worse than expected, but it wouldn't last long.

It turned very nasty on the third day. None of us had any idea how bad it was going to get. By the time it was evening, it was really terrible.

Everybody stayed in their cabins on the fourth day. The storm was impossible to describe by then. Suddenly I felt a jolt.

(From "English in Situations" by R. O'Neill.

London Oxford University Press)

XXXIII. a) Watch Film Segment Five "The Picnic". b) Watch the film segment again to find the English equivalents to the following:

растворимый кофе; пиво в банках; снимать (делать фото); моментальный снимок; с континента; линза (объектив); закопать мусор.

С) Answer your teacher's questions on the content of the film segment. d) Listen to the sound track recording of Segment Five. Make up the dialogue between Mrs. Brown and Margaret on the phone. Get ready to ask and answer questions on the content of Segment Five. Write a short account of what happened at the picnic.

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