wɛn ʤeɪn ænd ɪˈlɪzəbəθ wɜːr əˈləʊn, ðə ˈfɔːmə, huː hæd biːn ˈkɔːʃəs ɪn hɜː preɪz ɒv Mr. ˈbɪnɡliː bɪˈfɔː, ɪkˈsprɛst tuː hɜː ˈsɪstə haʊ ˈvɛri mʌʧ ʃiː ədˈmaɪəd hɪm.

“hiː ɪz ʤʌst wɒt ə jʌŋ-mæn ɔːt tuː biː,” sɛd ʃiː, “ˈsɛnsəbᵊl, ˈɡʊdˈhjuːməd, ˈlaɪvli; ænd aɪ ˈnɛvə sɔː sʌʧ ˈhæpi ˈmænəz! səʊ mʌʧ iːz, wɪð sʌʧ ˈpɜːfɛkt ɡʊd ˈbriːdɪŋ!”

“hiː ɪz ˈɔːlsəʊ ˈhænsəm,” rɪˈplaɪd ɪˈlɪzəbəθ, “wɪʧ ə jʌŋ mæn ɔːt ˈlaɪkwaɪz tuː biː ɪf hiː ˈpɒsəbli kæn. hɪz ˈkærəktər ɪz ˈðeəˈbaɪ kəmˈpliːt.”

“aɪ wɒz ˈvɛri mʌʧ ˈflætəd baɪ hɪz ˈɑːskɪŋ miː tuː dɑːns ə ˈsɛkənd taɪm. aɪ dɪd nɒt ɪkˈspɛkt sʌʧ ə ˈkɒmplɪmənt.”

“dɪd nɒt juː? aɪ dɪd fɔː juː. bʌt ðæt ɪz wʌn ɡreɪt ˈdɪfᵊrᵊns bɪˈtwiːn ʌs. ˈkɒmplɪmənts ˈɔːlweɪz teɪk juː baɪ səˈpraɪz, ænd miː ˈnɛvə. wɒt kʊd biː mɔː ˈnæʧᵊrᵊl ðæn hɪz ˈɑːskɪŋ juː əˈɡɛn? hiː kʊd nɒt hɛlp ˈsiːɪŋ ðæt juː{19} wɜːr əˈbaʊt faɪv taɪmz æz ˈprɪti æz ˈɛvri ˈʌðə ˈwʊmən ɪn ðə ruːm. nəʊ θæŋks tuː hɪz ˈɡæləntri fɔː ðæt. wɛl, hiː ˈsɜːtnli ɪz ˈvɛri əˈɡrɪəbᵊl, ænd aɪ ɡɪv juː liːv tuː laɪk hɪm. juː hæv laɪkt ˈmɛni ə ˈstjuːpɪdə ˈpɜːsᵊn.”

“dɪə ˈlɪzi!”

“əʊ, juː ɑːr ə ɡreɪt diːl tuː æpt, juː nəʊ, tuː laɪk ˈpiːpᵊl ɪn ˈʤɛnᵊrᵊl. juː ˈnɛvə siː ə fɔːlt ɪn ˈɛniˌbɒdi. ɔːl ðə wɜːld ɑː ɡʊd ænd əˈɡrɪəbᵊl ɪn jɔːr aɪz. aɪ ˈnɛvə hɜːd juː spiːk ɪl ɒv ə ˈhjuːmən ˈbiːɪŋ ɪn maɪ laɪf.”

“aɪ wʊd wɪʃ nɒt tuː biː ˈheɪsti ɪn ˈsɛnʃərɪŋ ˈɛniwʌn; bʌt aɪ ˈɔːlweɪz spiːk wɒt aɪ θɪŋk.”

“aɪ nəʊ juː duː: ænd ɪt ɪz ðæt wɪʧ meɪks ðə ˈwʌndə. wɪð jɔː ɡʊd sɛns, tuː biː səʊ ˈɒnɪstli blaɪnd tuː ðə ˈfɒliz ænd ˈnɒnsᵊns ɒv ˈʌðəz! ˌæfɛkˈteɪʃᵊn ɒv ˈkændər ɪz ˈkɒmən ɪˈnʌf; wʌn miːts wɪð ɪt ˈɛvriweə. bʌt tuː biː ˈkændɪd wɪˈðaʊt ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃᵊn ɔː dɪˈzaɪn,—tuː teɪk ðə ɡʊd ɒv ˈɛvribɒdiz ˈkærəktər ænd meɪk ɪt stɪl ˈbɛtə, ænd seɪ ˈnʌθɪŋ ɒv ðə bæd,—bɪˈlɒŋz tuː juː əˈləʊn. ænd səʊ, juː laɪk ðɪs mænz ˈsɪstəz, tuː, duː juː? ðeə ˈmænəz ɑː nɒt ˈiːkwəl tuː hɪz.”

“ˈsɜːtnli nɒt, æt fɜːst; bʌt ðeɪ ɑː ˈvɛri ˈpliːzɪŋ ˈwɪmɪn wɛn juː kənˈvɜːs wɪð ðɛm. mɪs ˈbɪnɡliː ɪz tuː lɪv wɪð hɜː ˈbrʌðə, ænd kiːp hɪz haʊs; ænd aɪ æm mʌʧ mɪˈsteɪkᵊn ɪf wiː ʃæl nɒt faɪnd ə ˈvɛri ˈʧɑːmɪŋ ˈneɪbər ɪn hɜː.”

ɪˈlɪzəbəθ ˈlɪsᵊnd ɪn ˈsaɪləns, bʌt wɒz nɒt kənˈvɪnst: ðeə bɪˈheɪvjər æt ði əˈsɛmbli hæd nɒt biːn ˈkælkjəleɪtɪd tuː pliːz ɪn ˈʤɛnᵊrᵊl; ænd wɪð mɔː ˈkwɪknəs ɒv ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃᵊn ænd lɛs ˈplaɪᵊnsi ɒv ˈtɛmpə ðæn hɜː ˈsɪstə, ænd wɪð ə ˈʤʌʤmənt, tuː, ˌʌnəˈseɪld baɪ ˈɛni əˈtɛnʃᵊn tuː hɜːˈsɛlf, ʃiː wɒz ˈvɛri ˈlɪtᵊl dɪˈspəʊzd tuː əˈpruːv ðɛm. ðeɪ wɜː, ɪn fækt, ˈvɛri faɪn ˈleɪdɪz; nɒt dɪˈfɪʃᵊnt ɪn ɡʊd-ˈhjuːmə wɛn ðeɪ wɜː pliːzd, nɔːr ɪn ðə ˈpaʊə{20} ɒv ˈbiːɪŋ əˈɡrɪəbᵊl weə ðeɪ ʧəʊz ɪt; bʌt praʊd ænd kənˈsiːtɪd. ðeɪ wɜː ˈrɑːðə ˈhænsəm; hæd biːn ˈɛʤʊkeɪtɪd ɪn wʌn ɒv ðə fɜːst ˈpraɪvət ˈsɛmɪnᵊriz ɪn taʊn; hæd ə ˈfɔːʧuːn ɒv ˈtwɛnti ˈθaʊzənd paʊndz; wɜːr ɪn ðə ˈhæbɪt ɒv ˈspɛndɪŋ mɔː ðæn ðeɪ ɔːt, ænd ɒv əˈsəʊsieɪtɪŋ wɪð ˈpiːpᵊl ɒv ræŋk; ænd wɜː, ˈðeəfɔː, ɪn ˈɛvri rɪˈspɛkt ɪnˈtaɪtᵊld tuː θɪŋk wɛl ɒv ðəmˈsɛlvz ænd ˈmiːnli ɒv ˈʌðəz. ðeɪ wɜːr ɒv ə rɪˈspɛktəbᵊl ˈfæmɪli ɪn ðə nɔːθ ɒv ˈɪŋɡlənd; ə ˈsɜːkəmstɑːns mɔː ˈdiːpli ɪmˈprɛst ɒn ðeə ˈmɛmᵊriz ðæn ðæt ðeə ˈbrʌðəz ˈfɔːʧuːn ænd ðeər əʊn hæd biːn əˈkwaɪəd baɪ treɪd.

Mr. ˈbɪnɡliː ɪnˈhɛrɪtɪd ˈprɒpəti tuː ði əˈmaʊnt ɒv ˈnɪəli ə ˈhʌndrəd ˈθaʊzənd paʊndz frɒm hɪz ˈfɑːðə, huː hæd ɪnˈtɛndɪd tuː ˈpɜːʧəs ən ɪˈsteɪt, bʌt dɪd nɒt lɪv tuː duː ɪt. Mr. ˈbɪnɡliː ɪnˈtɛndɪd ɪt ˈlaɪkwaɪz, ænd ˈsʌmtaɪmz meɪd ʧɔɪs ɒv hɪz ˈkaʊnti; bʌt, æz hiː wɒz naʊ prəˈvaɪdɪd wɪð ə ɡʊd haʊs ænd ðə ˈlɪbəti ɒv ə ˈmænə, ɪt wɒz ˈdaʊtfʊl tuː ˈmɛni ɒv ðəʊz huː bɛst njuː ði ˈiːzɪnəs ɒv hɪz ˈtɛmpə, ˈwɛðə hiː maɪt nɒt spɛnd ðə rɪˈmeɪndər ɒv hɪz deɪz æt Netherfield, ænd liːv ðə nɛkst ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃᵊn tuː ˈpɜːʧəs.

hɪz ˈsɪstəz wɜː ˈvɛri ˈæŋkʃəs fɔː hɪz ˈhævɪŋ ən ɪˈsteɪt ɒv hɪz əʊn; bʌt ðəʊ hiː wɒz naʊ ɪˈstæblɪʃt ˈəʊnli æz ə ˈtɛnənt, mɪs ˈbɪnɡliː wɒz baɪ nəʊ miːnz ʌnˈwɪlɪŋ tuː prɪˈzaɪd æt hɪz ˈteɪbᵊl; nɔː wɒz Mrs. hɜːst, huː hæd ˈmærɪd ə mæn ɒv mɔː ˈfæʃᵊn ðæn ˈfɔːʧuːn, lɛs dɪˈspəʊzd tuː kənˈsɪdə hɪz haʊs æz hɜː həʊm wɛn ɪt ˈsjuːtɪd hɜː. Mr. ˈbɪnɡliː hæd nɒt biːn ɒv eɪʤ tuː jɪəz wɛn hiː wɒz ˈtɛmptɪd, baɪ ən ˌæksɪˈdɛntᵊl ˌrɛkəmɛnˈdeɪʃᵊn, tuː lʊk æt Netherfield haʊs. hiː dɪd lʊk æt ɪt, ænd ˈɪntuː ɪt, fɔː hɑːf ən aʊə; wɒz pliːzd wɪð ðə ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃᵊn ænd ðə ˈprɪnsəpᵊl ruːmz, ˈsætɪsfaɪd wɪð wɒt ði ˈəʊnə sɛd ɪn ɪts preɪz, ænd tʊk ɪt ɪˈmiːdiətli.

bɪˈtwiːn hɪm ænd ˈdɑːsi ðeə wɒz ə ˈvɛri ˈstɛdi{21} ˈfrɛndʃɪp, ɪn spaɪt ɒv ə ɡreɪt ˌɒpəˈzɪʃᵊn ɒv ˈkærəktə. ˈbɪnɡliː wɒz ɪnˈdɪəd tuː ˈdɑːsi baɪ ði ˈiːzɪnəs, ˈəʊpnnəs, ænd dʌkˈtɪləti ɒv hɪz ˈtɛmpə, ðəʊ nəʊ ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃᵊn kʊd ˈɒfər ə ˈɡreɪtə ˈkɒntrɑːst tuː hɪz əʊn, ænd ðəʊ wɪð hɪz əʊn hiː ˈnɛvər əˈpɪəd ˌdɪsˈsætɪsfaɪd. ɒn ðə strɛŋθ ɒv ˈdɑːsiz rɪˈɡɑːd, ˈbɪnɡliː hæd ðə ˈfɜːmɪst rɪˈlaɪəns, ænd ɒv hɪz ˈʤʌʤmənt ðə ˈhaɪɪst əˈpɪnjən. ɪn ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ, ˈdɑːsi wɒz ðə suːˈpɪəriə. ˈbɪnɡliː wɒz baɪ nəʊ miːnz dɪˈfɪʃᵊnt; bʌt ˈdɑːsi wɒz ˈklɛvə. hiː wɒz æt ðə seɪm taɪm ˈhɔːti, rɪˈzɜːvd, ænd fæsˈtɪdiəs; ænd hɪz ˈmænəz, ðəʊ wɛl brɛd, wɜː nɒt ɪnˈvaɪtɪŋ. ɪn ðæt rɪˈspɛkt hɪz frɛnd hæd ˈɡreɪtli ði ədˈvɑːntɪʤ. ˈbɪnɡliː wɒz ʃɔːr ɒv ˈbiːɪŋ laɪkt weəˈrɛvə hiː əˈpɪəd; ˈdɑːsi wɒz kənˈtɪnjuəli ˈɡɪvɪŋ əˈfɛns.

ðə ˈmænər ɪn wɪʧ ðeɪ spəʊk ɒv ðə Meryton əˈsɛmbli wɒz səˈfɪʃᵊntli ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk. ˈbɪnɡliː hæd ˈnɛvə mɛt wɪð ˈplɛzᵊntə ˈpiːpᵊl ɔː ˈprɪtiə ɡɜːlz ɪn hɪz laɪf; ˈɛvribɒdi hæd biːn məʊst kaɪnd ænd əˈtɛntɪv tuː hɪm; ðeə hæd biːn nəʊ fɔːˈmæləti, nəʊ ˈstɪfnəs; hiː hæd suːn fɛlt əˈkweɪntɪd wɪð ɔːl ðə ruːm; ænd æz tuː mɪs ˈbɛnɪt, hiː kʊd nɒt kənˈsiːv ən ˈeɪnʤᵊl mɔː ˈbjuːtɪfᵊl. ˈdɑːsi, ɒn ðə ˈkɒntrəri, hæd siːn ə kəˈlɛkʃᵊn ɒv ˈpiːpᵊl ɪn huːm ðeə wɒz ˈlɪtᵊl ˈbjuːti ænd nəʊ ˈfæʃᵊn, fɔː nʌn ɒv huːm hiː hæd fɛlt ðə ˈsmɔːlɪst ˈɪntrɛst, ænd frɒm nʌn rɪˈsiːvd ˈaɪðər əˈtɛnʃᵊn ɔː ˈplɛʒə. mɪs ˈbɛnɪt hiː əkˈnɒlɪʤd tuː biː ˈprɪti; bʌt ʃiː smaɪld tuː mʌʧ.

Mrs. hɜːst ænd hɜː ˈsɪstər əˈlaʊd ɪt tuː biː səʊ; bʌt stɪl ðeɪ ədˈmaɪəd hɜːr ænd laɪkt hɜː, ænd prəˈnaʊnst hɜː tuː biː ə swiːt ɡɜːl, ænd wʌn huːm ðeɪ ʃʊd nɒt əbˈʤɛkt tuː nəʊ mɔːr ɒv. mɪs ˈbɛnɪt wɒz ˈðeəfɔːr ɪˈstæblɪʃt æz ə swiːt ɡɜːl; ænd ðeə ˈbrʌðə fɛlt ˈɔːθəˌraɪzd baɪ sʌʧ ˌkɒmɛnˈdeɪʃᵊn tuː θɪŋk ɒv hɜːr æz hiː ʧəʊz.

A1 Level Stories

The Mouse and the Cheese

Molly is a small mouse. She lives in a big house with her family. She likes to explore the house and look for food.

One day, she smells something delicious. It is cheese! She follows the smell to the kitchen. She sees a big piece of cheese on the table. She wants to eat it.

She climbs on a chair and jumps on the table. She runs to the cheese. But she does not see a trap. It is a metal cage with a spring. When she touches the cheese, the cage falls down and traps her inside.

Molly is scared. She tries to push the cage, but it is too heavy. She cries for help, but no one hears her.

She thinks she is going to be stuck there forever. She feels sad and hungry.

But then, she hears a voice. It is her brother, Max. He is looking for her.

“Molly, where are you?” he says.

“Max, I’m here! I’m in the cage!” she shouts.

Max sees her on the table. He runs to her.

“Molly, what happened?” he asks.

“I wanted to eat the cheese, but it was a trap. Now I can’t get out,” she says.

“Don’t worry, Molly. I will help you,” he says.

He looks around and sees a wooden spoon on the counter. He has an idea.

He climbs on the counter and grabs the spoon with his teeth. He carries it to the table and puts it under the cage. He pushes the spoon with all his strength.

The spoon acts like a lever and lifts the cage up. Molly sees an opening and crawls out.

She hugs Max and thanks him.

“You are my hero, Max!” she says.

“You are welcome, Molly. But next time, be careful,” he says.

They run away from the table and go back to their family.

They are happy and safe.

The Boy and the Dog

Tommy is a boy who does not like homework. He likes to play video games and watch TV. He thinks homework is boring and hard.

One day, he comes home from school. He has a lot of homework to do. He has to write an essay, do some math problems, and read a book.

He does not want to do his homework. He wants to play with his dog, Spot.

He has an idea. He gives his homework to Spot. He says, “Here, Spot. You can do my homework for me. You are a smart dog. You can write, and count, and read.”

Spot looks at Tommy and barks. He does not understand what Tommy says.

Tommy goes to his room and plays video games. He thinks he is clever.

But he is not clever. He is silly.

Spot does not do Tommy’s homework. He chews it and tears it and makes a mess.

He thinks the homework is a toy. He has fun with it.

Tommy does not know what Spot does. He plays video games for a long time.

Then, he hears his mom coming home. He remembers his homework.

He runs to Spot and says, “Spot, give me my homework. I have to show it to my mom.”

But Spot does not give him his homework. He gives him a lick.

Tommy sees the mess on the floor. He sees his homework in pieces.

He is shocked. He says, “Oh no! Spot, what did you do? You ruined my homework!”

Spot wags his tail and barks. He thinks Tommy is happy.

But Tommy is not happy. He is sad and scared.

He knows he is in trouble.

He wishes he did his homework by himself.

The Mystery of the Missing Cake

Anna, Ben, and Charlie were three friends who loved to play detectives. They had a club called the ABC Detectives. They liked to solve mysteries and find clues.

One day, they were at Anna’s house. They were having a snack in the kitchen. Anna’s mom had baked a delicious chocolate cake for them. She put it on the table and said, “You can have a slice of cake after you finish your sandwiches.”

She left the room to do some laundry.

The three friends ate their sandwiches quickly. They wanted to have some cake.

But when they looked at the table, they saw that the cake was gone!

There was only an empty plate and some crumbs.

They were shocked. They said, “Who took the cake?”

They decided to use their detective skills to find out.

They looked for clues around the kitchen.

They saw some footprints on the floor. They followed them to the living room.

They saw some chocolate stains on the sofa. They followed them to the stairs.

They saw some cake crumbs on the steps. They followed them to the second floor.

They saw a trail of cake pieces leading to a door. They opened it and entered the room.

They saw Anna’s little brother, Danny, sitting on his bed. He had chocolate all over his face and hands. He was holding a big piece of cake in his mouth.

He looked at them and said, “Mmm, yummy!”

The three friends gasped. They said, “We found the thief!”

They took Danny to the kitchen and showed him to Anna’s mom.

She was surprised. She said, “Danny, did you take the cake?”

Danny nodded. He said, “Yes, I did. I was hungry and I love chocolate.”

Anna’s mom was not happy. She said, “Danny, that was very naughty of you. You should not take things that are not yours. And you should not eat so much cake. It is bad for your teeth.”

She made Danny brush his teeth and apologize to his sister and her friends.

She also gave him a time-out in his room.

She said to Anna, Ben, and Charlie, “I’m sorry about the cake. I will bake another one for you tomorrow.”

The three friends were disappointed. They wanted to have some cake today.

But they were also proud. They had solved the mystery of the missing cake.

They said to each other, “We are good detectives!”

They decided to play another game until Anna’s mom finished her laundry.

They had fun together.

Phrasebook (Bulgarian)

Pronouns:

Personal pronouns:

I – аз

you – ти (singular), вие (plural), Вие (polite form)

he – той

she – тя

it – то (used for neuter nouns, not necessarily inanimate objects)

we – ние

you – вие

they – те

Question words:

who – кой, коя, кое, кои

what – какво; какъв, каква, какво

which – кой, какво

whose – чий, чия, чие, чии

where – къде

when – кога

why – защо

how – как

how much, how many – колко

Demonstrative pronouns:

this – това; този, тази, това

that – онова; онзи, онази, онова

these – тези

those – онези

Numerals:

Days of the week:

Monday – понеделник
Tuesday – вторник
Wednesday – сряда
Thursday – четвъртък
Friday – петък
Saturday – събота
Sunday – неделя

week – седмица
What day is it today? – Кой ден е днес?
Today is … – Днес е …
On Monday – в понеделник

this week – тази седмица
next week – следващата седмица

today – днес
tomorrow – утре
the day before yesterday – завчера
the day after tomorrow – вдругиден

Months:

January – януари
February – февруари
March – март
April – април
May – май
June – юни
July – юли
August – август
September – септември
October – октомври
November – ноември
December – декември

in November – през ноември

Seasons:

spring – пролет
summer – лято
autumn – есен
winter – зима

in spring, summer, autumn, winter – през пролетта, лятото, есента, зимата

Years:

year – година
this year – тази година
last year – миналата година
next year – догодина/следващата година
1974 – хиляда деветстотин седемдесет и четвърта (година)
1999 – хиляда деветстотин деветдесет и девета (година)
2000 – двехилядната (година)
2001 – две хиляди и първа (година)
2010 – две хиляди и десета (година)
2021 – две хиляди двадесет и първа (година)

Forms of address:

Madam – Госпожо

Mrs. Petrova – Госпожо Петрова

Sir – Господине

Mr. Petrov – Господин Петров

Miss – Госпожице

Miss Petrova – Госпожице Петрова

Greetings:

Good morning – Добро утро

Good afternoon – Добър ден (usual greeting throughout the day, from about 8 a.m. till 6 or 6 p.m)

Good evening – Добър вечер

Good night – Лека нощ

Goodbye – Довиждане

Have a good time – Приятно прекарване

Celebrations:

All the best – Всичко най-добро/ Всичко най-хубаво

Happy birthday – Честит рожден ден

Happy New Year – Честита Нова година

Thanks:

Thanks – Благодаря

Thank you (singular; when addressing a single person) – Благодаря ти

Thank you (plural; when addressing more than one person) – Благодаря ви

Thank you very much – Благодаря ти/ви много

Don’t mention it – Няма защо/ Няма за какво

Apologies:

Excuse me/I apologize – Извинявай (singular; when addressing a single person); Извинете (plural; when addressing more than one person)

AI and broken limbs

Chat GPT describes breaking a leg…

… in the style of Byron:

Oh woe is me, my limb hath broken fair,
A crack that rent my bone in twain with force,
And now I lie in pain beyond compare,
As though a fiery tempest run its course.

No more shall I, with graceful gait, proceed,
Or run with swiftness o’er the verdant plain,
But hobble on this aching, shattered breed,
And curse the fateful moment of my pain.

The agony doth spread throughout my frame,
As though a thousand daggers pierce my flesh,
And in this cruel fate I bear the blame,
For folly led me to this dreadful thresh.

Oh cruel fate! Oh wretched circumstance!
That leaves me here in agony and woe,
But though my body suffer great mischance,
My spirit shall endure, and still shall grow.

… in the style of Shakespeare:

Hark! Allow me, in lofty verse, to regale thee
With a tale of woe, a hapless fate, thou’ll see.
Imagine, if thou will, a fateful morn,
Whenas misfortune did my limb adorn.

With temerity, I ventured forth that day,
To partake in life’s joys, to skip and play.
Yet fate, in cunning guise, did lay its snare,
And cast me into sorrow, deep despair.

Upon a path, where verdant meadows bloom,
I frolicked, light of heart, dispelling gloom.
But lo! A treacherous stone didst lay concealed,
A cruel impediment that was revealed.

Mine foot, caught in its cold and stony grip,
Sent me hurtling, falling with a mighty trip.
The ground did rise to meet me, swift and cruel,
Whilst anguish coursed through veins, my senses duel.

My leg, once strong and sturdy as an oak,
Now twisted, broken, pained with every stroke.
A sharp and piercing agony did surge,
As if the Furies’ wrath, a dire scourge.

My wails did rend the air, like mournful cries,
As anguish tore through me, in grievous guise.
The pain did seize me, like a vise so tight,
And wracked my form, a tempest in the night.

Thus, like a wounded bird with broken wing,
I lay in sorrow, suffering’s captive ring.
The world, now shrouded in a pall of gloom,
As time stood still, my spirit faced its doom.

Yet, though my leg in ruin lay before,
My spirit, stout and true, did strive for more.
Through trials and tribulations I did wade,
With fortitude and courage, undismayed.

With time’s gentle touch and healing hand,
My shattered limb did mend, as if by command.
And thus, like a phoenix from ashes reborn,
I rose, defying fate, no longer forlorn.

So let this tale of woeful plight remind,
That in adversity, one’s spirit may find
The strength to rise, to mend what hath been broke,
And face the world anew, with steadfast hope.

… in the style of Emily Dickinson:

A fracture hushed upon my limb,
A whispered shatter in the dim,
In solitude, I found my fate,
A broken leg, my hobbled gait.

No raucous cry, no outward plea,
Just silent pain engulfing me.
Within my chamber’s quiet space,
I met the specter of this grace.

My weary bone, once straight and strong,
Now bent in sorrow, plagued by wrong.
A wounded bird, I could not fly,
Confined within my pain’s reply.

No surgeon’s hand could make it whole,
No salve could ease this wretched toll.
In solitude, I learned to bear,
The heaviness of my despair.

The world outside, it carried on,
While I remained, my spirit wan.
Yet through the shadowed veil of pain,
A spark of hope began to reign.

With tender time, my leg grew strong,
Though still it bore the pain for long.
A quiet resilience took hold,
Within my heart, a story untold.

And now I walk with tender grace,
A testament to healing’s trace.
For in the breaking of my frame,
I found the strength to rise, to claim.

So let me tread upon life’s path,
With empathy and newfound faith.
For in the breaking, I’ve been remade,
A broken leg, a soul unswayed.

… in the style of Dickens:

It was a bleak and wintry evening when misfortune befell me, dear reader. The year was one of gloom and chill, and the shadows danced upon the cobblestone streets with malevolence. With a careless step, I stumbled upon an unseen obstacle, and the world around me came crashing down, quite literally.

Oh, the agony! The pain shot through my body like a thousand daggers, rendering me motionless upon the frigid ground. A cry of anguish escaped my lips, piercing the air and attracting the attention of a few passersby, their expressions shifting from indifference to concern.

A kindly gentleman rushed to my side, his face etched with lines of experience and empathy. “What ails you, dear sir?” he inquired, his voice laden with genuine concern. “Pray, tell me your affliction.”

With great effort, I managed to collect my wits and reveal the extent of my calamity. “Good sir,” I spoke, each word a struggle, “my leg, it is broken. The bone shattered like glass, and I fear I am reduced to a mere cripple.”

Aghast, the gentleman examined my injured limb, his brow furrowing in distress. “Alas, my poor friend,” he murmured, “this is a grievous injury indeed. I shall seek immediate aid and summon the surgeon posthaste.”

Minutes stretched into hours, and the biting cold crept through my veins, as if to mock my suffering. The hours became eternities, as the clock’s relentless tick-tock echoed in my ears. Finally, the surgeon arrived, a man of learned countenance and steady hands.

He examined me with a mixture of sympathy and professional detachment, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the damage. “Fear not, good sir,” he pronounced, “for I shall mend your fractured limb, though it may take time and patience. This ordeal will test your fortitude, but rest assured, you shall walk again.”

With that, the surgeon set about his task, employing the archaic instruments of his trade. My leg was bound and encased in a cumbersome wooden apparatus, each movement a reminder of my present infirmity. The pain, though dulled by the ministrations of the surgeon, remained a constant companion.

Days turned into weeks, and my room became my world, its walls confining me like a prisoner. Friends and acquaintances, concerned for my welfare, paid visits, their voices echoing through the chamber. Their well-wishes and expressions of sympathy offered solace, though they could not alleviate the ache that resided within me.

Through the long and arduous convalescence, I found myself reflecting on the fragility of life and the capricious nature of fate. I yearned for the day when I would cast off the crutches and stride with purpose once more. The world outside beckoned, its streets and alleys a tapestry of bustling existence that I was denied.

But as the weeks waned, so too did my despair. The broken bone gradually healed, each day a step towards restoration. And when at last the moment arrived, when the surgeon declared me fit to walk unaided, a surge of joy coursed through my being.

With a mix of trepidation and elation, I took my first halting steps, my leg tentatively bearing the weight of my body. It was a triumph of perseverance over adversity, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

And so, dear reader, as I pen these lines, I implore you to cherish the simple act of walking, to revel in the harmony of unbroken bones. For it is in our moments of weakness that we truly appreciate the gift of mobility.

nɒt ɔːl ðæt misiz ˈbɛnɪt, haʊˈɛvə, wɪð ði əˈsɪstəns ɒv hɜː faɪv ˈdɔːtəz, kʊd ɑːsk ɒn ðə ˈsʌbʤɪkt, wɒz səˈfɪʃənt tuː drɔː frɒm hɜː ˈhʌzbənd ˈɛni ˌsætɪsˈfæktəri dɪsˈkrɪpʃən ɒv mistə ˈbɪngliː. ðeɪ əˈtækt hɪm ɪn ˈveərɪəs weɪz, wɪð ˈbeəfeɪst ˈkwɛsʧənz, ɪnˈʤiːniəs ˌsʌpəˈzɪʃənz, ænd ˈdɪstənt sɜːˈmaɪzɪz; bʌt hiː ɪˈluːdɪd ðə skɪl ɒv ðɛm ɔːl; ænd ðeɪ wɜːr æt lɑːst əˈblaɪʤd tuː əkˈsɛpt ðə ˈsɛkənd-hænd ɪnˈtɛlɪʤəns ɒv ðeə ˈneɪbə, ˈleɪdi ˈluːkəs.

hɜː rɪˈpɔːt wɒz ˈhaɪli ˈfeɪvərəbl. sɜː ˈwɪljəm hæd biːn dɪˈlaɪtɪd wɪð hɪm. hiː wɒz kwaɪt jʌŋ, ˈwʌndəfʊli ˈhænsəm, ɪksˈtriːmli əˈgrɪəbl, ænd, tuː kraʊn ðə həʊl, hiː mɛnt tuː biː æt ðə nɛkst əˈsɛmbli wɪð ə lɑːʤ ˈpɑːti. ˈnʌθɪŋ kʊd biː mɔː dɪˈlaɪtfʊl! tuː biː fɒnd ɒv ˈdɑːnsɪŋ wɒz ə ˈsɜːtn stɛp təˈwɔːdz ˈfɔːlɪŋ ɪn lʌv; ænd ˈvɛri ˈlaɪvli həʊps ɒv mistə ˈbɪngliːz hɑːt wɜːr ˌɛntəˈteɪnd.

“ɪf aɪ kæn bʌt siː wʌn ɒv maɪ ˈdɔːtəz ˈhæpɪli ˈsɛtld æt Netherfield,” sɛd misiz ˈbɛnɪt tuː hɜː ˈhʌzbənd, “ænd ɔːl ði ˈʌðəz ˈiːkwəli wɛl ˈmærɪd, aɪ ʃæl hæv ˈnʌθɪŋ tuː wɪʃ fɔː.”

ɪn ə fjuː deɪz mistə ˈbɪngliː rɪˈtɜːnd mistə ˈbɛnɪts ˈvɪzɪt, ænd sæt əˈbaʊt tɛn ˈmɪnɪts wɪð hɪm ɪn hɪz ˈlaɪbrəri. hiː hæd ˌɛntəˈteɪnd həʊps ɒv ˈbiːɪŋ ədˈmɪtɪd tuː ə saɪt ɒv ðə jʌŋ ˈleɪdɪz, ɒv huːz ˈbjuːti hiː hæd hɜːd mʌʧ; bʌt hiː sɔː ˈəʊnli ðə ˈfɑːðə. ðə ˈleɪdɪz wɜː ˈsʌmwɒt mɔː ˈfɔːʧnɪt, fɔː ðeɪ hæd ði ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɒv ˌæsəˈteɪnɪŋ, frɒm ən ˈʌpə ˈwɪndəʊ, ðæt hiː wɔːr ə bluː kəʊt ænd rəʊd ə blæk hɔːs.

ən ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃən tuː ˈdɪnə wɒz suːn ˈɑːftəwədz dɪsˈpæʧt; ænd ɔːlˈrɛdi hæd misiz ˈbɛnɪt plænd ðə ˈkɔːsɪz ðæt wɜː tuː duː ˈkrɛdɪt tuː hɜː ˈhaʊsˌkiːpɪŋ, wɛn ən ˈɑːnsər əˈraɪvd wɪʧ dɪˈfɜːd ɪt ɔːl. mistə ˈbɪngliː wɒz əˈblaɪʤd tuː biː ɪn taʊn ðə ˈfɒləʊɪŋ deɪ, ænd ˈkɒnsɪkwəntli ʌnˈeɪbl tuː əkˈsɛpt ði ˈɒnər ɒv ðeər ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃən, ɪtˈsɛtrə.

misiz ˈbɛnɪt wɒz kwaɪt ˌdɪskənˈsɜːtɪd. ʃiː kʊd nɒt ɪˈmæʤɪn wɒt ˈbɪznɪs hiː kʊd hæv ɪn taʊn səʊ suːn ˈɑːftə hɪz əˈraɪvəl ɪn ˈhɑːtfədʃə; ænd ʃiː bɪˈgæn tuː fɪə ðæt hiː maɪt ˈɔːlweɪz biː ˈflaɪɪŋ əˈbaʊt frɒm wʌn pleɪs tuː əˈnʌðə, ænd ˈnɛvə ˈsɛtld æt Netherfield æz hiː ɔːt tuː biː.

ˈleɪdi ˈluːkəs ˈkwaɪətɪd hɜː fɪəz ə ˈlɪtl baɪ ˈstɑːtɪŋ ði aɪˈdɪə ɒv hɪz ˈbiːɪŋ gɒn tuː ˈlʌndən ˈəʊnli tuː gɛt ə lɑːʤ ˈpɑːti fɔː ðə bɔːl; ænd ə rɪˈpɔːt suːn ˈfɒləʊd ðæt mistə ˈbɪngliː wɒz tuː brɪŋ twɛlv ˈleɪdɪz ænd ˈsɛvn ˈʤɛnt(ə)lmən wɪð hɪm tuː ði əˈsɛmbli. ðə gɜːlz griːvd ˈəʊvə sʌʧ ə ˈnʌmbər ɒv ˈleɪdɪz; bʌt wɜː ˈkʌmfətɪd ðə deɪ bɪˈfɔː ðə bɔːl baɪ ˈhɪərɪŋ ðæt, ɪnˈstɛd ɒv twɛlv, hiː hæd brɔːt ˈəʊnli sɪks wɪð hɪm frɒm ˈlʌndən, hɪz faɪv ˈsɪstəz ænd ə ˈkʌzn.

ænd wɛn ðə ˈpɑːti ˈɛntəd ði əˈsɛmblɪrʊm, ɪt kənˈsɪstɪd ɒv ˈəʊnli faɪv ˌɔːltəˈgɛðə: mistə ˈbɪngliː, hɪz tuː ˈsɪstəz, ðə ˈhʌzbənd ɒv ði ˈɛldɪst, ænd əˈnʌðə jʌŋ mæn.

mistə ˈbɪngliː wɒz ˈgʊdˈlʊkɪŋ ænd ˈʤɛntlmənlaɪk: hiː hæd ə ˈplɛznt ˈkaʊnt(ə)nəns, ænd ˈiːzi, ˌʌnəˈfɛktɪd ˈmænəz. hɪz ˈsɪstəz wɜː faɪn ˈwɪmɪn, wɪð ən eər ɒv dɪˈsaɪdɪd ˈfæʃən. hɪz ˈbrʌðərɪnlɔː, mistə hɜːst, ˈmɪəli lʊkt ðə ˈʤɛntlmən; bʌt hɪz frɛnd mistə ˈdɑːsi suːn druː ði əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n ɒv ðə ruːm baɪ hɪz faɪn, tɔːl ˈpɜːsn, ˈhænsəm ˈfiːʧəz, ˈnəʊbl miːn, ænd ðə rɪˈpɔːt, wɪʧ wɒz ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl ˌsɜːkjʊˈleɪʃən wɪˈðɪn faɪv ˈmɪnɪts ˈɑːftə hɪz ˈɛntrəns, ɒv hɪz ˈhævɪŋ tɛn ˈθaʊzənd ə jɪə. ðə ˈʤɛnt(ə)lmən prəˈnaʊnst hɪm tuː biː ə faɪn ˈfɪgər ɒv ə mæn, ðə ˈleɪdɪz dɪˈkleəd hiː wɒz mʌʧ ˈhænsəmə ðæn mistə ˈbɪngliː, ænd hiː wɒz lʊkt æt wɪð greɪt ˌædməˈreɪʃ(ə)n fɔːr əˈbaʊt hɑːf ði ˈiːvnɪŋ, tɪl hɪz ˈmænəz geɪv ə dɪsˈgʌst wɪʧ tɜːnd ðə taɪd ɒv hɪz ˌpɒpjʊˈlærɪti; fɔː hiː wɒz dɪsˈkʌvəd tuː biː praʊd, tuː biː əˈbʌv hɪz ˈkʌmpəni, ænd əˈbʌv ˈbiːɪŋ pliːzd; ænd nɒt ɔːl hɪz lɑːʤ ɪsˈteɪt ɪn ˈdɑːbɪʃə kʊd seɪv hɪm frɒm ˈhævɪŋ ə məʊst fəˈbɪdɪŋ, ˌdɪsəˈgrɪəbl ˈkaʊnt(ə)nəns, ænd ˈbiːɪŋ ʌnˈwɜːði tuː biː kəmˈpeəd wɪð hɪz frɛnd.

mistə ˈbɪngliː hæd suːn meɪd hɪmˈsɛlf əˈkweɪntɪd wɪð ɔːl ðə ˈprɪnsəpəl ˈpiːpl ɪn ðə ruːm: hiː wɒz ˈlaɪvli ænd ˌʌnrɪˈzɜːvd, dɑːnst ˈɛvri dɑːns, wɒz ˈæŋgri ðæt ðə bɔːl kləʊzd səʊ ˈɜːli, ænd tɔːkt ɒv ˈgɪvɪŋ wʌn hɪmˈsɛlf æt Netherfield. sʌʧ ˈeɪmiəb(ə)l ˈkwɒlɪtiz mʌst spiːk fɔː ðəmˈsɛlvz. wɒt ə ˈkɒntrɑːst bɪˈtwiːn hɪm ænd hɪz frɛnd! mistə ˈdɑːsi dɑːnst ˈəʊnli wʌns wɪð misiz hɜːst ænd wʌns wɪð mɪs ˈbɪngliː, dɪˈklaɪnd ˈbiːɪŋ ˌɪntrəˈdjuːst tuː ˈɛni ˈʌðə ˈleɪdi, ænd spɛnt ðə rɛst ɒv ði ˈiːvnɪŋ ɪn ˈwɔːkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ruːm, ˈspiːkɪŋ əˈkeɪʒnəli tuː wʌn ɒv hɪz əʊn ˈpɑːti. hɪz ˈkærɪktə wɒz dɪˈsaɪdɪd. hiː wɒz ðə ˈpraʊdɪst, məʊst ˌdɪsəˈgrɪəbl mæn ɪn ðə wɜːld, ænd ˈɛvrɪbɒdi həʊpt ðæt hiː wʊd ˈnɛvə kʌm ðeər əˈgɛn.

əˈmʌŋst ðə məʊst ˈvaɪələnt əˈgɛnst hɪm wɒz misiz ˈbɛnɪt, huːz dɪsˈlaɪk ɒv hɪz ˈʤɛnərəl bɪˈheɪvjə wɒz ˈʃɑːpənd ˈɪntuː pəˈtɪkjʊlə rɪˈzɛntmənt baɪ hɪz ˈhævɪŋ ˈslaɪtɪd wʌn ɒv hɜː ˈdɔːtəz.

ɪˈlɪzəbəθ ˈbɛnɪt hæd biːn əˈblaɪʤd, baɪ ðə ˈskeəsɪti ɒv ˈʤɛnt(ə)lmən, tuː sɪt daʊn fɔː tuː ˈdɑːnsɪz; ænd ˈdjʊərɪŋ pɑːt ɒv ðæt taɪm, mistə ˈdɑːsi hæd biːn ˈstændɪŋ nɪər ɪˈnʌf fɔː hɜː tuː ˌəʊvəˈhɪər ə ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃən bɪˈtwiːn hɪm ænd mistə ˈbɪngliː, huː keɪm frɒm ðə dɑːns fɔːr ə fjuː ˈmɪnɪts tuː prɛs hɪz frɛnd tuː ʤɔɪn ɪt.

“kʌm, ˈdɑːsi,” sɛd hiː, “aɪ mʌst hæv juː dɑːns. aɪ heɪt tuː siː juː ˈstændɪŋ əˈbaʊt baɪ jɔːˈsɛlf ɪn ðɪs ˈstjuːpɪd ˈmænə. juː hæd mʌʧ ˈbɛtə dɑːns.”

“aɪ ˈsɜːtnli ʃæl nɒt. juː nəʊ haʊ aɪ dɪˈtɛst ɪt, ənˈlɛs aɪ æm pəˈtɪkjʊləli əˈkweɪntɪd wɪð maɪ ˈpɑːtnə. æt sʌʧ ən əˈsɛmbli æz ðɪs, ɪt wʊd biː ˌɪnsəˈpɔːtəbl. jɔː ˈsɪstəz ɑːr ɪnˈgeɪʤd, ænd ðeər ɪz nɒt əˈnʌðə ˈwʊmən ɪn ðə ruːm huːm ɪt wʊd nɒt biː ə ˈpʌnɪʃmənt tuː miː tuː stænd ʌp wɪð.”
“aɪ wʊd nɒt biː səʊ fəsˈtɪdɪəs æz juː ɑː,” kraɪd ˈbɪngliː, “fɔːr ə ˈkɪŋdəm! əˈpɒn maɪ ˈɒnə, aɪ ˈnɛvə mɛt wɪð səʊ ˈmɛni ˈplɛznt gɜːlz ɪn maɪ laɪf æz aɪ hæv ðɪs ˈiːvnɪŋ; ænd ðeər ɑː ˈsɛvrəl ɒv ðɛm, juː siː, ʌnˈkɒmənli ˈprɪti.”

“juː ɑː ˈdɑːnsɪŋ wɪð ði ˈəʊnli ˈhænsəm gɜːl ɪn ðə ruːm,” sɛd mistə ˈdɑːsi, ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ði ˈɛldɪst mɪs ˈbɛnɪt.

“əʊ, ʃiː ɪz ðə məʊst ˈbjuːtəfʊl ˈkriːʧər aɪ ˈɛvə bɪˈhɛld! bʌt ðeər ɪz wʌn ɒv hɜː ˈsɪstəz ˈsɪtɪŋ daʊn ʤʌst bɪˈhaɪnd juː, huː ɪz ˈvɛri ˈprɪti, ænd aɪ deə seɪ ˈvɛri əˈgrɪəbl. duː lɛt miː ɑːsk maɪ ˈpɑːtnə tuː ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs juː.”

“wɪʧ duː juː miːn?” ænd ˈtɜːnɪŋ raʊnd, hiː lʊkt fɔːr ə ˈməʊmənt æt ɪˈlɪzəbəθ, tɪl, ˈkæʧɪŋ hɜːr aɪ, hiː wɪðˈdruː hɪz əʊn, ænd ˈkəʊldli sɛd, “ʃiː ɪz ˈtɒlərəbl: bʌt nɒt ˈhænsəm ɪˈnʌf tuː tɛmpt miː; ænd aɪ æm ɪn nəʊ ˈhjuːmər æt ˈprɛznt tuː gɪv ˈkɒnsɪkwəns tuː jʌŋ ˈleɪdɪz huː ɑː ˈslaɪtɪd baɪ ˈʌðə mɛn. juː hæd ˈbɛtə rɪˈtɜːn tuː jɔː ˈpɑːtnər ænd ɪnˈʤɔɪ hɜː smaɪlz, fɔː juː ɑː ˈweɪstɪŋ jɔː taɪm wɪð miː.”

mistə ˈbɪngliː ˈfɒləʊd hɪz ədˈvaɪs. mistə ˈdɑːsi wɔːkt ɒf; ænd ɪˈlɪzəbəθ rɪˈmeɪnd wɪð nəʊ ˈvɛri ˈkɔːdiəl ˈfiːlɪŋz təˈwɔːdz hɪm. ʃiː təʊld ðə ˈstɔːri, haʊˈɛvə, wɪð greɪt ˈspɪrɪt əˈmʌŋ hɜː frɛndz; fɔː ʃiː hæd ə ˈlaɪvli, ˈpleɪfʊl ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən, wɪʧ dɪˈlaɪtɪd ɪn ˈɛnɪθɪŋ rɪˈdɪkjʊləs.

ði ˈiːvnɪŋ ˌɔːltəˈgɛðə pɑːst ɒf ˈplɛzntli tuː ðə həʊl ˈfæmɪli. misiz ˈbɛnɪt hæd siːn hɜːr ˈɛldɪst ˈdɔːtə mʌʧ ədˈmaɪəd baɪ ðə Netherfield ˈpɑːti. mistə ˈbɪngliː hæd dɑːnst wɪð hɜː twaɪs, ænd ʃiː hæd biːn dɪsˈtɪŋgwɪʃt baɪ hɪz ˈsɪstəz. ʤeɪn wɒz æz mʌʧ ˈgrætɪfaɪd baɪ ðɪs æz hɜː ˈmʌðə kʊd biː, ðəʊ ɪn ə ˈkwaɪətə weɪ. ɪˈlɪzəbəθ fɛlt ʤeɪnz ˈplɛʒə. ˈmeəri hæd hɜːd hɜːˈsɛlf ˈmɛnʃənd tuː mɪs ˈbɪngliː æz ðə məʊst əˈkɒmplɪʃt gɜːl ɪn ðə ˈneɪbəhʊd; ænd ˈkæθ(ə)rɪn ænd ˈlɪdɪə hæd biːn ˈfɔːʧnɪt ɪˈnʌf tuː biː ˈnɛvə wɪˈðaʊt ˈpɑːtnəz, wɪʧ wɒz ɔːl ðæt ðeɪ hæd jɛt lɜːnt tuː keə fɔːr æt ə bɔːl. ðeɪ rɪˈtɜːnd, ˈðeəfɔː, ɪn gʊd ˈspɪrɪts tuː Longbourn, ðə ˈvɪlɪʤ weə ðeɪ lɪvd, ænd ɒv wɪʧ ðeɪ wɜː ðə ˈprɪnsəpəl ɪnˈhæbɪtənts. ðeɪ faʊnd mistə ˈbɛnɪt stɪl ʌp. wɪð ə bʊk, hiː wɒz rɪˈgɑːdlɪs ɒv taɪm; ænd ɒn ðə ˈprɛznt əˈkeɪʒən hiː hæd ə gʊd diːl ɒv ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti æz tuː ði ɪˈvɛnt ɒv ən ˈiːvnɪŋ wɪʧ hæd reɪzd sʌʧ ˈsplɛndɪd ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz. hiː hæd ˈrɑːðə həʊpt ðæt ɔːl hɪz waɪfs vjuːz ɒn ðə ˈstreɪnʤə wʊd biː ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd; bʌt hiː suːn faʊnd ðæt hiː hæd ə ˈvɛri ˈdɪfrənt ˈstɔːri tuː hɪə.

“əʊ, maɪ dɪə mistə ˈbɛnɪt,” æz ʃiː ˈɛntəd ðə ruːm, “wiː hæv hæd ə məʊst dɪˈlaɪtfʊl ˈiːvnɪŋ, ə məʊst ˈɛksələnt bɔːl. aɪ wɪʃ juː hæd biːn ðeə. ʤeɪn wɒz səʊ ədˈmaɪəd, ˈnʌθɪŋ kʊd biː laɪk ɪt. ˈɛvrɪbɒdi sɛd haʊ wɛl ʃiː lʊkt; ænd mistə ˈbɪngliː θɔːt hɜː kwaɪt ˈbjuːtəfʊl, ænd dɑːnst wɪð hɜː twaɪs. ˈəʊnli θɪŋk ɒv ðæt, maɪ dɪə: hiː ˈækʧʊəli dɑːnst wɪð hɜː twaɪs; ænd ʃiː wɒz ði ˈəʊnli ˈkriːʧər ɪn ðə ruːm ðæt hiː ɑːskt ə ˈsɛkənd taɪm. fɜːst ɒv ɔːl, hiː ɑːskt mɪs ˈluːkəs. aɪ wɒz səʊ vɛkst tuː siː hɪm stænd ʌp wɪð hɜː; bʌt, haʊˈɛvə, hiː dɪd nɒt ədˈmaɪə hɜːr æt ɔːl; ɪnˈdiːd, ˈnəʊbədi kæn, juː nəʊ; ænd hiː siːmd kwaɪt strʌk wɪð ʤeɪn æz ʃiː wɒz ˈgəʊɪŋ daʊn ðə dɑːns. səʊ hiː ɪnˈkwaɪəd huː ʃiː wɒz, ænd gɒt ˌɪntrəˈdjuːst, ænd ɑːskt hɜː fɔː ðə tuː nɛkst. ðɛn, ðə tuː θɜːd hiː dɑːnst wɪð mɪs kɪŋ, ænd ðə tuː fɔːθ wɪð məˈriːə ˈluːkəs, ænd ðə tuː fɪfθ wɪð ʤeɪn əˈgɛn, ænd ðə tuː sɪksθ wɪð ˈlɪzi, ænd ðə Boulanger——”

“ɪf hiː hæd hæd ˈɛni kəmˈpæʃən fɔː miː,” kraɪd hɜː ˈhʌzbənd ɪmˈpeɪʃəntli, “hiː wʊd nɒt hæv dɑːnst hɑːf səʊ mʌʧ! fɔː gɒdz seɪk, seɪ nəʊ mɔːr ɒv hɪz ˈpɑːtnəz. əʊ ðæt hiː hæd spreɪnd hɪz ˈæŋkl ɪn ðə fɜːst dɑːns!”
“əʊ, maɪ dɪə,” kənˈtɪnju(ː)d misiz ˈbɛnɪt, “aɪ æm kwaɪt dɪˈlaɪtɪd wɪð hɪm. hiː ɪz səʊ ɪkˈsɛsɪvli ˈhænsəm! ænd hɪz ˈsɪstəz ɑː ˈʧɑːmɪŋ ˈwɪmɪn. aɪ ˈnɛvər ɪn maɪ laɪf sɔː ˈɛnɪθɪŋ mɔːr ˈɛlɪgənt ðæn ðeə ˈdrɛsɪz. aɪ deə seɪ ðə leɪs əˈpɒn misiz hɜːsts gaʊn——”

hɪə ʃiː wɒz ˌɪntəˈrʌptɪd əˈgɛn. mistə ˈbɛnɪt prəˈtɛstɪd əˈgɛnst ˈɛni dɪsˈkrɪpʃən ɒv ˈfaɪnəri. ʃiː wɒz ˈðeəfɔːr əˈblaɪʤd tuː siːk əˈnʌðə brɑːnʧ ɒv ðə ˈsʌbʤɪkt, ænd rɪˈleɪtɪd, wɪð mʌʧ ˈbɪtənɪs ɒv ˈspɪrɪt, ænd sʌm ɪgˌzæʤəˈreɪʃən, ðə ˈʃɒkɪŋ ˈruːdnɪs ɒv mistə ˈdɑːsi.

“bʌt aɪ kæn əˈʃʊə juː,” ʃiː ˈædɪd, “ðæt ˈlɪzi dʌz nɒt luːz mʌʧ baɪ nɒt ˈsjuːtɪŋ hɪz ˈfænsi; fɔː hiː ɪz ə məʊst ˌdɪsəˈgrɪəbl, ˈhɒrɪd mæn, nɒt æt ɔːl wɜːθ ˈpliːzɪŋ. səʊ haɪ ænd səʊ kənˈsiːtɪd, ðæt ðeə wɒz nəʊ ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ hɪm! hiː wɔːkt hɪə, ænd hiː wɔːkt ðeə, ˈfænsiɪŋ hɪmˈsɛlf səʊ ˈvɛri greɪt! nɒt ˈhænsəm ɪˈnʌf tuː dɑːns wɪð! aɪ wɪʃ juː hæd biːn ðeə, maɪ dɪə, tuː hæv ˈgɪvn hɪm wʌn ɒv jɔː ˈsɛtˈdaʊnz. aɪ kwaɪt dɪˈtɛst ðə mæn.”

Mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪt wɒz əˈmʌŋ ði ˈɜːlɪɪst ɒv ðəʊz huː ˈweɪtɪd ɒn mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː. hiː hæd ˈɔːlweɪz ɪnˈtɛndɪd tuː ˈvɪzɪt hɪm, ðəʊ tuː ðə lɑːst ˈɔːlweɪz əˈʃʊərɪŋ hɪz waɪf ðæt hiː ʃʊd nɒt gəʊ; ænd tɪl ði ˈiːvnɪŋ ˈɑːftə ðə ˈvɪzɪt wɒz peɪd, ʃiː hæd nəʊ ˈnɒlɪʤ ɒv ɪt. ɪt wɒz ðɛn dɪsˈkləʊzd ɪn ðə ˈfɒləʊɪŋ ˈmænə. əbˈzɜːvɪŋ hɪz ˈsɛkənd ˈdɔːtər ɪmˈplɔɪd ɪn ˈtrɪmɪŋ ə hæt, hiː ˈsʌdnli əˈdrɛst hɜː wɪð,

“aɪ həʊp mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː wɪl laɪk ɪt, ˈlɪzi.”

“wiː ɑː nɒt ɪn ə weɪ tuː nəʊ wɒt mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː laɪks,” sɛd hɜː ˈmʌðə rɪˈzɛntfʊli, “sɪns wiː ɑː nɒt tuː ˈvɪzɪt.”

“bʌt juː fəˈgɛt, məˈmɑː,” sɛd ɪˈlɪzəbəθ, “ðæt wiː ʃæl miːt hɪm æt ði əˈsɛmbliz, ænd ðæt misiz lɒŋ hæz ˈprɒmɪst tuː ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs hɪm.”

“aɪ duː nɒt bɪˈliːv misiz lɒŋ wɪl duː ˈɛni sʌʧ θɪŋ. ʃiː hæz tuː ˈniːsɪz ɒv hɜːr əʊn. ʃiː ɪz ə ˈsɛlfɪʃ, ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈwʊmən, ænd aɪ hæv nəʊ əˈpɪnjən ɒv hɜː.”

“nəʊ mɔː hæv aɪ,” sɛd mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪt; “ænd aɪ æm glæd tuː faɪnd ðæt juː duː nɒt dɪˈpɛnd ɒn hɜː ˈsɜːvɪŋ juː.”

misiz ˈbɛnɪt deɪnd nɒt tuː meɪk ˈɛni rɪˈplaɪ; bʌt ʌnˈeɪbl tuː kənˈteɪn hɜːˈsɛlf, bɪˈgæn ˈskəʊldɪŋ wʌn ɒv hɜː ˈdɔːtəz.

“dəʊnt kiːp ˈkɒfɪŋ səʊ, ˈkɪti, fɔː ˈhɛvnz seɪk! hæv ə ˈlɪtl kəmˈpæʃən ɒn maɪ nɜːvz. juː teə ðɛm tuː ˈpiːsɪz.”

“ˈkɪti hæz nəʊ dɪsˈkrɛʃən ɪn hɜː kɒfs,” sɛd hɜː ˈfɑːðə; “ʃiː taɪmz ðɛm ɪl.”

“aɪ duː nɒt kɒf fɔː maɪ əʊn əˈmjuːzmənt,” rɪˈplaɪd ˈkɪti ˈfrɛtfʊli.

“wɛn ɪz jɔː nɛkst bɔːl tuː biː, ˈlɪzi?”

“tuː-ˈmɒrəʊ ˈfɔːtnaɪt.”

“eɪ, səʊ ɪt ɪz,” kraɪd hɜː ˈmʌðə, “ænd misiz lɒŋ dʌz nɒt kʌm bæk tɪl ðə deɪ bɪˈfɔː; səʊ ɪt wɪl biː ɪmˈpɒsəbl fɔː hɜː tuː ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs hɪm, fɔː ʃiː wɪl nɒt nəʊ hɪm hɜːˈsɛlf.”

“ðɛn, maɪ dɪə, juː meɪ hæv ði ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɒv jɔː frɛnd, ænd ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː tuː hɜː.”

“ɪmˈpɒsəbl, mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪt, ɪmˈpɒsəbl, wɛn aɪ æm nɒt əˈkweɪntɪd wɪð hɪm maɪˈsɛlf; haʊ kæn juː biː səʊ teazing?”

“aɪ ˈɒnə jɔː ˌsɜːkəmˈspɛkʃən. ə ˈfɔːtnaɪts əˈkweɪntəns ɪz ˈsɜːtnli ˈvɛri ˈlɪtl. wʌn ˈkænɒt nəʊ wɒt ə mæn ˈrɪəli ɪz baɪ ði ɛnd ɒv ə ˈfɔːtnaɪt. bʌt ɪf wiː duː nɒt ˈvɛnʧə, ˈsʌmbədi ɛls wɪl; ænd ˈɑːftər ɔːl, misiz lɒŋ ænd hɜː ˈniːsɪz mʌst stænd ðeə ʧɑːns; ænd ˈðeəfɔː, æz ʃiː wɪl θɪŋk ɪt ən ækt ɒv ˈkaɪndnɪs, ɪf juː dɪˈklaɪn ði ˈɒfɪs, aɪ wɪl teɪk ɪt ɒn maɪˈsɛlf.”

ðə gɜːlz steəd æt ðeə ˈfɑːðə. misiz ˈbɛnɪt sɛd ˈəʊnli, “ˈnɒnsəns, ˈnɒnsəns!”

“wɒt kæn biː ðə ˈmiːnɪŋ ɒv ðæt ɪmˈfætɪk ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən?” kraɪd hiː. “duː juː kənˈsɪdə ðə fɔːmz ɒv ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən, ænd ðə strɛs ðæt ɪz leɪd ɒn ðɛm, æz ˈnɒnsəns? aɪ ˈkænɒt kwaɪt əˈgriː wɪð juː ðeə. wɒt seɪ juː, ˈmeəri? fɔː juː ɑːr ə jʌŋ ˈleɪdi ɒv diːp rɪˈflɛkʃən aɪ nəʊ, ænd riːd greɪt bʊks, ænd meɪk ˈɛkstrækts.”

ˈmeəri wɪʃt tuː seɪ ˈsʌmθɪŋ ˈvɛri ˈsɛnsəbl, bʌt njuː nɒt haʊ.

“waɪl ˈmeəri ɪz əˈʤʌstɪŋ hɜːr aɪˈdɪəz,” hiː kənˈtɪnju(ː)d, “lɛt ʌs rɪˈtɜːn tuː mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː.”

“aɪ æm sɪk ɒv mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː,” kraɪd hɪz waɪf.

“aɪ æm ˈsɒri tuː hɪə ðæt; bʌt waɪ dɪd nɒt juː tɛl miː səʊ bɪˈfɔː? ɪf aɪ hæd nəʊn æz mʌʧ ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ, aɪ ˈsɜːtnli wʊd nɒt hæv kɔːld ɒn hɪm. ɪt ɪz ˈvɛri ʌnˈlʌki; bʌt æz aɪ hæv ˈækʧʊəli peɪd ðə ˈvɪzɪt, wiː ˈkænɒt ɪsˈkeɪp ði əˈkweɪntəns naʊ.”

ði əsˈtɒnɪʃmənt ɒv ðə ˈleɪdɪz wɒz ʤʌst wɒt hiː wɪʃt; ðæt ɒv misiz ˈbɛnɪt pəˈhæps sɜːˈpɑːsɪŋ ðə rɛst; ðəʊ wɛn ðə fɜːst ˈtjuːmʌlt ɒv ʤɔɪ wɒz ˈəʊvə, ʃiː bɪˈgæn tuː dɪˈkleə ðæt ɪt wɒz wɒt ʃiː hæd ɪksˈpɛktɪd ɔːl ðə waɪl.

“haʊ gʊd ɪt wɒz ɪn juː, maɪ dɪə mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪt! bʌt aɪ njuː aɪ ʃʊd pəˈsweɪd juː æt lɑːst. aɪ wɒz ʃʊə juː lʌvd ˈaʊə gɜːlz tuː wɛl tuː nɪˈglɛkt sʌʧ ən əˈkweɪntəns. wɛl, haʊ pliːzd aɪ æm! ænd ɪt ɪz sʌʧ ə gʊd ʤəʊk, tuː, ðæt juː ʃʊd hæv gɒn ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ, ænd ˈnɛvə sɛd ə wɜːd əˈbaʊt ɪt tɪl naʊ.”

“naʊ, ˈkɪti, juː meɪ kɒf æz mʌʧ æz juː ʧuːz,” sɛd mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪt; ænd, æz hiː spəʊk, hiː lɛft ðə ruːm, fəˈtiːgd wɪð ðə ˈræpʧəz ɒv hɪz waɪf.

“wɒt ən ˈɛksələnt ˈfɑːðə juː hæv, gɜːlz,” sɛd ʃiː, wɛn ðə dɔː wɒz ʃʌt. “aɪ duː nɒt nəʊ haʊ juː wɪl ˈɛvə meɪk hɪm əˈmɛndz fɔː hɪz ˈkaɪndnɪs; ɔː miː ˈaɪðə, fɔː ðæt ˈmætə. æt ˈaʊə taɪm ɒv laɪf, ɪt ɪz nɒt səʊ ˈplɛznt aɪ kæn tɛl juː, tuː biː ˈmeɪkɪŋ njuː əˈkweɪntəns ˈɛvri deɪ; bʌt fɔː jɔː seɪks, wiː wʊd duː ˈɛni θɪŋ. ˈlɪdɪə, maɪ lʌv, ðəʊ juː ɑː ðə ˈjʌŋɪst, aɪ deə seɪ mistɜ: ˈbɪngliː wɪl dɑːns wɪð juː æt ðə nɛkst bɔːl.”

“əʊ!” sɛd ˈlɪdɪə ˈstaʊtli, “aɪ æm nɒt əˈfreɪd; fɔː ðəʊ aɪ æm ðə ˈjʌŋɪst, aɪm ðə ˈtɔːlɪst.”

ðə rɛst ɒv ði ˈiːvnɪŋ wɒz spɛnt ɪn kənˈʤɛkʧərɪŋ haʊ suːn hiː wʊd rɪˈtɜːn mistɜ: ˈbɛnɪts ˈvɪzɪt, ænd dɪˈtɜːmɪnɪŋ wɛn ðeɪ ʃʊd ɑːsk hɪm tuː ˈdɪnə.

1. Beautiful places
   Describe a beautiful place to visit in your country.
   You should say:
   where it is
   how to get there
   what there is to do when you are there
   and explain why you recommend this place. 
   
2. Shopping
   Describe your favourite shop.
   You should say:
   where it is
   what things it sells
   what sort of people are its customers
   and explain why you like the shop so much.
   
3. An open-air/street market
   Describe an open-air/street market which you enjoyed visiting.
   You should say:
   where the market is
   what the market sells
   how big the market is
   and explain why you enjoyed visiting the market.
   
4. Eating and food
   Describe a special occasion when you had a really enjoyable meal.
   You should say:
   what the occasion was
   who was at the meal
   what you ate
   and explain why the meal was so enjoyable.
   
5. Travelling
   Describe a memorable journey you have made.
   You should say:
   where you were going
   how you were travelling
   why you were making the journey
   and explain what made the journey so memorable.
   
6. Travelling
   Describe a journey that you remember well.
   You should say:
   where you went
   how you travelled
   why you went on the journey
   and explain why you remember the journey well.
   
7. School
   Describe a school you went to.
   You should say:
   when you went there
   how many people studied there
   how long you spent there
   and explain what you like and disliked about it.
   
8. Adventure
   Describe an exciting experience in your life.
   You should say:
   when the experience took place
   where the experience took place
   what happened exactly
   and explain why the experience was so exciting.
   
9. Newspapers
   Describe a newspaper or a magazine you enjoy reading.
   You should say:
   what kind of newspaper or magazine it is, e.g. fashion
   how often you buy it
   what articles and information it contains
   and explain why you enjoy reading it.
   
10. Sport
    Describe an exciting competition or sporting event you have watched.
    You should say:
    what the competition or sporting event was
    when and where it took place
    who won
    and explain why it was exciting.
    
11. Family
    Describe the person in your family who you most admire.
    You should say:
    what their relationship is to you
    what have they done in their life
    what they do now
    and explain why you admire them so much.
    
12. A person you admire
    Describe someone who you really admire.
    You should say:
    what relation this person is to you
    what are your first memories of this person
    how often you see this person
    and explain why you admire this person.
    
13. Art
    Describe a piece of art you like:
    You should say:
    what the work of art is
    when you first saw it
    what you know about it
    and explain why you like it.
    
14. Decisions
    Describe an important decision that you made:
    You should say:
    what the decision was
    how you made your decision
    what the results of the decision were
    and explain the impact that this decision had on your life.
    
15. An important letter
    Describe an important letter that you received.
    You should say:
    who wrote it
    what the letter was about
    how you felt about the letter
    and explain why it was important.
    
16. An adventurous person
    Describe an adventurous person you know.
    You should say:
    who the person is
    how you know this person
    what this person does that is adventurous
    and explain why you think this person like to take risks.
    
17. A busy time
    Describe a time when you were very busy.
    You should say:
    when this time was
    what you did at this time
    how you arranged your time
    and explain how you felt when this busy time was over.
    
18. An occasion when you were late
    Describe an important occasion when you were late.
    You should say:
    when it happened
    what occasion you were late for
    why you were late
    and explain the result of your being late.
    
19. A street you like
    Talk about a street you like the most.
    You should say:
    where it is located
    what it is like
    why you like it
    and explain how it has influenced your life.
    
20. A time when you had to wait
    Talk about a time when you had to wait for something for a while.
    You should say:
    what you waited for
    how long you had to wait for it
    whether or not it was a good idea to wait for it
    and explain how you felt while waiting.
    
21. An important event
    Describe an important event in your life.
    You should say:
    when it happened
    what happened
    whether this event affected other people
    and explain why you feel it was important.
    
22. An object
    Describe something you own which is important for you.
    You should say:
    what you use it for
    how long you have had it
    where you got it from
    and explain why it is so important to you.
    
    
    
    

Going to

Използва се за:

• изрязяване на намерение (I am going to meet Tom. – Смятам да се видя с Тoм.)
• за предвиждане, което се основава на това, което виждаме в момента(Look at the clouds. It is going to rain.  –  Виж облаците. Ще вали.)

(+)

I am going to come – Аз смятам да дойда

You are going to come – Ти смяташ да дойдеш

He is going to come – Той смята да дойде

She is going to come – Тя смята да дойде

It is going to come – То смята да дойде

We are going to come – Ние смятаме да дойдем

You are going to come – Вие смятате да дойдете

They are going to come – Те смятат да дойдат

(-)

I am not going to come – Аз не смятам да дойда

You are not going to come – Ти не смяташ да дойдеш

He is not going to come – Той не смята да дойде

She is not going to come – Тя не смята да дойде

It is not going to come – То не смята да дойде

We are not going to come – Ние не смятаме да дойдем

You are not going to come – Вие не смятате да дойдете

They are not going to come – Те не смятат да дойдат

(?)

Am I going to come? –  Аз смятам ли да дойда?

Are you going to come? – Ти смяташ ли да дойдеш?

Is he going to come? – Той смята ли да дойде?

Is she going to come? – Тя смята ли да дойде?

Is it going to come? – То смята ли да дойде?

Are we going to come? – Ние смятаме ли да дойдем?

Are you going to come? – Вие смятате ли да дойдете?

Are they going to come? –Те смятат ли да дойдат?

Can – мога (+)

I can read – аз мога да чета

You can read – ти можеш да четеш

He can read – той може да чете

She can read – тя може да чете

It can read – томоже да чете

We can read – ние можем да четем

You can read – вие можете да четете

They can read – те могат да четат

(-)

I can’t read – аз не мога да чета

You can’t read – ти не можеш да четеш

He can’t read – той не може да чете

She can’t read – тя не може да чете

It can’t read – то не може да чете

We can’t read – ние не можем да четем

You can’t read – вие не можете да четете

They can’t read – те не могат да четат

can’t  = cannot

(?)

Can I read? – мога ли аз да чета?

Can you read? – можеш ли ти да четеш?

Can he read? – може ли той да чете?

Can she read? – може ли тя да чете?

Can it read? – може ли то да чете?

Can we read? – можем ли ние да четем?

Can you read? – можете ли вие да четете?

Can they read? – могат ли те да четат?

Използваме a/an пред броими съществителни в единствено число:

We have a car. – Ние имаме (една) кола.

Do you have an umbrella? – Имаш ли (един) чадър?

Използваме some и any, когато не посочваме точния брой/количество на съществителното, за което говорим:

Some се използва в положителни изречения, а any – в отрицания и въпроси:

We have some magazines. – Ние имаме няколко/някакви списания.

We don’t have any magazines. – Ние нямаме николко/никакви списания.

Do you have any magazines? – Имате ли няколко/някакви списания?

We have some cheese. – Ние имаме малко/някакво сирене.

We don’t have any cheese. – Ние нямаме никакво сирене.

Do you have any cheese? – Вие имате ли малко/някакво сирене?

В молби и предложения използваме some (независимо от въпросителната форма на изречението):

Can I have some water? – Може ли малко вода?

Would you like some soup? – Искаш ли (малко) супа?

В положителни изречения any означава „всеки, който и да е:”

Anyone can come. – Всеки (който и да е) може да дойде.

You can visit me any day you want. – Можеш да ме посетиш в който и да е ден.