His Rich Aunt

1. His Rich Aunt

2. (after C. Hare)

3. Hilary Smith belonged to a good family. His father never failed to mention that fact. Unfortunately he had some trouble with the bank and was sent off to Australia. He did not like Australia and Australia did not like him.

4. Therefore he was eager to return to England. He could not earn enough money to book his passage. So he had to wait until his father and his brother died. They fortunately did it at the same time.

5. He received all the money that belonged to a good family and soon spent it. When all the money had been spent, Hilary could do one of two things. He could die or work. Neither of these gave him any pleasure. Then he remembered that he had a rich aunt.

6. Match the words in English with their Ukrainian equivalents. • To belong витрачати гроші • To mention задоволення • Trouble бажати зробити щось • Be eager to do smth належати • Fortunately горе, нещастя • Pleasure на щастя • To spend money згадувати

7. She was his father’s only sister. Hilary found out her address. The old lady was glad to see her only nephew. But she was seriously ill. The doctor told Hilary that nothing could cure the old lady. Hilary was afraid to remain in the hard world alone.

8. So he chose a moment when his aunt was feeling much better than usual and asked her for details of her will. The old lady toled him that she had made a will when she was a young girl.

9. She was very religious and left all her money to some religious people in China. She didn’t make any other will. The next day Hilary found out that when a woman married, an earlier will lost its value.

10. A new will must be made, the money goes to the nearest relative. His future was save.

11. Match the two halves of the sentences. anxious to stay alone in that hard world. Hilary’s father had The aunt’s illness a new will was made after the aunt’s marriage. Hilary was the church regularly. Hilary’s aunt attended the only sister. Hilary was sure that was incurable.

12. Hilary badly needed money, he owed a lot to shopkeepers, who trusted him because his aunt was rich. It was impossible for Hilary to speak with his aunt about money. She got very bad and angry when money was mentioned.

13. One morning she told hilary that she was going to send for her lawyer to make a new will. Hilary was afraid that she wanted to leave all her money to somebody else. So he took a decision. Every night his aunt took some medicine to make her sleep.

14. Hilary decided to double the portion. He could put her to sleep forever. He put some more medicine into the glass. His aunt took the glass and looked at Hilary. She thanked her nephew and said: “If I am alive tomorrow, so I shall change the will in your favour. If I die tonight, you will get nothing”.

15. She explained to her nephew that she had never been married, so her first will did not lose its value. Hilary tried to take the glass away, but the old lady raised it and drank.