Reacting to events – как реагировать на события на английском языке?

Бывают ситуации, когда эмоции переполняют, но для описания событий просто не хватает слов. В родном языке мы часто используем устойчивые фразы типа «надорвать живот от смеха», «умереть со смеху», «взорваться от злости», «быть готовым сквозь землю провалиться» и т. п. Английский язык не менее эмоционален. Чтобы уметь как можно ярче описывать реакцию людей на происходящее, предлагаем рассмотреть подобные идиоматические выражения на примере небольших ситуаций, произошедших в одной семье, когда все были:

1. Удивлены (Surprised):

   … We all got the shock of our lives last Christmas. We were sitting round the fire, forcing third helpings of Christmas cake into our mouths, when the doorbell rang. It made everybody jump. Auntie Jane nearly jumped out of her skin. I was pretty startled myself, I must admit. Anyway, there at the door – believe it or not – was Uncle Mac, with an armful of presents (It was the first time in living memory that he had ever given anything to anybody). Everyone caught their breath when they saw him. No-one could really believe their eyes. Poor Aunt Flossie actually fainted, and Uncle Bill kept blinking, as if he had seen a ghost. And Granny, who had been talking non-stop since breakfast, was absolutely speechless. I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. I reckon you could have knocked all of us over with a feather.

   Рассмотрим выделенные идиомы:

   To get the shock of one’s life.	Быть глубоко потрясенным; быть в шоке.
   To make smb. jump.	Заставить вздрогнуть, подпрыгнуть (от неожиданности, испуга).
   To jump out of one’s skin.	Подпрыгнуть, подскочить (от испуга или удивления).
   To be startled.	Быть пораженным, изумленным.
   Believe it or not.	Хотите верьте, хотите нет.
   It was the first time in living memory.	Первый раз в жизни.
   To catch one’s breath.	Затаить дыхание.
   No-one could really believe their eyes.	Никто не мог поверить своим глазам.
   To faint.	Падать в обморок.
   To blink, as if you have seen a ghost.	С таким лицом, как будто увидел приведение (дословно: моргать, будто увидел приведение).
   To be speechless.	Быть безмолвным, онемевшим (от удивления, злости).
   Eyes were going to pop out of one’s head.	Глаза на лоб полезли.
   You could have knocked me down with a feather.	Я был ошарашен, ошеломлён, сбит с толку; я опешил.

2. Взволнованы (Emotional):

   … I looked across and saw that tears were already trickling down Mum’s cheeks. I must confess a lump had come to my throat. When the priest started speaking, Julia burst out crying, and that was the signal for Mum to break down; she was completely overcome. By this time tears were rolling down several faces – including Dad’s – and I had a horrible feeling that I was going to burst into tears. The priest’s few words were very touching; I think he was almost moved to tears himself. I’m not surprised. They made such a lovely couple and Maggie looked great in white.

   Tears are trickling down one’s cheeks.	Слезы текут по щекам.
   A lump came (had come) to my throat.	Ком в горле.
   To burst out crying.	Залиться слезами, расплакаться.
   To break down.	Не выдержать, потерять самообладание.
   To be overcome.	Быть охваченным (чувствами).
   Tears are rolling down.	Слезы катятся.
   To burst into tears.	Разразиться слезами, разрыдаться.
   Touching.	Трогательный.
   To be moved to tears.	Растрогаться до слез.

3. Злые (Angry):

   … I think it was Dad’s side of the family that started it, when Uncle Mac started calling Uncle Bill names. Auntie Jane took offence immediately and then Granny joined it. She made Aunt Flossie lose her temper and soon after that Dad blew his top. That led to Mum going berserk – I’ve never seen her so livid. It wasn’t long before Maggie, for some reason, started insulting Uncle Tom and then it was his turn to see red; he really went mad – “furious” isn’t the word for it. It was about then that Grandad, who had obviously been seething for some time, hit the roof. Things quietened down a bit after that and Granny dealt the next hand of cards.

   To call smb names.	Обзываться.
   To take offence.	Обижаться.
   To lose one’s temper.	Терять самообладание.
   To blow one’s top.	Взорваться (от гнева), выйти из себя.
   To go berserk.	Прийти в бешенство, прийти в ярость.
   Livid.	Злой, разозлённый, в ярости.
   To insult smb.	Оскорблять.
   To see red.	Прийти в ярость, рассвирепеть; быть ослеплённым яростью.
   To go mad.	Обезуметь.
   Furious.	Взбешённый, неистовый, яростный.
   To seethe.	Закипать (от ярости).
   To hit the roof.	«Взорваться» от злости, рвать и метать.
   To quieten down.	Затихать.

4. Напуганы (Afraid):

   … Well, naturally most of us were scared stiff. Only Maggie kept cool throughout. Mum went as white as a sheet and even Dad panicked a bit. Auntie Jane’s hair stood on end and Uncle Bill ran a mile. I must confess that my heart missed a beat or two. I mean, it’s not every day that a tax inspector comes to your front door, is it? All the time he was with us, Uncle Mac was twitching as if he had an army of ants inside his shirt collar. Whenever the phrase “failure to declare earned income” came up, Aunt Flossie winced and Mac’s hand started shaking so much he couldn’t light his pipe. It was obvious that Granny was trembling too when she tried to pick her cup of tea up – three times. Everyone shuddered visibly when the man said he would be back – everyone except Maggie, that is. She didn’t flinch once, didn’t turn a hair. She’s either a very good actress or extremely honest.

   To be scared stiff.	Быть напуганным до смерти.
   To keep cool.	Сохранять невозмутимый вид, хладнокровие.
   As white as a sheet.	Бледный как полотно.
   To panic.	Паниковать.
   One’s hair stands on end.	Волосы становятся дыбом.
   To run a mile.	Бежать куда глаза глядят; как ветром сдуло.
   My heart missed a beat.	Сердце замерло.
   To twitch.	Резко вздрагивать.
   To wince.	Вздрагивать, морщиться.
   To shake.	Дрожать, трястись.
   To tremble.	Дрожать, трястись.
   To shudder.	Вздрагивать, содрогаться; бросать в дрожь.
   To flinch.	Вздрагивать; передёрнуться.
   Not to turn a hair.	И глазом не моргнуть.

5. Смущены (Embarrassed):

   … I could see that Julia was dying of embarrassment – not surprisingly, in the circumstances. I bet the incident is still on her conscience. Anyway, I could feel that I was blushing, and the other chap was as red as a beetroot. Julia had a terribly guilty look in her eyes, or rather, she had guilt written all over her face. She started stammering something about feeling tired and having come up for a rest. I didn’t know where to put myself, I can tell you. I stood there for a few seconds hoping a hole would open up in the floor and swallow me. In the end I just gulped and backed out of the room.

   To die of embarrassment.	Умирать от смущения.
   On one’s conscience.	Иметь что-либо на своей совести, чувствовать себя виноватым, чувствовать за собой вину.
   To blush.	Краснеть, заливаться румянцем от смущения, стыда.
   As red as a beetroot.	Красный как рак.
   To have a terribly guilty look in one’s eyes.	По глазам видно, что виноват.
   To have guilt written all over one’s face.	Вина написана на лице.
   To stammer.	Заикаться.
   Not to know where to put oneself.	Не знать, куда себя деть.
   To hope a hole would open up in the floor and swallow me.	Быть готовым сквозь землю провалиться.

6. Веселые (Amused):

   … Well, everyone burst out laughing, of course. Uncle Bill laughed his head off, and Auntie Jane nearly died laughing. And you should have seen Granny; she was in hysterics. She nearly split her sides laughing. Even Uncle Mac couldn’t help laughing when he realized what the cause of their laughter was. The vicar was the only one who didn’t see the funny side of things; completely straight-faced, stony-faced he was. Granny was still hysterical long after Uncle Mac had turned round, chuckling to himself, and put the matter straight.

   Burst out laughing.	Разразиться смехом.
   To laugh one’s head off.	Кататься со смеху, умирать со смеху.
   Nearly die laughing.	Чуть не умереть со смеху.
   To be in hysterics.	В истерике.
   Can’t help laughing.	Невозможно сдержать смех.
   Not to see the funny side of things.	Не видеть весь комизм ситуации.
   To chuckle.	Смеяться (тихо), посмеиваться.
   To split one’s sides laughing.	Надрывать живот от смеха.

Для закрепления слов и выражений предлагаем выполнить следующие задания:

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence:

Read the story and translate the words in bold:

My friend has a great sense of humour. She is always cheerful and ready to tell a few anecdotes. Хотите верьте, хотите нет, but when we are together I nearly надрываю живот от смеха. Helen is able to make everyone смеяться. But on the other hand, she doesn’t теряет самообладание, her jokes are never оскорбительные, she never обзывает меня and не обижается when we have some misunderstandings. Moreover, she is a real friend in need. Once we went to the cinema together. Frankly speaking, I expected to watch some трогательную melodrama. I’m always тронута до слез by love stories; я ощущаю комок в горле, и слезы катятся по моим щекам. But that evening my friend had some other plans and decided to watch a horror film. On hearing that I пришла в ярость. I hate horror films, because у меня волосы становятся дыбом, when I see blood, and I’m ready бежать куда глаза глядят. Nevertheless, Helen persuaded me to go. She promised that the film wouldn’t be too terrifying. After the first episode у меня глаза на лоб полезли. Я онемела от страха. Then I began дрожать. My сердце замерло, I побледнела как полотно and at last I упала в обморок. When I recovered my consciousness I was already at home. Helen не знала, куда себя деть. Вина была написана на ее лице. She asked: “How are you?” заикаясь. At that moment она готова была сквозь землю провалиться. I said: “I’m Ok. You’d better cheer me up after that wonderful film!”