The Book of Riddles. Лексические задачки

To enter the World of Riddles, you must first open this magic door. Find the right key for each of the four keyholes.

Well done! Now you can come in, and here is your first riddle.

“I have some good news and some bad news for you,” the owner of an art gallery said to a painter, whose works were at the exhibition in his gallery.

“What is the good news?” the painter asked.

“The good news is that one of the investors has shown great interest in your works. He asked me if they would go up in price after your death.”

owner владелец; art gallery картинная галерея; exhibition выставка; show great interest in проявить большой интерес к; price цена ◊go up in price вырасти в цене; death смерть

“And what did you say?”

“I said that they would double in price after you’re gone, and he bought all your paintings.”

“All eighteen of them? That’s good news, indeed. And what’s the bad news?”

“The bad news is the identity of the buyer.”

double удвоиться; after you’re goneздесь: после вашей смерти; theidentity of the buyer личность покупателя

Who showed so much interest in the works of the painter? This rebus may help you find the right answer.

A man who stuttered was asked why he did so.

“It’s my p-p-p-peculiarity,” he answered. “Everybody has s-s-s-some p-p-p-peculiarity.”

“I don’t have any,” said the questioner.

“Don’t you s-s-s-stir your t-t-t-tea with your r-r-r-right hand?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Th-that’s your p-p-p-peculiarity. Most p-p-p-people __________.”

peculiarity характерная черта; stutter заикаться; stir мешать; most people большинство людей; sentence предложение

Finish the sentence. What do most people do? This rebus may help you find the right answer.

One day, a snail was robbed while walking in the park. She went to the police.

“How did it happen?” they asked her.

“I don’t know,” the snail answered. “It all happened too quickly.”

robbery ограбление; one day однажды; snail улитка; rob ограбить; while walking in the park когда она прогуливалась в парке; happen случаться, происходить ◊How did it happen? Как это случилось?; tooquickly слишком быстро; solve решать; findout узнать, выяснить

Who robbed the snail? Solve this rebus to find out.

One day, the teacher asked the class:

“Which of you has heard of Archimedes?”

“I have,” said little Johnny. “Archimedes was a scientist. He was taking a bath and cried, “Eureka!”

“What is Eureka?” the teacher asked.

“Eureka means “I have found it”.

“What did he find?”

Johnny blurted out what he thought was the right answer.

What did he say?

eureka эврика; scientist учёный; mean означать; blurt out выпалить, брякнуть

Max decided to take a shortcut through the forest when he came across an old house he had never seen before. The house seemed deserted. He took a step inside, and the next moment the door behind him slammed shut.

shortcut короткий путь, путь напрямик ◊ take a shortcut срезать путь; come across наткнуться на; seem казаться; deserted заброшенный; take a step сделать шаг; inside вовнутрь помещения; slam shut захлопнуться

“Anybody here?” he asked.

A husky voice replied, “I’m here.”

“And who might you be?”

“I’m the keeper of this house.”

“Why can’t I see you?”

“You cannot see me because ghosts can’t be seen in the daytime.”

Anybody here? Здесь есть кто-нибудь?; husky хриплый; voice голос; reply ответить; And who might you be? И кто же вы такой?; keeper хранитель; ghost привидение, призрак

“Am I your prisoner?”

“No. However, you cannot leave this house unless you find the key to the door. If you don’t, you’ll stay here forever. You’ve only got one try.”

“Can you at least give me a hint?” Max asked.

“Very well,” the voice croaked. “The key is hidden behind one of the paintings in the drawing room. Find it, and you are free.”

prisoner пленник; however однако; unless если только ты не; stay оставаться; forever навсегда; try попытка; at least по крайней мере; hint намёк; croak хрипеть, прохрипеть; прокаркать; hide (hid, hidden) прятать

These are the paintings Max saw in the drawing room. Which of them hides the key?

An elephant tamer is talking to a journalist.

“I hear you used to tame other animals,” the journalist said.

“That’s right,” answered the elephant tamer. “I switched to elephants only a while ago. I have become shortsighted, you know.”

What animals did the tamer work with before he became shortsighted?

tamer укротитель; used to tame раньше дрессировали; that’s right совершенно верно; switch to переключиться на; a while ago некоторое время тому назад; shortsighted близорукий ◊ I have becomeshortsighted, you know. Я, видите-ли, стал близоруким

Johnny fell ill, and his mother called the famous doctor Pill.

“Are you really the famous doctor Pill?” the seven-year-old boy asked. “The one who spent several years in Africa treating wild animal?”

“The very same,” answered the doctor.

“Were you not eaten by cannibals?”

“No. Like they say, the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I’m still alive and kicking.”