UNIT 9B
THE BURDEN OF THE PAST
Track 39
Read the text once and decide which sentences are false and correct them.
1. Maggie and Philip have been seeing each other regularly since their childhood. 2. Philip’s father is to blame for Maggie’s unhappiness. 3. Maggie was walking along the path, hoping to see Philip. 4. Philip was very good to Maggie and her brother when they were children. 5. Philip made a picture of Maggie as he remembered her. 6. Philip didn’t think that Maggie was as beautiful as she was when she was a child. READING
ни ке
Maggie and Philip, who were good friends during their childhood, haven’t seen each other for a few years. Her family had a great deal of trouble because Maggie’s father went bankrupt and blamed other people for his problems, including Philip’s father. That’s why the two young friends had to part. Maggie and Philip met again when she was 17 years old.
уџ бе
It was late afternoon and Maggie became aware of a moving shadow on the grassy path in front of her. She looked down to see Philip, who came forward to her and held out his hand. ‘I saw you yesterday on the bank near your house and I came here today to see if you would come out,’ said Philip, slightly embarrassed.
за
Maggie held out her hand, too and looked at him warmly, her eyes filled for a moment with the memory of her childhood feelings – a memory that was always strong in her.
д
‘You surprised me,’ she said smiling; ‘I never meet anyone here, but I’m very glad you came,’ said Maggie. ‘I’ve never forgotten how good you were long ago to my brother, Tom, and me, too.’
во
‘Do you know, when I was away, I painted a picture of how you looked that morning in the study when you said you would not forget me?’ said Philip timidly.
За
Philip took a tiny box out of his pocket and opened it. Maggie saw a water-colour sketch of herself from long ago. She was leaning on a table, with her black hair behind her ears, looking into space with strange, dreamy eyes. ‘Oh dear,’ said Maggie, smiling with pleasure. ‘What a strange little girl I was! I remember myself with my hair that way, in that pink dress. I was like a gypsy.’ She added, after a little pause: ‘Am I now what you expected me to be?’ Philip met her eyes and looked at her in silence for a long moment, before he said, quietly, ‘No, Maggie.’ A little of the light disappeared from Maggie’s face. Philip continued to look at her. Then he said slowly, ‘You are much more beautiful than I thought you would be.’ 138
‘Am I?’ said Maggie, her face bright red. As they continued walking, Maggie’s face had lost its glow. Looking at
