Номер 4, страница 60, часть 1 - гдз по английскому языку 9 класс учебник Демченко, Юхнель

4. Read the blog about the story behind the song. Why is this song autobiographical?

Shel Silverstein wrote the song lyrics in the 1970s as a parody of teen-heartbreak songs. The song performed by Dr Hook became a hit.

The lyric tells the following story: a young man, heart-broken and near tears after learning that his ex-girlfriend (Sylvia Avery, with whom he had an earlier bad breakup) is leaving town, tries to telephone her to say one last goodbye, or at least try to get an explanation as to why their relationship failed and maybe try to continue it. However, Sylvia’s mother (Mrs Avery) refuses to invite Sylvia to the phone because Sylvia is too busy to talk to him as she is packing and is going to be leaving. Moreover, Sylvia’s mother informs the man that Sylvia is engaged to be married, and is trying to start a new life in Galveston. She begs the man not to say anything to Sylvia because she might start crying and want to stay. She tells the man Sylvia is hurrying to catch a 9:00 train. In an aside, she then reminds Sylvia to take an umbrella, because “Sylvie, it’s starting to rain.” She then returns to the conversation, thanks the man for calling, and invites him to call back again. The pathos lies in Sylvia’s mother being aware of both conversations, but the lovers only “pass in the night.” Throughout the phone conversation, an operator cuts in to ask for more money (“40 cents more for the next three minutes”) to continue the call.

In 1972 Silverstein told Rolling Stone magazine that there was a real Sylvia – Sylvia Pandolfi. “I just changed the last name because it didn’t fit. It happened about eight years ago and was pretty much the way it was in the song. I called Sylvia and her mother said her daughter was too busy to talk to me. I said, ‘Why not?’ Her mother explained she was packing, and she was leaving to get married, which was a big surprise to me. The guy was in Mexico, and he was a bullfighter and a painter. Her mother finally let me talk to Sylvia, but she pleaded with me not to tell her anything to make her start crying and stay. Her last words were, ‘Shel, don’t spoil it.’ ”

Shel’s friend said that Sylvia was just a girl that he was interested in, and the mum didn’t like him. It was the time before cell phones, and you could be at a payphone and only have so many quarters in your pocket, and so many minutes to get through, and if somebody’s mum answered the phone, you were not getting through unless she loved you. So, the story was quite believable, and the song was really autobiographical.

Comment

Well, I am from Galveston, Texas and in the early 70s when I was about 15, my Mum met a lady who had just moved to Galveston. Her daughter, who was about 18, was named Sylvia. I think they were Italian and Sylvia was absolutely beautiful. I asked my mother what the lady’s last name was, but she didn’t know. So most of my life I was sure that the song was written about her...Steve, Galveston

4. Прочитайте в блоге историю, стоящую за песней. Почему эта песня автобиографична?

Ответ: The song is autobiographical because it is based on a real event from the life of its author, Shel Silverstein. He told Rolling Stone magazine that there was a real Sylvia. He called her, but her mother answered and said that Sylvia was busy packing because she was leaving to get married. Her mother pleaded with him not to say anything to make her cry and stay.

Перевод: Песня автобиографична, потому что она основана на реальном событии из жизни ее автора, Шэла Силверстайна. Он рассказал журналу Rolling Stone, что существовала реальная Сильвия. Он позвонил ей, но ее мать ответила и сказала, что Сильвия занята сборами, так как уезжает, чтобы выйти замуж. Ее мать умоляла его ничего не говорить, чтобы не заставить ее плакать и остаться.