I. = Interviewer I = Ted Hewitt
I. Ted, we are sitting in your dining-room, surrounded by a wonderful collection of miniature coaches. When did you start collecting them?
T. Well, some of them date back to when I was a child, and they were given to me as toys, so... at the age of five or six. But most of them I've added er... in the last ten years
I. Now. I can understand a child enjoying playing with them. But why did you carry on and make this collection?
T. Well, it's because of my family background. I'm the third generation in a family coach business, so I've been... lived with and been brought up with coaches all my life.
I. So you've got the real thing, and... and the miniatures as well?
T. That's right, yes.
I. How many miniatures do yon think you've got?
T. I haven't counted them for a long time. But there must be at least five hundred, I should think.
I. Which is your favorite?
T. Well my favorite is probably what is also the oldest, and that's a little double-decker bus, which was a London Transport double-decker of that period.
I. And how old is that?
T. That would have been manufactured in the late thirties, early forties.
I. Oh, it's marvelous. How long have you had that? Did you have it as a child?
T. No. That one doesn't date from that period. Probably about ten years I've had that one.
I. Do you keep your collection all in here? Is this the complete collection?
T. The most of it is here. but er... I have others in other rooms of the house, and some stored up in the attic, as well.
I. Do many people collect miniature coaches? Where do you get your coaches from? Where do you find them?
T. Yes, there are a lot of people collect buses and coaches, and there are specialist shops that sell them. And there's also a... a network of what are called swapmeets, where people go and trade in either current models or old models. So there's no difficulty in finding... models at all.
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I. Are they expensive?
T. No, not necessarily. You can buy contemporary models... anything from about two ninety-nine. And the sky is the limit.
I. Give me a figure.
T. Oh, some people pay thousands and thousands for a specific model.
I. Would you ever sell it?
T. No, I don't think so.
I. No.
T. No, I'm too attached to them to sell them. It's like the real ones.
I. Well, I think they're all lovely. Thank you very much, Ted.
T. Thank you.
Word List
Hobby захоплення
Occupation заняття
Free time вільний час
Regular постійний
Author автор
Article стаття
Count рахувати
Personal interests особові інтереси
Spend проводити
Spare time вільний час
Collecting stamps колекціонування марок
View cards картки з видами
Coins монети
Designs розробки
Tape records магнітофонні записи
Dozens десятки
Expensive дорогий
Broaden his outlook розширюють його кругозір
Harm шкода
To knit в’язати
To sew шити
To repair ремонтувати
To be keen знатися на чомусь
Fancy фантастичний
To get accustomed звикнути
Paints фарби
Water colors акварелі
Skillful майстерний
Amateur аматор
Tension напруга
Removes відкидає
Soul душа
Choice вибір
Likes and dislikes те, що подобається; що не подобається
Unit 4