Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

Their choice of acquaintance was wide (их выбор знакомых был широким) by reason (по причине) of their active church membership (их активной религиозной деятельности: «активного церковного членства»; membership — членство, званиечлена): that is to say (иначе говоря), they were members of various guilds and confraternities (они были членами различных гильдий: «организаций» и братств). Raymond was a sidesman (Раймонд был помощником церковного старосты), and he also organized the weekly football lottery (он также организовывал еженедельную футбольную лотерею) in aid of the Church Decoration Fund (в помощь Фонда убранства церкви). Lou felt rather out of things (Лу чувствовала себя довольно не у дел) when the Mothers' Union met (когда собирался Союз Матерей) and had special Masses (и служили: «имели» специальные обедни; Mass — месса, литургия), for the Mothers' Union was the only group she did not qualify for (так как Союз Матерей был единственной группой, к которой она не подходила; to qualify — обучать/ся/,подготавливать/ся/,бытькомпетентным). Having been a nurse before her marriage (так как она была санитаркой до замужества) she was, however, a member of the Nurses' Guild (она была, однако, членом Гильдии Медицинских Сестер).

Thus (таким образом), most of their Catholic friends (большинство из их друзей-католиков) came from different departments of life (были: «приходили» из разных сфер: «отделов» жизни). Others (другие), connected with the motor works where Raymond was a foreman (связанные с автомобильным заводом, где Раймонд был мастером), were of different social grades (были из различных социальных слоев; grade — степень, качество, класс) to which Lou was more alive than Raymond (о которых Лу имела больше представлений, чем Раймонд; to be alive to a fact — явнопредставлятьсебекакой-тофакт, alive — живой). He let her have her way (он позволял ей поступать, как она считает нужным: «действовать по своему»), as a rule (как правило), when it came to a question of which would mix with which (когда доходило до вопроса, кто из них сможет сойтись с кем; tomix— смешивать, соединять; общаться).

acquaintance [q'kweIntqns] guild [gIld] rule [ru: l]

"Oh, please yourself." For no one could call Lou a snob, and everyone knew she was sensible.

Their choice of acquaintance was wide by reason of their active church membership: that is to say, they were members of various guilds and confraternities. Raymond was a sidesman, and he also organized the weekly football lottery in aid of the Church Decoration Fund Lou felt rather out of things when the Mothers' Union met and had special Masses, for the Mothers' Union was the only group she did not qualify for. Having been a nurse before her marriage she was, however, a member of the Nurses' Guild.

Thus, most of their Catholic friends came from different departments of life. Others, connected with the motor works where Raymond was a foreman, were of different social grades to which Lou was more alive than Raymond. He let her have her way, asa rule, when it came to a question of which would mix with which.