They weren't interested in why Paula didn't drink (их не интересовало, почему Паула не пьет). Of how, when she was only seven years old, her mother died (/они не знали/, что когда ей было всего лишь семь лет от роду, ее мать умерла; old – старый; /такого-то/ возраста, /стольких-то/ лет) and her father took to drink (и отец пристрастился к выпивке; to take to – пристраститься к /чему-л./).
allow [ǝ'laʋ], alcohol ['ælkǝhɒl], die [daɪ]
And what was Paula's handicap?
Simple. Paula did not drink. No, she would never allow alcohol to pass her lovely lips.
'Men like women who are fun,' her friends would say. 'Women who don't drink are boring.' And then, 'what chance have you of ever finding a man if you are no fun?'
They weren't interested in why Paula didn't drink. Of how, when she was only seven years old, her mother died and her father took to drink.
He drank so heavily that he himself was dead within six months (он пил так сильно, что через полгода: «через шесть месяцев» умер и сам; heavily – тяжело; сильно, много) and she was placed in a foster home (и ее отдали /на воспитание/ в приемную семью; to place – ставить, размещать; помещать, отдавать /куда-л./; foster home – семья, принявшая на воспитание ребенка; to foster – воспитывать чужого ребенка /в своей семье/: to foster an orphan – брать на воспитание сироту).
Her foster parents were kind and looked after her well (приемные родители оказались добрыми и хорошо о ней заботились; to look after – присматривать за, заботиться о). But she never forgot the way she had loved her own parents (но она никогда не забывала то, как любила своих собственных родителей; to forget; way – путь, дорога; образ действия) when they were alive (когда они были живы). It was bad enough losing her mum (очень: «достаточно» плохо потерять свою мамочку). But she should never have lost her dad (но ей не следовало терять и папу; never – никогда; нисколько, никоим образом /эмоц. – усил./; to lose). And it was all because of drink, she told herself (а все это произошло из-за выпивки, говорила она себе).
heavily ['hevɪlɪ], alive [ǝ'laɪv], enough [ɪ'nʌf]
He drank so heavily that he himself was dead within six months and she was placed in a foster home.
Her foster parents were kind and looked after her well. But she never forgot the way she had loved her own parents when they were alive. It was bad enough losing her mum. But she should never have lost her dad. And it was all because of drink, she told herself.
So Paula swore she would never drink (и вот, Паула поклялась никогда не пить; to swear).
But times change (но времена меняются). People grow up (люди вырастают). Maybe she should reconsider her decision never to drink (может быть, ей следует пересмотреть свое решение никогда не пить)? wondered Paula (размышляла Паула; to wonder – удивляться, изумляться; задаваться вопросом, сомневаться). It was certainly no fun being a social outcast (определенно, ничего приятного нет в том, чтобы быть в обществе изгоем). Her friends had stopped inviting her out (подруги перестали приглашать ее на прогулки; out – вне, снаружи). She had become sad and lonely (ей стало грустно и одиноко; to become – становиться). Getting home every evening from her office job (каждый вечер после работы в своей конторе шла домой;