1. Your friend says that men make houses and women make homes. You believe that nowadays both men and women make houses and the role of the men in making a home is as important as that of a woman.
2. You think that many illnesses result from overeating, and that three meals a day is quite enough for a person. Your friend says that a young, growing person must eat four or five times a day.
3. Your friend says that all great men kept diaries. He believes, in fact, that all people should keep diaries. Diaries are important written documents for future historians. You say you have nothing to write in a diary. He disagrees with you.
4. Your friend says that it is not at all necessary to read newspapers, it is quite enough to watch tv. The news programme, he believes, has all the news you may want in it.
Ex 56 Subjects for oral and written composition.
1. Describe a day in the life of an Englishman.
2. Say what newspaper this particular Englishman is likely to read. Give your reasons.
3. Say whether you think this particular Englishman works at an office or at a factory. Give your reasons.
4. Describe your working day.
5. Speak oh things you like doing, and why.
6. Speak on your hobby.
7. Describe what you usually do in the evening on a week-day, on a Saturday or Sunday.
8. Explain the proverb: "Home is where the heart is."
LESSON THREE
Text: More about the English.
Grammar: The Continuous Tense Forms (Present, Past and Future).
Reported Speech. Sequence of Tenses (contd).
Degrees of Comparison of Adverbs.
MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH
Like any other country Britain has its manners and customs as well as reputation.
Foreigners often say that in English trains people never speak to each other. But this, of course, is not true.
Not long ago I was travelling to London. In my compartment there were many passengers and they talked to each other almost all the time. They told each other where they lived, where they were going and, of course, talked about the weather. As soon as the train started a little girl, sitting by the window, called out: "We're off!" I found out that she was going to her aunt's in Chiswick.1 "It's somewhere near the Thames but I don't know exactly where... Shall we be passing anywhere near it?" "Chiswick? That's easy to find. You can get to it on the Tube. I'll show you where to go when we arrive," I told her.
"Goodness,2 how fast the train is going!" said an old lady. "Do they go so fast in foggy weather and at night?" Her neighbour smiled, took out a book and began to read. Here was a typical Englishman: during the whole journey he did not say a single word. But as we arrived in London, he got up, and turning to the lady he said with a strong accent: "Excuse me. I do not understand English. I am from Poland."
The English people often say something about the weather when they begin a conversation with strangers. In fact, people talk about the weather more in Britain than in most parts of the world. For one thing, the weather in Britain changes very quickly. One day may be fine and the next day may be wet. When you go to bed the stars may be shining brightly and when you wake up it may be raining heavily. You can never be quite sure what the weather is going to be like. The English often say "Other countries have a climate, in England we have weather." For another thing, the weather is a safe topic for conversation. When two Englishmen meet, if they can't think of anything else to talk about or if they don't know each other well enough to discuss personal matters, they talk about the weather.
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If it's nice and warm and the sun is shining brightly, a person usually says, "It's a lovely morning, isn't it?" or "Isn't it hot today?", and the answer is "Yes, it's wonderful weather we're having." After a night of heavy snowfall and hard frost he may say: "A cold morning, isn't it?", and the answer is "Yes, we're having a very cold winter."
Or perhaps the day is dull; it is raining a little, the sky is grey and cloudy, and everyone is wearing a raincoat or carrying an umbrella. As it gets darker a thick fog covers London. Cars and buses put on their lights and move slowly along the wet, slippery roads. As one friend meets another the usual remark is, "Isn't the weather awful!"
As the weather changes so often, it is of course quite important. It plays a big part in the lives of the British people.. Every daily newspaper publishes a weather forecast. Both the radio and the television broadcast news about the weather several times each day.
NOTES
1. Chiswick: a small town in Middlesex, England.
2. Goodness: an exclamation of surprise or wonder 1 !
VOCABULARY
true a 1. , a true story (fact, description, etc); 2. , a true friend (comrade, etc) He is a true friend of our family (to me). Phr come true His dreams came true; truth n , Phr tell the truth ; ; (un)truthful () .
travel vi travel by train (plane, air, sea, etc) He travelled all over the world (round the country, etc); travel n He told us about his travels. Phr go on a travel (trip, journey); a book of travels; a travel film
start vi 1. , ( ) We shall start in five minutes. Phr start on a trip (journey) ; start for some place (Leningrad, etc) vi/vt; 2. start work (a conversation, a discussion, a war, etc) Classes start at nine; start to do (doing) sth; start n Phr from start to finish=from beginning to end
pass vt/vi 1. , () passed me and didn't say a word. What town will the train be passing? 2. ( ) Time passes very quickly. 3. () passed his examinations well.
arrive vi , arrive in a country (city, big town); arrive at a station (village, hotel, etc); arrival n
fast a fast runner (game, etc); a fast train ; My watch is ten minutes fast (slow) () 10 ; fast adv walk (read, think, move, etc) fast
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whole , (. ) the whole world (town, day, book, group, etc); the whole of Europe (Asia, etc) Phr on the whole . On the whole you are right.
turn vt/vi 1. () turned (his head) and said something. She turned and left the room. Phr turn (to the) right/left (round the corner); 2. - ( , , . .) turn to sb with a question (for advice, for help, etc)
stranger n , () is a stranger here (to me, to the place); strange a 1. , strange face (voice, place, etc); 2. , a strange question (look, thing, story, idea, etc) There is something strange about the man (place, etc).
change vt 1. (), ; change a plan (one's address, one's name; one's clothes, etc) Can you change a five rouble note?; vi 2. , The weather changes very often in England. Phr change for the better (worse); changeable , , changeable weather; a changeable climate (situation; person, etc); 3. change to a bus(for another Metro line); change n , Phr make changes (in sth) ( -); for a change I'll take fruit soup today for a change.
wake vi (woke, woken) up 1. ; vt 2. () (-) Wake me up at seven o'clock, please.
sure Are you sure of his knowledge? Perhaps they'll come but I am not quite sure about it. I am sure (that) everything will be all right. Phr be sure of oneself . Phr make sure , . made sure that the door was closed. Phr for sure I know it for sure; surely adv ,
(un)safe (), () a safe topic (subject, place, hour, etc) Don't drive so fast, it's not safe; safely adv
matter n , an important (different, personal, business, etc) matter What's the matter? ? ? What's the matter with you? ? There is something the matter with sb/sth Phr it's a matter of time (chance, taste, principle, etc) (, , . .)
hard a 1. , Is this wood hard or soft? 2. , hard work; a hard man (life, time, day, task, etc); 3. ( , , . .) a hard frost (wind, rain, etc); hard adv 1. , , work (study, think, etc) hard; 2. It was raining hard yesterday.
dull a 1. , a dull book (film, party, life, man, etc); 2. ( ) dull weather; a dull morning (day, etc)
wear vt/vi (wore, worn) () ( ) She is wearing a new dress today. This material wears well; worn-out , worn-out clothes (shoes, etc)
cover vt 1. ; , Dark clouds covered the sky. She covered her eyes with her hands. Phr be covered (with) The ground is covered with dry leaves; 2. (fig) , ( -) What events does the article cover?
move vt , move a table (chair, etc); vi , ; was too weak to move. When are you moving to the new flat? Phr move in (out) ( ); movement n I heard some movement in the other room. a revolutionary (labour, national, youth, etc) movement
publish vt ; , publish a newspaper (book, magazine, etc); publish news (advertisements, etc), a publishing house (office)
broadcast vt (broadcast) ; ; broadcast news (an opera, a concert, a football match, sb's speech, weather report, etc); broadcast (= broadcasting) n
WORD COMBINATIONS
as well as , (),
call out ,
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for one thing ; for another (thing)
put on (out) the lights ()
play a big (small, important, etc) part in sth (, . .) -
weather forecast
EXERCISES
COMPREHENSION
Ex 1 Answer the following questions.
1. What reputation do the English have among foreigners? 2. Where was the author going one day? 3. What did the passengers in his compartment talk about? 4. Why did the author describe one of the passengers as a typical Englishman? 5. Why didn't this passenger say a single word during the whole journey to London? 6. How do the English people usually start a conversation with strangers? 7. Why is the weather always a safe topic for conversation? 8. What is the usual remark for good (bad, cold) weather? 9. What does London look like on a rainy day? (When a thick fog covers the city?)
Ex 2 Look through the text once again, and see if you can find facts to prove that:
1. Every country has its own reputation.
2. People in Britain talk about the weather more than in any other country in the world.
3. The weather, good or bad, is the safest subject for conversation with strangers as well as with friends.
4. The English are rather proud of their weather.
5. The weather is really important to the British.
Ex 3 Pick out words and expressions from the text, and group them under the following headings.
1. Travelling by train. 2. Good weather. 3. Bad weather. 4. Talking to strangers. 5. Driving in bad weather.
Ex 4 Find in the text the English for:
; ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; - , ; .
