2. Speak to the class about another American president. Start by presenting new topical vocabulary. Extend your vocabulary list adding to it the vocabulary from other students’ reports.
UNIT III
THE ENGLISH
"SORRY, MY FAULT"
by George Mikes
There are some people, who just cannot admit - or even see - that they may possibly be at fault. In England, however, most people have moral courage and they have learnt the formula: "I'm sorry, my fault". They insist upon it. You must not argue and say that it was your fault because they get very angry. Once in North London I saw two cars collide and smash up each other's wings. Both drivers jumped out of their seats, shouting, "Sorry, it's my fault!" Neither of them even looked at the smashed wings and broken lamps, but a sharp quarrel ensued as to whose fault it was, each claiming the absolute and exclusive responsibility for himself.
These magic words, "Sorry, my fault", are really abused. The idea is this: what can people do to such a decent, straightforward, open-hearted chap who always declares that everything is his fault? He arrives at his office half an hour late. He does not tell tales about traffic jams and trains being late, even if one of these was in fact the sole reason for his delay. He says: "Sorry, it is my fault. I overslept."
Of course, it is manly, decent and right to take the blame if you have committed a mistake. But many people seem to think that it is even more manly and decent if you are as innocent as a newly born lamb. It shows that you are not only human - well, you commit mistakes - but also courageous and honest. Criticism is silenced. One cannot quarrel with a man who says it is his fault, insists upon this and proclaims it with pride.
I think religion is to a great extent to blame for this. Many types of religion teach us that we may do as we like and get away with it provided that on certain days or occasions we duly and sincerely repent. I believe that a man can improve; but no one can improve retrospectively. You may be a more decent chap now than you were in the past; but you cannot be a more decent man in the past than you really were. Nothing that was said can be unsaid, nothing that has been done can be undone. You may call your wife a silly cow on Tuesday and the only treasure in your lonely life on Wednesday. But you cannot explain to her on Wednesday that, when you called her a silly cow the day before, you really meant to say she was the only treasure in your lonely life. You may try, of course, but only eighty per cent of women will believe you!
In saying all this, I do not wish to hurt anybody's religious feelings. If I have, I am very sorry. My fault.
(Abridged)
Vocabulary
1. admit (v) (admission (n)) – acknowledge (acknowledgement) – confess
(confession)
2. fault (n), to be sb’s fault, to be at fault, to find fault with
faulty (adj), faultless (adj)
3. blame (v) sb/sth for sth, to blame sth on sb/sth, to be to blame for sth.
blame (n), to take the blame, to put/lay the blame on sb
blameless (adj)
4. courage (n), to have the courage to do sth, to pluck up/summon up (the) courage,
it takes courage to do sth
courageous (adj) – manly (adj)
5. argue (v), to argue with sb about/over sth, to argue for/against sth, to argue that
argument (n)
6. collide (v) with
collision (n) with, between, a head-on collision
7. claim (v), to claim that, to claim to do sth, to claim credit/responsibility/victory
etc
claim (n), to have a claim to sth/on sb/sth, to make a claim, to lay claim to sth,
claim to fame
8. allege (v), to allege that, to be alleged to have done sth
alleged (adj), allegedly (adv)
allegation (n), to make allegations against/about sb, to deny allegations
9. abuse (n), abuse of
abuse (v)
abusive (adj)
10. (in)decent (adj), (in)decency (n)
11. frank – straightforward – open-hearted
12. declare (v) – proclaim (v)
13. to tell tales
14 sole (adj)
15. reason (n) for/why/that, for some reason, for the simple/obvious/good reason
that, to see no reason, to listen to/to see reason
reason (v) with sb
16. human – humane – humanitarian
humanity (n)
17. silence (n), silence (v)
18. to (some, a certain, a great, a small) extent
19. to do as one likes
20. to get away with sth
21. provided/providing (conj) (that)
22. repent (v), repentance (n), repentant (adj)
23. (in)sincere (adj), (in)sincerity (n)
24. due (adj), duly (adv)
25. undo (v), undoing (n), to be sb’s undoing
26. treasure (n, v), treasury, treasurer, treasured, treasure trove
27. hurt (v) – offend – insult
28. offence (n), to cause/give offence, to take offence
29. insult (n), to throw/hurl insults at sb, to be an insult to, to add insult to injury
30. offensive (adj) – insulting – abusive
Revision:
1. commit (v) (a mistake, a crime, an offence)
2. newly born (built, wed)
3. not only…but also
4. excuse (v, n)
5. quarrel (v, n)
6. improve (v), improved (adj), improvement (n) in sth, to be an improvement on sth
Exercises
I. Transcribe the words and read them aloud:
courage, courageous, ensue, allege, abuse (n), abuse (v), indecent, human, humane, humanitarian, sincere, sincerity, treasurer, insult (n), insult (v)
II. Word-building
Complete the chart:
| verb | noun (abstract or concrete inanimate) | noun (person) | adjective |
| admit | |||
| confess | |||
| allege | |||
| collide | |||
| fault | |||
| claim | |||
| abuse | |||
| reason | |||
| man | |||
| decent | |||
| courage | |||
| silence | |||
| critic | |||
| sincere | |||
| repent | |||
| offend |
III. Translate into Russian:
1. I confess my grievous sin, I repent it bitterly, I lament the day and the hour I ever raised hand against an innocent man. 2. Bernard Shaw's much-quoted example of ghoti as a way of spelling fish shows both his wit and his refusal to acknowledge the regularity and predictability of English spelling. 3. He married a fashion-model type of girl who by her own admission makes no claims to intellect. 4. Greenway is said to have been ‘self-confident, temperamental and quick to take offence’. 5. The child is usually too emotionally overwrought to listen to reason. 6. He makes so many wild allegations that no one will believe them. 7. Having spent years attacking her as the author of awful policies, it is not credible to claim now that her departure hardly matters. 8. He felt it a boring thing he had to do as he would probably rather do something else but nevertheless it had to be done, not to save his reputation but restore his self-respect which he felt he did not have fully if someone was allowed to insult him and get away with it. 9. A person is guilty of an offence if he (a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing sign or visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting. 10. Humanity will insist that individuals must accept their personal obligations by acknowledging that they do have within them impulses and appetites which are a legacy from millions of years of ruthless evolution, and that the time has come when they must introduce into their lives the concept of a high standard of self-discipline to control those impulses and appetite.11. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. 12. I personally think you must be a very unhappy man if you have to go to such lengths to find fault with things. 13. In the case of a sentence of six months or less, with certain exceptions such as where the offence involved violence, the possession of firearms, explosives or offensive weapons, or indecent conduct with a person aged under sixteen, the court was obliged to suspend the sentence. 14. Friends of the Earth is to take the government to court over its alleged failure to ensure that pesticide levels in drinking water meet legal requirements across much of the Thames Basin area.
IV. Fill in the blanks with the given words in the correct form:
insult, courage, to claim, claim, to confess, to undo (2), to silence, silence, offence, treasure trove,fault, collision, allegation
1. The great pleasure in creating images on a PC is the freedom to experiment and (…) mistakes. 2. You have made serious (…) but can you substantiate them? 3. He (…) he can write poetry and novels with equal ease. 4. In one week he has (…) everything we achieved in a year. 5. Such a measure would be an (…) to our Faith; it would without question prove to be gravely damaging to morality, private and public. 6. I was too embarrassed to (…) my sin, and suffered in guilty silence. 7. (…) is golden, but speech is silver. 8. It might be argued that in such situations it is the only course of action open to a man and that he would be at (…) if he acted differently. 9. The young soldier summoned up all his (…) to prevent himself from running away and being regarded as a coward. 10. We Brits may have invented cricket, tennis, football, rugby, golf, darts and bowls but we can't lay (…) to baseball, ice hockey, American football, ten-pin bowling, rhythmic gymnastics, synchro swimming or sumo wrestling. 11. There was a head-on (…) on the main road between here and the next village. Luckily both cars had air bags and the drivers survived. 12. The best defence is a good (…)! 13. All media, apart from government-controlled radio and television, have been totally (…). 14. The sea was dead calm and the coral a glistening (…) of vivid gems.
V. Insert the required prepositions:
1. Don’t try to cheat (…) your income tax, you’ll never get away (…) it. 2. The opposition has long argued (…) changes in parliamentary rules. Many members argued (…) changing the rule. 3. They are always arguing (…) unimportant matters. 4. Jane knew it was unfair to blame the place (…) her misfortunes. 5. If the allegations (…) him prove to be well-grounded, he will lose his job. 6. When I was left at school I was savage at not being let go home; and when I went home, my mother did nothing but find fault (…) my schoolboy manners. 7. Archaeology is often considered as a branch of history, and (…) some extent this is true. 8. We Brits may have invented cricket, tennis, football, rugby, golf, darts and bowls but we can't lay claim (…) baseball, ice hockey, American football, ten-pin bowling, rhythmic gymnastics, synchro swimming or sumo wrestling. 9. Repenting (…) his crime the thief returned the jewels and confessed (…) the police. 10. His main claim (…) fame is that he went to school with the prime minister. 11. (…) reason (…) security the door is kept locked. 12. I tried to reason (…) him, but he would not listen.
VI. Translate into English:
Translation 1
1. Объясните мне причину, по которой меня не пустили в клуб.
2. Вход в музей бесплатный.
3. Эти факты не допускают другого объяснения.
4. Иногда люди сознаются в преступлениях, которых не совершали.
5. Когда миллионера Стокмана попросили подписать документ в банке, он признался, что не умеет писать.
6. Молчание часто принимается за признание вины.
7. Многие отказывались признать её лидерство.
8. Как автор я хочу поблагодарить за помощь своего секретаря.
9. Он промолчал, так как не хотел вас обидеть.
10. Я понимаю, что в некоторой степени ответственен за случившееся, я раскаиваюсь в содеянном, но боюсь, уже невозможно исправить нанесённый ущерб.
11. Он очень гордый и потому легко обижается, но никогда не покажет, что обижен.
12. Не знаю, искренность это или глупая наивность, но он меня очень раздражает.
13. Я вам очень признателен. С вашей стороны было порядочно предупредить меня.
14. Мне больно об этом вспоминать. – Сходи на исповедь, тебе станет легче.
15. Похоже, некоторым людям легче свалить вину на других, чем признать свои ошибки.
16. Он признанный авторитет в области древнегреческой мифологии.
17. По какой-то причине он опустил в своём докладе проблему, интересовавшую всех присутствующих.
18. Если товар оказывается с браком, покупатели могут вернуть его в магазин.
19. Вы можете потребовать возмещения ущерба при условии, что у вас есть достаточные доказательства.
Translation 2
1. Его ответ на экзамене был безупречен.
2. Джема винила себя в смерти Артура.
3. Некоторые считают, что в росте насилия частично виновато телевидение.
4. Полиция тоже не всегда кристально невинна.
5. Утверждается, что он сам поджёг свой магазин и собирался потребовать страховку, но он отрицает эти обвинения.
6. Полиция утверждает, что вы ездите на спортивном автомобиле, якобы угнанном в Норфолке.
7. Снова сесть за руль после аварии требует немалого мужества.
8. Вы представляете, что будет, если два поезда столкнутся лоб в лоб?
9. Газеты писали о разногласиях между Японией и Китаем по поводу территориальных вод.
10. Откровенно говоря, я не понимаю причину их ссоры.
11. Боюсь, вы злоупотребили доверием фирмы.
12. Независимая комиссия займётся нарушениями прав человека в стране.
13. 16 сентября Мексика объявила о своей независимости от Испании.
14. После смерти монарха его сын был немедленно провозглашён королём. Эта поспешность понятна, учитывая, что брат монарха также претендовал на престол.
15. Когда слишком многие рабочие начали прислушиваться к словам Борка, его немедленно заставили замолчать.
16. Если вы как положено доложите об инциденте, я не думаю, что на вас будут возлагать за него вину.
17. Человеку свойственно ошибаться.
18. Ваша последняя контрольная работа безусловно лучше предыдущих.
19. По непонятной причине девочка чувствовала себя неловко в присутствии Миссис Миллз.
Translation 3
1. Она хочет сменить работу по причинам чисто личного характера.
2. Невозможно заставить моего отца поступить разумно.
3. При сложившихся обстоятельствах у нас есть все основания для подозрений.
4. Гриффитс был единственным выжившим в катастрофе.
5. Она возглавляет кампанию за гуманное отношение к животным.
6. ВИЧ расшифровывается как «вирус иммунодефицита человека».
7. Его освободили из заключения по соображениям гуманности.
8. В школе он преуспевал в гуманитарных науках, но пьянство его сгубило.
9. У вас шнурок развязался.
10. Перед смертью он покаялся в грехах.
11. В его словах и тоне нет ни капли раскаяния, но, боюсь, он снова уйдёт от ответственности.
12. Землетрясение унесло более тысячи жизней.
13. Девочки утверждали, что видели привидение, но никто не обратил внимания на их слова.
14. Утверждают (его обвиняют в том), что он был заказчиком убийства.
