- You are fond of art, aren’t you?
- Yes, I am. I am not very good at painting but I try to go to every art
exhibition. Besides, I’ve read a lot about Russian painters.
- Do you collect books on painting?
- I wouldn’t say so. I’ve several books on art, but in general I borrow
books from our libraries. Are you fond of art?
- Yes, I am. Besides, I like music, or to be more exact classical music.
- Who is your favourite composer?
- I like Chaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Mussorgsky…
- I appreciate your taste. Modest Mussorgsky depicted the most tragic
events of Russian history in his operas. Take his opera “Boris Godunov”…
- Don’t you think that Mussorgsky and Andrey Tarkovsky have very much
in common?
- That’s exactly what I mean. Their talents match.
* * *
- What are you reading? What’s the title of the book?
- It’s “A Farewell to Arms” by Hemingway.
- What do you think of it?
- As a matter of fact Hemingway is one of my favourite writers. I have read all of his novels and stories in Russian. Now I am reading the book in the original.
- Any language problems?
- Sometimes I’ve got to look up some words in the dictionary. That’s all.
frankly speaking Ernest Hemingway is not among my favourite writers. I prefer
detective stories.
- Tastes differ.
Talking politics
- When I was looking through the paper the other day, I came across a very interesting article dealing with the development of cultural relations between this country and Great Britain.
- I’d like to read it too. Where was it published?
- Let me think… I believe it was in The Independentof June 3, …
I’ll give you a copy of it.
- Do please.
* * *
- What does the article deal with?
- It’s devoted to the latest achievements in science and technology.
* * *
- Anything new about the negotiations in today’s papers?
- Nothing much. No agreement has been reached so far.
* * *
- Does the newspaper comment on the coming election in the USA?
- It carries an article which says that the Democratic/the Republican
candidate addressed a big rally in…
* * *
- As is reported from … over ten thousand transport workers went on
strike in … last week.
Invitation
- Are you doing anything special on Saturday night?
- No, I don’t think so. Why?
- Well’ I’m having a little party and I’d like you to come.
- Thank you. That would be very nice. What time?
- Half past seven.
- Fine. I’ll see you then.
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CONVERSATIONAL FORMULAS
Expressing and finding out intellectual and emotional attitudes.
- expressing one’s opinion:
-I think…
-I feel that…
-As far as I’m concerned….
- asking for someone’s opinion:
-Do you think that…?
-What do you feel/think about…?
-Are you sure that…
- giving reasons:
-I think … is right because…
- … That’s why I feel that …
-… and so I think that…
- asking for reasons:
-Why?
-Why do you think that…?
-What makes you feel that…?
- defending one’s opinion:
-Yes, but what I really mean is …
-What I am trying to say is …
-On the contrary, I …
-What you said is really an argument for my point of view.
I feel …
- agreeing / supporting other people’s opinions:
-That’s what I feel, too.
-I think so, too.
-Exactly.
-I (fully) agree with you.
-X put it very well.
-I feel that X is right.
-X raised some good points.
-O.K.
- disagreeing / contradicting other people’s opinions:
-I don’t agree.
-I don’t think so.
-That’s not …
-You can’t say that.
-That’s no proof.
-That’s not the point / question / problem…
-But surely…
-Oh, no…
- stating whether something is right or wrong
-True.
-That’s right.
-That’s it exactly.
-Wrong.
-That isn’t right.
-Absolutely not.
- expressing certainty and uncertainty, probability and possibility
-Yes, that`s right.
-I’m absolutely certain that…
-I’m sure that…
-There is definitely…
-There may be…
-Perhaps…
-…might…
-I’m not at all sure if…
-… could be …
-I don’t think that…
-… is not very likely.
-That could /may /might happen.
-… is not possible.
- making comparisons
-… is not as … as …
-… are as … as …
-… is a much more important … than …
-… are less important than …
-There are far fewer /not as many arguments for …
as against…
-You can’t compare … with …
-You have to compare … with …
- expressing interest or indifference
-I’m interested in …
-I’d like to know more about …
-I’d like to do something on …
-… sounds interesting.
-… doesn’t interest me.
-I don’t care.
-What a boring topic.
- expressing likes and dislikes
-I love /I like…
-…is great /very good /fun /fantastic.
-I enjoy …
-What I like best is …
-I hate /dislike …
-What I don’t like about … is …
- stating preferences
-I’d rather…
-I prefer … to …
-I’d much rather … than …
- expressing intentions
-I’m going to…
-In 10 years’ time I’ll…
-When I’m twenty I’ll…
-I want to…
-I intend to …
- expressing doubts
-I can’t say if…
-I have my doubts about it.
-Do you think that …? I doubt it.
-It’s very doubtful whether…
-You haven’t convinced me yet.
-You may have a point there, but I’m still not sure…
- expressing personal insights
-I learnt that…
-I became clear that / obvious that…
-I realized that…
-I found out about…
ÏÐÈËÎÆÅÍÈß 3
