Transcribe and pronounce correctly the words from the story. Fatal, ought, yearn, hymn, croon, knit, abominably, embittered, tremendous, exaggerate, dowdy, sight

Fatal, ought, yearn, hymn, croon, knit, abominably, embittered, tremendous, exaggerate, dowdy, sight, fascinating, sentimentalize.

Comprehension Check

a) What kind of letter did Virginia receive?

b) Why did she consider it offensive?

c) Why did Sunday evenings have a special effect on the woman?

d) What are Virginia’s thoughts mainly preoccupied with?

e) Do you think Virginia really repelled people ‘after a certain point’? What possible explanation did she find for herself?

f) Do you think the woman often felt ‘inclined to cry’? Why?

g) How old is the heroine of the story? Is she happy?

h) Did she loose hope for better life? Give your reasons.

Match the following definitions in the left column with the words in the right column. Find sentences with these words in the story.

1. not attractive or fashionable	fancy
2. to take care of smb; to guard and protect smb	to take to smth
3. smth that you say or do in an indirect way in order to shoe smb what you are thinking	a snub to smb
4. to be useful	arrogant
5. something that you imagine, fantasy	dowdy
6. to continue an activity without stopping	a h int
7. to make yourself free of smth/smb that is annoying you or that you do not want	to watch over smb
8. to depend on smb for help and support	to be of use to smb
9. behaving in a proud unpleasant way, showing little thought for other people	to lean on smb
10. an action or a comment that is deliberately rude in order to show that you do not like or respect them	to get rid of smth
11. to begin to do smth as a habit	to go on doing smth

 

Choose the right word from the above exercise for each of the sentences below.

a) It was a night-time …. that disappeared in the morning.

b) He said nothing but just ………….. working.

c) Try and ……………….your visitors before I get there.

d) I’m sorry, I’ve been no ………… to you.

e) He …………….heavily on his family.

f) He gave a broad ………. that he was thinking of retiring.

g) If you …………………someone you pay attention to them to make sure that nothing bad happens to them.

h) He had a rather ………. wife and several children.

i) At times the ………….. of those in power is quite blatant.

j) Her refusal to attend the dinner is being seen as a deliberate ……. to the President.

k) I’ve …………….. walking up very early.

Find the English equivalents to the following words or phrases and use them in the sentences of your own.

Его манера; должно быть он именно это имел в виду; береги себя; отдала бы все на свете; давать волю своим чувствам; с какой стати; далеко зайти; вешаться на шею; увидела себя в зеркале; навсегда; хочется плакать; никому нет дела; мужчины очень беззащитны.

 

Find words opposite in meaning to the following ones from the story.

a) to be pleased;    

b) safely;   

c) tremendous;

d) important.

Find in the story words similar in meaning to the following.

a) out of the ordinary;

b) endless;

c) to enjoy smth very much.

Differentiate between the following lexical units. Think of your own sentences to bring out the difference.

a) to lie- to lay;

b) wonder – wander;

c) What (a)! – How!;

d) wait for – expect – look forward – await;

e) terrible – terrific – frightening/terrifying - frightful.

Put in the missing prepositions.

a) I didn’t do it. Don’t shout … me!

b) They didn’t hear you. You’ll have to shout … them again.

c) I’ll be thinking … you when you are having your interview.

d) John married … the girl next door.

e) I’ve married … John for five years.

f) I seem to spend most of my time dreaming … you.

g) You shouldn’t ask people … personal questions.

h) No one ever died … hard work.

Find in the story the sentences with the words or expressions given below, translate them into Russian and ask your fellow students to translate them back into English.

That was so fatal; have such a funny effect on me; that is too much; a stranger; get keen on him; to care a straw; after a certain point; boundless love; I’ve got lines; not quite as bad as that; a sign of age; I get cross.

Expand on the following.

a) ‘ I’m strong, and far, far richer than most women.’

b) ‘ I suppose that’s why women take to drink.’