Make up and practise a suitable dialogue using the phrases and word combinations.

 

11. Translate the following sentences into English using the phrases and word combinations:

1. Мальчик очень старался не делать ошибок в своем изложении. 2. Почему вы не откроете ей глаза на истинное положение дел? 3. В детстве ее не баловали, и теперь она оказалась более самостоятель­ной, чем ее брат. 4. Сильные Дожди в горных районах привели к на­воднению. 5. Встреча и разговор со старым школьным товарищем вызвали в памяти старые времена. 6. Не кажется ли вам, что она слишком далеко заходит в своей дерзости? Однако не думайте, что я говорю это, чтобы восстановить вас против нее. 7. Не беспокойтесь, все устроится чудесно. Нам надо только обсудить все заранее. 8. На чьей вы стороне? Решайте. 9. Скарлетт рылась в ящике стола, пыта­ясь найти там остатки денег. 10. Пока он не займется делом всерьез, он не получит повышения. 11. Учительница была очень недовольна учеником и задавала ему самые трудные вопросы. 12. Если он дал слово, он достаточно мужественен, чтобы не отказаться от него.

 

12. Explain what is meant by:

 

1. His fuse also is rapidly shortening. 2. If you'd married Jack Davis or some other of those jokers you'd never have had

 

 

to see the inside of a kitchen. 3. He shall get married, just to be a humiliating example to his father. 4. The expectant mother-in-law! 5. Let's see if you can ratify it from your extensive ob­servation of life. 6.1 ought to have known that oil and water won't mix. 7. He wants to take out some more insurance... 8. It runs in the Johns family. 9....and was made so much of, it gave her wrong ideas. 10. I was always afraid she'd have a hard awakening when she married. 11. My husband was shortsighted, too. He had had to skimp... 12. It's a kind of spiritual laxative. But they carry it too far. 13. Being a mother-in-law is almost as painful as being a mother.

 

13. a) Answer the questions and b) do the given assignments:

 

a) 1. Is the fact that both the mothers are residing of any special importance in causing the above mentioned tense con­dition? 2. What does the fact that Gordon takes more pains than his wife to avoid a quarrel suggest? 3. Do you think a wife should be economical? To what extent? 4. Why did Gordon feel slighted by Junior's not having drunk out of his mother's cup? 5. What do you think about the upbringing of an only child? What should be his (her) share in the household chores? 6. Should children be made to understand what marriage means? To what extent? 7. Should a husband and wife have similar per­sonalities or not? 8. What makes for a happy marriage? 9. What brought about the quarrel between Laura and Gordon and what did it result in? 10. Was there any implication in Mrs Sheffield's words to the effect that "they have such a lot to learn"? 11. What do you think of Mr Sheffield's words to the effect that "she's only young once. Let her enjoy herself? 12. Why would their children's quarrel bring back old times to their mothers?

13. What is your opinion about "a treaty of peace between the two mothers" and its effect on their children's married life? 14. What did Laura mean when she said her mother was going back on her? 15. What would you say about Gordon's motto for married men?

 

b) 1. Indicate the features of the writing which denote that it is a play. Examine and describe its regular characteristics.

2. What are the differences in the general atmosphere among the different parts of the play? Which stylistic devices does the

 

author use to create these differences? Point out details which add a dramatic though comic flavour to the play. Pay attention to a) epithets, b) similes, c) metaphors, d) intensifiers the characters use when speaking about themselves and about each other.

3. Note the way Laura and Gordon a) speak, b) move, c) look. Indicate the lexical and syntactical devices used to emphasise the emotional style of the young people:

1) lexical and syntactical repetition; 2) length of the period; 3) the use of formal and informal vocabulary; 4) the forms of address; 5) the intonations (questions, exclamations, disjunctive questions, unfinished sentences, the interjections and the stresses). Justify their use.

4. Discuss the examples of irony and sarcasm. How are the effects achieved? Compare these with the humorous effect and note the difference.

5. Examine the stage directions and find out where the author's sympathies lie. How do they help you to visualize the characters? How do they reveal the emotions, the intentions and difference in the characters' behaviour?

6. Explain the play on words: "All you can think of is finding fault." "I didn't find fault. I found some good food being wasted."

7. Pay attention to the use of synonyms, antonyms and the effect of gradation.

8. Find the examples of half reported speech. What effect is achieved by its use?

9. Find in the text the allusions and say if these are used effectively.

10. What is your general impression of the play and the way the incident in the family life is described?

 

Give a summary of the text.

 

15. Make up and act out dialogues between:

 

1. Laura (Gordon) and a friend discussing the events of Thursday evening.

2. Mrs Jones (Mrs Sheffield) speaking with her husband about the quarrel and their ingenious plan of making up that quarrel.

 

 

16. Give extensive paraphrase of the conversations between Laura and Gordon to indirect speech. Try to bring out the gist of the conversation and its emotional character. Avoid using "He (she) asked" or "He (she) answered". Consult the list of words and choose the ones best suited to each case:

 

1. to observe, to suggest, to declare, to point out, to remark, to reply, to tell smb in reply, to instruct, to caution, to relate, to add, to hint, to explain, to address, to inform, to promise, to affirm, to admit, to own, to advise, to confess, to demand, to claim, to insist, to warn, to retort, to order, to regret, to for­bid, to impress upon, to challenge, to inquire; 2. to shout, to scream, to snap at, to speak sharply; 3. to sneer, to taunt, to mock; 4. to beg, to plead with, to soothe; 5. to whisper, to murmur, to mumble; 6. to wonder, to be interested, to be surprised, to be displeased, to be angry, to disapprove, to be in­dignant, to be annoyed, to be irritated, to be resentful, to be furious; 7. in his (her, etc.) opinion; 8. (much) to his (her, etc.) surprise/to his (her, etc.) consternation, to his (her, etc.) dis­may; to his (her, etc.) regret, etc.

 

Write a chatty personal letter to a good friend saying how life has changed since your sister married a year ago. When you have written the letter, deliver it to another student. He or she should then write an answer to it.

 

VOCABULARY EXERCISES