Make up and practise a short situation using the word combinations and phrases (p. 223).

8. Make up and act out a dialogue using the word combinations and phrases (p. 223):

1. An acquaintance of yours is asking you for a piece of advice, which you hesitate to give, (to have some difficulty in smth., to hes­itate, unless, to have not the least notion, to decide for oneself)

2. You are late for a house-warming party. Apologize to the hostess, (early enough, I had hardly... when, to reach (out) for, to have some difficulty in smth., to open the door to smb., Jo come up to, a dim recollection, to alter one's habits)

3. Your plans for a trip to the South are ruined. You're complain­ing about that to a friend of yours, (to alter plans, to feel at home, it is precisely what, none the worse for, not to know a better place to...)

9. Find in Text Seven equivalents for the following:

to tell people how to live; of the same kind; to thrust smth. on smb.; to exchange news and ideas by speech or writing; some­times; to release one's hold of; a totally unknown person; hanging loosely; to swell out; to be ready; to slip one's memory; a slight illness, fastidious

10. Find in Text Seven English equivalents for the following:

плохо знать самого себя; одинокая башня; дать хороший совет; скромная квартира; бросить беглый взгляд; коренастый полный мужчина; коротко подстриженные волосы; средство существования; отказаться от надежной работы ради неизвестности; решать самому; медицинские приборы; весело поблескивать; располагающая к себе внешность; уже не первой молодости

11.Explain what is meant by the following phrases:

1. to communicate by conventional signs; 2. an irreparable mis­take; 3. a total stranger; 4. without letting go off his hat; 5. to be in the medical; 6. to stick smth.; 7. to give somebody a cursory glance; 8. a means of livelihood; 9. to give up a good safe job for an uncertainty; 10. to keep body and soul together; 11. to have a trifling indisposition; 12. a squeamish patient

12.Answer the following questions and do the given tasks:

1. What do you know of Somerset Maugham? 2. What do you think of his stories and novels? 3. Who is the narrator of the story «The Happy Man»? 4. What can you say about the structure of the story? 5. What conclusions as to Somerset Maugham's attitude to­wards life and relations between people can you draw from the first passage? Do you share his views? 6. Translate the following sen­tences from the first passage into Russian, paying attention to the metaphors: a) "Each of us is a prisoner in a solitary tower." b) "But there are men who flounder at the journey's start." с) "I have been forced to point the finger of fate." d) "I have seen myself for a mo­ment wrapped in the dark cloak of Destiny." Explain how the met­aphors contribute to the vividness of narration. 7. Point out three metaphors and three epithets used by the author to characterize Stephens and comment on them. 8. Give synonyms of colloquial style to the following literary words: 'to flounder', 'hazardous', 'content', 'a trifling indisposition', 'errand', 'to perceive'. 9. What words and phrases are used to describe Stephens at the beginning and at the end of the story? How can the reader gather that Stephens was happy in Spain? What was it that attracted him to Spain? 10. How does the author draw the main character: by de­scribing him or by showing him through his actions and conversa­tion? 11. Find evidence in the story that the author sympathized with Stephens. What traits of character did the doctor possess that appealed to the author? 12. How would you explain the title of the story? 13. What is the message of the story and by what devices did the author achieve the effect?

Retell Text Seven close to the text.

Give a summary of Text Seven.

Discuss Stephens's idea of happiness.

Make up and act out a dialogue between two friends discussing what happiness is.

VOCABULARY EXERCISES