Lesson 31

Text conversation

/Scene: Breakfast in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Parker/

Harry: You know, Nora, that’s the second time breakfast has been late this week. If I don’t get my breakfast on time I arrive at work late.

Nora: You’re awfully bad-tempered these days, Harry. It must be because you’ve given up smoking.

Harry: Nonsense. Anyhow, who says I’m bad-tempered?

Nora: You’re never really happy unless you have a cigarette or a pipe in your mouth. Why don’t you start smoking again? I would, if I were you.

Harry: Certainly not. If I say I’m going to give something up, I give it up.

Nora: Oh, Harry, if only you would smoke again, I’m sure we should have fewer black looks about the house.

Harry: No, Nora. If I start smoking, I shall start that silly irritating cough again. Good heavens, if that fellow Smith can give it up, I hope I can.

Nora: I see. You just want to show how strong-minded you are. Well, I guarantee that if you had a packet of cigarettes in your pocket now you would very soon find yourself lighting one.

Harry: Not at all. Even if I had a hundred cigarettes in every pocket I still shouldn’t give way to temptation. Now, Nora, if I don’t go O shall miss my bus.

Nora: Shall I see you at six?

Harry: Yes, if I’m not kept at work.

Nora: If you pass a stationer’s buy me some envelopes, will you?

Harry: Right. Goodbye, Nora.

/Sound of a match being struck/

Nora: Er – Harry, what’s that in your mouth?

Harry: Good heavens, it’s a cigarette. I must have lit it without thinking. Why, Nora – you put that cigarette on the table in front of me!

Nora: /Laughing/ Yes, Harry, I can’t have you being too strong-minded!

Lesson 32

Text conversation

Harry: We shall be awfully late home if that No. 12 bus doesn’t come soon… Let’s stand in this doorway out of the wind.

Nora: All right, but must be careful not to miss the bus… How did you enjoy the film?

Harry: I’d never have gone if I had known it was going to be so silly.

Nora: Why, what was silly about it?

Harry: Well, no saint man would have married that other girl so soon after he had murdered his wife. It was sure to make people suspicious.

Nora: If he had been sane he wouldn’t have murdered her, besides, the girl wouldn’t have waited for him if he hadn’t asked her immediately.

Harry: All the better for him if she hadn’t.

Nora: Yes, but then he wouldn’t have paid for his crime. Anyhow, I’d have enjoyed the film much more if Elsa Hollywood had been in it instead of Linda Spangle.

Harry: And I’d have enjoyed it more if we hadn’t gone at all.

Nora: /Sharply/ And I’d have enjoyed it more if you hadn’t been so rude to that woman in front.

Harry: Well, I shouldn’t have been rude to her if she had stopped chattering when I asked her.

Nora: I wish you’d behave better in public places.

Harry: I behave better I like that. I like that. Why, if that woman had…

/Sound of bus starting up/

But look, isn’t that a No. 12 bus just going?

Nora: Yes, it is, and we’ve missed it after all. We should have seen that bus, Harry, if you hadn’t been so busy quarrelling.

Harry: /In injured tones/ Really, Nora, I think it would have been much better if I had stayed at home tonight and let you go to the cinema alone.

Dialogue No 5

1. Did Nora want Harry to do anything that evening?

2. Was she sure there was nobody coming to see them?

3. Was there anything she wanted Harry to listen to on the wireless?

4. Why did Harry want to go round to the club?

5. How did he convince Nora of the necessity to go to the club?

6. Why was Nora against Harry’s idea?

7. What had Harry promised her before?

8. Do you think the Parkers will go round to the club?

9. Did Harry seem to feel sorry?

10. What is the best title for the dialogue?

Dialogue No 12