Практика устной речи по английскому языку - Малышева О.Л., Валько О.В., Щёголева Т.П

g.When do you think is the right time to live a more quiet, stable life and get married?

h.Do you agree with the saying ‘It’s love which makes the world go round’? Why / Why not?

i.Some people say ‘True love never dies’. Do you agree? Why / Why not?

Exercise 8. A. Find the expressions in the text which mean the Idiom following:

*to fall in love with someone the first time you see them

*to be completely or deeply in love

*to try to forget your troubles and disappointment by drinking alcohol

B. What do you think the following expressions mean?

*the eternal triangle

*an old flame

*a one-sided relationship

*There’s no love lost between them.

*a love-hate relationship

Exercise 9. A. The particle off can be used with some verbs to give off the idea of stopping or cancelling something:

e.g. They broke off their engagement and called off

the wedding.

Complete the following sentences with multi-word verbs that use the particle off.

1.Can you _____ all the lights when you go to bed, please?

2.Hello, operator, I was talking to someone and we were _____. Can you try to re-connect us, please?

3.There isn’t time to have the meeting today, so we will have to

_____ till next week.

4.It’s been lovely talking to you on the phone, but I must _____ because there’s someone at the front door. I’ll call you again next week. Bye.

5.I wish they would make up their minds one way or the other. Yesterday they said the wedding was on, but now they’ve had another argument and say the wedding _____.

B. What is the difference between the following:

1.to break something off and to break up?

2.to put something off and to call something off?

3.to call something off and to break something off?

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Exercise 10. Translate the following passage into Russian. Try to Translation render all the emotions the hero experiences.

… In the middle of the room, rising from a computer workstation, was the most stunningly gorgeous woman Roy had ever seen, blond and green-eyed, so beautiful that she took his breath away, so beautiful that she set his heart to racing and sent his blood pressure soaring high into the stroke-risk zone, so achingly beautiful that no words could adequately describe her – nor could any music ever written be sweet enough to celebrate her – so beautiful and so incomparable that he couldn’t breathe or speak, so radiant that she blinded him to the dreariness of that room and left him surrounded by her magnificent light.

Exercise 11. Look at how the time expressions below are used to Writing sequence the events in the story ‘Across a crowded

room’.

Using these time expressions, as well as the multi-word verbs, idiomatic expressions, and prepositions you have learnt in this unit, write a description of either:

*a romantic play, book, or film that you know, or

*the development of a romantic relationship.

Exercise 12. Express your views on how people should behave if Speaking theywanttheirrelationshiptobesuccessful.Whatmakes some relationships break up? What qualities do you

think are needed for a lasting relationship?

UNIT 25. LOVE AND OTHER PROBLEMS

Exercise 1. A. The following texts are typical of letters and replies Presentation whicharepublishedinBritishteenagers’magazines.

Readthem through. Are you surprised by anything in the letters or the answers? Do you agree or disagree strongly with anything that is said? Which reply do you agree with more? Why?

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Should I lie to my parents?

Can you help me? I’ve fallen in love with a really nice boy I know at College. I’m 16, don’t have a lot of freedom – I’m Asian, and my family have very strict attitudes because of their religion. So I’m not allowed to go out in the evenings, and even if I did go out with this boy during College hours I couldn’t tell my parents, because they’d be really upset if they knew I was going out with a white boy. I feel bad about the situation, because I love my parents and they trust me, but this relationship is really important to me. What do you advise?

*I understand your problem, but I really don’t think you

should go out with him. It’s all right for the two of you to be friends, but you mustn’t get yourself into a situation where you have to lie to your parents. Their religious beliefs are an important part of your family life, and it would be a mistake to go against the rules that they have made for you. If you did go out with the boy you would eventually get found out, and then the trust between you and your parents would be destroyed.

If you need to talk it over, you could get in touch with ASHA – a group that gives advice to young Asian women like yourself who are caught between two cultures. Their help is free and confidential. You can phone them on 071 274 8854.

Should I ask her out?

I’m 16, and I really fancy a girl at my school. For the last few weeks I’ve been getting more and more attracted to her, and it’s turning into a very serious relationship. The trouble is that she’s Asian, and I know my parents would object if I asked her out. They are Catholics, and they would be very shocked and angry if I got involved with a Muslim girl. I respect their beliefs, and I don’t want to go behind their backs, but I have to think of myself. What should I do?

*The first thing is to make absolutely sure of your own feelings. You haven’t been seeing this girl for very long, and there’s no point in upsetting your whole family for a relationship that might not last.

But if you’re convinced that this is the real thing, then you must make sure what your parents’ attitude is. Do you really know they wouldn’t let you go out with the girl? Maybe they will. Talk the situation over with them, calmly and openly – that way you can be certain what they feel instead of just guessing.

If they really do object, you will have to make a decision. You can either respect their beliefs and live the way they want, or you can

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do what you think is right. If you tell your parents firmly that you’re going to go out with the girl, then you won’t be going behind their backs, and you will be showing them that you have a right to follow your own opinions, even if these are very different from theirs.

B.Whichofthefollowingsentencesisclosesttotheanswer to the first letter, and which is closest to the answer to the second letter?

1.Your parents may let you go out with your friend, but if they don’t you will have to decide between your beliefs and your parents’ beliefs.

2.If you talk carefully to your parents they will almost certainly let you go out with your friend.

3.You shouldn’t go out with your friend because it is bad to go against your family’s religion and culture.

4.You shouldn’t go out with your friend because it would make your parents unhappy.

C.Answer the following questions and find out what the others in the group think. Talk about your own experience, or about people you know. Finish by giving a brief report of your discussion.

1.Should children be free to choose their own boy/girlfriends at age 13? At age 16?

2.At what age should children be free to go out with their friends in the evenings?

3.Should there be different rules for boys and girls?

4.What advice would you give to a friend who wanted to marry somebody of a different race?

5.How much should children respect their parents’ religious and cultural beliefs?

Exercise2. A. Listen to two people, Helen and then George, talking Listening about their marriages. Then discuss with your partner

the questions below.

1.How did they meet their partners?

2.What did they think of their partners when they first met them?

3.What did their parents think of their partners?

4.Why did their marriages succeed or fail?

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Meaning B. Match the multi-word verbs with their definitions.

5. to look on someone as something e. to consider someone as something

8. to grow apart (from someone) h. to end a relationship or marriage

Listening C. Listen to the sentences on the tape. Use the prompts you hear to make sentences with the same meaning.

Exercise 3. A. In the conversation below, write the statements or Word Use questions for (a) that produces the responses for (b).

Example: a. Do you think the two of you will ever split up?

b.No, I think we’ll stay together for the rest of our lives.

1.a. ___________________

b.Thankyouforsayingthat.Iconsider you tobemybestfriendaswell.

2.a. ___________________

b.Yes, she really helped me when I was in trouble.

3.a. ___________________

b.Good, I’m glad to hear the two of you are friends again.

4.a. ___________________

b.Well, you could start by saying sorry.

5.a. ___________________

b.No, after forty years we’re still very close to one another.

6.a. ___________________

b.Yes, I know. It’s always a mistake to rely on him.

7.a. ___________________

b.Have they? That’s really surprising. I thought they were such a happy couple.

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8.a. ___________________

b.Yes, I was really surprised. I thought she wouldn’t like skiing at all.

9.a. ___________________

b.I hope you’re right, because I think I’ve fallen in love with him.

10.a. ___________________

b. I agree. I don’t understand why she thinks he is special or interesting.

B. Work in pairs. Take turns to ask and answer the questions below. Try to use the multi-word verbs from the box.

1.What is your idea of a good friend?

2.Who do you consider to be your best friend and why?

3.When was the last time someone disappointed you? What happened?

4.If you disappointed someone, how would you try to compensate for it?

5.What do you think are the most common reasons for people separating?

Exercise 4. A. There are four basic types of multi-word verbs:

Activate

Type 1: intransitive and inseparable

Type 2: transitive and separable

Type 3: transitive and inseparable

Type 4: transitive and two inseparable particles

Arrange the multi-word verbs from the unit into the table. How many of them can you categorize according to the four types? Which ones do not fit these patterns?

Remember that some multi-word verbs can be more than one type.

Idiom B. Work with your partner. Discuss what you think the following expressions in italics mean.

1.It was a turning point in my life.

2.He proposed to me completely out of the blue.

3.Life is full of ups and downs.

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4.I started to have second thoughts about it.

5.I started to see her in a different light.

6.There has to be give and take in a relationship.

Now discuss the following points with your partner:

*examples of when you might need some give and take in a relationship

*why relationships have their ups and downs

*an important decision that you had second thoughts about

*something that has been a turning point in your life

*someone or something that has made you see things in a different light

C.Explain the meaning of the following expressions. How are the same ideas expressed in Russian?

D.What is the difference between

1.to fall for someone and to take to someone?

2.to make up for something and to make up?

Exercise 5. A. Listen to the song and fill up the gaps in the verses.

Listening

Sylvia’s Mother

Sylvia’s mother says,

’Sylvia’s busy, ____busy __ ____ to the phone.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

’Sylvia’s _____ to start a new life of her own.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

’Sylvia’s _____, so why don’t you _____ her _____?’ And the operator says,

’Forty cents more for the next three minutes.’

’Please, Mrs Avery, I just _____ talk to her, I’ll only keep her awhile.

Please, Mrs Avery, I just _____ tell her goodbye.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

’______ _____, she’s _____ be leavin’ today.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

’______ _____ a fella down Galveston way.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

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’Please don’t say nothin’ to make her start _____ and stay.’ And the operator says,

’Forty cents more for the next three minutes.’

’Please, Mrs Avery, I _____ _____ talk to her, I’ll only keep her _____.

Please, Mrs Avery, I _____ _____ tell her goodbye.’

Sylvia’s mother says,

’_____ _____, _____ _____ the 9 o’clock train.’ Sylvia’s mother says,

’Take your umbrella ‘cos, Sylvie, it’s _____ to rain.’ And Sylvia’s mother says,

’Thank you for callin’, and sir, won’t you _____ _____ _____?’ And the operator says,

’Forty cents more for the next three minutes.’

B.Answer the following questions:

1.Why does the boy want to talk to Sylvia? Can you say how he feels?

2.Why does Sylvia refuse to talk to him, in your opinion?

3.Can you guess the social status of these people?

4.Is Sylvia’s mother for or against their relationship? Why?

5.Do you think the girl loves the young man?

6.What advice would you give to the heroes of this story?

Exercise 6. Below you can read some extracts from ‘hot-line’ letters. Discussion Which if them touched you most?

Can you offer any solution to these problems?

Falling to pieces My family seem to be falling to pieces. My parents argue over the silliest things. I’m sure they’ll split up soon. And my four brothers really go on at me because I haven’t got a job and have to keep borrowing money from Mum. But I never have any luck with jobs. I feel so lonely, I spend all my time just sitting at home.

She must end it Some weeks ago my sister-in-law told me she was having an affair. My brother has his faults, but I love him. She and I are also very close. I told her she must end the relationship. The man is married with a loving wife and has three wonderful children.

She promised it would stop but it is still going on. She even had a weekend away with him – thanks to my covering up – so that she could finish the affair. But it seems they just had a great time together instead.

What should I do to end this situation before someone is hurt?

Will he be faithful? My lover and I are in our early forties and we are both divorced. We intend to get married but I’m not sure that he’ll be a faithful husband.

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As well as his ex-wife, he has two other women friends whom he sees quite often. When I object, he says his friends are not my business and he’ll keep on seeing them when we’re married.

I have one or two men friends, who he says are no concern of his, but I plan to give them up if we get married. And that’s the difference between us. Should we get married?

Should I tell my father? Some time ago my father went to live with another woman. But my parents are still good friends and my father is very good about looking after us.

A few months ago my mother met another man. I was glad at the time because she was very lonely. Now I don’t think it was such a good idea. He has a horrible temper and the other night he actually hit my mother. She begged me not to tell my father, which I wanted to do.

She refuses to give the man up and says I don’t understand, even though I’m fourteen. She must be really lonely to want to go out with such a pig. I know my father is still fond of her and I think that if he knew what was happening he might even come back. Do you think I should disobey her and tell him?

Chocolate addict I’m a chocolate addict. My friends and family cannot believe how much I can eat. I often choose to eat chocolate rather than a proper meal, partly because it’s quicker, but also because I prefer it. It seems to give me more energy, though I feel sick if I eat too much.

I’ve put on a lot of weight, and I hate that, but if I’m feeling fed up about being fat, I just eat some chocolate to cheer myself up.

The people at work treat it as a joke, and often buy me presents of chocolate – they don’t realize I’ve got a real problem. I really do think I’m addicted to chocolate. What can I do?

Extra lessons I’m 17, and I’ve fallen in love with my maths teacher. He’s in his first teaching job since he left university, and there’s only about ten years’ difference in our ages. Recently he’s been giving me extra maths lessons after school and yesterday he asked me out for a drink. What should I do?

Mum’s a slave I have just been spending a week with my parents, who are a happily-married couple in their fifties. What worries me is that my father has a very old-fashioned attitude to housework. He really treats my poor mother like a servant. She has a bad heart, and it makes me angry to see her carrying in heavy loads of shopping, doing all the cooking, cleaning and washing, and so on. Should I speak to my father?

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Exercise 7. A. Can you think of any situation which provokes extreme Listening emotions? Do men and women react in the same way in

such situations?

You are going to hear a discussion between a man and a woman about male and female attitudes to being ill. Before you listen to the tape, read the following statements quickly. As you listen, decide whether the statementsaccuratelyreflectwhatthewomansaysornot.

1.The woman thinks that men believe they never have mild illnesses.

2.She expresses sympathy for injured football players.

3.She believes that most men try to hide their reactions to pain.

4.She thinks that men do not like to take time off work through illness.

5.She thinks that men prefer to be looked after by their mothers when they are ill.

6.She believes that women, unlike men, accept that they will experience some pain in life.

7.She thinks that women expect their partners to look after them when they are ill.

Discussion B. Now listen again and check your answers. What is your reaction to the woman’s views?

Reading C. Read the article once only. What does the writer think about men crying in public? Do you agree with the writer’s view? Why / Why not?

Big Boys Do Cry … and They’re Heroes

Wimbledon 1992 will be remembered as the year the champion, his coach and his girlfriend all broke down in tears, and the winner and runner-up hugged each other on court in full view of 500 million spectators all round the world.

Is Andre Agassi heralding a new type of hero, the one who openly weeps and so tugs at the world’s heartstrings? How many of us watching also felt a tear come to our eyes as we witnessed his reaction?

Open displays of emotion, of course, are becoming common in worldclass sport, at least among the younger players. We’ve seen it among football players for the past few years. But so far, it’s only the men who are shedding public tears. Women seem to be getting tougher while men are increasingly allowing their vulnerable sides to show, and not being ashamed of it, either.

According to Dr Brian Roet, author of ‘A Safer Place To Cry’, men who can openly weep are the lucky ones, the emotionally healthy

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