Additional material From ‘fifty model essays fashions’ by j. Miller

Fashion is entirely unnecessary and yet delightful detail of human life. To be in the fashion has given joy in age after age, not only to the women who are thus up-to-date in their costume, but to the men who behold them.

As a rule, men's attitude towards women's fashions is one of amused tolerance. They pretend that they are unable to detect the nice distinctions between the latest model from Paris and a dress that is hopelessly out of date. But they are in reality just as eager to conform to the popular idea of what is and what is not worn.

But men's fashions change slowly, and men, unlike women, like to be the last to leave an old fashion rather than the first to embrace a new. They have no desire either, that their womenfolk should be in the very front rank of fashion. It would make them embarrassed to be seen in public with a woman who was wearing something which caused every eye to be turned upon her. But they like their wives to be dressed as most other women are dressed.

Fashion is an arbitrary mistress to whom most women are slaves. She is followed willingly, for the reward she offers is that sense of adventure and variety which is the spice of life.

1. Read the passage. Note all unfamiliar words. Look them up in a dictionary.

2. Split the following passage into parts and think up appropriate titles for each one.

3. Pick out 6-8 sentences which convey the basic information in the passage. Link them smoothly. Use transitional words and phrases.

4. Make up a written summary of the passage. Avoid minute details and direct speech.

Phonetics

Laboratory work # 3. Unit 42 ‘Ship or Sheep’

Practice 1 ♥ Listen and repeat:

Sound 1: Dan, day, dare, doze, Ida.

Sound 2: than, they, there, those, either.

Practice 2 ♥ Listen and repeat. Put down these questions and answers.

Zebu, zips, Zack.

Practice 3 ♥ Listen and repeat:

Bays – bathe, close – clothe, whizz – with, breeze – breathe, boos – booth, size – scythe.

Test. Tick the words you recognize in the sentences you hear:

1. a) Ida; b) either.

2. a) day; b) they.

3. a) dares; b) there’s.

4. a) size; b) scythe.

5. a) bays; b) bathe.

6. a) boos; b) booth.

Practice 4 ♥ Listen and repeat.

the, this, that, clothes, together, feathers, leather, Miss Brothers, another, smoother, rather.

Practice 5 ♥ THE HAT IN THE WINDOW

Miss Brothers: I want to buy the hat in the window.

Assistant: There are three hats together in the window, madam. Do you want the one

with the feathers?

Miss Brothers: No. The other one.

Assistant: The small one for three pounds?

Miss Brothers: No. Not that one either. That one over there. The leather one.

Assistant: Ah! The leather one. Now this is another leather hat, madam. It’s better that

the one in the window. It’s a smoother leather.

Miss Brothers: I’d rather have the one in the window. It goes with my clothes.

Assistant: Certainly, madam. But we don’t take anything out of the window until

three o’clock on Thursday.

Practice 6 Stress ♥ Listen and repeat:

Which hat do you think is better that the others?

I think the one with the feathers is better than the others.

Practice 7 ♥ Conversation

Talk about the three hats using the words from the list below:

A: Which hat do you think is better than the others?

one with the feathers

B: I think the leather hat is ... than the others.

hat for three pounds

better more fashionable

cheaper more stupid

prettier more comfortable

uglier more expensive