Idioms – man

A. Study the phrases in the box and match them with their meanings. What are their Ukrainian equivalents?

a hatchet man	a man, usually a writer, who knows a lot about literature
a man of few words	a man who is able to do many different things
a man of his word	someone who has a lot of money
a man of letters	a man who likes to have other men as friends and who enjoys activities which men typically enjoy
a man of many parts	a man who speaks only when necessary
a man of means	someone who has a great life experience
a man of straw	someone you admire because he/she does or believes the same things as you
a man of the world	someone who is employed by an organization to make changes that people do not like
a man's man	a person or an idea that is weak and easy to defeat
a man after your own heart	someone you can trust because you know they will do what they say they will do

B. Complete the sentences with one of the phrases from A, making all necessary changes.

1. Terry's what you'd call a ...: I don't expect you'd find him at the ballet too many nights a week.

2. George is a … - ruthless businessman, loving father, and accomplished sportsman, to name a few.

3. He was respected as a man of … and significant actions.

4. I could tell from her address that she was a ... if she could afford living in such a fashionable district.

5. Rae was a … - if she said she'd be here on Friday, she'd be here on Friday.

6. The … is called in whenever a company needs to reduce its staff.

7. Compared to their illustrious predecessors, the country's leaders seem to be ... .

8. I like a good curry, and so does he - a ... .

9. Shakespear is one of the most distinguished … not only in English, but also in world literarure.

10. You're a …, Roger, I'd appreciate your advice on a rather delicate matter.

C. Use the idioms in the sentences of your own.

WRITING – DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE?

A. Read the introductory remarks. Do you agree that the human’s life has any particular meaning and purpose?

One great question underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? Is it meaningful, and if so, how can the man reveal this meaning? Is it common for all people or do different people have different destinations in their lives? How can one understand that he moves right direction on his life way? Or are there may be thousands of different directions, and it is just up to us to decide which one to choose? Can there be a single correct answer on all these questions?

B. How do you understand the sense and the purpose of your life? Use the remarks in the box below to write an opinion essay (300 – 350 words) on the topic “The sense of life as I see it”.

EXTRA READING

Read and compare the following stories of creation. What is common and what is different about them?