Word Guide

Ex.7. Find equivalents to the following idioms in Russian:

• to walk arm in arm with someone;

• to elbow one’s way;

• to look through the fingers;

• to fight tooth and nail;

• not to lift (stir/raise) a finger;

• one hand washes another;

• to have butter fingers;

• one shoulder of mutton draws down another;

Ex.8. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1) All of them, at some point in their careers, had walked arm in arm with the harsh political realities of their time, and so each respected the other's islands of reticence and responsibility. (M. Wilson, ‘Meeting at a Far Meridian’)

2) All business is you do something for me, I'll do something for you. One hand washes the other. (J. O'Hara, ‘A Rage to Live’)

3) She elbows her way into the best social circles.

4) It's her mania – getting stout; she fights it tooth and nail. (J. Galsworthy, ‘Maid in Waiting’)

5) "Now tell me, all of you, which of you will lift a finger to save Joan once the English have got her?"

(B. Shaw, ‘Saint Joan’)

6) They redoubled their attentions towards Louise. They would not let her stir a finger... (W. S. Maugham, ‘Complete Short Stories’, ‘The Vessel of Wrath’)

7) (Norah drops a cup and breaks it, and as this happens Gertie comes in.) Gertie: "Butter fingers." Norah: "I'm so sorry." (W. S. Maugham, ‘The Land of Promise’)

8) I am sure if you were to go there, you would cut and come again – one shoulder of mutton drives down another. (E. Bulwer-Lytton, ‘Pelham’)

Ex.9. Read the following text. Find as many idioms in it as you can.

Our head, Mr Body, is six feet tall, he's always on his toes and has a heart of gold. He has a finger in every pie, and a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't stand for any cheek, so we don't give him any lip and we don't talk back.

Mr Body knows when we are pulling his leg and he says “Hold your tongue, just knuckle under and toe the line. I want no underhand tricks here.” He says our new school cost him an arm and a leg to build he had to fight for it tooth and nail. Mr Body says he shoulders the burden of responsibility. He ends up doing the work of our people that must make him a forehead.

Ex.10. Compose your own sentences with the idioms given above.

Text II

Ex.11. Read and translate the text.

Mr. Rochester’s Visitors

It was a mild, quiet spring day – one of those at the end of March and beginning of April. The guests were expected to arrive on Thursday afternoon. All work had been completed the pervious evening; carpets were laid down, toilet tables arranged, furniture dusted, flowers piled in vases: both sitting-rooms and halls looked as fresh and bright as hands could make them.

Thursday afternoon arrived; Mrs. Fairfax put on her best black satin dress, her gloves, and her gold watch for it was her duty to receive the company, to conduct the ladies to their rooms and halls.

A joyous noise was now heard in the hall. There were but eight people; yet somehow, as they entered, they gave the impression of a much larger number. Some of them were very tall; many were dressed in white. I knew their names afterwards, and may as well mention them now.

First there was Mrs. Eshton and two of her daughters. She had evidently been a handsome woman, and still was well preserved. Of her daughters, the eldest, Amy, was rather little, naïve, and childlike in face and manner, wearing her white thin cotton dress. The second, Louisa, was taller and more elegant in figure, with a very pretty face. Both sisters were fair as lilies.

Lady Lynn was a large and stout personage of about 40, very straight, very haughty-looking, richly dressed in a satin dress; her dark hair shone brightly.

Mrs. Colonel Dent was less showy; but I thought, more lady-like. She had a slight figure, a pale, gentle face, and fair hair.

But the three most distinguished – partly, perhaps, because the tallest figures of the company – were the Dowger Lady Ingram and her daughters Blanche and Mary. Lady Ingram could be between 40 and 50: her figure was still fine; her hair (by candle light at least) was still black; her teeth, too, were still evidently perfect. Most people would have called her a splendid woman of her age and so she was. She had Roman features and a double chin. She had also a fierce and a hard eye; she swallowed her words in speaking; her voice was deep, very intolerable, in short.

Blanche and Mary were of equal stature, straight and tall as poplars. Mary was too slim for her height, but Blanche was moulded like a Diana.

(From Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855))

Ex.12. Find in the text synonyms for the following words:

Silent, finish, before, living-room, light, come, clock, woman, lady, people, pretty, slender, beautiful, fat, obviously, blond(e), excellent

Ex.13. Find in the text antonyms for the following words:

Noisy, severe, depart, dark, sad, little, few, beforehand, to take off, thin, crooked, modest, worst, poorly, last

Ex.14. Put the following sentences from the text in the proper order:

1. Blanche and Mary were of equal stature.

2. Mrs. Colonel Dent was less showy.

3. I knew their names afterwards.

4. Lady Ingram could be between 40 and 50.

5. There were but eight people.

6. It was a mild, quiet spring day.

7. Thursday afternoon arrived.

Ex.15. Answer the questions on the text:

1. Where and when did the events in the text take place?

2. When were the guests expected to arrive?

3. What work was completed before the arrival of guests?

4. What were Mrs. Fairfax’s duties?

5. How did she look like on that day?

6. How many people were there in the hall?

7. What are Amy and Louisa compared with?

8. Who was less showy but more lady-like?

9. What personage was large, stout, very straight and very haughty-looking?

10. Whose figures of the company were the tallest?

11. Who had Roman features?

12. Who was straight and tall as a poplar?

Ex.16. Make up short dialogues on women’s appearances using the text vocabulary.

Ex.17. Give the description of each person in the text: Mrs. Fairfax, Mrs. Eshton, Amy, Louisa, Lady Lynn, Blanche, Mary, Dowger Lady Ingram, Mrs. Colonel Dent.

Ex.18. Write a brief summary of the text.