Oral exercises

CAN

1. a) Read the poem first to yourself and then aloud. b) Comment on the meaning of the verb can. c) Restore the full form of the verb in the fifth line.

She could dance

She could dance till long past midnight.

She could swim and she could run.

She could row upon the river.

And to climb, she thought, was fun.

She’d play golf from morn till evening.

Or tennis all day long.

But she never touched the housework.

Because she wasn’t very strong.

2. Read the following jokes, comment on the grammatical form and meaning of can.

The wrong wife

A fellow dialed his home telephone number. “Hello” he said. “Is this Mrs. Brown? This is Jack speaking. I say, my dear, can I bring home a couple of fellows to dinner?” – “Certainly, darling.” - “Did you hear what I said?” – “Yes, you asked if you could bring home a couple of fellows to dinner.” - “Sorry, madam,” said the fellow as he hung up, “I have got the wrong Mrs. Brown.”

Eyesight

An Irishman was once serving in a regiment in India. But he did not like the climate there and decided to think out a trick by which he could get home. He went to the doctor and said to him: “My eyesight is very bad, can you help me?”

The doctor looked at him for a while and then asked: “How can you prove to me that your eyesight is bad?”

The Irishman looked about the room and at last said: “Well, doctor, can you see that nail on the wall?”

“Yes”, replied the doctor.

“Well, then,” said the Irishman, “and I can’t”.

What the boy wanted

I was travelling in a tramcar yesterday. Sitting opposite me was a lady with a small child and the little boy was crying bitterly. In vain the mother was trying to calm the child and at last the gentleman sitting next to her said angrily: “Oh, how that child cries! Why don’t you give him what he wants?” - “I would if I could” replied the mother quietly, “ but he wants your funny hat.”

3. Use the proverbs in your situations or dialogues.

A man can die but once.

Двум смертям не бывать, а одной не миновать.

A man can do no more than he can.

Выше головы не прыгнешь.

They can conquer who believe they can.

Кто верит, что сможет победить, - победит.

You can count them on the fingers of your hand.

Можно пересчитать по пальцам.

You can’t eat your cake and have it.

Что с воза упало, то пропало.

You can take my word for it.

Поверьте мне на слово.

MAY

4. Read the limerick, comment on the meaning of the verb may.

There was an old lady who said

When she found a thief under her bed:

“Get up from the floor,

You’re too near the door

And you may catch a cold in your head!

5. Read the jokes and comment on the form and meaning of the verb may.

Smart boy

Science teacher: «Let's assume that I want to switch the electric light on and it doesn't work . What may be wrong?»

Smart boy: «You might have forgotten to pay the bill.»

In the tram

Conductor: «May I put your bag out of the way, sir? People coming in are falling over it.»

Passenger: «No, you may not – leave it where it is. If nobody falls over it, I may forget it's there.»

6. Use the proverbs in your situations or dialogues.

Men may meet but mountains never.

Гора с горой не сходятся, а человек с человеком.

You may well say so.

Совершенно верно.

In the evening one may praise the day.

Не говори гоп, пока не перепрыгнешь.

One false move may spoil the game.

Один неверный ход может погубить всю игру.

The wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.

Волк каждый год линяет, да обычай не меняет.

MUST

7. a) Read the dialogue and comment on the meaning of the modal verbs.

b) Speak about traffic regulation, retaining the modal verbs.

A: How must the traffic be regulated in a big city?

B: It can be regulated by traffic officers.

A: What else is needed?

B: Traffic lights are needed as well.

A: And certainly speed must be limited too, mustn't it?

B: Naturally, because car accidents can be caused by high speed.

A: What happens to the driver if the speed limit is exceeded?

B: He may be deprived of his driving license.

A: What must be done to get a driving license?

B: An examination must be taken.

8. a) Read the dialogue and comment on the meaning of the modal verbs.

b)Make up a dialogue on the analogy.

Mother (sweeping the floor to her son): A house must be always clean and tidy. Things must be put in the right places...And yours are often thrown about the room carelessly.

Andrew: Oh, mum...

M.: People living in dirty, untidy houses must be ashamed. Even mice can be seen in dirty houses.

A.: Well, mum, you know the floor in my room is swept every day.

M.: Not every day, Andrew, not every day. You can’t say your room is always beautiful. Remember: one must be proud of the house he or she lives in. But... (looking terrified) Andrew, what’s that?

1. Why, mum, just a little mouse.

M.: A mouse! It must be caught at once! Run down to the shop and buy a mouse-trap.

A.: (starting to go) Oh, mum!

M.: (calling him): But, Andrew, don’t tell anybody what the mouse-trap’s for!

9. Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of the verb must.

But don’t Be in a Hurry

During a lecture a well-known lecturer on economics mentioned the fact that in some parts of the world the number of men is larger than that of women, and added humorously: “I can therefore recommend the ladies to emigrate to that part of the world.”

A young lady who was sitting in one of the last rows stood up full of anger. She was leaving the room rather noisily. Then the lecturer remarked: “I don’t mean that it must be done in such a hurry as that”.

Opinions Differ

When Whistler had finished a portrait of a well-known celebrity, he asked him whether he liked it.

“No, I can’t say I do, Mr. Whistler, and you must really admit it’s a bad work of art”.

“Yes,” replied the artist, “but you must admit that you are a bad work of nature”.

10. Use the following proverbs and sayings in situations and dialogues.

One must draw the line somewhere.

Всякому терпению есть предел.

You must have come from the ark.

Вы что, с луны свалились?

You must learn to creep before you walk.

Чтобы научиться ходить, научись сначала ползать.

One must howl with the wolves.

С волками жить – по-волчьи выть.

You have made your bed, and you must lie on it.

Как постелешь, так и поспишь.

HAVE to

11. Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of the modal verbs.

An Unlucky Writer

Once a well-known American writer Mark Twain arrived at a small town and decided to have a shave before his lecture.

“Do you like our town?” asked him the barber.

“Oh, yes, it’s a nice place,” answered Mark Twain.

“You chose a good time to come,” the barber went on. “Mark Twain is going to read a lecture tonight. You’ll go, I suppose?”

“I think so,” answered the writer.

“Did you manage to get a ticket?”

“Not yet”.

“But all the tickets are sold out. I’m sorry, I can’t help you. You will have to stand.”

“How very annoying,” Mark Twain said with a sigh, “ I always have to stand when that fellow lectures.”

The Diplomat

Son: Dad?

Father: Yes, son.

Son: What is a diplomat?

Father: A diplomat, my son, is a gentleman who can tell a lie in such a manner to another gentleman, who is also a diplomat, that the second gentleman has to pretend that he really believes the first gentleman, although he knows that the first gentleman is a liar.

A Lucky Dad

Little boy: “Hey, dad, you are lucky.”

Father: “How’s that?”

Little boy: “You won’t have to buy me a lot of new school books next year. I’ll still be in the same form. Isn’t that luck?”

SHOULD , OUGHT

12. . a)Read the dialogue and comment on the meaning of the modal verbs.

b)Make up your own dialogue on the analogy, using modal verbs.

Jan: There’s the waitress. What will you have, Kate?

Kate: Just coffee and a sandwich.

Waitress: Can I take your order, Sir?

J.: A pot of coffee for two and two ham sandwiches

W.: Very good, Sir.

J.: Are you very exhausted, Kate? I shouldn’t have left all my shopping till the last moment. It’s so good of you to help me out.

K.: Don’t worry, Jan. I love shopping.

J.: Still I ought to have bought at least some of my presents earlier.

K.: Well, you might have told me some time ago what you wanted to buy, and I could have done at least some of the shopping without you. But you still have nearly a week before you go.

J.: Only a week you should have said. I have no end of things to settle before I leave.

K.: Ah, good. Here’s our coffee. Now, Jan, let’s see what we’ve got already, and what’s still left for us to buy. Where’s your shopping list?

J.: Here we are. No – wait a minute. Where is it?

K.: Isn’t it in one of your pockets?

J.: No, it doesn’t seem to be.

K.: You may have left it in the shopping bag.

J.: No, it does not seem to be there either.

K.: Then you must have left it in one of the shops. Never mind. let’s try and remember what else you wanted to buy.

J.: The most important thing is something for my mother. What do you suggest?

K.: You ought to have written and asked her what she wants.

J.: But I want it to be a surprise. Perhaps I could buy her a hat. Yes, that’s what I’ll get her.

K.: A hat? I don’t think I could help you with that. People have such different tastes... Did you have any particular style in mind?

J.: I remember one hat my mother looked particularly nice in. A large round one with a sort of thingummy on top.

K.: Oh, you are hopeless, Jan. You’ll have to draw it for me.

J.: I’ll try. Oh, it seems I have forgotten my notebook.

K.: There’s a piece of paper under your chair. Use that.

J.: So there is. Here we are. Well, it looked something like this, you see, and there must have been fur or something at the top – like this... Oh, bother, I’m hopeless at drawing.

K.: Try again on the other side.

J.: Oh, look, Kate, what there is on the other side!

K.: The shopping list! And it says that you wanted to buy your mother a tartan travelling rug. That’s a much better idea!

13 . Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of should.

♦

Wife: Henry, it’ll be twenty years tomorrow that we were married. Why not go out and kill a couple of those young chickens?

Henry.: Why should I? It wasn’t their fault.

♦

Woman: When I use a hammer I always hit my hand with it. What should I do to avoid that?

Workman: The only thing that I can think of, madam, is that you should hold the hammer with both hands.

♦

A college freshman was being severely criticized by his professor. “Your last paper was very difficult to read,” said the professor, “Your work should be written in such a way that even the most ignorant might be able to understand it.”

“Yes, Sir,” said the student. “What part didn’t you get?”

SHALL

14.Use the proverbs in situations or dialogues.

As a tree falls so shall it lie.

Как дерево упадет, так оно и будет лежать. Что посеешь, то и пожнешь.

He who doesn’t work neither shall he eat.

Кто не работает, то не ест.

He who says what he likes, shall hear what he doesn’t like.

Кто говорит, что ему вздумается, услышит то, что ему не понравится.

If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Если слепой ведет слепого, оба свалятся в канаву = слепой слепого водит, оба зги не видят.

Who spends more than he should, shall not have to spend when he would.

Кто деньгам не знает цены, тому не избежать нужды.

15. a) Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of the verb shall.

b) make up dialogues using shall to ask for instructions.

♦

Mother: What did your father say when you smashed the new car?

Son: Shall I leave out the swear words?

Son: He didn’t say a word.

♦

Waiter: Have another glass of beer, Sir?

Husband (to his wife): Shall I have another glass, Henriette?

Wife (to her mother): Shall he have another glass, mother?

BE to

16. a) Comment on the meaning of the verb be to. b) Use the proverbs in situations or dialogues.

Friendship is not to be bought at a fair.

Настоящую дружбу не купишь.

If things were to be done twice, all would be wise.

Сделанного не вернешь. Что сделано, то сделано.

Old birds are not to be caught with chaff.

Старых птиц на мякину не поймаешь.

17. Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of the verb be to.

♦

Mrs. Brown: Am I to wear this old squirrel coat all my life?

Mr. Brown: Why not, dear? Squirrels do.

♦

«My little daughter has swallowed a gold piece and has to be operated on. I wonder if Dr. Smith is to be trusted?»

«Without a doubt. He is absolutely honest.»

♦

During a natural history lesson at school Mary was asked to give the name of an animal peculiar to Africa. “A polar bear !” replied Mary instantly.

The teacher frowned reprovingly. “Come, come, Mary,” he said. “Polar bears are not to be found in Africa.”

“I know,” Mary answered, “that’s why it would be peculiar.”

♦

“Give me two or three fish, mackerel, perhaps,” Mr. Smith said to the fishmonger as he entered the shop with a lot of fishing tackle.

“You had better take salmon, Sir.”

“Why? What makes you think so?”

“Oh, nothing, except that your wife said if you dropped here I was to persuade you to take salmon as she liked it better.”

NEED

18. Read the jokes and comment on the meaning of the modal verb need.

♦

First Doctor: You needn’t have asked your patient what he had for dinner.

Second Doctor: It’s a most important question, for according to my patients’ menus I make out my bill.

♦

First Doctor: You needn’t worry – you cured your patient.

Young Doctor: But I don’t know which of the medicines cured him!

♦

Father: I’m obliged to punish you and it will pain me.

Johnny: But, father, if you’ve done nothing wrong, why need you pain yourself?

WILL/WOULD

19. a)Read the limericks, comment on the meaning of will/would. b)Learn the limericks and reproduce them by heart.

♦

There lived an old French

Who seemed to be very strange.

Whenever he wanted to go,

He would always say “Hello”.

When he happened to pass by,

He would always say “Good-by.”

♦

There was an old person of Fretton

Who would go to church with his hat on.

“If I wake up,” he said,

“with my hat on my head,