I. Answer the questions:

1. What eas Robert doing in the bathroom?

2. Why was he doing it?

3. Where was their Mother?

4. Was lunch ready?

5. Where was their father?

6. What was Peter doing while he waited for the other members of the family?

7. Did Robert seem to be rude or was he mockering at Peter?

8. What emotion does Robert's tone reveal at the end on the conversation?

9. Is the general tone of the dialogue emotional, neutral or ironical?

10. What is the best title to the text?

LЕSSON 9

Text of conversation

Nora: Move out of my way, Peter, I want to make a cake.

Peter: How do you make a cake, Mum?

Nora: Fancy you being interested! Well, Listen and I'll tell you. First you take some flour, and add the eggs- oh no, that's wrong, you mix the fat and sugar first- but you'd better watch me doing it. Now look. First I mix the fat and the sugar- there, do you see?

Peter: Yes.

Nora: Then I add the eggs, one by one, with a little four, and beat them into the mixture.

Peter: Why do you beat them?

Nora: Well, eggs help to make the cake rise nicely if you beat them. And then I add the rest of the dry things.

Peter: What are the dry things?

Nora: Oh, the rest of the flour; the fruit, if you're making a fruit cake, or the chocolate powder of its a chocolate cake it depends what sort of cake you are making.

Peter: Make a chocolate cake.

Nora: Yes, that's what' I'm doing. Now I stir in a little baking powder.

Peter: Does that make the cake rise too?

Nora: Yes, but not until you heat it.

Peter: Is that chocolate powder you're putting in now, Mum?

Nora: Of course it is.

Peter: I say, Mum.

Nora: What is it, Peter?

Peter: What's the self for, Mum?

Nora: /abstractedly/ What salt? I don't put salt in a cake.

Peter: You did, you know. Perhaps you thought it was sugar.

Nora: What? Oh, good gracious, I've put salt in instead of sugar! The cake is spoilt. What a shame - those lovely eggs! I'm always doing things like that. Now I shall have to begin again and make buns instead - they don't need eggs.

LESSON 10

Text of conversation

Harry: Nora, you look a bit tired- what have you been doing all day?

Nora: I've been cleaning the whole house-I said I was going to.

Harry: But I wanted you to wait until the weekend so that I could help.

Nora: Oh well, I thought I might as well get on with it. It was about time: the furniture has been looking shabby for months, so this morning I took all the loose covers off the armchairs and washed them. That bit of sun aryl this afternoon helped to dry them.

Harry: Well's I hope you had a rest this afternoon.

Nora: No, since lunchtime I've been turning out the rooms upstairs. I haven’t quite finished them, yet. I've done room and Robert's.

Harry: My goodness, you have been working hard.

Nora: You know, Harry, you do make it hard for me to keep the place looking nice when you things about everywhere. For years I've been asking you not to keep your books in the kitchen and not to leave gardening tools inside the house.

Harry: And for years I've been telling you that you are perfectly free to throw out anything that I leave about if it gets in your way.

Nora: Harry, could you turn out your workroom? I've been meaning to ask you for days.

Harry: Yes, I will ... Hullo, who has been playing with my pipes? Three of them are missing!

Nora: Yes, I gave three dirty old at the door.

You haven't been smoking them lately.

Harry: But Nora, you've thrown out my three oldest and best pipes!

Nora: Oh!

L E S S O N 11

 Text of conversation

Harry: Well, Robert, have you made up your mind yet what you want to do when you leave college?

Nora: Oh, Harry, surely he's a bit young to decide on his career? He hasn't even got to college yet.

Harry: Not at all, Nora. It's wisest to decide in good time. Look at me, for example. I really wanted to be a sailor, but now I spend my days sitting at a desk in an office. Yes, it's silly to train for the wrong job. And after all, Robert will be going to college soon.

Nora: /Musing/ Now if I were a man I'd be a farmer. To see the crops growing - that's my idea of a good life.

Harry: Yes, and to see the money rolling in is more important still.

Robert: Well, that's not the way I look at it, Dad. It's the job I care about, not the money.

Harry: May be not; but you'll learn to care about the money too, when you've got a family to keep.

Nora: And of course Peter - well, he's keen to be a racing motorist, or else an explorer.

Robert: /Scornfully/: Oh, Peter's not old enough to make up his mind about such things.

Harry: Well, you haven't answered my question yet, Robert. What would you like to do?

Nora: /Wistfully/: Are you sure you don't want to be a farmer, Robert? Or a market gardener?

Robert: No, I'm sorry, Mum, but I don't want to at all, I'd rather be a civil engineer. I want to build roads and bridges.

Harry: Not ships? Isn't it better to be a ship-building engineer?

Robert: /Crossly/: Look here, is it my career we're planning, or yours?

Harry: /Huffed/: All right, all right, there's no need to lose your temper. But you'd better win that scholarship first.

LESSON 12

Text of conversation:

Harry: Nora! Nora!

Nora: /Coming into the room/: Yes, what is it now, Harry?

Harry: Oh, there you are. Look here, Nora, I'm tired of lying here on my back with nothing to do. I hate doing nothing.

Nora: Don't be silly, Harry. you've got a temperature, and just be quiet, and stop preventing me from doing my housework.

Harry: No, seriously, Nora, I can't bear it. Lying flat on my back.

Nora: Well, then, try lying on your stomach for a change!

Harry: Stop being funny. I'm going to get up. There. Look, I'm standing up. I'm quite all right. What's the use of staying in bed?

Nora: I think you're being very silly. You'll only make your temperature go up again.

Harry: It's no use talking, Nora - being in bed doesn't suit me.

Nora: No - and trying to nurse you doesn't suit me!

Harry: Now don't be bitter about it. You know I'm grateful to you for looking after me. But you mustn't try to keep me in bed like a naughty boy.

Nora: Well, you begin it, by behaving like a naughty

boy!

Harry: I’m all against this staying in bed for no reason.

Nora: Harry, being ill is a reason… Now don’t stand by

that window and catch another cold… Let me see,

half past eleven –

Harry: Why do you keep looking at the clock?

Nora: I’m expecting Mother – she’s coming over for the

day.

Harry: Good heavens, I didn’t know that.

Nora: Yes, I think she has something she wants to talk to

you about.

Harry: Oh heavens! Has she? /groans/… You know, Nora, I

do feel a bit ill; perhaps I had better get back to

bed.

Nora: /Disingenuously/: Oh, what a pity! I thought

perhaps you night stay up to see her.

Harry: /To himself/: That’s the very reason I’m getting

back into bed!

Nora: What did you say?

Harry: Oh, her – nothing.

LESSON 13

Text of conversation

Nora: Harry … would you like to give me a hand before you go out?

Harry: Of course, Nora, I’d be please to. What do you want done?

Nora: Well, I want to turn out the drawing-room this morning, and I wondered if you would very much mind moving the china cupboard out from the wall.

Harry: The china cupboard! Why, that hasn’t been moved away from the wall since my mother gave it to us.

Nora: All the more reason for moving it now! I should like to sweep behind it – there must be a heap of dust that wants getting rid of.

Harry: Right you are. Do you mind if I finish my coffee first? / does/ Now then. Let’s see this cupboard. HM… Now Nora, would you mind putting your hand on it, just to steady it while I pull it forward. We don’t want it falling over.

Nora: Don’t you want the china taken first?

Harry: No, I think we can manage. It isn’t so very heavy. Ugh! It’s coming! Would you mind not pushing it back while I’m trying to pull it out?

Nora: You told me to steady it!

Harry: /Laughs/: Yes, darling – you’re doing very nicely. Ugh! Here she comes / a slight tinkle/ What was that?

Nora: Something fell down behind the cupboard. Oh, look, Harry! It’s your mother’s ring that she thought had been stolen. After all this time!

Harry: How marvelous! That’s your reward for cleaning the room so thoroughly.

Nora: It’s you who ought to have a reward for helping me move the cupboard.

Harry: Well, I can’t wear the ring – but I hope you will!

Lesson 14

Text of conversation

Peter: Mum.

Nora: Yes, Peter?

Peter: I wish I didn’t have to do homework.

Nora: Well you do have to, so you’d better get on with it.

Peter: Oh, I’ve finished for tonight.

Nora: What are you doing now?

Peter: Nothing. Can I go out and play?

Nora: No, it’s too late – it’s quite dark.

Peter: I wish it was summer, so that I could go after I’ve finished my homework.

Nora: It will be summer all in good time.

/ Peter starts to kick his heels against the chair /

Harry: Peter, I wish you’d find something to do, instead of sitting there kicking your heels against the chair.

Peter: Well, I wish I know what to do.

Harry: It’s a pity you don’t still collect stamps.

Peter: I got fired of sticking bits of paper in album.

Harry: I’m sorry I ever gave you that album now. I wish I hadn’t bought it – but you kept asking for it.

Peter: I know I did, but I’m older now.

Nora: Why don’t you join the Boy Scouts?

Peter: I wish I could.

Harry: Well, of course you can. See the Scout-master about it tomorrow.

Peter: Oh, Dad, can I really?

Harry: I don’t see why you shouldn’t. In fact, I wish we had thought of it before. It’ll give you something to do in the evenings.

Peter: Harry! Mum, can I go round and tell my friend Michael?

Nora: No, Peter, not tonight. Tell him at school tomorrow. It’s too late now; you must go to bed in a minute.

Peter: I wish I didn’t have to go to bed at half past eight!

LESSON 15

Text of conversation

Nora: Harry, do you know that three people in the family have birthday next month? We must think of presents for them.

Harry: All right, who is first on the list?

Nora: Peter, I can’t think what to give him.

Harry: Oh, Peter’s easy. We can give him a football.

Nora: But hasn’t he already got one?

Harry: Yes, But it’s worn out. Besides, it’s a very small one, and he is old enough now to want a full-sized one.

Nora: Good, then he shall have a football. Then there’s your nephew Charlie; what about him?

Harry: Let me think. We gave him a clock-work motor car last year.

Nora: And some coloured pencils the years before that.

Harry: Well, has he got any toy soldiers?

Nora: I don’t think he has any. But perhaps he doesn’t like toy soldiers?

Harry: Any boy of seven likes them. Yes, I think he would like some toy soldiers for his present.

Nora: Good, then we’ll give him some toy soldiers. Just let me make a note of that. /Writing/ Toy … soldiers.

Harry: Hasn’t my Aunt Dorothy got a birthday next month too?

Nora: Yes, she’s the third on my list. She wants some writing paper but that seems such an ordinary present. So I thought we might give her some green hand towels.

Harry: /Laughing/: Why green ones? Does it matter what colour they are?

Nora: Yes – haven’t you noticed? At her she always has green hand towels. But the ones she’s using now are wearing rather thin, and I don’t think she has any new ones.

Harry: Right you are, then. I don’t know whether her hands are drier or her face cleaner with green towels, but if that’s what she wants then she shall have some that are as green as grass.

LESSON 16

Text of conversation

Harry: Whew! I shall be glad to sit down. I’d never have beilived the garden had so many potatoes in it!

Robert : No, and there’s a cold wind out there this morning.

Nora: Well, come inside now and get warm, all of you.

Peter: I’m not cold, Mum.

Nora: No, you don’t look it!

Harry: I am, a bit. Have you got something hot for us to drink, Nora?

Nora: Yes, there’s some water boiling; I’ll make you some cacao.

Peter: Isn’t there anything else besides cacao?

Nora: You can have anything you like, but please don’t stand on the carpet with all that mud on your boots.

Peter: Well, where else can I stand?

Nora: You can take your boots off on the door-mat.

Harry: Does anybody want this meat pie? If not, I’ll have it.

Robert: Is there anything else for Peter and me? I thought I saw a tin of something somewhere.

Nora: Yes, you can open a small tin of corner beef if you like.

Robert: Have you got something to open it with?

Nora: Oh yes, there’s a tin-opener somewhere. Here it is. Who else wants cacao? Speak up because I’m just making it.

Robert: I’ll have some. Peter, sit somewhere else; that’s my place.

Peter: Hm. Not wanted anywhere.

Nora: Don’t be so silly, Peter.

Robert: I can’t open this tin; can’t someone else try?

Harry: Give it to me; I’ll do it.

Nora: Won’t you need some bread and butter with that beef? I’ll cut you some. Have you lifted all the potatoes, Harry?

Harry: Good heavens, no! We shall have to carry on all the afternoon.

Nora: Well, if you come in as hungry as again, there’ll be absolutely nothing left to eat in the house!

LESSON 17

Text conversation

Nora: There, isn’t it a splendid uniform, Peter. Hurry up and get it on?

Peter: I’m putting it on as fast as I can… mum, isn’t this shirt too big for me?

Nora: Well, it will be, just at first, dear. But I ordered it like that so that it would be big enough to allow for growth. Don’t forget you’re growing boy.

Peter: It’s so big that the sleeves come down over my hands.

Nora: Oh, I can soon fix that for you. It’s not so bad as you think.

Peter: I expect this shirt will fit me when I’m as big as Robert.

Robert: Who’s talking about Robert? Why, hello, Peter, you look prouder than a peacock. What are these fine clothes?

Peter: It’s my Scout uniform.

Robert: What a wonderful big hat!

Peter: Yes, it’s big enough to hold water if somebody feels faint.

Robert: Aren’t there some socks to go with the uniform?

Peter: These green ones. But I haven’t put them on yet.

Nora: Poor Peter, he’s so excited that he doesn’t know what to put on next.

Robert: What’s that piece of white string round your neck?

Peter: Robert! Are you so ignorant that you don’t know what a lanyard is?

Robert: Well, what’s it for?

Peter: To hang a whistle on, of course.

Robert: I say, you do look smart! You almost make me wish I had been in the Scouts myself.

Nora: You’re not too old to join now.

Robert: If I did join, I should expect to be senior to Peter.

Peter: Oh no. I should expect to be senior to you! (They all laugh).

LESSON 18

Text of conversation

Nora: It’s Peter’s birthday the day after tomorrow. I’ve had a new suit made for him to wear at his party.

Harry: Are we going to have a lot of his friends here, Nora?

Nora: Oh, yes didn’t I tell you? He was very busy last week getting his invitations sent out.

Harry: Oh dear, I hate having the house full of noisy children.

Nora: Oh, but we have to give Peter a party on his birthday.

Robert: After all, I always had a party when I was his age.

Harry: Are you going to cook all the cakes and things your self?

Nora: Some of them. And the rest I shall have done by a shop. That reminds me, I must get the carpets beaten before the party.

Robert: And Dad, will you have gramophone mended by Friday? It’s broken again, and I can’t do anything with it.

Harry: Well, why don’t you have it mended your self, Robert? You know the shop to take it to. Didn’t you have it mended last time it broke?

Robert: Yes, Dad.

Nora: What do you want the gramophone for on Friday?

Robert: We shall have to use it for the dancing.

Nora: But Peter’s guests won’t dance! They’re all boys.

Robert: Ah, but I’m having a few friends of my own round, and we shall have a bit of dancing after Peter’s young friends have gone home.

Harry: What dancing half the night? Then I see what I shall have to do.

Nora: What’s that, Harry?

Harry: /Jokingly/ I must have a bed made up for me at the club, and spend the night there.

LESSON 19

Text of conversation

Harry: Peter! What have you been doing? You’re soaking wet.

Peter: Well, I was walking along –

Nora: Come here, quickly, you must get things wet off. Stand in front of the fire. Here’s a towel, give yourself a good rub down. Now, what were you doing, you naughty boy?

Peter: I was walking along by the river when I saw a dog.

Nora: Yes, yes, but how did you get so wet? Here, give me those trouser. Look! Absolutely soaking wet!

Peter: I know, well I’m trying to tell you. I saw this dog in the water, so I jumped in and saved him.

Harry: You jumped in? Why, you must be mad! A dog can swim – he doesn’t need to be saved.

Peter: Oh, but it was different – don’t you see? He wasn’t just swimming. It was down near the mill, and the water was doing very fast, and the dog was going round and round. Once he got near the side and tried to get out, but he couldn’t.

Harry: But the mill’s a very dangerous place!

Peter: I know. And the dog was going round again, when suddenly he gave a little bark, and rolled his eyes in a funny way – and then he sank.

Nora: So you –

Peter: Yes, so I jumped in and pulled him out, just before he went under the mill.

Nora: But you bad boy, that was very dangerous.

Peter: But I had to, Mum. I’m a Boy Scout.

Nora: Well, are you dry now? Put these pajamas on. You must go straight to bed… We’re not really angry, Peter.

Harry: No, we’re really quite proud of you.

LESSON 20

Text of conversation

Nora: Harry, can we talk about money for a minute?

Harry: Of course, Nora. What’s worrying you?

Nora: Well, the point is that I’m afraid I shall have spent my month’s house – keeping money by Saturday.

Harry: Bit it’s only the middle of the month!

Nora: I know. But then there were all the expenses of Peter’s party. Besides, this house is getting more expensive to run every month.

Harry: So you think the house isn’t economical?

Nora: I’m sure it isn’t. It’s too large, and it costs us far too much. Besides, I think I want a change. Do you know, in June we shall have been living here for fourteen years?

Harry: Shall we really? That is a long time. But I like it here; I don’t like moving about.

Nora: Suppose we found a slightly smaller house – we could sell this one easily, couldn’t we?

Harry: Yes, of course; we shall have finished paying off the loan by June.

Nora: Do let’s think about it.

Harry: All right – but don’t let’s do anything hasty. Now, this housekeeping money. Will ten pounds be enough?

Nora: That will cover the household expenses, yes, but –

Harry: Something else?

Nora: Harry, look at this hat. There. What a sight I am!

Harry: Nonsense, you look very pretty.

Nora: Do you realise that in exactly one week from now I shall have been wearing this hat, on and off, for a whole year?

Harry: Nora, I given in. You shall have a new one tomorrow.

Nora: Well, as a matter of fact –

Harry: I know. You bought a new one today. Oh well…

LESSON 21

Text of conversation

Nora: It really is a very nice house, Mrs. Brewer.

Mrs. Brewer: The walls and woodwork will need painting, of course.

Harry: How very kind of you.

Nora: But really, Mrs. Brewer, you needn’t have gone to so much trouble.

Mrs. Brewer: Nonsense, Mrs. Parker! What I always say is:

If there’s anything a woman needs after looking over a house, it’s

a nice cup of tea! I hope you’ll take the house; and we’ll just

drink to the bargain – in tea.

LESSON 22

Text of conversation

(Sounds of things being moved)

Nora: Harry, look at the way those men are carrying that china cupboard! You must tell them to be careful I’m sure they’re going to break everything.

Harry: Perhaps we had better carry the breakable things down ourselves.

Man: You needn’t worry, Ma’am. We always have to be careful. We’re used to it. Everywhere we go they say “You must be careful”. Well, I ask you! We have to move things in and out houses every day of the week. A man has got to know his job, hasn’t he?

(To the man helping him) Come on, Jim, give me a hand.

Nora: How are they going to get the piano out? They’ll have to turn it on its side. We had a lot of trouble getting it in, didn’t we? Do you remember?

Harry: I do – the men who brought it had to take its legs off.

Nora: They’ve taken everything downstairs except this long mirror. Let’s carry it down between us.

Harry: Right. I’ll have to go downstairs backwards. (They both grunt as they lift the heavy mirror).

Nora: It is heavy, isn’t it?

Harry: Look out! (a crash).

Nora: Oh, Harry, my lovely mirror!

Man: There now, you didn’t have to start moving things yourselves! You know, you have to be experienced to do a job like this.

Harry: Well, what a shame! The whole move done with only one thing broken – and we had to be the ones to break it!

Man: Come on, Jim, we shall have to hurry up with this piano. We’ve got to be away by dinner-time.

LESSON 23

Text of conversation

Nora: We haven’t bought the new furniture for Robert’s room yet.

Harry: No. If he is going to use it as a study as well as a bedroom, he must have a few extra things.

Nora: I’ve been keeping my eyes open, and I’ve seen some quite nice things. This afternoon I went to Pinfolds’ they had a lovely second-hand writing-desk. I’ve never seen anything more reasonable.

Harry: Yes, we should want them painted, shouldn’t we, Nora. Perhaps a rather lighter colour.

Nora: I’m glad there are plenty of cupboards, I need a lot of cupboards.

Harry: I didn’t notice a cupboard on the landing.

Nora: Oh, that needn’t worry us. I don’t need a cupboard on the landing when there’s such a nice one in the bathroom.

Harry: You must have somewhere to put the linen.

Nora: Yes, but it needn’t be on the landing – the one in bathroom will do perfectly.

Harry: It’s a pity there’s no garage.

Mrs. Brewer: Do you need a garage immediately? – You could easily build one in the garden.

Nora: Yes, Harry, need we worry about a garage now? After all, we haven’t car yet.

Harry: No, you’re quite right, Nora. Now, is there anything else we need discuss with Mrs. Brewer?

Nora: We must think it all over when we get home, Mrs. Brewer.

Mrs. Brewer: Oh, yes, Mr. Parker; you needn’t make your minds up at once. Matters like this need thinking over carefully.

Harry: And now we must be going.

Mrs. Brewer: Oh, need you hurry away? You mustn’t go without having a cup of tea. I’ve got all ready here.

Harry: How about his bed? That’s the main thing, after all.

Nora: I saw some diven beds yesterday. They looked very comfortable. I went in and asked the price; they were sixteen pounds complete.

Harry: That seems a lot of money. I suppose he couldn’t keep the bed he’s using at present?

Nora: Oh, no! That’s had a broken spring for years.

Harry: But I thought you had it mended last year?

Nora: Well, yes, I’ve had it mended several times, but it’s always broken again in a week or two. Poor Robert! It’s awfully bad luck never to have had a really comfortable bed.

Harry: Well, he’s never complained, has he?

Nora: No, he’s always been quite cheerful about it. Why, here is Robert.

Harry: We were just talking about you, my boy.

Robert: Yes, I heard you. You haven’t bought me a new bed, have you?

Nora: No, but we were just talking about it.

Robert: Well, don’t, for goodness’ sake: I couldn’t sleep on a new one! I know the spring of mine is broken, but you know, somehow, I’ve grown used to that old bed. I don’t want a new one.

Harry: Thank you, Robert.

Robert: Why?

Harry: Well, you’ve just saved me sixteen pounds!

LESSON 24

Text of conversation

Harry: How do you like being in the new house, Robert?

Robert: Very much, thanks, Dad.

Harry: So do I. But I’ll tell you one thing – there’s going to be an awful lot work to do to get it into shape. For example, the whole back garden needs digging; so does the front; and neither your mother nor I will have time.

Robert: That’s all right, Dad. Either Peter or I will see to that.

Harry: I’ve never seen a garden in such ah untidy state.

Robert: No, nor have I.

Harry: All the woodwork inside the house will want painting.

Robert: So will the woodwork outside; but I don’t know much about that sort of thing.

Harry: No, nor do I; but we can soon find out.

Robert: That garden fence really wants painting too.

Harry: So you see, your mother and I shall have to be pretty busy with all these things, and so must you boys.

Robert: Well, I don’t mind, and I don’t suppose Peter does either.

Harry: As a matter of fact, I rather like the idea of having a lot of jobs to do during the next month or so.

Robert: Yes, so do I.

Harry: Er – what shall we begin on?

Robert: This being Saturday afternoon, do you know what I thought of doing first, Dad?

Harry: No, what?

Robert: I am going to watch the local football team play – and Peter is going with me.

Harry: Er – where did you say you were going?

Robert: To the football match.

Harry: H’m Good idea! So will I. And we’ll start on the house tomorrow.

LESSON 25

Text of conversation

Nora: Harry, something has gone wrong with my electric iron. I wondered if you could put it right?

Harry: Why, what’s the trouble? Nora: I don’t know; but it doesn’t work.

Harry: Let’s have a look at it. I’m not an electrician, but perhaps I can see what’s the matter.

Nora: I plugged it in this morning, and for a little while it worked beautifully, but then it suddenly went off.

Harry: Are you sure the current is on? I’ll just switch on the light (Switches). Yes, that’s all right, there’s nothing the matter with the fuse.

Nora: I know – I switched on at the time to see.

Harry: Well, let’s have a look at the socket. Perhaps the connection is loose. I’ll just plug lamp in. There, you see? It lights up perfectly well.

Nora: So it must be iron itself that’s wrong.

Harry: No, wait a minute. It may be the plug, or the flex. Oh, Nora! Look at this! One of the wires has come right away from the plug. No wonder the iron didn’t work!

Nora: Do you think you could mend it?

Harry: Easily.

Nora: Don’t you need a screwdriver.

Harry: No, I can do the whole job with my penknife. You know, Nora, if I can light the fire, or cook breakfast, I don’t see why you can’t mend a piece of wire.

Nora: I know, darling; I’m so ashamed, but I’m afraid of electricity.

Harry: But my dear Nora – if you pull the plug out of the socket there can’t be any electricity in the wire!

LESSON 26

Text of conversation

(The doorbell rings: Nora opens too front door)

Nora: Why, Tom and Mary!

Mary: Hello, Nora!

Nora: It is nice to see you! Harry’s out at the moment, but he’ll be back very soon. Come in and see our new house. It’s nearly tea-time, and there’s a kettle boiling … This way … .

Tom: Let me see, when did we come over last, Nora?

Nora: Last summer, wasn’t it?

Mary: Oh yes, I remember – and there was a thunderstorm on the way home, wasn’t there?

Nora: Considering that you are Harry’s only brother, Tom I think it’s a shame to stay so long. There’s no excuse for you.

Tom: But there’s really so little opportunity. There always seems to be something that keeps us at home on Sundays.

Nora: That’s no excuse. It’s nearly a year since we saw you.

Mary: It’s rather a long way to come.

Nora: That’s nonsense! It’s not far when you have a car.

Tom: Perhaps. But don’t forget the price of petrol nowadays.

Nora: Yes, it does cost a lot to go even a short distance, doesn’t it? Anyhow, remember this: there’s always a warm welcome for you here. Besides, we do live nearer now.

Tom: Oh, yes, there will be more opportunities now.

Mary: And you must come ever to us – it will be an outing for the boys. Why not come next Sunday?

Nora: All right! We will, if it’s fine.

Mary: And tell Harry, there will be fancy cakes for tea.

Harry: (Coming in) Well, it’s nice of you to remember I like fancy cakes!

Nora: (Surprised) Hello, Harry!

Tom: How are you, Harry?

Harry: Now, what’s all this, Tom? What are you doing here? It’s only a year since you last came to see us? (They laugh)

Nora: Tea’s made!

LESSON 27

Text of conversation

Nora: Robert, I’d like you to do something for me.

Robert: (Irritably) Oh, what is it, Mum?

Nora: I want you to make up the stove for my bath.

Robert: But I’m busy – I’m doing my homework.

Nora: Do you think I haven’t got any work to do? Look all these clothes I’ve got to iron.

Robert: Yes, but do you expect me to stop in the middle of what I’m writing?

Nora: I can’t make you help me if you don’t want to; but I’ve seldom known you take so much interest in your homework.

Robert: I’ve got ever so much to do tonight.

Nora: I only asked you to help me for a minute. I don’t like my boys to he disagreeable.

Harry: Robert, do I understand you to say you refuse to help your Mother? You oughtn’t even to wait for her to ask you. I’ve been watching you’ do your work’ as you call it. Looking out of the window half the time! Let me tell you, young man, you need some real work to do. Never mind, Nora, lot me help you.

Nora: Thank you, Harry. I’d just like the stove to be made up for me to have a bath. I haven’t got used to this kind of stove yet – you understand it better.

Harry: Oh yes; I’ll soon get the water to boil! Where’s the coal? /He shovels some cola into the stove/ … There, my boy, that didn’t take me long do, did it?

Robert: No, Dad; but I advise you to have another look inside the stove before you sit down again, I think the fire was out.

Harry: (Opening front of stove) Good heavens, so it was. Well, you’re jolly well going to re-light it, Robert, I refuse to.

LESSON 28

Text of conversation

Mrs. Wood: Oh, Mrs. Parker, the police-sergeant here has come about the theft of my spoons. Would you be so kind as to tell him what you heard this afternoon?

Nora: Yes, of course. Good afternoon, sergeant.

Sergeant: Good afternoon, Mrs. Parker.

Nora: Well, first I heard somebody moving about in Mrs. Wood’s house. And then I heard the back door bang. I thought it was Mrs. Wood. But it can’t have been her, because I met her coming down the street only a few minutes later.

Sergeant: Yes. About what time was this?

Nora: I heard the radio announcer say it was half past three, just before I went out.

Sergeant: So if you heard a stranger come out of Mrs. Wood’s back door, it must have been before three-thirty?

Nora: Yes, a few moments before.

Sergeant: Yes. Did you see nay one as your want out?

Nora: Yes, I saw the roadman sweeping the pavement, and – oh yes, I saw the insurance man knock at the for door of number ten.

Sergeant: Thanks very much. That’s very helpful. I shall have to ask them if they noticed anyone they didn’t know come into the road. You didn’t see anyone else, Mrs. Parker. No tradesmen, for example?

Nora: Nobody at all.

Mrs. Wood: Isn’t it awful, Mrs. Parker? Just think – you may have actually heard the thief stealing my spoons!

Sergeant: Well, we won’t say ‘stealing’ for the moment, Mrs. Wood. You never know with these cases. We’ll just say the spoons are missing. I daresay you haven’t seen the last of them yet.

LESSON 29

Text conversation

Nora: Good afternoon, Mrs. Wood. You are looking pleased. Have you found

out who took your missing spoons?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, It’s really very fanny, I must tell you. Of course I’ve been

awfully nervous since yesterday, my husband being away and there being

nobody else in the house. And then coming back from shopping this afternoon I found the back gate open and suspicious noises coming from the house!

Nora: Goodness!

Mrs. Wood: Thinking that if I went for help the fellow would get away, I decided to catch him myself.

Nora: How very brave of you!

Mrs. Wood: And then, looking in through the kitchen window what should I see but –

Nora: A man?

Mrs. Wood: No – a monkey!

Nora: A monkey?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, a monkey, sitting on my kitchen table, and taking all my knives and forks out of the table drawer.

Nora: Where ever had it come from?

Mrs. Wood: I just couldn’t think at first. And then I suddenly remembered that the house at the end of the road has just been taken over by an old sailor who has all sorts of strange pets.

Nora: I know – Mr. Bendow, so the monkey sitting on the table was his. What an extraordinary creature – taking your spoons one day and coming back for your knives and forks the next! Did you manage to catch him?

Mrs. Wood: I couldn’t catch him myself, but I fetched Mr. Bendow and he soon did it.

Nora: And did you discover what the monkey had done with your spoons?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, we found them hidden at the end of our own garden!

Nora: How very funny! With the police hunting everywhere for a criminal too. Still, ‘All’s well that ends well!

LESSON 30

Text conversation

Nora: Hello, Peter. I thought you were cycling to Aunt Mary’s.

Peter: /Dolefully/ I got lost.

Nora: /Amused/ Surely you know the way to Aunt Mary’s?

Peter: Yes, but I’ve never been there from this house.

Nora: Oh no, of course not. Well, how far did you get?

Peter: Well, I went along the main road first and then turned off by the church.

But after that I must have gone wrong because I never got to Aunt Mary’s road at all. I had no idea where I was.

Nora: Didn’t you ask anybody the way.

Peter: Yes, I asked a man how to get to Heath Avenue, and he didn’t know what to answer. He just said, ‘Heath Avenue? Where’s Heath Avenue?’ Then I asked another man and he told me he was in too much of a hurry to help me.

Nora: You should have asked a policeman.

Peter: I did. I asked him where I was, and he some name I didn’t hear properly. Then he asked me where I had come from and what my name was.

Nora: And didn’t you ask him to show you the way to Aunt Mary’s?

Peter: Oh yes, I asked him which was the right way and he started to laugh. He said I had been going away from Heath Avenue for most of the time. Then he pointed to a house just behind him and said, ‘That’s the back of your own house, son!’

Nora: /Amused/ So that’s why you are here! Well, never mind, you can still go to Aunt Mary’s another day.

Peter: /Ruefully/ Yes, but don’t I look an idiot, cycling in a circle.

LESSON 31

Text conversation

/Scene: Breakfast in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Parker/

Harry: You know, Nora, that’s the second time breakfast has been late this week. If I don’t get my breakfast on time I arrive at work late.

Nora: You’re awfully bad-tempered these days, Harry. It must be because you’ve given up smoking.

Harry: Nonsense. Anyhow, who says I’m bad-tempered?

Nora: You’re never really happy unless you have a cigarette or a pipe in your mouth. Why don’t you start smoking again? I would, if I were you.

Harry: Certainly not. If I say I’m going to give something up, I give it up.

Nora: Oh, Harry, if only you would smoke again, I’m sure we should have fewer black looks about the house.

Harry: No, Nora. If I start smoking, I shall start that silly irritating cough again. Good heavens, if that fellow Smith can give it up, I hope I can.

Nora: I see. You just want to show how strong-minded you are. Well, I guarantee that if you had a packet of cigarettes in your pocket now you would very soon find yourself lighting one.

Harry: Not at all. Even if I had a hundred cigarettes in every pocket I still shouldn’t give way to temptation. Now, Nora, if I don’t go O shall miss my bus.

Nora: Shall I see you at six?

Harry: Yes, if I’m not kept at work.

Nora: If you pass a stationer’s buy me some envelopes, will you?

Harry: Right. Goodbye, Nora.

/Sound of a match being struck/

Nora: Er – Harry, what’s that in your mouth?

Harry: Good heavens, it’s a cigarette. I must have lit it without thinking. Why, Nora – you put that cigarette on the table in front of me!

Nora: /Laughing/ Yes, Harry, I can’t have you being too strong-minded!

LESSON 32

Text conversation

Harry: We shall be awfully late home if that No. 12 bus doesn’t come soon… Let’s stand in this doorway out of the wind.

Nora: All right, but must be careful not to miss the bus… How did you enjoy the film?

Harry: I’d never have gone if I had known it was going to be so silly.

Nora: Why, what was silly about it?

Harry: Well, no saint man would have married that other girl so soon after he had murdered his wife. It was sure to make people suspicious.

Nora: If he had been sane he wouldn’t have murdered her, besides, the girl wouldn’t have waited for him if he hadn’t asked her immediately.

Harry: All the better for him if she hadn’t.

Nora: Yes, but then he wouldn’t have paid for his crime. Anyhow, I’d have enjoyed the film much more if Elsa Hollywood had been in it instead of Linda Spangle.

Harry: And I’d have enjoyed it more if we hadn’t gone at all.

Nora: /Sharply/ And I’d have enjoyed it more if you hadn’t been so rude to that woman in front.

Harry: Well, I shouldn’t have been rude to her if she had stopped chattering when I asked her.

Nora: I wish you’d behave better in public places.

Harry: I behave better I like that. I like that. Why, if that woman had…

/Sound of bus starting up/

But look, isn’t that a No. 12 bus just going?

Nora: Yes, it is, and we’ve missed it after all. We should have seen that bus, Harry, if you hadn’t been so busy quarrelling.

Harry: /In injured tones/ Really, Nora, I think it would have been much better if I had stayed at home tonight and let you go to the cinema alone.

Dialogue No 5

1. Did Nora want Harry to do anything that evening?

2. Was she sure there was nobody coming to see them?

3. Was there anything she wanted Harry to listen to on the wireless?

4. Why did Harry want to go round to the club?

5. How did he convince Nora of the necessity to go to the club?

6. Why was Nora against Harry’s idea?

7. What had Harry promised her before?

8. Do you think the Parkers will go round to the club?

9. Did Harry seem to feel sorry?

10. What is the best title for the dialogue?

Dialogue No 12

MEET THE PARKERS

1. Why was Harry constantly calling Nora?

2. Why was Nora angry with him?

3. Why did she advise him to stay in bed?

4. Did he obey her?

5. What did Nora think of Harry’s behaviour?

6. Why did he still get back into bed?

7. Do you think Harry was seriously ill?

8. How was he getting on with his mother-in-law, in your opinion?

9. Is the general tone of the dialogue emotional are neutral?

10. What is the best title to the text?