UNIT 5. ARTICLES

EXERCISE 1

Compare the sentences below and comment on them:

I. 1. A week or two passed, but he hadn't got a job. 2. It was the busiest week we ever had.

II. 1. Several times explorers saw a tiger in the distance.

2.They hoped that the tiger was following them just out of curiosity.

3.Tigers are extremely dangerous. 4. "Tiger! Tiger! burning bright In the forest of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"/Blake/

III. 1. Love conquers all. 2. Her generous heart won the love of everybody who came near her.

IV. 1. My son is Russian and he must live in Russia. 2. I know you dream of Paris, but try to understand: the Paris of your dreams doesn't exist: it's not real. 3. The Italians I have met all love opera. Italians are musical people as a rule.

V. 1. He was extremely poor. Yes, he was a poor man, but not a thief. 2. Robin Hood robbed the rich and helped the poor. 3. The disabled need our help.

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VI. 1. I like the salad; give me more. 2. Salad is a healthy

food.

EXERCISE 2

Insert the appropriate articles:

I. 1. It was ... beautiful winter day. 2. I would call it ... most unforgettable day, as well.

II. 1. Looked out of the window and saw ... car turning left.

2.Look at ... car! Isn't it wonderful?

III. 1. We study ... law. 2. There is ... law that protects children against domestic violence. 3. I didn't know that ... law he mentioned in his speech actually existed.

IV. 1. This Hollywood actress is ... Chinese by origin, isn't she? 2. It's a well-known fact that ... Chinese invented paper and gun-powder.

V. 1. There are special books designed for ... blind. 2. It is a tragedy to be ... blind. 3. He was ... blind Greek poet and he created "The Iliad". What is his name?

VI. 1. ... coffee is a good thing in the morning, but in the evening I prefer ... milk. 2. ... coffee is too hot and too sweet. I'd rather have ... tea.

EXERCISE 3

Fill in the blanks with articles with personal and geographic names if necessary.

A:

a Rubens (a picture on the wall).

ZERO ARTICLE:

Rubens (a painter), Peter, Africa, France, Texas, Stratford-on- Avon, Mount Everest, Cyprus, Lake Michigan, Niagara Falls, Hudson Bay, Hindustan, Broadway, Central Park, Kennedy Airport, Oxford University, National Geographic, Monday, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge.

THE:

the Browns, the Chinese People's Republic, the Crimea, the Hague, the Hindustan peninsula, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Thames, the Suez Canal, the Alps, the Hawaii, the Sa-

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hara, the National Gallery, the Old Vic, the Lincoln Memorial, the Titanic, the Conservative Party, the Times, the White House.

I. 1. ... United States of America is located on ... North American continent. 2. ... Appalachians are ... range of ... low mountains and ... hills running parallel to ... Atlantic Coast. 3. ... Mississippi River together with ... Missouri which joins it from ... west and ...

Ohio which joins it from ... east, forms ... central river system of ...

USA. 4. In ... north there are ... five great lakes — ... Lake Superior, ... Lake Huron, ... Lake Michigan, ... Lake Erie and ... Lake Ontario. 5. ... capital of ... USA is ... Washington, D. C. 6. It is not located in any state but lies between ... states of ... Maryland and ...

Virginia.

II. 1. ... Paul decided to set up his business in ... Stockholm, though he couldn't speak ... Swedish and didn't have any ... friends in ... Sweden. 2. It is an honour for ... reporter to work for such a respectable newspaper as ... Times. 3. She has been in ... France but she hasn't visited ... Louvre — what a shame! 4. ... Kilimanjaro is a snow covered mountain 19,700 feet high and is said to be ... highest mountain in ... Africa. 5. ... Spain occupies the larger part of ... Iberian Peninsula in ... southwestern Europe. 6. Moscovites don't seem to understand, do they, that beyond ... Urals there is still Russia. 7. There was ... lovely little Manet on the far wall. I envied ... Farrells (the family) who owned it: ... Manet had always been one of my favourites. 8. In his youth Mr. Curry had been abroad a great deal, had lived in ... Ceylon, in ... Canary Islands, in ... India. 9. On ...

other bank of ... Potomac lies ... Arlington National Cemetery, where ... President Kennedy was buried. 10. Swimming in ... salty Dead Sea is not the same as swimming in ... Ob. 11. I wonder if you know who ... head of ... Labour Party in ... UK now?

EXERCISE 4

Fill in the blanks with articles before names of times of the day and night. Remember that after the prepositions at, after, before, by, till, past and in the function of a predicative the names of times of the day and night are used without any article.

1. It was ... early morning. 2. He went to his laboratory at 10, and was busy working until ... midnight. 3. In ... afternoon the air temperature rose considerably. 4. Several times during ... day the woman was seen by her neighbours. Nobody saw her after ... dusk.

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5. Just imagine: I was alone, in the rain at ... night. And, all of a sudden, the car broke. 6. The curtains let enough sun through for me to see that it was ... nice day. 7. Do you remember ... afternoon when I sprained my leg and you carried me home in your arms in ... twilight? 8. ... night was silent and starry. 9. It snowed all through ...

night, and in ... morning we saw that we were cut off from the world. 10. Let's meet tomorrow ... morning.

EXERCISE 5

Learn the expressions with the indefinite article:

a lot (of), a quite (quite a), a rather (rather a), such a , what a, once a, twice a.

Match the sentences below:

1. What kind of story was it?

2. How often should we send the rent check?

3. You can't take all the blame upon yourself.

4. You go to the gym rather seldom, right?

5. Why can't you get on with him?

6. Do you like the face on the photo?

7. Can you lend me a thousand roubles?

EXERCISE 6

Use the right article before unique objects.

1. The whole country belongs to me with ... sky for a roof and ... earth for a bed. 2. For frauds and crooks ... world is full of

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fools who live only to be used. 3. ... President was in his country residence. 4. ... moon hung low in ... sky above ... horizon. 5. We live in such ... mysterious universe, don't we? 6. ... Prime Minister is expected to visit Denmark at the end of the month. 7. The force of ...

wind was terrible, we could hardly move. 8. He was ... head of a great publishing firm. 9. As though awaking from a sleep he raised his head and saw above him ... black sky...

EXERCISE 7

Learn the expressions with the definite article and use them completing the following sentences:

the same, the only (son), between the lines, to pass the time, to play the piano, to tell the time, to put to the blush, to tell the truth, the other day.

1. There was no difference between the twins, and they looked absolutely ... 2. He had neither brothers nor sisters, he was ... 3. She was observant, and though nothing was said aloud, she could read ...

4. When he had nothing urgent to do he could sleep day and night — this is how he ... between the contracts. 5. Richter was considered to be one of the greatest musicians, he ... superbly. 6. Don't be angry with me , Mother, I didn't talk to the stranger: I just ... when he asked me what time was. 7. What I find charming in her is that it is so easy ... 8. We again caught him telling a lie. He probably never ... in his whole life. 9. I met the suspect in Oxford Street ... — I don't remember if it was Tuesday or Wednesday.

EXERCISE 8

Put in the articles if necessary. Keep in mind that there are normally no articles before the words "home", "school", any meals, aye diseases, any sports if these words are not used in the particular, specific situation.

Example: I went to school in Glasgow and adopted Scottish accent.

We came up to the school where I had spent the saddest years of my life.

1.The symptoms of ... pneumonia are high fever and cough.

2.East or West — ... home is best. 3. ... Breakfast is ready. 4. ...

breakfast you cooked last was superb. 5. Can't you remember what you usually do after ... dinner? 6. I have a fever and a headache. It

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must be ... flu. 7. I don't know what kind of disease he suffered from. Doctors called it ... malaria. Well, if it was ... malaria, it was ... malaria I had never come across before. 8. My son said:"I like going to ... school and coming back from ... school. The only thing I don't like is being at ... school." 9. ... Football needs an effective rhythm. 10. The coach doesn't like ... football the guy plays and doesn't want to put him in the team. 11. After ... dinner sleep a while, after ... supper walk a mile.

EXERCISE 9

Insert the articles with abstract nouns if necessary:

A. ... Love is ... invention of the poets. Believe me. I should know. It is ... lie, ... word without meaning. ... Love is ... game where are only losers.

B. ... Evil (зло) to him was personal vice, greed or cruelty, or pride: ... man fought with such evil within himself and in ... other men, and with ... God's help prevailed. That injustice could be institutionalized under ... name of ... law, — this he knew but didn't believe, had not believed, until now.

EXERCISE 10

Learn the following set-expressions with the zero article and use them correctly in the text below:

A. to keep (run) house (business) to commit suicide

to take care

to shake hands to make room to take measures to go to bed

to take place

to go to work (home)

to give word (permission) to give way

to have pity (mercy) to face reality

to stand pain

to keep (have) in mind

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Поздно вечером Майкл шел домой и внезапно столкнулся со своим старым знакомым. Они не виделись много лет, и Майкл по ошибке назвал его не тем именем. «Не Джим, а Джейсон»,поправил его приятель, улыбаясь. Они пожали друг другу руки. Майкл извинился, сказав, что плохо соображает из-за переутомления.

«Ты не виноват. Я действительно изменился. Ночью, когда темно, это не так заметно (noticeable), но днем меня никто не узнает», ответил Джейсон. Приятели зашли в паб и поужинали, затем заказали пиво. Джейсон, действительно, изменился: он выглядел усталым, у него был довольно потрепанный плащ, и ботинки видели лучшие дни. Видно было, что он в беде, но не хочет жаловаться. Майкл старался не показать, что ему жаль друга, чтобы не обидеть его. Они пили стакан за стаканом, и постепенно Джейсон расслабился и разговорился (become talkative). «Правду сказать», начал он ...

Add a few sentences to the story in English using the idioms above.

EXERCISE 11

Explain the absence of articles in the text:

Congratulation on your success! I wish you further progress but remember it won't hurt you to run over your English Grammar from time to time in order not to be outdistanced by your little sister or daughter who are doing well in English at school.

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