Idiomatic expressions.

4. Discuss what you think the following expressions in italics mean.

1. It was a turning-point in my life.

2. He proposed to me completely out of the blue.

3. Life is full of tips and downs.

4.1 started to have second thoughts about it. 5.1 started to see her in a different light.

6. There has to be give and take in a relationship.

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C. Discuss the following questions.

• What makes some relationships between couples break up?

• What qualities do you think are needed for a lasting relationship?

D. Write a story called 'The Blind Date'. Try to use the phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions you have learnt in this unit.

Listening

Why Was She Angry?

A young man was in love with a beautiful girl. One day when they were walking in the park near the girl's house, she said to him, 'Tomorrow is my birthday, will you come and have dinner with me?' 'Of course, I shall,' said the young man, 'and I'll send you red roses, one rose for each year of your life.'

The same evening the young man went to a florist's. As the girl was twenty yeai'ls old, he paid for twenty roses and asked the florist to send them to the girl's house the next day. He left her address and a letter full of love.

The florist knew the young man very well because he often bought flowers in his shop. The florist thought, 'The young man is a good cus­tomer, my price for the roses was too high, I'll send thirty roses instead of twenty.' And he did so.

In the afternoon when the young man came to see his girlfriend, she didn't want to speak to him. He was very unhappy and went back home. But he never knew why she was angry with him.

Questions.

1. Why did the girl invite the young man to her house? 2. What present did the young man send to the girl's house? 3. Why was the girl angry with the young man?

The Smoking Chimney

One afternoon Professor N. was walking along a country road when he saw a farmer eating his supper alone in the road before his house. The professor approached the farmer and asked him,

'Why are you eating here alone?'

'Well, sir,' answered the farmer after a short pause, 'the chimney smokes.'

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'That is too bad,' said the professor, 'You must have it repaired. Let's have a look at it.'

And before the farmer could say a word the professor tried to enter the farmer's house. As soon as he opened the door a broom fell on his shoulders and a woman's voice cried,

'Go away, you old rascal, or I'll kill you...'

The professor left the house quickly. The farmer sat in the road look­ing very unhappy. The professor approached him and put his hand on his shoulder.

'Never mind,' said he, 'my chimney smokes sometimes too.'

Questions.

1. Where did the professor see the farmer? 2. What was the man doing? 3. What did the professor ask the farmer? 4. What did the farmer an­swer? 5. What happened when the professor tried to enter the house? 6. What did the professor say to cheer up the farmer?

Love at First Sight

The first time Michael saw Helen, he fell in love with her. It was love at first sight. The problem was how to win her love for him. First he tried to impress her. He asked her to fly to Cannes with him for the Film Festival. She refused. Then he asked her to come to Rome with him. But she said no. 'Perhaps she likes the simple life,' he thought. So he asked her to spend a weekend with him in the country. She refused that too. 'Food. I'll try food,' he thought and asked her to eat with him at Ma­son's, one of the best restaurants in London.

'No, thank you,' she said and lowered her lovely blue eyes. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought. 'I will try one last question.' And he asked her to marry him.

'Yes,' she said.'I will. Mason's, Rome, Cannes, the country — what an exciting life we will have.'

Questions.

1. What are the things Michael asked Helen to do? 2. What did Helen say?

The Gift

(after O. Henry)

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. Three times Delia count­ed it. And tomorrow was Christmas. She sat down on the sofa and burst

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into tears. She had saved every penny for months and this was the result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. She had spent hours planning to buy something nice for him.

She went to the mirror and let down her hair. She let it fall to its full length, below her knees.

There were two possessions of which the Dillinghams were very proud. One was Jim's gold watch, which had been his grandfather's. The other was Delia's hair.

She put her hair up again nervously and cried a little again. Then she put on her old brown jacket, her old brown hat and went down the stairs to the street.

She stopped at a sign which read: 'Madame Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds.' She ran up the stairs.

'Will you buy my hair?' asked Delia.

'Take your hat off,' said Madame Sofronie, 'and let me look at it.'

She let her hair down.

'Twenty dollars,' said Madame.

'Give it to me quickly,' said Delia and the woman began to cut off Delia's beautiful long hair.

For the next two hours Delia searched for a present for Jim. Then she found it. It was a platinum chain for Jim's watch. As soon as she saw it, she knew it was right for Jim. It was just like him. Quiet and valuable. It cost $21.

When Delia got home, she started to curl her hair. After half an hour, her head was covered in small curls.

At seven o'clock the front door opened and Jim came in. Delia whis­pered to herself, 'Please God, make him think I am still pretty.' Jim looked thin and serious. Poor Jim! He was only twenty-two! His eyes fixed upon Delia and there was an expression on his face which frightened her.

'Jim, darling, don't look at me like that. My hair will grow again. I cut it off and sold it because I wanted to buy you a present. I've got a beautiful present for you.'

'You've cut off your hair,' said Jim slowly.

'Yes, but I'm still me without my hair, aren't I?'

'Your hair is gone,' he said again, almost like an idiot. He took a package from his coat pocket and threw it on the table. Delia tore at the string and paper. First, an ecstatic scream. Then, hysterical tears.

For there lay the combs — the set of beautiful hair combs which she had wanted for so long. She knew they were expensive.

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She hugged them closely and said, 'My hair grows very fast, Jim.' Then she jumped up and gave him her present. The platinum watch-chain flashed in the light.

'Isn't it beautiful, Jim? Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it.'

Jim sat down on the sofa and smiled. 'Dell,' he said, 'let's put our Christ­mas presents away and keep them for a while. They're too nice to use at present. I sold the watch to buy your combs. Now let's have supper.' Questions.

1. Why was Delia unhappy on Christmas Eve? 2. What were the two possessions the Dillinghams were very proud of? 3. What did Delia do to make Jim a Christmas present? And what about Jim?

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