The Escape

I always believed that if a woman made up her mind to marry a man, nothing but immediate escape could save him.

Once a friend of mine, understanding this, decided to go on a jour­ney for some time. So he got aboard the ship, with only a tooth-brush as his luggage and spent a year travelling round the world. He thought that the girl would forget him — out of sight, out of mind.

But when he landed at the port, the first person he saw was the little lady from whom he had fled.

And only once I knew a man who managed to escape. His name was Roger Charing. He fell in love with Ruth Barlow at first sight. She was a dark-eyed, fair-haired little lady. When Roger told me that he wanted to marry her I wished him happiness.

'I hope you'll be good friends,' he said. 'You do like her, don't you?' 'Yes,' I said. I couldn't say less. I considered her stupid but I couldn't tell Roger about it. Roger introduced her to his friends, he took her everywhere. Their marriage was fixed for the near future. Then, all of a sudden, he fell out of love. I didn't know why. Maybe he understood that Ruth had made up her mind to marry him for his money. But he knew that she wouldn't release him if he simply asked her. So he thought of a plan. He didn't show Ruth that his attitude towards her had changed. He sent her flowers, they dined together and went to the theatre together. They had made up their

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minds that they would be married as soon as they found a house that suited them. And they started looking for it. They visited house after house but always Roger found a fault that made the house unsuitable. Sometimes they were too small or too large or too expensive or too gloomy.

Ruth began to grow tired. They looked at hundreds of houses and Ruth felt worn out. Once she said angrily, 'If you can't find a house soon I won't marry you.' 'Don't say that,' answered Roger. 'We are sure to find a proper house and in less than no time we'll get married.'

They had been looking for a house for two years. Finally Ruth was dead tired. 'Do you want to marry me or don't you?' she asked. 'Oh, of course, I do,' was the cheerful answer. But Ruth did not feel well enough to look at any more houses. She didn't want to see Roger.

In a week he got a letter. T don't think you really love me. So I have found a man who will take good care of me and I'll be married to him today. Ruth.'

Soon she got a letter from Roger, T am very unhappy, but the most important thing for me is your happiness. I am sending you several ad­dresses and I am sure that you' 11 find among them a decent house. Roger.'

How We Kept Mother's Day

(after Stephen Leacock)

I think it's a very good idea to celebrate once a year 'Mother's Day'. So we decided to have a special celebration of Mother's Day. We thought it a fine idea.

We decided to make it a great day, a holiday for all the family and a happy day for our Mother. Father decided to take a holiday from his office, my sister Anne and I stayed home from college classes, and Mary and my brother Will stayed home from High School.

Our plan was to make the day just like any big holiday. So we decided to decorate the house with flowers. We asked Mother to arrange the dec­orations because she always does it on holidays. The two girls wanted to dress in their very best for such a big occasion, and so they both got new hats. Mother trimmed both the hats and they looked fine. Father had bought new ties for himself and us boys. We wanted to buy a new hat for Mother too, but she said she liked her old grey hat better than a new one, and both the girls said that it was awfully becoming to her.

Well, after breakfast we decided to hire a car and take Mother for a beautiful drive away into the country. Mother is hardly ever able to go to the country because she is busy in the house nearly all the time.

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But on the very morning of the day we changed the plan a little bit. Father decided to take mother fishing. It turned out that he had just got a new rod the day before and he said that Mother could use it too.

Well, when the car came to the door, we saw that there was no room in it for us all. Father said he could stay at home and work in the garden though he hadn't had a real holiday for three years. Of course we didn't want to let Father stay at home. Then the two girls Anne and Mary said that they could stay at home and help the maid to cook. Only it was such a pity to stay at home on such a fine day. As to us boys, we couldn't cook. So in the end it was decided that Mother would stay home and just have a lovely restful day round the house, and get the dinner. It turned out anyway that Mother didn't care for fishing, and also it was just a little bit cold and fresh out of doors, though it was lovely and sunny, and Father was afraid that Mother might catch cold if she came. So we said goodbye to Mother and drove away.

Well, we had a very happy day up among the hills. Father caught a lot offish. Will and I fished too but were not so lucky. The two girls met a lot of people that they knew. So we all had a good time.

It was quite late when we came back, about seven o'clock in the evening. Mother had kept the dinner ready and hot for us. The dinner was like on New Year's Day. Mother had to get up many times during the meal fetching things back and forward.

The dinner lasted a long time, and it was great fun. When it was over all of us wanted to help Mother to wash the dishes. But Mother said that she could do it herself, and so we let her because we wanted to please her. It was quite late when it was all over, and when we all kissed Mother before we went to bed she said it had been the most wonderful day in her life, and I think there were tears in her eyes. So we all felt awfully repaid for all that we had done.

Self Check

/. Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions. Retell the text.

When I was young I argued ... (1) my brothers and sisters all the time. I used to share most of my toys ... (2) my brother, but he specialized... (3) keeping them ... (4) himself. When I asked him... (5) anything he simply used to refuse to give it... (6) me, and then I became very angry ... (7) him. Our sisters blamed everything ... (8) us when our parents accused us

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... (9) quarrelling all the time. My brother and I got annoyed ... (10)this, but only succeeded ... (11) making matters worse. Our parents didn't ap­prove ... (12) our quarrelling so much, and insisted ... (13) not taking sides. They either laughed... (14) it, or told us to forgive each other ...(15) everything. Soon we became ashamed ... (16) quarrelling, and became good ... (17) getting on well... (18) each other.

2. Fill in the gaps with articles or prepositions if necessary. Retell the texts.

A. 1. Ann was ... (1) very romantic girl who often dreamed... (2)... (3) love and ... (4) marriage. She was especially attracted ... (5) ... (6) young man called Michael, who worked in ... (7) same office as she did, and he was very keen ... (8) her too. They became friendly and one day Michael asked her to go out... (9) him. Their first date was ... (10) visit... (11)... (12) cinema, and they both enjoyed ... (13) evening so much that they decided to go out together regularly, Michael was ...

14. bit untidy and rather young, and Ann's parents didn't approve ...

15. him ... (16) first, but Ann was ... (17) sensible, mature girl and they had confidence ... (18) her. ... (19) ... (20) year or so everything went well, but then somehow they slowly began to drift apart, until fi­nally they decided to break ... (21) their relationship.

B. One evening, although he was nervous, Joe decided to propose ... (1) his girlfriend , Linda. She accepted his proposal, they became engaged

and he gave her... (2) ring (3) a year they had saved enough money to

get married (they were both ... (4) 18 so they did not need their parents' consent.). Some people have ... (5) religious ceremony ... (6) a priest, but Joe and Linda decided ... (7) ... (8) civil ceremony ... (9) ...(10) registry office. ... (11) ... (12) day of... (13) wedding Linda, ...(14) bride, was very calm, but Joe, ... (15) bridegroom, was nervous. After­wards, ... (16) ... (17) reception, ... (18) speeches were made and ... (19) guests drank ... (20) toast... (21)... (22) happy couple, who finally left... (23)... (24) honeymoon ... (25)... (26) Spain,

C. Win, 42, tells how she met her husband.

I remember I was about 19. I went ... (1) ... (2) dance ... (3) ... (4) village hall. I went ... (5) my best friend, Marjorie. Marjorie was very pretty and all... (6) boys liked her. They all wanted to dance ... (7) her. I didn't enjoy ... (8) dances very much. I was always very shy.

I sat... (9)... (10) table ... (11)... (12) corner of the dance hall. No one asked me to dance. ... (13) about ... (14) hour, Marjorie came up

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and said, 'Go and ask one of... (15) boys to dance! You can't just sit there!'

It was awful. I hated every minute of it. ... (16)... (17) end she told one of her boyfriends to go and ask me ... (18)... (19) dance. I was so embarrassed! Anyway, ... (20) boy came up and we danced. His name was Mick and he was very nice. He asked me to go ... (21) ...(22) cinema ... (23) him ... (24) next day. That was... (25) start of it. I went out ... (26) him ... (27) ... (28) year, and then he asked me to marry him. My parents were a bit surprised. They liked him, but they said we were too young. They told us to wait. We waited ... (29) nine months and then,... (30) my 21st birthday, we got married. We now have three children and we're very happy. I still see Marjorie quite often. She al­ways says, 'You mustn't sit and wait... (31)... (32) things to happen. You must go out and make them happen.' I think she is right.

3. Put the verbs into the correct tense fonts. Dear Mum,

It (not seem) like 6 months since I (arrive) here, but time (flow). I now (adjust) almost completely to the way of life here, but I must say it (be) difficult to get used to things at the beginning. I (have to) work hard here, and some evenings I (be) so tired out that I (go) straight to bed . But I (be) glad I (come). I (not save) as much as I wanted to, but never mind, I at least (save) something. Next week I'm off for a weekend's skiing, and I really (look forward) to going. I (be) a bit scared because I never (ski) before, but I (get by) somehow — don't worry. Just think, this time next week I (ski).

By the way, when you (come) to visit me? I can put you up in my spare room. If you can't come next month, at least try to come the month after. If you (come), could you bring me some marmalade? I (run out). Now, what other news is there? My French (be) quite good now, in fact I (pick up) a lot since I (arrive). At the end of my stay here I (speak) French very well.

Oh, something I (forget) to tell you in my last letter, and that is that my firm might transfer me to their branch in the Netherlands. If they (do), it (not be) for another six months. I (wonder) what Holland (be) like? Any­way, if you can't visit me here, I (see) you in four months' time because I've got a week off then, and I (come) home for the week. Well, give my regards to everyone.

Love, Mary

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4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct forms. Study and practise the text.

The Three Wishes

(A Fairy Tale)

One winter evening a poor peasant sitting near the fire was talking with his wife about one of their neighbours who was a rich man.

'If only I (have) money, I (open) my own shop.'

'I (not be) satisfied with that,' answered his wife. 'I (be) happy if I (live) in a big house, and then , if I (see) people like ourselves, I (help) them and (make) them happy.'

'But what's the use talking, we are no longer in the time of fairies,' the man said.

'It (not be) bad if they (exist),' the woman said, 'Then I (may) meet one of them and ask her to grant me my wishes. If she (promise) to grant me something, I (know) what to ask her.'

Hardly had she said these words when a young lovely woman appear­ed in their room and told them that she was a fairy. She was willing to grant them the first three wishes and no more than three wishes. Then the beautiful lady disappeared.

At first the two peasants were too surprised to speak. But then they began discussing the first wish that it (be) best to have. They were argu­ing and quarrelling for a long time and finally decided to wish nothing for a while and put it off till the next day.

Some time later the woman looking at the bright fire said without thinking. 'Oh, I wish we (have) a sausage for our supper.' She had hardly finished these words when a thick sausage fell on their table from above.

The husband got angry and began scolding his wife, 'Isn't that a fine wish! A sausage! Now we have only two wishes left. I'm so angry that I wish this sausage (stick) to your nose!'

This was hardly said when the sausage jumped and stuck to the poor woman's nose.

'What have you done?' cried the frightened woman.

The husband understood that he himself had been even more foolish than his wife. He tried to tear the sausage off his wife's nose but he couldn't.

'It is your fault,' said the husband. 'It is yours,” replied his wife and they continued quarrelling.

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'If you (not, wish) to have this sausage, I (not, wish) it to stick to your nose,' said the husband.

Finally they understood that they had only one wish left. What could they wish? They thought for a long time and at last agreed to have their last wish. They wished the sausage (fall) on the table which it did.

The only good thing these poor people had got from the fairy was the sausage which they ate at dinner with great appetite.

UNIT3 COMMUNICATION: FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

Disappointment

Here are some ways of expressing your disappointment when someone/something was not what you had expected.

A			the play? the film?
	Did you like / enjoy		the concert? the match? the party?
	What	was the were the	accommodation holiday lesson teacher weather Smiths children people singers players	like?
В	I was disappointed.
		rather
	I was	very extremely	disappointed.

(It / She / He / They) disappointed me.

(It / She / He / They) was / were disappointing.

(It /She / He / They) wasn't/weren't as good/nice as I'd

expected/hoped.

I'd expected it / him / her / them to be (much) nicer / better.

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one is described as young or middle-aged or old, then how old is that person? It's difficult to know because these are words that have different meanings for different people. Except for the word teenager, which de­scribes someone whose age ends in the syllable 'teen' (such as fourteen, fifteen or sixteen). Words which describe age are not exact. When, for example, does a baby stop being called a baby and become a young child? When does a boy become a young man and a little girl become a young woman? At what age does middle age begin? When do you call someone elderly and not simply old? At what age does someone become an adult? In some countries, it is when the government says a person is old enough to vote. Is that really the difference between a child and an adult? The answers to these questions partly depend on how old you are. There is a saying that old age is always ten years older than yourself. If you are fifteen, then you think someone of twenty-five is old. At thirty, forty seems old. If you are seventy, then you probably think someone of eighty is old. A recent survey showed that there was some truth in the old saying. Peo­ple were asked. 'What is middle age?' Those in their early twenties usual­ly answered, 'Between thirty-five and fifty,' and people in their thirties answered, 'Between forty-five and sixty.'

A. Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the passage.

1. When people are asked their age, they usually answer with a number.

2. If someone tells you that he or she is middle-aged, you know the exact age of that person.

3. It is possible to call someone who is twelve a teenager.

4. There is an exact age when a baby becomes a young child.

5. 'Elderly' is similar in meaning to 'old'.

6. Some governments say that an adult is a person who can vote.

7. According to the saying, if you are twenty-nine, then you think someone of thirty is old.

8. As you get older, your ideas change about when middle age begins

B. Think about

1. What are some of the joys and problems of each age?

2. Are you happy with your present age?

3. How do you feel about growing older?

4. How important is age? in marriage? in work?

TOPIC: FAMILY MATTERS