Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks

1. Find in the story the English for:

Судить о человеке, делать вывод, озадачивать(ставить в тупик), приходить на ум, быть способным на что-либо, морщинистый, повышать голос, и мухи не обидит, помахать рукой, тезка, потягивать джин, кроме(за исключением), быть высокого мнения о ком-либо, посмеиваться, в отчаянном состоянии, совершать самоубийство, измученный, течение, ошеломленный, пожать плечами, пожелать удачи, тщетно(зря), подорвать здоровье, утонуть.

2. Fill the gaps with one of the words combinations from the box in the appropriate form.

To draw conclusions, to wave one’s hand, a current, to be capable of, to commit suicide, in vain, to sip, to shrug one’s shoulders, wrinkle, to be drowned

1. We________ from the shape of the jaw, the look in the eye, the shape of the mouth.

2. I should never have believed that he _______ such an action.

3. He was a tiny little fellow, very slender, with white hair, a red face much ________ and blue eyes.

4. A man passed along the street outside and seeing me ________.

5. Burton _________ his gin.

6. If he couldn’t get a job he’d have to ___________.

7. The __________ round the beacon were more than he could manage.

8. I __________ when people tell me that their impressions of a person are always right.

9. I waited for him there but _________.

10. When you offered the job did you know that he__________?

3. Replace the italicized words and word combinations with a synonym from the box in an appropriate form.

to judge a namesake of to raise one’s voice puzzled to think a lot of to ruin one’s health to occur down and out

1. We often form an opinion about a person by his looks.

2. These thoughts came to my mind because I read in this morning’s newspaper about Edward Burton’s death.

3. You couldn’t imagine that he could speak in higher tone in anger.

4. There was a fellow there last year whose name was also Edward.

5. Women thought highly of him.

6. He was unemployed and without money.

7. I could see he was rather taken aback.

8. But of course he’d undermined his health by drink.

4. Choose the right word.

pleasing

pleased

1. There was something _______ in his mild blue eyes.

2. I was _______ to be staying at the same hotel with him.

loving

loved

3. They were a _________ family.

4. He was much _________ by his family.

startling

startled

5. The story was ________ because both his appearance and his manner gave the impression of a very different man.

6. He was ________ when he heard Mr. Burton’s suggestion.

frightening

frightened

7. Was he ________ at the last moment?

8. His suggestion was __________.

surprising

surprised

9. It was __________ that he should come to Mr. Burton when he was broke.

10. I was rather _________.

5. Change the following into direct speech:

He hesitated for a moment and then he told me that he had had bad luck at cards for some time. He hadn’t a penny. He’d pawned everything he had. He couldn’t pay his hotel bill and they wouldn’t give him any more credit. He was down and out. If he couldn’t get a job he’d have to commit suicide.

6. Change the complex sentences below into simple as in the examples.

A Example: It so happened that I was spending a few days in Yokohama.

I happened to be spending a few days in Yokohama.

1. It so happened that we were both staying at the Grand Hotel.

2. It happened that I read about Mr. Burton’s death in the morning newspaper.

3. It so happened that I met him at the club.

4. It so happened that Mr. Burton came into the lounge of the hotel when I was sitting there.

5. It so happened that I came across him in London.

B Example: It seemed he was popular at the club.

He seemed to be popular at the club.

1. It seemed he had an instinct about the cards.

2. It seemed they were a united family.

3. It seemed he had a real love for his fellows.

4. It seemed his suggestion took him aback.

5. It seemed he had been drinking more than usual.

7. Say what the habits of the author and of Mr. Burton were. Use used to.

1. I played with him a lot.

2. When Mr. Burton was young he often swam round the beacon.

3. A bit of money usually came in for him once a quarter.

4. Though his offices were in Kobe Mr. Burton often came down to Yokohama.

5. In his youth he was an athlete.

Reading Comprehension and Discussion Tasks

1. Answer the following questions:

1. What thoughts occurred to the author when he read in the newspaper about Mr. Burton’s death?

2. Why did Mr. Burton interest the author?

3. Where did the author make Mr. Burton’s acquaintance?

What did they use to do together?

4. What did the author know about Mr. Burton?

5. What did Mr. Burton look like? What attracted the author in Mr. Burton?

6. When and where did Mr. Burton tell the author the story of his namesake?

7. What kind of man was young Burton?

8. Why did he once come to Mr. Burton?

9. What was the situation he found himself in?

10. What idea did Mr. Burton suddenly have when his namesake said he had swum for his university?

11. Why was young Burton taken aback?

12. Why was young Burton drowned?

13. What was the author’s reaction to the story?

14. Why did Mr. Burton say he offered his namesake the job?

2. Give a description of a) Mr. Burton, b) his namesake, picking out the word combinations from the list below.

To give smb. a surprise, to be capable of, curly hair, slender, to go broke, to ask for a job, wrinkled, sensible, to go pale, kindliness, to hesitate, to have bad luck, gentle, to raise one’s voice, to pawn, to be down and out, love for, to commit suicide, to arouse instincts, to be all to pieces, to be taken aback, to give a chuckle, to wish smb. good luck, to be drowned, to ruin one’s health, to offer smb. a job, to rub one’s chin.

3. Act out a dialogue between Mr. Burton and his namesake.

4. Discuss the following:

1. Why would the author never have believed that Mr. Burton was capable of such an action if he had not heard the story from his own lips? Do you think that the first impression of a person are always right?

Comment on the following proverb (with reference to the story):

Appearances are deceitful.

2. Make guesses about young Burton’s thirty five years of life. Why had he never done anything in his life?

3. Is there any evidence in the story that Mr. Burton was not all that kind and gentle? Why did he promise his namesake job if the latter swam round the beacon? Did he know he would be drowned?

4. Why did Mr. Burton tell the author the story? Why did he say it was rather a funny story? Why did he give a little mild chuckle when the author asked him if he had known that the man would be drowned?

5. What is the story about beneath the surface of the narrative?

Explain the title of the story. Read your answer to the question in the pre-reading section. Would you give the same answer now that you have read the story? What could have naturally been expected of “the friend in need” in those situations? What would you have told Mr. Burton if you had been his listener?

6. What’s your main impression of the story?

TEXT

Young Archimedes

(Extract from the story by A.Huxley "Young Archimedes". Abridged.)

It was the view which finally made us take the place. Our nearest neighbours lived very near. We had two sets of them,¹ as a matter of fact, almost in the same house with us. One was the peasant family. Our other neighbours were the owners of the villa.

They were a curious people, our proprietors. An old husband, grey, listless, tottering, seventy at least; and a signora of about forty, short, very plump, with tiny fat hands and feet and a pair of very large, very dark eyes, which she used with all the skill of a born co­median.

But we had found other reasons, after a few days' residence,² for liking the house. Of these the most cogent was that, in the peasant's youngest child, we had discovered the perfect play-fellow for our own small boy.³ Between little Guido — for that was his name — and the youngest of his brothers and sisters there was a gap of se­ven years. He was between six and seven years old and as preco­cious, self-assured, and responsible as the children of the poor ge­nerally are.

Though fully two and a half years older than little Robin — and at that age thirty months are crammed with half a lifetime's experi­ence⁴ — Guido took no undue advantage of his superior intelligence and strength. I have never seen a child more patient, tolerant, and untyrannical. He never laughed at Robin; he did not tease or bully, but helped his small companion when he was in difficulties and ex­plained when he could not understand. In return, Robin adored him, regarded him as the model and perfect Big Boy,⁵ and slavishly imitated him in every way he could.

Guido was a thoughtful child, given to brooding.⁶ One would find him sitting in a corner by himself, chin in hand, elbow on knee, plunged in the profoundest meditation. And sometimes, even in the midst of the play, he would suddenly break off, to stand, his hands behind his back,⁷ frowning and staring at the ground. And his eyes, if one looked into them, were beautiful in their grave and pensive calm.

They were large eyes, set far apart and, what was strange in a dark-haired Italian child, of a luminous pale blue-grey colour. They were not always grave and calm, as in these pensive moments. When he was playing, when he talked or laughed, they lit up. Above those eyes was a beautiful forehead, high and steep and domed in a curve that was like the subtle curve of a rose petal.⁸ The nose was straight, the chin small and rather pointed, the mouth drooped a lit­tle sadly at the corners.

My gramophone and two or three boxes of records arrived from England. Guido was immensely interested. The first record he heard, I remember, was that of the slow movement of Bach's Con­certo in D Minor for two violins. That was the disc I put on the turn-table.

Guido came to a halt in front of the gramophone and stood there, motionless, listening. His pale blue-grey eyes opened them­selves wide; making a little nervous gesture that I had often noticed in him before, he plucked at his lower lip with his thumb and fore­fingers.

After lunch he reappeared. 'May I listen to the music now?' he asked. And for an hour he sat there in front of the instrument, his head cocked slightly on one side, listening while I put one disc after another. Thenceforward he came every afternoon.

What stirred him almost more than anything was the Coriolan overture. One day he made me play it three or four times in succes­sion; then he put it away.

'I don't think I want to hear that anymore,' he said.

'Why not?'

'It's too... too...' he hesitated, 'too big,' he said at last. 'I don't really understand it. Play me the one that goes like this.' He hummed the phrase from the D Minor Concerto.

'Do you like that one better?' I asked.

He shook his head. 'No, it's not that exactly. But it's easier.'

'Easier?' It seemed to me rather a queer word to apply to Bach.

In due course, the piano arrived. After giving him the minimum of preliminary instruction, I let Guido loose on it.⁹ He made excel­lent progress. Every afternoon, while Robin was asleep, he came for his concert and his lesson. But what to me was more interesting was that he had begun to make up little pieces on his own account.¹⁰ He had a passion for canons. When I explained to him the principles of the form he was enchanted.

'It is beautiful,' he said, with admiration. 'Beautiful, beautiful. And so easy!'

Again the word surprised me.

But in the invention of other kinds of music he did not show himself so fertile¹¹ as I had hoped.

'He's hardly a Mozart,' we agreed, as we played his little pieces over. I felt, it must be confessed, almost aggrieved.

He was not a Mozart. No. But he was somebody, as I was to find out,¹² quite extraordinary. It was one morning in the early sum­mer that I made the discovery. I was sitting in the warm shade of our balcony, working. Absorbed in my work, it was only, I suppose, after the silence had prolonged itself a considerable time that I be­came aware that the children were making remarkably little noise. Knowing by experience that when children are quiet it generally means that they are absorbed in some delicious mischief,¹³1 got up from my chair and looked over the balustrade to see what they were doing. I expected to catch them dabbling in water, making a bon­fire, covering themselves with tar. But what I actually saw was Guido, with a burnt stick in his hand, demonstrating on the smooth paving-stones of the path, that the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides. Robin listened, with an expression on his bright, freckled face of perfect incomprehension.

Guido implored: 'But do just look at this. It's so beautiful. It's so easy.'

So easy... The theorem of Pythagoras seemed to explain for me Guide's musical predilections. It was not an infant Mozart we had been cherishing; it was a little Archimedes with, like most of his kind, an incidental musical twist.¹⁴

Leaning on the rail of the balcony, I watched the children be­low. I thought of the extraordinary thing I had just seen and of what it meant.

I thought of the vast differences between human beings. We classify men by the color of their eyes and hair, the shape of their skulls. Would it not be more sensible to divide them up into intel­lectual species? There would be even wider gulfs between the ex­treme mental types than between a Bushman and a Scandinavian.'⁵ This child, I thought, when he grows up, will be to me, intellectu­ally, what a man is to a dog.

Proper Names

Archimedes - Архимед

Aldous Huxley - Олдос Хаксли

Guido - Гвидо

Robin - Робин

Bach - Бах

D Minor Concerto - концерт «Ре-минор»

Coriolan - Кориолан

Mozart – Моцарт

Pythagoras - Пифагор

Vocabulary Notes

1. We had two sets of them ... — Это были две семьи ...

2. ... after a few days' residence... — ... прожив несколько дней ...

3. ... in the peasant's youngest child we had discovered the perfect play-fellow for our own small boy. — ... младший ребёнок из этой крестьянской семьи оказался прекрасным другом для нашего собственного малыша.

4. ... thirty months are crammed with half a lifetime's experience ... — ... в тридцать месяцев вмещается опыт, приобретаемый за полжизни ...

5. ... regarded him as the model and perfect Big Boy ... — ... считал его образцом для подражания и настоящим Большим Маль­чиком...

6. ... given to brooding ... — ... склонный к размышлениям ...

7. ... he would suddenly break off, to stand, his hands behind his back ... — ... он вдруг неожидано прерывал своё занятие и вставал, заложив руки за спину...

8. ... domed in a curve that was like the subtle curve of a rose petal. — ... очертания которого напоминали тонкие очертания лепест­ка розы.

9. ... I let Guido loose on it. — ... я разрешил Гвидо играть на нём сколько угодно.

10. ... to make up little pieces on his own account. — ... само­стоятельно сочинять маленькие произведения.

11. ... he did not show himself so fertile ... — ... он не особенно пре­успел ...

12. ... as I was to find out... — ... как мне было суждено обнару­жить ...

13. ... they are absorbed in some delicious mischief... — ... они увле­чены какой-нибудь восхитительной шалостью...

14. ... with, like most of Ms kind, an incidental musical twist. — ... как это бывает в большинстве подобных случаев, неожиданно наделённый ещё и музыкальными способностями.

15. ... between a Bushman and a Scandinavian. — ... между буш­меном и скандинавом (Прим.: бушмен — представитель на­родности, проживающей в Южной Африке).

Comprehension Check

1. What made the family rent the house?

2. What were the two sets of neighbours they had?

3. What sort of people were the owners of the villa?

4. What did the parents discover in the peasant's youngest child?

5. What made Guido so responsible and precocious?

6. What gap was there between Guido and Robin?

7. Did Guido take advantage of his superior intelligence and strength?

8. How did Guido treat Robin?

9. What was Robin's attitude to Guido?

10. What kind of child was Guido?

11. What did Guido look like? What was strange about his eyes?

12. What was Guido immensely interested in once?

13. What piece of music stirred him more than anything?

14. Did Guido make slow progress in playing the piano?

15. What did he start doing on his own account?

16. Did he show himself fertile in the invention of all kinds of music?

17. What word surprised the author in Guide's comment on the mu­sic?

18. Why were Robin's parents almost aggrieved?

19. What interrupted the author's work one morning?

20. What did the author see when he looked over the balustrade?

21. What sort of discovery did the author make one morning?

22. What kind of ideas came to the author's mind?

Phonetic Text Drills

○ Exercise 1

Transcribe and pronounce correctly the words from the text.

Signora, comedian, cogent, precocious, undue, untyrannical, to tease, to bully, to regard, to frown, to stare, luminous, to droop, concerto, gesture, to pluck, forefinger, thenceforward, succession, to loose, to enchant, to confess, to aggrieve, ex­traordinary, mischief, balustrade, to dabble, bonfire, hypote­nuse, right-angled, triangle, to implore, theorem, predilec­tion.

○ Exercise 2

Pronounce the words and phrases where the following clusters occur.

1. s+t+r

Strength, instruction, extraordinary, balustrade, demon­strating, extreme;

2. plosive + r

Proprietors, grey, brothers, brooding, break, grave, gramo­phone, preliminary, progress, agreed, prolonged;

3. plosive/n + 

Take the place, at that age, at the ground, sat there, like the subtle curve; in these, on the turn-table, stood there, again the word, made the discovery.

○ Exercise 3

Pronounce after the announcer and say what kind of false assimilation should be avoided.

Was the view, was the peasant, was that, as the children, months, his small companion, as the model, was strange, was straight, was the disc, was somebody, was sitting.

○ Exercise 4

I. Pronounce correctly the second form of regular verbs.

Lived, used, discovered, crammed, explained, imitated, loo­ked, pointed, drooped, arrived, interested, opened, plucked, asked, cocked, hummed, enchanted, surprised, aggrieved, watched.

II. Pick out compound nouns from the text, transcribe them, and put pri­mary and secondary stresses.

○ Exercise 5

Transcribe and intone the bit starting with 'I don't tiffin I want to hear...' and ending with '... a queer word to apply to Bach.'

EXERCISES

Exercise 1

I. Draw lines between the pairs matching the words on the left with their opposites on the right.

self-assured calm

fat undelightful

dark-haired inferior

nervous thin, slender

delicious fair-haired

listless miserable

superior energetic

steep rough

smooth sloping

II. Draw lines between the pairs matching the words on the left with the words or phrases of similar meaning on the right.

plump prematurely developed

tiny reasonable

precocious rather fat

sensible odd

queer exceptional

extraordinary convincing

cogent still

motionless serious

grave extremely small

Exercise 2

Choose a suitable word or phrase from the passage you have read to com­plete the sentences.

1. The owners of the villa were a ... people. There was a... of almost thirty years between husband and wife.

2. The signora had very large, black eyes and she used them with ... .

3. Robin adored Guido, he ... him as the ... and copied him in ... he could.

4. Being a ... child, Guido was given to ... and liked to sit... , chin .... elbow ....... in the profoundest meditation.

5. Sometimes Guido suddenly interrupted the game and stood ... at the ground.

6. If you looked into Guide's eyes you would find out that they were beautiful in their ... and ... calm. They were set... .

7. When Guido was listening to the music, he ... at his lower lip with his ... and ... .

8. Soon Guido started ... little pieces on ... . He had ... for canons.

9. Guido was really ... by canons and the principles of the form.

10. When Robin's parents played Guide's little pieces over they felt almost....

11. There was an expression of ... on Robin's bright and ... face when Guido was... the theorem of Pythagoras to him.

12. The author expected the boys to be ... in some ... , to ... them ... in water or ... a bonfire.

13. Guido appeared to be not an... Mozart, Robin's parent had been ... but... Archimedes with an ... musical twist.

14. There was a wide ... between Guido and Robin as between the two different... types.

Exercise 3

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences. Use only one expression in each space. Change the form of a word or a phrase if necessary.

to laugh at somebody to be an Archimedes

to make progress to shake one's head

to make up on one's own account

to make noise to put something away

in return to come to a halt

to know by experience to be crammed

to take advantage of something to be in difficulties

1. My brother is in the habit of... those people he has a grudge against.

2. The silence was oppressive. He ... that something was wrong.

3. She was so scared that she couldn't say a word. When the policeman asked her something she just ... to say "No".

4. Dick adored my daughter. As soon as she started play­ing the piano he ... near it and could stand motionless for half an hour enjoying both my daughter and the mu­sic.

5. You never know what's on his mind. It's characteristic of him to ... all sorts of stories. No wonder his friends do not have much confidence in him.

6. Sometimes it may be so annoying to look after kids. They like to ... when playing.

7. As Brian was left to himself and had to go through lots of difficulties his life appeared ... with all sorts of expe­rience.

8. Little George is a special child; he is immensely interested in maths and physics. His parents and teachers are so proud of him that they say that he ....

9. Jane is always calm and patient and never loses her temper when explaining things to her pupils. That is why they just adore her... .

10. Practically all composers started writing music ... in eariy childhood.

11. One's career depends on how quickly he or she ... in ac­quiring new skills and knowledge.

12. In sports and games competitors always try to ... their op­ponents' mistakes and weaknesses.

13. After a child has played enough with his new toy, he ... and forgets about it for a while playing with his old favourite ones.

14. Noble and generous people always come to help their friends when the latter ....

Exercise 4

Give the English equivalents for the Russian words and expressions.

A.

Ходить пошатываясь, ковыляя; размышлять; задирать кого-либо; обожать; лелеять; быть очарованным; волно­вать кого-либо; подражать кому-либо; злоупотреблять чем-либо; прервать (занятие); преуспевать в чём-либо; увлекаться чем-либо; испытывать затруднения; умолять; дразнить; плескаться в воде.

В.

Гладкий; странный; апатичный; пухлый; развитой не по годам; самоуверенный; ответственный; веснушчатый; крутой (лоб); изящный; мечтательный; серьёзный; ост­рый (подбородок); необыкновенный.

С.

Разница в семь лет; на целых два с половиной года старше; интеллектуальное и физическое превосходство; склонный к размышлению; заложив руки за спину; уста­вившись в землю; подперев подбородок рукой; опершись локтем о колено; широко расставленные глаза; уголки рта слегка опущены; глаза широко раскрылись; пощипывая нижнюю губу большим и указательным пальцами; нерв­ный жест; слегка склонив голову набок; напевать без слов; музыкальные способности.

Exercise 5

Change the following sentences using the phrases from the text instead of the ones in italics.

1. Nick was five years younger than his brother.

2. Though Andrew was athletic and much stronger than all his play-fellows he never used it for his own benefit trying to overawe them with it.

3. Daniel always thought that his brother was a good examplefor him.

4. Having stayed several days at a health resort, we quickly got bored.

5. In fact, we were on good terms with our companions.

6. Frank was absolutely absorbed in watching a cowboy film and nothing could make him stop doing it.

7. After explaining the most important things to him I let him play the guitar as much as he wanted.

8. He did not feel determined enough and could not start a new business.

9. You can't divide people up into good and bad ones because human nature is not that simple.

10. The girl's face showed that she couldn't understand any­thing though she listened to the speech with great atten­tion.

11. I was aware of his making progress in music but listening to his pieces you couldn't say he was as good as Mozart.

12. When Alex was told that she was stingy it made him feel up­set and angry because he had never dreamed of having a stingy wife.

13. Nothing could move him more than a nice, quiet folk song performed by a peasant woman.

14. Ann's daughter is often absorbed in thinking deeply about something and whatever you say to her goes in one ear and out the other.

Exercise 6

Translate into English.

1. Наши друзья были владельцами виллы. Мистеру Редгрейву было около семидесяти, его жене — примерно сорок.

2. Младший из семьи Редгрейвов стал прекрасным дру­гом для нашего малыша.

3. Малыш Дэнни был развит не по годам, уверен в себе и обладал большим чувством ответственности.

4. Я никогда не видел ребёнка более терпеливого и сни­сходительного к другим.

5. Дэнни не был тираном и не пользовался своим ум­ственным и физическим превосходством.

6. Наш малыш считал своего друга образцом для подра­жания и всячески стремился доходить на него. .

7. Дэнни часто погружался в глубокие раздумья.

8. Он любил стоять, заложив руки за спину, нахму­рившись и уставясь в землю.

9. Широко расставленные глаза Дэнни излучали тихий ясный свет.

10. Общее выражение лица мальчика было очень жизне­радостное, но уголки рта были как-то грустно опу­щены.

11. Когда мальчик слушал музыку и интересные истории, он сидел широко раскрыв глаза и слегка наклонив голову набок.

12. Больше всего его волновали истории с трагическим концом.

13. В математике Дэнни делал потрясающие успехи.

14. Поглощённый своими объяснениями, Дэнни не за­мечал, что лица его приятелей выражали полное не­понимание.

Exercise 7

Expand on the following.

1. The owners of the villa were a curious people.

2. Though fully two and a half years older than little Robin, Guido took no undue advantage of his superior intelligence and strength.

3. Robin adored Guido.

4. Guido was a thoughtful child.

5. Guido was immensely interested in listening to music.

6. Guido made excellent progress in playing the piano.

7. The boy was hardly a Mozart.

8. The theorem of Pythagoras seemed to explain Guide's mu­sical predilections.

9. I thought of the vast differences between human beings.

Exercise 8

Speak about the author's experience in Italy:

1. in the third person;

2. in the person of one of the proprietors;

3. in the реrson of Guido;

4. in the person of little Robin.

Exercise 9

Discussion points.

1. Did Guide's appearance correlate with his character? Why?

2. What could make Guido so patient and tolerant?

3. What do you think of little Robin? Compare the boys.

4. What sort of people were Robin's parents, in your opi­nion?

5. Fancy your own child imitating somebody slavishly. What would you tell him or her?

6. Have you ever met children like Guido? Tell the class about them.

7. Do you believe that genius always shows in early child­hood? Prove your point.

8. The vast differences between human beings — what are they?

Exercise 10

Comment on the following words of the author.

'...it was a little Archimedes with, like most of his kind, an in­cidental musical twist.'

'We classify men by the color of their eyes and hair, the shape of their sculls. Would it not be more sensible to divide them up into intellectual species?'

“A Person's Appearance”

Essential Vocabulary:

Build, figure and bearing:

to be: tall, short, middle-sized, of medium (middle) height, tallish, thin, thick, plump, fat, stout, slender, slim, well-made, a man of solid build, solidly-built, delicately-built, attractive, slight, immature, well-formed, graceful, chubby, skinny, lanky, full-figured, hunch-backed, broad-shouldered, round-faced, bald-headed, black-eyed, near-sighted, long-legged.

a real beauty

to be as ugly as sin

of a strong build

as like as two peas

to take after smb; (not) to look one’s age; to wear lipstick; to cut one’s hair short, to look as fit as a fiddle; to wear one’s hair shoulder length (parted in the middle); sto look the shadow of one’s former self; never judge from appearance, appearances are deceptive.

A(an) erect, stooping, well-trained, graceful, slight, superb figure.

Broad, round, sloping shoulders.

To hold oneself erect.

A slim waist.

To be slim at the waist.

Long, short, shapely, slender legs.

To be bow legged.

long

Face: with high cheekbones, smooth, plain, oval, square, long, round, thin, lovely, clever, charming, beautiful, wrinkled, freckled, (well)-groomed, clean-shaven, delicate, regular, irregular, small, large, clean-cut features, tanned, olive-skinned, fringed by dark (fair) hair.

Mouth: full, sensuous, shapely, big, large, small, tiny, red.

Complexion: dark, fair, olive, rosy, tanned, pale, swarthy, fresh, sallow.

Forehead: broad, narrow, high, low, large/open, great.

Nose: neat, small, flat, turned up, snub, straight, aquiline, hooked, crooked.

(Eye)brows: thin, thick, bushy, penciled, arched, well-marked.

Eyes: dark, black, hazel, brown, blue, grey, green, almond, slanting, small, steel-grey, close-set, wide-set, deep-set, clever, sunken, thoughtful, dreamy, large, slightly, protruding, to have shadows under one’s eyes.

(Eye) lashes: short, long, thick, thin, straight, curving.

Chin: round, double, pointed, protruding, square, tiny, even.

Cheeks: round, ruddy, pale, plump, rosy, hollow. To have dimples in one’s cheeks.

Cheekbones: high, prominent.

Hair: groomed, raven, cropped, softly permed, black, dark, fair, blonde, light, chestnut, auburn, red, golden, grey, long, short, wavy, shoulder-length, thin, thick, straight, curly, bobbed, plaited, tangled, smooth, shiny, touched with grey, turning grey, parted in the middle.

To grow bald; to wear one’s hair in a bun (parted).

To have one’s hair cut (done, set).

Hands: strong-fingered.

Feet: neat, well-shod.

Voice: pleasant, pleasing, deep, resonant, low-pitched.

Skin: delicate, rough, smooth, having a rich olive tint.

Teeth: long, large, small, (un)even, perfect, white, yellow.

Lips: thin, full, red, rose, pale, wide.

Head: bald, egg-shaped.

The general appraisal of one’s appearance:

-a tall, willowy, graceful creature;

- a strong-looking woman;

- a chubby-brunette;

- rather mannish appearance;

- young and mousy;

- elegant.

Practice the essential vocabulary

Situation № 1: Imagine, your group-mate has fallen ill and he cannot see his friend in. Your group-mate is asking you to see him (her) in. But the problem is, that you have never met his friend before. You’d like to know, what she (he) looks like.

- He is tall bread-shouldered and very handsome.

- He is middle-sized and good-looking.

- She isn’t beautiful, just awfully attractive.

- She is a real beauty.

What does she (he) look like? - He looks old (young) for his age.

- She doesn’t look her age.

- A plain-looking girl with a common face.

Make up as many sentences as possible, use the essential vocabulary:

He (she) is: ugly, tall, short, thin, stout, near-sighted, long-sighted, slim, slender, stooping, long-legged, long-armed, solidly-built, dark-eyed, dark-skinned.

His (her) hair is: fair, dark, auburn, grey, curly, straight, thin, scanty, wavy, jet-black.

He (she) wears his (her) hair: parted in the middle, parted on the left (right) side, combed back, done in a knot, in plaits.

Situation № 2: Imagine, your friend gave birth to a baby. But she is still in the hospital. You can speak with her only on the telephone. You’d like to know, who the baby takes after.

-He is the very image of his father.

Who does he take after? - He resembles his mother.

- He takes after his grand-father.

Make up as many sentences as possible, use the essential vocabulary.

Situation № 3. Imagine, you haven’t seen your friend for ages, because:

a) she (he) was ill;

b) she (he) had a long journey.

One day you met his (her) sister (brother, mother) and ask them, how your friend looks after:

a) her (his) illness;

b) her (his) long journey.

Make up as many sentences as you can:

-she (he) has grown thinner;

-the illness took some color from his (her)cheeks and he (she) has a grey face from heart trouble;

-he (she) has put on some weight;

How does he (she) look after his -he (she) still looks pale and thin, but I hope he

(her) illness? ( -after his(her) will soon return his good looks;

long journey?) -he (she) has lost weight and looks quite young4

- he (she) is the shadow of his former self;

- he (she) has grown bald, his (her)

hair is touched with grey at the temples;

- he (she) looks fresh, happy and gay;

- he (she) looks healthy;

- he (she) looks surprised.

Task 1: Give English equivalents for the following word combinations on the topic. Use them in your own sentences:

- быть настоящей красавицей;

- быть страшным как смертный грех;

- быть крепкого телосложения;

- (не) выглядеть на свой возраст;

- пойти в кого-нибудь;

- быть на себя непохожим;

- не судите по внешности;

- внешность обманчива;

- быть тенью самого себя;

- быть похожими как две капли воды;

- красить губы;

- коротко постригать волосы;

- носить волосы до плеч (с пробором посередине);

- выглядеть бодрым и здоровым.

Task 2: Complete the following sentences using the suggested Russian word combinations.

1. Mary and Tenny are twins, so: они похожи как две капли воды.

2. Louise has nice curly hair, that’s why she wears: волосы до плеч.

3. He would look younger, if it were not for: морщинистое лицо, седые волосы.

4. Everybody was afraid of Quasimodo, because: он был калека, горбун, страшен как смертный грех.

5. Harry would be very handsome, if: он не сутулился бы и у него не было бы такой неуклюжей походки.

Keys:

1. they are as like as two peas;

2. her hair shoulder length;

3. his wrinkled face and grey hair;

4. he was a criple, a hunch-back and as ugly as sin;

5. he were not stooping and didn’t have an awkward gait.

Task 3: Respond to the following statements, using the suggested Russian word combinations

1. He is such a handsome man, but so mean and impudent. (Не судите по внешности, внешность обманчива).

2. She has just recovered after a serious disease. (Тогда не удивительно, что она на себя не похожа).

3. They say, Tane owes her good looks to her make up. (Об этом не может быть и речи. Она настоящая красаввица, ей не нужно даже красить губы).

4. May is considered to be the beauty of our group. (Само собой разумеется, она пошла в свою старшую сестру, кто настоящая красавица. Но Машино лицо портит родинка на щеке).

5. He does his morning exercises every day. (Пошло ему на пользу. Похудел, выглядит здоровым и бодрым.)

Keys:

1. Never judge from appearance. Appearances are deceptive.

2. Then it is no wonder, that she looks the shadow of her former self.

3. It’s out of the question. She is a real beauty and doesn’t have to wear lipstick.

4. It goes without saying. She took after her sister who is a real beauty but a mole on her cheek spoils Mary’s face.

5. It has done him the world of good. He has lost weight and looks as fit as a fiddle.

Task 4:

a) Read the following sentences, paying special attention to the use of topical words and phrases.

b) Make up sentences of your own, based on the sentences below.

1). Is that girl with long fair hair your sister? - She is my cousin. She is very much like her mother about her hair and eyes.

2) Do you like the way she wears her hair? - No, not very much. You see, long hair has never appealed to me.

3) Your brother must be a tall handsome man. - Jim is as tall as his father, broad-shouldered, with thick fair hair in fact, he is the very image of his father.

4) I’m afraid, ten years have changed your father greatly. - No. But he has grown bald, his hair is touched with grey at the temples.

- And though he has become rather stout he does not look for his age (he looks his age).

Task 5. Answer the following questions. Use the topical words and phrases. Work in pairs.

1. What do we say of a person having broad-(narrow) shoulders, (long (short) legs, green (grey) eyes, fair (dark) hair, a dark skin, a round face?

2. What does your friend look like?

3. Are you absolutely like you mother?

4. You seem to know that bald-headed man with a black moustache. He lives next door, doesn’t he?

5. I haven’t seen our former school-teacher for ages. How does she look?

Task 6. Express your agreement (disagreement) with the following statements. Use the following phrases:

- Yes, you are quite right.

- I can fully agree with you here.

- I think so

- Very likely.

- There is no doubt about it.

- I could not agree more.

- I see eye to eye with you.

- I cannot (don’t) agree with you here.

- I am afraid, you are wrong.

-I don’t think you are right.

- On the contrary.

1. N. looks a bit tired and upset today.

2. Five years at the Institute brought favorable changes in your brother (sister).

3. M. is very much like her mother (father, grandmother). In fact, she is the very image of her.

4. Your friend (brother, husband) is a nice man, but I wouldn’t call him handsome.

5. She (he) looks thinner after her (his) illness. She (he) needs a good rest.

6. Do you like that girl old-fashioned?

Task 7: Practice your good reading of the following dialogues. Learn them by heart. Act them out in class.

Dialogue № 1.

Alice: I say, Mike, I’ve just had a wire from Mary. She’s coming with the 5.30 train. And I have a meeting at 5. Will you do me a favor and meet her at the station?

Mike: I’ve never seen her, how could I possibly recognize her?

Alice: Oh, it’s quite easy, she’s just like her mother.

Mike: Most helpful, I’m sure, but the trouble is I’ve never seen her mother either.

Alice: I’m sorry, I forgot. And I’m afraid I haven’t any photos of her.

Mike: Try to describe her. What does she look like?

Alice: A tall slender girl of 18 with an oval face.

Mike: Complexion?

Alice: Rather pale.

Mike: Hair?

Alice: Fair and bobbed. Light grey eyes, deep-set, a small straight nose, a big mouth with white, even teeth and a pleasant smile.

Mike: I’m sure there’ll be at least a dozen girls like that at the station.

Alice: Oh, I’d clean forgotten! There’s a mole as big as a pea on her left cheek!

Mike: That’ll help me for sure. Go to your meeting, I promise to be on the platform at 5 sharp in search of a slender girl with a mole on her left cheek.

(from “5 Everyday Topics in English” by

Grossman. Moscow, 1960 p. 11-13).

II.

Dialogue № 2.

Grace: Why don’t you dance with Henry?

Beatrice: Because we make such a funny pair: he’s short and broad and strong and I’m tall, thin and pale.

Grace: Nonsense, my dear. He isn’t short, only medium height and you are just a trifle above the middle size. And he dances perfectly, I can tell you.

Beatrice: I know he does. But I prefer dancing with Billy. For all his long legs and lean figure Billy is a very good dancer, isn’t he?

Grace: Yes, he is, and I like his face. It may be ugly but there’s something awfully nice about it.

Beatrice: But he isn’t ugly at all, especially when he smiles and shows those perfect teeth of his.

Grace: Still, Henry’s decidedly handsome, which Bill is not.

Beatrice: But there’s smth. unkind in the look of his grey eyes. I always feel uncomfortable when he looks at me.

Task 8: Discuss the following questions in class. Use topical vocabulary:

1. What person can be called charming?

2. What is your idea of a handsome man?

3. What is meant when we say, that a woman finds the time to look after her appearance?

4. When is it necessary for people to be dieting?

5. How do you wear your hair and why? Do you consider the way you wear your hair nice? Do your parents (friends) like the way you wear your hair?

6. What hairstyle is all the fashion nowadays?

7. What complexion do blond people usually have?

8. How does a person look after a long illness (being overworked and overtired for a long time?) – after a long holiday in the country or at the sea-side?

9. Is the ideal of a woman’s beauty changing or not? Give your reasons.

What is meant (in your opinion) when people speak about “eternal beauty” of a woman? Substantiate your ideas by describing women’s portraits by great masters of different periods.

Task 9: Describe the appearance of your best friend, some members of your family, your favorite actress (actor), a famous film-star, pop-singer, etc. Use pictures (photos).

Task 10: Describe the appearance of a student of your group without naming him (her). Ask your classmates to guess the person you describe.

Task 11: Think of someone who is known to the class and let the students guess who is meant by asking you different questions.

Task 12: You are working as an excursion guide at the Portrait Gallery. You are to hold an excursion for a group of tourists. You are to describe some portraits by artists of different periods. (Use pictures).

Task 13: Render the following passages into Russian, memorize them and give character-sketches to these people. Be ready to discuss the following problems:

- Can we always judge on a person from his appearance?

- Do you agree with the proverb: “Appearances are deceptive?” Give your reasons.

1. The fellow was tall, slightly stooping, with almost white though abundant hair, and with a bearing, a nose, a mouth, a pair of eyes that could be pigeon-holed as authoritative, hawk-like, sensitive and piercing.

(Kingsley Amis).

2. She was a tall girl with soft blond hair and wide grey, speckled eyes. There was something curiously oriental about her face. The nose was flat and very straight and the bridge blended smoothly into her broad, low forehead. There was the hint of a slant about her eyes.

(Irwin Shaw).

3. Tony was exceptionally attractive… His long limbs had still the sprawling awkwardness of youth, but there was something neat and clean about his whole demeanor.

(Iris Murdoch).

4. He was, Mrs. Oliver thought, quite the dirtiest-looking young man she’d ever seen. Oily black hair hung in a kind of circular bob down the back of his neck and over his eyes in front. His face apart from the beard was unshaven, and his clothes seemed mainly composed of greasy black leather and high boots.

(Agatha Christie).

5. He was a figure familiar enough to Poirot in different conditions, a figure often met in the streets of London or even at parties. A representative of the youth of today. He wore a very fancy jacket, an elaborate velvet waistcoat, skin tight pants, a lavish chestnut hair curled on his shoulders. He looked exotic and rather beautiful, and it needed a few moments to be certain of his sex.

(Agathe Christie).

Task 14: Translate into English:

1. Над камином висела большая фотография в раме, изображающая молодого человека в форме летчика Королевских Военно-Воздушных Сил. У него были густые темные волосы, плотно сжатые полные губы, густые брови. Он улыбался одними глазами - трюк миссис Томпсон. Молодой человек был хорош собой, более того - он был очень обаятелен.

2. Цедрик Томпсон был на целых 3 дюйма выше меня, а ведь во мне (без обуви) росту 5 футов одиннадцать дюймов. Он был ужасно тощим. Его низкий, раскатистый голос казался слишком могучим для такого тела.

3. Большинство мужчин, с которыми Лаура встречалась, были далеки от образа Майка. Высокий рост, интересное лицо, мягкие темные волосы, светло-голубые глаза и превосходные зубы. Деньги у него водились, об этом свидетельствовали “порше” (марка машины) и его внешний вид: белоснежная рубашка, галстук с рисунком пейсли и итальянский костюм. Он явно принадлежал к сливка общества, а не к средним обывателям Сакраменто.

(Дебора Гордон)

4. а) …Челси нельзя было не заметить. Пышная волнистая масса волос медово-красноватого оттенка, падавшая на ее плечи, сияла на солнце, словно факел. В первый момент, глядя на нее, еще можно было заметить, что она маленького роста. Но уже в следующую секунду ее подвижность, грациозность и жизненная энергия подавляли собеседника.

б) ...Челси подняла голову, и Кэтлин вздохнула от изумления. Она не ожидала, что актриса настолько хороша собой. Чистая, нежно-оливкового цвета кожа не нуждалась ни в какой косметике. У нее были высокие скулы и глубоко посаженные сапфирового цвета глаза. Своеобразные черты ее лица не претендовали на классическую правильность. Она была хороша по-своему, вызывающе неповторимой красотой.

5. На вид ему было лет 35 - мужчина в расцвете сил, со спортивной фигурой и красивым ровным загаром. Его темные волосы уже тронула легкая седина, но улыбка была обаятельной, а манера одеваться и держать себя отличалась непринужденностью и элегантностью. Незаурядный ум светился в его проницательных голубых глазах. Во всем его облике ощущалась сила и уверенность в себе. За безмятежным видом и вежливой улыбкой угадывалась скрытая глубина и мощь.

6. Джонатан Андреас поразил Кэтлин своей мощью. Выше шести футов роста, с массивными плечами и широкой грудью, которая могла принадлежать какому-нибудь молотобойцу, а не владельцу поместья. Его рот и нос, казалось, были вычеканены из камня, как и широкие скулы. Густые брови, что нависали над глазами, были не просто темными, а, скорее черными. На висках в таких же темных волосах пробивалась легкая седина, но он не выглядел старше своих сорока лет. Одет он был с той же небрежной непринужденностью, что и Питер: в голубую хлопчатобумажную водолазку, черные слаксы и домашние туфли.

7. Питер Максвел был чуть выше среднего роста и, хотя не обладал мощными бицепсами, выглядел довольно крепким. Здоровый ровный загар покрывал его лицо. На нем была легкая водолазка и слаксы. Красиво подстриженные каштановые волосы блестели на солнце. Черты его лица можно было бы назвать скорее ничем не примечательными, если бы не широко поставленные необыкновенно живые карие глаза, в которых светился ум.

(Айрис Джоансен).

8. Боб и Эва Стор пришли на чай на следующий день. Сначала я подумала, что они брат и сестра, до того они были похожи- оба небольшого роста, темноволосые, курносые и большеротые.

9. В середине первого акта я впервые увидел Сьюзан. Голос у нее был молодой, звонкий, и она говорила с акцентом, приобретенным в дорогой частной школе. По пьесе ей было 16, но в ней не было подростковой пухлости и неловкости в движениях, и я решил, что ей все 19. Она играла не особенно хорошо, но ее роль и не требовала актерского дарования: с ней могла бы справиться любая хорошенькая девушка, которая умела говорить с достаточно широким [а] и достаточно узким [и]. Мне понравилось то, что она была очень хорошенькая в общепринятом смысле. Черные волосы до плеч, большие круглые карие глаза, аккуратные носик и ротик, ямочки на щеках.

10. Рядом с розовощекой и искрящейся энергией Эвой Элис выглядела бледной и изнуренной. У нее были волосы цвета меда, которые она в то время укладывала в узел, и тонкие черты лица. Фигура у нее была несколько угловатой, как на картинках в журналах мод.

11. По темпераменту Энн не была похожа на Джонни, но была такой же свежей и кудрявой. К несчастью, у нее был нос, который больше бы подошел мужчине - большой и бесформенный, почти как картошка. Она очень переживала из-за своего носа, и напрасно: у нее была хорошая фигура, она была умна и образована и должна была со временем унаследовать неплохое состояние.

12. В этот момент вошел Джордж Эйсгил. У него были маленькие руки красивой формы, и почти сияли от недавно сделанного маникюра. Он носил не только кольцо с монограммой, но еще и кольцо с бриллиантом на мизинце. Черты лица у него были аккуратными и сглаженными, а усы выглядели так, как будто их пририсовали. Несмотря на маникюр и кольцо, он не выглядел женственным, но и мужского в его внешности было мало.

(по Джону Брэйну).

Situation № 4: There is an announcement in a newspaper, that the criminal John Robinson is wanted by the authorities. You should translate this announcement into English to help them to search for him.

“Разыскивается преступник Джон Робинсон. Ему около сорока лет, широкоплечий, среднего роста и крепкого телосложения. Он сутулится, и у него неуклюжая походка. Близко посаженые глаза навыкате под кустистыми бровями - черные. Прямые волосы подстрижены коротко. Черты лица грубые и неправильные. Низкий лоб покрыт морщинами. Предполагается, что Робинсон отращивает бороду и усы, чтобы скрыть особые приметы: родинку на правой щеке и шрам на подбородке”.

Task № 15: Translate into Russian in a written form.

1). He still had at fifty-two a very good figure. As a young man, with a great mass of curling chestnut hair, with a wonderful skin and large deep blue eyes, a straight nose and small ears, he had been the best-looking actor on the English stage. The only thing that slightly spoiled him was the thinness of his mouth. He was just 6 foot tall and he had a gallant bearing.Now his chestnut hair was grey, and he wore it much shorter; his face had broadened and was a good deal lined; his skin no longer had the soft bloom of a peach and his color was high. But with his splendid eyes and his fine figure he was still a very handsome man. Since his 5 years at the war he had adopted a military bearing, so ... you might have taken him for an officer of high rank. He boasted that his weight had not changed since he was 20, and for years, wet or fine, he had got up every morning at 8 to put on shorts and a sweater and have a run round Regend’s Park.

2). He saw a girl coming down from the common just above them. She was outlined against the sky, carrying a basket, and you could see that sky through the crook of her arm. And Ashurst, who appreciated beauty, through: “How pretty!”. The wind blew her dark skirt against her legs, her greyish blouse was worn and old, her shoes were split, her little hands rough and red, her neck browned. Her dark hair waved untidy across her broad forehead, her face was short, her upper lip short, showing a glint of teeth, her brows were straight and dark, her lashes long and dark, her nose straight but her grey eyes were the wonder - as dewy: as if opened the first time that day.

(From “The Apple Tree”, by J. Galsworthy)

3). When the voice died away there was distinct through slight, applause, which partially drowned the accompanist’s conclusion. Then a woman walked in from the second drawing-room with an angry expression on her face. She was tall and slight. Her hair and eyes were light yellow brown, and the former had a natural wave in it. Her shoulders and bust were superb, and small head was beautifully set on a lovely, rather long, neck. She had an oval face, with straight, delicate features, now slightly distorted by temper. But the most remarkable thing about her was her complexion. Her skin was exquisite, delicately smooth and white, warmly white like a white rose, a marvelous skin. She was young, just twenty-four...

4). A tall young man, who was sitting alone not far off, leaned forward, listening with eagerness to the soprano voice...His face was learn and brown. His eyes were long and black, heavy-lidded, and shaded by big lashes, which curled upward. His features were good. The nose and chin were short and decided, but the mouth was melancholy, almost weak. On his upper lip grew a short mustache, turned up at the ends. His body was slim and muscular.

(From “The Woman With The Fan”, by W. Collins).

A Person's Character

Essential Vocabulary

- kind (unkind)

- brave = courageous

- daring – отчаянный

- diguified – с чувством собственного достоинства

- proud

- good-natured (ill-natured)

- modest

- shy

- easygoing – беспечный

- reasonable – (unreasonable)

- sensible

- tactful – (tactless)

- industrious = hard-working

- exacting = demanding – требовательный

- firm – твердый, непреклонный

- strict

- reliable – (unreliable)

- just, fair (unjust, unfair)

- outspoken, frank – откровенный

- sincere – искренний (insincere)

- trustworthy – застуживающий доверия

- trustful – доверчивый

- sociable – (unsocible) – общительный (не~)

- generous

- broad-minded (narrow-minded)

- well-read – начитанный

- bright, gifted

- talented

- diligent

- conscientious

- persistent

- punctual

- strong-willed (weak-willed)

- wise, clever

- honest (dishonest)

- reserved – сдержанный

- disciplined

- well-behaved

- polite (impolite)

- obedient (disobedient)

- pert – дерзкий

-insolent = bald – наглый

- ill-tempered – злой = angry

- hypocritical – лицемерный

- boastful – хвастливый

- irritable – раздражительный

- false – лживый

- shameless – бесстыжий

- obstinate = stubborn – упрямый

- rude

- rough – неотесанный

- dull

- sullen

- cruel

- silly

- cunning = sly

- self-assured – conceited

- mean – низкий, скверный

- selfish – (unselfish)

- capricious – капризный

- short-tempered –вспыльчивый

- touchy

- humble – забитый, покорный

- impudent – наглый

- cheeky – нахальный

- ambitious – тщеславный

- greedy – жадный

- jealous – ревнивый

- arrogant – высокомерный

- envious – завистливый



- a good sport – славный малый

- block-head

- coward

- can the leopard change his sports?

- slow-coach – медлительный, туповатый человек

- lazybones – ленивец

- bore (n) – скучный человек

- sloven (n) – неряха

- bully (n) – задира

- to let smb down – подводить кого-либо

Word Combinations:

- What is he like?

- What sort (kind) of man is he?

- Give me a touch of his character.

- I can form no idea of his character.

- Don't you think she is of a gentle nature?

- He is an honest clever man.

- He is not of a forgiving mature (Он нелегко забывает обиды),

- She is a lovely frank girl with a bright spirit.

- She tries to pass for more than she is worth (Она пытается сделать вид, что она лучше, чем есть).

- She takes things lightly = (она легко смотрит на вещи).

- He is hard to deal with (с ним трудно, тяжело ладить)

- He is difficult to get along with

- She is not the kind of woman to be dictated.

- She is not the kind of woman to be on friendly terms with.

- He is a man of (no) character.

- He is of a serious nature.

- He is of a cheerful disposition.

- He has a good sense of humor.

- He easily (never) loses his temper.

- He keeps control over his feelings.

- He is of a serious turn of mind.

Short dialogues:

1). – What sort of man is he?

- He is very relible and a good spot. He'll never let his friends down.

2). – Come, Nona. You are taking your failure too much to heart. You must keep your chin up.

- Thank you. I'll try to keep control over my feelings and be more reasonable.

3). - Your sister is a frank girl.

- What makes you think so?

- Oh, she always says what she thinks.

-You wouldn't say so if you knew her as well as I do.

4). – Who do you think I ran across last night?

- Well, it's pretty hard to guess.

- It is Nina, our former schoolmate.

- Is she as attractive as she used to be?

- Oh, yes, she is a real beauty, though she looks a bit arrogant.

Exercises:

Exercise I. Give all the possible antonyms of the following words:

1. modest – (boastful, conceited, nanghty, ambitious, etc.)

2. reserved –

3. decent –

4. light-minded –

5. rude –

6. generous –

Exercise II. Give English equivalents for the following word combinations on the topic:

1. тупица

2. лентяй

3. зануда

4. болтун

5. соня

6. сластена

7. быть человеком с характером

8. быть абсолютно порядочным

9. иметь высокое (низкое) мнение о ком-либо

10. обладать чувством юмора

11. пренебрегать своими обязанностями

12. обращаться с кем-либо хорошо (плохо)

13. важничать (задаваться)

14. с ним легко (трудно) ладить

15. совать нос в чужие дела

16. жить, как кошка с собакой

17. быть в хороших (плохих) отношениях с кем-либо

18. горбатого могила исправит

19. черта характера

20. волк в овечьей шкуре

21. быть закадычными друзьями

Keys to Ex. I:

2. hot-tempered, irritable, naughty.

3. mean, cruel, cunning, sly, selfish, double-faced.

4. persistent, industrious, diligent.

5. well-bred, polite, noble, conscientious, tactful.

6. stingy, gredy, selfish, jealous.

Keys ti Ex. II:

1. blockhead

2. lazy-bones

3. bore

4. chatter-box

5. sleepyhead

6. sweet-toogh

7. to be a man of character

8. to be decent (conscientious) all around

9. to have a high (low) opinion of smb

10. to have a good sense of humor

11. to neglect one's duties

12. to treat smb well (badly)

13. to put on airs

14. he is easy (hard) to get along with

15. to poke one's nose into other people's business

16. to live like a couple of dogs in a bag

17. to be on good (bad) terms with smb

18. Can the leopard change his spors?

19. a trait of character

20.a woolf in cheep's clothing

21. to be bosom friends

Exercise III. Work in open pairs. Answer the questions:

	1). What would you say of a person…		- who always says what he thinks? - who never boasts? - who is always ready to share what he's got with others? - who is found of praising himself? - who always achieves his aim? - who is hard to get along with? - who is easily hurt? - whom one can trust? - who grasps things easily? - who is never shy with strangers? - who works a lot? - who never says what's on his mind? - whom you cannot trust? - whom you cannot rely on?
2). How can you define…		- a reasonable person? - a modest person? - a dishonest person? - a shy girl? - a lazy pupil (student)? - a student / people who is a difficult case? - a generous person? - a frank person? - a person who has a narrow, shallow mind? - a person who pays too much respect to social position or wealth? - a person who sees no good in anything and has no belief in human goodness? - a person who is disappointed and who is angry with the whole world and gives way to despair (anger) while talking with others? - a person who has no morals at all? - a person who easily changes his views to please influential people? - a person who treats little ones very cruelly?

Exercise IV. Complete the following sentences using the suggested word combinations:

1). Now I am on good terms with my brother, but when we were teenagers we (жили как кошка с собакой).

2). I have a very high opinion of my friend because (она абсолютно порядочна и никогда не важничает).

3). We elected… the monitor of our group, because (он / она никогда не пренебрегает своими обязанностями и никогда ни к кому не придирается).

4). Everybody admired… because (он / она воплощение порядочности, имеет хорошее чувство юмора, всегда веселый / ая).

5). The worst trait of my character is that (я человек без характера).

6). Mrs. Smolett pretended to be (щедрая и добродушная), but soon it turned out, that she was (волк в овечьей шкуре).

Exercise V. Work in closed pairs. Respond to your friend's statements using the suggested word combinations:

1). I cannot make myself do morning exercises every day (горбатого могила исправит, всегда был человеком без характера).

2). Ann seems to have a lot of friends (ничего удивительного, очень общительный человек, с ней легко ладить).

3). Nina and her sister are bosom friends now (вне всякого сомнения, в наилучших отношениях, но десять лет назад – как кошка с собакой).

4). Tane is in the habit of teasing her little sister (ничего подобного, хорошо обращается, никогда не обижает).

5). Mary seems to be uncommunicative and shy (вовсе нет, просто – скромная, тактичная, никогда не сует нос в чужие дела).

Keys to Ex. IV:

1). lived like a couple of dogs in a bag.

2). She is decent all around and never puts on airs.

3). She / he never neglects her / his duties and never finds faults with anybody.

4). she / he was decent all around, had a good sense of humour and was always as merry as a cricket.

5). I am a man of no character.

6). generous and good-natured; a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Keys to Ex. V:

1). Can the leopard change his spots? You're always been a man of no character.

2). No wonder. She is a very sociable person and easy to get along with.

3). There is no doubt about that. They are of the best terms. But 10 years ago they lived like a couple of dogs in a bag.

4). Nothing of the kind. She treats her sister very well and never offends her.

5). Far from it. She is just very modest, tactful and never pokes her nose into other people's business.

ExerciseVI. Continue working in closed pairs. Keep the conversation going.

1). – In my opinion, she is a careless and double-faced person.

 …

 …

 Don't say so. When you get to know her better, you are sure to change your opinion of her.

2).  He can be relied on. He always keeps his word and does his duties to the best of his abilities.

…

 …

 Oh, yes. He is the most trustworthy person I've ever known.

3). – I wouldn't call the girl attractive.

 You're wrong. She is very warm-hearted and generous.

…

…

 Handsome is as handsome does, you know.

4). – I consider her rather unpleasant, but not at all stupid.

- I cannot agree with you she's a bit pretentious, but …

5). – I strongly advise you to avoid his company.

…

…

- Well, you don't know him as well as I do. He is well-bred and pleasant to deal with.

6). – She possesses a rave gift of listening to people without interrupting them.

- I cannot but agree with you…

7). – He fell in love with her at first sight.

- Don't you think they're so different. She is full of joy and gaiety and he looks so sullem.

…

…

- Well, extremes meet, they say.

Ex. VII. Group work. Discuss the following problems:

1). What are your best friend's most engaging traits?

2). What makes a student (un)popular with others?

3). What traits of character in your opinion do students (pupils) appreciate in a teacher?

4). What traits of character do you value most of all?

5). What traits do you dislike?

6). What can you say about your own character?

Are you easy to get along with? Why?

7). Have you got your younger (older) sister (brother, cousin, etc.)? Have you always been on good terms with him (her)? Are you on good terms with your brother (sister, cousin, etc.)?

Exercise VIII. Study the following extracts. Make a list of additional topical vocabulary:

1). He was an eccentric, arrogant, exuberant, vain and charming fellow.

2). His most engaging trait was his good humor.

3). He could not beat to throw his money about. He was not exactly mean, but he was not generous. "Neither a borrower, nor a lender be" he quoted from Polonius.

4). The Colonel… was civil but reserved. He was neither peppery nor tyrannical as Julia, from her knowledge of the stage, expected a colonel to be.

5). Julia was quick-witted. It did not take her long to discover that the Colonel, notwithstanding her reserve, and Mrs. Gosselyn, notwithstanding her shyness, were taking stock of her.

6). He was taken in by Julia. She had a warmth of character, and a bubbling vitality which were outside his experience. He went to see her act several times and compared her performance with his recollections of the great foreign actresses. It seemed to him that she had in her something quite individual… It gave him quite a thrill to realize on a sudden that she had genius.

7). It was impossible to deny that Michael was scrupulously fair and honest.

8). With the cast he was at one conciliatory and exacting. When tempers were frayed his good humor, his real kindliness smoothed things over. Authors liked him because being imaginative he was forced to let the plays speak for themselves.

9). He was shrewd enough to know that while she might do it for Julia, she wouldn't do it for him.

10). He was a bore, a crashing bore. With advancing years he had become outrageously vain of his good looks.

(W. S. Maugham).

11). His features were bold and aquiline, his expression arrogant and predatory, his whole appearance that of a swift, violent, unscrupulous man of action.

(R. L. Stevenson)

12). Joe Bell hasn't an easy nature he admits it himself, he says it's because he's a bachelor and his a sour stomach. Anyone who knows him will tell you he's a hard man to talk to. Impossible if you don't share his fixations.

(T. Capote).

13). You remember I said before that Ackley was a slob in his personal habits? Well, so he was stridulate, but in a different way. Stridulate was more of a secret slob. He always looked all right, stridulate, but for instance, you should've seen the razor he shaved himself with…

14). – He adapts himself very well to things. He really does.

- Do you think so? Ernest's father and I sometimes worry about him. We sometimes feel he's not a terribly good mixer.

- How do you mean?

- Well, he is a very sensitive boy. He's really never been a terribly good mixer with other boys. Perhaps he takes things a little more seriously than he should at his age. Sensitive. What killed me.

(J. O Salinger).

15). – I don't think Gladys would do a thing like that. You know, you've always found her conscientious.

- Yes, yes.

- An intelligent girl and very keen on her work.

- Yes, yes, but that was before this undesirable young man came along. She's been quite different lately – absent-minded – upset - nervy.

16). - Well, Irishman have hot tempers and they thoroughly enjoy a ron of any kind. Mr. Reilly liked arguing about politics.

17). – I'm afraid, Julia, you're rather hurt Helen's feelings.

- The Scotch are always touchy!

Exercise IX. Translate into English, pay your attention to the topical vocabulary.

1). Он был беззаботным, добродушным, щедрым парнем. Чем больше Эндрю узнавал Кена, тем больше его покоряли чувство юмора, простота, искренность этого человека.

(Из А. Кронина).

2). В то время Чарльзу Тэмерли было около сорока. Он выглядел прекрасно воспитанным человеком, что полностью соответствовало действительности, и имел изысканные манеры. Он любил музыку и был прекрасно начитан.

3). Джулия почувствовала угрызения совести. Майкл был прозаичен, скуповат, самодоволен, но настолько же он был добр и самоотвержен! Ему нравилось доставлять людям радость (Если это не было связано с денежными затратами).

(Из С. Моэма).

3). а) Фрэнк очень изменился в последнее время: - он стал мрачным, подозрительным и очень обидчивым. Должно быть, это от того, что он потерял работу и не может найти другую.

б) Морли был проницательным и осторожным деловым человеком. Никаких долгов, никаких денежных затруднений.

в) Гладис была расстроена, но несмотря на это, она сразу же показала, что она умна, сообразительна, компетентна и толково ответила на все вопросы инспектора.

г) Может быть, у мистера Рейли масса недостатков – он порой груб, вспыльчив, любит подшучивать над людьми, слишком часто заглядывает в бутылку. Но нельзя отрицать, что он очень способный и знающий врач.

Exercises for more practice

Exercise 1 Speak about people's age.

I. Give your own examples according to the models below. Speak about your relatives or friends.

► Pattern: He was between six and seven (years old).

Between little Guido and the youngest of his brothers and sisters there was a gap of six or seven years.

He was fully two and a halfyears older (younger) than lit­tle Robin.

II. Work in pairs. Look at the list below and using the given information about the Roycrofts ask your partner the following questions:

1. When was he/she born?

►Use:

to be born in the forties

in the mid(dle) forties

some time during the forties

2. Approximately how old is he/she now?

►Use:

to be in one's early/late teens

in one's mid(dle) thirties

in one's early/late forties

under forty

over forty

The Roycroft family:

Alice - 1930/1933 Monica - 1981/1982 Nick - 1965/1967 Fred - 1950/1952 Anthony - 1988/1989 Mark - 1922/1925 Liza - 1955/1956 Lucy - 1947/1949 Вill - 1975/1976

► Pattern: — When was Alice Roycroft born?

— She was born in the thirties.

— Approximately how old is she now?

— She must be in her late sixties.

Exercise 2

I. Judging by the description below say if a person looks his or her age.

► Pattern: He looks his age.

He looks old for his age.

He does not look old for his age.

He looks young (too young for his age).

1. Brenda's father is only forty but he is bald and rather stout.

2. Though retired John travels a lot and goes in for lawn ten­nis. He is grey-haired but looking at him and being aware of his life-style you'll never say he is in his late sixties.

3. Jack's wife was fat and stooping. She walked tottering and used a stick. You couldn't believe that she was just in her early fifties.

4. Nora is tall and slender and very attractive. Her good looks appealed to me as soon as I saw her. Is she really in her mid fifties?

5. My brother has grown thinner and his illness took some colour off his cheeks, his hair is touched with grey at the temples and it makes him look older.

6. I bumped into my old friend yesterday when walking in the park. These seven years have brought favourable changes in him. Though he is over fifty he looks as if he were forty five.

II. Write a couple of similar paragraphs and let your partner decide if a per­son looks his or her age.

Exercise 3

Pick out the necessary words and word-combinations which you would choose to describe people in the pictures below.

1) good-looking/plain/attractive/handsome/ugly/beautiful;

2) to be of medium height/tall/short;

3) slim/slender/stout/plump/fat/stooping/narrow-shouldered /broad-shouldered/long-armed/long-legged;

3) round/oval/pale/red/sallow/pretty/fireckled face;

4) close-set/deep-set/slanting eyes;

5) upturned/fleshy/hooked/aquiline/straight nose;

6) finely-curved/thin/full/plump lips;

7) pointed/round/double/square chin;

8) grey/thin/wavy/curly/straight/short/long hair:

9) wear one's hair combed back/in plaits/done in a knot/ parted in the middle/on the right/left side.

Exercise 4

Look at the students of your group and say:

1) who has the following type of hair

a) straight, long, short, curly, wavy;

b) fair, daric, blonde, black, brown, grey.

2) whose constitution can be characterised as:

a) short, tall, of medium height;

b) slim, plump, very thin.

3) whose complexion is: pate, daric, pink.

4) who has: plump cheeks, hallow cheeks, cheeks with dim­ples.

Exercise 5

Look at the models and try to understand how we use 1) look; 2) look like. Note the difference between the questions 'How does he/she look?', 'What does he/she look like?'. Dont confuse these questions with "What is he/she like?'.

► Pattern:

She looks gloomy. How does he/she look?

She is slim, dark-haired, What does he/she look like?

blue-eyed and wears her What is she like?

hair combed back.

She is well-bred and intelligent,

a bit shy and never lets you

down.

Group the sentences in the following passages matching them with the proper question, as shown above. Translate the passages.

1. The girl was delicately-built, very slender, with full lips and deep-set eyes. They looked sad and made you feel sorry for her.

2. She was a lovely little girl of about five, plump, with an up­turned nose and dimpled rosy cheeks. Her hazel eyes and silky long hair added to her attraction.

3. Melancholy and perplexed, the woman was sitting at the ta­ble. Her faded eyes were grave and she looked upset.

4. Cruel but very clever and shrewd, he was quite an extraor­dinary person.

5. Mark was dark-haired and romantically handsome, with his merry laugh and charm of the person who comes from this charming country, Spain.

6. Emily was full of anxiety. She was stubbornly British and didn't find India beautiful or exciting.

7. Rachel was a bit old-fashioned and she was sweet in a way. Her eyes were close-set and a little slanting but they didn't spoil her pale oval face.

8. He wasn't even that handsome: his proportions were wrong; he was too tall for his shoulders; his hair was too short; his arms were too long.

9. The immigration officer is wearing a dark-green uniform, like a soldier's, and there are two actual soldiers leaning against the wall beside him, in crisp blue shirts with short sleeves.

10. In front of Rennie there's a tiny woman, not five feet tall. She's wearing a fur coat and a black wool jockey cap tilted at an angle. She must be at least seventy but it's hard to tell.

11. He was like iron. All of us knew that he was not easily put off and that nothing could make him change his mind.

12. She was unable to control her jealousy, and her friends sometimes called her an Othello in spite of her being a woman.

13. Phil looked pretty exhausted. He had had no sleep the last night as he had a great deal to do in the hospital and could never find an hour or two to have a nap.

Exercise 6

I. Following the patterns below make up 4 sentences characterising a per­son. Use look, look like, look as if, and look as though.

► Pattern: a) Jane looks fantastic/charming/terrific/tired/strange/ very elegant/smart/happy, etc.

b) She looks like a peacock/wbra/old cat, etc. in this sort of dress.

c) Her dress looks as though it's made of'bright feathers/ metal wires, etc.

d) She looks as if she's going to a fancy dress party/ Buckingham palace, etc.

II. Use the models abore in a short dialogue.

Exercise 7

Work in small groups. Describe the following people: 1) one of your class-mates; 2) one of your favourite film-stars, singers, musicians; 3) a well-known public figure. Your partners should try to guess the name of the person you describe. Talk about the person's general appearance, face, clothes and anything else that would help your partners to recognise him or her.

► Use:

To have little make-up on the face; to enjoy good health; to be a picture of health; to lose one's good looks; to look after one's appearance; to be full of joy; to add to one's attraction; to have delicate features; to give somebody the impression of some­ thing; to be the perfect type of (the Englishman); to be dressed in something; to wear/to be wearing something; to have some­thing on; to be smartly/tastily/well dressed.

Exercise 8

Look at the following words used to describe people's character. Make two columns of 1) what you think are bad characteristics; 2) what you think are good characteristics.

tolerant generous sympathetic

irresponsible unsociable cruel

ambitious intelligent sly

patient silly even-tempered

thrifty sincere greedy

shrewd rude ill-mannered

bad characteristics	good characteristics

II. Use some of the words in a sentence describing someone's character.

Exercise 9

How would you describe a person who

... likes to talk with other people? ... hates to communicate?

... looks on the bright side of things? ... looks on the black side of things?

... gives his or her last to other people? ... never lends you money?

... has a high opinion of himself or herself? ... never praises himself or herself?

... easily flies into a rage? ... never loses his or her temper?

... tells the troth to others? ... cheats other people?

... is practical in approach to life? ... is dreamy in approach to life?

Exercise 10

What would you think of a person who says:

1. Ladies first!

2. I can't control myself when I should keep quiet.

3. I'm not easily put off if I have made up my mind.

4. I don't care for him. He is inferior to me, you know.

5. Whatever she may say I won't lose my temper.

6. Darling! I never grudge you anything, be it clothes, money, a car.

7. I always feel sony for people who are in trouble.

8. I just love cucumbers with milk, Picasso's paintings and freckled faces.

9. I have got used to ten hours work every day.

10. I prefer to be in the company of other people and have a chat with them.

11. Whatever you may ask me to do for you, I will do it. What­ ever you may say, I will foigive you.

► Use: He must be ... She may be... He is likely to be ...

The words given below may help you:

Hard-working, original, sympathetic, quick-tempered, open-handed, arrogant, well-bred, sociable, obstinate, self-posses­sed, tolerant.

Exercise 11

Define if the speaker likes or dislikes the people he/she is talking about. Use your dictionary to understand what kind of connotations (positive or negative) the words characterizing the person have.

1. I find Sam's wife selfish.

2. Molly is stingy.

3. David is quite broad-minded.

4. Dorian is so pushy.

5. Harry seems to be extravagant.

6. Paul is shy.

7. Margaret is always frank.

8. Brian is quite arrogant.

9. Bob can be patient.

Exercise 12

Work in small groups. Put these qualities into order of importance and say what qualities you admire most in other people. Add some important quali­ties missing from this list if you find it necessary. Compare the results and draw collective portraits of people who you prefer.

Sense of humour, kindness, intelligence, independence, toler­ance, ambition, sincerity, honesty, tenderness, creativity, good looks, courage, humility, generosity.

Exercise 13

Reword each sentence starting with the words given in the pattern.

► Pattern: a) You must be more polite to people.

— It is necessary/important/essential to be more polite to people.

b) He was lazy and refused to complete the work.

— He was so lazy that he refused to complete the work.

1. You must be more reserved when dealing with stubborn and short-tempered people.

2. You should be reasonable so as not to make the wrong deci­sion.

3. Children must be disciplined and obedient when parents instruct them.

4. One must have initiative and be creative to start a business of one's own.

5. Parents should be mild and gentle when talking with babies.

6. The old man was listless, and nothing could stir him.

7. Robert is witty and intelligent, and he is the heart and soul of the company.

8. Pat is dull, indeed. I fall asleep when she's talking.

9. Jack is stubborn. He always has his own way.

10. Thomas is capable and never fails his exams.

11. Her cousin's jokes are just boring. I'm fed up with them.

Exercise 14

Change the sentences using the verb seem.

► Pattern: He's very absent-minded.

He seems (to be) very absent-minded.

1. Ann is very modest and a bit shy.

2. Paul is absolutely weak-willed.

3. Maria is ill-mannered.

4. Peter is pretty sociable.

5. Helen is very sensitive.

6. Susan is extremely jealous of her husband.

7. Steven is fantastically rude to his wife.

8. Victoria is a good mixer.

9. Barbara is generous.

10. Erwin is very shrewd.

11. Bill is just hot-tempered.

12. Mark is quite sensible.

13. Jane is pretty serious.

Exercise 15

Guess what these people might say when complaining about the things other people do. The words given below may be helpful.

Light-minded, unsociable, unreliable, rude, impolite, ill-bred, unreserved, hot-tempered, nosy, obstinate, fussy, selfish.

► Use: a) He is so + adjective.

b) He is such a + adjective + noun.

► Pattern: Nick's mother is complaining about her son who never obeys her.

— He is so disobedient. (He is such a disobedient boy). I'd like him to be obedient.

1. Jane is complaining about her son who never shares his problems with her.

2. The teacher is complaining about Jack who lacks good-manners.

3. Bill's friend is complaining of Вill who often lets him down and goes back on his word,

4. Mary is complaining of her sister who is very hard to get along with.

5. Jane is complaining about her classmate who is quick to get angry.

6. Tom is complaining of his playmate who cannot take him­self in hand.

7. Ann is complaining of her boss who often loses his temper and is hard to deal with.

8. All the women are complaining of Jim who never stands aside to let a woman enter a room before him and never helps any of them into her coat.

9. Dennis is complaining about Margaret who pokes her nose into his business.

10. The Headmaster is complaining of Paul who plays truant.

11. My sister's husband is complaining of my sister who makes so much fuss about the house.

12. Angela is complaining about her son who thinks only of himself.

Exercise 16

You've just joined a group of students at the University. Suppose the teacher asks you to introduce yourself to the other students, and 'to say something about yourself. What would you say? What adjectives do you think best describe your own character? How can you prove these charac­teristics?

► Pattern: Talkative — I'm talkative because I love to chat with my friends.

Exercise 17

Imagine a friend of yours is flying to London to stay with your English friends. They will be meeting him/her at the airport. To recognise him/her they need a description of your friend, some details of his/her appearance.

1. Say what he/she looks like and what sort of clothes he/she usually wears.

2. Give a short description of your friend's character and express your hope that they willget on well together.

Exercise 18

Imagine an ideal man/woman. Describe him/her briefly. Dwell upon his/her appearance, personality and the way he/she treats other people. Use the topical words and expressions.

Exercise 19

Use your dictionary to clarify your understanding of the following idioms. Translate them. Make up a situation to prove your proper understanding of each idiom.

1. to throw dust in one's eyes;

2. to have a big mouth;

3. to cost an arm and a leg;

4. to keep a stiff upper lip;

5. to keep your fingers crossed;

6. to put your best foot forward;

7. to be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth;

8. to be all skin and bones;

9. to cut one's teeth;

10. to give someone the cold shoulder;

11. to pull someone's leg.

Exercise 20

I. Say whether you know a person about whom you could say that he or she is:

1. as innocent as a babe unborn;

2. as cunning as a fox;

3. as busy as a bee;

4. as neat as a new pin;

5. as slippery as an eel;

6. as thin as a rake;

7. as true as steel;

8. as obstinate as a donkey;

9. as wise as an owl.

II. Tell your partner about him or her using the sayings given above.

III. Study some more idioms. Make up your own illustrative sentences using the idioms below.

(to) cut a dash	Щеголять, пускать пыль в глаза: Wearing his new military uniform, my father cut a dash on his wedding day. – В день своей свадьбы мой отец щеголял в новой военной форме.
deck out	Украшать (что-либо): John decked out his bike for the occasion. – По этому случаю Джон украсил свой байк.
dressed to kill	Быть в высшей степени нарядным, разодетым в пух и прах: She arrived at the reception dressed to kill. – Она явилась на прием, разодетая в пух и прах.
down at heel	Бедно одетый, в стоптанных башмаках: Those down-at-heel student became a successful writer. – Тот плохо одетый студент стал успешным писателем.
face only a mother could love	Уродливое, непривлекательное лицо: The poor guy has a face only a mother could love. – У бедняги было лицо, полюбить которое смогла бы только родная мать.
face that would stop a clock	Уродливое лицо (буквально: «которое бы остановило часы»): You'll recognize him – he's tall and thin, with a face that would stop a clock! – Ты узнаешь его – он высок и худ, а его лицом можно детей пугать!
five o'clock shadow	Щетина на лице (буквально: «пятичасовая тень», имеется в виду щетина, появившаяся к пяти часам вечера): He looked tired and had a five o'clock shadow. – Он выглядел уставшим и был небрит.
not a hair out of place	Имеющий(-ая) безупречный вид, безукоризненно ухоженную внешность, «волосок к волоску»: Amanda is always impeccable – never a hair out of place! – Аманда всегда безупречна – волосок к волоску!
look a sight	Представлять собой жалкое зрелище: She looks a sight in that dress! – В этом платье она выглядит ужасно!
look like a million dollars	Выглядеть «на миллион долларов», выглядеть прекрасно: With a tan and a new hairstyle she looked a million dollars! – Загорелая и с новой стрижкой она выглядела на миллион долларов!
mutton dressed as lamb	Это выражение описывает молодящуюся даму, которая носит одежду, предназначенную для молодых (букв.: «баран, переодетый ягненком»): The style doesn't suit her – it has a mutton-dressed-as-lamb effect on her! – Этот стиль ей не идет – у нее вид барана, переодетого ягненком!
(all) skin and bone	«Кожа да кости», чрезмерно худой: After trekking in the Himalayas, he was all skin and bone. – После похода в Гималаи от него остались кожа да кости.
thin on the top	Лысеющий: Uncle Jack gone a bit thin on the top in the last five years. – За последние 5 лет дядя Джек немного облысел.
(as) ugly as sin	«Страшен как смертный грех», крайне непривлекателен: Have you seen our new neighbour's dog? It's as ugly as sin! – Ты видел собаку нашего нового соседа? Страшна как смертный грех!
vertically challenged	Саркастическое определение невысокого человека (букв. «вертикально неполноценный»): High shelves are inconvenient for vertically challenged shoppers. – Расположенные высоко полки неудобны для покупателей, не отличающихся высоким ростом.

armchair critic	Диванный критик – человек, который позволяет себе комментировать и критиковать действия других, не пытаясь при этом им помочь. Ведь сидя на мягком диване и глядя на происходящее со стороны так удобно быть стратегом! It’s easy to be an armchair critic, but no one ever takes action to help solve the problem. – Легко быть диванным критиком, но никто так и не предпринял никаких действий, чтобы помочь решить проблему.
busybody	«Кумушка», сплетник(-ца) – тот, кто хочет всё про всех знать и постоянно сует нос в личную жизнь других людей (poking their nose into people's personal lives). В английском языке такого человека также называют nosy («излишне любопытный», букв. «носатый»), и ему частенько напоминают: mind your own business («займись своими делами,  не вмешивайся»). Более точным аналогом русского выражения «любопытная Варвара» является английская идиома nosy parker, произошедшая от фамилии одного излишне любопытного архиепископа. My aunt is such a busybody – she’s always asking nosy questions about my love life. – Моя тетушка такая сплетница: она всегда задает слишком любопытные вопросы о моей жизни.
cheapskate	Скряга, жадина – слишком прижимистый и чересчур бережливый человек. John bought his mother a $5 gift for her birthday. I can’t believe what a cheapskate he is! – Джон купил своей матери на день рождения подарок за 5 фунтов. Подумать только, он такой скряга! А вот «жадина-говядина» по-английски будет greedy-guts (букв. «жадное брюхо»). Чтобы узнать другие детские словечки на английском, читайте нашу статью.
couch potato	«Овощ», ленивый человек, проводящий всё время сидя или лежа перед телевизором, играя в видеоигры или занимаясь другим малоподвижным видом деятельности. Stop being a couch potato – turn off the TV and go get some exercise. – Не будь «овощем», выключи телевизор и пойди сделай зарядку.
down-to-earth	Прагматичный, приземленный, практический мыслящий человек. Противоположность мечтателю (dreamer, visionary, “having head in the clouds”). I like working with Janet because she’s so down-to-earth. Her plans and expectations are very reasonable. – Мне нравится работать с Дженет потому, что она мыслит рационально. Её планы и ожидания очень прагматичны.
behind the times, a fuddy-duddy, to stick in the mud	Behind the times – консерватор, человек, отставший от времени. В более «тяжелом» случае, fuddy-duddy – ретроград, брюзга, критикующий все новое (эта идиома менее дипломатична и более критична, чем предыдущее выражение).   To stick in the mud переводится «отставать от времени», а буквально означает «увязать в грязи». Может, чересчур смело, но образно. My grandfather doesn’t have an e-mail address. He’s a little behind the times. – У моего дедушки нет адреса электронной почты. Он немного отстал от времени.
go-getter	Легкий на подъем, активный и энергичный человек.  В сфере бизнеса – пробивной, инициативный и предприимчивый бизнесмен. You can’t just wait for a favorable opportunity – you need to be more of a go-getter. – Ты не можешь просто сидеть и ждать, пока появится благоприятная возможность – нужно быть более пробивным человеком.
goody-goody, goody two shoes			Паинька, святоша, «тише воды, ниже травы»… Человек, «правильный» до приторности. Идиома используется, чтобы подчеркнуть неискренность такого поведения. Mary was a goody two shoes in high school, but when she went to college she turned into a real rebel. – В школе Мэри была тише воды, ниже травы, но, попав в колледж, она превратилась в настоящую бунтарку. Чтобы описать просто хорошего человека, используем выражение a good egg (букв. «хорошее яйцо»): He is a good egg. – Он – парень, что надо.
Выражение goody two shoes произошло от названия старинной детской книжки о доброй, но бедной девочке-сироте, у которой был только один башмак (сразу же приходит на ум сказка о Золушке, Cinderella). Девочка совершала добрые дела, и со временем ей подарили и второй башмак. Ну, а дальше все было как в сказке: она выросла и вышла замуж за... богатого вдовца. Всё-таки это была другая сказка.
know-it-all, smart alec, wise guy		Всезнайка – человек, который думает, что знает всё на свете лучше других. Идиомы smart alec (букв. «умный Алек») и wise guy («мудрый парень») предполагают, что всезнайка еще и ведет себя слишком самоуверенно («самоуверенно-наглый тип»). I tried to give advice, but my know-it-all co-worker wouldn’t even listen. – Я пыталась дать совет, но мой всезнающий сослуживец и слушать меня не хотел.

man of his word, woman of her word	Человек своего слова, надежный, правдивый, держащий обещания. If Gary said he’ll be there at 6:00, you can count on it. He’s a man of his word. – Если Гэри сказал, что будет там в 6:00, ты можешь на это рассчитывать. Он человек слова.
mover and shaker	«Первое лицо» компании, активно ее представляющее и способствующее ее развитию. Дословный перевод: «продвигающий и потрясающий». Martha is the mover and shaker in the department. She’s always got ideas to help move things forward. – Марта – первое лицо отдела. У нее всегда есть идеи, как достичь прогресса.
social butterfly	Общительный человек (букв. «светская бабочка»). Как бабочка порхает с цветка на цветок, так social butterfly наслаждается общением на вечеринке, переходя от человека к человеку, от компании к компании. I’m more reserved, but my mother is a social butterfly. – Я более нелюдима, а вот моя мать – настоящий светский мотылек. О жизни светского мотылька поет в своей песне Chandelier австралийская певица Sia. Перевод и грамматический разбор песни читайте в нашей статье.
stickler for the rules	Педант, строгий приверженец правил, например, грамматики, почитания определенных традиций и т.п. Clean up the classroom after you’re done with your project. The teacher’s a stickler for neatness. – Убери класс после того, как закончишь проект. Учитель – фанат чистоты.
wet blanket, spoilsport, killjoy	Дословный перевод: wet blanket – «мокрое одеяло», spoilsport – тот, кто портит спортивную игру, killjoy – «убийца радости». Тот, кто портит удовольствие другим. Сосед, стучащий по батарее… Начальник, заставляющий писать срочный отчет в пять часов вечера (в пятницу, перед отпуском)... В русском сленге есть такое слово – «кайфолом(щик)»… Оно наиболее точно передает смысл этих идиом. В английском же сленге существует несколько крепких выражений, которыми награждают «убийц радости»: за примерами обратитесь к Urban Dictionary. I hate to be a wet blanket, but we should probably turn down the music – our neighbors are probably trying to sleep. – Не хочу никому портить настроение, но, наверное, нам нужно прикрутить музыку – наши соседи, вероятно, пытаются поспать.
worrywart	Беспокойный, мнительный человек: My mother’s such a worrywart that if I don’t call her every day, she starts imagining I’ve been killed in a horrible accident. – Моя мать так мнительна, что если я не звоню ей каждый день, она начинает думать, что я погиб в ужасной аварии.

Exercise 21

Find the Russian equivalents for the following proverbs and use the latter in a proper context.

1. A good name is better than riches.

2. A little body often harbors a great soul.

3. A word is enough to the wise.

4. All that glitters is not gold.

5. Handsome is as handsome does.

6. He that is full of himself is very empty.

7. You cannot judge a tree by its bark.

Exercise 22

Translate the following quotations and comment upon them.

'The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs'

Charles de Gaulle

'I sincerely wish ingratitude was not so natural to the human heart as it is.'

Alexander Hamilton

'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.'

Abraham Lincoln

'Human nature is rarely uniform.'

Waller Scott

'I hope I shall always possess maintain what I consider the character of an Honest Man' firmness and virtue enough to most enviable of all titles, the

George Washington

Exercise 23

Role-play "A Formal Gathering".

Setting: A formal gathering in a grand villa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Situation: The Rych family invite a lot of people to their villa to the engagement of their son and the daughter of the Welthy family. The guests hardly know each other. They entertain themselves by discussing the appearance and character of the people they see around. The host and the hostess circulate and hear what different people say about each other.

Characters:

Card I—II — Christopher and Christine, the fiances.

Card III—IV — Mr and Mrs Rych, the owners of the villa. Card V—VI — Mr and Mrs Welthy, Christine's parents.

Card VII—VIII — Franklin and Frances, newly-weds. Frank­lin is Christopher's cousin. He owns a tex­tile factory and is often away from home.

Card IX—X — Patricia and Clotilda — two middle-aged single women. They are Christine's aunts. They never married because they could not find a good match.

Card XI—XII — Stephen and Stephanie, a married couple. Stephen is a distant relative to the Rych family.

Card XIII—XIV — Clement and Clementine, a married couple. Clement is a distant relative to the Welthy family.

LISTENING

1. Listen to a conversation between two people. Which boy is Sam and which boy is Toby? Write the names below the pictures the teacher has given you.

2. Look again at the picture of Sam and read this description of Sam’s dad. Does Sam take after his dad? Underline the things which are similar.

Sam’s dad has a thin pointed face and freckles. He’s got straight brown hair but he is going bald. He’s got pale blue eyes and a long straight nose. He doesn’t wear glasses.

3. Listen to what the six people say about the kind of people they’re attracted to. Do you think you would make a good partner for any of them? Why? /why not?

Are you similar to any of these people? In what way ?

WRITING

Exercise 1

Prepare to write a dictation. Learn the spelling of the italicized words and phrases from Introductory Reading and exercise 1 on page 242.

Exercise 2

Write a short description of somebody's physical appearance and cha­racter.

► Use:

to be as/not so ... as somebody, to be very much the same in appearance, the very image of somebody, to be as like as two peas, to be (very much) like somebody, to be not a bit alike, to take after/to look like/to resemble somebody, to bear no re­semblance to somebody, to behave like somebody, to appeal to somebody, to take to somebody, to like/dislike the way one wears one's hair/walks/talks/speaks/behaves/dresses, to be characteristic of somebody.

Begin with 'Here's the description of a man/woman/girl whom ...', "Fancy a woman ...', 'Imagine a man ...'.

Note:

Descriptions may be technical and suggestive. Technical de­scriptions just give an objective account of the look or the structure of an object. They are characterised by the neutral style and vocabulary. Simple wording and grammar are the best choice for the purpose of writing a technical description.

Suggestive descriptions convey the impression and the emotions evoked by the look of an object. The use of emotio­nally coloured words and various grammatical structures help to gain the effect. The author does not merely inform the reader, but appeals to the readers's feelings.

The description of a person may be either technical or sug­gestive.

Model paragraph of a technical description:

Here is the description of Mrs. White. She is in her eariy thirties. She is fairly slim and about average height. She has got blonde shoulder-length curly hair. She's got dark-blue eyes. Her oval face is slightly wrinkled. She's got a small upturned nose and finely-curved plump lips. Mrs. White is intelligent, communicative and perfectly fit for her job.

Model paragraph of a suggestive description:

Fancy a girl in her late teens. She is a pleasant-looking young lady, with soft brown eyes and a straight nose. I like the way she wears her long dark hair. It is parted in the middle, combed back and done in a knot. A classical type. By the way, she is very much like her mother about her hair and eyes. They say, her mother resembled her when she was 18. She was even as tall as her daughter. I took to the girl as soon as I met her. I like the way she walks; she keeps herself erect. She is very slender and always looks fresh. Her manner of talking also ap­peals to me. As for her character, I can't say anything definite. She seems to be mild and gentle and she is sure to have a way with her. But I think she may be also very energetic and self-determined.

Exercise 3

Write a short description of two people different in appearance. Touch upon their face, general appearance, clothes.

Exercise 4

Write an essay on one of the following topics:

1. My Self-Portrait.

2. What Kind of People Do You Get On with Best?

3. Looking through a Family Album.

Exercise 5

Write:

1. about your first meeting with someone who later became your close friend. What were some of the things you no­ticed about him or her when you first saw him or her?

2. your first letter to your imaginary English pen-friend. Give him or her a good idea of your appearance, personality and interests.

3. about one of the books you have read, explaining which of the characters you admired or liked and which of the cha­racters you found less/least attractive.