Chapters 9-10

Words and expressions to remember

• superstitious

• a houndstooth jacket

• to recognize defeat

• thrifty

• to grasp at straws

• a consolation

• to be deterrent to sth

• to be exquisitely dressed

• to be worthy of

• to confess

• exhilarating

• to exhaust

• to reciprocate

• to pamper

• to contemplate

• to deprive

• menace / to menace

• complacent

• to get a crush on sb

• to take advantage of sth

1. Reproduce the situations from the chapters where these lexical items are used.

2. Comment on or paraphrase the following sentences from the chapters.

• I realized I was married to a certain number of hundred-dollar bills. It wasn’t rational;

• There was a feeling of holiday that I was in no mood to share;

• I grieved briefly for all prowling animals threatened with extinction;

• The Swiss are neutral about Castro;

• The hotel had a tantalizing, faint, indefinable aroma. Its source was money. Quiet money;

• It was easy to love the poor in that atmosphere;

• She was a flighty woman, but she had a strong feeling for economics;

• A Florence Nightingale gesture;

• Everyone to his own brand of trouble.

• Switzerland was one country where you could get any kind of medical attention you paid for, necessary or not.

3. Answer the questions.

• What did Grimes find inside the wrong suitcase when he dared to open it?

• What could be concluded about the character of the owner of the suitcase?

• Why did Grimes decide to try some of the clothes on?

• What impressions did the married couple on the train produce on Grimes?

• What struck Grimes about the man’s appearance when they got closer acquainted?

• In what way were the Sloanes treated in the hotel?

• What made Grimes feel confused in the hotel?

• Whom did Grimes meet at the cards game?

• Why did Grimes agree to accompany the Sloanes?

• What kind of manners did Flora Sloane have?

• What made Grimes stutter again?

• How do you account for Flora’s attempts to attract Grimes’s attention?

• Why did Grimes pretend he had broken his leg?

• What kind of situation did Grimes find himself in when he penetrated into the room of the Sloanes?

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following? Quote the text to prove that.

• Grimes was a man of deductive reasoning;

• Grimes had a sense of humour;

• Grimes was perfect at adjusting to changing conditions;

• Mr.Sloane was quite an industrious shopaholic;

• Grimes couldn’t help underestimating the importance of money;

• Mr. Sloane was too self-assured;

• Grimes was a determined person;

• Grimes was quite a smart guy;

• Mr. Sloane did love his wife.

5. Topics for developing argumentation and rhetorical speech skills. Dwell on the following subjects.

• The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

• Appearances are deceiving.

• Money was power.

• A great fortune is a great slavery. – Seneca

• Lack of money is the root of all evil. – G.B. Shaw

6. Insert the right prepositions.

• I realized I was grasping …………………. straws.

• If I could have chosen a list of people whom I could suspect……………… having stolen my suitcase.

• There was a choice of reasons………………. my coolness.

• I had knocked ………………. the door several times ………………. the pretext ………………….. being invited.

• That afternoon she presented me …………………. a watch.

• She was dressed……………….. skintight green slacks and sweater that made the most……………………. her perfect figure.

• She was not a woman who liked to be deprived ……………. what she wanted.

• I took advantage ………………….. this trip.

• There was no doubt that he was linked ………… an unusual passion …………. his wife.

• I knew I was a superstitious man and I should have paid more honour …….. superstition.

• It was ……….. keeping ………… the houndstooth jacket.

• The atmosphere ………… the new train was considerably different ………… the one ……….. the express from Zurich.

• There was a feeling ……… holiday that I was ……….. no mood to share.

• She rewarded me ………….. a smile.

• Weren’t you …………. the plane Wednesday night?

• I certainly couldn’t afford it, but I was not going to let my new friends ……… ……….. my sight ……….. any cost.

• When we got to St Moritz, I insisted ………… waiting ………. them until their luggage came ……….. ……….. the baggage car.

• …………… other conditions it would have been exhilarating.

• I felt a cold coming ………….. I could think ………. nothing ……….. to hang ………… and watch.

• Flora asked ……….. champagne, and this time it was fairly and truly ……….. my bill.

• My efforts …………… detective work had been pathetically useless.

• It interferes …………. the healing process.