An english family

The Confords live in Bristol. John Conford is a rich businessman in his late forties. He is tall and dark-haired. He usually gets up at six, does some exercises and goes to the office. He never gets back before ten o’clock at night, so he doesn’t see much of his family. He is interested in collecting pictures of horses.

Sarah, Mr. Conford’s wife, is in her mid-forties. She is an attractive woman with blond hair and soft blue eyes and she looks young for her age. She is kind, gentle, very practical and full of common sense. Sarah is a housewife. She looks after the house and the family.

The Confords have two children: a son and a daughter. Their son’s name is Steve. He is 22. He works at a design office. He plays football for a Bristol team sometimes, but prefers watching the game, either on television or at the local ground where he goes with his father.

Steve has a number of close friends and a beautiful girl-friend Pauline by name. Pauline is a student of a Medical college. Pauline is very good at skating and tries to teach Steve how to skate well. Both Steve and Pauline are very friendly and sociable. Steve is very fond of Pauline. They are going to get married in a year.

Steve’s sister Alice is a lovely, quiet, serious girl. She goes to school. She is a bright girl and does very well at school. Alice reads a lot and she is fond of music. She is good at drawing. She takes lessons in drawing at the local art school.

Sarah’s mother, Grandma, as the children call her, also lives with them. She is in her late sixties. Her kind face is wrinkled, her hair is grey, but she is still quite young in spirit. She likes reading and gardening and she often goes for long walks. She is a very active person. She is extremely generous, but not very tolerant to the people who don’t agree with her.

Task 19. Find the English equivalents for the following word combinations; memorize them.

1. проводить много времени с семьей

2. обладать здравым смыслом

3. выглядеть молодо для своего возраста

4. следить за порядком в доме

5. по имени

6. быть дружелюбным и общительным

7. хорошо заниматься в школе

8. хорошо рисовать

9. брать уроки рисования

10. быть в душе молодым

11. быть терпимым к людям

12. соглашаться с кем-то

Task 20. Give descriptions of the members of the family using the following hints.

John Conford: a rich businessman; middle-aged; to get up early; to come back late; not to see much of the family; to be interested in …; to collect pictures.

Sarah Conford: to be in one’s mid-forties; attractive; soft blue eyes; to look young; to be kind, gentle, practical; to be full of common sense; to look after the house and the family.

Steve Conford: to be in one’s early twenties; to work at a design office; to play football; to prefer watching the game on TV; to go to the football ground; to have a beautiful girlfriend; by name; to get married.

Alice Conford: to be lovely, quiet, serious; to go to school; to be bright; to do well at school; to be fond of music; to be good at drawing; to take lessons in …; local art school.

Grandma: to be in one’s late sixties; a kind face; to be wrinkled; grey hair; to be young in spirit; to like reading and gardening; to go for long walks; to be an active person; to be generous; not to be tolerant to the people; to agree with somebody.

Task 21. Fill the gaps with the words from the box.

keen fond good looks after friendly in spirit see much be tolerant sociable

1) Betty is … of classical music. 2). Mike is … at skating. 3). My grandma is 68. But she is young … . 4). Peter Smith is a very busy person. He doesn’t … of his family. 5). My cousin John is … on collecting coins. 6). We like Kate very much, because she is so … and … 7). Who … the house in your family? 8). My father teachers me to … to the people, even if I don’t agree with them.

Task 22. Fill the gaps with prepositions.

1. … the age of 52, Jane is still an attractive woman.

2. Both Katy and Ann are … their mid-twenties.

3. Sarah looks young … her age.

4. There was a very interesting programme … television yesterday.

5. When a schoolboy, John played … his school football team.

6. Even if Mary is … her late seventies, she is still fit … her age.

7. After graduating … the University Alice would like to find a job in Germany, that is why she takes lessons … German.

8. Teenagers don’t often agree … their parents on many points of life.

9. I think with years I have become more tolerant … the people.

10. People who are young … spirit forget about their real age.

11. John and I have nothing … common.

12. I’d like to introduce you … my cousin.

Task 23. Read and translate the text.