APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER. ABOUT MYSELF

V unit 1.2. Ocabulary: Describing People

Introductory Reading

35. Read the (ext and find out the meaning of the target word (in bold type).

People's appearance (the way people look like)

Age. My grandfather is quite old. In fact, as he has a pension, he i an old age pensioner, or a senior citizen. His daughter, iny aunt, is 55, and middle-aged. She has three sons. One is a young adult, at 24 years of age, and the other two are both teenagers. They are 16 and 17. My sister also has two children — one toddler who is a two-year old, and a baby who is 6 months old.

Constitution/Build. Peopleare built in all shapes and sizes. There are those who are stout (fat or overweight). Some people are extremely overweight and are obese. Other people are naturally slim or slender (having neat and well-shaped figure), but others have absolutely no fat on them and are thin, or skinny Personally, 1 am stocky (small, but well-built). My father is (all and lean (wilh very little fat). My sister is short, but wiry (quite thin, but muscular). Both my brothers are athletic, stocky and well-proportioned. My mother looks like a 1940's film star. She is curvaceous (having shapely, well- rounded body), with an hour-glass figure (figure wilh wide hips and busts which contrast starkly with a very narrow waist like Marilyn Monroe's). My grandfather is fit (in good health and shape) for his age and takes plenty of exercise. He doesn't want all his muscles to get flabby (loose and lacking firmness).

Colouring. My sister has fair hair and fair skin. She doesn't get tanned easily and has to be careful in the sun. My mother is blonde, also with a fair complexion (colour of skin, especially of face). I am a red-head (with red hair). Like many other people with a pale complexion, 1 get freckles from the sun (small brown dots on my face and arms). In contrast, my father has auburn (chestnut or reddish- brown) hair and he is quite swarthy (dark-skinned). When my

,,< uni Ik i was ill last winter, her complexion was sallow (of an

hi i' 11111n pale oi yellowish colour).

I ,ii t I aces, like build, vary a lot. Some people have oval faces ¹ i liu ilicnds | To:hamd] - the part of the face between the natural lit, 11 Im mil I he eyes, are much wider than their chins). Other people In til shaped, square or round faces. Features also vary. My gt • 11 11 lit I hi has bushy eyebrows (he has lots of hair!), a hooked nose (I i Ini'li (luokbones His grey eyes are small and close-set. My 11n i h r. big hazel eyes with long eye-lashes which make her very , . ii Itnl she has a broad, flat nose, which she hates, as she prefers

and straight noses. But she is lucky to have even (or regular)

1.1 Hi Ms sisler corrected her crooked [’krurkid] teeth by wearing a i ' Inch straightened them. She has rosy cheeks, small ears and a im in it up nose (which goes up at the end). 1 have long, curly hair, ih im’Ii my sister is the opposite, with short, straight hair. Her hair is Km (wry thin) and sleek (smooth and glossy), but mine is thick and in n ^ My mother's hair is wavy (in between straight and curly). It's

a bob (a hairstyle for women and children in which the hair is

nit hint evenly all round the head) and she also has a short fringe, In n il is cut horizontally across her forehead. My father is losing his ii hi iii fact he is going bald [ bo:ld], which makes him very sad. My !>n'tin i looks like he is going to lose his hair too (it is receding), but In wears it cut very short and looks cute.

( liaracter. My folks vary a lot in character, behaviour [ bi heivioj.

111111k11' towards life and people. My grandfather is very amiable i‘ i• |< lying the company of other people), sincere [sin’si:o] (telling the tiMill to others, honest), though sometimes he is rather curt (too abrupt in in,inner of speech). My mother is always tactful (or considerate), polite (hliowing regard for others, in manners, speech, behaviour; courteous) mill very sensitive (feeling tilings very intensely). My brother is too self- riinlident, ambitious, sometimes even stubborn and pushy

1. i|’,i’,ressively ambitious), but he is very reliable and honest. My sister is

2. i harming, optimistic and cheerful girl, though sometimes she can be lather peevish (or quarrelsome, that is, inclined to quarrel or disagree), nosy (too inquiring), and envious (or jealous).'My father is sensible (or reasonable, exercising good judgement and common sense), even- (rinpcred (calm, not easily angered or excited), thrifty (or economical)

and prudent (practical and careful in providing for the future). As to me I'm shy (not at ease in the company of others), but easy-going (relaxed iq manner or attitude) and friendly.

Notes:

Attractive/beautiful/good-looking/cute/gorgeous - words describing fine appearance; pretty is used to describe charming women (without being very beautiful); handsome is used to describe men.

Ugly/unattractive/plain/homely - words used to describe people of unpleasant or unsightly appearance.