4. Familiar Quotations

Read the quotations and choose one to react to.

1. Explain its meaning in your own words. b) Do you agree with it? Write a two-page reaction to the quotation.

The world is governed more by appearances than by realities, so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it.

Webster

It is human nature to think wisely and to act foolishly.

France

They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.

Penn

To be absolutely certain about something, one must know everything or nothing about it.

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.

Mark Twain

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.

Elbert Hubbard

One of the secrets of life is to keep our intellectual curiosity acute.

Phelps

Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.

Van Dyke

There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.

Bernard Shaw

In all things it is better to hope than to despair.

Goethe

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not to discourage.

Channing

It’s better to be alone than in bad company.

George Washington

To find the fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.

Plutarch

The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way.

Billings

To err is human, to forgive divine.

Pope

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

Emerson

5. Funny Stories

Read these funny stories, choose one to tell to your class-mates. Could you tell any more stories with the Infinitive?

A Boy Who Can’t Behave

“Oh, auntie!” cried little Annie, ”Make Freddie behave himself. Every time I hit him on the head he bursts out crying!”

Not Frightened

A landlord is said to have sent the following message to his steward: ”Tell my tenants that no threats to kill you are likely to frighten me. They are sure to pay the rent when they realize it.”

A Singular Man

Brother: Are you really going to marry John? He is said to be strange. At any rate, he is unlike other young men.

Sister: Oh, yes, I’m determined to marry him. If he is indeed unlike other young men, he is likely to make a very good husband.

The Medicine Must be of Use

A woman, who is known to be both irritable and short-tempered, is pressing her husband to take some very unpleasant medicine for his cold. “I’ll be hanged if it doesn’t help you,” she exclaims, already out of patience with her husband. “Do take it, old boy,” says a friend, who has called on the invalid, “it is sure to do you good one way or the other.”

Is Love Blind?

A young man had been talking to his friend about his bride. The friend kept silence all the while. When at last the young lover asked for his opinion, he said, “What do you expect me to say? Love is said to be blind. But the statement seems to be completely wrong. For some fellows in love appear to see more virtues in their sweethearts than any other people are ever likely to.”

Modesty

“ A real man of genius is above all modest,” says a young poet,” he never brags. Modesty is a true sign of greatness. For instance, have you ever heard me praise myself?”

Prepared in Advance

Barrister (speaking to a witness): I want you to tell me the truth and only the truth. How far were you standing from the place of the accident?

Witness (without a moment’s hesitation): Just four yards, two feet and six inches.

Barrister (slightly taken aback): How can you be so exact?

Witness: Well, I expected some fool to ask me this question and I thought it fit to measure the distance.