Revision Exercises

(based on the Introductory Material)

Exercise 1. Make up several questions of different types (including indirect questions) based on the following sentences: 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19.

Exercise 2. Make up several sentences on the analogy of sentences 5, 9, 16, 18.

Exercise 3. Comment on the following sentences: 8, 15.

Exercise 4. Develop the following sentences into short situations: 5, 12, 14, 16.

Exercise 5. Build dialogues round the following sentences: 4, 6.

15. Distinct, distinctive

Introductory material

Read and translate the following sentences paying special attention to the words in bold type.

1. The sky reddened over his shoulder and the palm-trees turned black and distinct. 2. The buildings became taller and thinner and more distinct from each other. 3. «You make it sound so ordinary,» said Norma. There was a distinct overtone of annoyance in her voice. 4. Johnny smiled patiently, and his mother was aware of a distinct shock at the persistent absence of his peevishness and irritability. 5. She spoke in a very distinct voice which carried right to the back of the hall. 6. He knew she would never drink the whole bottle: it has a distinctive taste, and a glass of it would tell Rose Klonec that it was bad, even if she did not know why. 7. Every member of the family had the same distinctive head of red hair. 8. But, of course, I’m not as distinctive as you are. I mean you wouldn’t be able to tell me very easily from a lot of other elderly women. I don’t stand out, very much, do I? 9. Poirot looked at the portrait that hung behind Restarick’s head. It showed very plainly the man who was sitting at the desk, there were the distinctive features, the obstinacy of the chin, the quizzical eyebrows, the poise of the head, but the portrait had one thing ‘that the man sitting in the chair beneath it lacked: youth!

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Distinct adj. 1. Easily heard, seen, understood; clearly perceptible; plain; definite; clearly marked, unmistakable, decided, e.g. a ~ writing, a ~ speech, a ~ noise, a ~ image, a ~ voice, a ~ view, a ~ memory, a ~ shadow. 2. Different in quality or kind, separate, individual, not identical, e.g. ~ from each other, to keep two things ~, ~ animals, ~ dialects.

Distinct as applied to two or more things, stresses that each has a different identity and is unmistakably separate from the others.

Antonym: indistinct adj. Derivatives: distinctly adv., indistinctly adv.

Distinctive adj. Serving to mark a difference, making distinct; characteristic, e.g. a ~ uniform.

Distinct and distinctive are not synonymous adjectives. Distinct (ясный, отчетливый; различный, разный, отличный от) has a wider sphere of application. It can be applied’to anything that is clear, plain, or has an identity of its own. Distinctive (отличительный, характерный, различительный) implies a characteristic feature that makes a person, thing, etc. different (==distinct) from others.

Exercises

Exercise 1. Translate the following phrases info Russian; use them in sentences or situations.

1. A distinct refusal. 2. A distinctive feature. 3. A distinct shape. 4. A distinctive badge. 5. A distinct idea. 6. Distinct improvement. 7. Distinct dialects. 8. A distinctive function. 9. A distinct sound. 10. A distinct manner. 11. A distinctive mark. 12. A distinct cry. 13. A distinct recollection. 14. A distinct pronunciation. 15. A distinct line of one’s own.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is a distinct pronunciation indispensable to a teacher? What other professionals must possess this quality? 2. Can an indistinct idea be conveyed in clear, plain words? 3: What are the most distinct recollections of your childhood? 4. What are distinctive badges used for? 5. What is meant by indistinct speech? 6. There was a distinct family resemblance between Anthony and his brother Steve, wasn’t there? What did it manifest itself in? What was Anthony’s distinctive feature? 7. Why are we justified in saying that British English and American English are distinct variants of the English language? 8. What is a distinctive feature of J. M. Turner’s paintings? 9. What are, in your opinion, the Gadfly’s distinctive features? 10. Did it take Martin Eden long to bring about a distinct improvement of his speech habits? 11. What are the most important distinctive features of realism?

Exercise 3. Paraphrase the following phrases and sentences using one of the words under discussion.

1. A clear recollection. 2. A definite improvement. 3. A clearly perceptible sign. 4. Plain words. 5. A characteristic smell. 6. To remember something clearly. 7. A characteristic feature. 8. An unmistakable manner. 9. Different languages. 10. A legible handwriting. 11. But among all the games the only one I can remember with any distinctness was this of «the Traitor’s Execution». 12. She spoke with great distinctness, moving her lips meticulously.

Exercise 4.* Fill in the blanks using one of the words under discussion.

1. But he had had a single ... glimpse of her, definite, precise, and this glimpse was enough. 2. «And there was nothing ... that you can remember about the man?» Mrs Me Gillicuddy took a little time to think carefully before she replied. «He was tallish and dark, I think.» 3. It (the baby’s skin) had a ... yellow tinge. 4. «That won’t do. There’s nothing identifiable about the hand; I read that. It hasn’t got ... markings like the fingers —» «The hand has pores.» 5. He was a man of ... personal character, not ready to accept more of the innovations of the court circles than fitted in with his style. 6. Mr Pickwick uttered in a low, but ... and emphatic tone these remarkable words: «You’re a humbug, Sir.» 7. To say the truth, Carrie did unconsciously move about with an air pleasing and somewhat ... .

Exercise 5. Complete and expand on the following sentences using one of the words under discussion. ‘

1. It is absolutely indispensable that public speakers ... 2. Some of the recollections of my earliest childhood ... 3. Soldiers belonging to different arms of the fighting forces ... 4. She was scared stiff when she heard ... 5. After he had removed his spectacles ... 6. Some old people retain ... 7. If you want to be understood by other people ... 8. Realism is a very important literary trend which is characterized by the following ... 9. She was speaking in a loud ... 10. The twins were very much alike; nevertheless, one of them had ...

Exercise 6. Use the following sentences in situations.

1. There was a distinct smut on her cheek. 2. He walked briskly, with the step of a man who likes to get home, an alert figure, conveying, even at that distance, an unmistakable and distinctive sense of style. 3. We are both distinct blondes. 4. «Your trip was a success, wasn’t it?» «A distinct success. It was very nice.» 5. He knew moreover that any experiment has three distinct stages. 6. His voice came over the wire, distinct and urbane.

Exercise 7. Make up a list of nouns that go with the adjectives distinct and distinctive; use several of the resulting phrases in short dialogues or situations based on the subject matter of English or American novels.

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Я отчетливо помню это событие. 2. Каковы характерные черты романтизма? 3. Он вторично задал вопрос, но получил недвусмысленный отказ. 4. На рассвете все звуки кажутся особенно ясными. 5. Детей следует с раннего детства учить говорить внятно. 6. У нее очень смутные представления об астрономии. 7. Наступили сумерки, и предметы стали неразличимыми. 8. Совсем рядом раздался какой-то неясный звук; она вздрогнула и сделала шаг назад. 9. Кошки и собаки относятся к различным видам животных. 10. Импрессионисты шли в искусстве своим путем.