10.3 Remembering the past

I remember sailing on a pond that used to be by my grandfather’s sawmill - we had a boat, and we used to go sailing on this. Also, we used to do a lot of climbing trees. We used to climb these trees for apples, which we then ate and made ourselves very sick. And my mother would come along and complain very strongly, but I don’t think that stopped us at all. And of course in those days I had a bike, too, and I remember I used to push it up this very long hill near our house and then I’d get on and ride down as fast as I could go. My mother used to complain about that, too.

11.3 Preferences

Woman: Which do you prefer: driving a car yourself or being a passenger ?

Man: Well — that depends. I enjoy driving, especially on long empty roads where I can go nice and fast. But I’m not very fond of sitting in traffic jams waiting for lights to change, and things like that. I suppose I don’t mind being a passenger, but only if I’m sure that the other person really can drive properly.

Woman: So you don’t really like being in other people’s cars, then ?

Man: Well, as I say, it’s all right with a good driver. Then I can relax, sit back and enjoy the scenery. But yes, you’re right - on the whole I certainly prefer driving to being a passenger.

12.4 Experiences

A: Have you ever been chased by a dog, Keith?

В: No I haven’t, but I have been chased by a bull.

A: Really?

В: Yes, it was a couple of weekends ago -1 was, er, I was going for a walk out in the country following this footpath and it went through a field, and I was so busy looking out for the footpath that I didn’t notice that the field was full of young bullocks. And the trouble was I was wearing this bright red anorak, and suddenly the bulls started bucking and jumping up and down and started chasing me.

С: What did you do?

B: Well I was pretty scared - I just ran for the nearest fence and jumped over it. C: Actually I do know somebody who once got bitten by a dog while he was jogging. A: Was he? How did that happen?

C: Well he was running past a farm when suddenly this sheepdog came out and started barking at him, so he tried to kick it out of the way but then suddenly the dog jumped up and bit him in the leg. I think he had to go to the doctor to make sure it wasn’t infected.

13.3 How much?

A: Do you ski at all?

B: No I don’t.

A: Do you play tennis?

B: Yes, I do.

A: How much?

B: Oh I play tennis quite a lot.

A: What about gardening ? Do you do any gardening ?

B: Yes.

A: Do you do a lot of gardening ?

B: No I don’t do very much.

13.4 Kinds of people

He’s quite a solitary type of person, really. You know, he spends most of his time at home, reading, listening to the radio, things like that. He goes out to the pub occasionally, and he does quite a lot of singing, too - he belongs to the local choir, I believe — but you never see him at weekends. He’s always off somewhere in the country, walking or fishing. He does a lot of fishing, actually - but always on his own. Funny sort of bloke.