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Разговорные фразы. А О Иванов. Англ. разговорные формулы. (Восстановлен). Английские разговорные формулы допущено Государственным комитетом ссср по народному образованию в качестве учебного пособия для студентов педагогических институтов по специальности Иностранные языки москва
Ruth and Mike Talk About Entertainments (informal, semi-formal)
Ruth: Do you like watching television?
Mike: Not very much. I prefer live entertainment. I often go to the theatre, and to concerts.
Ruth: I see. What sort of music do you iike best?
Mike: Classical music, especially 19th century composers.
Ruth: And who’s your favourite composer?
Mike: Well, I can’t say I’ve got one favourite composer. I like
Beethoven very much, and Brahms, and Tchaikovsky.
Ruth: You don’t like modern composers, then?
Mike: Yes, I quite like some of them but I prefer more traditional music on the whole.
Exercises
Exercise 1. Read the illustrative examples and the dialogues in parts, noting how people express preference or lack of it in various situations. Then learn one of the dialogues and reproduce it with another student in class.
Exercise 2. Make up sentences using prefer and the words given.
Model: reading — watching television
apples — oranges
skating — skiing
ballet — opera
roses — carnations
houses — flats
Constable — Gainsborough
fish — meat
getting letters — writing them
poetry — prose
Degas’drawings — his paintings
black bread — white
football — rugby
1 prefer reading to watching television.
Exercise 3. Make up questions and answers using the words given, according to the model.
Model: apples —oranges-
— Do you like apples?
  
f 1 P
1 1M { I’d
Yes, but
instant coffee — real coffee
the cinema — the theatre
the violin — the piano
sewing — knitting
Maugham’s novels — his short stories
cycling — walking
listening to the radio — watching television
Renoir — Monet
French films — Indian films
Shakespeare’s tragedies — his comedies
language'—literature
prefer oranges, ke oranges better, rather have oranges.
Exercise 4. Reply to the following offers and suggestions, politely expressing a preference for what is given in brackets.
Let’s go for a walk, (stay at home)
Would you like sausages for breakfast? (a boiled egg)
Shall we watch the football match on TV? (see the film)
What about fish for dinner today? (meat)
Why don’t we go to the Hermitage tomorrow? (go on Friday)
Shall we send a telegram? (telephone)
Do have some more cake, (another chocolate)
Let’s take a taxi, (go on the bus)
Shall we go for a swim? (sunbathe)
Why not paint the kitchen green? (blue)
Exercise 5. Reply to the following, expressing lack of preference.
What would you like for supper?
What’s your favourite writer?
Do you like long hair or short?
Which shampoo do you like best?
What record shall I put on?
Shall we invite John’s girlfriend to the party, too?
What sort of flowers shall we plant in the garden?
Where shall we go on Saturday?
What time shall we have the meeting?
Which do you like best, cats or dogs?
Which book shall we discuss next time?
Shall we go to London by train or by bus?
Exercise 6. Ask your fellow-students about their preferences. They reply.
Indifference
Indifference to something one is told may be expressed politely as follows:
formal or informal;
said in a flat uninterested
voice
(Oh,) really?
Is it/he/she/there (really)?
Are you/they/there (really)?
Did you/it/he, etc (really)?
Is that so? — formal, semi-formal, I’m afraid...— informal, semi-forma
eg I’m afraid gardening doesn’t really interest me (very much).
Sorry, but...— informal, semi-formal
eg Sorry, but I’m not really (very) interested in football.
The following forms express indifference more explicitly and should only be used to people whom one knows well, or when t 'e' situation justifies a more direct approach. They are listed here in order of increasing strength.
It doesn’t matter (to me).
That does it matter?
So what? * s Who cares?
• don’t (really) care (when/where/who, etc)...
eg — John’s coming at 9 o’clock.
(Main stress on when.) very strong; possibly rude
— I don’t care when he comes.
S
I couldn’t care less.
3 don’t giye a damn.
Indifference to something offered or suggested may be expressed by:
It makes no difference (to me).
What difference does it make?
or by the forms given under “Lack of Preference”. (See p. 97.)
Illustrative Examples
!. — I bought some new furniture yesterday.
— My grandmother’s seventy-five.
mo
— John’s parents are very rich.
— I went for a long walk before breakfast this morning. . — Did you really?
— There are 1,200 rooms, a hundred staircases and two miles
of passages in the Houses of Parliament.
— There’s a programme about mountaineering on television
at seven o’clock.
Sorry, but 1 can’t say I’m very interested.
— There’s a button off your shirt.
— The neighbours say we should mend the fence or they’ll
make an official complaint.
— Mrs. Lee’s daughter’s marrying a film director.
I don’t care who she’s marrying.
— Shall we have dinner now or would you rather finish your work first?
It makes no difference to me.
Exercises
Exercise 1. Read the illustrative examples in pairs, noting how differing degrees of indifference are expressed (with greater or lesser formality). Then learn five of them and reproduce them with another student in class.
Exercise 2. Express polite indifference to the following statements.
My cat only eats the best fish.
There are 500 flats in our block.
It’s started to rain.
They’re selling apples very cheap at the market.
I planted some flowers on my balcony yesterday.
“Arsenal” won their match against “Manchester United”.
Our flat needs redecorating.
Fish is much better for you than meat.
Jeans aren’t fashionable any more.
My friend’s mother was on television yesterday.
There’s an exhibition of modern sculpture at the Hayward Gallery.
I made twenty pounds of strawberry jam this morning.
Exercise 3. Express complete indifference to the following. (You don’t think the situation demands restraint.)
There’s ladder in your stocking.
I wonder why the director was sacked.
Shall we walk a bit farther or go back home?
Everybody’s buying micro-wave ovens now.
The neighbours have complained about the noise you make.
Shall I wear a blouse or a sweater?
The meat is overcooked.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis are going to the South of France for their holiday.
Linda’s husband has been made director.
The hot water has been turned off.
Exercise 4. Express indifference to the following and then add an explanation (say why you are indifferent), using the words in brackets.
Model: A. — Air fares have gone up again, (travel by train)
B. — it makes no difference to me. I always travel by train.
The television isn’t working, (no time to watch)
The last bus has gone, (take a taxi)
Mrs. Turner was very offended when you told her to mind her own business, (inquisitive old gossip)
You’ve spilt tea on the tablecloth, (need washing anyway)
The Royal Ballet isn’t coming here on tour after all. (not interested in ballet)
Hagley Road is closed to traffic, (not go to work today)
Narrow skirts are coming back into fashion, (inconvenient)
The price of petrol has gone up. (not get a car)
The shops are closed, (plenty of food — fridge)
There’s a stain on your skirt, (nobody — notice)
The typist is leaving at the end of the week, (very inefficient)
Several of his novels have been translated into Russian, (read English books in the original)
Pleasure and Displeasure
A. Pleasure
Pleasure is usually expressed in the form of an exclamation: What a wonderful/nice/lovely/beautiful...!
eg a. What a wonderful idea/present/day! b. What glorious weather!
How exciting/thrilling/interesting, etc!
eg — 1 had a meeting with Mr. Gibson today, and he said 1 can take my holiday in August.
— Flow wonderful!
(That’s) marvellous!
(That’s) terrific!
(That’s) fantastic!
(That’s) good!
(That’s) great! — more colloquial
The most usual response to exclamations of pleasure about other people’s possessions, ideas, presents, etc, is agreement:
Yes, rather. — — less enthusiastic
» •
or disagreement:
Do you think so? • * — * — cold, formal or sarcastic
is it (really)? * *
rather mild
eg — It’s a lovely flat!
Remember, though, that while it is quite all right to be enthusiastic about other people’s achievements or qualities, you have to be more reserved about yourself. So in most cases all you can say without being boastful will be:
Yes, it’s not bad, is it?
eg — Fantastic! It must be the best collection of butterflies in the country!
Yes, it’s not bad, is it?
Do you like it?
eg — What a lovely dress you’re wearing today!
Do you like it? I made it myself.
I’m glad you like it.
eg — Oh, thank you so much! What a beautiful present!
Illustrative Dialogues
Judy Brown gets a birthday present from her parents (informal)
Mrs. Brown conies into her daughter's room Mrs. Brown: Hallo, dear. Many happy returns, and here’s something from me and Father for your birthday.
Judy: Oh, Mom! A hair-styling set! How wonderful! Thank you very much.
Mrs. Brown: I thought you’d appreciate something useful. I’m glad you like it.
Judy: You are a marvel! And now let me go and thank Father.
Mr. Johnson is staying with the Browns in their country-house (formal, semi-formal)
Mr. Johnson: What a charming house you have! And the location is simply superb. So green and peaceful. A welcome change after the city noise.
Mr. Brown: Oh, I’m glad you like it here. But it’s so much better in spring when the fruit trees are in blossom.
Mr. Johnson: Fantastic! And only 50 miles from London!
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