Пособие по обучению практике устной и письменной речи (начальный этап) на английском языке Под ред. О. В. Серкиной
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Text 1 My family is very special. It is neither big nor small. We are six in all: my mommy, my daddy, my Auntie Lucy, my younger sister Ann, my pet Jack and me. Jack is a dog. It is very pretty and funny. I like to play with Jack all day long. But my Auntie Lucy thinks we are terribly noisy. Well, she is a bore. She always finds faults with Jack and teaches me manners. She is constantly complaining about two things: either about nasty weather or naughty girls and animals. Nothing can be done. We don't care and that's why she looks down on us. My sister Ann is 12. But she doesn't think I am very much older. She never obeys me and sometimes Ann gets out of hand completely. She is plump, short and very clumsy. But after all, that's her awkward age. She is very bossy and always is up to mischief. But she is my only sister. I try to supervise and help her. That seldom works. And we quarrel over trifles. My mommy thinks we fight like cat and dog. Well, we have our ups and downs. My dear mother is a hair-dresser. She has style and always looks chic. We get on well. She is very understanding and she is always ready to give me a hand when I am in trouble. As for me, I really don't know what to say. I am quite common, neither very smart nor very silly. I love cooking very much, but dishes slip out of my hands. People call us butterfingers. But mommy is so much supportive and doesn't mind broken dishes. We like cooking together. Now I am training to be a shop-assistant. That's very gripping and I am really enjoying every minute of my classes. I have a boy friend, a serious one. I am in love with him. But my daddy thinks we are too young to start a family and live separately. Well, we don't really mind. My father is a Math teacher. He is always very busy. Teachers always pay too much attention to their pupils and too little to their own families. But we all have our weak points. After all, we are all human beings. Still I love my family very much. It is very important now to have dear people around, to love them and to know they love you. Text 2 My family is not very large. There are only four people in it: my parents, my brother Nick and me. My parents are rather young. They never quarrel and always get on well. I think they match each other perfectly. My mommy is a manager. She is very bright, smart, well-educated, business-like and independent, a real lady. She looks young for her age. My mother is always quite trendy and very up-to-date. She speaks three foreign languages: English, French, and Spanish. She drives a car. She is a shining example for me. My father works as a real estate salesman. He's always as busy as a bee. He knows how to find a client and spends every evening glued to the phone. That's why we don't go out together often. He never takes us out to some fancy restaurant as other fathers do. We don't have picnics in the country with tasty barbecue and juicy sandwiches with hot steamy coffee. That's a pity. My brother Nick is a student of Economy. But he is not doing very well as he works by fits and starts. I really doubt he will make an experienced economist. You see he spends money like water. A real spendthrift. He is surely a social climber and likes to be in the centre of every group he is in. But I respect him. He is my elder brother and I am proud of him. He keeps my secrets and supports me if things go wrong and I am in trouble. All in all, I love my family very much. We are all awfully nice. I care about my family very much. 2.16. Start making up a list of words and expressions from the texts and the dialogues that you can use when describing somebody’s appearance or character. You will continue this list when you work on Unit 3. 2.17. a) Look at the words and expressions in the box and put them into two columns – those having positive connotations (synonymous to “to like”) and the ones with negative connotations (synonymous to “to dislike”). Consult a dictionary if necessary. b) Use each word or expression to describe your personal likings and dislikings.
ACQUIRING COMMUNICATION SKILLS 2.18. Draw your family tree and tell your partner who the people you have put on it are. 2.19. Read the dialogues and act them out with a partner. Make up one big dialogue using as many boldfaced expressions as possible. A: How old are you? B: I am 20. A: Do you have a brother or a sister/ any siblings? B: Yes, I do. Look over there. Do you see a blonde in red? A: Do you mean that pretty girl is your sister? B: Yes, I do. No wonder, you are so surprised. We differ like cheese and chalk in looks and temper. * * * * * * A: Do you have a brother, Ann? B: Yes, I do. And why? A: I know a guy. He looks like you. The very picture. Very amusing. B: Really? What does he look like? A: Well, rather tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, handsome. What else? Right sort of age. B: What do you mean? A: Oh, to be honest I fell for him. My type. B: Still, I don't know whom you are talking about. Anything special about him? A: Hey, look, over there. That's him. B: That skinny guy talking to Jane? Jesus Christ! A: What's wrong? Do you know him? Isn't he sweet? B: Yes, he is. Actually that's Michael, my boy-friend. We go out together. A: Whoops...I see. Well, lucky you are. B: Hi, Michael. Let me introduce Kate to you. A: Hi, Michael. Great to meet you. * * * * * * A: I hate Ann. She is so confident and pushy. B: Yes, but what is worse is she is very aggressive and arrogant. A: Yeah. I tried to talk to her at the party but got a cold response. B: Right. She is hard to deal with. A: Assertive lady. A very challenging gaze. She's always picking up quarrels with other people. B: No wonder, she is so naughty. She was the only child in the family and step by step she got out of hand completely. A: A very nasty person, always finding faults with other people. B: And putting them to pieces. A gossip. C: Hi, girls. How’s it going? Who are you talking about? Who is a gossip? A: Oh, Ann... Mmm. That's awfully nice to see you. What a nice hat you are wearing today. I am just telling Helen that you have style. So trendy. Nice haircut, too. C: Do you really like it? B: Cool. C: Thanks. You are charming too. Do you care for a drink? A: With pleasure, sweet darling. C: Come on, girls. Let's have fun. * * * * * * A: How do you find Kate's brother? What is he like? B: Smart and bright. Very witty. Sharp-tongued. Really my type. A: And what does he look like? B: About 25. He's tall, attractive. Good looks. Intelligent. A: Do you like him? B: Yes. We usually have fun together. We seldom quarrel and get on well. A: Do you go out with him? B: No. We are just great friends. He's Kate's brother and I'm her friend. * * * * * * A: Is your family large? B: Rather. Do you know that my parents have 3 more children. Have a look at that red-haired boy over there. A: That naughty boy? Messy and untidy? B: Exactly. That’s my younger brother, Nick. A: I see. But he's handsome. Really very nice and friendly. B: Nice and friendly? Never. He is a real trouble-maker. Always up to mischief. A: You are joking. Though... Look. I'm afraid he is going to get in a fight. B: He always does. So bossy and aggressive. A: Do you often quarrel with him? B: We fight like cat and dog. A: Oh, you poor thing. * * * * * * A: Do you know my mother? B: No, once you promised to introduce me to her, but you never keep your word. That's you all over. A: I’m sorry. But do you see a tall woman over there? B: I do. Do you mean to say that’s your mother? But she looks more like your sister. So young. A: She does. She looks young for her age. B: Fantastic. I envy her. She’s got the looks. So long-legged and slim. Quite gorgeous. Beautiful eyes and a kind smile. Looks like she has a sense of humour but trying to look serious. A: She does a lot to keep fit. Shaping and dancing, you know. B: But it’s worthwhile. She is stunning. A real lady. 2.20. Express your agreement with the statements below using the structures So /Neither do/am I. You can speak about your friends or relatives. 1. Your brother is a frank and honest boy. He always says what's on his mind. 2. Your group mate Peter is hard to deal with. 3. Nelly is very reliable. 4. Gus looks a bit tired, weary and depressed. 5. Nick has a way with people. He is easy to deal with. 6. Katy is the very picture of her mother. Actually, she is the very image of her. 7. Kelly is good to look at: expressive eyes, a broad grin, nice-shaped lips. She is very trendy and chic. 8. Tom never keeps his word. 9. Your friend is nice and sweet. But he is not handsome. 10. These two brothers are so very much alike. You can not tell one from the other. 11. That chap is a bore. He's a bookworm. 12. My sister looks genuinely happy, joyful, and spontaneous. 13. My friend is always so pale, listless and depressed. 14. She is bright, but lazy and messy. She isn't doing well. 15. They are a perfect match. They never quarrel and are madly in love with each other. M 2.21. Answer the following questions, following the model below. odel: What does your brother look like? - Jimmy is a tall, thin, young man in his twenties. He is dark-haired, hazel-eyed and dark-skinned. 1. Do you like the way she wears her hair? 2. What sort of man is your teacher? 3. What kind of people do you like to deal with? 4. What kind of people do you like to travel with? 5. What kind of people do you like to work with? 6. What kind of people do you prefer to have a good time and to relax? 7. What does you sister/brother look like? Are you alike? 8. Why does John always complain about his life? 9. Do you approve of Richard’s way of behaviour? 10. How do you find my room-mate? 11. Who is your sister/brother like? 12. Who does your brother/sister look like? 13. What is your boyfriend/girlfriend like? I
b) Have you any sympathy with Mary’s views? What do you think a ‘conventional family” is like? Would you like to live in a commune? Discuss these questions in the class. nterviewer: What made you unhappy with conventional family life? Mary: Well, my parents got divorced when I was in my teens, so I didn’t have a very happy childhood. They always seemed to be fighting over money and trying to force each other to do things all the time. If one of them wanted a holiday, then there was no peace at home until we had a holiday, even if we couldn’t really afford one. Eventually they just went their own ways. Interviewer: So you went into a commune? Mary: Yes, here things are completely different. No one has to worry about anyone else. You can come and go as you please. You don’t feel any pressure on you to do things. You do things for each other because you want to, not because you have to. We share everything. Interviewer: Everything? Mary: Yes. No one has his or her own belongings. If I like the skirt one of my friends is wearing, then I can wear it the next day. We all wear each other’s clothes, and the food is shared by everyone. We all take it in turns to do the cleaning and the washing up, and to look after the children. Interviewer: Why don’t the parents look after the children themselves? Mary: Children are the responsibility of the commune as a whole. They are too important to be left to individual parents to look after. That’s why so many people have problems nowadays. Look at my parents for instance! M 2.23. Read the situation and follow the steps below. Work with a group. Then work with a partner. ark and Ellen are married. Michael is 30 years old. He works full-time. Ellen is 31 and works part-time. They have a three-year-old son named Sam. Michael wants to have another child. Ellen isn’t sure. They live in a small apartment in a big city. They pay a lot of money for rent. Prepare: Group 1: You are Michael. Make a list of reasons why you may want to have another child. Group 2: You are Ellen. Make a list of reasons why you may not want to have another child. Role-play: Work with a partner from the other group. Role-play a conversation between Michael and Ellen. Use the reasons on your lists. Try to make a decision about having another child. Discuss: Share your decisions with the class. How many pairs decided to have another child? How many decided not to? 2.24. Interview a friend, a neighbour, or a teacher. Ask the questions below. Take notes. You can begin with this: “May I ask you some questions about your family?” or “Do you mind if I ask you some questions about your family?” Questions:
If the answer is no … If the answer is yes … 2. Did you like being an only child 2. How many siblings do you have? What when you were younger? Do you are their names? like it now? Why or why not? 3. Are you the oldest, the youngest, or a 3. What’s the best thing about being middle child? an only child? What’s the worst thing? 4. When you were a child, did you like being the oldest? The youngest? 4. Why did your parents decide to A middle child? Why or why not? have only one child? Do you know their reason? 5. What was the best thing about being the oldest? The youngest? A middle 5. Did you ever feel lonely as a child? child? What was the worst thing about it? 6. Who did you play with? 6. Did you have a good relationship with 7. (your decision) _______________ your siblings when you were children? How about now? 7. (your decision) __________________
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. If you had a ten-year-old son/daughter, at what time would you expect him/her be in at night time? 2. If your son or daughter started smoking, would you try to dissuade (=make somebody decide not to do something) him or her at the age of 10? 15? 18? 3. Would you allow your teenage child to go on holiday alone with a friend of an opposite sex? 4. If you were having a glass of wine at home with a meal, at what age would you allow your child to have one? 5. Would you be upset if your son or daughter wanted to move out and live with a boyfriend or girlfriend without getting married, or would you simply regard it as “the modern thing to do”? b) Do some research in order to find out how the Russian family traditions and the way of life have changed over the last 50 years or so. Interview your older relatives on the issues listed below. 
(including the family members)
B. It was well-known that the other teachers loathed him.
B. Sometimes some time on my own is yearned for.
B. A lot of people are passionate about sports.
B. The first time I visited Venice, the city captivated me.
B. British people are quite fond of animals.
B. I fancy going to the cinema tonight.
B. From a young age I was keen on the idea of traveling.
B. To hearing from you soon I look forward.
B. It is a well-known fact that exams are dreaded by students.
WRITING P
aragraph 1 What does s/he look like? Paragraph 2 What is s/he like? Paragraph 3 What does s/he like doing? T
OPICS: Having a lot of brothers and sisters Being an only child Having an older relative living with you Both of your parents working Paragraph 1 Advantages (Firstly, … Secondly, … Above all, …) Paragraph 2 Disadvantages (On the other hand, For instance/ For example, …, Also … But the biggest disadvantage is …) Paragraph 3 Your conclusion/own opinion (To sum up/ In conclusion …) Other useful expressions: One advantage/disadvantage is that … On the one/ on the other hand … That’s true, but … I agree/ disagree because … 2.33. Describe a wedding ceremony in Russia. It can be a description of a common tradition or of some ceremony that you’ve ever attended
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нтересные факты свадебной церемонии Вы когда-нибудь задумывались, откуда пошла традиция "подружек невесты и свидетелей жениха" и почему их наряды практически не отличаются от одежды жениха и невесты? Эта традиция сохранилась с Древних времен. Римский закон требовал, чтобы десять свидетелей присутствовали на свадебной церемонии. Некоторые из этих свидетелей наряжались как жених и невеста и тем самым путали злых духов, которые могли навредить молодым. В Средние века Европейцы также следовали этой традиции, но более поздние "подружки невесты и свидетели жениха" защищали счастливую пару уже от реальных разбойников. Обменяйтесь душами в свадебном поцелуе. Да, именно поцелуй символизирует обмен душами между новобрачными. В древние времена римляне целовались при заключении крупных сделок. Именно поцелуй придавал сделке юридическую силу. Хорошо, что в современном мире достаточно рукопожатия! Поскольку, невеста, выходившая замуж в английской церкви, должна была сначала поцеловать министра (священника) прежде, чем она ц  еловала жениха. Вы когда-нибудь задавались вопросом, почему американцы носят обручальное кольцо на среднем пальце левой руки? Древние греки верили, что вена в этом пальце бежит непосредственно к сердцу. Сам обряд обручения дошел до наших дней благодаря Папе Римскому Иннокентию III, который в XIII веке ввел период ожидания между обручением и браком, и также обязал молодых использовать обручальные кольца на свадебной церемонии. Почему "тост"? Слово "тост", т.е. когда пьют за кого-то - пришло к нам из старой французской традиции, в которой кусок поджаренного хлеба (тост) клали в чашу с вином для аромата. Гости передавали чашу, и каждый пробовал вино с тостом. Вся эта традиция кажется довольно антисанитарной, но что-то волнующее в ней определенно есть. Брошенная подвязка. В День свадьбы невеста обязательно бросает в воздух какую-нибудь вещь на удачу: щепотку риса, букет цветов или подвязку. Традиция бросать подвязку появилась в старые добрые времена, до того, как подвенечные платья стали стоить почти как маленькие автомобили. Незамужние девушки отрывали кусочки от свадебных платьев для того, чтобы привлечь удачу и выйти замуж. В Англии существовала еще более странная традиция. Мужчины кидали свои носки в жениха, и первый, кто попадет ему в нос, женится следующим. Почему во время свадебной церемонии невеста традиционно стоит слева, а жених справа. Эта традиция уходит корнями в далекие темные времена, когда каждый настоящим мужчина носил при себе меч, чтобы защитить себя и свою невесту. Его правая рука всегда должна была быть свободной, чтобы он мог с легкостью обнажить меч в случае опасности. Свеча Единства. Вероятно самая яркая свадебная традиция американцев - это зажигание свечи единства - когда два огонька превращаются в одно единое пламя. Хинди. На традиционной индусской свадьбе нет белых платьев. Невеста здесь носит сари. Причем на Свадьбу невеста приходит в сари, приготовленном ее родителями, а уходит, в сари, подаренном ей женихом. Ислам. Это старая Исламская традиция - красить руки молодых хной в ночь перед Свадьбой - к сожалению, не часто используется теперь. Мало того, что украшенные руки выглядят очень красиво и помогают новобрачным узнавать друг друга, так еще эти украшения (menhdi) позволяют определить, кто в семье главный. Если жених не сможет прочитать свое имя на ладони у невесты, значит, она будет главой в их семье. Unit 3. People Around Me. My Friends and Myself  A life without a friend is a life without a sun. German proverb A friend in need is a friend indeed. English proverb Recommended grammar: Determiners. Articles and nouns. Be worth doing. Present tenses. Word order. BUILDING-UP YOUR VOCABULARY W
which of them you would call a friend? Which one do you think many North Americans would call a friend? How do you call these people in Russian? b) Do the assignment after the text. In English? ho is a Friend? Some have a lot of friends and some have just a few. Some meet and talk with their friends almost every day. Others see them just once a month. There are friendships that end because a person moves away, and there are friendships that last across long distances and over many years until the end of life. And who is your friend? Americans and Canadians have special relationship with people they consider their good friends. But they often use the simple word friend loosely. (That is why some visitors sometimes get the false impression that North Americans do not have deep friendships.) North Americans call many people their friends – even people they’ve known for a short time or people they see once in a blue moon (=very rarely, not frequently). In fact, they sometimes refer to any person they get along with (do not fight with) as a friend. Which of the following people would you call a friend?
a 3.2. Besides friends, there are many other forms of people’s relationships. Match the words describing such relationships a-e with the definitions 1-5. . acquaintances b. classmates c. co-workers d. colleagues e. neighbours
3.3. a) Explain the meaning of each word in the box in English. Consult a dictionary if necessary. b) Complete the sentences with the words from the box. Some words must be used more than once. c) For each word from the list find an example from among your friends and the people you know.
1. She comes from the same country as me. She’s my ... . 2. We carried on our friendship through letters. He was my ... . 3. I’d rather not make the journey alone. I need a traveling ... . 4. He and I own this business together. He is my ... . 5. She didn’t know what the homework was, so she asked her class-... . 6. I’ve known George for ages. We are really good old friends who spend a lot of time together. He is my ... . 7. Henry wants the manager’s job and so do I. He is my ... . 8. Wanted: sensible, well-mannered girl to act as an old lady’s ... . 9. She used to be John’s girl-friend. She is his ... . 10. The assistant to a plumber, electrician or lorry driver is known as his ... . 11. In the darkness the soldier couldn’t see whether the approaching figure was a friend or ... . 12. She teaches in the same school as I do. She is my ... . 13. He seems a good friend when things are going well, but when I’m in trouble he’s nowhere to be seen. I’m afraid he’s a ... . 14. He’s the person to whom I tell my most personal thoughts, problems and fears. He’s my ... . 15. If you can’t afford to live on your own, you’ll have to find a flat ... . 16. I don’t really know him very well. He’s just my ... . 17. I just meet him occasionally when his firm and my firm work together. He’s just a business ... . 3.4. Explain the difference. 1. to know someone/ to meet someone 2. a friend/ a colleague 3. a friend/ a girlfriend 4. a girlfriend/ a female friend 5. a partner/ a couple 6. a close friend/ a best friend 7. a friendship/ a relationship i 3.5. a) Put these adjectives of personality in the chart below. ntelligent stupid tense even-tempered crafty optimistic bright envious introverted clever foolish able sensitive easy-going sincere smart half-witted dumb sociable ill-mannered cunning shrewd simple honest discourteous silly relaxed sensible brainless pessimistic cruel trustworthy gifted daft gregarious talented reliable jealous brainy dim argumentative sly extroverted quarrelsome
b) Make up groups of synonyms and antonyms from the list of the adjectives above. a 3.6. Decide if these adjectives of personality apply more to men or women. Form their opposites and put them in the chart. Which adjectives don’t have exact opposite? mbitious bossy communicative faithful honest imaginative jealous logical mature organized patient possessive reasonable responsible selfish sensitive sociable tidy vain
d 3.7. Some characteristics can be either positive or negative depending on your point of view. The words in the right-hand column mean roughly the same as the words in the left-hand column except that they have negative rather than positive connotations. Think of people you know who can be characterized using either positive or negative characteristics. etermined - obstinate, stubborn, pig-headed thrifty/ economical - miserly, mean, tight-fisted self-assured - self-important, arrogant, full of oneself assertive - aggressive, bossy original - peculiar, weird, eccentric, odd frank/direct/open - blunt, abrupt, brusque, curt broad-minded - unprincipled, permissive generous - extravagant i 3.8. a) Match up the definitions on the left (1-25) with the correct idiom on the right (a-y). b) Draw your own illustration of one of the descriptive words or phrases from the chart. Then explain why you would (or wouldn’t) like to have a person with this quality as a friend. nnocent - naïve/naïve [na:'i:v] ambitious - pushy
S 3.9. a) The following is a list of colloquial names for various social types of people you can meet at a party or elsewhere. Use the most suitable word from below to complete each of the description below. b) Think of your own examples to fit each social type. ocial types: wet blanket Don Juan ['don'd3u:әn] gate crasher wall flower social climber good mixer gossip chatterbox femme fatale life and soul of the party A. He’s very lively and the centre of any group he is in. People always have a good time with him. He is the ... . B. She is confident and interested in other people. She likes to meet different kinds of people. She is a ... . C. She is so negative and boring. She has a depressing effect on any group of people she is in. She is a ... . D. He goes to parties and other occasions without an invitation. He just walks in. He is a ... . E. Unfortunately, nobody asks her to dance. She just stands there hoping. She is a .. F. She just can not stop talking. She goes on and on excitedly, about totally unimportant things. She is a ... . G. She loves to discuss and pass on news or rumours about people’s private lives. She is a … . H. She is dangerously attractive to men. Half the men she meets fall in love with her. But she never falls in love with anyone. She is a ... . I. He knows he is attractive to women. They always fall for him. He has a lot of girl friends. He is a ... . J. She is very conscious of her social position. She is always trying to improve it by meeting ‘upper-class’ people. She is a ... . 1 3.10. a) In Thailand, friends of the same sex often walk down the street, arm in arm, but friends of the opposite sex never touch each other in public. This is the opposite of North American customs. Read the selection to learn more about the Thai idea of friendship. b) Express your ideas about the title of the text. Can you classify your friends as “die” and “eating” friends? c) Scan the text to find the information to do the assignment below. . A word that begins with p and means the opposite of public:_____ 2. A verb that begins with s and means ‘give something away’:_____ 3. Another way of saying older:_________ 4. A synonym for meet: _______ 5. A two-word phrase that means without planning to: __________ 6. A synonym for similar that starts with a: _______________ 7. A synonym for confused that starts with p: _____________ “Die Friends” and “Eating Friends” by David C.Cooke The Thais do not usually ask questions of a personal nature, though in some Asian countries this is considered not only quite proper but polite. The Thais feel, instead, that if anyone wishes to tell them anything about his private life, he will do so without being questioned. This sometimes strikes Westerners as a lack of interest, but to the Thais it is only proper courtesy. One day I was out with Manoon Wongkomolshet and we met a friend of his. The two men talked for a few minutes before saying good-bye. When Manoon and I were alone again, he told me he had gone to school with the other man and had known him for many years. I asked “Does he have many children?” “I don’t know”, Manoon replied. “He never told me, and I never asked.” Friendships play an important role in the life of the Thai people. Among men, friends are often described as ‘die friends’ or ‘eating friends’. The ‘die friendship’ is an ideal that is not often realized today, however, for it requires a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the friend. Instead of using each others’ names, men often refer to each other as Pee or Nong. Pee means Younger Brother. There is also a similar friendship between girls. One night at a party I was introduced to a young lady who had come in with another girl. The one I was talking with was named Kanjan, and I found out later that the other girl was named Soy. As Kanjan and I talked, I asked her about Soy, and she said, “She is my sister. We came to Bangkok from the north, and we are living together here.” Several days later I encountered Kanjan again, by accident, in a store. She was alone, and I asked her about her sister. “My sister is fine,” she said. “But she could not come shopping with me. She had something else to do.” After a while I said, “You know, I would never have taken you two for sisters. You really don’t look anything alike. I don’t see any similarity at all.” “We don’t have the same mother and father,” Kanjan said. “That is the reason.” “But you said you were sisters,” I replied, puzzled. “How can that be?” 3.11. a) Read the text and match the italicized words with the meanings below. b) Ask 5 questions about the text. “Because all Thai people consider all other Thai people to be their brothers and sisters,” she said. “Soy and I would do anything for each other. We may not have had the same mother and father, but that does not matter. We are as close as true blood sisters could ever be.” 1. We began to speak angrily to each other. _______________ 2. A lot of things about us are the same. __________________ 3. When you know her better. __________________________ 4. We like the same kinds of things. _____________________ 5. We laugh at the same things. _________________________ 6. We have a good relationship. ________________________ 7. I can depend on her. _______________________________ 8. We contact each other regularly. _____________________ 9. We stopped going out together. _______________________ Just Good Friends? I’ll never forget our first meeting because it was quite romantic. I had two tickets for a concert in London, but at the last moment the girl who was going to go with me couldn’t come. So I went to the concert hall early to get my money back for one of the tickets. Paulina was standing in the queue. We started talking, and I found out that she was there for the same reason. My tickets were better than hers so I suggested that we sat in my seats and we gave her tickets back. After the concert we went for a drink and we’ve been friends ever since then. We’ve known each other for two years. After the first meeting we started going out together and we fell in love. Everything went really well at first, but after six months we started to argue a lot and finally we broke up, but we stayed close friends, which isn’t always easy. I think we get on well mainly because we’ve got the same sense of humour. We’ve got a lot in common – we like and dislike the same people and things, and we’ve got the same tastes in music. Our personalities are quite similar, too. Paulina seems quite shy when you first meet her, but when you get to know her, she’s really extrovert and funny. I think I call her my ‘best friend’ because she’s a person I can talk to about anything and I know I can trust her. Our friendship is very important to me. Nowadays, we only see each other about once a month because she’s studying at university and I’m working in London, but we keep in touch by e-mail all the time. Some people are surprised when I say that my best friend is a woman, especially my ex-girlfriend. But I think it’s perfectly possible for us to be ‘just good friends’, although maybe when one of us finds a new partner, it’ll be more difficult. I hope not. ACQUIRING COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1 3.12. Complete the following statements, making use of the words given in brackets. Explain your choice. . It's easy to deal with people who are ... . (cheerful, honest, polite, frank, fussy, efficient, rude, impatient, suspicious, foolish, cruel, obliging, unfair, stubborn, selfish) 2. I hate it when people ... . (have good manners, have bad manners, interrupt others, are not punctual, are too curious, don’t respect their elders, interfere with other people’s affairs, are always joking) 3. I think he is the right man for the job because he is ... . (lazy, efficient, hard-working, disciplined, absent-minded, capable, careless, attentive, impatient, smart, well-read, well-educated, well-traveled, stubborn, sociable) 4. When you get to know him better, you’ll see he’s … . (intelligent, selfish, naive, good for nothing, tight-fisted, hot tempered, forgetful, fussy, stubborn, pompous) 5. He ... and I like it about him. (has a subtle sense of humour, is a Don Juan, is a chatterbox, is the life and soul of the party, is understanding, always does what he promises, never lies, is a man of his word) 6. She ... and I don't like it about her. (pokes her nose in other people’s affairs, takes advantage of other people, likes to show off, thinks too much of herself, is always up to mischief, is too careless, stops at nothing when she wants to get something, thinks she is a femme fatale, is very self-confident) 7. You overestimate him. He's not so … as you think. (clever, bright, hard working, polite ) 8. I don't like the way she ... . (treats her friends, speaks to me, sings, dances, speaks English) A 3.13. Below are some very short dialogues about human nature. Work with a |