Are you, in fact, the sort of person who likes parties? Do this questionnaire and choose the answer closest to your own view.

1. What sort of people are you attracted by?

A Witty conversationalists

B Anyone

C Tall, brow-eyed beauties

D People with a past

2. It’s your hostess’s birthday so you decide to bring her a present. Is it …

A a bottle of expensive champagne?

B a plant you were given, but are not very fond of?

C a very large and expensive box of chocolates?

D an expensive kind of perfume you know she’s mad about?

3. When will you leave the party?

A 10 o’clock sharp!

B just after everybody else has gone.

C as soon as the beautiful dark-haired person you were hoping to meet has left.

D When you see the sun coming up.

4. At last you’ve met the person you were hoping would be at the party. How do you start your conversation?

A Where’ve you been all my life?

B Excuse me, do you know where the loo is please?

C Do you like parties?

D I collect stamps, what is your hobby?

5. A rather attractive person asks you what you’re interested in. You say:

A Learning foreign languages.

B Playing bridge.

C Windsurfing.

D Body language.

6. Somebody you really are not very keen on comes to talk to you. Do you …

A say you must go to the loo?

B Try to introduce them to someone else?

C Look over their shoulder and hope they will go away?

D Spill a little of your drink on them?

7. You are asked what kind of music you would like to hear.

A Something loud and fast.

B Something quiet and slow.

C Folk songs so that everyone can sing.

D Some Chopin so that you can hear each other speak.

8. While you are dancing to the very fast music, your partner’s jeans start to split down the back. What do you do?

A Say something immediately and help you partner out of the room.

B Wink to the others, but don’t tell her/him.

C Start laughing out loud and point so that everyone looks.

D Ignore it completely and wait for someone else to start laughing at them.

The scores to the quiz on “the party”1. a-4, b-1, c-0, d-1; 2. a-4, b-1, c-2, d-3; 3. a-0, b-3, c-1, d-4; 4. a-4, b-0, c-2, d-1; 5. a-0, b-1, c-4, d-3; 6. a-2, b-4, c-0, d-3; 7. a-1, b-3, c-4, d-2; 8. a-2, b-4, c-1, d-3. Results:0-10+ You really are a social outcast, aren’t you. Ask the others what you should do?11-19+ You are not exactly the life and soul of the party, aren’t you. Why not start thinking more about other people?20-27+ You are quite normal. Nobody would call you a crashing bore but then nobody thinks you’re a real sparkler either. Live a little, take a few more risks.28-32+ You are really the life and soul of every party. You must be in great demand, popular and likeable. Tell the others how you do it!

Appendix 2.

AS FIT AS A FIDDLE and the others:

As strong as an ox – very strong

As strong as nails – very unfeeling; able to bear hardships

As busy as a bee – very busy

As sure as fate – certainly

As hungry as a hunter – very hungry

As thick as thieves – very friendly: They didn’t like each other at first, but they’re thick as thieves now.

As old as the sea / as old as the hills –very old: My husband’s great-aunt is as old as the hills, but she ‘s very fit.

As slow as a snail –very slow: It’s no use to hurry him up, he’s as slow as a snail.

As frank as the day –quiteclear: There’s nothing to worry about, because everything is as frank as the day.

As brown as a berry –well tanned

As red as a lobster – very red (about skin): I’d like to get as brown as a berry, not as red as a lobster.

As blind as a bat –completely blind: Without his spectacles, he’s as blind as a bat.

As clear as a bell –very easy to hear: His voice was as clear as a bell, although he was phoning from South America.

As sound as a bell –undamaged and in very good condition – Although the boat was old, it was as sound as a bell.

As black as pitch – very dark: It was pouring with rain, and the night was as black as pitch.

As dry as a bone –completely dry: “Is the ground wet?” – “No, it’s dry as a bone.”

As tough as old boots -very tough or strong, esp. in health: He can walk in light clothes in winter , ‘cause he’s as tough as old boots.

As bold as brass –very bold, usu. impertinent – She walked in late as bold as brass.

As calm as a millpond –very calm – The sea was as clam as millpond.

As cold as charity – very cold – I was as cold as charity in the cinema.

As clean as a whistle –very clean or clearly: Everything in her kitchen was as clean as whistle.

As clear as crystal –very clear, easy to understand: The water was as clear as crystal. The instructions were as clear as crystal.

As clear as mud –not at all clear: He’s explained to me twice how to do it; but it’s still as clear as mud.

As regular as clockwork –perfectly regular(ly): He comes round for tea at half past 3 every afternoon, as regular as clockwork.

As lively as a cricket –very lively: My great-aunt is ninety-two, but she’s still as lively as cricket.

As fresh as a daisy –very bright, active: After a night without sleep we were exhausted, except Ann who was as fresh as a daisy.

as fresh as a cucumber – feeling well

as happy as the day is long –very happy, in how one is spending one’s time – In summer children spend their whole time in the orchards, as happy as the day is long.

as happy as a lark –very happy – The little girl spent the afternoon digging on the beach as happy as a lark.

as happy as a sand-boy –very happy and cheerful – My husband is as happy as a sand-boy when he’s working on his car.

as dead as a/the dodo –completely dead or no longer fashionable, useful, popular – That kind of hairstyle is as dead as a dodo.

as dull as ditchwater –very boring or uninteresting – The lecture was as dull as ditchwater.

as pure as the driven snow –completely pure – I don’t care whether she’s evil or as pure as the driven snow.

as drunk as a lord –very drunk – He went out to a reunion last night and came home as drunk as a lord.

as easy as falling off a log –very easy – The machine is so well-designed that learning how to use it is as easy as falling off a log!

as fit as a fiddle –extremely healthy – He is eighty-eight, but he is as fit as a fiddle.

as good as gold –(usu. of children) – very well-behaved – Their little girl is as good as gold when they take her out visiting.

as mad as a hatter – utterly crazy, completely insane – He is very clever but as mad as a hatter.

as safe as houses –completely safe – I know the children are as safe as houses when Gillian is looking after them.

as keen as mustard –very eager or enthusiastic – My young son only took up skiing last year, but he’s as keen as mustard and skies every weekend now.

as weak as a kitten –very weak – She was as weak as a kitten after her illness.

as large as life –in person, actually – I went to the party and there was John, as large as life.

as quick as lightening –very quickly – The dog grabbed the meat and was out of the shop as quick as lightening.

as stubborn as a mule –very stubborn: You will not persuade her to change her mind – she is as stubborn as a mule.

as near as dammit (inf.) –very nearly: Our jumble sale raised $500 as near as dammit.

as (a)like as two peas –exactly alike: The twins were as like as two peas.

as proud as a peacock –very proud – The child was as proud as a peacock as she showed me her knitting.

as plain as a pikestaff –very clear or obvious – It’s as plain as a pikestaff that he was embarrassed.

as pleased as Punch –very happy or pleased – He was as pleased as Punch when we all said how good his cooking was.

as stiff as a poker –very stiff – On frosty days the clothes-line is as stiff as a poker.

as deaf as a post –very deaf: My uncle won’t hear us – he’s as deaf as a post.

as right as rain –perfectly all right, completely well – Your daughter has a slight cold. Keep her in bed and she’ll be as right as rain in a couple of days.

as thin as a rake –very thin – Since his illness he has been as thin as a rake.

as sharp/keen as a razor –1) very sharp – The edge of the leaf was as keen as a razor and cut my hand.

2) very quick-witted and intelligent – She is ninety-nine years old, but her mind is still ass sharp as a razor.

as steady as a rock –very steady and unmoving – Although he had had quite a lot of drink, his hand was as steady as a rock.

as white as a sheet –very pale – He was as white as a sheet after the accident.

as ugly as sin –very ugly – She’s very beautiful, but I won’t still love her If she was as ugly as sin !

as warm as toast –very warm: My new coat keeps me as warm as toast.

(to be) as good as one’s good– держать свое слово

like a fish out of water -in an awkwardsituation

Appendix 3.