Introductory reading and talk
INTRODUCTORY READING AND TALK
Marriage is a thing which only a rare person in his or her life avoids. Truebachelors andspinsters make up only a small percent of the population; most singlepeople are"alone but not lonely".
Millions of othersget married because of the funof family life.And it is fan, if one takes it with a sense of humor.
There's a lot of fun infalling in love with someone and chasing the prospectivefiancee, which meansdating andgoing out with the candidate. All therelatives (parents, grandparents andgreat-grandparents, brothers andsisters, cousins, aunts anduncles, nieces and nephews, stepmothers andstepfathers and allin-laws) meanwhile have the fan of criticizing your choice and giving advice. The trick here is not to listen to them butpropose to yourbride-to-be and somehow get her to accept yourproposal. Then you may arrange theengagement andfix the day of the wedding.
What fun it is to get all those things, whose names start with the word "wedding" —dress, rings, cars, flowers, cakes, etc.! It's great fun to pay for them.
It's fun for thebride and thegroom to escape from the guests and go on ahoneymoon trip, especially if it is awedding present from the parents. The guests remain with the fun of gossiping whether youmarried for love or for money.
It's fan to return back home with the idea that the person you are married to is somewhat different from the one you knew. But there is no time to think about it because you arenewly-weds and youexpect a baby.
There is no better fan for ahusband than taking hiswifeto amaternity home alone and bringing her back with thetwinsortriplets.
And this is where the greatest fan starts:washing the new-born's nappies andpassing away sleepless nights, earning money to keep the family, taking children to kindergarten and laterto school. By all means it's fan toattend parents' meetings and to learn that your childrentake after you and don'tdo well at school.
The bigger your children grow, the more theyresemble you outwardly and the less they display likeness with you inwardly. And you startgrumbling at them and discussing with your old friends the problem of the"generation gap". What fan!
And when at last you and your grey-hairedspouse start thinking that your family life has calmed down, you haven'tdivorced butpreserved your union, the climax of your fan bursts out!
One of your dearestoffsprings brings a long-legged blonde to your house and says that he wants to marry. And you think: 'Why do people ever get married?'
1. Choose one of the names in the family tree below and say how the person is related to other people. Note that the pictures of marriage partners are connected with wedding rings.
►Pattern: William Luke is Leon Luke's son, Philip Smith's nephew and Laura White's grandson
.
2. Make up your family tree and speak about your family.
3. Work in pairs and talk. Imagine that:
a) you are speaking with a distant relative trying to find out what relation you are to one another;
b) you show your family album to your friend and answer all his or her questions.
Imagine the following situation. Your parents have chosen a mate for you. They insist that you should marry the person they have found. How would you react? What do you think of arranged marriages in India and other oriental countries? Can an arranged marriage work?
Use the following expressions:
It is all very well, but...
One can never tell with ...
What have/has they/it got to do with ...
There would be no harm in ...
I don't see how ...
Imagine my surprise to ...
Even had I wished it ...
No wife, no ...
The Family
1 Look at the picture and then put the correct words in the sentences: son, aunt, niece ,cousins, husband, daughter, children, sister, nephew, parents, brother.
a) Bill is Vera’s _________, so of course she’s Bill’s _______
b) Di and Don's __________are Kate and Bob.
c) Bill and Vera have two _______, Ray and Kate.
d) Jill and Joe are Di and Don's ___________ .
e) Bob is Jill and Joe's_______. Kate is their _____
f) Jill is the ___________of Kate and Bob. Joe is their _________
g) Ray and Amy have a _____, Jill is Joe’s _________
h) Joe is Jill’s and Jill is Joe’s ____________.
2 Instructions as above:
Grandson, grandparents, father-in-law, grandchildren, brother-in-law, grandfather, granddaughter , grandmother, mother-in-law, son-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law
(a) Sill and Vera have four ___________
(b) Bill and Vera are the ________ of Joe, Jill, Di and Don.
(c) Don is Bill's_________. Bill is Don's .
(d) Vera is Di's_________. Di is Vera's __________.
(e) Amy isn't the daughter of Bill and Vera. She's their__________
(f) Sill is Amy's ______________and Vera is her__________ .
(g) Kate isn't Amy's real sister. She's her ________ .
(h) Bob is Ray's _____ and he's the of Bill and Vera.
3 Give the following relationships, e.g. Ray and Di = uncle and niece
(a) Di and Don
(b) Bob and Di
(c) Vera and Ray
(d) Don and Joe
(e) Kate and Jill
(f) Ray and Don
Ex. 1. Read the following short passage and compare the wedding traditions in Russia and Great Britain. Say what is different and what they have in common. Speak about interesting wedding ceremonies in other countries.
Wedding Superstitions
In England the wedding preparations, ceremony and feast have all become loaded with ritual practices to ward off evil and bless the marriage with fortune and fertility.
The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for weddings. The tradition that the bride's parents should pay for the wedding dates from two or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would pay an eligible bachelor to take an unmarried daughter off their hands in exchange for a large dowry. At most formal weddings, brides still get married in vilginal white — many other colours are considered unlucky.
A bride will also ensure that her wedding outfit includes "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue". "Old" maintains her link with the past; "new" symbolizes the future; "borrowed" gives her a link with the present; and "blue" symbolizes her purity.
Even a modem bride will observe the taboos about wearing her dress before the ceremony. The groom mustn't see her in it until she enters the church. The veil should be put on for the first time as she leaves for the church.
It's a lucky omen if the bride should see a chimney sweep on her way to church. Sometimes a sweep is paid to attend the ceremony and kiss the bride - a relic of the idea that soot and ashes are symbols of fertility.
After the ceremony, the couple are showered with confetti. One old custom was for the bride and sometimes the groom to negotiate some obstacle as they left the church — guests would impede them with ropes of flowers, for example, or with sticks that had to be jumped over.
After that the bride is faced with the feast. The most important item is the wedding cake, whose richness symbolizes fertility, just as it has done since Roman times. Today, the first slice is cut by the bride to ensure a fruitful marriage.
(from "Reader's Digest")
Ex.2.Agree or disagree with the following statements. Give your reasons.
1. The husband should be more intelligent than the wife.
2. Spouses should be alike.
3. Money often keeps people together.
4. Marriage should be compulsory for everybody.
5. The best wife is a housewife.
6. The marriage contract is incompatible with romantic love.
► Use:
For agreement:
I couldn't agree more ...
That's just what I was thinking...
You know, that's exactly what
I think...
I agree entirely...
That's a good point ...
For disagreement:
Yes, that's quite true, but...
I'm not sure I quite agree ...
Perhaps, but don't you think
that ...
Well, you have a point there,
but...
I see what you mean, but,..
For more categorical and informal disagreement:
I can't agree with you there.
You can't be serious!
Come off it!
Don't be so silly!
Ex.3.Bring pictures of your close or distant relatives. Show them to the class. Tell the class about a memorable event in the life of your relatives.
Ex.4. Translate the text.
Я ищу себе жену. Какой она должна быть?
Я не требую от неё интересной внешности. Пусть у неё будет только стройная фигура и красивое лицо.
Она должна быть весёлой, когда я шучу. И шутить, когда я прихожу домой навеселе.
Меня не интересует её жилплощадь. Главное — чтобы она была большая.
Не интересует меня и её зарплата. Лишь бы она была больше моей.
А вот расходы на свадьбу — поровну; половину внесёт она, а другую — её родители.
Я уверен: когда мы поженимся, у нас появятся общие интересы. Если, например, она не захочет идти со мной на футбол, то мы останемся дома и будем смотреть по телевизору хоккей.
Я буду заботиться о её здоровье. Чтобы к ней не попадало спиртное, табачное, мучное и сладкое, я буду всё это уничтожать сам.
Она будет у меня одеваться как богиня: просто и недорого.
Я возьму на себя часть её работы, если, конечно, она возьмёт на себя всю мою.
Мне не важно, как она будет готовить. Лишь бы это было вкусно. И необязательно, чтобы это была только русская кухня. Здесь у неё полная свобода: сегодня кухня грузинская, а завтра — венгерская утром и китайская вечером.
Я ищу себе жену.
Я готов отдать ей полжизни, если она отдаст мне свою целиком.
Если её не будут удовлетворять мои требования, пусть ищет себе нового мужа.
Вот уже много лет я ищу себе жену.
(из "Литературной Газеты")
II. Say what you think of this man looking for an ideal wife. Does he strike you as an ideal husband?
Ex.5.Study the following marriage advertisements and write one of your own.
1. Red-haired green-eyed lovely lady 33, busy social life, lots of friends, is looking for a special man to love and marry with style, sense of fun and who is likely to enjoy the same.
2. Cheerful professional female, 30, seeks intelligent humorous, preferably tall male (similar age) for hopefully long-term relationship.
3. Tall, generously constructed attractive woman (36) graduate professional keen on history, music, smoking seeks tall, attractive, cultured man for friendship, perhaps more.
4. Non-boring accountant (39), divorced with two (b + g)* children in house — seeks lady in similar circumstances. Object: to live life to the full.
5. Workaholic professional seeks good woman 25—40 to cure him. 5.5'11 inches unattached, non-smoker, likes travel, languages, music, theatre, sailing, flying. Photograph appreciated.
6. Professional male, 24, tall, cheerful, presentable, solvent seeks female for caring and lasting relationship.
Ex.6Read and translate the text
“The longest married couple celebrate 77 years of marriage”
Fred and Olive Hodges, who have been married for 77 years in April, are about to enter the Griminess Book of Records as the UK's longest married couple. The couple first met in 1915, then were separated by the First World War. They met "again in 1919 and feIl in love. They get engaged and married - but only after six years, when they had saved £600 to buy their first house.
The couple, who are both 102; met in their teens as they skated on a frozen river in Northampton in 1915. Fred had left school at 15 and started work for the local gas company; Olive had left at 14 -and worked in a leather factory.
'I wasn't really interested at the time, I just wanted to have fun on the ice,' said Olive. 'Fred came up behind me and knocked me down. He told me years later that he did it because he wanted to pick me up. But, three years later, when he was 18, Fred joined the army and was soon fighting in France. Many of his comrades were killed. Fred published a book of his memories, Men of 18 in 1918,, in 1988. In his book he described how a sudden silence signaled that war was over. 'Now I knew I was going to have a life after all.'
Back home in Northampton, Fred renewed his friendship with Olive. The couple had a six-year engagement before their marriage. They had two children, John and Brenda. Fred became chief cashier at the gas company. Olive stayed at home while the children grew The couple now have grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren - the latest just two years old. Two years ago they had to leave their own home because of Fred's poor health. They now live together in an old people's home in Wellsborough, Leicestershire.
'We have lots of lovely memories but the birth of our two children is the most special,' said Olive. And the best decade for me was when Fred retired in the 1960s. His retirement just meant we could spend more time together. I love Fred so much. I don't know what I would do without him.'
Their son, John, 73, a retired professor of genetics who lives in Austria, is full of praise for his parents: 'They are completely devoted to each other,' he said. 'And my sister and I could not have more loving parents.'
'My mother gave up her life for her family and home. Our parents opened doors of opportunity for us which they never had themselves and encouraged us to go through them.'
Topical vocabulary
Surname
Namesake
Maiden name
Call smb after
Be born
Be 16 years old
Under 16
Over 16
Middle aged/elderly person
Be of the same age
No older than
5 years older/younger
Carry one’s age well
Have roots at (be /come from)
Birthplace
Husband/wife
Mother in law/ father in law
Brother in law / sister in law
Daughter in law/ sister in law
Family man
Adopt
Bring up
A widow
A widower
An orphan
A spinster/ a bachelor
Be pregnant/ carry a child
Be related to smb
Relative
Parents
Mother/ father
Stepmother/ stepfather
Godfather/ Godmother
Ancestors
Grandparents (grandmother/grandfather)
Grandchildren (grandson/granddaughter)
Aunt
Uncle
Cousin
Nephew
Niece
Son
Daughter
Stepson
Stepdaughter
Twins
Take after
Resemble
Be the image of
Descend from
A date
To court smb
Fall in love
To propose to smb
To be engaged to smb
Engagement
Fiancé
To marry smb
To be married
Newly wed
Honeymoon
Divorce
To get a divorce
Text. Appearance
Appearances are deceptive. It is a common truth; practically everyone has met at least someone whosecharacter and appearance differ radically.
When one sees atall, broad-shouldered youth, one expects him to bestrong-willed andbrave. One thinks: 'Amodel to follow!' How often agood-looking individual turns out to bepetty, weak-willed or evencowardly. Then one thinks: 'Amediocrity!'
At the same time everyone knows that a lot of great people were of a poor build: short andfragile. It did not stop them fromdisplaying intelligence andcourage. Ingenuity does not depend on one's complexion or constitution.
Plumporfat people create an impression ofgenerous andkind personalities. Strangely enough, not rarely they may bethrifty or evengreedy. One usually thinks: 'Ascrooge!'
On the other hand,thin or slim nervous ladies often tend to be lavish. They like to buy and never think twice when they pay. One thinks: 'I would call heropen-handed and Mother would call her a spendthrift'. Yes, mothers are alwaysstricter in judgements.
Has it ever happened to you that you come to an important office and see an important boss? You immediatelyevaluate his looks: 'Round-faced, small narrow eyes, dimples on the cheeks and anupturned nose. What akind-hearted person! A simpleton!' You tell the boss of your troubles and expect immediate help. But the boss appears to berude, harsh and wilful. You never get your help and think: 'Astone heart and aniron fist'.
When someone sees adelicately built pretty blondewithcurly hair, blue eyes,astraight noseanda high forehead,one is inclined to think that thebeautyisintelligentandnice.It may be disappointing to think later 'What a stupid, capricious, impolite bore!'
On the contrary, whenone sees askinny brunette withugly irregular features — a hooked nose, pointed chin, close-set eyes and
thin lips, strange thoughts come to one's head; because it is theimage of evil people — cruel andcunning . It may be a relief some time later to find her aclever, gentle andgood-mannered lady and think: 'What charm! A heart of gold!'
Another general misconception lies in the fact that children are always expected toresemble their parents. And parents like it when childrentake after them. Relatives like to comparemoles, theshape of noses, etc. The greatest compliment is:"They are as like as two peas'. The greatest disappointment is tofind nothing in common. We want to deny people theirexclusiveness, we don't want to admit that nature has selected other options from an enormousgenetic funddeveloped over generations. Why do we like ourcopies? Who knows!
Nature likes to play tricks on us. But don't you think it is a present on the part of nature? Life becomes not a boring routine, but a brilliant kaleidoscope of characters and appearances which often clash.
1. Do you agree that appearances are deceptive? Tell your classmates about your own experience.
2. Do you think it is worth judging by appearances? Give your reasons.
3. Look at the pictures below and choose the right word from the lists to describe the shape of one's face, eyes, nose, chin, lips, forehead.
Face:
a) oval b) round c) long d) square
Eyes:
a) almond b) slanting c) round d) narrow
Nose:
a) aquiline b) hooked c) straight d) upturned
Chin:
a) protruding b) split c) double d) pointed
Lips:
a) thin b) plump c) thick d) heart-shaped
Forehead:
a) wrinkled b) narrow c) balding d) high
4. Find people among your relatives who resemble one another. Describe their appearance.
5. Say a few words about your character. Do you take after your parents?
Pick out the necessary words and word-combinations which you would choose to describe people in the pictures below.
1) good-looking/plain/attractive/handsome/ugly/beautiful;
2) to be of medium height/tall/short;
3) slim/slender/stout/plump/fat/stooping/narrow-shouldered /broad-shouldered/long-armed/long-legged;
3) round/oval/pale/red/sallow/pretty/fireckled face;
4) close-set/deep-set/slanting eyes;
5) upturned/fleshy/hooked/aquiline/straight nose;
6) finely-curved/thin/full/plump lips;
7) pointed/round/double/square chin;
8) grey/thin/wavy/curly/straight/short/long hair:
9) wear one's hair combed back/in plaits/done in a knot/ parted in the middle/on the right/left side.
Ex.7 Look at the students of your group and say:
1) who has the following type of hair
a) straight, long, short, curly, wavy;
b) fair, daric, blonde, black, brown, grey.
2) whose constitution can be characterized as:
a) short, tall, of medium height;
b) slim, plump, very thin.
3) whose complexion is: pate, daric, pink.
4) who has: plump cheeks, hallow cheeks, cheeks with dimples.
Ex.8 What would you think of a person who says:
1. Ladies first!
2. I can't control myself when I should keep quiet.
3. I'm not easily put off if I have made up my mind.
4. I don't care for him. He is inferior to me, you know.
5. Whatever she may say I won't lose my temper.
6. Darling! I never grudge you anything, be it clothes, money, a car.
7. I always feel sony for people who are in trouble.
8. I just love cucumbers with milk, Picasso's paintings and freckled faces.
9. I have got used to ten hours work every day.
10. I prefer to be in the company of other people and have a chat with them.
11. Whatever you may ask me to do for you, I will do it. What ever you may say, I will foigive you.
► Use:He must be ... She may be... He is likely to be ...
The words given below may help you:
Hard-working, original, sympathetic, quick-tempered, open-handed, arrogant, well-bred, sociable, obstinate, self-possessed, tolerant.
EX.9. Read the following descriptions от eight different people, and write their names in the appropriate box depending on their personality. The first one has been done as an example.
| A | В | С | D |
| Name: Betty | Name: | Name: | Name: |
| tetchy | reliable | stoical | mean |
| bossy | punctual | witty | obstinate |
| conceited | industrious | impulsive | generous |
| bigoted | timid | garrulous | changeable |
| bitchy | absent-minded | gregarious | obedient |
| E Name: | F Name: | G Name: | H Name: |
| optimistic independent cheerful artistic easy-going | intellectual suspicious pessimistic untidy lazy | romantic sensitive energetic creative adventurous | popular honest ambitious open-minded friendly |
1. My girlfriend Julie is always doing something. When she isn't making things with her hands, she is risking her life doing dangerous activities like parachuting or bungee jumping. She loves it when I buy her flowers, take her out or say nice things about her, but she gets very upset if I say anything horrible to her.
2. My sister Molly seems to be a different person every day! Sometimes she will be buying presents for everyone, and at other times she resents spending even the smallest amount of money. One day she will do whatever people tell her to do, the next day she refuses to even listen to them, especially once she's made her mind up about something.
3. Betty has a very high opinion of herself and is always saying nasty things about other people. She gets irritated very quickly and likes to tell people what to do. She also believes, often unreasonably, that she is right and best, especially in matters of religion, politics or race.
4. Charlie has always wanted to be a painter. He loves to do his own thing, and rarely loses his temper. He always seems to be happy, and has great hopes for the future.
5. Richard says he wants to be Prime Minister one day, but I doubt he would be a good politician. Why? Well, for a start he always tells the truth. Secondly, he gets on well with everybody, and everyone likes him. And above all, he is very tolerant of other people.
6. Mary is always expecting bad things to happen, and never trusts strangers. She never seems to do any work and her room is always a mess. She likes to spend her time reading academic textbooks.
7. Joanne is very sociable and enjoys the company of other people. She tends to talk a lot, but she often makes clever or amusing remarks. She often does things without thinking of the consequences, but always manages to remain calm when things go wrong.
8. Bob is easily frightened, especially of his boss, which is probably why he's never late for work. He is often so concerned with his own thoughts that he forgets things. On the other hand, he works hard and is somebody you can trust and depend on at all times.
Ex.10 Translate the phrases, paying special attention to the verbs of gestures.
1. Shrug your shoulders and turn your head to the left.
2. Shade your eyes with your left hand.
3. Press your right hand to your forehead.
4. Scratch your chin.
5. Fold your arms on your breast.
6. Knit your (eye)brows.
7. Nod your head.
8. Touch the tip of your nose with your thumb.
9. Brush your hair upward.
10. Point to the door with your forefinger.
11. Go to the door on tiptoe.
12. Touch your open palm.
13. Shake your forefinger in warning.
14. Lean your forehead against the back of your left hand.
15. Put your thumbs to your temples.
Ex.11 Fill in the articles:
1. ... master was... man about sixty years old with colourless eyes and white hair.
2. Ella is ... only daughter in... family, was... very good-looking girl, gay and clever.
3. In ... street Johnny saw... man. It was ... old Jew with ... black beard,... pair of deep black eyes stared out from his thin white face. His long black hair hung down across his forehead.
4. We sat talking in ... sitting-room when somebody knocked at... door and ... well-dressed gentleman with ... pleasant face entered ... room. "Here is ... picture of my wife," he said. And ... man showed us ... face of ... very beautiful woman with ... black hair and large dark eyes.
5. One sunny day in June two men were making their way towards... large lake.... first one was ... tall and strong man. Indeed, he looked ... real giant. His manner was ... little rude, but his face was very handsome. His companion was ... shorter man. His face was not handsome but there was something in it that won ... sympathies of people at once.
Ex.12 Choose the right word.
a) face, countenance, complexion
1. She was a tall lady with dark hair, dark eyes, and a pale and large forehead; her... was grave.
2. The girl was thin and had a sharp, bird-like ...
3. His ... expressed astonishment.
4. The lady praised the old gentleman's bronzed ...
5. He looked so funny that I found it difficult to keep my ...
6. He must have had bad news, flashed through Arthur's mind, as he looked anxiously at Montanelli's haggard...
7. A fair... is typical of all the women of this clan.
b) thin, lean, slender
1. Arthur was a ... little creature more like an Italian than an English lad.
2. She is rather... in the face.
3. His domed forehead, great moustache, ... cheeks, and long jaw were shaded from the sunshine by an old brown Panama hat.
4. The girl was not beautiful, her figure was too small and ...
5. The fellow was as ... as a rail.
6. I saw a small ... man with sunken cheeks weathered to a tan.
7. She looks ... after her illness.
8. She was a ... blue-eyed girl with thick golden plaits.
Ex.13 Supply the missing words:
1. A little frown appeared on the boy's ...
2. Arthur spoke in a strange indistinct...
3. He raised his ... suddenly from the ground, and she saw how strange their expression was.
| : |
4. The dreamy eyes deep blue under black ... were an inheritance from his mother.
5. He is a nice man, but his manners are rather...
6. My pupil was quite a child, perhaps seven or eight years old, delicately built with a pale small-featured ... and a mass of hair falling in curls to her....
Ex. 14. What do we call:
1. The face and its expression?
2. The natural colour and appearance of the skin (esp. the colour of the face)?
3. The joint between the two parts of the arm?
4. The hair on a man's upper lip?
5. The joint between the arm and the hand?
6. A small light-brown spot on the human skin (esp. on the face and hands)?
7. The hair on a man's face below the mouth?
8. The middle joint of the leg where the leg bends?
Ex. 15. Fill in the blanks with the words given in brackets.
wavy, broad, figure, handsome, shapely, complexion, voice, waist, thick, face
1. The colonel's face was cleanly shaven showing a bronzed ...
2. When I was nineteen years old, I was a ... young man. I was not very tall and had a well-made ... and a ... chest. My hair was ... and coal-black and eyes large and dark.
3. The man's dress was white and he wore a golden belt round his ...
4. Katrine was more beautiful than the rest. She was tall and dark and had a sweet face and fine eyes. Her figure was...
5. The newcomer was very tall, with a dark Spanish ..., fine expressive black eyes and curly hair, also black. His well-formed nose, thin lips and his fine figure impressed the company with the idea of something uncommon.
6. He was a tall elderly man, bronzed after his summer on the Black Sea with a thin.... He wore a very neat suit of cream-coloured silk and no hat. His gray hair was cut very short, but was still ...
7. He tried to disguise his... while speaking over telephone, but I recognized him.
white, turned-up, rosy, soft, fair, age, grey, small
1. Alice is thirteen years old. She is tall for her.... Her hair is ... and .... her eyes are ... and her cheeks are ...; she has a ... mouth and pretty ... teeth. But she has a ... nose and she does not like it.
yellow, long, nose
2. The girl was between nine and ten years old. She had ... legs and ... arms, two ... pig-tails, a freckled ... that turned up, and eyes that were almost green and almost brown.
Ex. 16. Read and translate the text.
The Brothers
(abridged from "A Woman of Substance" by Barbara T. Bradford)
"Come along, boys, this is Emma Haite. Mrs Harte." She led them to Emma, her face radiant. "This is David," she said, introducing the taller boy, "and this is Victor." The Kallinski boys shook hands with Emma, extended their greetings, and thanked her for coming to their father's aid. They crossed the room to the sofa and sat down together.
David and Victor Kallinski were as different in every way as two brothers could be. David, who was the elder at nineteen, was tall like his mother and well built. He had been blessed1 with her lovely blue eyes, and his face, handsome and open, had a suggestion of her Slavic bone structure. He had the same of black wavy hair his father's had once been and he had also inherited the older man's outward-going manner. David was a mover, a doer, ambitious, clever and driven. If there was a faint hint of cynicism in his alert blue eyes it was somewhat counteracted by generosity of his wide mouth and his friendly demeanour2. David was intelligent, intuitive, and excessively motivated towards one goal: success. He lived by one rule and one rule alone - the survival of the fittest. He not only intended to survive, but to survive in style and with wealth.
Victor, who was sixteen, was small, almost birdlike, and in this he resembled his father to some extent. He had his mother's straight shiny black hair, but otherwise he did not appear to physically favour3 either of them. His large eyes were soft and hazel in colour and his face was smooth and bland4 without any emphatic features, but he was pleasent-looking. His sober face mirrored his character, for Victor Kallinski was a gentle and reflective boy; and in one way his temperament was similar to his father's, he had a great forbearance and a deep understanding of human frailties, an understanding that was mature and remarkable in one so young. He was a thinker and a dreamer, and he had the soul of a poet. Victor was happiest when he was alone reading, or gazing at great paintings in the museum, of listening to the music of Mahler5 and Beethoven6. He was reserved of nature to a point of shyness and not given to conversing easily with anyone, especially strangers. Victor was looking at Emma from under his long dark lashes, a quiet smile playing around his mouth, thinking what a compassionate girl she must be, and how her actions today only reinforced his inherent belief that essentially mankind was good. Like his father, Victor was utterly without bitterness.
Topical vocabulary
Appearance
To look
To look like (resemble)
To take after smb
Attractive
Impressive
Good-looking
Pretty
Repulsive
Charming
Ugly
Lovely
Common
Beautiful
Plain nice
Usual
Handsome
Posture
Stooping
Slim
Solid
Delicate
Neat
Sturdy
Graceful
Strong
Feeble
Frail
Weak
Clumsy
Well-made
Ordinary
Superb
Lean
Fat
Slight
Stout
Bony
Slim
Plump
Slender
Short
Middle-sized
Tall
Head
Jaw
Cheekbones
chin
Shoulder
Arm
Elbow
Knee
Neck chest
Back
Belly
Waist
Hips
Ankle
Heel
Toe (toe nail)
Nail
Finger
Thumb
Wrist
Hair
Eye
Nose
Ear
Cheek
Tooth (teeth)
Chin
Forehead
Eyebrow
Eyelashes
Eyelids
Lip
Tongue
Mouth
Skin: pale
Dark
Tanned
Fair skinned
Freckles
Personality
Quality
Feature
Behavior
Vivacious
Sleepyhead
Cheerful
Amiable
Irritable
Obedient
Easy-going
Sensitive
Cool
Touchy
Arrogant
Clever
Sharp
Smart
Fool
Wise
Silly
Witty
Educated
Ignorant
Simple hearted
Coward
Brave
Courageous
Timid
Firm
Steady
Flexible
Stubborn
Persistent
Independent
Honest
Just
Sincere
False
Reliable
Sly
Haughty
Jealous
Harsh
Tender
Cruel
Hostile
Mean
Noble
Selfish
Polite/impolite
Scornful
Greedy
Wasteful
Responsible
Careless
Lazy
Disciplined
Idle
Dedicated
Awkward
Calm
Anxious
Nervous
Sad
Sorrowful
Joyful
Gloomy
Grim
Frustrated
Spots
Scar
Mole
Beard
Moustache
Curly
Wavy
Fringe
Shaved head
Bunche
Pony tail
Plaits
Bald
Wrinkles
Dwart
Grammar
INTRODUCTORY READING AND TALK
Marriage is a thing which only a rare person in his or her life avoids. Truebachelors andspinsters make up only a small percent of the population; most singlepeople are"alone but not lonely".
Millions of othersget married because of the funof family life.And it is fan, if one takes it with a sense of humor.
There's a lot of fun infalling in love with someone and chasing the prospectivefiancee, which meansdating andgoing out with the candidate. All therelatives (parents, grandparents andgreat-grandparents, brothers andsisters, cousins, aunts anduncles, nieces and nephews, stepmothers andstepfathers and allin-laws) meanwhile have the fan of criticizing your choice and giving advice. The trick here is not to listen to them butpropose to yourbride-to-be and somehow get her to accept yourproposal. Then you may arrange theengagement andfix the day of the wedding.
What fun it is to get all those things, whose names start with the word "wedding" —dress, rings, cars, flowers, cakes, etc.! It's great fun to pay for them.
It's fun for thebride and thegroom to escape from the guests and go on ahoneymoon trip, especially if it is awedding present from the parents. The guests remain with the fun of gossiping whether youmarried for love or for money.
It's fan to return back home with the idea that the person you are married to is somewhat different from the one you knew. But there is no time to think about it because you arenewly-weds and youexpect a baby.
There is no better fan for ahusband than taking hiswifeto amaternity home alone and bringing her back with thetwinsortriplets.
And this is where the greatest fan starts:washing the new-born's nappies andpassing away sleepless nights, earning money to keep the family, taking children to kindergarten and laterto school. By all means it's fan toattend parents' meetings and to learn that your childrentake after you and don'tdo well at school.
The bigger your children grow, the more theyresemble you outwardly and the less they display likeness with you inwardly. And you startgrumbling at them and discussing with your old friends the problem of the"generation gap". What fan!
And when at last you and your grey-hairedspouse start thinking that your family life has calmed down, you haven'tdivorced butpreserved your union, the climax of your fan bursts out!
One of your dearestoffsprings brings a long-legged blonde to your house and says that he wants to marry. And you think: 'Why do people ever get married?'
1. Choose one of the names in the family tree below and say how the person is related to other people. Note that the pictures of marriage partners are connected with wedding rings.
►Pattern: William Luke is Leon Luke's son, Philip Smith's nephew and Laura White's grandson
.
2. Make up your family tree and speak about your family.
3. Work in pairs and talk. Imagine that:
a) you are speaking with a distant relative trying to find out what relation you are to one another;
b) you show your family album to your friend and answer all his or her questions.
Imagine the following situation. Your parents have chosen a mate for you. They insist that you should marry the person they have found. How would you react? What do you think of arranged marriages in India and other oriental countries? Can an arranged marriage work?
Use the following expressions:
It is all very well, but...
One can never tell with ...
What have/has they/it got to do with ...
There would be no harm in ...
I don't see how ...
Imagine my surprise to ...
Even had I wished it ...
No wife, no ...
The Family
1 Look at the picture and then put the correct words in the sentences: son, aunt, niece ,cousins, husband, daughter, children, sister, nephew, parents, brother.
a) Bill is Vera’s _________, so of course she’s Bill’s _______
b) Di and Don's __________are Kate and Bob.
c) Bill and Vera have two _______, Ray and Kate.
d) Jill and Joe are Di and Don's ___________ .
e) Bob is Jill and Joe's_______. Kate is their _____
f) Jill is the ___________of Kate and Bob. Joe is their _________
g) Ray and Amy have a _____, Jill is Joe’s _________
h) Joe is Jill’s and Jill is Joe’s ____________.
2 Instructions as above:
Grandson, grandparents, father-in-law, grandchildren, brother-in-law, grandfather, granddaughter , grandmother, mother-in-law, son-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law
(a) Sill and Vera have four ___________
(b) Bill and Vera are the ________ of Joe, Jill, Di and Don.
(c) Don is Bill's_________. Bill is Don's .
(d) Vera is Di's_________. Di is Vera's __________.
(e) Amy isn't the daughter of Bill and Vera. She's their__________
(f) Sill is Amy's ______________and Vera is her__________ .
(g) Kate isn't Amy's real sister. She's her ________ .
(h) Bob is Ray's _____ and he's the of Bill and Vera.
3 Give the following relationships, e.g. Ray and Di = uncle and niece
(a) Di and Don
(b) Bob and Di
(c) Vera and Ray
(d) Don and Joe
(e) Kate and Jill
(f) Ray and Don
Ex. 1. Read the following short passage and compare the wedding traditions in Russia and Great Britain. Say what is different and what they have in common. Speak about interesting wedding ceremonies in other countries.
Wedding Superstitions
In England the wedding preparations, ceremony and feast have all become loaded with ritual practices to ward off evil and bless the marriage with fortune and fertility.
The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for weddings. The tradition that the bride's parents should pay for the wedding dates from two or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would pay an eligible bachelor to take an unmarried daughter off their hands in exchange for a large dowry. At most formal weddings, brides still get married in vilginal white — many other colours are considered unlucky.
A bride will also ensure that her wedding outfit includes "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue". "Old" maintains her link with the past; "new" symbolizes the future; "borrowed" gives her a link with the present; and "blue" symbolizes her purity.
Even a modem bride will observe the taboos about wearing her dress before the ceremony. The groom mustn't see her in it until she enters the church. The veil should be put on for the first time as she leaves for the church.
It's a lucky omen if the bride should see a chimney sweep on her way to church. Sometimes a sweep is paid to attend the ceremony and kiss the bride - a relic of the idea that soot and ashes are symbols of fertility.
After the ceremony, the couple are showered with confetti. One old custom was for the bride and sometimes the groom to negotiate some obstacle as they left the church — guests would impede them with ropes of flowers, for example, or with sticks that had to be jumped over.
After that the bride is faced with the feast. The most important item is the wedding cake, whose richness symbolizes fertility, just as it has done since Roman times. Today, the first slice is cut by the bride to ensure a fruitful marriage.
(from "Reader's Digest")
Ex.2.Agree or disagree with the following statements. Give your reasons.
1. The husband should be more intelligent than the wife.
2. Spouses should be alike.
3. Money often keeps people together.
4. Marriage should be compulsory for everybody.
5. The best wife is a housewife.
6. The marriage contract is incompatible with romantic love.
► Use:
For agreement:
I couldn't agree more ...
That's just what I was thinking...
You know, that's exactly what
I think...
I agree entirely...
That's a good point ...
For disagreement:
Yes, that's quite true, but...
I'm not sure I quite agree ...
Perhaps, but don't you think
that ...
Well, you have a point there,
but...
I see what you mean, but,..
For more categorical and informal disagreement:
I can't agree with you there.
You can't be serious!
Come off it!
Don't be so silly!
Ex.3.Bring pictures of your close or distant relatives. Show them to the class. Tell the class about a memorable event in the life of your relatives.
Ex.4. Translate the text.
Я ищу себе жену. Какой она должна быть?
Я не требую от неё интересной внешности. Пусть у неё будет только стройная фигура и красивое лицо.
Она должна быть весёлой, когда я шучу. И шутить, когда я прихожу домой навеселе.
Меня не интересует её жилплощадь. Главное — чтобы она была большая.
Не интересует меня и её зарплата. Лишь бы она была больше моей.
А вот расходы на свадьбу — поровну; половину внесёт она, а другую — её родители.
Я уверен: когда мы поженимся, у нас появятся общие интересы. Если, например, она не захочет идти со мной на футбол, то мы останемся дома и будем смотреть по телевизору хоккей.
Я буду заботиться о её здоровье. Чтобы к ней не попадало спиртное, табачное, мучное и сладкое, я буду всё это уничтожать сам.
Она будет у меня одеваться как богиня: просто и недорого.
Я возьму на себя часть её работы, если, конечно, она возьмёт на себя всю мою.
Мне не важно, как она будет готовить. Лишь бы это было вкусно. И необязательно, чтобы это была только русская кухня. Здесь у неё полная свобода: сегодня кухня грузинская, а завтра — венгерская утром и китайская вечером.
Я ищу себе жену.
Я готов отдать ей полжизни, если она отдаст мне свою целиком.
Если её не будут удовлетворять мои требования, пусть ищет себе нового мужа.
Вот уже много лет я ищу себе жену.
(из "Литературной Газеты")
II. Say what you think of this man looking for an ideal wife. Does he strike you as an ideal husband?
Ex.5.Study the following marriage advertisements and write one of your own.
1. Red-haired green-eyed lovely lady 33, busy social life, lots of friends, is looking for a special man to love and marry with style, sense of fun and who is likely to enjoy the same.
2. Cheerful professional female, 30, seeks intelligent humorous, preferably tall male (similar age) for hopefully long-term relationship.
3. Tall, generously constructed attractive woman (36) graduate professional keen on history, music, smoking seeks tall, attractive, cultured man for friendship, perhaps more.
4. Non-boring accountant (39), divorced with two (b + g)* children in house — seeks lady in similar circumstances. Object: to live life to the full.
5. Workaholic professional seeks good woman 25—40 to cure him. 5.5'11 inches unattached, non-smoker, likes travel, languages, music, theatre, sailing, flying. Photograph appreciated.
6. Professional male, 24, tall, cheerful, presentable, solvent seeks female for caring and lasting relationship.
Ex.6Read and translate the text
“The longest married couple celebrate 77 years of marriage”
Fred and Olive Hodges, who have been married for 77 years in April, are about to enter the Griminess Book of Records as the UK's longest married couple. The couple first met in 1915, then were separated by the First World War. They met "again in 1919 and feIl in love. They get engaged and married - but only after six years, when they had saved £600 to buy their first house.
The couple, who are both 102; met in their teens as they skated on a frozen river in Northampton in 1915. Fred had left school at 15 and started work for the local gas company; Olive had left at 14 -and worked in a leather factory.
'I wasn't really interested at the time, I just wanted to have fun on the ice,' said Olive. 'Fred came up behind me and knocked me down. He told me years later that he did it because he wanted to pick me up. But, three years later, when he was 18, Fred joined the army and was soon fighting in France. Many of his comrades were killed. Fred published a book of his memories, Men of 18 in 1918,, in 1988. In his book he described how a sudden silence signaled that war was over. 'Now I knew I was going to have a life after all.'
Back home in Northampton, Fred renewed his friendship with Olive. The couple had a six-year engagement before their marriage. They had two children, John and Brenda. Fred became chief cashier at the gas company. Olive stayed at home while the children grew The couple now have grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren - the latest just two years old. Two years ago they had to leave their own home because of Fred's poor health. They now live together in an old people's home in Wellsborough, Leicestershire.
'We have lots of lovely memories but the birth of our two children is the most special,' said Olive. And the best decade for me was when Fred retired in the 1960s. His retirement just meant we could spend more time together. I love Fred so much. I don't know what I would do without him.'
Their son, John, 73, a retired professor of genetics who lives in Austria, is full of praise for his parents: 'They are completely devoted to each other,' he said. 'And my sister and I could not have more loving parents.'
'My mother gave up her life for her family and home. Our parents opened doors of opportunity for us which they never had themselves and encouraged us to go through them.'
Topical vocabulary
Surname
Namesake
Maiden name
Call smb after
Be born
Be 16 years old
Under 16
Over 16
Middle aged/elderly person
Be of the same age
No older than
5 years older/younger
Carry one’s age well
Have roots at (be /come from)
Birthplace
Husband/wife
Mother in law/ father in law
Brother in law / sister in law
Daughter in law/ sister in law
Family man
Adopt
Bring up
A widow
A widower
An orphan
A spinster/ a bachelor
Be pregnant/ carry a child
Be related to smb
Relative
Parents
Mother/ father
Stepmother/ stepfather
Godfather/ Godmother
Ancestors
Grandparents (grandmother/grandfather)
Grandchildren (grandson/granddaughter)
Aunt
Uncle
Cousin
Nephew
Niece
Son
Daughter
Stepson
Stepdaughter
Twins
Take after
Resemble
Be the image of
Descend from
A date
To court smb
Fall in love
To propose to smb
To be engaged to smb
Engagement
Fiancé
To marry smb
To be married
Newly wed
Honeymoon
Divorce
To get a divorce
Text. Appearance
Appearances are deceptive. It is a common truth; practically everyone has met at least someone whosecharacter and appearance differ radically.
When one sees atall, broad-shouldered youth, one expects him to bestrong-willed andbrave. One thinks: 'Amodel to follow!' How often agood-looking individual turns out to bepetty, weak-willed or evencowardly. Then one thinks: 'Amediocrity!'
At the same time everyone knows that a lot of great people were of a poor build: short andfragile. It did not stop them fromdisplaying intelligence andcourage. Ingenuity does not depend on one's complexion or constitution.
Plumporfat people create an impression ofgenerous andkind personalities. Strangely enough, not rarely they may bethrifty or evengreedy. One usually thinks: 'Ascrooge!'
On the other hand,thin or slim nervous ladies often tend to be lavish. They like to buy and never think twice when they pay. One thinks: 'I would call heropen-handed and Mother would call her a spendthrift'. Yes, mothers are alwaysstricter in judgements.
Has it ever happened to you that you come to an important office and see an important boss? You immediatelyevaluate his looks: 'Round-faced, small narrow eyes, dimples on the cheeks and anupturned nose. What akind-hearted person! A simpleton!' You tell the boss of your troubles and expect immediate help. But the boss appears to berude, harsh and wilful. You never get your help and think: 'Astone heart and aniron fist'.
When someone sees adelicately built pretty blondewithcurly hair, blue eyes,astraight noseanda high forehead,one is inclined to think that thebeautyisintelligentandnice.It may be disappointing to think later 'What a stupid, capricious, impolite bore!'
On the contrary, whenone sees askinny brunette withugly irregular features — a hooked nose, pointed chin, close-set eyes and
thin lips, strange thoughts come to one's head; because it is theimage of evil people — cruel andcunning . It may be a relief some time later to find her aclever, gentle andgood-mannered lady and think: 'What charm! A heart of gold!'
Another general misconception lies in the fact that children are always expected toresemble their parents. And parents like it when childrentake after them. Relatives like to comparemoles, theshape of noses, etc. The greatest compliment is:"They are as like as two peas'. The greatest disappointment is tofind nothing in common. We want to deny people theirexclusiveness, we don't want to admit that nature has selected other options from an enormousgenetic funddeveloped over generations. Why do we like ourcopies? Who knows!
Nature likes to play tricks on us. But don't you think it is a present on the part of nature? Life becomes not a boring routine, but a brilliant kaleidoscope of characters and appearances which often clash.
1. Do you agree that appearances are deceptive? Tell your classmates about your own experience.
2. Do you think it is worth judging by appearances? Give your reasons.
3. Look at the pictures below and choose the right word from the lists to describe the shape of one's face, eyes, nose, chin, lips, forehead.
Face:
a) oval b) round c) long d) square
Eyes:
a) almond b) slanting c) round d) narrow
Nose:
a) aquiline b) hooked c) straight d) upturned
Chin:
a) protruding b) split c) double d) pointed
Lips:
a) thin b) plump c) thick d) heart-shaped
Forehead: