Reading comprehension exercises

1. a) Consult a dictionary and practise the pronunciation of the following words:

rigidly, nuisance, bouquet, chrysanthemums, transient, ex­hilarate, intransigence, awe, ensemble, casino, chord, delineate, syncopate, octave, vigorous, intricate, coon, minstrel.

B) Get together with another student. Listen to his/her reading. What recom­mendations would you give to correct any mispronunciations?

2. a) Read out aloud the following sentences from the text; divide them into intonation groups using proper intonation patterns; observe stresses, strong and weak forms. Make them sound rhythmically correct:

1. I am looking for a young woman of color whose name is Sarah, he said. 2. She is said to reside in one of these houses,

3. He was a stocky man with a red-complected shining brown face, high cheekbones and large dark eyes so intense as to sug­gest they were about to cross. 4. Mother, not thinking clearly, was suddenly outraged that he had presumed to come in the door. 5. The colored man took another glance at the child, rose, thanked her and departed. 6. One Sunday the colored man left a bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums which in this season had to have cost him a pretty penny. 7. Mother said he was well-spoken and conducts himself as a gentleman. 8. It was impor­tant, he said, for a musician to find a place that was permanent, a job that required no travelling. 9. He had heard it in his nightlife period in New York. 10. Well, he said, it appears as if Miss Sarah will not be able to receive me.

B) Get together with your partner. Listen to his/her reading, analyse possible variants in the intonation group division.

3. Complete the following sentences:

1. There is something nice in the way... 2. There is some­thing exciting in (about)... 3. There was something unusual....

4. This is the most the girl... 5. This was the most the man... 6. This will be the most the children... 7. Delicious or not the dinner... 8. Pleasant or not... 9. She was about to... 10. We are about to...

4. Paraphrase the following sentences using the speech patterns (p. 108):

1. He has a pleasant way of looking at her. 2. She has a poet­ical way of speaking. 3. This was the biggest meal David Cop­perfield had eaten for a week. 4. She had never before said any­thing so unpleasant to him. 5. No matter how tired she was she was always ready to give a helping hand. 6. We shall buy the piano whether it is expensive or not. 7. She was just leaving the house when the telephone rang. 8. She was on the point of tears when he suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Make up and act out dialogues using the speech patterns.

6. Translate the following sentences into English using the speech patterns:

1. Есть что-то странное в том, как она одевается. 2. Было что-то удивительное в том, как он это сказал. 3. Было что-то привлекатель­ное в том, как ребенок протянул цветы. 4. Она позвонит ему обяза­тельно. Но это самое большее, что она может сделать. 5. Она съела ломтик хлеба и снова уснула. Это было самое большее, что она съела за два дня. 6. Интересные рассказы или нет, их нужно прочи­тать. 7. Болезненная операция или нет, она обязательна. 8. Она со­бралась что-то сказать, но затем передумала. 9. Она собралась уже взять отпуск, когда заболел ее отец. 10. Она уже сидела у пианино, чтобы начать играть, когда зазвонил телефон.

Note down the sentences containing the phrases and word combinations (p. 109) and translate them into Russian.

8. Paraphrase the following sentences:

1. We are losing money right and left. 2. Days went past without any news. 3. Judge its size, please. 4. He presumed to tell his manager how the work ought to be done. 5. I don't mind living in the city but I regret being without my horse. 6.1 would never question his honesty. 7. She suffered the loss of her pu­pils' respect. 8. "I believe you like your job." "On the contrary, I hate it" 9. It's been proved to my satisfaction that you are tell­ing the truth. 10. "He is very knowledgeable about flowers," he said clearing his throat.