Long hair

1. Melissa, 21, a bakery assistant, whose locks are 32 inches long, “My hair reaches my waist but I would like to sit on it. So I intend to grow it another couple of inches. It gets me a lot of attention, particularly when I’m out nightclubbing and my hair lands in people’s drinks. Men love it, though. I have to wash my hair every night. It takes seven hours to dry it properly. I don’t use a hairdryer as it damages it and mum cuts it every six to eight weeks to neaten the ends. Occasionally I’m tempted to chop it all off but so far I have resisted the urge.”

a lock - прядь

to intend - намереваться

a couple – несколько, пару

nightclubbing - посещать ночной клуб

to neaten - приводить в порядок

to be tempted - иметь искушение

to resist - сопротивляться

an urge - побуждение

2. Little Lucia is proud that she has the longest hair in her school. Her mum Helen: “Everyone makes a fuss over it and her dad and three elder brothers all want her to keep it lovely and long. She is half Italian so being so blue-eyed and blonde makes her so special. She has her grandmother to thank for her thick blonde tresses. To keep it in tiptop condition, Lucia washes it twice a week. She goes to a hairdresser regularly so it can be trimmed and shaped. Lucia’s hair doesn’t deter her from pursuing her favourite hobby - swimming. I’m afraid that she will end up looking like a garden gnome.”

to make a fuss - шуметь

a tress - локон, прядь

a hairdresser -парикмахер

to trim - подрезать, приукрасить

to shape - придать форму

to pursue - следовать

3. It took Linda seven years to grow her 32-inch locks. She says, "Men are always coming to comment on my hair. It’s a great icebreaker. My bedroom and bathroom are bursting with conditioners, waxes, hot oils and shampoos. When I put on jackets it gets caught in the sleeves and when I go shopping I end up leaving half of my hair on coat hangers in shops. But I love my long hair. It makes me feel very feminine and traditionally all Chinese women wore their hair long. So perhaps I’m a little old-fashioned underneath it.”

an icebreaker - ледокол

to comment - комментировать

to burst with - ломиться от

feminine - женственная

old-fashioned - старомодный

to get caught - цепляться

4. Waitress Barbara’s hair measures 42 inches and she has been growing it for 20 years. ”I haven’t been to the hairdresser since I was 16. My sister Sandra gives it a trim every four to six months to remove any split ends. I wash it every five days and have to plan it around my social life because it takes seven hours to dry. I don’t like to use a hairdryer because it ruins their condition.” Barbara has appeared on several TV games and she reckons that her hair is the mane* attraction. She has been on half a dozen shows and won lots of prizes.

*mane – грива

*main – главный

split - секущийся

a hairdrier - фен

to reckon - быть уверенным

half a dozen - полдюжины

Ex. 6. Fill in the table writing your pros and cons of long hair in the corresponding columns:

Advantages of long hair: Disadvantages of long hair:

- It is very feminine;