В Being Superstitious

Many people are superstitious about different things. One particular superstition, however, which it is shared

1 by the many people of the world, is the belief that

2 the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is why some

3 buildings do not have a 13th floor, and why some of

4 people do not like to sit at a table with 12 other people.

5 Despite this, no one really knows why so many people

6 do not like the number 13, although there are several of

7 theories. Another of common superstition is for people

8 to touch or knock on something made of wood if

9 when they want good luck to come their way or to

10 prevent anything bad from happening to them. People

11 used to believe that certain gods lived inside trees

12 and, whenever they were faced a difficult situation,

13 they would knocked on the wood of a tree to ask for

14 the god's help and protection. Although of this practice 1 5 continues on today, we often just say "touch wood'".

С Loneliness

Loneliness is a disease of modern living, a result of which people being more mobile and having more opportunities.

1 With the break-up of family units, there is little of

2 stability on which to build good relationships. Loneliness

3 isn't something that can be solved itself simply by

4 seeing a counsellor, speaking to someone that on the

5 telephone or to being in the company of a lot of people.

6 Advice been often given includes: joining clubs, taking up a

7 sociable hobby or even by trying a part-time job if you

8 don't work outside from the house. However, none of this

9 advice will provide with an easy answer. To ease the

10 feeling of emptiness it takes time. Friendships have

11 to be allowed to grow on and deep bonds can't be

12 formed with just anyone. Anyone might be like a

13 victim of loneliness at some time or other in their

14 lives. If you change jobs, get married to or move,

15 you too might have had problems in a new environment.

21 Translate from Russian into English.

1. Филипп вполне порядочный человек. Я думаю, ему можно доверять. 2. У Грега скверный характер, и он плохо ладит с людьми. 3. Боб - смышленый мальчик и все хватает на лету.

4. В этом доме я чувствую себя неловко (не в своей тарелке).

5. Мистер Эдварде слишком высокомерен и презирает всех.

кого он считает ниже себя. 6. Я бы на твоем месте не полагался на Тимоти. Он способен подвести. 7. Я не люблю безответственных людей, которые обещают и не держат своего слова. 8. Ты говоришь, он простой парень? А мне он кажется хитрецом и пронырой. 9. Джереми - добросовестный и прилежный студент. У него нет проблем со сдачей экзаменов. 10. К сожалению, Патрик не бережлив и легко тратит деньги. 11. Мэтью - спокойный, выдержанный, рассудительный человек. В его характере больше достоинств, чем недостатков. 12. Дядя Том веселый и общительный человек, хотя и вспыльчивый, но долго он злиться не может. 13. Я завидую тем, кто целеустремлен и настойчив в достижении поставленной цели. 14. Мне бы твою волю и терпение! 15. Толерантность считается признаком образованного, культурного человека. 16. Как ты можешь быть таким лицемерным! Неужели тебе не стыдно? 17. Многие считают, что состояние экономики скоро улучшится, но некоторые эксперты остаются скептически настроенными. 18. У Тима явно технический склад ума, поэтому он хочет поступать в политехнический институт. 19. Английские жены считают наиболее нетерпимыми недостатками своих мужей эгоизм, недостаток ума, инертность, нежелание помогать по дому, неопрятность, нечестность. 20. Английские мужья больше всего осуждают в своих женах сварливость, глупость, сплетни, мотовство, эгоизм.

READ AND DISCUSS TEXT 1 Pre-Reading

1. Does your opinion of yourself fully coincide with what other people think of you? Is it easy to be fairly objective in characterizing your own self? Give your arguments.

2. Comment on the meaning of the two American idioms.

• That's the way the cookie crumbles.

• Chew fat with somebody.

Reading

Read the text "It's Me, Oh Lord! " and do the exercises that follow.

It's Me, Oh Lord!

Hi, I'm Tom Bailey, or Thomas Millhouse Bailey, to be exact. Thomas is my first name, or given name, or Christian name. Millhouse is my middle name and Bailey is my family name or surname. This is what my birth certificate says. But never mind it, nobody calls me this way, just Tom or Tommy for short. You may very well forget my middle name, too. God alone knows where it came from, even my folks wouldn't give me a straight answer. It just sounded O.K. to them. I guess. Well, so be it, here I'm: Thomas Millhouse Bailey, whether you like it or not.

I am a freshman at a Law School and have just turned 18. I do hope it's a turn for the better as I'm eager to do something meaningful in the adult world. To begin with, I got into the School earlier this year and I enjoy every minute of being there. This is some college! I hope I'll tell you about it later on but now let's stick to the family topic.

Are you curious about my appearance? Weil, nothing special, just an ordinary guy. The only special thing about me is, probably, that I'm a bit on the talkative side. Not really a chatter­box but I don't mind chewing some fat with peers. I'd rather say, I'm not a bad conversationalist and a story teller. Though I chuckle it sometimes, that's just for fun of it, take my word. I'm not after cheating anybody, I think I'm a good mixer, that's all. It makes my life a bit like 'Alice in Wonderland'.

And so, my looks are pretty conventional. Imagine a fellow of a medium height about 5'4" (five feet four), close cropped chestnut hair, slim, blue-eyed, a big aquiline nose and long delicate fingers. That's me, in person. A born musician-turned-lawyer. How do you like it?

You may wonder if I am attractive. Truly speaking, I don't give a damn, or rather, the more polite way, I don't care about that kind of stuff. One might say I am, but with guys, it doesn't really matter as much as with girls. For them, it's instrumental, or N1, as I put it. This is what they themselves say. As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather not talk them out of that, they know better. I wouldn't boast an exquisite taste but I guess I know a pretty face when I see one. Anyway, this is only natural.

Being charismatic is my other asset. People enjoy my company, especially those who are a bit shy or awkward. They are fishing for words each time they gonna shoot something wise, and they never make it. It's mostly me who does all the talking, but I take care not to stick my neck out too far. I let them have their say in all matters we discuss. All should be fair and square, right? Otherwise they might say I'm looking down on people, which is not at all true. I just enjoy being driving force behind each talk. Talking is indeed my cup of tea. I never feel ill at ease with strangers, let alone with those of my age. They call me easy-going and free-wheeling. And what's wrong with that?

Speaking about myself first doesn't mean I'm selfish. I'm doing it out of convenience so that you could figure out at once what kind of person I am, what my likes and dislikes are or whether you really can stomach the way I'm presenting my story. I admit my language may sound rather reckless, but that's the way

the cookie crumbles, that's the way things are, I can't help it. That's my style and my image. Let's be democratic, at least for some little while. O.K.?

Post-Reading

A Translate into Russian.

1) All should be fair and square. 2) I'm not looking down on people. 3) I just enjoy being driving force behind each talk. 4) I never feel ill at ease with strangers. 5) You could figure out at once. 6) Stomach the way I'm presenting my story. 7) a chatter­box.

В Use alternative words to say the same.

1) I've just turned 18. 3) It's a turn for the better. 4) to do something meaningful in the adult world; 5) Let's stick to the family topic. 6) I chuckle it sometimes. 2) a good mixer; 7) My looks are pretty conventional. 8) I don't give a damn. 9) being charismatic; 10) They are fishing for words. 11) to stick one's neck out too far.

С Give synonymous words/expressions from the text for:

good-looking; quality; self-conscious; relaxed (pleasant); thing; fellow; deceive, patronymic; appearance.

D Explain in English.

1) birth certificate; 2) my folks; 3) I'm a freshman; 4) This is some

college!; 5) a bit on the talkative side; 6) not a bad

conversationalist: 7) It makes my life a bit like Alice in Wonderland; 8) a born musician-turned-lawyer; 9) that kind of stuff; 10) For them it's instrumental, #1; 11)1 know a pretty face when I see one.

E Give the English for:

1) великолепный вкус; 2) неловкий, неуклюжий; 3) это мой конек, моя стихия; 4) свободный, раскрепощенный; 5) делать что-либо из-за удобства, по расчету; 6) небрежный, грубоватый; 7) Я ничего не могу с этим поделать; 8) достоинство, преимущество.

F Answer the following questions:

1) What does Tom do? 2) What does he look like? 3) Does he care much about his appearance? 4) What is so special about him? 5) How does he get on with other people?

G Write down some 200 words about yourself and present your story in front of the class.

TEXT 2

Pre-Reading

1. What sort of people can you call 'eccentric '?

2. Give the words similar in meaning to the adjective 'eccentric'. Which words convey the opposite meaning⁰

3. Comment on the meaning of the idiom 'an oddball'.

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Reading

Read the texts "Calling All Eccentrics" and "The Joys of Eccentricity'⁷ and do the exercises that follow.

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