Attitudes and relationships

& Reading

Read through the text below to check on some of the language we use to describe our feelings for other people – from adoring them to tolerating and to hating them.

Tim and Lenny can’t stand each other. They loathe each other, hate the sight of each other. Lenny seems to envy Tim his stripes and Tim is envious of Lenny’s spots. We all have great respect for Leo; respect mingled with fear. Sammy frightens everyone. Even Tim and Lenny keep out of his way, and Leo admits to being slightly afraid of him. The chickens are terrified of him and the rabbits are petrified; they nearly have a heart attack if you just goup behind and hiss.

Clarence always seems to have a chip on his shoulder – as if he has a grudge against the whole world. The others ignore him. Everyone looks up to George.

Zoe and Pat are very close. They seem to enjoy each other’s company and get on very well together. I suppose they have a lot in common: same taste in clothes, etc. Penny, who has a love-hate relationship with Pat, is getting jealous, though. Percy makes everyone feel a bit uneasy; none of us can relax in his company. We all remember his past pricks and so are wary of him.

Nobody trusts Charlie; they say you never know what he is thinking. Dear Henry is amused by everything and everybody.

Everyone keeps their distance from Ronny.

Everyone admires hardworking Sarah. She impressed us all last autumn particularly.

Oswald is very badly treated. Everyone looks down on him; even wise old Orville regards him with contempt. The poor chap, he’s developed quite an inferiority complex, just because he can’t fly.

There’s general sympathy for Harry. I’m not sure whether we pity him for his ugliness or feel sorry for him having to carry all that weight around.

We’re all fond of Donna, but she seems quite indifferent to us. (I get the feeling that she’s only in love with herself, just sitting around all day singing protest songs about Love and Peace and things.) It’s difficult to get through to her.

Gordon is fascinated by the butterflies, absolutely captivated. They seem to find him pretty intriguing, too.

To a man, we’re all bored stiff by, fed up with and sick to death of Polly, who goes on all day about nothing in particular.

We detest and despise Valerie for giving us all a bad name.

Everybody despairs of Lou and his friends, throwing themselves off cliffs like that. We resent Bruin’s and Bunny’s popularity with children; their dressing up in people’s clothes is definitely frowned on.

Secretly, I think we all still miss Dudley.

Exercise 1

Use each of the expressions below to say a true statement about the way you relate to people you know. You will need to add a preposition with each expression.

be in love I’ve been in love with Carlos since we were children.

1. feel sorry

2. hate the sight

3. be terrified

4. have great respect

5. can’t get through

6. be wary

7. get on well

8. have a lot in common

9. be fascinated

10. feel indifferent

11. be fed up

12. be very fond

13. look up

14. look down

Speaking

Discuss the answers to these questions in pairs:

1. How did you feel towards the members of staff (individually) in your school?

2. What problems can occur between management and workers in a big company?

3. “Most divorces are avoidable”. Do you agree?

! Writing

Write a letter to your friend, describing how a close friend and you have fallen out. Explain what went wrong and why. Say how you felt about it.

Here there’s an example of Mandy’s letter.

185 Beverly Hills

Hollywood,

Nr. Los Angeles,

California13th July 1998

Dear Fiona,

Thanks for all your news. Things are very much as normal here. Harry and I have split up – we both felt we had had enough of each other. He’s dating a girl who was going steady with Paul when you were here – I think they’re quite serious – and I’m seeing a film producer called Harvey who’s waiting for his divorce to come through. We’re more than “ just good friends ” but I don’t know how long it will last. My late husband’s former mistress is marrying his first wife’s third husband on Saturday. In fact it’s going to be a double wedding because her second son by her first marriage is getting married to the girl he’s been sharing his flat with for the past six months. You remember? That’s her half-brother’s ex-fiancée, the one who was going out with Jason.

Anyway how are you? Still the ideal couple over there in Eastbourne, are you? Do I hear wedding bells?

Lots of love now,

Mandy

Additional topical vocabulary

- to be head over ears in love with smb.

- to dote on smb.

- to be blind to one’s faults

- to care for smb.

- it’s a passing fancy

- it’s an infatuation only

- to make smb’s acquaintance

- to get acquainted with smb.

- to court smb.

- to have a steady

- to propose to smb.

- to accept one’s proposal

- to turn smb. down / to reject smb.

- to be engaged to smb.

- engagement

- to announce one’s engagement

- to marry for love

- to marry for money

- to marry for convenience

- to have a white wedding

- a love match

- a young couple

- newly-weds

- just married

- to go on a honeymoon

- maid of honour

- the best man

- a stag / hen party

- an illegal marriage

- a marriage certificate

- to have a civil ceremony / marriage in a registry office

- to marry in church

- to be married in a civil form of marriage

- to be married in a religious rite

Listening

Listen to the tape, write a word or expression under each picture and answer the questions below about romantic relations of young people in America, compare them with Ukrainian teenagers.

1. What is the usual age young people start going out together?

2. What is a double date?

3. What is a curfew and who set it?

4. Why do people of all ages enjoy going on double dates?

5. When will people know that a couple is going to get married?

6. What do people do when they don’t want to continue their relationship?

_______________________ _____________________

Speaking

Discuss the following questions in groups; be ready to report to the class.

1. Do you think a curfew is a good idea? Should everyone have a curfew or only some people? Explain.

2. Have you ever gone on a double date or a blind date (a date arranged by someone else)? Would you like to go on a double or blind date? Why or why not?

3. Talk about some of the dating customs in your country.

4. If you are not married, do you plan on getting married? Why or why not? What age is the best for getting married?

Exercise 2

Put each of the following words or phrases in the passage below:

date approve mature romantic keen break off go out relationship drift apart attracted

Ann was a very a)__________ girl who often dreamed of love and marriage. She was especially b)__________ to a young man called Michael, who worked in the same office as she did, and he was very c)___________ on her, too. They became friendly and one day Michael asked her to go out with him. Their first d)__________ was a visit to the theatre, and they both enjoyed the evening so much that they decided to e)____________ together regularly. Michael was a bit untidy and rather young, and Ann’s parents didn’t f)___________ of him at first, but Ann was a sensible, g)_________ girl and they had confidence in her. For a year or so everything went well, but then somehow they slowly began h)__________, until they finally decided to i)________ their j)_________.

Exercise 3

Instruction as above.

bride engaged bridegroom consent wedding propose civil reception honeymoon toast

One evening, although he was nervous, Joe decided to a)__________ to his girlfriend, Linda. She accepted his proposal, they became b)________ and he gave her a ring. After a year they had saved enough money to get married (they were both over 18 so they didn’t need their parents’ c)________). Some people have a religious ceremony with a priest, but Joe and Linda decided on a d)_________ ceremony in a registry office. On the day of the e)________ Linda, the f)__________, was very calm, but Joe, the g)___________, was nervous. Afterwards, at the h)_________, speeches were made and the guests drank a i)________ to the happy couple, who finally left for a j)___________ in Spain.

Exercise 4

Explain the difference between…..

a) to be fond of and to be in love with

b) separated and divorced

c) a fiancé and a fiancée

d) mother and mother-in-law

Exercise 5

Put one of the following words in each space in the sentences below:

in with out to of

1. Bob and Lena are going_____ together.

2. Bob is going______ ______ Lena.

3. He was too nervous to ask her ______.

4. She’s very fond_______ him.

5. We drank a toast ______ their future happiness.

6. He fell _____ love _____ her at once.

7. He’s getting married_______ Liz next month.

8. She’s engaged ______ a policeman.

9. His parents don’t approve _______ her.

10. Have confidence, _________ me!

&! Reading and Writing

PROBLEM PAGE

Read the letters then choose one to your liking and write an answer giving a good piece of advice. Use some of these words and expressions:

Why don‘t you…? If I were you, I would….

Why not….? A good way to…… is to…….

What / How about……..ing? The best way to… is to……..

I think you should…….. I think it‘s a mistake to…..

You could / might……. Stop……..ing and start ……..ing.

1. I’m going out with a really nice guy. He says he loves me, and he even wants to get married. The problem is, I don’t love him. I’m in love with his best friend and it’s driving me crazy. I dream about him all the time and often cry myself to sleep. I’ve tried to find out how he feels, but he’s in a difficult position too. My friends say I should stop seeing my boyfriend. But, if I can’t have the boy I love, surely he is the next best thing?

Julia, 19

2. I’ve got a great girlfriend and we’ve been together for about six moths. It’s all been quite serious but now I’m not so sure. You see, I saw my ex-girlfriend again at a party last Saturday and I think she feels we made a big mistake and that she really wants us to start going out together again. I think I feel the same. What do I do? How do I tell my present girlfriend that I think we should break up?

Barry, 21

3. My best friend and his girlfriend have been together for some time, but she keeps flirting with me and I don’t know if he realises or not. Should I tell him? I don’t really fancy her, but I really like his ex-girlfriend. Do you think he would mind if I asked her out? He’s an old friend and I don’t want to upset him.

Tony, 21

4. I met an old boyfriend the other day and we agreed we wanted to stay friends, although I don’t want to go out with him again. We’d like to have a drink together one evening. Should we tell his present girlfriend or is it better that she doesn’t know? After all, it will be completely innocent.

Sharon, 19

5. I have known the girl next door for a long time. She’s going out with someone who is well-known for fancying everyone in sight. The trouble is, she doesn’t realise this. I happen to think he’s seeing someone else, and I don’t know whether to tell her or not. It’s made more complicated by the fact that after all the years as childhood friends, I think I’m falling in love with her. What should I do? Should I tell her how I feel?

Steve, 20

Exercise 6

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. В якому віці ви вперше закохались? Я не знаю, чи було це коханням, я марив однією француженкою, яка була на десять років старша за мене.

2. Наступного дня після смерті свого чоловіка шістдесятирічна вдова сказала своїй сім’ї, що їй подобався її чоловік, але вона ніколи його не кохала.

3. В день весілля стояв повний місяць. Молодий та його наречена одружилися ввечері при місячному сяйві. Це було так романтично.

4. Вони були заручені вже чотири місяці. Напередодні весілля наречений влаштував холостяцьку вечірку і оголосив про своє одруження. Він запросив друзів на церемонію в загс, а потім на весільний прийом в один з найкращих місцевих ресторанів.

5. Цей шлюб був з розрахунку і я не жалкую розлучатися з чоловіком, якого ніколи не любила і зараз терпіти не можу.

6. Бен думав, що його тимчасове захоплення буде недовгим, але все закінчилося пропозицією про одруження, заручинами та весіллям.

7. Джейн та Мет почали зустрічатися ще в старших класах, тому батьки Джейн встановили годину, до якої вона повинна була повернутися з побачення.

8. Спочатку вони дуже кохали один одного, але потім стали зовсім байдужі один до одного і розірвали стосунки.

9. Джон хоче подарувати своїй дівчині каблучку і тоді вони зможуть оголосити про заручини.

10. Протягом 2 тижнів Філіп готувався зробити Сарі пропозицію, але вона йому відмовила і повернула всі подарунки.

11. Після того як ми сходили в театр він запропонував мені зустрічатися.

12. Я трохи заздрю, коли бачу білу машину з молодятами. Я завжди так мріяла поїхати у медовий місяць до Єгипту.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16