Look at the models and try to understand how we use 1) look; 2) look like. Note the difference between the questions 'How does he/she look?', 'What does he/she look like?'. Dont confuse these questions with "What is he/she like?'.
► Pattern:
She looks gloomy. How does he/she look?
She is slim, dark-haired, What does he/she look like?
blue-eyed and wears her What is she like?
hair combed back.
She is well-bred and intelligent,
a bit shy and never lets you
down.
Group the sentences in the following passages matching them with the proper question, as shown above. Translate the passages.
1. The girl was delicately-built, very slender, with full lips and deep-set eyes. They looked sad and made you feel sorry for her.
2. She was a lovely little girl of about five, plump, with an upturned nose and dimpled rosy cheeks. Her hazel eyes and silky long hair added to her attraction.
3. Melancholy and perplexed, the woman was sitting at the table. Her faded eyes were grave and she looked upset.
4. Cruel but very clever and shrewd, he was quite an extraordinary person.
5. Mark was dark-haired and romantically handsome, with his merry laugh and charm of the person who comes from this charming country, Spain.
6. Emily was full of anxiety. She was stubbornly British and didn't find India beautiful or exciting.
7. Rachel was a bit old-fashioned and she was sweet in a way. Her eyes were close-set and a little slanting but they didn't spoil her pale oval face.
8. He wasn't even that handsome: his proportions were wrong; he was too tall for his shoulders; his hair was too short; his arms were too long.
9. The immigration officer is wearing a dark-green uniform, like a soldier's, and there are two actual soldiers leaning against the wall beside him, in crisp blue shirts with short sleeves.
10. In front of Rennie there's a tiny woman, not five feet tall. She's wearing a fur coat and a black wool jockey cap tilted at an angle. She must be at least seventy but it's hard to tell.
11. He was like iron. All of us knew that he was not easily put off and that nothing could make him change his mind.
12. She was unable to control her jealousy, and her friends sometimes called her an Othello in spite of her being a woman.
13. Phil looked pretty exhausted. He had had no sleep the last night as he had a great deal to do in the hospital and could never find an hour or two to have a nap.
Exercise 18
I. Following the patterns below make up 4 sentences characterising a person. Use look, look like, look as if, and look as though.
► Pattern:a) Jane looks fantastic/charming/terrific/tired/strange/ very elegant/smart/happy, etc.
b) She looks like a peacock/wbra/old cat, etc. in this sort of dress.
c) Her dress looks as though it's made of'bright feathers/ metal wires, etc.
d) She looks as if she's going to a fancy dress party/ Buckingham palace, etc.
II. Use the models abore in a short dialogue.
Exercise 19
Work in small groups. Describe the following people: 1) one of your class-mates; 2) one of your favourite film-stars, singers, musicians; 3) a well-known public figure. Your partners should try to guess the name of the person you describe. Talk about the person's general appearance, face, clothes and anything else that would help your partners to recognise him or her.
► Use:
To have little make-up on the face; to enjoy good health; to be a picture of health; to lose one's good looks; to look after one's appearance; to be full of joy; to add to one's attraction; to have delicate features; to give somebody the impression of some thing; to be the perfect type of (the Englishman); to be dressed in something; to wear/to be wearing something; to have something on; to be smartly/tastily/well dressed.
Exercise 20
Look at the following words used to describe people's character. Make two columns of 1) what you think are bad characteristics; 2) what you think are good characteristics.
tolerantgeneroussympathetic
irresponsibleunsociablecruel
ambitiousintelligentsly
patientsillyeven-tempered
thriftysinceregreedy
shrewdrudeill-mannered
| bad characteristics | good characteristics |
II. Use some of the words in a sentence describing someone's character.
Exercise 21
How would you describe a person who
... likes to talk with other people? ... hates to communicate?
... looks on the bright side of things? ... looks on the black side of things?
... gives his or her last to other people?... never lends you money?
... has a high opinion of himself or herself? ... never praises himself or herself?
... easily flies into a rage? ... never loses his or her temper?
... tells the troth to others? ... cheats other people?
... is practical in approach to life? ... is dreamy in approach to life?
Exercise 22
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.
Exercise 23
Define if the speaker likes or dislikes the people he/she is talking about. Use your dictionary to understand what kind of connotations (positive or negative) the words characterising the person have.
1. I find Sam's wife selfish.
2. Molly is stingy.
3. David is quite broad-minded.
4. Dorian is so pushy.
5. Harry seems to be extravagant.
6. Paul is shy.
7. Margaret is always frank.
8. Brian is quite arrogant.
9. Bob can be patient.
Exercise 24
Work in small groups. Put these qualities into order of importance and say what qualities you admire most in other people. Add some important qualities missing from this list if you find it necessary. Compare the results and draw collective portraits of people who you prefer.
Sense of humour, kindness, intelligence, independence, tolerance, ambition, sincerity, honesty, tenderness, creativity, good looks, courage, humility, generosity.
Exercise 25
Reword each sentence starting with the words given in the pattern.
► Pattern: a) You must be more polite to people.
— It is necessary/important/essential to be more polite to people.
b) He was lazy and refused to complete the work.
— He was so lazy that he refused to complete the work.
1. You must be more reserved when dealing with stubborn and short-tempered people.
2. You should be reasonable so as not to make the wrong decision.
3. Children must be disciplined and obedient when parents instruct them.
4. One must have initiative and be creative to start a business of one's own.
5. Parents should be mild and gentle when talking with babies.
6. The old man was listless, and nothing could stir him.
7. Robert is witty and intelligent, and he is the heart and soul of the company.
8. Pat is dull, indeed. I fall asleep when she's talking.
9. Jack is stubborn. He always has his own way.
10. Thomas is capable and never fails his exams.
11. Her cousin's jokes are just boring. I'm fed up with them.
Exercise 26
Change the sentences using the verb seem.
► Pattern:He's very absent-minded.
He seems (to be) very absent-minded.
1. Ann is very modest and a bit shy.
2. Paul is absolutely weak-willed.
3. Maria is ill-mannered.
4. Peter is pretty sociable.
5. Helen is very sensitive.
6. Susan is extremely jealous of her husband.
7. Steven is fantastically rude to his wife.
8. Victoria is a good mixer.
9. Barbara is generous.
10. Erwin is very shrewd.
11. Bill is just hot-tempered.
12. Mark is quite sensible.
13. Jane is pretty serious.
Exercise 27
Guess what these people might say when complaining about the things other people do. The words given below may be helpful.
Light-minded, unsociable, unreliable, rude, impolite, ill-bred, unreserved, hot-tempered, nosy, obstinate, fussy, selfish.
► Use:a) He is so + adjective.
b) He is such a + adjective + noun.
► Pattern: Nick's mother is complaining about her son who never obeys her.
— He is so disobedient. (He is such a disobedient boy). I'd like him to be obedient.
1. Jane is complaining about her son who never shares his problems with her.
2. The teacher is complaining about Jack who lacks good-manners.
3. Bill's friend is complaining of Вill who often lets him down and goes back on his word,
4. Mary is complaining of her sister who is very hard to get along with.
5. Jane is complaining about her classmate who is quick to get angry.
6. Tom is complaining of his playmate who cannot take himself in hand.
7. Ann is complaining of her boss who often loses his temper and is hard to deal with.
8. All the women are complaining of Jim who never stands aside to let a woman enter a room before him and never helps any of them into her coat.
9. Dennis is complaining about Margaret who pokes her nose into his business.
10. The Headmaster is complaining of Paul who plays truant.
11. My sister's husband is complaining of my sister who makes so much fuss about the house.
12. Angela is complaining about her son who thinks only of himself.
Exercise 28
You've just joined a group of students at the University. Suppose the teacher asks you to introduce yourself to the other students, and 'to say something about yourself. What would you say? What adjectives do you think best describe your own character? How can you prove these characteristics?
► Pattern: Talkative — I'm talkative because I love to chat with my friends.
Exercise 29
Imagine a friend of yours is flying to London to stay with your English friends. They will be meeting him/her at the airport. To recognise him/her they need a description of your friend, some details of his/her appearance.
1. Say what he/she looks like and what sort of clothes he/she usually wears.
2. Give a short description of your friend's character and express your hope that they willget on well together.
Exercise 30
Imagine an ideal man/woman. Describe him/her briefly. Dwell upon his/her appearance, personality and the way he/she treats other people. Use the topical words and expressions.
Exercise 31
Use your dictionary to clarify your understanding of the following idioms. Translate them. Make up a situation to prove your proper understanding of each idiom.
1. to throw dust in one's eyes;
2. to have a big mouth;
3. to cost an arm and a leg;
4. to keep a stiff upper lip;
5. to keep your fingers crossed;
6. to put your best foot forward;
7. to be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth;
8. to be all skin and bones;
9. to cut one's teeth;
10. to give someone the cold shoulder;
11. to pull someone's leg.
Exercise 32
I. Say whether you know a person about whom you could say that he or she is:
1. as innocent as a babe unborn;
2. as cunning as a fox;
3. as busy as a bee;
4. as neat as a new pin;
5. as slippery as an eel;
6. as thin as a rake;
7. as true as steel;
8. as obstinate as a donkey;
9. as wise as an owl.
II. Tell your partner about him or her using the sayings given above.
Exercise 33
Find the Russian equivalents for the following proverbs and use the latter in a proper context.
1. A good name is better than riches.
2. A little body often harbours a great soul.
3. A word is enough to the wise.
4. All that glitters is not gold.
5. Handsome is as handsome does.
6. He that is full of himself is very empty.
7. You cannot judge a tree by its bark.
Exercise 34
Translate the following quotations and comment upon them.
'The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs'
Charles de Gaulle
'I sincerely wish ingratitude was not so natural to the human heart as it is.'
Alexander Hamilton
'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.'
Abraham Lincoln
'Human nature is rarely uniform.'
Waller Scott
'I hope I shall always possess maintain what I consider the character of an Honest Man' firmness and virtue enough to most enviable of all titles, the
George Washington
Exercise 35
Role-play "A Formal Gathering".
Setting: A formal gathering in a grand villa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Situation: The Rych family invite a lot of people to their villa to the engagement of their son and the daughter of the Welthy family. The guests hardly know each other. They entertain themselves by discussing the appearance and character of the people they see around. The host and the hostess circulate and hear what different people say about each other.
Characters:
Card I—II — Christopher and Christine, the fiances.
Card III—IV — Mr and Mrs Rych, the owners of the villa. Card V—VI — Mr and Mrs Welthy, Christine's parents.
Card VII—VIII — Franklin and Frances, newly-weds. Franklin is Christopher's cousin. He owns a textile factory and is often away from home.
Card IX—X — Patricia and Clotilda — two middle-aged single women. They are Christine's aunts. They never married because they could not find a good match.
Card XI—XII — Stephen and Stephanie, a married couple. Stephen is a distant relative to the Rych family.
Card XIII—XIV — Clement and Clementine, a married couple. Clement is a distant relative to the Welthy family.
WRITING
Exercise 1
Prepare to write a dictation. Learn the spelling of the italicized words and phrases from Introductory Reading and exercise 1 on page 242.
Exercise 2
Write a short description of somebody's physical appearance and character.
► Use:
to be as/not so ... as somebody, to be very much the same in appearance, the very image of somebody, to be as like as two peas, to be (very much) like somebody, to be not a bit alike, to take after/to look like/to resemble somebody, to bear no resemblance to somebody, to behave like somebody, to appeal to somebody, to take to somebody, to like/dislike the way one wears one's hair/walks/talks/speaks/behaves/dresses, to be characteristic of somebody.
Begin with 'Here's the description of a man/woman/girl whom ...', "Fancy a woman ...', 'Imagine a man ...'.
Note:
Descriptions may be technical and suggestive. Technical descriptions just give an objective account of the look or the structure of an object. They are characterised by the neutral style and vocabulary. Simple wording and grammar are the best choice for the purpose of writing a technical description.
Suggestive descriptions convey the impression and the emotions evoked by the look of an object. The use of emotionally coloured words and various grammatical structures help to gain the effect. The author does not merely inform the reader, but appeals to the readers's feelings.
The description of a person may be either technical or suggestive.
Model paragraph of a technical description:
Here is the description of Mrs. White. She is in her eariy thirties. She is fairly slim and about average height. She has got blonde shoulder-length curly hair. She's got dark-blue eyes. Her oval face is slightly wrinkled. She's got a small upturned nose and finely-curved plump lips. Mrs. White is intelligent, communicative and perfectly fit for her job.