Choose Your English Lesson 03

LESSON 3

Harry and Barbara are at last installed in their new house. The mood of this lesson is one of relief that all the complications are over.

Conversation

BARBARA: Oh! Thank Heaven, we’re in at last.

HARRY: What a relief that everything went so smoothly.

BARBARA: I’m so glad that all the furniture moving’s over. Usually something gets broken, but this time everything seems to be intact.

HARRY: I know. It’s comforting to see our own things around us again, isn’t it. In a new house it gives a sense of continuity.

BARBARA: Yes. Look at that book-case. It’s not very beautiful but it’s a kind of symbol.

HARRY: The other furniture has memories too. Yes, it’s good to be installed at last. After all those complications, I feel a weight’s been lifted from my shoulders.

BARBARA: The colours have come out very well. I thought the painters were going to get them all wrong.

HARRY: You always worry too much.

BARBARA: Yes. But the good thing about worrying is how good you feel when everything goes smoothly after all.

(Knock on door)

BARBARA: That must be the plumber. Yes? Is everything all right?

PLUMBER: Well, most of the pipes are sound. But it’s lucky you didn’t put the water on.

HARRY: Oh. I meant to, but I forgot.

PLUMBER: Well, it’s fortunate you did forget!

HARRY: How do you mean?

PLUMBER: The water-tank’s like a piece of Swiss cheese, full of holes. As if the mice had got at it.

BARBARA: No! If we’d put the water on

PLUMBER: Everything would've been flooded!

BARBARA: All the new paint!

HARRY: The furniture!

BARBARA: Oh, it’s a mercy you forget things, Harry!

HARRY: It is indeed.

PLUMBER: You can thank your lucky stars I came.

HARRY: Whew! What a narrow escape!

BARBARA: I don’t know how we can thank you enough.

PLUMBER: There are always ways of showing appreciation you know; it being near Christmas and all.

HARRY: Oh yes, of course. It’s always nice to give presents at Christmas time.

PLUMBER: Thank you, Mr. Sallis, thank you. I couldn't agree more, Mr. Sallis.

DRILL 4

for Lesson 3 Exercise 2

Here are some exclamatory sounds. The first can express the speaker’s relief:

Whew! (pause) whew!

The second can express the speaker’s surprise:

Oh! (pause) oh!

The third can express the speaker’s admiration

Ah! (pause) ah!

and the fourth can show that the speaker has suddenly understood

Ah! (pause) ah

Now repeat the following :

1. Whew! That was a narrow escape.

2. Ah! That must be the plumber at last.

3. Oh! I’m sorry, I forgot.

4. Whew! That was almost a nasty accident.

5. Ah! Those are very beautiful colours, indeed.

6. Oh! I beg your pardon.

DRILL FIVE

for Lesson 3 Exercise 3.

Here is a way of emphasizing common adverbs such as sometimes; usually; often. Notice the voice falls on the first and rises on the second syllable of the adverb; when it introduces the sentence, like this:

Usually Mr. Jones looks after our pipes, but someone else came today.

Now practise with the following like this:

Mr. Jones usually looks after our pipes. Someone else came today.

Usually Mr. Jones looks after our pipes but someone else came today.

Now begin

1. Mr. Jones usually looks after our plumbing. A new plumber came today.

Usually Mr. Jones looks after our plumbing but a new plumber came today.

2. Our water-tank often leaks for hours. We’ve had no trouble with it recently.

Often our water-tank leaks for hours but we’ve had no trouble with it recently.

3, Harry sometimes leaves the taps on. He has not been so forgetful lately.

Sometimes Harry leaves the taps on but he’s not been so forgetful lately.

4, Something usually gets broken when we move. This time everything seems to be intact.

Usually something gets broken when we move but this time everything seems to be intact.

5, I often think that moving isn’t worth the trouble. This time everything went smoothly.

Often I think that moving isn’t worth the trouble but this time everything went smoothly.

DRILL SIX

for Lesson 3 Exercise 7.

Here is a way of emphasizing verbs. Notice the auxiliary is stressed. Where there is no auxiliary, the verb is first expanded, like this:

I forgot to turn the water on.

I’m so glad you did forget.

Begin each of the following with I’m so glad and emphasize the

auxiliary.

1. They got the colours right.

I’m so glad they did get the colours right.

2. The plumber looked at the tank.

I’m so glad the plumber did look at the tank.

3. Everything went smoothly.

I’m so glad everything did go smoothly.

4. Our book-case’s arrived.

I’m so glad our book-case has arrived.

5. He’s repaired the tank.

I’m so glad he has repaired the tank.

Redspot Vocabulary Part 1 Test 1

Part 1 - Multiple Choice Questions

Test 1

Choose the most suitable answer and write its number in the blank provided.

Scroll down the webpage for quick dictionary and answers.

1. Pauline is an extremely ______________ person and always likes making new friends.

(1) laconic (2) amiable (3) happy (4) gregarious

2. John writes in a style that is brief and _______________and does not waste words unnecessary.

1) succinct (2) effusive (3) verbose (4) long-winded

3. l am sick of his constant and angry ________________ against his employers and how they are supposedly  ill-treating him.

1) lecture (2) jeremiad (3) sermon (4) harangue

4. She is an extremely intelligent and __________person who is always inventing new theories.

1) inspired (2) conceited (3) ingenious (4) curious

5. Motorists are ___________ to avoid Orchard Road due to traffic congestion.

(1) advised (2) advice (3) warned (4) told

6. The lies that you have told about me are absolutely wicked!

1) nefarious (2) flagrant (3) indecorous (4) inappropriate

7. The smallpox ______________ in the 19^th  Century killed a lot of people.

1) endemic   (2) epidemic (3) academic (4) epicurean

8. His meditation in the temple has made him a very _______________and spiritual man.

(1) placid (2) unctuous (3) quiet (4) contemplative

9. He is a very smooth talker and has the gift of the ________________.

1) glib (2) tongue (3) mouth (4) gab

10. Certain vehicles are as they can travel on both land and water.

(1) amorphous (2) ambitious (3) amoebic (4) amphibious

11. It is no surprise that Jenny has been chosen as the valedictorian of her school as she has always been an __________________ student.

1) exemplary (2) extenuated (3) exonerated (4) exacerbated

12. The demonstrators took to the streets after being ____________________ to riot by their leader’s rousing rhetoric.

1) endorsed (2) promoted (3) incited (4) impelled

Quick Dictionary

amiable - friendly and pleasant in temperament; likeable.

amoebic - capable of changing shape

amorphous - shapeless.

amphibious - living both on land and in water.

conceited - vain, proud.

contemplative - of or given to contemplation; meditative.

effusive - gushing, demonstrative, exuberant.

endemic - regularly or only found among a particular people or in a certain region.

epicurean - a person devoted to enjoyment.

exacerbate - make worse; irritate

exonerate - free or declare free from blame etc.

extenuate - lessen the seeming seriousness of by reference to some mitigating factor

flagrant - glaring; notorious;  scandalous.

gregarious - fond of company.

harangue - a lengthy and earnest speech.

impel - drive, force. or urge into action.

incite - urge or stir up.

indecorous - improper.

ingenious - clever at inventing, constructing. organising, etc.

jeremiad - a doleful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes.

laconic - brief; concise; terse.

nefarious - wicked; iniquitous.

placid - not easily aroused or disturbed; peaceful.

rhetoric - the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

sermon - a spoken or written discourse on a religious or moral subject.

succinct - briefly expressed; terse, concise.

unctuous - unpleasantly flattering; oily.

valedictorian - the highest-ranking member of a graduating class.

verbose - using or expressed in more words than are needed.

Answers:

1. (4)

2. (1)

3. (4)

4. (3)

5. (1)

6. (1)

7. (2)

8. (4)

9. (4)

10. (4)

11. (1)

12. (3)

Choose Your English Lesson 02

LESSON 2

Harry and Barbara have the impression that they have been sold the wrong house. Here they are trying to straighten out the situation with the estate agent. The mood is anger.

Conversation

HARRY            : I’ve got a bone to pick with you!

CLERK : Me, Sir?

HARRY : Yes, you!

CLERK : I beg your pardon!

HARRY : Well, if it isn’t you, it’s someone in this firm.

BARBARA : It was a man with red hair!

CLERK : Ah! You must be talking about Mr. Maddox! If you’ll be kind enough to wait a moment, I’ll fetch him.

BARBARA : Well, really! Who does he think he is?

HARRY : I’ll get my deposit back if it’s the last thing I do.

MR. MADDOX : Oh, good evening Mr. and Mrs. Sallis. I gather there’s been some little difficulty.

BARBARA : Little difficulty! I like that!

HARRY : We’ve been defrauded!

MR. MADDOX : Defrauded. Are you accusing me

HARRY : Yes, Mr. Maddox, I am!

MR. MADDOX : Well, of all the nerve!

BARBARA : Look! Don’t try any nonsense with us!

HARRY : We’ve just about had enough!

MR. MADDOX : Enough of what? You haven’t even told me what’s happened! You just come here and start shouting your heads off!

HARRY : Shouting our heads off ! How dare you!

MR. MADDOX : Look here! You’ve got nothing to complain about. We’re offering you a lovely house at  a very good price.

BARBARA : Lovely? Are you being funny?

HARRY : Murderers. Pirates.

MR. MADDOX : Murderers! Pirates! This is really going too far! Have you gone off your head? I’ll have you know that that is defamation.

HARRY : I don’t care what it is

MR. MADDOX : Ah, Mr. Roper. (To the Sallises) This is our general manager

MR. ROPER : What on earth’s going on, Maddox? I’ve never heard such a noise.

BARBARA : This gentleman has cheated us!

MR. ROPER : Cheated you?

HARRY : It’s true. We’ve been tricked.

MR. MADDOX : Now, please . . . (Door opens) Oh, good evening Mr. and Mrs. Middleton.

MRS. MIDDLETON : We’ve come here to make a serious complaint.

MR. ROPER : No. Not another one.

MR. MIDDLETON : An example of the most extraordinary in-efficiency.

MRS. MIDDLETON : Believe it or not, gentlemen, the house you sent us to see has disappeared!

MR. MIDDLETON : And been replaced by a large but very commonplace building.

MRS. MIDDLETON : We gave you a deposit for this beautiful house, full of wonderful carvings.

HARRY : Oh no!

BARBARA : Oh, you idiot, Mr. Maddox! You’ve mixed up the addresses!

HARRY : Really! What incompetence!

DRILL TWO for Lesson 2 Exercise 4.

Here is a way of showing anger by emphasizing key-words, like this:

How dare you.

I like that.

Now practise with the following. The sentence is given first in a neutral tone followed by the key-words to be emphasized. You must then say the sentence with emphasis and in angry tone. (A correct answer follows each pause.)

1. How dare they. Dare.

How dare they!

2. This is too much. Too.

This is too much.

3. Angry? Yes, I am. Am.

Angry? Yes, I am!

4. I’ve never heard such a noise. Heard.

I’ve never heard such a noise!

5. I don’t care what it is. What.

I don’t care what it is!

DRILL THREE for Lesson 2 Exercise 5.

Here is a way of showing great surprise by repeating a key-word but with a rising tone. Notice that this rising tone begins on the stressed syllable and continues over the syllables following it.

1.         This gentleman has cheated us.

Cheated us?

2.         This fellow has robbed us all.

            Robbed us all?

Now practise with the following

1.         Mr. Maddox has insulted them.

Insulted them ?

2.         Mrs. Sallis has complained about him.

Complained about him ?

3.         The agents have defrauded all of us.

Defrauded all of us?

4.         They have been tricked into buying a house.

            Tricked into buying a house?

5.         He’s confused us, Mrs. Middleton.

Confused us?

Choose Your English Lesson 01

Barbara and Harry Sallis are trying to buy a house.

Here they are looking at the house for which they have paid a deposit. The mood is surprise.

Conversation

BARBARA      : This can’t be the house!

HARRY            : Good heavens! It’s a most peculiar place!

BARBARA  : Look at that carving over the fireplace.

HARRY  : Looks Chinese.

BARBARA  : Weird! There’s a mixture of everything.

HARRY  : And how could anyone live in a house like this !

BARBARA  : I’ve never seen anything like it.

MAN    :Good afternoon.

BARBARA  : Oh . . . hello!

MAN    : Who are you? I’m the caretaker.

HARRY  : I think we’ve come to the wrong house.

MAN    : The wrong house?

BARBARA  : Yes . . . by mistake.

MAN    : Well! I’d have thought it was difficult to mistake this house.

HARRY  : Yes . . . it is an extraordinary place. Who built it?

MAN    : A pirate.

BARRY  : A pirate?

BARBARA  : Really! How astonishing!

MAN    : He was most artistic.

BARBARA  : What! Who’d have thought of a pirate being artistic?

MAN    : He stole only works of art.

HARRY  : Did they catch him?

MAN    : Yes. In the end he was hanged.

BARBARA  : Oh, no!

MANI     : For murder.

BARBARA      : Murder !

MAN                  : The house has been empty all these years,  and now it’s being sold.

HARRY            : Who on earth would want to buy an extra-ordinary place like this?

MAN                  : To a couple called - let me think — Sallis, I believe.

HARRY/BARBARA  :  Sallis ?

BARBARA  : But . . . but that’s us!

MAN    : You?

HARRY  : You must’ve got the wrong name.

BARBARA  : This isn’t the house we’re buying. Harry, we’ve come to the wrong place.

HARRY  : We’re buying a Georgian house, in Butterfield Lane, near Mamesby.

MAN    : This is Butterfield Lane, near Mamesby.

HARRY  : The house agents must’ve made a mistake, dear.

BARBARA  : Surely not!

HARRY  : I wouldn’t have thought so, but they must have.

MAN    : Well, I never!

DRILL

One for Lesson 1 Exercise 3.

Here is a way of making your opinions less dogmatic. Replace think by should have thought

and  don’t think by shouldn’t have thought .

like this:

We think it’s too far.

We’d have thought it was too far.

We don’t think it’s too far.

We shouldn’t have thought it was too far.

Notice that I should and we should are shortened to I’d and we’d.

A correct answer is given after each pause.

1. We think the caretaker knows.

We’d have thought the caretaker knew.

2. We don’t think the caretaker knows.

We shouldn’t have thought the caretaker knew.

3. I think he’s bought a bigger house.

I’d have thought he’d bought a bigger house.

4. I don’t think he’s bought a bigger house.

I shouldn’t have thought he’d bought a bigger house.

5. We don’t think he can live in a place like this.

We shouldn’t have thought he could live in a place like this.

6. I think you have to pay a lot for a house in London.

I’d have thought you had to pay a lot for a house in London.

7. We don’t think you’ll find any pirates nowadays.

We shouldn’t have thought you would find any pirates nowadays.

8. I think you may have got the wrong name.

I’d have thought you might have got the wrong name.