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.