Choose Your English Lesson 06

Conversation

HARRY:          Barbara! They’ve been caught.

BARBARA:     No! Wonderful!

HARRY:          Apparently, it was a couple of young thugs. Believe it or not, they both come                                     from rich families. So the police said.

VISITOR:        Well, I’m glad you’ll recover your things.

HARRY:          The only snag is that the silver’s been lost.

BARBARA: How d’you mean?

HARRY: Apparently they crashed into the side of a bridge. The car turned over on its side and an the silver fell into the river. They doubt if it can be recovered.

BARBARA: Oh, no!

VISITOR: I am sorry!

BARBARA: Well, I can only hope that they get a stiff sentence.

HARRY: Young good-for-nothings!

BARBARA: When they find themselves in prison for years and years they’ll regret it!

HARRY: They’ve wrecked my car too!

HARRY: Their families should pay.

BARBARA: That would serve them right. Teach them to bring their children up properly. I’ll make them pay what my silver was worth.

HARRY: I bet they all feel pretty miserable now. And l should hope so. After what they’ve done.

BARBARA: It isn’t as if they needed money either. Just did it for excitement.

HARRY: If I were the judge

BARBARA: I’d hang them

VISITOR: That’s a bit extreme isn’t it?

BARBARA: Well, an eye for an eye

VISITOR: Yes, but they haven’t killed you.

BARBARA: Perhaps not. But they deserve to be taught a real lesson.

VISITOR: They’re probably just two mixed-up young men.

BARBARA: Well, that isn’t our fault is it?

HARRY: Are you suggesting they should get off scot free?

VISITOR: They probably need a psychiatrist.

HARRY: Oh, a psychiatrist! Never heard of such nonsense! If only I could get my hands on them!

Drill Eleven for Lesson 6 Exercise 3.

Here are ways of saying that you already know something

So I hear. So I see. So I believe.

Use these phrases to comment on the following sentences, like this

             There’s someone ringing the doorbell.

So I hear.

Now begin :

1. There’s someone knocking at the door.

So I hear.

2. Look, that car has turned over on its side.

So I see.

3. Parents should bring up their children properly.

So I believe.

4. They say those young boys got a stiff sentence.

So I hear.

5. That means at least a year in prison.

So I believe.

Drill Twelve  for Lesson 6 Exercise 4.

Here is a way of expressing your agreement. This time the word so is used with hope, suppose, expect and think, and ends the sentence, like this:

I think they’ll find the silver, don’t you.

Yes, I think so.

Reply in a similar way to the following :

1. I think the police will find our car, don’t you?

Yes, I think so.

2. I expect you’ll recover your things, won’t you.

Yes, I expect so.

3. I suppose they’re sorry for what they’ve done, aren’t they?

Yes, I suppose so.

4. You hope you’ll hear from the police today, don’t you?

Yes, I hope so.

5. I expect their parents will pay for the damage, won’t they ?

Yes, I expect so.

Choose Your English Lesson 05

LESSON 5

Harry and Barbara's house has been robbed during the night. The mood is despair.

Conversation

BARBARA:     Oh!

HARRY:          What fools we were!

BARBARA:     To think of it! All my old silver! It meant so much to me.

HARRY :         And my new car. To think that he simply drove off with everything in my                                  car. That’s what hurts me most.

BARBARA:     What’s so terrible too, is the fools we’ve made of ourselves.

HARRY: I hardly dare call the police. They’ll just laugh at us.

BARBARA: I’ll never get over it. Oh, Harry it was all so unnecessary. That man! How could he do this to us after we’d put him up?

HARRY : And his story didn’t even hold together. I feel such an idiot.

BARBARA: And I’m sure we’ll never get all our things back. They’re so clever these criminals, What’s the point of collecting beautiful things for other people to steal?

HARRY: I only wish it were this time yesterday. Think how happy we were. Now this.

BARBARA: Things always go wrong.

HARRY: Perhaps We ought to get dressed and have breakfast. We’d feel better.

BARBARA: I don’t feel like breakfast. I don’t feel like anything. Why are we so unlucky? It’s as if there were a jinx on us.

HARRY: Perhaps I’d better ring the police.

BARBARA: Yes. Of course. But what good will it do? That man’s miles away from here by now. In our car.

HARRY: I’ve never seen such a mess.

BARBARA: All our precious possessions. I just don’t care any more.

HARRY: Yes, but we ought to do something.

BARBARA: When I think of it! That man!

HARRY: If I could lay my hands on him!

BARBARA: I’d roast him over a slow fire. I’d… !

VISITOR: Good morning. You’d what?

BARBARA: You!

VISITOR: What’s the matter?

HARRY: What are you doing here?

VISITOR: Good God! What’s happened?

HARRY : What are you doing here?

VISITOR : How do you mean ?-You’ve had a robbery.

HARRY : That’s right.

VISITOR: Oh, I see! And you thought I’d done it!

Comprehension

1. Why are Barbara and Harry unhappy now?

They are unhappy now because __________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. How did the thief get away with the silver?

The thief got away with the silver by ______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Why doesn’t Harry call the police?

He doesn’t call the police because   ______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. Why does Barbara wish it were yesterday?

She wishes it were yesterday because   ______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. Why does she think there’s no point in telephoning the police?

She thinks there’s no point in telephoning the police because   _________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Why doesn’t she eat any breakfast?

She doesn’t eat any breakfast because   __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Why is the room in such a mess?

It is in such a mess because ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

8. Why is the stranger so surprised to see the mess?

He is surprised to see the mess because   __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

9. Why are both Barbara and Harry surprised to see the stranger?

They are surprised to see the stranger ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

DRILL TEN  for Lesson 5 Exercise 4.

Here is a way of expressing purpose or intention by using for with to and the infinitive.

The replies to the following end with a preposition, like this:

You collected those things. Your wife decorates the house with them.

I collected those things for my wife to decorate the house with.

Now practise with the following

1. You didn’t buy a car. The thief drove off in it.

I didn’t buy a car for the thief to drive off in.

2. You didn’t collect all that silver. A thief made money out of it.

I didn’t collect all that silver for a thief to make money out of.

3. You brought those pictures. Barbara looked at them.

I brought those pictures for Barbara to look at.

4. You borrowed a suitcase. Edward put his clothes in it.

I borrowed a suitcase for Edward to put his clothes in.

5. You didn’t buy that silver. The children played with it.

I didn’t buy that silver for the children to play with.

Choose Your English Lesson 04

LESSON 4

The scene is Barbara and Harry at home. The mood of this lesson is that of suspicion.

Conversation

(Doorbell rings)

BARBARA:   Who could that be, so late?

HARRY:         I’ll go and see.

BARBARA:   Oh, I wouldn’t. Who knows . . . at this hour?

HARRY:         Yes, you may be right.

           

(Doorbell rings again)

                        But anyway, let’s see. Good evening. What can I do for you?

VISITOR:       I wonder . . . I’m looking for a Mr. and Mrs. Sallis.

HARRY:         Oh really! In what connection?

VISITOR:       Some friends told me to look them up.

HARRY :        Friends

VISITOR:       They said I must look them up.

HARRY:         What friends?

VISITOR:       Mary and Edward Rolls.

HARRY:         Oh, Mary and Edward - but it is a bit late. Why didn’t you call earlier?

VISITOR:       I missed a train, then a bus.

HARRY :        Really. That was a bit careless, wasn’t it?

Well I suppose you’d better come in. I’m Harry Sallis. And this is my wife,       Barbara.

BARBARA:   Well, what’s your name?

VISITOR:       Bridges. John Bridges.

BARBARA:   And you know Mary and Edward?

VISITOR:       Yes, very well. I’ve known them for years.

They said as I was in this part of the country…

HARRY:         Sit down.

VISITOR:       I’m sorry it’s so late. It’s really inexcusable.

HARRY:         And how are Mary and Edward?

VISITOR :      Oh, very well. They sent you their best wishes.

HARRY:         What’s Edward doing nowadays?

VISITOR:       Oh, working . . . the same thing.

BARBARA:   How d’you mean, the same thing?

VISITOR:       Oh, working very hard.

HARRY:         You know them quite well?

VISITOR:       Of course.

BARBARA:   And what did they suggest . . . I mean, what can we do for you?

VISITOR:       Oh, nothing. But actually I wondered if you’d put me up.

HARRY:         Well. I don’t know. I mean frankly, I’m a bit doubtful.

VISITOR:       About what?

HARRY:         Well, I don’t want to be discourteous, or anything - but after all, you could be                         any one…

VISITOR:       But, Mary and Edward…

HARRY:         That’s all very well. But I’d like to ask you more about them. You haven’t told                        us much.

VISITOR:       Haven’t I? No, I suppose I haven’t.

DRILL Seven for Lesson 4 Exercise 2.

Here is some practice with phrasal verbs used with a noun and then with a pronoun. Listen to what Barbara is doing or not doing and then tell us about Harry, like this:

Barbara is looking up her friends in London.

Harry is looking them up, too.

Barbara isn’t looking up her friends in London.

Harry isn’t looking them up, either.

Now you try:

1. Barbara’s not keen to put up John Bridges.

Harry’s not keen to put him up, either.

2. Barbara’s done up their new house.

Harry’s done it up, too.

3. Barbara’s painting brought out the colours of the walls,

Harry’s painting brought them out, too.

4. Barbara’s called out the manager.

Harry’s called him out, too.

5. Barbara’s trying to get back the deposit.

Harry’s trying to get it back, too.

DRILL 8 for Lesson 4 Exercise 4.

The Past forms of verbs is used when they are introduced by expressions of wishing or supposing, like this:

We wish we knew more about you.

Introduce the following statements by the phrase you will hear at the end of each statement, like this

The trains leave on time. If only.

If only the trains left on time.

Now begin

1. I have a new house. If only.

If only I had a new house.

2. I can sell my car. I wish.

I wish I could sell my car.

3. We know who you are and where you come from. If only.

If only we knew who you were and where you came from.

4. We get a new tank and have the plumbing repaired. It’s high time.

It’s high time we got a new tank and had the plumbing repaired.

5. I have a million pounds and don’t need to work anymore. I’d rather.

I’d rather I had a million pounds and didn’t need to work anymore.

DRILL 9 for Lesson 4 Exercise 6.

The falling-rising tone used with emphasized adverbs in Drill Five also accompanies words expressing a speaker’s doubt or reservation. It occurs on one syllable like this:

Yes, but I’m rather doubtful.

or over several syllables like this:

I don’t want to be discourteous or anything.

Express the following in the first person and use that doubtful tone

1, You don’t want to be discourteous or anything.

I don’t want to be discourteous or anything.

2. You don’t want to seem stupid or anything but you don’t understand.

I don’t want to seem stupid or anything but I don’t understand.

3. You know I’ve come a long way, but it’s very late.

I know you’ve come a long way, but it’s very late.

4. You’re a bit doubtful about putting me up.

I’m a bit doubtful about putting you up.

5. I really haven’t told you very much.

You really haven’t told me very much.