Dialogue

A: Why are you in low spirits, Marie?

B: Yesterday my husband and I had an awful row because of his car. He is always talking about driving. He has a bee in his bonnet about it. I’ve got all his stories off pat and I’m fed up with hearing the same things over and over again.

A: Is it so serious?

B: I think so. I took my pains to save money to go to Paris next summer. But he cost a pretty penny on his damned car! Into the bargain all his spare time he goes into examining it. Imagine, I’m jealous of his car!

A: Poor thing! I feel for you. But you should speak to him.

B: Oh, there’s no point in doing this! I tried to talk to him- he wouldn’t listen! I was beside myself with anger and I told him then and there that if he went, I’d wash my hands of this matter.

A: Well?

B: In the end he did go to the garage. I had a good cry. I have no patient with his behaviour! I shall make a point of divorcing.

A: Don’t take it so hard. Your husband is not so bad as you imagine. I’m sure you’ll make it to save your marriage if you become fond of driving a car too. What you need is to get a driver’s license.

B: Oh. I have never hit upon this fascinating idea! Thank you very much. You’re a real friend! I’m in the seventh heaven. Now I’m sure we’ll be able to avoid a divorce.

I. Translate into Russian

1. I was just fed up with wanting money. (J. Galsworthy)

2. Michael Mont had a bee in his bonnet about Foggartism. (J.Galsworthy)

3. I have no patience with you. Do you think if you were ill he would stir a finger to help you? (W. S. Maugham)

4. I intended the thing as a private and personal record for myself, so there was no point in telling him about it. (I.Murdoch)

5. It cost me a pretty penny too, I can tell you. (K. Porter)

6. Any woman greatly in love must know how flattery in time saves troubles … . (K. Porter)

7. I’ve been going into it and I think too much attention has been paid to the distribution of the stuff once it’s entered the country. (J. Wain)

8. He would make a point of seeing him soon. (J. Galsworthy)

9. There comes the bus! Shall we make it?

10. If you must come to grief, you must I wash my hands of it… (J. Galsworthy)

11. “There’s no point in going to this lunch.”- “Yes, there’s a point, Pride.”(Gr. Greene)

12. “In a way, you know, your wife being called away is a fortunate occurrence. It will save time.” (A. Christie)

13. It’s not that. She knows she’s getting the best medical treatment possible and that everything that can is being done for her, but she’s got some bee in her bonnet about only getting well at the shack. (D. Cusack)

14. It was very difficult for Erik to do the job, but Savina was sure that he would make it.

15. Bob Gerrard, who had washed his hands of me and flung me off when I had my trouble, had been writing to me again. (A.Christie)

II. Paraphrase the sentences using the idioms studied

1. He had made it a rule to apologize, whether or not he thought himself in the wrong.

2. The boy is too little and I can’t leave him to himself.

3. I personally think that you are not right saying that the girl is difficult of approach and that you must decline all responsibility.

4. As she has fully recovered, she can go back to her work.

5. The very mention of Arnie’s name by Savina annoyed Erik.

6. Everybody knew that “Young Mont” was mad about child emigration.

7. The cry of the baby irritated Erik.

8. The doctor signed: “There’s no use in going over that, sit down and listen to me.”

9. Even with a county grant, it’ll cost much to put Donald through Cambridge.

10. You’ll not spend so much time on it if you take that short cut.