Dialogue: “Arranging the House”

Barbara: Give me a hand with this sideboard, Charles. I want it over there by the settee.

Charles: Don't you think it would be better under that picture by the armchair?

Barbara: No. The picture isn't staying there anyway. I only hung it on the wall because it was in the way on the floor. We can arrange the pictures when all the furniture is in place.

Charles: Where did I put my big screwdriver? It's not in the toolbox and I want to tighten up these loose screws on the door hinges.

Barbara: You had it in your hand when you went into the kitchen just now. Perhaps you left it there.

Charles: Yes, I think I put it down on the shelf above the sink. I'll go and fetch it.

Barbara: Pass me that brash behind the chair before you go; and take your tools off that nice polished table. You'll spoil all our furniture before you finish.

Charles: Don't keep on nagging. I've got to put them somewhere. By the way, have you seen the cat this morning? You didn't shut him outside last night, did you? He'll get lost.

Barbara: No. He's definitely inside the house. I expect he's fed up with all the fuss and noise. He's probably crept into a cupboard somewhere and gone to sleep.

Charles: That's just what I'd like to do. I'm tired of it all as well.

Discussion

Ex.1. Explain the difference between:

a study and a cabinet

a bunk bed and a camp bed

a dressing-table and a coffee table

a cushion and a pillow

Ex.2. Match the idioms in the left column with their Russian equivalents in the right column.

to build ones castle upon the sand to build castles in the air room at the top to do something under the table to be in the chair to take the floor a window on the world to camp on somebody’s doorstep to shut the door in somebody’s face to show somebody the door to force an open door to call somebody on the carpet a magic carpet walls have ears to drive somebody to the wall

выступать (перед аудиторией) указать кому-либо на дверь припереть кого-либо к стенке создавать что-либо непрочное ковёр-самолёт захлопнуть дверь перед носом председательствовать верхняя ступенька социальной лестницы ломиться в открытую дверь строить воздушные замки окно в мир у стен есть уши дать кому-либо нагоняй делать что-либо секретно обивать пороги

Ex. 3. Read and retell the stories

Why was She Angry?

A young man was in love with a beautiful girl. One day when they were working in the park near the girl's house, she said to him, "Tomorrow is my birthday, will you come and have dinner with me?"

"Of course, I shall," said the young man, "and I'll send you red roses, one rose for each year of your life."

The same evening the young man went to a florist's. As the girl was twenty years old, he paid for twenty roses and asked the florist to send them to the girl's house the next day.

He left her address and a letter full of love.

The florist knew the young man very well because he often bought flowers in his shop. The florist thought, "The young man is a good customer, my price for the roses is too high, I'll send thirty roses instead of twenty." And he did so. In the afternoon when the young man came to see his girlfriend, she didn't want to speak to him. He was very unhappy and went back home. But he never knew why she was so angry with him.