The sequence of tenses. The reported speech
132. Open the brackets putting the verbs into the proper forms.
A ‘SMALL WORLD’ encounter (occur 1) in 1936 to Peter Elstob, novelist, historian and vice-president of PEN. He (tell 2) the journalist that he (be 3) twenty years old at the time. He (say 4) in his interview that he (window-gaze 5) outside Lillywhite’s Piccadilly sports shop when a middle-aged American who (stand 6) beside him (ask 7) him for some advice.
He (want 8) to know if it (be 9) all right to send a tennis racket to the daughter of the family he (stay 10) with or if they (consider 11) it over the top. Elstob (reassure 12) him.
The American (go on 13) to say he (be 14) unable to find the address of a young man to whom friends in the United States (ask 15) him (deliver 16) a letter. The man (be 17) not in the telephone directory, and nobody he (ask 18) (be 19) able to help him.
He (show 20) Elstob the letter, and the young man (shock 21) to see that it (address 22) to him! Elstob (claim 23) he still (remember 24) the shock, the shiver, the wild suspicion that the man (know 25) who he (be 26). But that was impossible.
Elstob (say 27) it (be 28) not a significant coincidence. All the man (want 29) was his address, and he never (meet 30) the American again. It was just a one in a million chance.
133. Imagine that you’re interested in a flat swap. You retell the letter that you found on the Internet to your friend and discuss different options.
Flat Swap Moscow / MAR BELLA, Spain
Hello everybody!
I’m looking for a housing swap between Moscow and Mijas Costa, Marbella, Spain.
I need accommodation in downtown Moscow where I’m going to be from August 14 to August 24, 2017. If your place is available for 7 days only, I’m happy.
I’m a 35 year old Frenchman living on the gorgeous ‘Costa del Sol’ at only 10 km from MARBELLA.
In exchange, I offer a beautiful 3-bed ensuite Villa with a private swimming pool and sea views, available in September, or whenever you want after that, because it’s a second home! Pix are available on request!
I’m looking forward to having news from anybody interested in making that swap.
Best regards to all,
Franck Wigniolle.
PS: There will be only 2 of us traveling in August, so even a Studio is very welcome. As a side note, we are non-smokers, very respectful about your private objects, and 100% reliable.
134. Below is the list of Bridget Jones’s New Year’s Resolutions. Put all the sentences into the Reported Speech using introductory phrases like Bridget promised herself / decided / was determined to / made up her mind etc.
I will not
1
.
Drink more than fourteen alcohol units a week. 2. Smoke. 3. Waste
money in: pasta-makers, ice-cream machines or other culinary devices
which I will never use; books by unreadable literary authors to put
impressively on shelves. 4. Spend more than earn. 5. Fall for any of
the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitment phobics, people
with girlfriends or wives, megalomaniacs, chauvinists or perverts. 6.
Get annoyed with Mum, Una Alconbury or Perpetua. 7. Get upset over
men, but instead be a poised and cool ice-queen. 8. Have crushes on
men, but instead form relationships based on mature assessment of
character. 9. Sulk about having no boyfriend, but develop inner poise
and authority and sense of self as a woman of substance, complete
without
a boyfriend, as the best way to obtain a boyfriend.
I WILL
1. Stop smoking. 2. Reduce the circumference of thighs by 3 inches, using an anti-cellulite diet. 3. Give all clothes which I have not worn for two years or more to the homeless. 4. Improve my career and find a new job with a potential. 5. Save up money in the form of savings. 6. Be more confident. 7. Be more assertive. 8. Make better use of time. 9. Not go out every night but stay in and read books and listen to classical music. 10. Give a proportion of my earnings to charity. 11. Be kinder and help others more. 12. Get up straight away when I wake up in the mornings. 13. Go to gym three times a week not merely to buy a sandwich. 14. Form a functional relationship with a responsible adult.
(from Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding)
Tell your group-mates about the New Year’s Resolutions you took last year. Did you manage to keep all the promises you made to yourself?
135. Below are two extracts from Roald Dahl’s story Genesis and Catastrophe. Put A into the Reported Speech and B into the Direct Speech. Can you guess the name of the baby whose birth is described in the story?
A. ‘Everything is normal,’ the doctor was saying. ‘Just lie back and relax.’ His voice was far away in the distance and he seemed to be shouting at her. ‘You have a son.’
‘What?’
‘You have a fine son. You understand that, don’t you? A fine son. Did you hear him crying?’
‘If he all right, Doctor?’
‘Of course he is all right.’
‘Please let me see him.’
‘You’ll see him in a moment.’
‘You are certain he is all right?’
‘I am quite certain.’
‘Is he still crying?’
‘Try to rest. There is nothing to worry about.’
‘Why has he stopped crying, Doctor? What has happened?’
‘Don’t excite yourself, please. Everything is normal.’
‘I want to see him. Please let me see him.’
‘Dear lady,’ the doctor said, touching her hand. ‘You have a fine, strong, healthy child. Don’t you believe me when I tell you that?’
‘What is the woman over there doing to him?’
‘Your baby is being made to look pretty for you,’ the doctor said. ‘We are giving him a wash, that is all. You must allow us a moment for that.’
‘You swear he is all right?’
‘I swear it. Now lie back and relax. Close your eyes. Go on, close your eyes. That’s right. That’s better. Good girl…’
‘I have prayed and prayed that he will live, Doctor.’
‘Of course he will live. What are talking about?’
‘The others didn’t.’
‘What?’
‘None of my other ones lived, Doctor.’
B. The doctor stood beside the bed looking down at the pale, tired face of the young woman. He had never seen her before today. She and her husband were new people in the town. The barman’s wife, who had come to help, had told him that the husband worked at the local customs-house on the border, and that the two of them had arrived quite suddenly at the small hotel about three months before. The husband was always drunk, the barman’s wife had said, but the young woman was gentle and religious. And she was very sad. She never smiled. In the few weeks that she had been there, the barman’s wife had never once seen her smile. Also it was said that this was the husband’s third marriage, that one wife had died and that the other had left him for rather unpleasant reasons. So it was said.
(from Genesis and Catastrophe by Roald Dahl)
136. A friend of yours gave you a recipe for risotto. Now tell your husband about it, retelling the text below in the Reported Speech.
“Do you know how to make risotto? First of all, you need some bacon, some garlic and an onion. Cut them up into small pieces, and then fry them very gently in butter for about three minutes.
I
forgot to tell you. Before cooking that, you should have warmed up
some chicken stock. How much? Well, about a liter if you are cooking
for four people. It should be nearly boiling.
When you’ve fried the garlic, bacon and onion for three minutes, add some rice. How much? I don’t know. Enough. Fry it all gently for another minute.
Now pour on about a third of the hot stock, and turn up the heat a little under the frying pan. Stir from time to time. When the rice has absorbed the stock, add some more. Go on doing this until the rice won’t absorb any more stock. This should take 15-20 minutes.
Now add the chicken. Sorry – didn’t I tell you about the chicken? Yes, you need some roast chicken cut into small pieces. As much as you like.
Finally, add the mushrooms. So sorry – did I forget to tell you about the mushrooms? Ten minutes ago, you should have cut up some mushrooms and started frying them separately in butter.
Add salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Start eating. It’s delicious.”
137. Imagine that you work for the Agony Aunt Column. Retell the letters you got to your colleagues and think of suitable advice for each of the people.