UNIT 10
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Grammar:
Texts: |
1. The Past Continuous Tense 2. Prepositions: adjective+ preposition 3. Prepositions: noun + preposition 1. «Noisy Neighbours» 2. «When the Wall Fell In» 3. «Electronic Car» 4. «A good guide» A Dialogue. 5. «Shall We Go On?» Dialogue |
Text One
«Noisy Neighbours»
Carol and her friends were having a party. They were all making a lot of noise. The record player was playing at full volume. Pete was playing his guitar and Polly was trying to play Tom’s clarinette. To make things worse, Tom had got his dog with him and it was chasing Carol’s cat round the room. Everybody was talking, laughing, singing and dancing. The dog was barking and the cat screeching.
The doorbell rang. It kept ringing and ringing, but of course they didn’t hear it n all that noise. Then Carol went to change a record and noticed that there was somebody at the door. She opened it and found her neighbour from upstairs standing outside in his dressing-gown.
- Hello, Mr Smith. What are you doing out here in your dressing-gown? It’s very late. Come in!
Mr Smith pointed to the ceiling and shouted.
- Can you hear that noise? That’s my wife!
Carol listened. Somebody was banging on the floor of the flat upstairs.
- My wife is making that noise. She’s banging on the floor.
Carol smiled at Mr Smith.
- That’s all right, Mr Smith. Don’t worry. We’re making quite a lot of noise, too. Come on in and join the party!
Text Two
«When the Wall Fell In»
At six o’clock on April 21, 1996, the living room and front part of Mr Parker’s house fell in. Mr Parker was having construction workers dig a hole under the front of the house to add on another room. The workers weren’t there when the accident happened, so nobody was hurt. Reporters asked the owner, «What were you doing when the rooms fell in?»
He answered, «My wife and I were talking to the guests. We were showing them the cracks in the front room when we heard a loud sound. The cracks were growing larger, so we called the construction company. But it was too late. The construction workers were still driving here when the rooms fell in.»
The owner’s wife was crying while the reporters were talking and refused to have her picture taken. «I was standing right here outside the front room when it fell in,» she said. «It gave me the biggest shock of my life.»
Mr Parker has told his insurance company about the accident, and it will pay to rebuild the house. The construction company says that the house will soon be as good as new. But many of the things in the house have been lost forever.
Text Three
«The Electronic Car»
The electronic car is the most modern car in the world. My uncle had one. The car had no engine, no battery, no brakes, nothing. Instead it had an electronic computer. The computer reacted to the driver’s voice.
When my uncle said, «Thank goodness» the car started. And when he said, «Bread and Butter» the car stopped. One day my uncle was driving in the mountains. The road was very bad. There were many sharp bends. Then he saw a sign, «Stop! Road ends.»
My uncle said «Bread and butter» but the car didn’t stop. Again he said «Bread and butter,» this time a little louder. But still the car didn’t stop. Uncle was beginning to feel very frightened. «Bread and butter, bread and butter, bread and butter,» he shouted. At last the car stopped at the edge of the cliff.
«Thank goodness,» said uncle.
Text Four
«A Good Guide»
Harold: This is a very nice house, Nancy.
Nancy: Yes, shall I show it to you?
Harold: That’s a good idea. I like listening to a good guide.
Nancy: Well, I am a good guide!
Harold: Really?
Nancy: Just listen. Hm. Ladies and gentlemen. This is the house of the Miller family. We are now standing in the sitting-room.
Harold: Very good!
Nancy: Please, sir! You mustn’t laugh at the guide.
Harold: Hm... Excuse me... Er... guide.
Nancy: Thank you. In the sitting-room there are a table and some easy chairs. Between the window and the door is a television-set. Near the window we see a settee and a radio.
Harold: Very interesting!
Nancy: Here we are in the dining-room. In the dining-room the family has breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Harold: Is that so?
Nancy: Now we are going into the kitchen and...
Mother: Hello, dear. Can you give me a helping hand?
Nancy: Well, I... er... Yes, mother.
Mother: Would you put the kettle on, Nancy?
Nancy: All right. Where are the matches?
Harold: Here. In front of your nose.
Nancy: Oh.
Mother: Thank you, dear.
Nancy: Now we are going out of the kitchen and are coming into the hall.
Harold: Excuse me, guide. How many floors are there in this house?
Nancy: There are two floors. This is the ground floor and upstairs is the first floor.
Harold: And how many rooms are there on the first floor?
Nancy: On the first floor there are three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Harold: Really?
Nancy: Let’s go upstairs and have a look! Here are the stairs. Here we are on the first floor. This is the door to the bathroom.
Harold: What a big one!
Nancy: Yes, it’s very big indeed. There’s a bath, a shower, a washbasin and here’s the lavatory.
Harold: The loo. You’re a very good guide, indeed, Nancy.
Text Five
«Shall We Go On?»
Harold: Where’s that music coming from?
Nancy: From Peter’s room. Here it is.
Harold: Hello, Peter, may we come in?
Peter: Yes, do. I’m just listening to the record I got from Nancy.
Nancy: Do you like the record, Peter?
Peter: Oh, yes, it’s a very good record.
Harold: So, this is your bedroom, is it?
Peter: Yes, I have a bed, a small table, a chair and a cup-board for my clothes.
Harold: Yes, I see. It makes a nice study-room as well.
Nancy: Shall we go on, Harold?
Harold: All right. The next one. See you, Peter.
Peter: Bye.
Nancy: And this, ladies and gentlemen, is Nancy’s room.
Harold: What a cosy room, Nancy.
Nancy: Yes, I’ve got a bed, a nice dressing-table and a lovely chair.
Harold: And a lot of pictures on the wall, too.
Nancy: Look, Harold. You can see our garden from my window.
Harold: Oh, yes. I can see the lawn, the flower-beds and a tree near the garage. Look, there’s Topper. He’s coming out of the garage.
Nancy: Brr. I’m feeling cold.
Harold: Let’s go downstairs again. There’s your father in the sitting-room.
Nancy: Hello, Father, what are you reading?
Father: Oh, I’m reading Peter’s cowboy book.
Nancy: That’s funny. It’s Peter’s book but you’re reading it.
Father: Nancy, turn on the radio, would you?
Nancy: All right. What’s on?
Father: It’s time for the news.
Radio: And now the news. Police officer Warren says the drugs stolen from the factory in Essex will probably be smuggled out of the country along the southcoast. There was a serious accident on the A1 near Harlow this morning. Now here’s the weather forecast: rather cloudy. Sunny spells near the coast. Wind moderate, west or southwest.
Harold: Those drugs again. The police must be all out to catch these smugglers.
Father: Ah. They are pretty clever, those fellows.
Peter: Harold, shall we play football on the lawn?
Harold: All right. You’re goal-keeper then.
Mother: Wait a moment, boys, aren’t you hungry? Lunch is ready.
Harold: Ha, that’s better news!
Peter: Let’s all go to the dining-room.
Nancy: Well, they are hungry at any rate.
Notes. Forms and Patterns.
1. The Past Continuous Tense
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I was talking you were talking he/she was talking we were talking you were talking they were talking |
Was I talking? Were you talking Was he/she talking? Were we talking? Were you talking? Were they talking? |
I was not (wasn’t) talking you were not (weren’t) talking he/she was not (wasn’t) talking we were not (weren’t) talking you were not (weren’t) talking they were not (weren’t) talking |
(b) We use the Past Continuous:
1. to indicate that the action was going on at a given time in the past.
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e.g. |
At 6 a.m. I was still sleeping. |
2. to provide a past time frame for another activity.
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e.g. |
They were discussing the prices when the fire started. |
3. to indicate that two actions happened at the same time and lasted for the same period.
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e.g. |
While the fire brigade were fighting the fire, we were trying to save some of our works of art. |
(с) Adverbials.
We use the following time expressions with the Past Continuous:
yesterday at 5; yesterday from 5 till 7; yesterday all day long; last year at that time, etc.
(d) Types of questions:
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They were discussing the prices yesterday from 3 till 5. |
1. Were they discussing the prices yesterday from 3 till 5? 2. Were they discussing the prices or the project yesterday from 3 till 5? 3. When were they discussing the prices? 4. They were discussing the prices yesterday from 3 till 5, weren’t they? 5. Who was discussing the prices yesterday from 3 till 5? |
2. Prepositions: adjective + preposition.
After many adjectives we use particular prepositions:
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angry about |
worried about |
nervous about |
e.g. I am worried about my exam.
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good at |
bad at |
clever at |
hopeless at |
e.g. I’m not very good at mathematics.
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surprised at/by |
shocked at/by |
amazed at/by |
e.g. We were surprised at/by the size of the house.
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famous for |
well-known for |
responsible for |
e.g. Brazil is famous for its coffee.
| interested in |
e.g. I’m quite interested in photography.
| afraid of | proud of | ashamed of | jealous of | capable of | fond of | tired of |
e.g. Are you afraid of spiders?
| engaged to | married to | similar to |
e.g. Marianne is engaged to Alan.
| nice of | kind of | good of | polite of | stupid of |
e.g. It was very nice of Simon to lend you the money.
| nice to | kind to | good to | polite to |
e.g. A shop assistant should be polite to customers.
3. Prepositions: noun + preposition.
After many nouns we use particular prepositions:
| difference between |
e.g. There are a lot of differences between living in the country and living in a city.
| reason for | demand for | need for |
e.g. What was the reason for the accident?
| increase in | decrease in | rise in | fall in |
e.g. There has been an increase in the price of petrol.
| example of | cause of | picture of |
e.g. Have you got a photograph of your family?
| answer to | solution to | reply to | invitation to | reaction to |
e.g. I got an invitation to dinner yesterday.
Drills
Drill 1. Are they dancing?
- I don’t think so. They weren’t dancing when I left them.
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1. Is she reading? 2. Are they fighting? 3. Is John singing? 4. Are they shouting? |
5. Are Jack and Jill sleeping? 6. Is Mr Brown watching television? 7. Are the Smiths drinking coffee? 8. Is Mary eating? |
Drill 2. Why didn’t you go out last night? (rain)
- Because it was raining.
1. Why didn’t you come to the party? (feel bad)
2. Why did Harold want the pen? (write a précis)
3. Why did they tell him to be quiet? (watch TV)
4. Why did Nancy stay at home? (do the flat)
5. Why didn’t he stop to talk to you? (hurry to the lecture)
6. Why didn’t you come up to them? (speak to the Dean)
7. Why did you switch off the radio? (work)
8. Why didn’t you go to the skating-rink last week? (snow heavily)
Drill 3. Were you eating and drinking when the policeman arrived?
- I was eating, but I wasn’t drinking.
1. Was he singing and fighting?
2. Was she talking and crying?
3. Were you and Peter dancing and shouting?
4. Were the customers laughing and reading?
5. Was he watching TV and singing?
Drill 4. When did she meet Helen? (walk along the street)
- She met Helen when she was walking along the street.
1. When did you catch that cold? (skate on a frosty day)
2. When did he write those nice poems? (have a holiday)
3. When did she learn the language? (live in England)
4. When did she hear that song? (listen to the concert on the radio)
5. When did you buy that book? (read up for my exams)
6. When did the boy hurt himself? (ride the bicycle)
7. When did Philip lose his camera? (walk about the city)
8. When did he ring you up? (have supper)
Drill 5. I’m sitting down now. - And when I came in?
- No, I wasn’t sitting down when you came in.
He isn’t living in a flat now. - And at that time a year ago?
- Yes, he was living in a flat at that time a year ago.
1. John’s learning French now. And at that time last year?
2. They aren’t sleeping now. And when the Smiths arrived?
3. The sun’s shining now. And when you got up?
4. The children aren’t playing in the garden now. And when it started to rain?
5. He’s talking to John now. And when you saw him?
6. I’m not doing my homework now. And when I phoned?
Drill 6. I made the tea. John cleaned the car.
- I was making the tea while John was cleaning the car.
1. It rained. I walked up the hill.
2. They watched television. I wrote some letters.
3. You talked to Mary. I talked to John.
4. I had a holiday. He worked hard.
5. You had a bath. The girls washed the dishes.
6. Mary got ready. John fetched the car.
7. The house burned down. You slept.
Vocabulary and Comprehension Exercises
Exercise 1. (Text 1) Answer the questions.
1. What were Carol and her friends doing?
2. Why were they all making a lot of noise?
3. What was playing at full volume?
4. What was Pete doing?
5. What was Polly trying to do?
6. What was Tom’s dog doing?
7. Was everybody sleeping and dreaming?
8. Was the dog screeching?
9. Did the guests hear the doorbell?
10. When did Carol notice that there was somebody at the door?
11. Who was standing at the door?
12. What was Mr Smith wearing?
13. What was Mr Smith’s wife doing?
14. Was Carol angry?
15. What did Carol ask Mr Smith to do?
Exercise 2. (Text 2) Answer each question with a complete sentence.
1. When did the rooms fall in?
2. Why wasn’t anybody hurt?
3. Who was the owner talking to when the rooms fell in?
4. What was he looking at when he heard the sound?
5. Why did he call the construction company?
6. What were the workers doing when the rooms fell in?
7. What was the owner’s wife doing while the reporters were talking?
8. Where was she standing when the front room fell in?
9. Who will rebuild the house?
10. Who will pay for the repairs?
Exercise 3. (Text 3) Answer the questions:
1. Did the car have an engine or a battery?
2. In what way did the computer work?
3. When did the car start and when did it stop?
4. Where was the uncle driving one day?
5. Why was the road bad?
6. What sign did he see?
7. What did the uncle say when he saw a sign?
8. Did the car stop?
9. Where did the car stop at last?
10. What did the uncle say when the car stopped at last?
Exercise 4. (Text 4. Dialogue) Answer the questions:
1. Who wants to show the house to Harold?
2. Whose house is this?
3. What is there in the sitting-room?
4. Where does the family have breakfast, lunch and dinner?
5. What does Mother ask Nancy to do?
6. How many floors are there in the house?
7. How many rooms are there on the first floor?
8. What is there in the bathroom?
Exercise 5. (Text 5. Dialogue) Answer the questions:
1. Where is the music coming from?
2. What is Peter doing?
3. What has Peter got in his room?
4. What is there in Nancy’s room?
5. What can Harold see from Nancy’s window?
6. Where is Topper coming from?
7. What is Father doing?
8. What does Peter want to do?
Exercise 6. Dictation-translation.
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A. |
1. У Кэрол и ее друзей была вечеринка. 2. Проигрыватель играл на полную моіность. 3. Что хуже всего, Том взял свою собаку в гости и она гонялась по всей комнате за котом Кэрол. 4. В дверь позвонили, но, конечно же, в этом шуме они не услышали его. 5. Кто-то стучал по полу в квартире сверху. 6. Не беспокойтесь, мистер Смит. Входите и присоединяйтесь к нам. |
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В. |
1. 21 апреля в 6 часов обвалилась гостиная в доме мистера Паркера. 2. Мистер Паркер и его жена разговаривали с гостями, когда это произошло. 3. Они показывали гостям треіины в гостиной, когда они услышали громкий треск. 4. Трещины становились все больше. 5. Рабочие были все еще в пути, когда комнаты обвалились. |
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С. |
1. Электронный автомобиль - самый современный в мире. 2. У машины не было ни двигателя, ни аккумулятора, ни тормозов, а вместо этого был компьютер. 3. Компьютер реагировал на голос водителя. 4. Однажды мой дядя вел машину в горах. 5. Дорога была плохая, и в ней было много резких поворотов. 6. Наконец машина остановилась на краю обрыва. |
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Д. |
1. Мне показать тебе дом? 2. Прекрасная идея! Люблю послушать хорошего экскурсовода. 3. В гостиной находятся стол и несколько стульев. 4. Не мог ли бы ты мне помочь? 5. Поставь, пожалуйста, чайник. 6. Сейчас мы выходим из кухни и входим в холл. |
Grammar Exercises
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Exercise 1. |
Make the following sentences |
a) negative and b) questions. |
1. The fire was still burning at six o’clock this morning.
2. She was reading a book when he came in.
3. The sun was shining when we went out.
4. The children were doing their homework when their father came back from the office.
5. We were living in France when the war began.
6. It was raining this morning when I got up.
Exercise 2. Complete the Past Continuous form in the following:
1. You (walk) very quickly when I saw you.
2. James (go) to a disco when I met him.
3. He (sit) in the garden when the house fell down.
4. When you came in I (write).
5. I came in while he (write).
6. When I arrived at his house he still (sleep).
7. The boy jumped off the bus while it (move).
8. He (walk) across the bridge when his hat blew off.
9. She cut her finger while she (cut) the bread and butter.
10. The bus started while I (get) on.
11. When I (listen) to the radio last night, I heard a loud scream.
12. She finished the housework while she (cook) the lunch.
13. I took another cake when you (not look)!
14. I (have) a bath when the phone rang.
15. We (watch) television when Peter arrived.
Exercise 3. Choose the correct verb form in the following sentences.
1. I met/ was meeting a friend while I did/ was doing the shopping.
2. I paid/ was paying for my things when I heard/ was hearing someone call my name.
3. I turned/ was turning round and saw/ was seeing Paula.
4. She wore/ was wearing a bright red coat.
5. We decided/ were deciding to have a cup of coffee.
6. While we had/ were having a drink, a waiter dropped/ was dropping a pile of plates.
7. We all got/ were getting a terrible shock.
8. While the waiter picked/ was picking up the broken plates, he cut/ was cutting his finger.
9. We left/ were leaving the café and said/ were saying good-bye.
10. I finished/ was finishing my shopping and went/ was going home.
Exercise 4. Complete the passage with the correct words.
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was working |
clean |
was watching |
I heard |
outside |
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was snowing |
in |
It stayed |
as |
see |
was reading |
One evening last year I was working late at the office. It was winter, and it ..... outside. I ..... some reports when ..... a noise. I looked out of the window but I couldn’t ..... anything. I went back to the reports but ..... I was working, I had a strange feeling. I felt that someone ..... me through the window. «This is silly,» I thought. «The office is on the second floor. It’s impossible for anyone to be outside.» I turned around to pick up a book and saw something in the mirror. It was a face and it was watching me through the window. When I turned back, the face wasn’t in the window any more ..... but it was still in the mirror. ..... there all night, watching me as I worked.
The next day, I looked at the ground .... the building. There were no marks in the snow underneath the window. It was ..... and fresh. There were no marks on the window itself and nothing ..... the mirror. But I know I saw a face. And there’s something else. That night was 31st October, or Hallowe’en, the night when ghosts call and witches walk. Since that night, I have believed in ghosts.
Exercise 5. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.
1. Yesterday the sun (shine) when I (cycle) to school.
2. When I (come) home it (get) dark.
3. (He carry) a briefcase when you (see) him?
4. Tom (still read) when the phone (ring).
5. When I (look) for my needle-work the lights (go) out.
6. I (not know) he (prefer) tea to coffee.
7. He (practise) the violin, so he (not hear) me come in.
8. We (have) dinner when John (arrive).
9. Mary (know) that her husband (love) fishing.
10. She (still live) at the seaside when her parents (die).
Exercise 6. Complete the passage with the correct form of the verb. Use the Past Continuous or the Past Simple tense.
I was walking home from school one day when I saw a girl that I knew. She ..... (sit) on a stone seat, looking at something, but I ..... (can not) see what it was. So I ..... (walk) over to her and ..... (say): «Hello. What’s that?» She ..... (jump). «Oh!» She said, «You ..... (frighten) me! I .... (watch) some little mice.» Then she ..... (show) me what she ..... (look) at. It was a nest of six baby mice with their mother.
Exercise 7. Supply the most suitable tense (Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Past Continuous, Present Perfect).
1. She (go) away every weekend.
2. He (go) abroad last week.
3. No, he isn’t here. He just (go) out.
4. He (go) downstairs when I (meet) him.
5. This boy never (see) the sea.
6. You (see) my bag? I (lose) it.
7. I (see) you yesterday. You (sit) outside a café.
8. He is busy now; he (write) a letter.
9. I usually (not take) sugar in my tea.
10. He (sit) in the garden, when the storm (break).
11. «You (go) to the cinema last night?» - «No, I (not be) for three weeks.»
12. «You (read) that book yet?» - «No, I only just (begin) it.»
Exercise 8. Complete the sentences using the appropriate preposition.
- They are very proud ….. their children.
- My sister has just got engaged ….. her boyfriend.
- Are you worried ….. your driving test?
- You’re very good ….. explaining things.
- Sydney in Australia is famous ….. its Opera House.
- She’s quite capable ….. doing the job.
- I’m tired … doing the same things every day.
- Are you interested ….. playing tennis tomorrow?
- It was very kind ….. them to give us a lift to the station.
- He refused to give me an answer ….. my question.
- What are the main differences ….. the two countries?
- Smoking is one of the causes ….. heart disease.
- The artist drew a picture ….. my mother.
- There is a need ….. more houses in this area.
- Has there been an increase ….. unemployment recently?
- We need a solution ….. the world’s population problem.
Exercise 9. Translate from Russian into English.
1. Она выучила язык, когда училась в Англии. 2. Он простыл, когда катался на коньках в морозный день. 3. Я купил эту книгу, когда готовился к экзаменам. 4. Мистер Браун потерял фотоаппарат, когда гулял по городу. 5. Нэнси осталась дома, так как она удирала квартиру. 6. Почему он не остановился поговорить с тобой? - Он торопился на лекцию. 7. Они смотрят телевизор? - Не думаю. Когда я уходил, огни не смотрели его. 8. Дети спят? - Не думаю. Они не спали, когда я уходил. 9. Пока Джон мыл машину, девочки мыли посуду. 10. Дождь пошел как раз тогда, когда я вышел из дома.