2.4. TIDINESS AND RELIABILIT

 

2.4.1 Introduction

What is tidiness? How important is it to be punctual? Who do we characterize as reliable and responsible? Are you such a person?

 

2.4.2 Listening

Translate the text and study the counter-arguments below. Give Russian equivalent to each word or word combination in bold.

 

Untidy People Are Not Nice to Know

 

You don’t have to be a genius to spot them. The men of the species are often uncombed; their ties never knotted squarely beneath their collars. The women of the species always manage to smear lipstick on their faces as well as their lips; in one hand they carry handbags which are stuffed full of accumulated rubbish; with the other, they drag a horde of neglected children behind them. With a sort of happy unconcern, both the male and female species litter railway stations, streets, parks, etc., with sweet wrappings, banana-skins, eggshells and cast-off shoes. Who are they? That great untidy band of people that make up about three-quarters of the human race. An unending trail of rubbish pursues them wherever they go.

It is most unwise to call on them at their homes – particularly if they aren’t expecting you. You are liable to find socks behind the refrigerator, marbles in the jam and egg-encrusted crockery. Newspapers litter the floor; ashtrays overflow; withered flowers go on withering in stale water. Writing desks have become dumping grounds for piles of assorted, indescribable junk. And as for the bedrooms, well, it’s best not to say. Avoid looking in their cars, too, because you are likely to find last year’s lolly sticks, chewing-gum clinging to the carpets and a note saying ‘Running In’ on the rear window of a ten-year-old vehicle.

Yes, but what are they really like? Definitely not nice to know. They are invariably dirty, scruffy, forgetful, impatient, slovenly, slothful, unpunctual, inconsiderate, rude, irritable and (if they’re driving a car) positively dangerous. Untidiness and these delightful qualities always seem to go together, or shall we say that untidiness breeds these qualities. It’s hardly surprising. If you are getting dressed and can only find one sock, you can only end up being irritable and scruffy. If after a visit to a lovely beauty spot you think that other people will enjoy the sight of your orange peel, you can only be inconsiderate and slovenly. If you can’t find an important letter because you stuck it between the pages of a book and then returned the book to the library, you can only be forgetful. If you live in perpetual, self-imposed squalor, you must be slothful – otherwise you’d do something about it.

What a delightful minority tidy people are by comparison! They seem to have a monopoly of the best human qualities. They are clean, neat, patient, hard working, punctual, considerate and polite. All these gifts are reflected in their homes, their gardens, their work, their personal appearance. They are radiant, welcoming people whom you long to meet, whose esteem you really value. The crux of the matter is that tidy people are kind and generous, while untidy people are mean and selfish. The best proof of this is that tidy people, acting on the highest, selfless motives, invariably marry untidy ones. What happens after that is another story!

 

The counter-argument: key notes

                           

* People obsessed with tidiness are not quite human.

* They possess very bad qualities. They are nagging, mean, jealous, spoilsports,  old-fashioned, narrow-minded, prudish. You can call them self-satisfied prigs.

* Their houses are like museums. E.g. the family of a house-proud housewife are  not allowed even to walk on floors!

* Tidy husbands possess tidy desks on which work is never done and tidy shelves of books never read.

* Tidy people can’t enjoy life; they don’t know how to live.

* They are slaves of material things. Their lives are hygienic; they are always polishing floors, cleaning cars, etc.

* Their children are insufferable: always dressed in their best suits; they are not allowed to play.

* Tidy people are not creative, lack ideas.

* They never have time to create anything; they are always pursued by things.

* They are hypocrites, interested only in outward appearances.

* They are unfriendly: their way of life doesn’t encourage friendship.

* They are usually introvert, always thinking about themselves and their possessions.

* Very often they are depressed, unhappy; mental hospitals are full of tidy people.        

 

2.4.3 Word Use

A

Translate the following sentences into Russian.

 

1. Dick is very tall, so he was easy to spot in hordes of people milling around the station.

2. Your hair is a mess! Go comb it.

3. There were smears of dirt on Charlie’s shirt, and his boots were thickly encrusted with mud.

4. He only offered me ₤10 for it, so I told him to get stuffed.

5. Since he became a TV junkie, he has neglected himself – put on some weight and so on.

6. As the youngest of five kids I was always dressed in other people’s cast-offs.

7. You are more liable to injury when you don’t get regular exercise.

8. She gave him a withering glance.

9. Sorry for this litter of notes, papers and textbooks – I feel a bit down in the dumps.

10. How can anyone live in such indescribably squalid conditions!

11. It was inconsiderate of him to keep us waiting like that – we felt as if we outstayed his welcome.

12. The children peeled off their clothes and leapt into the pool.

13. What on earth possessed her to do such a thing!

14. It’s sheer hypocrisy for politicians to preach about family values when so many of them are having affairs.

 

Prepositions

B

Fill in the blanks.

 

1. The police combed the woods … the missing boy.

2. The tablecloth was smeared … jam, crayon and berry-juice.

3. The boys peeled the wrappers … the sweets and stuffed their faces … them.

4. She became more and more neglectful … her responsibilities.

5. History is littered … examples of negligence and obsession.

6. My heart was overflowing with gratitude …them … their consideration and help.

7. Wrap the cake … tin foil.

8. He turned into a man with shabby clothes and a general air … slovenliness.

9. Stop obsessing … the germs! You’ve killed them all with your new disinfectant – three times since morning!

 

Interaction

C

Make up a dialogue presenting different opinions. Use ideas from the text and the counter-arguments.

 

2.4.4 Vocabulary	A	Give definitions to the words in bold.

1. I was carefulto choose the right words so that they wouldn’t misunderstand me.

2. He’s very careless with money and frequently gets into debt.

3. He’s cautiousabout accepting the offer before he knows all the details.

4. He’s very wary of getting involved with such careless and irresponsible people.

5. She’s very thorough whenever she writes a report.

6. They’re an efficient company with a good reputation.

7. She’s so inefficient that everybody else has to do her job for her.

8. He’s a competent teacher and his students are making good progress.

9. He’s really incompetent and does even the simplest job badly.

10. She’s particular about her food and there are a few things she’ll never eat.

11. He’s very conservative in his choice of clothes.

12. The painters were very sloppy and the room looks terrible.

13. It’s rash to agree to do something you can’t possibly do.

14. Don’t be too hasty! Think carefully about what might happen.

15. Don’t jump to conclusions! Just because he looks  stupid, it doesn’t mean that he is.

16. I didn’t have time to think about it, I had to make a snap decision.

17. He’s fussy about the clothes he buys and always takes ages to choose them.

 

Word Choice

B

Choose the word or phrase which best  completes each sentence.

     

1. I wouldn’t say he was brilliant at his job, but he’s quite … .

a. cautious       b. wary       c. effective       d. competent

2. I’m … trusting him again. He let me down last time.

a. wary of      b. careful about       c. conservative about     d. thorough

3. You are too … . You should think before you act.

a. inefficient     b. sloppy     c. spontaneous    d. impulsive

4. I’m very … things. I’m always losing them.

a. careless about      b. impulsive with       c. careless of      d. careless with

5. Don’t make a … decision. Think about it first.

a. snap      b. jump      c. careless      d. spontaneous

6. She lost her job because she was … . She made far too many mistakes.

a. rash        b. inefficient        c. incautious        d. impulsive

7. The police made a … search of the area but found nothing.

a. wary       b. cautious       c. fussy       d. thorough

8. I realize now that I was too … . I should have thought about it for longer.

a. hasty      b. careless       c. snap      d. sloppy

9. He’s … . He does his job very badly.

a. incompetent      b. rash       c. impulsive       d. hasty

10. I never know what to cook him as he’s such a … eater. He doesn’t even like potatoes.

a. thorough      b. conservative        c. fussy       d. careful

11. It was very … of you to lose that letter; you should have kept it in a safe place.

a. rash        b. impulsive       c. fussy       d. careless

12. You’re so …! Can’t you see the benefits of building the new road?

a. hasty      b. thorough       c. conservative       d. fussy

   

Rephrase

C

Write a new sentence as close in meaning as  possible to the one given by using the word in brackets.

 

1. You are making a judgment before you’ve heard the facts. (conclusions)

2. I choose very carefully who I discuss my private life with. (particular)

3. I made sure that I didn’t offend them. (careful)

4. She chooses the kind of hotels she stays in very carefully. (fussy)

5. I don’t mind whether we go or not. (fussy)

6. Watch out for the traffic when you cross the road. (careful)

7. After her divorce she was very cautious about new affairs. (wary) 

 

Error Recognition

D

There are 8 mistakes in the following passage. Find and correct them.

 

Every morning when I awake up I have a bathe before getting dressed. Sometimes I have a douse instead, but if I’ve got up late I just have time for a wash myself. I like to do a shampooing every day as well. Washing up frequently and keeping clear is one of the pleasures of the life.

 

2.4.5 Word Form

Read the text below. Put the words in brackets in  the appropriate form. Can a person learn to be punctual?

 

For many people punctuality is a big issue. Parents are often keen to impress upon their children the (1 – important) of being punctual because they see it as an aspect of (2 – polite) and consideration for others. It is also a quality that (3 – employ) regard as very positive, and those who are usually (4 – punctuality) may end up being (5 – success) in their careers as a result.

It may be, however, that less punctual people have (6 – choose) a more (7 – relax) lifestyle than those who always arrive on time. They may find it (8 – stress) when so much emphasis is placed on timekeeping. Indeed, if others get (9 – patience) when they are late for appointments, this may not seem (10 – reason) to them.

 

2.4.6 Check Yourself

Supply the words asked for in the clues.

 

1. What adjective beginning with G and ending in Y means ‘covered with cold solid fat’? (6 letters)

2. What adjective beginning with H and ending in –IC describes conditions in a kitchen, etc., which are germ-free? (8 letters)

3. What verb beginning with R means to fix something that is broken? (6 letters)

4. What adjective beginning with D describes the condition, say, clothes which are slightly wet? (4 letters)

5. What verb beginning FUMI- describes the act of treating with chemical smoke to kill germs, insects, etc.? (8 letters)

6. What 3-letter verb beginning with F means the same as ‘repair’?

7. What noun (5 letters) beginning with D and ending with R describes the style and appearance of a room, for example?

8. What verb S - - - P means to use a broom?

9. What noun M - - S describes conditions that are dirty and untidy in, say, a kitchen?

10. What 4-letter noun, plural in form, beginning with S describes the foam made by soap in a washing machine?

11. What 5-letter verb beginning with C describes the noise floorboards might make when you walk on them?

12. What verb beginning with A and ending –GE describes the way you put flowers into a vase artistically? (7 letters)

13. What noun L – C - - ER describes paint or varnish that dries to a hard shiny surface?

14. What verb S - - - PE describes what you might do to the bottom of a pan to remove burnt-on food?

 

2.4.7 Practice

A

Correct mistakes, if there are any, in each sentence of  the text.

 

A campaign against litter

 

- Our local council is conducting an action to reduce the amount of litter in our streets.

- We are all encouraged to pick any rubbish we see lying in the street and fetch it to the nearest litter bin.

- If we see anyone drop litter in the street, we’re supposed to tell them to collect it.

- Council workers regularly brush the streets and collect rubbish from big green bins.

- There are large posters everywhere which say: ‘Do a good act today! Keep our streets clear! Don’t be a litterbug!’

- Of course, it isn’t easy to tell people what to do.

- A lot of people object to be told to pick up their rubbishes.

- The problem is extremely bad out of fast food restaurants.

- Though these restaurants kindly supply large bins, a lot of people neglect them and leave their litter in the street.

- The consumption of food at these places is very great, so it is difficult to control garbage dispositions.

- Girl guides and boy scouts have volunteered to make an example to others.

- If these girls and boys see anyone letting something to drop they directly pick it up and then they speak politely to the person who dropped it.

- ‘I think this belongs to you,’ they say, handing it back.

- Even the biggest litterbugs feel shy of themselves.

- They usually redden and accept the litter.

- They also accept to dispose of it properly and immediately search the nearest rubbish bin.

- The other day I saw a young mother with her little boy.

- The boy picked up a dirty ice-cream carton and his mother said, ‘That’s dirty! Throw it!’

- A boy scout who was following them said, ‘No. give it to me. I’ll put it in a bin for you.’

- The young mother angered.

- ‘I can do that myself,’ she said and she took the carton from the scout.

- Then she decided to give a good example to her son.

- ‘We must take place in this campaign, too! she said.

- She thanked the scout for being so genteel and he thanked her, too.

- There’s not doubt the counsel’s campaign is going to be a great success.

 

Opinion

B

Say, whether there are similar problems and  campaigns in our  town.

 

2.4.8 Translation

Give a literary translation to the following. What words / phrases from these extracts could be helpful to speak about tidiness?

 

1. He was a careful man, a taker of notes and a maker of lists. Mama was the reversed. She was the daring one.

2. ‘I think the dress is too long,’ Rose said. ‘I’ve tried it on and I want to hem it up a bit, but I can’t get it level on myself.’

3. Louise’s spinster state had prompted her to look after herself, to do herself  proud. Toby was not to know that the very things he most liked about her house – the tidiness, the order, the coherent style, the treats – were all symptoms of loneliness and solitude. He mistook them for style, whereas they were nothing more than absence of a companion, an excess of solitary time, and one of many unavailing defences against solitude.

4. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’ll make enough food for three, and we can pig out if he doesn’t come.’

 

2.4.9 Speaking

A

Give Russian / Belarusian equivalents to the  sayings below. Use one of them in the situation of your own.

1. Cleanliness is next to godliness.

2. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

3. Haste makes waste.

4. It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

5. Procrastination is the thief of time.

6. Live for today for tomorrow never comes.

7. Nature abhors a vacuum.

8. Waste not want not.

 

                           B        Rate the cases in terms of how irresponsible these

people are from least to most irresponsible. Explain 

why you rated them this way and add one or two

more examples of irresponsibility.

 

1. Mother who smokes while pregnant.

2. Parents who let their children watch pornographic and violent films.

3. Someone who drives at 220 kph on the motorway.

4. People who have big dogs and live in flats.

5. A group of people climbing on a difficult mountain despite a bad weather forecast.

6. People who leave cans, plastic bottles etc. on beaches and other places of natural beauty.

7. A teacher who never prepares his / her lessons.

8. Someone who drinks a bottle of wine and then drives.

9. Producers of arms / weapons.

 

2.4.10  Discussion

Answer the questions. Try to prove your point of view.

 

1. What is tidiness? Can you give examples of untidiness?

2. Do you agree that three quarters of the human race are untidy?

3. Can a person be tidy in one respect and untidy in another?

4. Is tidiness connected with reliability and punctuality? With creativity? Give your examples.

5. Who do you call a responsible person?

6. Whose responsibility is it to tidy up your home?

7. What do you do to keep your surroundings clean?

8. What should be done so as to bring up such qualities as responsibility, reliability and consideration in children?

 

2.4.11 Writing

Compose an essay. Suggested topics:

 

* Untidiness breeds lack of responsibility

*  It’s impossible to be perfect, but we should try

*  To live in squalor and misery means to waste your life

*  Or do we waste our life, spending time on tidying, cleaning, etc.?

*  Tidy people are obsessed with the material, and forget about their soul.

* Perfect cleanliness takes away all your time. Responsibilities take away all your life.