Essential vocabulary

1. object n 1) (C) a material thing: What is that dark object over there? 2) (C) slightly/m/. Something or someone which causes par ticular feelings or actions, as an object of pity/admiration /embar rassment/ ridicule: She became an object of ridicule among the other pupils. The disaster was an object lesson in how not to run a school. 3) (C) purpose or reason for doing something: The object of her visit was not clear.

object vi to say that you are against something because it is unfair or morally wrong: They want to sell the car, and naturally he objects. I object to the whole thing on principle.

objection n (C) a statement or feelihg of dislike, disapproval or opposition, as brush aside/have/raise/voice/withdraw objections: Her objection to/against the plan is based on incorrect facts. Have you any objections to his coming?

objective n (C) a concrete and clearly formulated purpose: His main/primary objective now is simply to stay in power.

objective a not influenced by personal feelings; fair as objective assessment/report/facts: The writer tried to be as objective as possible in evaluating his latest work.

2. oppose vt to think that something is wrong and try to prevent it: His father opposed his wish to become an actor.

be opposed to to be against something, especially when this is your permanent opinion: Many people are opposed to the use of fur for clothes.

opposition n(U)Atthe meeting there was a lot of opposition to the proposed changes. The Opposition has/have condemned the Government's proposed tax increases.

opposite a 1) completely different: / wanted to impress them but probably had the opposite effect. 2) across from where you are; facing: He lives opposite.

opposite и (С) a person or thing that is as different as possible: You are nice, he's just the opposite. Black and white are opposites.
3. ground n 1) (C) a piece of land for a special use, as a football ground, playground, parade ground, training ground, sports ground 2) (C) reason or cause or argument as on grounds of/on the ground that/on the grounds of: She's suing the company on the grounds of unfair dismissal. Do you have any ground for suspecting them?
cover much/a lot of ground 1) to travel a certain distance 2) to deal with many different subjects: 77/ try to cover all the ground in a short speech of half an hour.
suit someone down to the ground {informal) to be just what one wants or likes: This house will suit us down to the ground.
grounds n gardens and land surrounding or attached to a house or institution: The college grounds were beautifully planted.
groundless a (of feelings, ideas) without base or good reason as groundless fears/worries
well-grounded a based on fact: The claim must be well-grounded on fact.
4. thing n 1) (C) any material object: What's that thing you've got on your head? 2) (C) a piece of clothing: Put your things on and come for a walk. I've not got a thing to wear. 3) (C) that which is not material: What a nasty thing to say to your sister! 4) (C) a subject, matter: There's one more thing I wanted to say. I want to forget the whole thing. 5) (C) a person or animal regarded as an object of pity, affection or contempt: Your daughter's such a sweet little thing. What a lazy/noisy/stupid thing you are! 6) (C) happening, event: A funny thing happened yesterday. 7) pi possessions, belongings: Have you packed your things for the journey? 8) pi the general state of affairs: Things are not what they were. My doctor told me to take things easy for a while.
just the thing, exactly what you want.
(not) quite the thing what is considered socially correct, fashionable: It's not quite the thing to wear an open-necked shirt to a formal evening dinner.
It's (J^ust) one of those things means that there was no way of planning to avoid smth: The road was blocked, so we missed the meeting. — I'm afraid it was just one of those things.
the thing is often used to emphasise an important remark which follows: The thing is, can we get there in time?
have a thing about (informal) a peculiar attitude or feeling toward smth: She has a thing about cats.
It's good thing It's a good thing George can't hear us.
5. initial n usu. pi. first letter of a person's name.
initial a coming at the beginning, as the initial advantage, attempt, stage, step, symptoms: His initial response to the question was "no".
initiative n 1) (C) the first step in an undertaking, have/seize/ lose/take the initiative: They have attempted to take the initiative in dealing with the problem. 2) (U) the ability to use your judgement to make decisions as have/display/lack/show initiative: He doesn't have much initiative. Act on your own initiative.
6. attend vt/i \)fml to give one's attention: Are you attending to what is being said? 2) to be present at: The meeting was well attended. 3) to provide help, esp. as part of your job: The president always has his own doctor attending on him. A)fmlto result in, go to with: Danger attended everything he did.
attention n 1) (U) active focusing of the mind as pay attention to, attract/draw smb's attention to: He likes being the centre of attention. Many countries are starting to turn their attention to new forms of energy.
attentive a 1) paying attention 2) helpful and considerate: I had very attentive and loving parents.
inattentive a He has been wholly inattentive to the needs of his children.
attendant n a person who looks after a place as a museum/cloakroom attendant.
attendance n (C, U) the act of being present: Attendance at school is demanded by law.
7. reassure vt to restore confidence or courage: The doctor reas sured the sick man (about his health).
reassurance n (C, U) She won't believe it in spite of all our reassurance(s).
reassuringly adv "You'll be all right," he said reassuringly.
assure vt 1) to promise; try to persuade: He assured us of his ability to work. 2) to make certain: Before going to bed she assured herself that the door was locked.
assured a self-possessed, confident: Now that the finance has been secured, the production of the film is assured.

self-assured a (approving) having confidence in your own abilities: The interview showed her as a self-assured and mature student.
assurance n promise: She gave me her assurance that she would post the cheque immediately.
8. yield v 1) to supply or produce smth. positive such as a profit, an amount of food or information: The talks with the management failed to yield any results 2) to give up, surrender: They were forced to yield (up) some of their lands during the war. We will not yield to pressure.
yield n that which is produced: The tree gave a high yield this year.
yielding a 1) submissive, obedient: He has a yielding character and will soon change his mind. 2) soft, easy to move or band, as yielding materials.
READING COMPREHENSION EXERCISES
1. Consult a dictionary and practise the pronunciation of the following words. Pay attention to the stresses:
conscientious, photograph, anonymous, antithesis, ambiguous, homogeneous, megalomania, coincidence, cleavage, languorous, incisive, psychic, itinerary.

Read out the passage beginning with "For the first time..." up to I'll show it to somebody, he thought" using proper tone groups and observing the rhythm. Convey proper attitudes and all the phonetic phenomena of connected speech.
a) Practise this brief conversation:

Student A expresses either annoyance at Walter Streeter or criticizes him. He suggests irritability and sounds reprovingly critical. Remember what rate of utterance may be associated with negative emotions.
Student В defends Walter Streeter. Mind that expressing disagreement you might sound challenging, persuasively reassuring, be reluctantly or defensively dissenting; for the purpose make use of the intonation patterns "Fall-Rise" and "Rise-Fall".
Student С asks for reasons and expresses his own personal verdict. Be aware of the change in attitudes.
b) Now in pairs talk about the pros and cons of judging a person by his/her handwriting. Impart your own attitude. Use proper intonation patterns which the argument or discussion require.
4. Substitute one of the speech patterns for the parts of the sentences in bold type.
Models: a) She wanted to put a coin into the slot but changed her mind as she had very little money.
She was just going to put a coin into the slot when she remembered that she had very little money and decided not to.
b) He could not understand why he had never noticed before that Bilson was left-handed.
How was it that he had never noticed that Bilson was left-handed?
c) It was painful, believe me. It was painful, I can tell you.
1. Ben was on the point of dialing his telephone number to have the matter out with his brother, but then he thought better of it. 2. The tickets were sold out a month ago. Why on earth was the theatre half empty? 3. Daniel has a very good memory for names and dates. How did it happen that he forgot about my birthday? 4. The weather forecast was "cloudy with occasional showers". He was about to start off when suddenly he decided to stay at home. 5. Jane was just about to throw the old envelope into the waste-paper basket when suddenly she changed her mind. 6. So you are a professional singer. How could it have happened that you had never told me about this before? 7. How can you account for the fact that we have lived in the same town for two years and have never met? 8. We had an awful time getting back, believe me. 9.1 assure you, I broke out in goosebumps all over. 10. You've got something on your hands there, lad, I'm sure about it.
5. Translate the following sentences into English using the speech patterns:
1. Уверяю вас, мне не впервые приходится слышать подобную отговорку.

Как это так получается, что у нас никогда нет возможности встретиться'
Почему (так выходит, что) я больше не встречаю Джейн у вас в гостях? 4. Как

это могло случиться, что два маленьких мальчика одни поехали кататься по реке? 5. Их беседа не была такой безобидной, уверяю вас. 6. В письме он писал, что собирается приехать к нам в сентябре, а затем передумал. 7. Мы уже совсем собрались купить телевизор, а потом раздумали.

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