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Reading comprehension exercises

  • 1. Consult a dictionary and practise the pronunciation of the following words. Pay attention to the stresses.

    1. atmosphere, unforgivable, disgusting, absurd, absolute, altar, conceited, irresolutely, automatons, rearrange, Lilliputian, precede, cautious, bury, cushions, tiptoe, inaudibly, dove, stealthily, amateur, abbreviation, disagreeable;

    2. lettuce, abyss, scavenger, rummage, grisly, Eden, vigorous, lax­ative, ingenious, serpent, exeunt, tentative, extravagant, dishevel(l)ed, atrocious, standoffish, complacent, adorable, motto.

    1. Listen to your partners' reading of the exercise. Correct their mistakes, if any.

    1. Substitute one of the speech patterns for the parts of the sentence:

    1. Models: a) He became angry when he thought of working and working like a dog.

    2. It made him angry to think of working and working like a dog. b) You cannot think of anything else but finding fault. All you can think of is finding fault.

    3. 1. He was annoyed when people told him that he should be more polite. 2. The girl became sad when she heard the mournful news. 3. The mother was happy (she rejoiced) when she received many let­ters from her daughter. 4. He dreamed of nothing else but becoming a

    4. doctor. 5. There was nothing else they had to demand but that the old woman should be treated with all respect due to her. 6. The only thing we objected to was her stubbornness. 7. She had better do noth­ing else but attend to her work. 8. There was nothing else she had wanted him to do, but to trust his judgement.

    5. 4. Translate the following sentences into English using the speech patterns.

    6. 1. Нежелание Гордона понять жену разозлило Лору. 2. Ребенок станет сча­стливее, если его мать будет проводить с ним больше времени. 3. Все, на что мог надеяться Вол, так это на показания его жены. 4. "Единственное, что ты умеешь делать, так это придираться ко мне, и это меня бесит", — сказала Лора. 5. Последняя встреча с Фрэнком опечалила Эйлин. Все, на что она могла надеяться, так это ждать, что он в конце концов поймет, как он ее унизил. 6. Его возмущает, что ему не доверяют. 7. Ее сердит, что ей приходится напоминать ему о его обязанностях. 8. Учительницу всегда радует, когда она слышит об успехах своих учеников. 9. Каждой матери приятно, когда ее ребенка хвалят. 10. Каждый бы пришел в ярость, если бы с ним так поступили. 11. Она только и мечтает о том, чтобы стать артисткой. 12. Единственное, что меня возмуща­ет, это твоя лень.

    1. Make up two sentences of your own on each pattern.

    1. Make up and act out in front of the class a suitable dialogue using the speech patterns. (Pair work.)

    2. Note down from the text the sentences containing the phrases and word combinations and translate them into Russian.

    3. Paraphrase the following sentences using the phrases and word combina­tions.

    1. 1. At times some praise will work wonders. 2. You'd better explain to him how he is to behave when his wife has friends over. 3. Don't you think we are giving the child too much attention? 4. Never mind Molly, what has she got to do with it? 5. You don't mean to betray your friend, do you? Who has turned you against him? 6. I have a feeling that somebody has been ransacking my drawer. 7. "How long are you going to labour with that assignment?" my roommate asked me at two in the morning. 8. When a young couple is expecting friends they are anxious to arrange everything properly in the house. 9. His

    1. 262

    2. 263

    1. reckless driving brought about the accident. 10. Photographs are sure to remind one of the past. 11. I don't mind your being curious, but you are overdoing it. 12. If you must give support to one or the other cause first make up your mind. 13. How do you feel about Smith? I used to respect him a lot, but now I'm angry with him. 14. Scarlett was furious that she had to spend so much time and work so hard on the wounded in the hospital under the supervision of Mrs Meade. 15. Intelligence is common in that family.

    2. 9. Make up two sentences of your own on each phrase and word combina­ tion.

    1. Make up and practise a suitable dialogue using the phrases and word com­binations.

    2. Translate the following sentences into English using the phrases and word combinations:

    1. 1. Мальчик очень старался не делать ошибок в своем изложении. 2. Почему вы не откроете ей глаза на истинное положение дел? 3. В детстве ее не балова­ли, и теперь она оказалась более самостоятельной, чем ее брат. 4. Сильные дож­ди в горных районах привели к наводнению. 5. Встреча и разговор со старым школьным товарищем вызвали в памяти старые времена. 6. Не кажется ли вам, что она слишком далеко заходит в своей дерзости? Однако не думайте, что я говорю это, чтобы восстановить вас против нее. 7. Не беспокойтесь, все устро­ится чудесно. Нам надо только обсудить все заранее. 8. На чьей вы стороне? Решайте. 9. Скарлетт рылась в ящике стола, пытаясь найти там остатки денег. 10. Пока он не займется делом всерьез, он не получит повышения. 11. Учитель­ница была очень недовольна учеником и задавала ему самые трудные вопросы.

    1. Если он дал слово, он достаточно мужественен чтобы не отказаться от него.

    2. Единственное, что тебе надо сделать, так это поставить все на место. 14. Флер обладала цепкостью, которая была в крови у Форсайтов.

    1. 12. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

    2. 1. Gordon didn't mind some leftovers being thrown away. 2. Laura didn't want their son to ever get married. 3. Gordon accused Laura of being absolutely ignorant of housework. 4. Laura didn't bother to cook a hot dinner and they often ate out. 5. Gordon though tired after work always praised Laura's dinner. 6. Mrs. Johns admitted that quick temper ran in the Johns family. 7. Mrs. Sheffield claimed that

    3. both she and her husband were very strict with Laura and never pet­ted her. 8. The two mothers were deliberately trying to set Laura and Gordon against each other. 9. Laura believed that the two mothers tried to make trouble between her and Gordon. 10. Gordon felt hurt and humiliated and wasn't inclined to make up.

    4. 13. Complete the following sentences.

    5. 1. It makes me wild to think of... 2. You attend to your... 3. All you can think of is... 4. You think that if you'd married Jack Davis or some other of those jokers... 5. I'll put him wise to... 6. Did you expect to go through life ... 7. Is there anything in the world so cruel as ... 8. Mar­riage ought not to be performed before an altar, but... 9.1 ought to have known that... 10. Every marriage ought to be preceded by ...

    6. 14. a). Match the words on the left with the words on the right.

      1. 1

      2. 2 3 4

      1. unforgivable to find to put smb humiliating

      1. a ignorance b temper с example d sides

      1. 5 6

      2. 7

      1. perpetual

      2. absolute

      3. refined

      1. e family

      2. f quarrelling

      3. g fault

      1. 8 9

      1. quick to take

      1. h sin

      2. i criticism

      1. 10

      1. vigorous

      1. j wise

    8. b). Wrtte 10 sentences incorporating these word combinations.

    9. 15. Explain what is meant by:

    10. 1. His fuse also is rapidly shortening. 2. If you'd married Jack Davis or some other of those jokers you'd never have had to see the inside of a kitchen. 3. He shall get married, just to be a humiliating example to his father. 4. The expectant mother-in-law! 5. Let's see if you can rat­ify it from your extensive observation of life. 6.1 ought to have known that oil and water won't mix. 7. He wants to take out some more insurance... 8. It runs in the Johns family. 9. ...and was made so much of, it gave her wrong ideas. 10.1 was always afraid she'd have a hard awakening when she married. 11. My husband was shortsighted, too.

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    2. 265

    1. He had had to skimp... 12. It's a kind of spiritual laxative. But they carry it too far. 13. Being a mother-in-law is almost as painful as be­ing a mother.

    2. 16. Answer the questions and do the given assignments.

    3. a) 1. Is the fact that both the mothers are residing of any special importance in causing the above mentioned tense condition? 2. What does the fact that Gordon takes more pains than his wife to avoid a quarrel suggest? 3. Do you think a wife should be economical? To what extent? 4. Why did Gordon feel slighted by Junior's not having drunk out of his mother's cup? 5. What do you think about the up­bringing of an only child? What should be his (her) share in the house­hold chores? 6. Should children be made to understand what mar­riage means? To what extent? 7. Should a husband and wife have similar personalities or not? 8. What makes for a happy marriage? 9. What brought about the quarrel between Laura and Gordon and what did it result in? 10. Was there any implication in Mrs Shef­field's words to the effect that "they have such a lot to learn"? 11. What do you think of Mr Sheffield's words to the effect that "she's only young once. Let her enjoy herself?" 12. Why would their children's quarrel bring back old times to their mothers? 13. What is your opin­ion about "a treaty of peace between the two mothers" and its effect on their children's married life? 14. What did Laura mean when she said her mother was going back on her? 15. What would you say about Gordon's motto for married men?

    4. b) 1. Indicate the features of the writing which denote that it is a play. Examine and describe its regular characteristics.

    1. What are the differences in the general atmosphere among the different parts of the play? Which stylistic devices does the author use to create these differences? Point out details which add a dra­matic though comic flavour to the play. Pay attention to a) epithets, b) similes, c) metaphors, d) intensifiers the characters use when speak­ing about themselves and about each other.

    2. Note the way Laura and Gordon a) speak, b) move, c) look. Indicate the lexical and syntactical devices used to emphasise the emotional style of the young people:

    1. 1) lexical and syntactical repetition; 2) length of the period; 3) the use of formal and informal vocabulary; 4) the forms of address; 5) the intonations (questions, exclamations, disjunctive questions, unfinished sentences, the interjections and the stresses). Justify their use.

    1. Discuss the examples of irony and sarcasm. How are the effects achieved? Compare these with the humorous, effect and note the dif­ference.

    2. Examine the stage directions and find out where the author's sympathies lie. How do they help you to visualize the characters? How do they reveal the emotions, the intentions and difference in the characters' behaviour?

    3. Explain the play on words: "All you can think of is finding fault." "I didn't find fault. I found some good food being wasted."

    4. Pay attention to the use of synonyms, antonyms and the effect of gradation.

    1. Find the examples of half reported speech. What effect is achieved by its use?

    2. Find in the text the allusions and say if these are used effectively.