V. Review the dialogues and act them out:

• between Marcus and Will (Marcus wants to invite Will to spend X-mas with them) (p. 156)

• between Will and Rachel (talking at the party about the children; start with the following - Rachel: “Nirvana sounds to me just like Led Zeppelin…. ”) (p. 174)

VI. Express your attitude to the ideas enclosed in the following passages:

1. ….how you spent Christmas was a message to the world about where you were in life, some indication of how deep a hole you had managed to burrow for yourself… (p. 156).

2. Will had never wanted to fall in love. When it had happened to friends it had always struck him as a peculiarly unpleasant-seeming experience, what with all the loss of sleep and weight, and the unhappiness when it was unreciprocated, and the suspect, dippy happiness when it was working out…. (p. 171).

Task set 9 (Chapters 25-27)

I. Study the active vocabulary:

• date noun /to be smb’s date (p. 180)

• shush smb. (p. 184)

• snog verb (p. 185)

• go round in circles (p. 187)

• daydream verb (p. 189)

• inculcate verb (p. 192)

• catch smb. out (p. 192)

• start on smb. sl. (p. 197)

• be off one’s head (p. 199)

• no end infml. (p. 199)

• red herring idiom – отвлекающий маневр (p. 200)

• let pass (p. 203)

• be overcome with smth./by smb. (p. 203)

II. Complete the sentences (using the units from the active vocabulary):

1. We saw a couple ________________ on a bench in broad daylight.

2. ___________! I want to hear the weather.

3. The feeling that things ____________________ made him mad.

4. Roger has been _______________ about Lisa since they first met.

5. The examiners will try to ________you______, so have all your answers well prepared.

6. – Don't ____________ me. It's not my fault!

– Oh, _____it______. I’m just _________________ with anger.

7. The new film was received favourably. In fact it was praised ____________.

8. I’m not quite sure if her present behavior is natural or is just a _____________.

9. How do you_____________ good manners in young children?

10. – Who's your ________tonight?

– Oh, it’s the girl I’m ______________ at the moment.

III. Write a short story with the units of the active vocabulary. You may entitle it in the following way “Red Herring”, “The event that cheered me up no end”, “A Daydreamer” etc.

IV. Answer the following questions:

1. Did Marcus have any chance to meet Ellie apart from school? Where did it happen?

2. What were Marcus and Ellie talking about at the party?

3. What was the favour Will wanted to ask Marcus for?

4. Why did Will bother so much about the misunderstanding between Rachel and him?

5. Why did Marcus want Ellie to be his girlfriend?

6. Were Marcus and Ali getting on alright? Justify your answer.

7. Why was Ali off his head about Will and Rachel’s relations?

8. What incident happened at the newsagent’s?

V. Think over the given proverbs and sayings and see if you can relate some of them to the ideas enclosed in the chapters:

1) The burnt child dreads the fire (Обжегшись на молоке, будешь дуть и на воду).

2) Once bitten, twice shy (Пуганая ворона куста боится).

3) Love laughs at locksmiths (Любовь на замок не закроешь).

4) It is never too late to mend (Никогда не поздно исправиться).