What should you do when you come across new words?

When you are reading something in English, don’t look up every new word or expression or you will soon get fed up. Only look up something that is really important for understanding the text. When you have finished reading, look back at what you have read and then perhaps look up some extra words and write down new expressions that interest you.

Similarly when you listen to English don’t panic when you hear some words or expressions that you don’t know. Keep listening and the overall meaning will often become clear.

When you read or listen to English it is sometimes possible to guess the meaning of a word you don’t know before you look up or ask its meaning. Decide first what part of speech the word is and then look for clues in its context or form.

Before you read the text below, check whether you know what the underlined words mean.

A tortoise is a shelled reptile famed for its slowness and longevity.

The Giant Tortoise of the Galapagos may attain over 1.5 metres in length and have a lifespan of more than 150 years. Smaller tortoises from Southern Europe and North Africa make popular pets. They need to be tended carefully in cool climates and must have a warm place in which they can hibernate.

Which of the marked words can you perhaps guess from the context or from the way the word is formed? Guess and then check whether you were correct by using a dictionary. Some words are impossible to guess from context or the structure of the word. In such cases, ask someone or go to a dictionary for help.

N.B. Vocabulary study and practice is recommended in accordance with the number of the lesson in “Keep up your English” textbook.

Lesson 1

1. Fill in the missing verbs in the appropriate forms:

to rise / to arise / to raise

1. He … his eyes and stared at the blank wall for a moment. 2. It was long after midnight when the guests … to go. 3. Her voice … to a scream.

4. When it came to practical things the usual difficulties … . 5. The children … and followed me out of the room. 6. Let’s hope that such problems will not … . 7. She felt a warm wave of sympathy … within her. 8. The temperature … to ten above zero. 9. Protests were … and criticisms voiced.

to lie / lay

1. He … down the hammer and picked up the handsaw. 2. I could see the cat … in wait for its victim. 3. He … the matter before the committee with all its pros and cons. 4. The poor fellow was … up in hospital with another heart attack. 5. It was a mistake which … him open to criticism.

6. He would … around the whole day doing nothing and thinking nothing.

7. What he did amounted to killing the goose which ... the golden eggs.

8. She … down and fell asleep. 9. She … down the baby carefully. 10. He fell asleep the moment he … his head on the pillow. 11. Europe … north of Africa. 12. He … a hand on my shoulder and said softly: “Are you Mr Brown?” 13. Life … in front of you. 14. If you dare … a finger on her … 15. They … a tax / a duty on tea. 16. It … with you to decide the question. 17. The trouble … in engine. 18. They tried to … the blame for the crime on me. 19. The hens are … well now. 20. Lomonosov … the foundation of Russian science. 21. Place it in a … position. 22. … bricks is a skilled job.

to keep / to preserve / to retain

1. In Britain there are many places which still … their old Celtic names. 2. There are many ways of … vegetables for the winter. 3. The manager succeeded in … control over the company. 4. I don’t like … old clothes.

5. If you want to … fit, exercise and eat vegetables as much as you can.

6. These manuscripts were … in the library of the local museum.

to go / to leave / to quit / to clear out / to withdraw / to depart / to retire

1. The police are after you, you’d better … . 2. In accordance with the old English custom the ladies … after dinner. 3. When it was time for him to …, she said she would … too. 4. In silence the widow … . 5. Aunt Polly was … from the field with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eyes.

6. He repeated his apologies and … the room. 7. He … the laboratory with a sign of relief. 8. He tried many jobs but … all of them. 9. What age do women … in England? 10. The UN troops were eventually … from the country.

to stay / to remain / to leave

1. We … there much longer than we expected. 2. Few … in the building after the alarm was given. 3. He could not … in his silent lodging when they were gone. 4. The two girls would gladly have … and helped the mother get dinner. 5. Andrew was inclined to ask himself why he and Christine had … at Aberlaw since the death of their child. 6. I’m afraid I’ve no time to … . 7. We decided to … in the hotel till the end of the month.

8. He was … alone in the house. 9. She … silent. 10. Don’t … your things behind when you … the train.

to stay / to remain / to linger

1. “Food is one of my few … pleasures, I am afraid”. – she said. – “With the dire consequences on my figure that you can see. Do have another helping of the pudding?” 2. This is Song-Mi Lee, who came ten years ago from Korea on a Ford Foundation fellowship to sit at his feet as a research student and … to become his secretary, companion and wife. 3. That delicious taste … in my mouth for some time.

2. Translate into English using the following verbs according to the sense:

to stay / to remain / to linger

1.Солженицын был и остается выдающимся писателем.

2. Параллель этого романа с «Войной и миром» была и остается очевидной. 3. Он решил остаться в осажденном городе. 4. Разве ты можешь оставаться равнодушным к одной из самых ужасных катастроф человечества в нашем столетии? 5. Я много раз проветривала комнату, но запах кофе и сигарет остался. 6. Я случайно пролила томатный сок на платье, и боюсь, останется пятно.

to raise / to pick / to lift / to heave / to hoist

1. Если вы с чем-то не согласны или хотите что-то добавить, просто поднимите руку. 2. В честь двадцатилетнего юбилея школы провели собрание и подняли её флаг с эмблемой. 3. Чемодан такой тяжелый, я не могу его поднять. У тебя нет тележки? 4. Подними пуговицу с пола, мне кажется, она оторвалась от моего пиджака.

5. Подъемный кран поднимал огромные бетонные плиты.

3. Study the italicized words, discriminate between the shades of difference in their usage or in their meaning. Translate the sentences into Russian.

A. 1. The weather seems to be changing for the worse. 2. That should change her mind is out of the question. 3. You’d better change your tie. It’s too loud for evening wear. 4. She had had the dress slightly altered and now it was good as new. 5. A change in the dates made him alter his arrangements for the holidays. 6. His opinions never seem to vary. 7. You should vary your diet.

B. 1. The mistake you made was quite an ordinary sort of mistake. Such mistakes are common enough among beginners. 2. I had never known him well, but he had always seemed to me an ordinary sort of person. 3. The general idea has been expressed clearly enough, it’s the details that bother me. 4. Hardly any criticism was voiced, just a few general remarks.

C. 1. Once he had been famous in the role of Othello. 2. John Dillinger was a notorious killer. 3. The whole town was agog waiting for the arrival of the celebrated singer. 4. It was a forum of the most distinguished men of science.