PRGRM_1 (Тексты)

PROGRAMME 1

Text One

Topic: A Quiet Life

Felix Catt is a typical resident of Siberia Avenue, Surbiton.

He looks gloomy, but in fact he is quite happy, and he leads a quiet life

in this suburb of London. His wife Gertie looks after him carefully;

she cleans the house regularly, and feeds him daily on well-cooked meat

and tinned vegetables. There is always a supply of fresh water for his whisky,

and plenty of carpet space for putting practice, so he is very comfortable

and content with suburban life.

Felix is very fond of his old dog, Sam. They go for walks

together on Sundays. Today he is taking Sam to the local vet, because

he is afraid that he is going blind. However, the vet is confident

of curing him by means of a small operation. He is giving Sam

an injection before operating on him, so that he will sleep peacefully

the whole time and not feel any pain. There is even a pretty nurse

standing by to comfort Sam in case he feels unhappy and lonely

in the strange surroundings.

In general, both Felix and Sam think that they don't have

a bad life, and they have no desire to change it for anything more adventurous.

Programme 1

Text Two

A Date for the Theatre

Mike: Hello, Jack. Why the rush? Where are you going?

Jack: Hello, Mike. I'm on my way to meet Joyce at the station. We're having dinner at Chinese restaurant and then we're off to the theatre.

Mike: Do you often go to the theatre?

Jack: Yes, Joyce and I usually go at least once a fortnight; sometimes more.

Do you ever go?

Mike: Yes, but I don't often find time these days. There are so many other things to do.

Jack: True, true.

Mike: Listen, perhaps Janet and I can arrange to meet you and Joyce one Saturday evening. We can have dinner together and go on to a theatre.

Jack: That's a good idea. Look, I forget the name of the play, but there's a good comedy on at the Theatre Royal next week. If you like, I can book four seats, for next Saturday.

Mike: All right. I'm meeting Janet later this evening so I can make sure that she's free next Saturday. I'll ring you tomorrow to confirm if we are coming.

Jack: Fine. I must fly now. It's six o'clock already and Joyce's bus arrives

at ten past. She hates waiting around and I don't want to spoil

everything by upsetting her before we start our evening.

Mike: I'll phone you tomorrow then. Give my regards to Joyce. Have a good evening.

Programme 1

Text Three

A Picnic

Tim: Exeter 78563.

Mary: Tim? This is Mary. I hope I haven't woken you up.

Tim: Actually I got up ten minutes ago, but it's only a quarter to nine.

Why are you calling me so early on a Sunday morning?

Mary: Because the sun's shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky,

and Alan and I are going for a picnic. Do you want to come?

Tim: It's true we haven't seen the sun lately, but I expect it'll rain again soon.

Mary: No, it won't.

Tim: Well, I've got some work to do, but I suppose I could put it off till tomorrow. Where are you thinking of going?

Mary: Well, there's a lovely spot by the river on the road to Tiverton.

There's a big bend in the road just before you get to Stoke. You leave your car and walk across a field to the left. There are some tall elm trees by the river, and that's where we'll be. It's very easy to find the place.

Tim: Yes, I think I know where you mean. I'll come, and I might even

go for a swim. Are you taking any food or drink? It's a pity you didn't mention it yesterday. I don't think there's any beer in the house.

Mary: Don't worry. We've got some bottles of beer and lemonade and there's half a chicken in the fridge.

Tim: Right then. See you there in about an hour.

Programme 1

Notes: Forms and Patterns

1 Verb tenses (a) Present Continuos (b) Present Simple

(a) The sun is shining. (While I am speaking.)
I am studying English at the moment. (An action in progress now.)
I'm meeting Janet later this evening. (A planned future action.)

(b) She cleans the house daily. (Need not be happening now.)
We usually go once a fortnight. (A repeated action.)
Water boils at 100 degrees Centigrade. (A permanent truth.)
The news bulletin begins at 9 p.m. (Future event on a timetable.)

N.B. Do you want to come? (X Are you wanting to come? X)
I forget the name. (X I am forgetting the name. X)
Verbs of the feelings, the senses, the mind, usually occur in the
present simple, not continuous. Study these:

like, love, hate, detest; want, wish; see, hear, feel, smell; recognise,

notice, realise; know, understand, think, believe, forget, remember,

suppose, mean, seem, intend.

2 a.../some.../any...

Sam is a dog. Felix likes dogs.
He will have an operation. He may need two operations.
'A' is used with countable nouns-nouns having a plural.
We need some water. (X We need a water. X X We need two waters. X)
I wanted some information. (X... an information. X X... informations. X)
'Some' may be used with uncountable nouns.

Note also: We need a glass of water. I asked for a piece of information.
I have some work to do. (X... a work... X X... works... X)
The news is good. (X The news are... X)
Work, news, information, advice, furniture, weather, luggage, hair:
these words are usually singular and uncountable (without 'a', and no
Plural 's').
We need some water. We need some bottles.
'Some' can mean 'a quantity of' or 'a number of'.
We've got some bottles, ('some' in the affirmative.)
We haven't got any beer, ('any' in the negative.)
Are you taking any food? Would you like some beer?
Both 'any' and 'some' are used in the interrogative.

Programme 1

3 (a) There is/are... (b) It is...

(a) There is a bend in the road. (We don't know which bend.)

The bend is near the bridge. (We now know which bend is
meant.)

There are some elm trees by the river. (Trees not mentioned
before.)

The elm trees are very tall. (The trees already referred to.)

N.B. X A bend is in the road. X X Some elm trees are by the
river. X
'There is/are' introduces new things, usually with 'a' or 'some'.

(b) I think it will be nice to come with you. (X I think to come with you

will be nice. X)

It's true we haven't seen the sun lately, ('we... lately': all this is 'true'.)
We begin with 'it' instead of a long, complicated subject.
Other examples: It's a pity/a shame (that) ... It is easy/difficult to ...

It is possible/probable/certain/obvious that...

It is 6 o'clock. It'll rain again soon.
It's hot. It is five miles from here to the river.
We often use 'it is' when we talk about time, weather, or distance.

4 Position of adverbs

I usually go once a fortnight. Do you ever go? I don't often find time.
I have never seen that film. There is always a supply of water.
On a clear day you can sometimes see the sea from here.
He speaks English very well.

An adverb does not come between verb and object (X He speaks
very well English. X), but many common adverbs are generally placed
between subject and main verb (though they follow 'be' and
auxiliary verbs 'have', 'can', etc.)

e.g.: generally, usually, often, sometimes, always, ever; already, still,
just, only, nearly, almost; hardly, scarcely, seldom, rarely, never.

Programme 1

Prepositions, Verbs, Phrases, Idioms

in fact He said the job was hard, but, in fact, it was easy.
look after Good nurses look after their patients like mothers.
feed on Rich people feed their dogs on the best cuts of meat.
content with Zoo keepers are usually content with their jobs.
go blind/deaf Our cat went deaf when he was very old.
confident of Tim is confident of finding the picnic spot. by means of You can do almost anything by means of hard work.
operate on A team of surgeons operated on the patient.
stand by The police stood by in case of trouble.
on the way We can stop at Stoke on the way to Tiverton.
be off "We'll be off as soon as Tim's ready."
at least "I've told you the answer at least five times."
be on My favourite T.V. programme is on tonight.
(all) right "At six then." "(All) right. I'll be there."
(must) fly "I'll have to fly or I'll miss the bus."
wait around We won't wait around for anyone who's late.
get up People who wake up early don't always get up early. call "Call me before you come; I may not be home."
go for We went for a walk in the woods.
put off They decided to put off the theatre visit for a while.
get to The last bus gets to the station at ten to eleven. see you "Cheerio then" "See you tomorrow"

Programme 1

Practice Section

(The three short texts in this section of Programme I are all recorded. Follow
the instructions at the beginning of each text.)

Text One

(Listen first to the recording, while looking at the text on this page. Play the
recording several times, then read the text aloud in the same way. Practise
until you can read the lines smoothly and accurately.)

Siberia Avenue, Surbiton
a typical resident of Siberia Avenue, Surbiton
Felix Catt is a typical resident of Siberia Avenue, Surbiton.
looks after him carefully
His wife Gertie looks after him carefully;
regularly
she cleans the house regularly,
tinned vegetables
well-cooked meat and tinned vegetables
and feeds him daily on well-cooked meat and tinned vegetables.
suburban life
comfortable and content with his suburban life
He is very comfortable and content with his suburban life.

Text Two

(Listen to the recording, following the text on the page. Play the recording
several times, sometimes without looking at the text, then read it aloud, phrase
by phrase. Practise until you can do so accurately.)

Mike: Hallo, Jack, what's the rush?
Jack: Oh, hallo, Mike. I I've got to meet Joyce, actually. / We're off to
the theatre.
Mike: The theatre! Do you often go?
Jack: Yes, we usually go every fortnight. / What about you?
Mike: Well, I don't often find time, I'm afraid. I I'm sure Janet would
like to go, though.
Jack: Look, there's a good comedy on next week. / We could all go
together. / Shall I book seats for next Saturday?
Mike: That's a good idea. / I'll ask Janet and ring you tomorrow.
Jack: Fine. I must fly now. 'Bye!
Mike: 'Bye! Have a good time!

Programme 1

Text Three

( Listen to the recording several times, with and without the book. Then read
all the text aloud, line by line. Practise the second speaker's lines until you
know them well, then play the recording again and speak these lines with the
recorded voice.)

Do you want to go for a picnic?
There isn't a cloud in the sky.
There's a spot by the river.
It's easy to find.

Tim: Hullo?
Mary: Hullo, Tim. Do you want to go for a picnic?
Tim: Isn't it going to rain, Mary?
Mary: No, there isn't a cloud in the sky.
Tim: Oh. Well, where are you thinking of going?
Mary: Near Stoke. There's a nice spot by the river with some tall elm trees.
Tim: Is it just before Stoke, on the left of the road?
Mary: That's right. It's very easy to find.
Tim: O.K. See you there in an hour. 'Bye!
Mary: 'Bye!

(In future Programmes, one Practice Section text only will be recorded, with

pauses for repetition. See the Introduction, p. ix.)

Drill I (R) Do they have lunch at one o'clock? generally
Yes, they generally have lunch at one o'clock.

Is John working in the garden? still
Yes, John's still working in the garden.

Drill 2 (R) I want some potatoes. bread
But I don't want any bread.