At an Accommodation Agency

Mr Mason: Good morning. I want an apartment in central London.

Manager: Certainly, sir. How much rent did you want to pay?

Mr Mason: No more than $27 a month.

Manager: $27 a month? We don't often have apartments as inexpensive as that. We have one apartment for $29 a month in Northend Avenue. It's down near the station.

Mr M a s о n: Is it furnished?

Manager: No, It's unfurnished. The kitchen has no oven. It's forbidden to use the garden. No friends in the apartment after eleven in the evening. No noise and no television after 11.15. No...

Mr Mason: No thank you! I want an apartment, not a prison!

2. Mum's Crumpets

Jim: Mum, may Tom Mitcham come home with we for tea\ tomorrow?

Mrs S m i t h: Of course, Jim. Have I met Tom before?

Jim: You met him in the summer. He's very small and smart.

Mrs Smith: Oh yes. I remember Tom. Does his family come from Cambridge?

J i m: Yes. Oh, Mum! Will you make some home-made crumpets tomorrow?

Mrs Smith: Mm... maybe. If I have time.

J i m: I told Tom about your crumpets, Mum. That's why he's coming for tea tomorrow!

Exercise VI.Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. Needles and pins, needles and pins,

When a man marries, his troubles begin.

2. Tom, Tom, the piper's son,

Stole a pig, and away he run,

The pig was eat[2],

And Tom was beat.

And Tom ran crying down the street.

3. The man in the moon 4. Taffy was a Welshman, Came down too soon, Taffy was a sham,

And asked his way to Norwich, Taffy came to my house

He went by the south And stole a leg of lamb.

And burnt his mouth With supping cold plum porridge.

5. Little Johnny Morgan, Gentleman of Wales, Came riding on a nanny goat, Selling off pigs' tails.

Exercise VII.Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. One man, no man.

2. Many men, many minds.

3. To make a mountain out of a molehill.

4. To make both ends meet.

5. To find a mare's nest.

6. Money is a good servant but a bad master.

7. Money often unmakes the men who make it.

8. Money begets money.

UNIT 16. [n] - [ŋ]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [n]     2. [ŋ] [ŋg] [ŋk]
knit ban panel thing anger ink-
nest pin channel song finger sink
gnat pen parents king hungry mink
nasty darn bananas wrong language link
nut upon country young English wink
nook born funny restaurant linger drink
nurse fun dinner ring singular think
now June enough morning single rink
noise burn finish evening   thank

3. [n]- [ŋ] [ŋk] - [ŋ] [ŋg]- [ŋ]

sin — sing sink — sing longer — long

thin — thing think — thing stronger — strong

kin — king wink — wing hungry — hung

win — wing link — long finger — thing

ran -— rang rink — ring younger — young

son — song ban — bang gone — gong

Exercise II.Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) songs; spring songs; singing spring songs; birds singing spring songs; listening to birds singing spring songs; like listening to birds singing spring songs; nothing like listening to birds singing spring songs; there is nothing like listening to birds singing spring songs.

(b) hungry; is hungry; Ben is .angry; Ben is angry when he is hungry.

Exercise III.Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[ŋ] (a) 1. Everything is going wrong.

2. A strong young monk is beating a hanging gong.

3. English rankers marching along singing a rousing drinking song.

4. Good evening. My guest tonight is the young singer Kay King.

5. Kay King was recording a song called "Bells Are Ringing."

[n] b) 1. No nonsense now.

2. Nick wants to watch television at ten to seven.

3. Ned wants to watch the nine o'clock news.

4. And now here are the main points of the news again.

[n] — [ŋ] (c) 1. In the north there'll be rain and snow in the morning.

2. Central districts will have rain and snow showers with a little sun.

3. Anything is better than going on doing nothing,

4. No one likes Franklin for saying the wrong things.

Exercise IV. Read the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Oh, swing the king and swing the queen,

Oh, swing them round and round the green.

2. Engine, engine number nine,

Running on Chicago Line,

If it's polished, it will shine,

Engine, engine number nine.

Exercise V. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialogues.

Noisy Neighbours

Mr P r i n g: (angrily) Bang! Bang! Bang! What are the Kings doing at seven o'clock on Sunday morning?

Mrs P r i n g: Well, Mr King is singing.

Mr P r i n g: Yes, but what's the banging noise?

Mrs P r i n g: (looking out of the window) He's standing on a ladder and banging some nails into the wall with a hammer. Now he's hanging some strong string on the nails.

Mr P r i n g: And what's Mrs King doing?

Mrs P r i n g: She's bringing something pink for Mr King to drink. Now she's putting it under the ladder, and... Ohh!

Mr P r i n g: What's happening?

Mrs P r i n g: The ladder's falling.

Mr P r i n g: What's Mr King doing?

Mrs P r i n g: He's hanging from the string. He's holding the string in his fingers and he's shouting to Mrs King.

Mr P r i n g: And is she helping him?

Mrs P r i n g: No. She's running to our house. Now she's ringing our bell.

Mr P r i n g: I'm not going to answer it. I'm sleeping.

A King and a Song

I n g r i d: There once was a king —

Mungo: King of England?

I n g r i d: No. This king's kingdom was far-flung, stretching along the banks of every winding river, spreading into all the angles of the world.

Mungo: He must have been a very strong king. The strongest! Did everything belong to him?

I n g r i d: Almost everything. One evening he was sitting on the bank of his longest river, watching the sun sink behind the weeping willows —

Mungo: And the nightingales calling from the darkening branches.

I n g r i d: Only they weren't nightingales. They were two monks ringing a tinkling bell, singing a sad lingering song in a strange tongue no longer known among the younger subjects of his farflung kingdom.

M u n g o: It's beginning to be interesting. But I'm getting hungry. Can you bring me something to eat and drink, do you think, Ingrid?

Exercise VI.Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. One busy housewife sweeping the floor,

Two busy housewives polishing the door,

Three busy housewives washing the socks,

Four busy housewives winding the clocks,

Five busy housewives cleaning with the broom,

Six busy housewives tidying up the room,

Seven busy housewives washing in the sink,

Eight busy housewives giving the cat a drink,

Nine busy housewives cooking dinner too,

Ten busy housewives with nothing else to do.

2. As I was getting along, along, along,

And singing a comical song, song, song,

The lane that I went

Was long, long, long,

And the song that I sang

Was as long, long, long,

And so I went singing a song.

3. Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Papa's going to buy you a mocking bird.

If the mocking bird doesn't sing,

Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring,

If the diamond ring turns to brass,

Papa's going to buy you a looking-glass.

If the looking glass gets broke,

Papa's going to buy you a billy-goat,

If that billy-goat runs away,

Papa's going to buy you another today.

Exercise VII.Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. No news is good news.

2. No sooner said that done.

3. Saying and doing are two things.

4. A creaking door hangs long on its hinges.

5. What's done cannot be undone.

UNIT 17. [fl — [v]

Exercise I.Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

ı. [f]     2. [v]    
fit leaf coffee vicar cave rival
fat safe fifteen vain grave review
fort life Africa vast brave over
farm knife telephone veal wave lover
feel deaf ruffian very save ever
fair proof sofa veil verve forever
full half safer view   cover
four calf refuse veer   savour
five enough sniffing vile   vivacious
fee rough different village   divide

3. [v]—[f]

van — fan veil — fail

veal — feel vine — fine

vast — fast alive — a life

believe — belief prove — proof

Exercise II.Read the following sense-group, mind the rhythm and intonation.

vicar; a village vicar; versus a village vicar; devils versus a village vicar; evil devils versus a village vicar; seven evil devils versus a village vicar.

Exercise III.Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[v] (a) 1. Seven evil devils have no virtue.

2. Every evening Victor and Vivian visit Eve.

3. Both vow to love Eve forever.

4. But Eve is very vain.

5. Vivienne is vivacious and full of nerve.

6. Eventually Victor gives Eve up and goes over to Vivienne leaving Eve to Vivian.

[f] b) 1. The rough, tough ruffians make fierce faces to frighten the four friends.

2. The friends fight off the ruffians.

3. Four oafs fall flat on the floor and the rest flee in fear.

4. It's Phillip's fourth birthday on Friday.

5. That's funny. Phillip is fifteen.

6. But it's his fourth birthday. Phillip was born on February 29th.

[v] — [f] (c) 1. My father's job involves travelling.

2. We've lived in five different places in the last seven years.

3. I love it. I've got friends I can visit in all five places.

4. Five of the men v/ere carrying knives.

5. I grow flowers and vegetables in an old farmhouse outside the village.

Exercise IV.Read the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Fancy that Fan is full of fads and fancies.

2. Five fit fishers shipped six thick fish dishes.

3. That fish has a fat fin, this fish is a fish that has a thinner fin than that fish.

Exercise V.Read the text.

This is a photograph of a fat farmer arriving at a village in the valley. He's driving a van. It's a fine day, but it's November, and the leaves have fallen from the vine in the front of the photograph.

Exercise VI. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialotues.

1. At the Photographeťs

Phillip: I want a photograph of myself and my wife.

Photographer: Please fill in this form, sir. Would you prefer a full front photograph or a profile?

P h i 11 i p: A full front, don't you think, Phillippa?

P h i 11 i p p a: Yes. A full front photograph.

Photographer: Please sit on this sofa. Is it comfortable, Mrs Puffin?

P h i 11 i p p a: Yes. It feels fine.

Photographer: Mr Puffin, please give a friendly laugh.

Phillip: That's difficult. If you say something funny, I can laugh.

Photographer: And, Mrs Puffin, please look soft and beautiful.

Phillip: (laughs)

P h i 11 i p p a: Is it finished?

Photographer: Yes.

Phillip: Will the photograph be ready for the first of February?

Photographer: Yes. Please phone my office after five days, Mr Puffin.

A Fine View

V e r a: Has your family lived here for very long?

Victor: Five and a half years. We arrived on the first of February.

V e r a: What a fine view you have! Victor: Yes. I love living here.

V e r a: Look! You can see the village down in the valley. Victor: Yes. It's a lovely view.

3. A Fine, Flashy Fox Fur

Felicity: That's a fine, flashy fox fur you've flung on the sofa, Daphne.

Daphne: Yes, I found it on Friday afternoon in Iffley Forest.

Felicity: But, Daphne! That's Fiona's fox fur — her fiftieth birthday gift from Freddie. You are awful! Fiona will be furious.

Daphne: Well, if Fiona left her fur in the forest...

Felicity: Fiona leaves her fabulous fox fur in the forest? Stuff and nonsense! You're a thief! Take it off!

Daphne: Felicity! What a fuss over a faded bit of fluff! Anyway, fancy Fiona in a fur! She's far too fat!

Exercise VII.Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. Taffy was a Welshman,

Taffy was a thief,

Taffy came to my house

And stole a piece of beef.

2. Cock-adoodle-doo!

My dame will dance with you.

While master fiddles his fiddling-stick

For dame and doodle-doo!

3. Once upon a time, in a little wee house,

Lived a funny old man and his wife,

And he said something funny to make her laugh

Every day of his life.

One day he said a very funny thing,

That she shook and screamed with laughter,

But the poor old soul, she couldn't leave off

For at least three whole days after.

4. Why does a fire eat big sticks of wood?

I shouldn't like to have that for my food

But the flames all lick their lips —

It must taste good.

5. A wilful young fisher named Gabriel Fisher,

Once fished for some fish in a fissure,

Till a fish with a grin

Pulled the fisherman in

Now they are fishing the fissure for Fisher.

6. A flea and a fly in a flue

Were caught so what could they do?

Said the fly, "Let us flee!"

"Let us fly", said the flea,

And they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Exercise VIII.Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. Faint heart never won fair lady.

2. Fine feathers make fine birds.

3. Feast today and fast tomorrow.

4. Fools seldom differ.

5. Far from eye, far from heart.

6. Fair without, foul (false) within.

7. An iron hand in a velvet glove.

8. The fat is in the fire.

UNIT 18. [v] - [w]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [v]     2. [w]   3. [v]- [w]
velvet leave never weave twenty via — wire
Victor approve ever wave twice vile — while
vivid wave travel wheal twist vine — wine
violet five university white sweet vein — wane
vodka drive over wear twins veil — wail
verse give envious worn queen Veal — wheel
vote have advice word quite vend — wend
vest of even world Gwendolen

4. Silent w

wrong, whole, who, whose, wrist, wrap.

Exercise II.Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) improve; I'll improve; eventually I'll improve, over again eventually I'll improve; over and over again eventually I'll imrove; if I say it over and over again eventually I'll improve.

(b) wardrobe; woodwork of his wardrobe; worm in the woodwork of his wardrobe; woodworm in the woodwork of his wardrobe; worried about woodworm in the woodwork of his wardrobe; William is worried about woodworm in the woodwork of his wardrobe.

Exercise III.Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[v] (a) 1. I've given Steve the best advice.

2. They've never approved of Val.

3. Victor is in the Navy.

4. Vera is my only surviving relative.

[w] (b) 1. The sweater will wear well.

2. I wonder what's worrying Willy?

3. Winnie is as weak as water.

4. Why wouldnFt Walter wash with water that wasn't warm?

5. William was watching a TV film about the Wild West and a wicked woman.

[w] — [v] (c) 1. Why is the worse verse worse than the first verse?

2. William always wears a very warm woolen vest in winter.

3. Victor, however, will never wear woolen underwear, even in the Wild West.

4. We'll wed on Wednesday if you buy me that white vase.

Exercise IV.Read the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Walter works at a waxworks and wax won't wash off without warm water.

2. Which is this switch? Which switch is which?

3. Why do you cry, Willy, 4. Oh that I were

Why do you cry? Where I would be,

Why, Willy? Why, Willy? Then would I be

Why, Willy? Why? Where I am not,

Whenever we meet But where I am

There's a tear in your eye There I must be,

Why, Willy? Why, Willy? And where I would be

Why, Willy? Why? I cannot.

Exercise V.Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialogues.

A Walk in the Woods

G w e n: Did you see Victor on Wednesday, Wendy?

Wendy: Yes. We went for a walk in the woods near the railway.

G w e n: Wasn't it cold on Wednesday?

Wendy: Yes. It was very cold and wet. We wore warm clothes and walked quickly to keep warm.

G w e n: It's lovely and quiet in the woods.

Wendy: Yes. Further away from the railway it was very quiet, and there were wild squirrels everywhere. We counted twenty squirrels.

Gwen: How wonderful! Twenty squirrels! And did you take lunch with you?

Wendy: Yes. About twelve we had veal sandwiches and sweet white wine, and we watched the squirrels. It was a very nice walk.

A Visit to Vladivostok

Oliver: Victor, have you ever visited Vladivostok?

Victor: Never. In fact, I haven't travelled further than Liverpool.

Oliver: I've had an invitation from the University of Vladivostok to give a survey of my own creative verse.

Victor: How marvellous!

Oliver: Will my navy overcoat be heavy enough, I wonder? It's long-sleeved ,and reversible. And I've got a pair of velvet Levis — rather a vivid violet! Do you think they'll approve?

Victor: I should think the professors will view violet Levis with violent disapproval. When do you leave?

Oliver: On the 7th of November.

Victor: I don't advise you to travel on the 7th. It's the anniversary of the Valentine Invasion. And for heaven's sake, Oliver, don't overdo the caviar. Or the vodka.

Oliver: Victor, I do believe you're envious!

3. Rowena, Are You Awake?

Edward: Rowena! Are you awake?

Rowena: What? Edward, what's wrong? What time is it?

Edward: Oh, about two o'clock.

Rowena: In the morning? Oh, go away! What are you doing?

Edward: Come to the window, Rowena. Look, the whole world's white, there's a wicked wind blowing through Orwell Wood, whispering in the willows, whipping the water into waves, while over in the West...

Rowena: Oh, waxing poetical! You are off your head! I always knew it! Why are you wearing your Wellingtons?

Edward: I want to go out and wander in the woods. Come with me, Rowena! I can't wait to go walking in that wild and wonderful weather!

Rowena: I wish you wouldn't wake me up at two in the morning to go on a wild-goose chase!

Edward: Oh, woman, woman! Stop whining! What a wet blanket you are!

Twenty Foreign Visitors

W i 1 m a: What are you giving your foreign visitors on Wednesday evening, Winnie? How many — twelve, is it?

Winnie: Twenty. Twelve of William's Swedish representatives, eight of them with wives.

W i 1 m a: And what will you feed them on?

Winnie: Well, we'll start with watercress soup, then fish in a white wine souce flavoured with fennel and chives, followed by stuffed veal served with cauliflower and... oh, a very wide variety of vegetables.

W i 1 m a: Mmm... My mouth's watering!

Winnie: For sweet we'll have fresh fruit souffle covered with walnuts. And lots of whipped cream, of course, and vanilla wafers. And we'll finish with devilled soft roes.

W i 1 m a: And finally coffee? What a feast! I wish I was going to be with you!

Exercise VI.Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. The south wind brings wet weather,

The north wind wet and cold together,

The west wind always brings us rain,

The east wind blows it back again.

2. If all the world were water,

And all the sea were drink,

What should we do for bread and jam?

What should we do for drink?

3. The Vine

V was once a little vine

Viny,

Winy,

Twiny,

Viny,

Twisty-twiny

Little vine.

4. Oh, wind, why do you never rest?

Wandering, whistling to and fro?

Bringing rain out of the west

From the dim north bringing snow?

5. Whether the weather be fine,

Whether the weather be not,

Whether the weather be cold,

Whether the weather be hot,

We'll weather the weather

Whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not.

6. When the weather is wet,

We must not fret,

When the weather is cold,

We must not scold.

When the weather is warm,

We must not storm,

But be joyful together,

Whatever the weather.

Exercise VII.Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. Virtue is its own reward.

2. All is fair in love and war.

3. When the wind is in the west, the weather's always best.

4. One word to the wise.

5. Time works wonders.

6. Wilful waste makes woeful want.

7. One never knows with the weather.

8. Wealth is nothing without health.

9. No sweet without some sweat.

UNIT 19. [s] – [z]

Exercise I.Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [s]     2. [z]     3. [s]— [z]
seem serious most zebra is lazy hiss — his
soft yes waste zone was dizzy ice — eyes
slow miss ask zeal has busy rice — rise
skin glass sister zero his easy race — raise
sweet looks sensible zenith buzz rosy lice — lies
city wants accent zip breeze nosy once — one's
cinema nice possible zoo freeze dozen false — falls
            loose — lose
            advice — advise

4. Silent s:

aisle; island; Grosvenor, Carlisle; chassis

Exercise II.Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) smile; an irresistible smile; has an irresistible smile; Sally has an irresistible smile; Sam thinks Sally has an irresistible smile.

(b) roses; over the roses; flying over the roses; bees are flying over the roses; the busy bees are flying over the roses.

Exercise III.Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[s] (a) 1. Better safe than sorry.

2. A lisping lass is good to kiss.

3. Last but not least.

4 Sue will certainly see the sights of Sydney.

5. Sing a song of seasons.

[z] (b) 1. As soon as he can.

2. A lazy zebra called Desmond is dozing at the zoo.

3. He feels flies buzzing round his eyes, ears and nose.

4. He rouses, opens his eyes, rises and goes to Zoe.

5. Zoe is wearing a rose on her blouse.

6. Zoe gives Desmond the buns, but he prefers the rose on her blouse.

[s] — [z] (c) 1. Last summer I saw Susan and Bessy in Cyprus.

2. I'm sorry Miss Bessy Castle is busy.

3. Susan and Cecily seem to be fond of ice-cream.

4. Susie is a secretary in a famous agency.

5. She is responsible for ads.

6. Her boss Sam Smith thinks she is lazy.

Exercise IV.Read,the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Swan swam over the sea,

Swim, swan, swim.

Swan swam back again,

Well swum, swan!

2. Moses supposes his toeses are roses,

But Moses supposes erroneously.

Exercise V. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialogues.

1. It's Expensive

Sam: Let's go to the seaside on Sunday.

Alice: Yes! Let's go sailing and water-skiing. That's exciting.

Sam: It's expensive too. Let's just sit in the sun and go swimming instead.

Alice: Let's stay in the Six Star Hotel and spend Sunday there too.

Sam: Be sensible, Alice. It's too expensive. Let's sleep outside instead.

Alice: Yes. Let's sleep on the sand. That's more exciting.