Текст книги "Разговорный английский"
Автор книги: Александр Войтенко
Соавторы: Владимир Войтенок
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Текущая страница: 20 (всего у книги 25 страниц)
A. Well, and now do you like my “mop of hair and rouged cheeks?” You have hit so exactly on my appearance, haven’t you?
G. Oh, Ann, don’t jeer at me. You can’t imagine how glad I am to be mistaken. Your fair heavy braids are —.
H. You know, George, when I got your letter yesterday, I also tried to fancy you.
G. And is there any likeness between me and what you fancied?
A. Yes, and a very striking one, I should say.
G. Well, how did you fancy me?
A. I won’t tell you. At least, not now.
G. When?
A. Sometime later.
4. ENGAGEMENT AND MARRIAGE
At the age of 21, persons of both sexes in England come of age. Boys and girls are permitted to become “engaged” or betrothed, when still in their “teens”. A boy can, with his parents’ consent, propose to a girl and then marry her before he is twenty-one years of age. As a pledge of good faith he presents his bride-elect with an engagement ring, which is worn on the third finger of the left hand.
In ordinary speech, a man who is engaged, but not yet married to a lady, when speaking of her, will say: “My intended,” or “My fiance.” The young lady, on a similar occasion, will say the same.
Generally, English girls receive no marriage portion (weddingdower) on marrying, as a man is obliged to maintain his wife and children himself.
On the day of the wedding, the bridegroom and bride with the best-man and bride’s-maids, family and friends, go to church for the wedding service. There they are joined in matrimony by the
clergyman, who slips a wedding-ring on the bride’s ring-finger. This ring she wears for the rest of her life.
When the ceremony is over, all go back to the house, where the lady has been living, to the wedding-breakfast. The prominent feature of the wedding-breakfast is the highly-decorated “wedding-cake.” After the guests have drunk the bride’s and bridegroom’s healths, the happy newly-married couple take leave and depart on their honeymoon or to their new home.
According to an old English custom, they get pelted, at the moment of leaving the room, with handfuls of rice or with old shoes and slippers, which is supposed to bring them good luck.
5. A FAMILY
When two persons are married, the man is called the husband; the woman becomes his wife. When a child is bom in the family, the father and mother of the child are called parents. A family generally consists of a father, a mother and children – sons or daughters or both. The first bom child is the eldest, the last bom – the youngest. Two children that are bom together are called twins.
The father and mother of the husband become the father-in– law (in law – by marriage), and mother-in-low of the wife. The husband is the son-in-law; the wife – the daughter-in-law; they have brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
The other members of the family are the relatives or relations: uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.
The brothers and sisters of any of the parents become the uncles and aunts of the children. The children of two married brothers or sisters or brother and sister are cousins to each other.
In case of a second marriage, we speak of a step-father or a step-mother, step-son, step-daughter, etc.
IL Meeting People
1. ON WEATHER
P. Hello, Nick! Where have you been hiding all this time?
N. I? I was on vacation down south.
P. Really! Enjoyed the time?
N. Half and half.
P. What do you mean by half and half?
N. Because of the weather, you know.
P. What was it like there?
N. Changeable. During the first 10 days we had all kinds of weather varying from clear, bright days to rain and cold.
P. And later?
N. And later it improved. We had a spell of fine weather for, at least, a fortnight.
P. Bathed in the sea? Where were you, by the way?
N. No, I happened to be in the country this year.
P. Oh, you get less fun in the country than at the seaside, don’t you?
N. Well, in some respects, yes, but on the other hand you have the river, the woods, the —.
P. Went about hunting?
N. Not much. On the eve of my departure we did a bit of rabbiting and got caught in the rain. I was wet like a drowned cat.
P. You should have taken an umbrella.
N. And be the laughing stock of the village, eh?
P. I was just joking, Nick.
N. Well, and how was it here?
P. The weather, you mean?
N. Yes.
P. On the whole it was all right. Rather snappy in the morning ... you don’t forget that it’s autumn now.
N. Oh yes. I feel it right now. Should have taken my overcoat ... brrr —. Better get going. Well, see you by and by.
P. So long.
2. A MEETING
EDWARD: Good Lord! If it isn’t George!
G. No other.
E. Let me shake your crab.
G. Yes, and let me do the same.
E. What good wind brings you here?
G. I’m here on business.
E. What a small place the world is, after all!
G. Indeed it is.
E. I could have never thought of meeting you here in this out of the way place.
G. Same me. How are you, anyway?
E. Middling, and you?
G. Pretty well, thank you.
E. Well, well, George! It’s good to see you again after all these years.
G. Yes, and I am glad to meet you too.
E. You have changed a great deal.
G. In what respect?
E. You are thinner.
G. Yes?
E. Older, too.
G. I wouldn’t say that you look younger, eh?
E. Well, where have you put up?
G. I haven’t got fixed up yet. I’m right from the station.
E. How long do you intend to stay here?
G. For a day or two, I suppose.
E. Well, that’s fine. What about staying at my house? We could talk to our heart’s content then.
G. I’d be only too glad if —.
E. If what?
G. I wouldn’t be in your way. You are married, I suppose?
E. Yes, I’m a family man in the full sense of that word – I have a wife and a daughter.
G. Really! Well, I’d like to get acquainted with them.
E. Come along then.
G. All right. Thanks.
3. AN APPOINTMENT
TOM: Hello, George! What luck running into you.
GEORGE: Hello, Tom! Where did you spring from?
T. From the nowhere. And where have you been hiding all this time?
G. I was away.
T. I extremely wished to meet with you, you know.
G. Did you?
T. Yes, I tried to get you on the phone, but I was told you were out.
G. When was that?
T. Oh, about an hour ago.
G. Oh, yes, I’d (had) left by then.
T. Are you engaged this evening?
G. What made you ask?
T. I was just wondering if you could help me in a piece of work that I have to do?
G. Something on your diploma work?
T. Yes.
G. All right. When will you come round?
T. I’d rather you come round to me, if you don’t mind.
G. When would you like me to call?
T. Any time in the evening.
G. If it’s convenient I’ll call round at 8.
T. Couldn’t you possibly come a little earlier?
G. Will six do?
T. Yes, I think that would be all right.
G. So it’s 6 then.
T. Yes. Do try to come.
G. I’ll come without fail. So long.
T. See you by and by.
III. Education
1. A LESSON IN ENGLISH
TEACHER. Well, children, we shall review the last week’s lesson now.
PUPIL. Please, ma’am, may I come in?
T. Oh, Edward Hamilton! Late as usual.
E.H. I am sorry, ma’am. Our clock —.
T. You always have a ready excuse, Edward Hamilton. You may take your seat. Now, are you done with talking, Mary Swan?
M.S. Yes, ma’am, excuse me, please.
T. You may sit down, Mary Swan.
M.S. Yes, ma’am.
T. Open your books, all of you, at page 81. We shall read lesson 12. Nancy Brown, read, please.
N.B. Yes, ma’am. (Nancy B. reads.)
T. That’ll do. You read quite well. Name the parts of the last sentence, please. (Nancy B. names them.) Any remarks, children? None. You did very well, Nancy. 1 shall give you an excellent mark. Now, you read, Edward Hamilton.
E.H. I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’ve left my book at home.
T. No wonder. Nancy Brown, give him your book, please. {Nancy B. gives it to him and Edward H. reads.) Your reading is not very good, Edward – you stumbled three times. Read over again the second line from the bottom of the paragraph, please. {Edward H. reads.) There, you have made the same mistake again! How do you pronounce the second word in that sentence?
E.H. Exercise.
T. You pronounce it with a roll to the “r”. George Western, how do you pronounce it? {George W. pronounces it correctly.) That’s right. Now, you repeat it, Edward. {Edward H. says it right.) There, that’s better! Go to the blackboard, please.
E.H. Must I -.
T. No, you needn’t take your book. {Edward H. goes to the blackboard.) Face the pupils, please. {He turns towards the pupils.) Now, tell us what is the past tense of the verb “to work”.
E.H. The verb “to work” is a regular verb and the past tense is formed by adding “-ed” to it.
T. Good. Now, construct a sentence with that word, please. {Edward H. writes a sentence on the blackboard.) Very good. You may take your seat. I’ll give you “four”, Edward.
E.H. Yes, ma’am.
T. There goes the bell! The lesson is over.
2. BOOKS
a) A Dialogue
A. Good afternoon, Mary! What! Again you are reading?
M. Oh you, Ann! I was so absorbed in my book that I didn’t hear you knock. Come in, please.
A. Whenever I come I always find you sitting deep in a book.
M. Well, I take great delight in books, you know.
A. And so do I. But the way you read, well, you are simply a bookworm, you are. What are you reading?
M. “Jane Eyre” by Bronte. Have you read it?
A. “Jane Eyre”? No, I don’t think I have. Is it a good book?
M. Very. And moving, too. Want to read it?
A. I should like to. Are you through with it?
M. Not yet. You may have it in two day’s time, if you like.
A. Good. How much have you read of it?
M. This much. And what are you reading now?
A. A kind of a novel, but it’s just like milk-and-water. What’s this?
M. That’s Fred’s book. One of those detective stories, you know.
A. How can he read such penny dreadfuls!
M. Well, he doesn’t read – he simply skips through books. He has no patience whatsoever.
A. How do such books find their way into print, I wonder? And the way he handles the book!
M. Yes, I’ve been telling him time after time not to fold the pages, but he will.
A. Say, Mary, what’s the name of that dog-eared book over there?
M. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” That’s Fred’s book, too.
A. I couldn’t have it for the time being, could I?
M. Why, yes. I don’t think Fred would mind. But haven’t you ever read it before?
A. Yes, I have, but I’d like to re-read it. It was quite a time ago when I first read it, and besides it’s easy reading, and funny, too. M. Indeed it is.
A. What about going out for a walk?
M. With great pleasure. Let’s go.
b) At the Bookseller’s
C. Have you a copy of Shakespeare’s works?
B. Here is a fine copy, sir.
С. I should like an illustrated edition, please.
B. Sorry, sir, but we have none.
C. Where can I get one?
B. You might find a copy at the second-hand dealer in N. street.
C. Have you got Byron’s “Don Juan”?
B. Yes, sir. Here is an excellent copy in green morocco.
C. What is the price?
B. 36 shillings, sir.
C. Dear, isn’t it?
В. I wouldn’t say that it is dear. It is neatly bound, sir. And then it has gilt edges, sir.
C. Very well. Put it aside for me, please. Now, what historical novels have you got?
B. Here is Murray’s edition of Scott’s “Ivanhoe”, sir.
C. Of what year?
В. 1929, sir.
C. Let me see it, please. The illustrations are good. I shall take it.
B. Yes, sir.
C. What have you on the author himself?
B. Nothing at present, sir.
C. That’ll be all, I —. What is that you have over there on the second shelf?
B. This, sir?
C. No, the other. No, no, the one in scarlet.
B. This is Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, sir. Would you like to have it?
C. No, thank you.
B. 48 shillings altogether, sir.
C. Very good. Here you are. Goodbye.
IV. Work
LOOKING FOR A JOB
T. Why, hello, George!
G. Oh! How do you do, Tom? How fares it?
T. I’m in a hole, George.
G. What’s wrong?
T. I’ve got sacked.
G. Are you in earnest?
T. Yes. Lack of work, you know.
G. Too bad, Tom.
T. Yes. Where are you working now?
G. In an office at N.’s.
T. In what capacity?
G. Oh, just as an ordinary clerk.
T. A good job? I mean, a soft one?
G. Soft?! Why, I work like blazes all day long!
T. Do you?
G. Yes. I have to wade through a pile of letters sky-high, from morning till evening.
T. Really?
G. And what makes it worse is that my boss shuffles off most of his work to me.
T. That’s bad. But you have to stick to your job, George.
G. Yes. Work is rather scarce now.
T. What office does he hold?
G. Who?
T. Your boss.
G. He’s the manager of the sales department.
T. Oh, he’s a big shot. Have you a big personnel?
G. No, not very big. There are five of us in our department.
T. Have you any opening for a job1?
G. I don’t know. There might be because one fellow has been promoted to the post of a travelling salesman. That’s, indeed, a soft job – just like a bed of roses.
T. Why?
G. Well, he’s always on commission; he goes about the country advertising our products.
T. I see.
G. And he gets a lot of money for travelling expenses2, you know.
T. Does he? Well, George, will you speak to the manager about me?
G. I’ll do my best, Tom, though he is difficult of access on such matters. One has to grease his palm3, you know.
T. Try to talk him in4. Well, goodbye, George. I’ll drop in to you on Sunday.
Vocabulary Notes
1 an opening for a job – вакансия 3 to grease one’s palm – подмазать
2 travelling expenses – командире– 4 to talk somebody in – уговорить
вочные расходы кого-либо
V. Health
1. THE LAWS OF HEALTH
One of the first duties we owe to ourselves is to keep our bodies in perfect health. If our body suffers from any disorder, our mind suffers with it, and we are unable to make much progress in knowledge, and we are unfit to perform those duties which are required of us in social life.
There are certain laws of health which deserve particular attention and they are so simple that even a child can learn them. A constant supply of pure fresh air is indispensable to good health. To secure this, nothing impure should remain either within or near our homes,
and every room in the house especially the bedrooms, should be properly ventilated every day.
Perfect cleanliness is also essential. The whole body should be washed as often as possible. The skin is full of minute pores, cells, blood vessels and nerves. It “breathes” the way the lungs do. Therefore it should always be clean.
Besides its importance to health, there is a great charm in cleanliness. We like to look at one who is tidy and clean. If the skin is kept clean, the teeth thoroughly brushed, the hair neatly combed, and the finger-nails in order, we feel pleased with the person, even though his (her) clothes may be coarse and much mended.
A certain amount of exercise is necessary to keep the body in perfect condition. All the powers (mental and bodily) we possess are strengthened by use and weakened by disuse. Therefore labour and study should succeed each other. The best way of getting exercise is to engage in some work that is useful and at the same time interesting to the mind. It is most essential for the old and the young to do morning exercises with the windows wide open in your room or, if possible, in the open air.
Remember that exercises warm, invigorate and purify the body. Rest is also necessary to the health of both body and mind. The best time for sleep is during the darkness and stillness of the night.
Late hours are very harmful to the health as they exhaust the nervous system. We should go to bed early and get up early. It is a good rule to “rise with the lark and go to bed with the lark”.
Most essential to our body is food. Our body is continually wasting, and requires to be repaired by fresh substance. Therefore food, which is to repair the loss, should be taken with due regard to the exercise and waste of the body. Be moderate in eating. If you eat slowly, you will not overeat. Never swallow your food wholesale – you are provided with teeth for the purpose of chewing your food – and you will never complain of indigestion. We should abstain from everything that intoxicates. The evils of intemperance, especially of alcohol, are too well known.
Intemperance excites bad passions and leads to quarrels and crimes. Alcohol costs a lot of money, which might be used for better purposes. The mind is stupefied by drink and the person who drinks will, in course of time, become unfit for his duties. Both health and character are often ruined.
Thus we must remember that moderation in eating and drinking, reasonable hours of labour and study, regularity in exercise, recreation and rest, cleanliness and many other essentials lay the foundations for good health and long life.
2. AT THE DOCTOR’S
PATIENT. May I see Doctor N., the therapeutist?
CLERK. Doctor N. is not receiving just now. You can see Doctor M.
P. Where does he see his patients?
Cl. Room 20. Second floor to the right.
P. Thank you.
Q. Are you all waiting for Doctor M.?
2nd P. No, there are only two of us to see Doctor M.
P. Is he a good specialist? I’ve never been to him before.
2nd P. Oh, yes, he’s quite an experienced doctor, I should say. He examines patients thoroughly. I’ve been ... Oh, here comes the patient. It’s my turn now. Excuse me.
In the Consulting-room
PATIENT. Good morning, doctor.
DOCTOR. Morning. What is wrong with you?
P. I’m awfully sick, doctor. All night I’d been having an awful pain in the stomach.
Dr. Why didn’t you call in a doctor?
P. Well, it had subsided a little in the morning so I thought I might come myself.
Dr. Where does it pain you?
P. Here, doctor.
Dr. Strip to the waist, please, and lie down on the couch.
(The patient undresses and lies down.)
Dr. Which side did you say the pain was on?
P. Right here, doctor.
(The doctor feels his stomach with his fingers.)
Dr. Any rigidity here?
P. I don’t feel any.
Dr. Here?
P. Oh, yes.
Dr. What have you been eating of late?
P. Well, I think everything that I’ve always been used to – meat, cabbage, and the like.
Dr. Does this often happen with you?
P. Not that I remember, doctor.
Dr. Seems you will have to be operated on for appendicitis.
P. Yes? I’m rather scared, doctor.
Dr. You needn’t be. Stand up and let me check your heart and blood pressure.
(The doctor checks.)
P. Is it all right, doctor?
Dr. Yes, and your blood pressure is almost normal, too.
(He gives the patient the thermometer.)
Put this under your armpit.
(After some time.) A slight temperature. You may dress now. Well, here is an admittance to the hospital. Goodbye.
3. A CALL
MOTHER. Someone is ringing. Go and see who is at the door, Annie.
ANNIE. It’s the doctor, ma. He has come to see little George.
MOTHER. Good morning, doctor. I am sorry to tell you that my little boy is ill.
DOCTOR. Indeed! I am sorry to hear it. Where is he?
MOTHER. This way, doctor.
DOCTOR. How long has he been ill?
MOTHER. Since yesterday morning, doctor.
DOCTOR. Well, my little friend, what is the matter with you?
GEORGE. I have a pain in my head and in my throat.
DOCTOR. Let me see your tongue. It is thickly furred. Give me your hand and let me feel your pulse.
MOTHER. High, doctor?
DOCTOR. Rather. There is a little fever. (To George.) Have you any appetite?
GEORGE. No, sir. I have not eaten since yesterday.
DOCTOR. Are you thirsty?
GEORGE. Yes, sir.
DOCTOR. Do you sleep well?
GEORGE. Sometimes. Last night I did not sleep at all.
DOCTOR. I shall make out a prescription. (To the mother.) He should take the medicine a tablespoonful every 4 hours.
MOTHER. Yes, doctor. But is it serious?
DOCTOR. No, you need not fear. I’ll call around tomorrow at about the same time. Goodbye.
MOTHER. Goodbye, doctor.
4. AT THE DENTIST’S
Once I had had a toothache for several days, but I couldn’t pluck up courage to go to the dentist. As a matter of fact I went twice, but just as I got on his doorstep and was going to ring the bell the toothache seemed to have gone away, so I went home again. But at last I had to go back, and this time I rang the bell and was shown into the waiting-room.
There were a number of magazines there, and I had just got in the middle of an exciting story when the maid came in to say Mr. Puller was ready to see me – I’ll have to wait for the next toothache to finish the story.
Well, I went into the surgery (the room where a doctor or dentist gives advice or treatment) and he told me to sit in a chair that he could move up and down, backwards and forwards, and then he had a look at the inside of my mouth. He put a little mirror on a long handle inside my mouth and poked about for a while, then he looked serious and said, “Yes, I’m afraid we can’t save that one, it will have to come out.”
I asked him to give me an injection. He filled a syringe with a liquid called cocaine. I felt a little prick on the gum and then he injected the cocaine. He did this in two or three places and waited for a minute or so.
My mouth felt rather dead. Then he took a pair of forceps, gripped the tooth, gave a twist, then a pull, and the tooth was out. I could see it and hear it but I couldn’t feel it. Then he said, “It’s all over. Spit in there and then wash your mouth out with this disinfectant.”
Л/ter “Essential English for Foreign Students ” by G. E. Eckersley.
5. SLEEP
G. Good morning, Mrs. Hamilton. Tom is up, isn’t he?
Mrs. H. Tom up? I don’t think he is. You might as well go in and see for yourself. (They both go into the bedroom.) Well, here he is – sleeping the sleep of the just.
G. Yes, dead asleep. He’s snoring rather loudly, I should say. Mrs. H. He’s sleeping on his back. Tom! Wake up, Tom!
T. (In his sleep.) Give it back, do you hear?
G. He’s talking in his sleep. (Shaking him.) Tom, get up, you —.
T. Eh! What the —. Oh, that(’s) you, George!
G. No other. When do you intend to get up, I should like to know?
T. Get up? Why, what’s the time, anyway?
G. It’s time to get up, that’s what it is. You haven’t forgotten, I hope, that we are to be at the station for the 8.30 train?
Mrs. H. Well, Tom, be quick about it. I’ll make you a hasty breakfast while you wash and dress. Will you join Tom with the breakfast, George?
G. I don’t mind if I do. I didn’t have it at home. Thought I’d be late.
T. Switch on the radio, George, will you?
G. I say, Tom, here’s no time for any jerks now. You get along and wash yourself.
T. All right, (After some minutes Tom comes in. He begins to dress.)
G. You are a heavy sleeper, Tom, you are.
T. Well, I went to bed late last night, you know.
G. I suppose you think you never snore.
T. I know I don’t.
G. My aunt!
(Mrs. H. comes into the room)
Mrs. Hamilton, did you hear what —?
Mrs. H. I did indeed, but I don’t think you have time to argue about that now. Come, breakfast is ready.
VI. At Home
1. THE HOUSE
In many parts of England cottages are built in a long row, each house joined to the next one, and each with a small yard at the back, and a still smaller one at the front. On the ground floor there are generally two rooms, and on the upper one, the first floor, two. In the bigger of the lower rooms food is prepared, meals are eaten and guests are received. Such a room is called a kitchen or simply a living-room.
Here is the description of such a living-room.
It has three doors: the one in the centre leads out on to the street, the one on the right – to the stairs landing to the first floor, and the one on the left – to a bedroom on the ground floor. There is a fireplace on the right. Dark curtains cover the window at the back.
The room contains a table, some chairs and a comfortable rocking chair placed by the fireplace. On the left there is a cupboard with a shelf above it on which are a few dishes. A birdcage hangs in the window. On the wall near the fireplace hangs a large calender with a bright coloured picture of some cows drinking at a stream. Over the table hangs a gas-lamp and by the fireplace is a small gas-ring with a little tin kettle on it.
The cottages of the well-to-do people, however, are a little larger, pretty and comfortable. They stand a little way back from the road and some have a rather big garden round it and a smooth lawn in front of the house.
You go through the garden gate and walk along a path leading to the house. Mounting a few steps you get on to a verandah and right in front of you is the entrance door. Passing through this door you find yourself in the hall where in the comer is a sort of a cloakroom with racks to hang your coat and hat on.
There are some 3—4 doors (depending upon the plan of the house) which lead to the kitchen, study, dining-room and lounge or sitting-room. The sitting-room is a big room some 20—25 feet long and about 15—18 feet wide. In the sitting-room there might be a thick carpet on the floor, one or two good water-colours on the walls, a piano on one side of the room, a radio (television) set on the other side, a bookcase standing against the wall, a small table near the window with a beautiful bowl of flowers, and a couch.
The dining-room is also a pleasant-looking room with a carpet, a dark oak dining-table, which, being unfolded might seat 10—12 persons, six chairs and a side-board. A red lamp-shade hanging down from the ceiling gives a warm colour to the room, and a central (or electric) heating system keeps it warm and comfortable.
Upstairs are the bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory, though the latter two might be in some cottages on the ground flood as well.
2. MOVING
PETER. I say, Nick, you are not moving, are you?
NICK. Yes, we are. We have been given a flat.
PETER. Really! You are lucky, you know.
NICK. We are indeed. Three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, gas, a balcony overlooking the main street, a —.
PETER. Even in the main street! By gosh!
NICK. Yes. Isn’t that fine! A four-storey house with a shop in the ground storey. You just go out into the street through the main door and here you are, almost in the shop.
PETER. It’s not that house at the corner of N. and M. streets, is it?
NICK. Just so. You can’t imagine how Mother will be surprised. PETER. Why, doesn’t she know?
NICK. No, she doesn’t. She’s gone to our relatives in N. I say, Peter, couldn’t you lend a hand in loading the lorry?
PETER. To be sure. Come on. What’s there to load?
NICK. Why, everything!
(In the new house. Nick, his father, his sister, Ann and Peter)
NICK. What a marvellous flat!
FATHER. Yes, it’s a fine flat indeed. The house is the last word of comfort.
NICK. Which room will be mine, Father?
FATHER. Now, let’s have a look round. This small room will be —. NICK. Will be mine, won’t it, Daddy?
FATHER. Now stop prattling, and be a sensible girl, Ann. So this small room will be our bedroom. One of these communicating rooms will be the dining-room and the other will be yours.
NICK. Am I going to be with her again, Dad? You can’t imagine what a bother she is. I can never get through with my exercises when she is round about.
ANN. That’s not true, Daddy! He always starts teasing me first.
FATHER. Tut, tut! Well, all right. Let this small room be yours, Nick. Ann will be with us.
NICK. Oh, that’s fine. I’ve always dreamt to have a room of my own. Well, let’s start arranging the furniture. Come on, Peter, help me with this bookcase, will you?
PETER. Yes, for sure.
3. RENTING
(Tenant and Landlady.)
T. Have you a room to let?
L. Yes, sir. What room do you require? A double-bedded room or single?
T. I want a furnished living-room on the ground floor with boarding and attendance.
L. How long will you require it?
T. I intend to stay about two months. Will you show me what rooms you have?
L. Certainly. Will you come this way?
T. I like the room. It is tidy and comfortable. Is this a feather-bed?
L. Yes, sir. The room is furnished and carpeted all over as you see. Here is a wardrobe where you can hang up your clothes.
T. I need a table to work at. This wash-stand I would like to be removed.
L. Yes, sir.
T. I will want hot water and my boots cleaned every morning.
L. Yes, sir.
T. And my breakfast must also be ready at eight precisely. What will the price be including board and attendance?
L. How will you take the room, by the week or by the month?
T. Does it make any difference?
L. It does, sir. If you take it for two months, you can have it for 6 pounds a month.
T. And, suppose I take it by the week?
L. You will be charged much more, sir.
T. All right. I take it for two months in that case.
L. When will you move in, sir?
T. Today. Can you let me have a latch-key of my own? By the way, where does this door lead to?
L. To the street, sir.
T. That’s very good. I wouldn’t like to disturb you when I come home late in the evening.
L. I will provide you with a key, sir.
T. Very good. Is there a post office near by? I shall have a large correspondence.
L. Over at the station, sir.
T. That’ll be very convenient. You may expect me in the evening.
L. Yes, sir.
4. HOUSEKEEPING
1
A good housewife, as a rule, rises early in the morning. First of all she makes a fire in the stove and begins to make coffee and get breakfast ready. By the time breakfast is ready, her husband and children are up, too.
Breakfast is over, but her work is not; it has only just begun. While the eldest daughter attends to the children, she tidies the rooms. She sweeps the floors, makes the beds, dusts the furniture, etc. When everything in the house is quite neat and in good order, she goes marketing and buys provisions for the day. After that she begins to prepare lunch. When she sits down to lunch at midday, she feels fairly tired, and yet the day holds some more fatigue in reserve for her. There is the dinner to be cooked, but as it happens to be washing-day, there is a bundle of clothes to be washed and dried. The ironing and mending is generally done on evenings. Now that the washing is done, there comes the dinner to be prepared. It must be ready by the time Father comes home from his work at six o’clock.
While Father smokes his pipe after dinner, she clears the table and washes up the dishes. And that is not all. In a short while the smaller children are to be washed and put to bed. It is only late in the evening that she manages to sit down in the arm-chair, but not to rest. There are the socks and stockings to be darned and the clothes to be mended. She takes out her workbox with her scissors, reels of cotton and silk thread, pins and needles, caps her middle finger with her thimble and down she gets to mending the clothes, putting on a patch here and sewing up a rent there. The evening has far advanced into the night and everything is quiet in the house. Even Father has long ago put away his evening newspaper and gone to bed, but Mother is still at work – up first, she goes to bed last.
