Текст книги "Практический курс английского языка 2 курс"

Автор книги: Владимир Аракин

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– I'll do that, then. How do I get there?

– Let me see. I think your best way from here is to walk across Regent's park.

– Is it much of a walk?

– Oh, no, a quarter of an hour or so, but, if you are in a hurry, why not take a taxi?

– I think I will. Ah, here's one coming. Taxi! The Zoo, please.

(From «The Linguaphone English Course»)

TEXT С. RED SQUARE

Red Square has witnessed many important events in the life of Russian people. Though time

has changed the face of Red Square it' has remained the main square and the heart of the city.

Visitors from home and abroad stream here to enjoy the beauty of the historic buildings and

monuments of which the Kremlin comes first. The Kremlin represents centuries of Russian history

and one is usually struck by the austere and powerful appearance of its walls and towers.

Like the Tower of London the Kremlin was used as a fortress and a sovereign's residence.

Now it houses the President's office and a number of museums including the Armory Chamber and

the Diamond Fund.

In the centre of the square by the Kremlin wall is the Lenin Mausoleum, erected in 1930 by

A. Shchusev. The architect interpreted the traditions of the pyramids in a modem way and gave the

monument a laconic architectural form which was popular in the twenties. Behind the Mausoleum

there is a necropolis of some outstanding statesmen and political leaders.

On the southern side of Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral (Vasily Blazheny), a masterpiece

of ancient Russian architecture. It was built in 1555 – 61 in memory of the victory over Kazan

(1552). The monument standing in front of the Cathedral tells us of the people's victory over the

Polish invaders in 1612. The inscription on the monument reads: "To Citizen Minin and Prince

Pozharsky from a grateful Russia". The monument is the work of I. Martos (1752—1835). Not far

from the Cathedral is what is called the Lobnoye Mesto, a platform of white stone more than 400

years old. The tsar's edicts were proclaimed there. Public executions were carried out on a wooden

scaffold erected nearby. To the right of the Cathedral on the territory of the Kremlin we can see a tall

tower, more like a column, over 80 metres high. It is the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great built in the

15th century. There are twenty-two large bells and over thirty small ones in it. For centuries the

eastern side of Red Square had been associated with trading. The first stone shops were built here in

the 16th century. Today on their site stands the State Department Store, better known as GUM.

If we walk up from St. Basil's to the opposite end of the square we face a red brick building.

This is the History Museum. In the west Red Square is adjoining the Kremlin. Just on the other side

of the Kremlin wall we can see the building of the former Senate, an outstanding architectural

monument built by Matvei Kasakov (1738—1813), now the seat of the Administration of the

President. A number of watch-towers protect the Kremlin bridges. The white Kutafya Tower is the

best survivor of all of them. The tallest one is the Trinity Tower (80 m high). But the Spasskaya

Tower with the Kremlin clock has long since become one of the symbols of Moscow.

Memory Work

Sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth like a garment wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky:

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

In his first splendor, valley, rock or hill;

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at bis own sweet will:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

William Wordsworth

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (II)

Words

adjoin υ

defeat υ

jewel n

architecture n

dome n

mansion n

armour n

erect υ

residence n

avenue n

float υ

seat n

bury υ

fortress n

shady adj

change υ

guard υ

specimen n

cathedral n

huge adj

statesman n

contain υ

Word Combinations

to live from hand to mouth

to win the victory

to be lined with (trees, houses)

at the cost of smb.'s life

to be found (in some place)

at the top

a new housing development

round the corner

to have (get, catch) a glimpse of

to be famous for smth.

to have no time (money, etc.) left

in present days

across the road (from some place)

Why not do smth.?

to do the sights of smth.

in memory of

to do the city (museums, parks, etc.)

under the command

Proper Names

the Lenin Mausoleum

Big Ben

the East End

Trafalgar Square

the Tower of London

the Kremlin

Julius Caesar

the West

End

William the Conqueror

St. Basil's Cathedral

Queen Elizabeth

the

Bell Tower

Christopher Wren

of Ivan the Great

Wellington

the History Museum

Westminster Abbey

the Spasskaya Tower

EXERCISES

I. Study Text A and explain the meaning of the words and phrases listed below:

mansion, to live from hand to mouth, miserable houses, to line the streets, dome, slums, to

come first, the Crown Jewels, huge, statesman, across the road, the seat (of the government), at the

cost of somebody's life, to face smth., shady avenues.

II. Learn the words of the texts and a) copy and transcribe these words:

mansion, restaurant, jewel, guard, halt, column, ton, sovereign, national, float, sculpture,

swan, weigh, conqueror, specimen.

b) Translate into English and mark the stresses:

отель, церемония, Возрождение, Трафальгарская площадь, рукопись, проспект,

архитектор, Елизавета, сенат.

c) Form derivatives of these verbs by adding the prefix re– (meaning "do smth.

again"):

Example: build – rebuild

write, tell, construct, arm, elect, produce.

III. Answer the questions:

1. How do the two parts of London differ from each other? 2. Why is it better to start

sightseeing from the Tower of London? 3. Who founded the Tower and when was it rebuilt? 4. What

was the Tower of London used for? 5. What is the City? 6. What does the phrase "a place of interest"

mean? 7. What do you know about St. Paul's Cathedral? 8. What is Whitehall and in which part of

London is it situated? 9. What does the Ceremony of the Keys consist of? 10. What do you call the

building in which the Houses of Parliament are situated? It is one building, why then do we say "The

Houses of Parliament"? 11. What is Big Ben? 12. What kind of museum is the British Museum? 13.

What do you know about Hyde Park?

IV. Read the text and show all the places of interest mentioned there on the

map:

Trafalgar Square is the natural centre of London. Could we but stand 168 feet (about 50

metres) above the traffic, beside the figure of the Admiral, we really could see all the great

landmarks of London. Whitehall, which leads out of the square to the south, is the site of many

Government offices including the Prime Minister's residence, Foreign Office, War Office; at the far

end of Whitehall stand, beside the Thames, the Houses of Parliament with the Big Clock Tower, and

Westminster Abbey; to the left Covent Garden fruit market and Covent Garden Opera House, and

beyond the Bank of England; another slight turn left would enable your eye to fall on the British

Museum; further left still we should see theatreland around Piccadilly Circus (it is not at all a circus

but an open space of a circular form) and those expensive shopping promenades – Regent Street,

Oxford Street, Bond Street; a little further, and into view would come Hyde Park in the distance,

with, nearer, Buckingham Palace, and Royal Drive known as the Mall, which leads into Trafalgar

Square.

V. Use Text В to practise similar conversations on Moscow.

VI. Read and retell:

A. The famous square mile of the City of London is administered as an independent unit,

having its own Lord Mayor and Corporation and its own police force. It was here that the Romans

built their walled town of Londinium, a few traces of which remain today, and it was here that the

Medieval guilds established their headquarters. When after the Great Fire of 1666, the City was

rebuilt, stone and brick replaced the many mainly wooden medieval houses and from that time the

City gradually became a financial and commercial centre.

B. One of the special joys of London is the amount of space given over to parks, gardens,

squares and open areas. They provide a welcome visual and physical break from the mass of

buildings and the heavy traffic. Kew Gardens are famous Botanic Gardens on the banks of the

Thames. The gardens and hothouses with rare flowers, trees and shrubs are well worth seeing.

Within a stone's throw of Buckingham Palace are St. James's Park and Green Park. St. James's Park,

the oldest in London, was created by Henry VIII and redesigned by his successors. Green Park, as its

name suggests, mainly consists of lawns and trees.

(From Colourful London. Norwich, 1981)

VII. Make up short situations or dialogues, using tne following words and

phrases:

1. why not..., let me see, to be found, across the road, to have no (time, money) left; 2. in

present days, to live from hand to mouth; 3. under the command of, to be famous for, to defeat, to

win the victory, at the cost of; 4. fortress, armour, in memory of, to contain; 5. swan, lined with trees,

float, shady avenues, ancient.

VIII. Fill in prepositions:

Scotland Yard is the headquarters ... the Metropolitan Police ... London. ...most people, its

name immediately brings ... mind the picture ... a detective – cool, collected, efficient, ready to

track down any criminal.

Scotland Yard is situated ... the Thames Embankment close ... the Houses ... Parliament and

the familiar clock tower ... Big Ben. The name "Scotland Yard" originates ... the plot ... land

adjoining Whitehall Palace where, ... about the 14th century, the royalty and nobility ... Scotland

stayed when visiting the English Court. The popular nickname ... the London policeman "bobby" is a

tribute ... Sir Robert Peel, who introduced the police force ... 1829, and whose Christian name

attached itself ... members ... the force.

IX. Review Text «Introducing London», texts A, B, Exercises IV, VI, VIII and

study the map of London. Speak on the given topics:

1. London dominates British life. 2. The West End. 3. The East End. 4. The City. 5. The

Tower. 6. The district of Westminster. 7. The British Parliament. 8. Whitehall and Fleet Street. 9.

Trafalgar Square. 10. St. Paul's Cathedral. 11. The parks of London. 12. London museums. 13.

London traffic. 14. Monuments in London.

X. Translate into English:

1. В самом центре Сити, напротив главного банка Англии, стоит статуя Веллингтона —

знаменитого английского генерала и государственного деятеля XIX в. Под его командованием

английские войска совместно со своими союзниками (allies) нанесли поражение армии

Наполеона под Ватерлоо в 1815 г. Мост Ватерлоо, один из красивейших мостов через Темзу,

был назван так в честь этой победы. 2. Мэлл (The Mall) – это широкий проспект, обсаженный

деревьями, ведущий от Трафальгарской площади к Букингемскому дворцу – резиденции

английских королей. Напротив дворца стоит огромный памятник со статуей Победы наверху.

Этот памятник был воздвигнут в честь королевы Виктории, чье шестидесятичетырехлетнее

царствование (reign) было самым продолжительным в истории (1837—1901). 3. Хайгейтское

кладбище (Highgate Cemetery) известно тем, что там находится могила Карла Маркса. В 1956

году на деньги, присланные рабочими со всех концов света, там был воздвигнут памятник

Карлу Марксу.

XI. Read Text С. Say what landmarks you would mention to a group of tourists

standing in the middle of Red Square. Use the word combinations given below:

to witness, the heart of the city, the face of Red Square, the seat of the Administration of the

President, to honour the memory, to stream to, public executions, the beating of the heart of our

capital,

ХII. Act out a dialogue between a Russian tourist and a policeman. Choose the

exact place (in Moscow or elsewhere) where you are having your talk and the place

you want to get to. Use in your dialogue one or two phrases from each set given

below:

1. Excuse me, I've lost my way ...; I'm trying to go to ...; Which is the right (best, shortest)

way to ...? Please show me the way to ...; How do I get there? Am I on the right road? 2. How far is

it? Is it possible to walk there? Is there a bus from here to ...? Is it much of a walk? 3. Go right to the

end of the street, then turn left, go two blocks straight ahead and then turn to ... ; Straight on and the

second turning to the right ...; You are going in the opposite direction. 4. What can I do for you?

Now, where is it you want to go? It's a long distance off. It's a long (short) way to ...; It's quite a

distance from here. 5. Be careful, the traffic keeps to the left in this country; Look out; It isn't safe to

cross here; Be sure not to cross the street (square, etc.); One can never be too careful; Wait for the

break in the traffic; Don't cross the street when the traffic light has changed to red.

XIII. Try your band at teaching.

1. Read the text. Discuss what you would do in the teacher's position:

Susan was absolutely impossible. Or so her teacher was convinced, for Susan did not like to

read (a problem every teacher faces from time to time). But there were things that Susan did enjoy.

She liked ballet. And she adored her dog Curly. "How can I," thought the teacher, "introduce Susan

to pleasures of reading?"

2. Get 4-5 pictures of London (Moscow) attractions and be ready to comment

on them. (See «Classroom English», Sections II, Ш, V.)

ХIV. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Из окна такси вы можете увидеть Лондон лишь мельком. Есть много других

способов ознакомиться с его достопримечательностями: можно походить по городу пешком,

можно отправиться в двухчасовую поездку на туристском автобусе, курсирующем по

Лондону, можно посмотреть город с верхней площадки двухэтажного автобуса; кроме того,

можно совершить речную поездку по Темзе или Большому каналу в Риджентс-Парк. 2. Если

бы вы смогли пролететь над Москвой на вертолете (helicopter), вы бы увидели, как изменилась

и выросла наша столица: длинные, обсаженные деревьями проспекты, пересекают город во

всех направлениях, кварталы новых многоэтажных домов появились на окраинах города на

месте старых деревянных домиков, темных от копоти и дыма. Над многочисленными

стройками (building sites) столицы возвышаются огромные подъемные краны (cranes). 3.

Метро – самый удобный вид городского транспорта. Сотни тысяч москвичей и приезжих

ежедневно поднимаются и спускаются по его эскалаторам, восхищаются архитектурой и

отделкой (decoration) чудесных подземных дворцов. 4. Памятник А. С. Пушкину,

установленный на Страстной (ныне Пушкинской) площади, – один из самых любимых

памятников жителей столицы. У его подножия вы всегда увидите букеты живых цветов,

которые приносят сюда москвичи, чтобы почтить память любимого поэта.

XV. Act out a dialogue between a Muscovite and a Londoner on his first visit to

Moscow. Imagine that you are standing in the middle of Red Square. Your companion

asks you about everything be sees, gives his opinion about this and that and says

what buildings, monuments, etc. remind him of London. Use the prompts of Ex. VII.

p. 111.

XVI. a) Get ready to read the text aloud, b) Write a translation of the text:

Morning City

This was one of those mornings when the smoke and the Thames Valley mist decide to work

a few miracles for their London, and especially for the oldest part of it, the City. The City, on these

mornings, is an enchantment. There is a faintly luminous haze, now silver, now old gold, over

everything. The buildings have shape and solidity but no weight; they hang in the air, like palaces

out of the Arabian Nights; you could topple the dome off St. Paul's with a forefinger, push back the

Mansion House, send the Monument floating into space. On these mornings, the old churches cannot

be counted; there are more of them than ever. There is no less traffic than usual; the scarlet stream of

buses still flows through the ancient narrow streets; the pavements are still thronged with bank

messengers, office boys, policemen, clerks, typists, commissionaires, directors, secretaries, crooks,

busy-bodies, idlers; but on these mornings all the buses, taxicabs, vans, lorries and all the pedestrians

lose something of their ordinary solidity; they move behind gauze; they are tyred in velvet; their

voices are muted; their movement is in slow motion. Whatever is new and vulgar and foolish

contrives to lose itself in the denser patches of mist. But all the glimpses of ancient loveliness are

there, perfectly framed and lighted: round every corner somebody is whispering a line or two of

Chaucer. And on these mornings, the river is simply not true: there is no geography, nothing but pure

poetry, down there; the water has gone and shapes out of an adventurous dream drift by on a tide of

gilded and silvered air. Such is the City on one of these mornings, a place in a Gothic fairy tale, a

mirage, a vision.

(From «They Walk in the City» by J. B. Priestley. Abridged)

XVII. Role-playing:

A group of guides suggests possible sightseeing routes about London (Moscow) to their

office director. Each one speaks in favour of his/her suggestion trying to convince both the director

and the guides that the route is the best. In the end the participants of the talk choose the most

appropriate route.

XVIII. Describe (in writing) a sight or a view that once struck yon as

picturesque, beautiful or unusual.

The best essays may be read in class and then placed in a wall paper, a special bulletin issued

by the literary club, etc.

Note: The text above may serve as a perfect example of such description

XIX. Film: «Mr. Brown's Holiday.» Film segment 3 «In Dear Old England»

(Broadstairs). a) Watch and listen, b) Do the exercises from the guide to the film.

STUDIES OF WRITTEN ENGLISH (III)

The central idea of a paragraph is built up with the help of larger units than key-words, that is

with the help of socalled topic sentences.

Topic sentence is a summarizing sentence of a paragraph. Topic sentences can also be used

to tie up a group of paragraphs together holding the unity of a passage.

Generally the topic sentence comes first in a paragraph. It helps to understand the text and

begin writing, е.g. "Numerous artificial languages have been carefully constructed and some of them

are still in limited use. In 1887, an artificial language, Esperanto, was created. Esperanto has little

grammar and drew its vocabulary from all the European languages..." (From "One Language for the

World" by M. Pei). The writer proceeds from a general statement to particulars.

Occasionally the topic sentence comes last, when the writer wishes first to prepare his reader

for the general idea or a conclusion, е.g. "You're like two friends who want to take their holiday

together, but one of them wants to climb Greenland's snowy mountains while the other wants to fish

off India's coral strand. Obviously it's not going to work" (From «The Razor's Edge» by W. S.

Maugham).

Assignments:

1. Read the passage «Introducing London» and mark paragraphs with topic sentences.

What central idea do they summarize? Where are they placed within the paragraph?

2. Find the topic sentence that holds the unity of the whole passage.

3. Mark the key-words that emphasize the main points of the information about

London.

4. Paragraph 8 includes the key-word «parks», develop it into a topic sentence

summarizing the central idea of the paragraph.

5. Write a paragraph describing the picture on pp. 114-115. Try your hand at various

topic sentences that help to hold the unity of the paragraph.

LABORATORY EXERCISES (II)

1. Listen to the text «Some More Glimpses of London.»

2. Listen to the dialogue «Sightseeing». Repeat the text in the intervals and record your

versions.

Compare your version with the original and correct your pronunciation mistakes if any.

3. Translate the sentences into English, check them with the key.

4. Listen to the test «Behind the Scenes» or some other text on the topic «London».

Discuss the text in class.

5. Listen to the «Sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge». Mark the stresses and

tunes. Learn it by heart.

CURIOSITY QUIZ FOR EAGERS

1. Why is the clock on the Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament called «Big Ben»?

2. What is the «Cenotaph»? Where can it be found? What is the origin of the name?

3. The security of the Tower of London is mainly the responsibility of the Yeomen

Warders or «Beefeaters» as they are popularly called. What is the origin of the word

«Beefeater»?

4. What is the «Union Jack»? What does it look like? What is its origin? Where and

when can it be seen?

5. Name five of the numerous bridges which cross the Thames. Show them on the map

of London and comment on their names.

6. What is «Soho»? Where is it situated? What are its peculiar features?

UNIT FOUR

I SPEECH PATTERNS

1. Mother is hardly ever able to have a treat like that.

a) They are hardly ever able to go sightseeing.

One is hardly ever able to get tickets for this show.

We are hardly ever able to talk to each other alone.

He was hardly ever able to catch the 6.30 train home.

b) You'll hardly be able to get to the British Museum today before the closing hours.

She will hardly be able to get over her fear of heavy traffic.

2. Father was afraid that Mother might take cold if she came.

I thought that she might spoil her complexion if she went on smoking.

He said we might be late if the bus didn't come soon.

Edward hoped he might meet the girl again if he came every day to the street she lived in.

The policeman told the boy he might be run over if he was careless when crossing the street.

3. We all felt that if would never do to let Father stay home.

It will never do to underline words in a library book.

It will never do to throw cigarette-ends on the floor.

Why are you shouting at the top of your voices?

It will never do. You have treated her very badly.

Rudeness will never do.

The boy said it would never do for a young girl to use so much make-up.

4. That kept Mother busy for a little while.

At night I always keep my window open.

They never keep their door shut.

Keep your feet warm or you'll catch cold.

He kept his room scrupulously clean.

She told the child an interesting story to keep him awake.

Keeping the child warm is not the same thing as keeping him healthy.

EXERCISES

I. Paraphrase toe following, using some of the patterns above:

P a t t e r n 1 : 1. It is not often that our mother goes to the theatre. 2. It is not often that

our students can listen to native English speech. 3. She very seldom can afford to get herself a new

dress. 4. They cannot afford to spend their holiday at the seaside. 5. He can never refuse helping his

comrades.

P a t t e r n 3 : 1. It is bad manners to stare at people. 2. The teacher said it was impolite

and rude to hand in homework written carelessly. 3. "I say, Turner, I don't like the way you treat your

comrades. It's too bad." 4. My mother said that it was too bad to let her do all the work alone. 5. It is

wicked to hurt animals. 6. "You have come unprepared again. It is unpardonable," said the teacher.

II. Describe toe following situations in one sentence, using Pattern 2:

E x a m p l e :

In such cold weather it was easy for the child to catch cold, if he went

for a walk. That was the cause of the mother's fear.

The mother was afraid that the child might catch cold if he went for a walk in such cold

weather.

1. She worked very little during the term, and it was quite possible for her to fail at her

examination. We all told her so. 2. It was hardly possible to let the boy stay at home alone. He could

make trouble if he did. We all knew that. 3. She worked too hard, and her friends were afraid that it

would result in her falling ill. 4. The mother wanted the boy to become a great pianist, and so she

made him practise day and night. 5. We wanted to go and see our sick friend, but the doctor didn't

allow that saying that there was a chance of our catching the disease.

III. Supply adjectives:

1. It is dangerous to keep the windows ... during a thunderstorm. 2. She kept her door ... and

didn't let anyone in. 3. Put the lemonade in the refrigerator to keep it.... 4. The epidemic was at its

height, and all the doctors of the town were kept.... 5. I put the tulips in the water to keep them .... 6.

Keep your eyes ... and your mouth ... . ?. This fur coat is sure to keep you ... in any frost. 8. What is

the teacher to do to keep his pupils ...?

IV. Translate the sentences into English, using the patterns:

1. He годится обижать младших. 2. Нам почти никогда не удается выбраться за город в

выходной день. 3. Я говорила тебе, что ты можешь заболеть, если промочишь ноги. 4. Не

давайте пациенту спать, пока не придет врач. 5. Нехорошо пользоваться телефоном для

глупых шуток. 6. Займите детей и не давайте им шуметь, пока я разговариваю по телефону. 7.

В такой жаркий день надо держать окна открытыми. 8. Нельзя курить так много, ты

подорвешь свое здоровье. 9. Джон написал своему другу, что он возможно навестит его в

следующем году.

V. Make up dialogues or situations, using the patterns.

TEXT. HOW WE KEPT MOTHER'S DAY by Stephen Leacock

Leacock, Stephen (1869-1944) – a famous Canadian writer of the 20th century. His stories,

full of humour and sarcasm, expose the contradictions of life in modem bourgeois society.

Leacock says that the basis of humour lies in the contrasts offered by life itself, but "the deep

background that lies behind and beyond what we call humour is revealed only to the few who. by

instinct or by effort have given thought to it."

So we decided to have a special celebration of Mother's Day. We thought it a fine idea. It

made us all realize how much Mother had done for us for years, and all the efforts and sacrifice that

she had made for our sake.

We decided that we'd make it a great day, a holiday for all the family, and do everything we

could to make Mother happy. Father decided to take a holiday from his office, so as to help in

celebrating the day, and my sister Anne and I stayed home from college classes, and Mary and my

brother Will stayed home from High School.

It was our plan to make it a day just like Xmas32 or any big holiday, and so we decided to

decorate the house with flowers and with mottoes over the mantelpieces,33 and all that kind of thing.

We got Mother to make mottoes and arrange the decorations, because she always does it at Xmas.

The two girls thought it would be a nice thing to dress in our very best for such a big

occasion and so they both got new hats. Mother trimmed both the hats, and they looked fine, and

Father had bought silk ties for himself and us boys as a souvenir of the day to remember Mother by.

We were going to get Mother a new hat too, but it turned out that she seemed to really like her old

grey bonnet better than a new one, and both the girls said that it was awfully becoming to her.

Well, after breakfast we had it arranged as a surprise for Mother that we would hire a motor

car and take her for a beautiful drive away into the country. Mother is hardly ever able to have a treat

like that, because we can only afford to keep one maid, and so Mother is busy in the house nearly all

the time.

But on the very morning of the day we changed the plan a little bit, because it occurred to

32 Xmas [krIsmqs]: an abbreviated form of Christmas. In England Christmas day (the 25th of December) is one of the biggest

holidays, devoted especially to family reunion and merry-making with its traditional Christmas tree and Christmas pudding.

33 mantelpiece: a structure of brick, wood or marble above and around a fire-place —an open grate where a coal fire burns. Most

old English houses have no central heating. Up to now a great number of flats are warmed by coal fires. Sometimes instead of a coal

fire a gas fire or an electric fire may be used, which is more convenient, as it can be lit in a second and turned off as soon as it is not

needed.

Father that a thing it would be better to do even than to take Mother for a motor drive would be to

take her fishing; if you are going to fish, there is a definite purpose in front of you to heighten the

enjoyment.

So we all felt that it would be nicer for Mother to have a definite purpose; and anyway, it

turned out that Father had just got a new rod the day before.

So we got everything arranged for the trip, and we got Mother to cut up some sandwiches34

and make up a sort of lunch in case we got hungry, though of course we were to come back home

again to a big dinner in the middle of the day, just like Xmas or New Year's Day. Mother packed it all

up in a basket for us ready to go in the motor.

Well, when the car came to the door, it turned out that there hardly seemed as much room in

it as we had supposed.

Father said not to mind him, he said that he could just as well stay home; and that he was

sure that he could put in the time working in the garden; he said that we were not to let the fact of his

not having had a real holiday for three years stand in our way; he wanted us to go right ahead and be

happy and have a big day.

But of course we all felt that it would never do to let Father stay home, especially as we knew

he would make trouble if he did. The two girls, Anne and Mary, would gladly have stayed and

helped the maid get dinner, only it seemed such a pity to, on a lovely day like this, having their new

hats. But they both said that Mother had only to say the word, and they'd gladly stay home and work.

Will and I would have dropped out, hut unfortunately we wouldn't have been any use in getting the

dinner.

So in the end it was decided that Mother would stay home and just have a lovely restful day

round the house, and get the dinner. It turned out anyway that Mother doesn't care for fishing, and

also it was just a little bit cold and fresh out of doors, though it was lovely and sunny, and Father was