Бытовая сфера

Getting Acquainted

(dialogues)

1. - Can you do me a favor, Jim? Would you mind introducing me to Miss Jones?

- Oh, yes, with pleasure, though it’s rather strange you don’t know each other yet.

- I just didn’t have a chance to get acquainted with her. Is she a nice girl?

- Yes, of course, and she has a very nice dog.

2. - Harry, have you met Mr. Grey?

- No, we haven’t met.

- Come along then, I’ll introduce you to him, if you like.

- With pleasure.

- Mr. Grey, I should like to introduce Mr. Smith, a friend of mine.

- How do you do, Mr. Smith? Pleased to meet you.

- How do you do, Mr. Grey? I’m very glad to know you.

3. - I’m sorry. Are you acquainted? No? Harry, this is James Richardson. Mr. Richardson, Harry Smith.

- How do you do? I’m so glad to meet you.

- How do you do? I’m so pleased to have made your acquaintance, Mr. Smith.

4. - Miss Jane! Allow me to introduce Mr. Fox to you!

- How do you do, Mr. Fox? Happy to meet you.

Note: When meeting someone new, Americans and Englishmen usually have certain manners. They: 1. look them in the eye; 2. smile; 3. say “Hello. My name is / I’m … It’s nice to meet you, …” (Say their names.); 4. stand up when a grown-up enters the room; 5. say “How do you do?” if it is a stranger.

Men and boys do not offer their hand to shake unless the girl or lady offers theirs. When they talk to grown-ups, use their titles: “Yes, Mrs. Brown”, “No, Doctor White”. The only formally correct way to address people in Great Britain is “Madam” and “Sir”. Schoolboys and schoolgirls call their teacher “Sir”, if it is a man. And if the teacher is a woman, they say “Miss”.

Some topics of conversation or things they might talk to a new friend about may include: What do you do? What are your hobbies, favourite things to do? Do you play any sports? What are your favourite movies, books, songs, musical groups, etc.?

Never interrupt your new friends, while they are talking. Wait for a pause in the conversation. Don’t talk too loud or get too close to your new friend – generally stay about one arm’s length away.

5. An English family arrives at your house.

Katya: My name’s Katya.

Mr. Smith: I’m Peter Smith. How do you do, Katya? Pleased to meet you.

Katya: How do you do, Mr. Smith? It’s nice to meet you too.

Mr. Smith: This is my son Paul.

Paul: Hello, Katya.

Katya: Hello, Paul.

Katya: Please come in.

Mr. Smith: Thank you.

Katya: Please sit down. Would you like a drink?

Mr. Smith: Yes, we would. Mineral water for me. What do you want, Paul?

Paul: The same for me, please.

Katya: Here you are.

Katya: What do you do, Mr. Smith?

Mr. Smith: I’m a teacher.

Katya: And what does your wife do?

Mr. Smith: She is an artist.

Katya: What do you do, Paul?

Paul: I go to school.

Katya: What’s your hobby, Paul?

Paul: I collect books on art. I also play tennis and I like swimming very much.

Mr. Smith: It’s nine o’clock. We must go. Thank you very much. It was pleasure to

meet you, Katya. Goodbye.

Katya: Goodbye. See you tomorrow.

Vocabulary notes

1. to get acquainted [ə`kweintid] with smb – познакомиться с кем-либо

(to make smb acquaintance)

2. to introduce [intrə`dju:s] smb to smb – представить кого-либо

3. How do you do? – Здравствуйте.

4. Allow me to introduce … to you – Разрешите познакомить Вас с …

5. What do you do? Чем вы занимаетесь? (Как

зарабатываете на жизнь?)

Family Relationships

(dialogues)

1. Nadya answers the door and shows in her friend, Ann.

N: Ann, meet the aunts and uncles, grannies and grandpas, the nephews and nieces,

and all the rest.

A: Pleased to meet you all, I’m sure. My, what a big family you are!

N: This is only the immediate family. You’re the only outsider here now. You will

sit next to the oldest member of family present – my great-grandfather.

Grandpa, dear, I’m going to put my friend in this seat near you.

GR.-GRANDF: The pleasure is all mine. Please sit down, my dear. Make yourself

at home. So, Nadya must give me away at once and tell my age.

A: You don’t look your age at all. So don’t mind her.

GR.-GRANDF: A person is as old as he feels, they say. Still…

A: Nadya is your great-grand-daughter, isn’t she? She’s the exact image of you

(there’s a strong family resemblance between you) – of course, taking the

difference in age into consideration.

GR.-GRANDF: Does she really look like me so much? I’m flattered. She’s a

good-looking girl, isn’t she?

A: How wonderful it must be for you to look round the table and see four

generations of your descendants!

GR.-GRANDF: We are a long lived family. Only your dear granny died young.

N: (to A) She was 50 when she died.

A: Your family, it seems to me, are very much attached to each other.

N: Well, more or less, I suppose.

2. Brigitte Bardor. An Impromptu (экспромт) Marriage

A: I looked through an English newspaper and came across a short article titled

“Bardor admits impromptu marriage”.

B: Is it about the famous French actress who starred in so many films in the

60’s and 70’s?

A: Yes, she is not in films any more. She is on the bad side of her fifties and she

leads a secluded life rarely appearing in public.

B: How did she meet her present husband, then?

A: They met at a party, they say.

B: Does it say there that they decided to marry? Love at first sight?

A: Not quite so. The urge to get married came upon them when they took their trip

to Norway, where Brigitte’s son lives.

B: They both had to get divorced from their previous marriages, I suppose.

A: No, Brigitte had been divorced for 23 years. It was her fourth marriage,

by the way.

B: Which marriage is her son by?

A: Brigitte’s son Nicolas was born during her second marriage. His father was

an actor, too.

B: What does her present husband do?

A: He is a businessman, 7 years her junior.

B: Was it a marvelous wedding ceremony in a church?

A: Nothing of the kind. This is how Brigitte describes it, “We came upon a chapel

I lost in the romantic countryside. It was raining hard. We went through the

doors of the chapel. And there, suddenly, we decided to get married”.

B: But the pastor could give them his blessing only in the presence of witnesses.

A: The taxi driver and the church caretaker served as witnesses.

Vocabulary notes

1. Make yourself at home. – Будьте как дома.

2. resemblance [ri`zembləns] – сходство

3. I’m flattered. [aim `flætəd] – Я польщён.

4. descendant [di`sendənt] – потомок

5. impromptu [im`promptju:] – экспромт

6. secluded [si`klu:dəd] – замкнутый

7. Nothing of the kind. – Ничего подобного.

An Invitation to a Housewarming Party

Martin: Have you already moved into your new flat?

Sharon: Oh, yes, we have, and we expect you to come to our housewarming

party next Sunday.

Martin: Thank you, I’ll be very glad to come. Is it a two-room flat?

Sharon: Yes, a very nice one, with all modern conveniences.

Martin: Is it in a multi-storied house?

Sharon: It’s a four-storied dwelling house built by the City Municipals. It’s a

five minute walk from an underground station.

Martin: Weren’t you sorry to leave your old home?

Sharon: More than I can tell. The neighbours were old fellow-workers and I miss

them awfully. But you can’t compare the new flat with the old one.

You’ll see it yourself. Take your children along with you.

Martin: Yes, sure. Thank you.

Vocabulary notes

1. housewarming party – новоселье

2. dwelling house – жилой дом

3. to leave smth. – уезжать откуда-либо