Ex. 3a) Study the words connected with size, weight and general appearance

Fat may sound impolite. Instead we often say a bit overweight. If a man is fat (especially round the waist) we often say he has a beer belly. If someone is broad and solid, we can say they are stocky. A person with good muscles can be well-built or muscular. If someone is terribly thin and refuses to eat, they may be anorexic (medical).

plump [neut.] slender [pos.] tubby [neg.]

stout [neut.] skinny [neg.] obese [neg.]

stocky [neut.] underweight [neg.]

— Ex. 4 Answer the following questions.

1. How do the following adjectives describe people – are positive or negative? powerful, chubby, bony, well-fed, solid, frail, lean, delicate, graceful, sturdy, paunchy, diminutive, imposing?

2. Do you think your appearance can determine your character? If so, how?

3. What is the difference between the words or phrases in the following pairs? skinny/slim, well-built/corpulent, overweight/obese, all skin and bones/there’s more fat on a chip, plump/stocky, short/below average height, a midget/ knee-high to an ant? Why?

Ex.5. Divide the following words used to describe hair into several groups: styles, colours, texture/appearance, treated hair, lots of hair, little hair. Give their Russian equivalents.

wavy, curly, black, bald, loose, in pigtails, chestnut-brown, blonde (F), plaits(Br)/braids(Am), in a bun/ in a ponytail, permed, dyed, receding, redhead, thick, lustrous, bushy, jet-black, brunette (F), shiny, brown, golden-blond, wiry (stiff), a mop of hair, straight, smooth, spiky, shaved, parted, in bunches fastened with hairslides (Br)/barrettes(Am) (ribbons, hair pins), slicked down, ash-blond, auburn, pinned up, neatly-combed, unkempt, scruffy, tangled, fringe (AmE: bang), parted in the middle/on one side/with a side parting, thin, highlighted, weaved, red, gray (ing), silvery, white, salt-and-pepper