Commentary

1. Other-worldly, indeed! "Other-worldly" means more concerned with spiritual matters than with daily life. The exclamation "indeed" is used to express surprise, annoyance or lack of belief.

2. Lincoln Cathedral is in the ancient town of Lincoln, North Midlands. The magnificent Cathedral Church of St.Mary, rising to 271 ft, was built between the 11th and 14th centuries and its honey-coloured stone is said to change colour in varying light.

3. Gilbert, William Schwenck: (1836—1911), an English drama­tist and poet.

4. psychic: having the alleged power of seeing objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision.

5. to send smb to Coventry: to refuse to speak to someone as a sign of disapproval or punishment.

SPEECH PATTERNS

1. He was just going to pitch the postcard in the fire when
suddenly he decided not to.

David was just about to order a plane ticket when suddenly he decided not to.

The little boy seemed ready to jump into the icy cold water but then he decided not to.

2. It isn't a pleasant experience, I can tell you.

It isn't easy to get tickets to the Bolshoi, I can tell you. That's not the first time he has acted this way, I can tell you.

3. How was it that he had never noticed the most significant
fact about the postcards...?

How was it that he was home all day, but didn't answer any of our phone calls?

How is it that we can put a man in space, but we can't cure the common cold?

Phrases and Word Combinations

1 to get/come to grips with 9 to have one's feet (firm) on the smb/smth (informal) ground

2 to take up (time and energy) 10 to have things one's own way

3 to linger in the mind 11 to get into a groove/rut (informal)

5 a borderline case 12 to look round for ideas to plump for smth (informal) 13 an odd coincidence

6 to ponder over smth 14 to feel reassured

to feel a stirring of 15 to send smb to Coventry (informal)

7 curiosity/hatred/interest 16 in the flesh

to size up smb/smth (informal) 17 to have/bear a grudge against smb