 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
85
6. Cheer up!
7. You mustn't worry (about it...)
8. It could be worse.
13.4.2. Tell your friends:
1. your car was stolen;
2. your house was burgled;
3. you've had your car licence endorsed;
4. your boy/girl friend has left you;
5. when you got to the airport your flight had been cancelled.
He/she will give sympathy and encouragement.
13.4.3. Read the dialogue and then dramatize it.
JOHN: I dare say you've heard about my breakdown on the motorway.
TOM: Yes. What bad luck! But cheer up! It could have been worse.
JOHN: Could it! They tell me it needs a new engine.
TOM: Oh, no! I am sorry. It'll cost you a fortune.
JOHN: Yes, over $500 I believe.
: 500! Oh, that is bad luck. You poor chap.
JOHN: Still, as you say, it could have been a lot worse. I might have been killed.
TOM: Quite. It's not the end of the world. But I know how you feel. 500 is a lot of money.
13.4.4. A friend is speaking to you about a number of problems he has been having recently. Give him
sympathy and encouragement.
13.5. General understanding
13.5.1. Read the text. Try to understand it and be ready to answer the questions.
The man who escaped
(Episode 13)
1. It was around midnight when the phone rang in Eric Masters' flat. The voice on the other end was hard
and cold. «This is Hugo», it said. «There was an old blind man in the pub. He had a young woman with him.
He asked about you and then went to your shop». Masters blinked in surprise. His voice cracked slightly. «But I
don't know anybody like that. What did they want?» «How do I know, you fool? Just watch out for them, that's
all!» Hugo said furiously and hung up. Masters slept very badly that night.
2. Eric Masters was cleaning an antique pistol when the phone rang in his shop. He heard a young woman's
voice at the other end. «I believe you buy and sell antique weapons», she said. «Yes, that's right. I'm
particularly interested in old firearms». «My father is too. He wants to sell some of 17-th century pistols. Would
you be interested?» «Certainly. If you bring them to my shop, I'll look at them and give you a price». «Well,
unfortunately my father's blind. It's very difficult for him to get about. Would you mind coming to our place?»
Masters managed to answer calmly. «Well... er... my assistant is out to lunch. I'll come over when he comes
back. Is that all right?» He noted the address she gave him and hung up. His hands were trembling slightly.
«These must be the people Hugo told me about», he thought. He reached into a drawer and took out a pistol.
This one was not an antique. It was a small, black, nasty-looking automatic. «Perhaps the old man really does
want me to look at his pistols», he thought when he was getting into his white Jaguar and driving off.
3. He felt safer when Kate opened the door. She was slim, almost delicate-looking. «Good afternoon», he
said. «I'm Eric Masters. You rang my shop earlier». She smiled. «I hope I haven't put you to any trouble», she
said pleasantly, and led him into the sitting-room. Masters glanced suspiciously at the old, blind man sitting on
the sofa. At first he seemed harmless enough, but there was something familiar about the man's face that made
Masters look more carefully at him. «I'll go and get the pistols». Kate said. Masters stayed where he was, where
he could see everything and where nobody could come in behind him. The old blind man didn't move. «Are
you a collector too?» Masters asked. The old man simply nodded. The woman came out of the bedroom with a
large black case. «They're all in here», she said. «If you come over here, to the table, we can look at them. My
father doesn't really want anyone else to have them, but it's a question of money».
Masters kept his eyes fastened on the old man's face as he walked towards the table. He was halfway there
when the old man raised his face slightly. The sudden movement made Masters stop. The more he looked at
that face, the more suspicious he became. Suddenly it dawned on him. He stared at both of them. They were
both waiting for him to come nearer. It was the old man's nose and lips that made Masters think of Coke. He
reached for his pistol.
13.5.2. Choose the correct answer. Don't use the text.