Twenty Foreign Visitors

A Visit to Vladivostok

A Walk in the Woods

G w e n: Did you see Victor on Wednesday, Wendy?

Wendy: Yes. We went for a walk in the woods near the railway.

G w e n: Wasn't it cold on Wednesday?

Wendy: Yes. It was very cold and wet. We wore warm clothes and walked quickly to keep warm.

G w e n: It's lovely and quiet in the woods.

Wendy: Yes. Further away from the railway it was very quiet, and there were wild squirrels everywhere. We counted twenty squirrels.

Gwen: How wonderful! Twenty squirrels! And did you take lunch with you?

Wendy: Yes. About twelve we had veal sandwiches and sweet white wine, and we watched the squirrels. It was a very nice walk.

Oliver: Victor, have you ever visited Vladivostok?

Victor: Never. In fact, I haven't travelled further than Liverpool.

Oliver: I've had an invitation from the University of Vladivostok to give a survey of my own creative verse.

Victor: How marvellous!

Oliver: Will my navy overcoat be heavy enough, I wonder? It's long-sleeved,and reversible. And I've got a pair of velvet Levis — rather a vivid violet! Do you think they'll approve?

Victor: I should think the professors will view violet Levis with violent disapproval. When do you leave?

Oliver: On the 7th of November.

Victor: I don't advise you to travel on the 7th. It's the anniversary of the Valentine Invasion. And for heaven's sake, Oliver, don't overdo the caviar. Or the vodka.

Oliver: Victor, I do believe you're envious!

3. Rowena, Are You Awake?

Edward: Rowena! Are you awake?

Rowena: What? Edward, what's wrong? What time is it?

Edward: Oh, about two o'clock.

Rowena: In the morning? Oh, go away! What are you doing?

Edward: Come to the window, Rowena. Look, the whole world's white, there's a wicked wind blowing through Orwell Wood, whispering in the willows, whipping the water into waves, while over in the West...

Rowena: Oh, waxing poetical! You are off your head! I always knew it! Why are you wearing your Wellingtons?

Edward: I want to go out and wander in the woods. Come with me, Rowena! I can't wait to go walking in that wild and wonderful weather!

Rowena: I wish you wouldn't wake me up at two in the morning to go on a wild-goose chase!

Edward: Oh, woman, woman! Stop whining! What a wet blanket you are!

W i 1 m a: What are you giving your foreign visitors on Wednesday evening, Winnie? How many — twelve, is it?

Winnie: Twenty. Twelve of William's Swedish representatives, eight of them with wives.

W i 1 m a: And what will you feed them on?

Winnie: Well, we'll start with watercress soup, then fish in a white wine souce flavoured with fennel and chives, followed by stuffed veal served with cauliflower and... oh, a very wide variety of vegetables.

W i 1 m a: Mmm... My mouth's watering!

Winnie: For sweet we'll have fresh fruit souffle covered with walnuts. And lots of whipped cream, of course, and vanilla wafers. And we'll finish with devilled soft roes.

W i 1 m a: And finally coffee? What a feast! I wish I was going to be with you!

Exercise VI. Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. The south wind brings wet weather,

The north wind wet and cold together,

The west wind always brings us rain,

The east wind blows it back again.

2. If all the world were water,

And all the sea were drink,

What should we do for bread and jam?

What should we do for drink?

3. The Vine

V was once a little vine

Viny,

Winy,

Twiny,

Viny,

Twisty-twiny

Little vine.

4. Oh, wind, why do you never rest?

Wandering, whistling to and fro?

Bringing rain out of the west

From the dim north bringing snow?

5. Whether the weather be fine,

Whether the weather be not,

Whether the weather be cold,

Whether the weather be hot,

We'll weather the weather

Whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not.

6. When the weather is wet,

We must not fret,

When the weather is cold,

We must not scold.

When the weather is warm,

We must not storm,

But be joyful together,

Whatever the weather.

Exercise VII. Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. Virtue is its own reward.

2. All is fair in love and war.

3. When the wind is in the west, the weather's always best.

4. One word to the wise.

5. Time works wonders.

6. Wilful waste makes woeful want.

7. One never knows with the weather.

8. Wealth is nothing without health.

9. No sweet without some sweat.

UNIT 19. [s] – [z]

Exercise I. Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

1. [s]			2. [z]			3. [s]— [z]
seem	serious	most	zebra	is	lazy	hiss — his
soft	yes	waste	zone	was	dizzy	ice — eyes
slow	miss	ask	zeal	has	busy	rice — rise
skin	glass	sister	zero	his	easy	race — raise
sweet	looks	sensible	zenith	buzz	rosy	lice — lies
city	wants	accent	zip	breeze	nosy	once — one's
cinema	nice	possible	zoo	freeze	dozen	false — falls
						loose — lose
						advice — advise

4. Silent s:

aisle; island; Grosvenor, Carlisle; chassis

Exercise II. Read the following sense-groups, mind the rhythm and intonation.

(a) smile; an irresistible smile; has an irresistible smile; Sally has an irresistible smile; Sam thinks Sally has an irresistible smile.

(b) roses; over the roses; flying over the roses; bees are flying over the roses; the busy bees are flying over the roses.

Exercise III. Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[s] (a) 1. Better safe than sorry.

2. A lisping lass is good to kiss.

3. Last but not least.

4 Sue will certainly see the sights of Sydney.

5. Sing a song of seasons.

[z] (b) 1. As soon as he can.

2. A lazy zebra called Desmond is dozing at the zoo.

3. He feels flies buzzing round his eyes, ears and nose.

4. He rouses, opens his eyes, rises and goes to Zoe.

5. Zoe is wearing a rose on her blouse.

6. Zoe gives Desmond the buns, but he prefers the rose on her blouse.

[s] — [z] (c) 1. Last summer I saw Susan and Bessy in Cyprus.

2. I'm sorry Miss Bessy Castle is busy.

3. Susan and Cecily seem to be fond of ice-cream.

4. Susie is a secretary in a famous agency.

5. She is responsible for ads.

6. Her boss Sam Smith thinks she is lazy.

Exercise IV. Read,the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Swan swam over the sea,

Swim, swan, swim.

Swan swam back again,

Well swum, swan!

2. Moses supposes his toeses are roses,

But Moses supposes erroneously.

Exercise V. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialogues.

1. It's Expensive

Sam: Let's go to the seaside on Sunday.

Alice: Yes! Let's go sailing and water-skiing. That's exciting.

Sam: It's expensive too. Let's just sit in the sun and go swimming instead.

Alice: Let's stay in the Six Star Hotel and spend Sunday there too.

Sam: Be sensible, Alice. It's too expensive. Let's sleep outside instead.

Alice: Yes. Let's sleep on the sand. That's more exciting.

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